The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1890-01-15

the name ''sir" or madam" at the be.
ginning of letter is mere form; it is
equivalent to the bow with which we
acknowledge an introduction or accom-
pany greeting when meeting an &C
quaintance, and should never be
omitted.
Write your own name and address
legibly on letter. You would be as
tonished if you could see the number of
letters that are written in clear, legible
characters until the signature is
reached; that will be tumble Of
strokes. If this tumble of strokes &C.
CURED in any word in the letter it would
not be so serious, for there would be
words clearly written that would be a
clue to its meaning, but in the signature
there is no clue, and much annoyance
and waste of time occur. Do not forget,
when you write letter that requires an
answer, and you are writing to person
on whom you have no claim, to inclose
stamp to pay the postage on the reply;
or, better still, inclose with your request
stamp and addressed envelope.
|. Some of you may send manuscripts to
editors. Be careful and write your full
name and address on the manuscript.
Do not be unwise enough to write let
ter announcing that by that mail or the
next your manuscript will be sent, and
then have it arrive an unidentified waif.
Ministers, you know, are very know
ing, wise people, and when we find
them doing unwise things or careless
things we are greatly amused.
Not long ago sermon arrived in a
certain newspaper Office without any
name or address to tell to whom it be-
longed. 1t was put into drawer where
such manuscripts are put awaiting iden-
LITIGATION, with the remark: SIN the
course of month a scolding letter will
arrive" Sure enough, it came-two
pages-but neither the title nor the text
of the sermon was given, so the poor
waif slept with its various companions.
Let us hope that the poetry and the
stories and the natural history articles
and the sermons all proved comfortable
and harmonious companions A few
more weeks went by, when second
letter, much longer and far more indig-
nant, followed the first; but still
neither title nor text was given.
This time all the sermons came out to
the light, and, comparing the hand
writing, letter was sent, asking If a
certain text was the subject of the wri-
ter's sermon. A postal came with the
word Eyes" and the writer's initials.
AS a week had elapsed, and meantime
hundreds of letters had been written,
this was very indefinite; and for four
weeks more the sermon awaited identifi-
cation. To avoid all such complications,
which waste an immense amount OF
time, remember to sign your name and
address legibly on every letter and man.
uscript sent out Do not roll your man.
uscript if you wish to have fair read
ing. H
1t is astonishing how many discour-
tesies pass through the mails. Letters
will come on soiled or torn sheets of
paper, no feature about them attractive,
and bearing on their faces every evil
dence of being carelessly written and
not worth the Writer'S thine or care.
Such letters rarely receive time OF
care.
A letter is the writer's representative,
and should carry all the evidences OF
good taste, good manners, and education
that the writer possesses.--Christian
Union