wealth, and accuracy of your conversation."

2. She must avoid a loud tone of voice, and also avoid laughing too much
and too easily. To laugh aloud is a dangerous thing, unless all noise
and harshness have been cultivated out of the voice, as ought to be done
in every good school. The culture of the voice is one of the most
important elements in making a pleasant converser. American girls and
women are accused by cultivated foreigners of having loud, harsh,
strident voices; and there is too much truth in the accusation. Nor is
there any excuse for unpleasant, harsh, rough, nasal tones of voice in
these days when in every good school instruction is given in the
management of the voice for reading and conversation. The cause of
harshness and loudness is often mere carelessness on the part of young
people. But talking in too loud a tone is scarcely less unpleasant to
the listeners than the use of too low a tone, which is generally an
affectation.

3. She must avoid frequent attempts at wit; avoid punning, which is the
cheapest possible form of wit; and avoid sarcasm. The talent for being
sarcastic is a most dangerous one. 'No one ever knew a sarcastic woman
who could keep friends. The temptation to be bright and interesting and
to attract attention by the use of sarcasm is very strong, for nearly
all will be interested in it and enjoy it for a little. But were I
obliged to choose between sarcasm and dullness in a young girl, I should
prefer dullness. Happily, this is not a necessary alternative.

4. She must avoid a kind of joking and badinage that should never be
heard among well-bred young people in society--that about courtship and
marriage. Much harm, much blunting of fine sensibilities, much
destruction of that delicate modesty which is the priceless dower of