The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1877-05-12
HINTS ABOUT LETTER WRITING.


of habit, and for that reason it is i'm
portant that young people should learn
early TO consider it a pleasant way of
communicating thoughts and feelings to
their friends, instead of a ~burdensome
task to be got over as quickly as possible.
We often hear people excuse them
selves by saying that they have ne "gift
for writing letters" as though it were
something like an ear Tor music, only &C.
corded to a favored few. But the truth
is, that any one can write interesting
and pleasant letters who will take a lit
tie trouble and really persevere in the
effort. The grand difficulty in the way
is that they are too selfish and too in
dolent to try. Nothing that is worth
anything comes without effort, and if
you do not care enough about gratiiy-
your friends to take a little pains for it,,
you deserve never to receive any letters
yourselves.
A few simple rules, carefully observed,
will help you over some of the things
which you call difficulties. In the first
place, always write distinctly. 1t de-
stroys much of the pleasure in ..receiS-
ing a letter if it can not be read without
puzzling out every word. Many ian
epistle, written on heavy cream-laid
paper with a monogram at the top, is
only IN annoyance to the n to
whom it is addressed ON account of
pale ink and careless handwriting.
Be particular in the matter of dating
giving every item distinctly, and sign
the letter with your full name. If this
habit is formed, you will not run the
risk of Losing valuable letters, which can
not be forwarded from the dead letter
Office, unless accompanied with a full adj
dress.
You will find it more easy to reply TO
a letter soon after you get than if you
neglect it for a few weeks, because you
will have the impression which the first
reading made upon you. Tell your
friend when you received the letter
you are answering, and take up
the topics in the order in which they
naturally come, remembering to answer
all the questions which have been asked.
Try to think what your friend would
like best to hear about, and when you
undertake to tell anything do not leave
it half told, but finish the story. People
who are not careful about this often give
q false impression without meaning to do
30. For instance, n of these careless
writer's, in giving an account of 4fre,
stated that the house was burned,
without giving any qualifications, thus
the impression that it was en-
tirely consumed, thereby causing a whole
much anxiety, as the actualburn-
ing in question was very slight.
Do not consider anything toe trivial
to write about which you would think
worth mentioning in conversation.
Writing letters is simply talking upon
paper, and your friends will be much
entertained by the narration Of little
everyday affairs than by profound OBJ
servations upon topics which you care
about.
In writing to very intimate friends,
who will be interested in the details of
your daily life, it is well sometimes to
make your letter a sort of diary-telling
something of how you have spent each
lay since you wrote last; what books
been reading, what letters you
nave received from mutual friends, and
what you have heard or seen which has
Interested you.
Write all you have to say on one sub
ect at n That il, do not begin to
ell about your garden, and then about
your school, and then about your gar
len again; but finish one subject before3
you begin another. Do not be afraid of
lsing the pronounL Some people avoid
t, and thus give their sentences a shabby
md unfinished sound, as, Gwen to
3oston-called on Mrs. Smith" Never
IpoIogf2e for ;yhat you write, by Elying
hat you do not like to write letters.
You wou9 not think it quite polite, in
a friend, to say, II do not like
o talk to you, so l shall not Sal. much"
Keep the idea before you that you are
for the sake of giving pleasure
o your friend.
When %yeesS~=9letter us merely an in
Iuiry, or on a matter of business, the
ase is different. You then should try
o b. as brief, concise and clear as posi-
lie. An deliberately drawn.out business
etter is as out of place as it is incen-
iderate.
"Do not think what to write, but
write what you think" is an old rule,
nd a good one to remember. If you are
way from home, it is very selfish not to
hare your good times with the family
writing frequent letters. You can