THE EXASPERATED TALKER.

Waikato Times, Volume VI, Issue 331, 27 June 1874, Page 2

THE EXASPERATED TALKER.

This is not he who button-holes you or keeps you standing, with, hat in one hand and. the other on the door-knob; ' nor the wob'deh person who rehearses sentimental platitudes* nor the autobiographical 1 talker who is continually serving himself ,up for breakfast, dinner, and supper — soup, fish, flesh, and. dessert j ( nor even the prying person is always' pecking at what is not his business. 'All th,ese you can passively endure, or wrench yoursejf away from, or in some away avoid -or discourage. The exasperating talker, is brilliant, ready,' flufcrify demanding attention, and fascinating enough to command, it,, but just, sharp, tonguey, incisive, and opinionated enough to excite a slight reaction — to create, a half-conscious inward protect, a kind of -distrustful' vigilence, which discounts almost' everything ihat this conventional expert says, and^>ai"ticularly his most biiljjant and emphatic sayings. There .is just a susp'icibn that there is more wisdom of words than, of heart, more, excellency of speech than of character. t He lays down his opinion like gauntlets, and yet as' if not expecting them, 'to be taken up. He would be ingenuously surprised to have them questioned,' except' for ■ explanation or information,' *&d- to' answer him would seem too much like contradicting him, and about as ridiculous as for Cataine to interrupt Cicero in the' midst/ or to disturb the rhectorical effect, of his peroration; If you- were- driven to it, you might ' take' a 1 bull by the horns, but you; would'not tweak the Pope's nose. J While acknov^ lodging the exasperating; .talker to be a dersirable companion' and a social attractions on the whole to be welcomed and admired, you simply feel somewhat exasperated by his talk, and in the ratio of its brilliancy. The secret of it is : The exasperating talker.doesn't know^how to listen. He is in % too self-conceited hurry with his tongue. It spoils the delicacy of his politeness. His pauses are not SO' much the concessions of mutual respect as absentminded capitiilations to civility. His eagerness to' show his opinion rules out fair play, a»nd your o.wn amour propre is just enpugh, disturbed by his selfeonceit to make him the- exasperating talker.

Tiio Rev Homy ,Wayd Beecher says on tbe subjaob of dancing i— ' It is" wfcked when'ifia wicked-, *nd not wicked when it is not wicked. In itself it has no more moral character than walking, wrestling, or rowing. Bad company, untimely hours, evil dances, may make the exercise evil ; good company, wholesome hours, and home influence, may make it a very great benefit.'