Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-02-07
TnE GLOBE REpuB11o SUNDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY T. 1889
CORRESPONDENCE As IT WAS
Lsttsr-writing in the Days Of Quill Ps.s
and wsfers-

Lstter-writing In the Days of Quill Pa,
and wsfers-
Boston Herald
The ease Of modern correspondence, Il
comparison with that of fifty years ago
Is something which many Of the presen
generation fail to appreciate. The writ
ing Of letter, in the outset, was mucl
more Of an undertaking in those days
Quill pens were generally in use. the stee
substitute being on the verge of that gen
eral adoption into which Il has sine,
come The quill pen had to be first pre-
pared and often thereafter mended Thi.
was no small task. 1t requires an expert
to make good pen from the quill A
sharp knife was necessary, and 1t must
always be kept in good order; deft hand
was needed to split the quill properly. and
to give it the best point with the knife a:
Q finishing operation was 10 itself an art
The quilts used TO come In punches.
Sometimes q lot of them would be pointed
by skilful member of q family at once
at others. the writer had to de end upon
himself. and to do with q good or poor
one according to his ca acity. The
teacher who taught writing In school
taught the scholar also how 10 mend his
pose obtained the name of penknives from
TINS employment name which is prob
ably without significance or anything but
an arbitrary term TO most of those who
now hear il used.
Note paper was little used then. Peo-
pie, when they wrote. were called upon
to pay so much for their postage that they
generally utilized q larger sheet On the
ttSal mas p1a q h..1 - xI,<
letter. Envelopes were unknown The
expense attending the sending of letters
made people careful about any superflu.
Gus paper in them. 1t was the habit of
many to cover the sheet with correspond
posed TO the public gaze In going
through the postofiice. Some skill
was shown here too There was expert
folders of letters, and there were those
who did tie work bunglingly. There
was not much thin paper. It must be
made stiff and strong to meet the wear of
handling. A thin paper was devised for
foreign letters. to save a ] art of the much
greater expense Of foreign postage 1t was
made very exible, and was composed Of
the best material that could be obtained.
This is still considerably in use for for.
as well as did the sitter paper employed
at home. but for some reason 1t never
came into general employment in do
mestic correspondence
The letter was generally sealed with a
wafer. Waters were sold in boxes for
this purpose, and they were an indispens.
able part of stationary equipment
Sealing wax. too. was much in use The
fashion which now prevails Of using Il in
polite correspondence is a revival of q
practice which existed among the more
particular people Of this earlier epoch In
the seal ring was the seal with which to
stamp the initial of the owner. and many
gentlemen used seals carried for watch
guards for the same purpose. This fine
old custom of carrying watches in fob
pockets in the trousers. and of attaching
to them ornamental seals. Is one that has
hardly been improved upon in appear
ance. il it has been in convenience, by the
more modern metLoda