The Charm School
Austin decided to interview them himself in conjunction with Miss Curtis. He derived a great deal of amusement and some information in the process. They came to him—fourteen of them—so candid, so sincere, so willing to be reasonable and meet him half-way. They told their ridiculous stories as if only he, out of all the world, would really understand them. He was particularly impressed by the story of one girl—Helen Doughty by name—who feared that her belief would be undermined by certain doctrinal questions that had come up in connection with the Book of Job.
When they had all finished Austin got up with his hands in his pockets and said:
"Oh, come now, really, girls, this sort of thing won't do. You'll all take the course you elected, and that's an end of it. But while we are on the subject, let me give you a word of advice about trying to put something like this over. Don't be so terribly sincere and candid and reasonable, and, above all, don't be so glib. Do remember that the person you're talking to has probably tried to put something over in his time, and tried to do it by being just as candid and sincere and reasonable as all of you are. Every one ought to have a course in listening to an
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