Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1889-06-28
The Etiquette OF Lciter writing

Inc uhLe OF a ltlltI hiluulh bt NIlbltu III
the upper right hand corner, and the adj
dress should be placed there also, unless it
is stamped upon the paper. In note the
date is usually at the end, below and at the
left Of the signature.
DO not begin the letter half way down
the page MY Dear, or whatever form
of words is used should be written not over
an inch below the date, or say an inch and
half from the top of the sheet. The form
used in opening must depend upon the ma
ture of the letter. In business or formal
correspondence, it is well to use the third
person care being taken to maintain the
same throughout. OF course such note
needs no signature, the name appearing in
the body Of the note, as
Mrs James Brown sends her compliments to
Mrs. Smith, and desires to know If Mrs. Smith
can recommend Mary Gray, lately in her employ.
- Main Street, Blanktown.
May 10th, 1889
Notes or invitations written in the third
person should be answered in the same
form Long notes or letters, in which it is
more difficult to express ones self in the
third person and where some degree of
formality is necessary, may begin with My
Dear Sir" or my Dear Madam In cases
even of slight acquaintance the words my
Dear" should be used. They are but a
form, and the only correct one. Let no
f Young girl hesitate to use them if she should
bv chance have occasion to address a gen
teman, in fear that they are too personal
, or familiar custom has made the phrase as
meaningless as yours truly in its ordina-
= ry sense.
! Signatures must vary with the formality
. or informality of the note. If the letter
, is to be sent to person who does not know
whether the writer is married or not, the
letter should be signed MARY A. Mason,
=. and below this at the left of the page, may
he written Mrs Mary A. Mason" or Mrs
Henry Mason The fact that the writer
e is a spinster may be told 10y placing Miss
i in brackets before the signature Nothing
{ can be more vulgar than to sign letter
Mrs. Jane Thompson
d The form of ending letter is, of course
Il in case of intimate friends, according u
b ones wish in other cases Yours sincere
/ ly," Yours truly are suitable. 1t is moi
e often necessary to write Yours respect
81 fully; when So your judgment SHOULD
II dictate Never end abruptly with ~ ours
or Yours, etc. such method is rud,
and ungainly. Neither should the word
Is be abbreviated to "Afiecly' or "Resp'y,
y as is often done Even among intimat
friends the name is signed in full, as "Alic,
Holmes rather than Alice
e Notes of congratuation should be as cor
1t dial as sincerity permits if you are gla'
y for your friend, say so heartily recog
T. milton of gifts, wedding or others, shoul,
be sent at once any delay is most ungra
x cous. a very short note is all that is nee
d essary expressing proper sense of the fa
III vor Notes of invitation should also be ac
n u knowledged Immediately, the form of tn
IN answer corresponding with that of the in
vitation.
10 Notes of coincidence are, perhaps, tn
III most difficult of composition, and of cours
pU no form can Toe given cards, to a certain
le extent, do away with the need of writin
lie such, but there are some degrees of friend
rs ship where IA note is required and shout
he sent The note should be short, unles
i iJ you have occasion to know that larger eN
~ preston of sympathy will be acceptable
ne DO not consider it necessary to search TO
ne appropriate poems or sentiments in tn
I'll first DAYS of grief when such notes mus
as be sent, these will have little weight kee
III them for later time, when they may be {
~ real comfort Instead write briefly an
Al to the point an expression of your own sol
II row in your friends loss and your earne'
. sympathy.
lie The letter written, it is ready for the st
as prescription This should begin slight
ou above the middle of the envelope and t,
oV wards the left side. Write the adore,
~ plainly and name in full. We have see
Tx the name of street and number of hous
N n, occupy the place belonging to the name OIL
ell of mistaken charity for the postal official,
they are accustomed to look for this in il
rightful position, and in their hurry, wi
u not thank you.
Ut These things, trivial as they seem, MAX
he up the stock in trade, if one may say so,
the elegant letter writer and it is wort
ones while to give due amount of attei
ton to the consideration of what is gOC
hu taste in this very necessary art.-COHdeH
he ed from Good Housekeeping.