The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-01-19
Word to Correspondents.

S'S' AeioS WHICH correspondents
Tor the press should never disregard; particu-
iarly those who write for the Portland Press.
If they would be sure of proper attention.
1. They must al,1ays give their real name.
not for publication, but as guarantee Of good
faith.
2. They should always iorite plain. We
have before us an elaborate article, no doubt a
good one, but utterly useless because the wri-
Ter took so much pains to write elegantly; to
make 1t abound in handsomely-cut Aourishes.
we cannot stop to decipher blind manuscripts,
our eompositors viii not do so If they can
avoid it, and we do not blame them. Never
abbreviate, unless the abbreviation Is to be
followed In print; never use figures where
spelling the words out would be better: al
ways spell out the conjunction and. be care
fal OF proper names, and make not only ev-
cry word but every letter perfectly plain.
8. Be sure and spell correctly, and mako a
proper use of capital letters.
A. DON'T go all round Robin Hoods barn
to tell what you mean; if you know what
you want to say, sag It and then stop. Go as
straight to work as though paid by the job.
The quaint but pious old soldier who said he
always prayed straight at the "bull's eye"
would teach a profitable lesson to some of the
.diffuse correspondents who have little to saw.
and don't seem to know how to say that little.
.. The fifth rule should nerer be disregard
ed. 1t is this: If you have nothing to say, be
sure and sag it,-and nothing else The
trouble with many writers Is that thew sit
down to write with heads ssempty as a bass
drum, and then attempt TO prepare articles
for the edification of Others. None but editors
have any excuse for doing this; it should be
their exclusive privilege.
Perhaps one rule more may not be out of
place; particularly for beginners, and those
not much accustomed to writing for the press
tits this: when you have finished your COM
munication, and read and re-read, corrected
and re-corrected it, If it don't contain some
thing of real public interest; something that
will be read with interest by the general read
er, then-pat 1t into the coal stoue instead Of
the postoffice. The observance OF this rule
will save a great deal of matter from the
waste basket in the editors sanctum.
A final postscriptive rule for young ladies:
never attempt poetry unless you can write
good prose; never imagine yourself a poet
simply because you can jingle two words in
rhyme; never plume yourself upon being a
goddess because some "nice young man" has
made sonnets to your blue eyes.
.-..-
AN ELEGANT MEMORIAL FROM THE "FAR
WEsr.-Our respected fellow-citizen, DAVID
TUCKER, Esq, whose silver wedding was cele-
brated awhile since, has recently received a mas
sive and valuable silver ring, superbly mount
ed with gold, as silver wedding gift from j.
Alden Smith. ESQ.,, formerly the publisher and
editor OF the Bethel Courier, in this State, Lut
now residing in Colorado. The ore was TAX
en- fiom the Colorado mines, was there manu-
factured into this ring, and was then trans
ported some $4,000 miles to reach its destina-
ton, 800 miles of which was by mules and
oxen solely. The friend who sent 1t, the orr
gin of the metals of which it is composed, and
the mode of its transportation, give it triple
value.
The letter accompanying the gift contains
matters Of interest, not only to the personal
friends of Mr.. Smith In this State, but to the
public, coming as it does from territory, few
years since wilderness, but now claiming
recognition as sovereign state of the nation.
We are permitted to copy the following ex-
extract:
II have renounced the stick and rule and
am engaged in mining, with very encouraging
prospects. 1 have built a quartz mill, and
opened two very rich mines this summer.
have got out large quantity of very rich ores
to commence on, and the mines are yielding
splendidly, and promise an unlimited supply
for future use
"we are now October 20, 1S65) luxuriating
In about ten inches of snow; and ten miles
west OF US, and about 1000 feet higher, on the
highest range of the Sierra Malre, there are
ten feet OF snow, with which Old Boreas is
troicking in manner much more vigorous
than agreeable, and is constantly flirting down
sleet and snow upon us In quantities more CO.
pious than pleasant The mountain game,
too, not liking his playful pranks of burying
them under avalanches, hurting huge trees at
them, with many other innocent amusements,
have left his company, and we are now sur
rounded bv large numbers of elk, deer, noun
tain sheep, range hares, grouse, cougars, griz-
ely bears, cuyotes, &C."