Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-01-28
For the VERNoNr FARMER.
Letter Writing in the Past and Present


Of all the duties that crowd themselves
into our busy lives no one is more frequently
neglected than that of holding converse with
absent friends.
There are some who deem it one Of their
greatest trials 10 life, instead Of privilege,
and prove it to be SO in their own minds by
deierring it from day to day and week to
week on the plea that they cannot get time
and yet these same people make several
calls each week, read half a dozen news.
papers, and attend church on the sabbath
while some dear friend is looking in vain for
a message that they still live.
Perhaps some feel that it is dissertation
Of the Lords day, but would say think
We might spend it pro6tably both to ouEself
and friend. If we are permitted to Danish
worldly cares, we may catch some ray of
inspiration to elevate the soul; we may
worship God while doing our duty to one OF
his children.
A fashionable letter Of the present day
need not contain over a dozen lines, with
just mention Of the health of the family
the state Of the weather, aud close by shop
ing this may find you and yours enjoying all
the blessings Of life."
Before the days of railroads and telegraphs
envelopes, postage stamps and note paper
were unused. We were furnished with fools
cap, which we cont-ived to fill in every nook
and corner, except leaving blank space on
which to write the address. The cost of Q
letter at that time was ten cents for any
distance exceeding 100 miles. have be.
fore me some specimens Of olden time, soiled
and yellow with age one penned by a
school girls hand, dated 1915, plsdging
herself to be a true and tried friend through
all time. Alas! our paths in life have
been widely apart. A few years We kept
our mutual promise, and then it ceased
Many cares pressed heavily on me, and
excused myself on the ground that had no
time, and thus | lost a faithful friend mol
lost, for hope to meet her again in tn,
other life.
Another penned by a fathers hand, dated
November, l849, aud covering more space
than dozen modern missves, giving not
only all the items Of family, neighborhooC
and town news, but closing with real sermon
an appeal to US to be good children, to "dC
unto others as we would that they should Dc
to u.s." and closing by asking "God to b.
with and bless u.s."
And still another, dictated also by .deal
fathers hand. He has received new trutt
that seems to him so important even more
so sacred, that he seems anxious to impress
it on all the world That all ami NAL foo
is unfit for our use, and if we expect t,
progress, either intellectually or spiritually
we must dispense with it. Keeping ou
bodies fit temples for the Holy Spirit"
Precious relics of the past. They speaE
to us though the hand that penned then
has long been still 10 death they brinI
back the voices, the familiar forms anC
faces of our fathers. Lay them aside care
fully, although no other eye will care to
trace the lines, and re-peruse the worn anC
yellow leaves; bat let US heed these admo
nitions Of love so earnest, so heartfelt.
Letter writing is not a trial to ALL Man
parents are made glad by dutiful children
who would forego some other pleasure sooner
than fail Of sending home the weekly mes
sage.
knew Vermont girl, who, few year
ago, went to California a bride, aud never
week passed while her parents lived tina
each Saturday night did not bring them tn,
expected missive. 1t was the only thin
that could seem to lessen the distance an,
shorten the years of absence.
Parents see that your children learn Il
write plainly. This is often neglected il
school, and you may and should be the
first teacher. Assist them to make proper
selection of words not high.hown, but sim
pie, easy words that all may comprehend
The next thing requisite is good spelling
without this no ones letters can be rsac
undsrstandngly.
Rev j. d. Hail. writing on this subject
says "NOt one.third Of the population o
our United States are capable Of composin
and writing letter 10 legibe hand, an(
spelling all the words correctly, even anon
the best educated men, ministers, statesmen
&c.
There are few persons, even 10 this en-
lightened age of the world, who have been s.
unfortunate a. never to learn to read o
write at all. Usually the parents or guar
dams OF such children are mostly in fault
, l can count half a dozen, whom hav
known personally, that had a good share e
common sense, but never learned to write
three of them could read what an affection
and they felt il keenly, too, l presuln
they would gladly have exchanged larg
share Of their earthly goods for the know
edge they lacked but some have been amb
tiOus to learn in old age. A woman of 7
once put away her pride, aud went to schO,
with the children until she had learned
read, aud in the prayer Meeting, she ha
long frequented arose and thanked God f