The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1883-08-23
LOYAL W0MBN'S WORK
Letter Writing---HOusehOld Hints
Our Experience Meeting, sc.
rooaauc,ed By Kaie B. sacrroood,l


a household accomplishment, and yet 1T is an
accomplishment that few hOusekeepers can do
without We refer, of course, TO the enhght-
eneG modern school, whose enlarged sphere OF
uselulness makes il necessary that they should
have a free command Of every form OF comInu-
nication in the world of affairs, business and
social The average business man is so very
busy that his wife must perlorce assume re-
sp0nsbiiities in the household economy which
were formerly regarded as the exclusive prop
erty OF man. Besides, she has her social duties
to discharge acoeptably, many of which involve
considerable correspondence. Letter writing
is therefore, an art which cannot be too early
cultivated.
Letter writing, though the most important
branch of composition, is the one most neglected
in our schools. Theresult is that an accomplished
grainmarian or Thet0rician may be the most in
elegant OF letter writers. He has no percep-
tion Of form, 10 sense of the subtle graces that
constitute the chief charm of polished writer.
His style is p0nGer0us and stilted; he possesses
no sense Of the Importance OF distinction be-
tween the ordinary business letter and the
epistie he would address TO friend. In writ
ing to his tailor he employs the same phrase he
would use IN responding 10 social attention
If a lawyer. he uses the same terms IN writing
To the woman Of his affections he would choose
in making Cp brief.
If a lady the same kind Of inaccuracies beset
ntIs nlhIAGu AlNu less CDLtAEslSA Vi pANSolGAA
and q wider wandering from the topic TO be
pursued, whatever it may be. The business
man, compelled to write many letters, insensl-
bly, falls into a directness which is the first
essential of good letter writing; woman find
ing the calls fewer and time less pressing, is
too certain TO eonclnde that the longest way
around is the shortest way home. Hence
vagucaess and circumlocution. Then, too, her
memory is more uncertain when it comes to
spelling. aHd. as for capitals and punctuation,
she strikes in. hit or miss. with the fashion of
missing grown into provoking habit.
FORM FOB BUSINESS LETTER.
With these preliminary remarks, we take up
the request of Mrs. Mary Maud Davis Topeka,
Kan, that we give form for writing busi-
ness letter, with the reply. To this We would
answer that the following is fairly good:
NEW YORK, n. Y, Aug. 10, 1888.
Mrs. MARY MAUD DAVIS,
Topeka, Kan.
Ny DEAR MADAM: We have an excellent quality
OF Radenaez satin, such you We're examining
when last ia the city, which we viii sell you at
greatly reduced rates. We Inclose samples with
prices, and await your reply
Yours, very truly,
SMITH, BRowS & Co.
THE REPLY.
To the foregoing the following would consti-
tute pertinent reply:
TOPEKA KAN, Aug. Il, Iss2
SssITa, BaovrN & Co.
New York, n. Y.
MEssRs: Ia reply TO your communication Of Au-
gust 18th, would say that have examined the
samples inclosed. with prices and find that the
herewith forwarded meets my approval in every
particular Please forward twenty-five yards, G.
o. ID. Thanking you for the kind fayors,
MARY MAUD DAVIS
Now observe, frst that you date your letter
properly, giving town and State, and if an OBJ
seure place the county also; second, that you
write the name Of the party or firm addressed,
with town and State; third, that you cOnf1ne
yOurselfstric5ly TO business, referring definitely
10 the sGbject-natter of your letter, in order
that there may be no misunderstanding as to
your meaning and, fourth, that you append
your own signature, full and clear, so that in
the event Of the letter reaching the dead letter
Office IT may be returned safely 10 the writer
So much for the business letter, which though
varied IN form should always be simple ex-
plicit and direct. But not so the private letter,
which may be as complicated and chatty as the
intimacy of the parties in correspondence may
warrant. Then, IN private letter, the name
should never be written at the beginning, though
always, if written in the first person, at the
close. For an example in the third person, for
instance, an informal invitation sent by a
young gentleman 10 a young lady and its re-
ply. If comparative strangers, he addresses
her IN the third person, as follows:
Mr. Thornton Milier's compliments to Miss Mary
Bailey, asking that she VIII give him the pleasure
OF her company 10 the concert this evening.
ToPEEA, August T. 1883.
note in the third person must be replied to
in the same style, and may read as follows:
Miss Mary Bailey Acknowledges, with pleasure,
concert this evening. and regrets that a previous
engagement viii prevent her acceptance.
ToFEEA, August II, Iss3.
Or, snppesing the acquaintance is such as to
Il.
that the advantage OF correspondence in the
third person IS that it does away with the stiff
ness of formal Miss Bailey" or Mrs
Miller" or the too familiar appellation, among
those whose acquaintance is slight, of $ Dear
Mics Bailey OF Dear Mrs. Asiller,'j the invita-
flOn would read:
Mg DEAR Mss BAILEY: Win you favor me by ae-
ceI4iTg my escort TO the concert this evening which
am zsssred i 10 be exceptionally fine and of Q
character Thai you viii, I am sure, enjoy.
ToPEKA, Aug u. 1858. TaoRNros MILLER.
IN this case = reply might read:
8fr DEAI. Nh MILLER very deeply regret that
previous engagement VIII prevent my acceptance
OF your l'roilred escort 10 the concert Ibis evening
an aaVsre OF ali THAI miss Ia being Obliged tC
refuse Trusting that you viii enjoy If to the UT
most, J ana, very sincerely.
TorEKA, hug. j. 1853. MART BAILEY.
Replies tO all sorts Of social invitations should
be equally plain ard prompt. And the repl,
EICll0 IN Atl cfSeS OF TINS k1nd be c01ched a
nearly as possible in the language of the invi
tatiJn. Eoi Instance:
Compliments OF SIR and Mrs John Smith 10 Mr.
ano AiFs. John Jones, requesting the pleasure o
thor company fer Friday evening. August 18th
at O'Clock p. ln-, 10 meet Mr.. and Mrs. William
Brown.
The reply in this case should be:
Compliments Of Bir. and Mrs John Jones 10 Mr
alta zlrs- John Smith. accepting their kind invita-
fion Tor Friday evening AZ so'cloc<, TO meet Nh
anc Mrs. william Brown.
An Invitation 10 a dinner whether aceeptet
on declined, shoald il no case 20 unanswered
and the answer should be dispatched as soon a
seccfved, which reminds Us Of q punctiliou
Washington statesman, whose accordance of al
invitation 20 dinner was received by his hostes
before her messenger returned who had de
liyered IL.
as 1 before remarked, private letters are no
subject to any set forms, but care should b
taken To have them batE legible and inteligibl,
A few hints may not be amiss: First stud,
simplicity 0f expression, and avoid involve
sentences: second make frequent paragraph.
one, at least, ior every change Of subject
third, avoid apologies for poor style, bad spell
l1g, or delay "a answering; fourth, never II
cross your letters and II You have omitte
anything, Go not put p. s." after your signs
tEre il rOu have omitted anything. write tn
omission do@n simply, in rs few words :
posi- ole.
The prevailing style Of writing is bold an
free, doing quite away with long topping " ps
aud long tailca z s." but care mnst be take
that The words are not run toppfber and tbs