The New York herald., 1874-08-16

! public readers have switched on IRON the main
notnlnss to the one dear creature VINO thinks that
my chan Is always wheat. What is IL that you nnd
all ain sure that, after have written and turn
around TO read them, they appear TO be poor and
Wan SSsstian rroouna sentence or exnres
sion IN your letters, that proves what knew be-
fore that the art OF writing beautiful letters does
not belong TO literary men and women more than
to other men and women. AS In q mirror one
shows has lace TO himself. SO in letter one shows
his heart to hts friend. The writing may be poor,
and yet the letter good. Bus, In q perfect SEN
tence. which IS made to lit like glove around the
modelled shape oil some worthy thought, there Is
something in the mere expression, independent OF
the thought that sometimes has charm in-
describa0le.
some of the finest literature In the world is con.
tanned IN wise and rich letters-many OF them
reader The most interesting books are biogra-
phies mainly on account OF their personality. But
letters are still more personal A letter Is mutu.
ally enk .ndling-t puts both writer and reader In
glow OF love and good will toward the other.
Letters ike prayers, ought never to admit an un-
presson--neyer any Of the little hes OF polite
usage.
For instance, don't like a letter to end with,
al am your otedlent servant" No form OF ex-
preston, however customary, ought to be used
man " whom IL nv Siti' did not ike would never say.
My dear sir" but simply ''Str." Tne more
see OF the little hbs current In society y the
to speak she truth and, to this end, let US
speak it ourselves have long thought that the
and wives, as friends and friends our secretest
and deepesthidden thoughts, without disguise
and without mjsr representation, Wouiu nnally
breed greater reverence Ior honesty and truth
iulncsS than now prevails.
II man wlfuy missrates an outward fact 1t
is lie, and he sins against society. But II he VIII
fully deceves by representing ms thoughts to be
with men who indulge in religious can't and are
the prayer mongers at Friday night meetings,
then such man equally is guilty OF lying although
as against himself believe that OF all the virtues
the greatest Is to speak the truth. with watch
moral! as Robert Browning says, Il drop my
This IS enough sermonizng for Saturday night
my lie Itself THEODORE.
DISSATISFIED WITH THE cHuRcHEs
ALTON, ILL.,. Dec %, 1866.
ny DARLINGTON for direct gaze into the pure
biuei "For now we see through glass darby,
but then lace to face"
that have been taught OF sectaraDism, OF hide
bound theologes, OF stereotyped creeds; and let
me, instead, 60 direct 10 Goo, and ask Tor His
lignt 10 shine on my lace, on Moses of DID,"
] am dissatisfied with the churches ana their
the light They mean well, but they know not
what they do. | believe in Gods daily revea-
sP Of the ss sun to the eartn so He makes day as
closures OF HIS glory to our souls But ii We shut
the eyes either OF our bodies or our souls we can
not expect to see. am striving to tear on, little
by little, since cannot do 1t at stroke some OF
the Dandages that have hitherto bound me blind.
mine eyes unto Thee, y God" Your best lover
DUBUQUE, Iowa, Dec. 81 1865.
MY DAZZLING: II had SIX tongues instead OF one
coud employ them oil and every night. l had q
touch OF nome sickness this morning. 1t came
IRON the sunshine that poured into my room from
the lustrous southeast. The wall, the carpet, the
chairs, all glowed and glltteted under the touch OF
the goldsmith wanted then certain shining
lace to slt In my rocking chair, IN whose eyes
might look and On whose ups might hang.
allow these, and such ike moods, to oil me
awhile with q delicious sadness; ana then hR mt
them down. ana 60 to WORK. don't expect how
ever, to be lonesome much longer: Tor am to
Man ngt1 MN hol
gone 0n lecturing las your letter mentionsl. you
can AFFORD 10 come TO me- You ought to be enjoy
for instance, this afternoon. dinner party. Leave
home, children kth and kin, and cleave unto hun
promised Inc Other man 10 cleave to me, and YET
| you leave NE all dIos-e and cieave to ht,a-
o. frailtyl thy name is woman.
you can get anybody TO pour tea lor you, and
to take sauce from the servants, and to receive
pastoral visits. shall expect to meet you under
the roof Of Rooert Hatfield. Yours etsTpaly tHpaypv
VNToN. Iowa, Dec. 20. 1866.
this evening, | arranged ali the letters which I
have received from my dear pet, each according to
morrow, from beginning to end. They make a
little pocket volume which carry with me where
ever CO. and which read whenever grow home
sick.
The older grow the less do regard public
reputation and the more DO | revere private
terity In speaking or writing, gets a reputation
that outmeasures real desert, ls not to DC com
pared, in point Of moral heroism, with hundreds
and thousands OF the brave men and women who
live in log cabins and under tina tened roofs. Let
US henceforth be noble, unsel15h, COURAGEOUS
REVIEWING HIS LIFE.
VLNTON, Iowa, Dec. 81, 1865.
MY DAhLNG-This is the last night and the last
hour OF the old year. | have returned from my
lecture and its crowd TO my chamber and It's soil
tarIness 1t ls quite probable that you are sitting
up at this late hour, medltatng and perhaps sor.
rowing. have been all day working for the hide
a hn ninn In m In lnnn
ali the later hours before midnight ia seeing
friends, and now am alone with YOURSELF SO
have had no time for thoughts appropriate to the
m season, unless indulge them nov.
feel no disposition to make resolves, seeing
thwsrsed by ones own weakness against daily
temptations. In reviewing my lie, and compar-
former Years, believe the chief changes are
these:-l have now less care for reputation and
applause and more admiration ,or sterling
character. But believe that l have less self
respect than In former days l once thought
myself good true aud upright man. But
now, wDen l Judge myself by Chrsrs rule OF
the thought as well as OF the deeds-what
think as well as what eel-I find myself con-
Lately have many times bowed my head Ike a
bulrush. l nave once or twice done right under
erai times done wrong under mere gossamer OF
temptation. The carriage Of my mind In perfect
even partly succeed. On New Year bring me
the gilt OF higher ideal Of life and stouter heart
to achieve IL Your passionate lover
THEODORE.
A RESOLVE TO PERFORM A DAILY ACT OF KIND
NESS.
WATERLOO, Ia, New Years Night 1857.
MY DARLING:-I wish you Happy New Year.
wonder how Dou have spent the day. Ispent it
mainly in q wagon ride OF 80 miles over the
prairles from Vnton to Waterloo, starting at 9
IN the morning, and arriving at IN the after
noon. Bitter cold the day has been, and vet
enjoyed my ride as almost luxury. There is
something wonderfully invigorating in this Iowa
atmos phere. Wrapped securely against the cold,
one makes his journey with perpetual refresh
ing or what good resolution would be most
profitable for me 10 make, with tue least fatal
ity OF breaking 1t as soon as made. Az last de-
! termned tnat to resolve that would be better
man would simply be vague and intangible; to re-
solve that would be more unselnSh, or more self
denying, or more prayeriu, would be simply to
| repeat old goodIntents which had grown INFO