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THE ART OF
CONVERSATION
TWELVE GOLDEN RULES
BY
JOSEPHINE TURCK BAKER
AUTHOR OF
CORRECT ENGLISH: A COMPLETE GRAMMAR
TEN THOUSAND WORDS: HOWTO PRONOUNCE THEM
AND EDITOR OF THE MAGAZINE
CORRECT ENGLISH: HOW TO USE IT
PUBLISHED BY
CORRECT ENGLISH PUBLISHING COMPANY
EVANSTON, ILLINOIS
Copyright, 1907
BY
Josephine Turck Baker
THE ART OF CONVERSATION
TWELVE GOLDEN RULES
GOLDEN RULE NUMBER I
Avoid unnecessary details.
He.—Do you know that what you say always interests me?
She.—That is because we are such good comrades.
He.—Not altogether. I think that it is because you never dwell upondetails.
She.—Then, one is interesting in conversation according as one omitsdetails?
He.—Unnecessary details.
She.—I remember that, when visiting some friends whom I had notseen for several years, my hostess said to me, "Ever since yourarrival, I have been trying to discover why you[Pg 6] are so interestingin conversation, and I have decided that it is because you omitunnecessary details." I felt that my hostess had paid me a highcompliment.
He.—Yes; but one that you deserve. Now, even in telling this incident,you were direct. The bore would have "side-tracked," and would havetold innumerable and irrelevant details. I don't believe you could borea person if you were to try.
She.—I am quite sure that I could. Listen to this: "Several yearsago,—four years ago just,—this last June; no, it was only threeyears ago, because I remember now that four years ago I did not attendthe alumnae reunion of our college, and so it must have been threeyears ago,—I was the guest of one of the members of my class,—I wasattending the annual reunion of the alumnae of our college,—almostevery year I attend the alumnae reunion of our college,—and on thisoccasion, I was the guest of one of the members of my class. She hadnot been attending the reunions, and so I had not seen her for severalyears,—five years at least, and——"
He.—Pardon my interruption, but you are a success.
She.—As a bore?
He.—No; as an imitator. I think that you should have been an actress.
She.—Yes; I think that Nature intended me for one; and I could have"acted." Indeed, I usually find it difficult not to act; that is, Ifind it difficult to be m