HOW TO BE AGREEABLE?

New Zealand Graphic, Volume X, Issue 7, 18 February 1893, Page 166

HOW TO BE AGREEABLE?

Et ERt bodi wants to be popular. And to be popular, one must be agreeable. How shall it be accomplished ! In the first place, never forget yourself. Bear always in mind that you are first, and other people second. * Take care of No. I.’

Consult your own convenience in everything. It is no matter who is inconvenienced, if you are only satisfied. J

Don’t put yourself out to consider other people’s feelings. Let them keep their feelings out of the way if they don’t want them trifled with.

In society, always take the lead in conversation. If you want to say anything, say it—never mind whom it hits.

They needn’t take it if they don’t deserve it. It doesn’t matter who else is talking, just you say your say ; you have as good a right to talk as anybody. 'lf you have an idea, promulgate it at once—if you let it alone too long it might get lonely and depart forever, and the world would be the loser.

Talk continually. Fill all the pauses. It is wicked to suffer valuable time to run to waste. Interrupt always when you see fit. It teaches people to hurrv up and not be too long-winded. If a person is telling an interesting story, smile knowingly all through, and just as he has reached the denoument, exclaim :

‘ Oh, I heard that story years ago !’ It will prevent the narrator from feeling too important, and it is your duty to always cultivate a spirit of due humility in—your neighbours. If any one tells anything particularly striking, just you go to work and tell something a little more so. Try and not be beaten. '

Toss over all the books and trifles on the table—it will keep somebody out of idleness to set them to rights. Put your feet on the ottomans.

If your boots are dirty, never mind ; somebody will dust things in the morning, and they might as well have something worth while to do.

In conversing of absent friends, never permit yourself to descend to mere gossip. Let others thus demean themselves, but do you keep silent; and when any individual whom you do not quite like is mentioned—draw down your face, smile faintly, and heave a sigh. Sighs in such a case speak volumes I We would rather anybody should preach our degeneracy from the house-tops than to sigh over us. undone 1 *! P* o1 * 16 begin to si 8 h over you. you are pretty nearly Follow faithfully these few, simple suggestions, and if you fail of being popular, one or two things is certain—you were either born too early or too late, and the world is not in a condition to appreciate you. For which, blame the world—but never yourself ! Never !