Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1871-09-07
How to Write Letters.

|
The subject of reducing letter postage
| to uniform rate of one cent is in agita-
ton, and the discussion makes it proba-
BILE that the change will be accomplished
one of these days, and when this is eff
| fected, the last plea for the franking
| privilege will be abolished. A letter that
| is mot worth cent? need not be
franked, certainly. Meanwhile it occurs
to us to question whether the mails are
used half so freely as they should be.
| Are there not thousands of people who
might write, and ought to do it, but neg
| lect it? A single line from an absent
friend or connection would often save
anxiety if not pain and unhappiness.
But with many persons writing is a
dreadful task; and there are others who
invest the act of penning letter with
such an air of formality that they dislike
to touch pen to paper. Writing should
| be as easy as talking, in land of cheap
postage and free schools. But it is very
| well, after all, to be more careful how
you write than how you speak, and the
habit of writing letters reacts on eX-
| preston in conversation, making speech
more guarded. and correct. "A good let
ter writer is generally a good talker.
Many letters are very unsatisfactory,
from the neglect of few obvious rules.
Perhaps our readers will tolerate the re-
capitulation of a few simple hints upon
matters small but really important. No.
body now heeds all the minor rules that
should be observed, though every body's
letter would be more satisfactory for at
Etention even to minute particulars. q
l. First, then, as to date. = Ifzyoui live
where the streets are numbered, give
street and number, as well as the town,
andif in2 the country give post-office,
Ilcounty and State. The day of the week, ,
i as well as the day of the month, and the
year should be specified. Much may de-
fpendo on the. date, and the day of the
week often serves to verify or correct a
careless figure. Write your, signature
carefully, 'legfbly and fully. Form the
habit, and care is as easy as carelessness.
To a friend who knows your writing no
signature is necessary. But a. stranger
| is often puzzled by the hopeless ambigu-
ity of the marks which are supposed to
represent mans name. Be particular
about the directions, also, giving in writ
ing exact and easily read the residence
of your correspondent. And next as to
subject matter. If business, let it be
clearly expressed. If yours be the open
ing letter, state intelligibly what you
wish to propose, anticipating such in
Iquiries as your correspondent will proba-
bly, desire to have answered. IF your
letter is reply to another, let your cor
i respondent see what is your understand
i ing OF his letter. In the careful times of
. our forefathers, letter usually COM
menced with recapitulation of the
points to be replied to. We can hardly
| expect such eXactness in these days of
hurry; but where there is any chance to
understand a thing in two ways, your
correspondent should be advised which
i way you apprehend his words. Do not
travel out of the record to say unneces-
sary things, which you may be called
l TO 1hSfa fn nj XXh q mo
envelopes and postage are so cheap, do
do not mix business and gossip.
) Apropos of gossip. If writing friendly
letters, time permitting, say all the pleas
ant things you can of persons mutually
known to you and your correspondent.
But whatever gall is in your ink chemi-
cally, metaphorically keep all bitterness
out. Never scold by post, for the bitter
letter may be the last you will write, or
your friend may die before you have the
opportunity by personal magnetism to
remove the cruel effect of the unkind
words written. Harsh writing has a lIor-
rid look, and things which may speak
without offence, when written seem un-
| pardonable. Above all, except in cases
of absolute necessity, do not write i'll OF
u a third person, or put your hand to a let
ter which may make mischief past all
f remedy. 1t is unsafe to talk badly about
people, much more to write about them
in that style. The friendly letter is the
verv place for egotism. If you think a
, person wishes to hear from you, you
| may justly conclude that he desires to
hear and know all about you. Show
} your interest in your correspondent by
inquiries and comments concerning him
and his, but do yourself the justice to
| suppose that he is interested in you also
{ Convey information about whatever con-
Germs you, if the subject be a proper one
: to write about at all; talk on, paper as
) you might talk by word of mouth, but
| remember always that there are some
/ things which should never be written
2 though they may be spoken. Words are
5 forgotten, but the written letter re-
5 mains. .t-s' .....- ...- +t y s.sf- F.
II The art of letter writing should re-
t ceive more attention than it usually does
} in schools. What is called compost
t tion'' is often the merest waste of time
The unlucky pupil knows not what tc
say or how to say it. Let him or her be
required, instead, to write a letter tC
somebody ouce a week, and a facility
and correctness will be acquired which
will be found useful through life. Al
: object is before the writer of a letter
definite and distinct, while in too many
: cases school composition is dreary
, waste of. words, or childish burlesque
on authorship. Few, comparatively
write for the press. All should write
! letters. And whoever can succeed il
: epistolary!Writing can also turn his minC
to any other style of composition. Fol
good letter has in it the best element!
of every other form of writing.-l Phil
, adelphia Ledger. $3.50 s5TH r. ya