e a trifler.
Others, on the contrary, seem to forget in what respects the education
of a lady differs from that of a gentleman, and commit the opposite
error of conversing on topics with which ladies are seldom acquainted,
and in which few, if any, are ever interested. A woman of sense has as
much right to be annoyed by the one, as a woman of ordinary education by
the other. If you really wish to be thought agreeable, sensible,
amiable, unselfish and even well-informed, you should lead the way, in
_tete-a-tete_ conversations, for sportsmen to talk of their shooting, a
mother to talk of her children, a traveler of his journeys and the
countries he has visited, a young lady of her last ball and the
prospective ones, an artist of his picture and an author of his book. To
show any interest in the immediate concerns of people is very
complimentary, and when not in general society one is privileged to do
this. People take more interest in their own affairs than in anything
else you can name, and if you manifest an interest to hear, there are
but few who will not sustain conversation by a narration of their
affairs in some form or another. Thackeray says: "Be interested by other
people and by their affairs. It is because you yourself are selfish that
that other person's self does not interest you."

CORRECT USE OF WORDS.

The correct use of words is indispensable to a good talker who would
escape the unfavorable criticism of an educated listener. There are many
words and phrases, used in some cases by persons who have known better,
but who have become careless from association with others who make
constant use of them. "Because that" and "but that" should never be used
in connection, the word "that" being entirely superfluous. The word
"vocation" is often used for "avocation." "Unhealthy" food is spoken of
when it should be "unwholesome." "Had not ought to" is sometimes heard
for "ought not to;" "banister" for "baluster;" "handsful" and
"spoonsful" for "handfuls" and "spoonfuls;" "it was him" for "it was
he;" "it was me" for "it was I;" "whom do you think was there?" for "who
do you think was there?"; "a mutual friend" for "a common friend;" "like
I did" instead of "as I did;" "those sort of things" instead of "this
sort of things;" "laying down" for "lying down;" "setting on a chair"
for "sitting on a chair;" "try and make him" instead of "try to make
him;" "she looked charmingly" for "she looked charming;" "loan" for
"le