Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1875-07-10
Writing Letters.

Writing Letters.
''Iren@us" makes some very sen.
sible suggestions in the New York
Observer which are pat to any local
ity. We make a few extracts:
So many letters have been gath.
ering upon my table, from known
and unknown friends, that 1 must
be pardoned for making q general
answer, without copying the inqui-
ries in full to which these lines re-
ply. Some letters cannot answer
as l would by mail, because the ad.
dress is so imperfect that l cannot
write without fear of making mis-
take.
MR., MRS, OR MISS.
Thus: a letter comes to me, and
is now opened, signed A. L. Pater.
son. 1t is a lady's handwriting
probably, out not certainly, for the
distinction is not always very clear.
ly marked; some men making their
style so feminine as to deceive an
expert, and many women writing in
a hand so masculine as to assert
their rights to such recognition.
But there is no clue to the fact,
and, if were to write in reply to
the questions in the letter, 1 could
not address my answer to Mr., Mrs,
Miss or Esq, for / have not the
least idea of the ersonality of my
correspondent.
Another is from Hannah F. Viii.
son. Shall the answes be address
ed to Miss or Mrs., or shall it go
without either! It is not decorous
to dispense with the prfix, but who
can guess, from the handwriting of
a letter, whether the writer is mar
ried or singlei
The same perplexity is often oc-
casioned by the neglect OF clergy
men in writing to those who are not
personally acquainted with them.
They think it not modest to give
their title, Rev., and their letters
must therefore be answered at a
venture. L sometimes search the
list of all the clergy, in all the year
books within reach, to find out
whether or nor an unknown cores.
pondent is Clergyman, and, of
course, if ] do not hit upon bis name
among twenty thousand or more, |
assume that he is not one of them.
1t has just been decided in Eng-
land that, unless a minister is in
the Established Church, he is not
to the title of Rev. even on
his gravestone. But as we have no
ridiculous institution as that in this
country, it is we'll to put the proper
prefix to a mans name on the back
Of his letters as we'll as on his tomb
stone.
WHERE FROM?
You write to me, dating your let
er Grecnville, or Cambridge, or
springfield, or Newport, or New
Iaven. You add no State, and the
)ost-mark is, in nine cases out OF
en-, a mist and affords no clue to
iour address. Then l take my Gaz-
,tteer and find there are twenty
hree places by the name of Green
,ille in as many different States!
There are eighteen by the name of
cambridge, and as many more of
fifty other towns, and how shall
lnow which of them has the honor
# holding you among its accom-
,lished inhabitants 1t is my fault,
perhaps, that 1 have not learned
hat you are we'll known as the prin.
ipal person in the city of PlunlIet,
IOgammon county, Texas: but l
lid not know it.
To WHOMf
In writing for the press, and es.
'ecially in sending any money or
lotices, or news, be very particular
o direct the outside envelope to the
ditors or publishers Of the paper,
md not to any individual editor Of
t. You send notice, or a money
rider, or an item of news, address
ed to one of the number. He may
" at the head of Moose Lake, or
ufferipg vivisection by the black
les of the Upper Saranac. Your {