Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-12-21
JUST RECEIVED
Marx Twain'S Idea of a Good Letter.

The most useful and interesting let
tiers We get here from home are from
children seven or eight years old. This
is apetritied truth. Happily they have
got nothing else to talk about but
home, and neighbors and tamily-things
their bctters think unworthy Of trans
mission thousands ofmiles. Thevwrite
simply and naturally, and without strain
for effect. They tell all they know,
and then stop. They seldom deal in
distractions or homilies.. Consequently
their epi>tles are brief; but, treating as
they do Of familiar scenes and persons,
always entertaining. Now, therefore,
if you would learn the art Of letter
writing, let a child teach you. l have
preserved a letter from a little girl eight
years of age-preserved it as a curios-
ity, because it was the only letter |
ever got from the States that had any
information in it. 1t ran thus:
ST. LOUIS, 1865.
Uncle Mark, if you was here |
could tell you about Moses in the bull
rushes again. | know it better now.
Mr.. Sowberry has got his leg broke
off a horse. HewaS ridingit on Sunday.
Margaret-that's the Maid-Margaret
has taken all the spittoons, and slop
buckets and old jugs out of your room,
because she says she don't think you
are coming back any more, you have
been gone too long. Sissy McElroy's
mother has got another little baby
She has them all the time. 1t has got
little blue eyes, like Mr.. Swimley that
boards there, and looks Just like him.
| have got a new doll, but Johnny An
derson pulled one of the legs out
Miss Dusenberry was here yesterday
| gave her. your picture, but She said
she didn't want it. My cat has got
more kittens-oh! you can't think
twice as many as Lottie Belden's. And
there's one-such a sweet little buff one
with a short tail-and | named it for
you.
All of them's got names now-Gen
eral Grant, and Halleck, and Moses
and Margaret, and Deuteronomy, and
Captain Semmes, and Exodus, and LIE.
viticus, and Horace Greeley-all nam
ed but one, and | am saving it because
that one | named for you's been SICK
all the time since, and | reckon it viii
die. 1t appears to be mighty rough
on the short tailed kitten for naming il
for me. | wonder how the reserved
victim Will stand it. Uncle Mark,
do believe Hattie Caldwell likes you
and l know she thinks you are pretty
because | heard her say nothing coulC
hurt your good looks-nothing at all
she said, even if you were to have The
small poX ever so bad, you would b,
just as good looking as you were be
fore. And ma says she's ever so smart
| Very. SO no more this time, because
General Grant and Moses are fighting
ANNE"
This child treads on my toes in every
other sentence, with perfect looseness
but in the simplicity of her time oflifi
she doesn't know it.
| consider that a model letter-al
eminently readable and entertaining
letter, and, as | said before, it contain,
more matter of interest and real infor
nation than any letter / ever received
from the East. | had rather hear abou
eats at home and their truly remarkable
names, than listen to a lot ofstuff abou
people that | am not acquainted with
or read "The Evil Effects of the Intox
icating Bowl" illustrated on the bacl
with ragged scallawag pelting ava,
right and left in the midst of the fam
lily circle with a junk bottle.