Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-01-26
PLAIN STATIONERY THE THING.
The Latest Out-A Revival of a Hun.
dred-Year-Old Style.


The latest thing in fine stationery is revival
of style in vogue hundred years ago. The
paper is thick, rather stiff, of an uneven, blis-
tered-looking surface, unglazed finish but not
fuzzy, as linen paper is. When the famous
Dalton mills began operations at the close of
the Revolutionary war, paper of just this kind
was the first they turned out for the use of the
elegantes of the day. The whirlgig Of time
and the demands of fashion have brought the
paper-makers around again to the point from
which they started, and ''old style" note is put
out as the latest product Of the paper-makers
art
"The advantage of this paper" said the
obliging clerk at leading stationer's to STAR
reporter, sis that it offers much less resistance
to the pen than rough, fuzzy-surfaced paper,
and the absence of glaze, on the other hand,
prevents the tendency of the pen to Slip
Now, these points may seem unimportant, but
hundreds of writer's will hail this paper as a
blessing. You have no idea how particular
many people are about the paper they use and
what hard time they have to find Just the
quality which suits them. Many writer's ac-
knowledge that it is of great importance to
them when they sit down to work to have pens,
ink and paper precisely as they like them, so that
no merely mechanical difficulties may arise to
unsettle their moods or disturb the flow of
ideas. Vigorous, phlegmatic people will sheer
at this, but writer's are peculiarly sensitive to
all these little external Influences Moreover,
to people who do a great deal Of writing the
putting forth OF the extra exertion needed to
push pen over a rough-surfaced paper counts
physically in the course of three or four hours.
People at all affected with cramping or PEN
makes q very serious difference in the ease with
which they WRITE"
care women more particular than men about
their stationery" inquired the reporter.
ALL RIGHT IF IT Is THE STYLE.
"What women are particular about" the
clerk answered, sis to get the very latest thing
out. They don't care whether it is rough or
smooth surface, glazed or unglazed, or how
hard il is to write on If it is only fashionable.
They buy it and use it without murmur SO
long as it is the thing.
'Some public men insist on having precisely
the same sort OF paper for use in their private
correspondence year after year Their sta
tionery they seem to regard as part
of their individuality. They want to
have the peculiar kind they like always
associated with them in the minds Of
their friends, no doubt. OF course, many men
stick to one kind year after year because they
get used to it and like it, but don't think mere
habit can account wholly for the extreme re-
luctance some men show to using any but the
one kind. There is method in their madness.
WANTS HIS STATIONERY AGED.
'The man with the most peculiar taste on
stationery that know of is an admiral in the
navy. He always insists on having his paper
about ten years old. He says that paper, like
wine. improves with age, and he doesn't think
it fit to write on until it has been made good
many years. When he wants some stationery
we have to send to the mills for old stock that
has been lying around for years. There may
be something in the admraPs theory but I
could never discover that seasoning improved
paper paper 81,
legation people, and they are very particular
as to quality. The Japanese use the finest of
all In their official correspondence. They have
it ruled only about to within an inch Of the
edges, having margin all around the page
and at top and bottom, and one of these pages,
filled with exquisite copper-plate writing,
which the Japanese always employ in their
communications to the State Department, looks
like framed picture. By the way" the clerk
continued, II saw the autograph Of the empe-
ror Of Japan the other day. 1t looked as il
some one had smashed q big mosquito on the
paper.
ANOTHER CHINESE REGULARITY.
"Are the Chinese very particular about
their stationery" the reporter inquired.
"No, but they are particular about the
price, which must be low. The Chinese are
close buyers when they are purchasing for the
legation, and don't indulge in any extrava-
gances. They spend any amount of money for
their own pleasures, but this is out of their
private funds. Bills that their government
will have to pay they keep down. This is not
on the American plan, 1 believe, but in China
they are said to have very summary way of
dealing with extravagant officials, you know"
"What are the general features Of the STYLES
In stationery this winter?,' asked TIE STAR
man.
PLAIN STATIONERY NOW THE THING.
'The tendency now is to taboo all fancy
papers," said the clerk. 'The only shades al
lowable are pale blue, pure white and cream.
Ragged edges, fancy stamped designs and
everything not severely simple il regarded as
bad form. A good deal of license is still al
lowed IN the use of stamped initials and ad-
dresses on paper. Initials, monograms and
even crests, in all sorts of odd designs and let
tiers, are placed In the center or in either cor
ner, at the top of the page.
seThe other day we stamped some paper with
the initials in the lower lefthand corner. A
| new size Of paper has just come out" the clerk
resumed, sitter pause, in which he got out a
sample book to show the reporter. There il
II. It is just double the size Of ordinary
note and little smaller than letter paper.
Society ladies are having very elaborately
bound visiting lists made nowadays. We Allied
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