CHAPTER VIII.

CONVERSATION.

Character revealed by conversation--Importance of conversing
well--Children should be trained to talk well--Cultivation of the
memory--Importance of remembering names--How Henry Clay acquired this
habit--Listening--Writing down one's thoughts--Requisites for a good
talker--Vulgarisms--Flippancy--Sympathizing with another--Bestowing
compliments--Slang--Flattery--Scandal and gossip--Satire and
ridicule--Religion and politics to be avoided--Bestowing of
titles--Interrupting another while talking--Adaptability in
conversation--Correct use of words--Speaking one's mind--Profanity
--Display of knowledge--Double entendres--Impertinent questions
--Things to be avoided in conversation--Hobbies--Fault-finding
--Disputes 84


CHAPTER IX.

DINNER PARTIES.

Dinners are entertainments for married people--Whom to invite--Forms of
invitations--Punctuality required--The success of a dinner party--Table
appointments--Proper size of a dinner party--Arrangement of guests at
table--Serving dinner a la Russe--Duties of servants--Serving the
dishes--General rules regarding dinner--Waiting on others--Monopolizing
conversation--Duties of hostess and host--Retiring from the table--Calls
required after a dinner party--Returning hospitalities--Expensive