The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1891-07-31

fuIl OF "PrlEeS, HflSnS anu tTOpriStf,
"That thing is gossip, and I neyer gos-
sip"
To such an one l say, then you'd bet
ter learn, my dear, for I contend that
gossip, that is to say, good naturedi
truthful, charitable gossip is a very use
full element of social success either in
conversation or letter writing. 1t take;
ones thoughts off of ones self, and off Of
that perpetual question as to life being
worth the living and off of those darker
problems concerning the sin and misery
and needs of those around US in a great
city, which, like the Sphinx, are always
threatening to deyour us if we do not
guess their riddle.
Yes, it is a great thing to some Of US
brain workers to have a bit Of amusing
gossip presented as an attraction to our
oyerburdened lives, and l for one am
always thankful to a correspondent who
presents it to me.
Another very frequent fault in friend
ly letters is the want Of proportion be-
tween value and space; that Is to say
three-fourths Of the sheet will be GOV
EfCl Will t1t4lCL l4AOGO E-AOA4o1O v ~
having written sooner, or some lamenta-
ton oyera mistake already corrected, as,
for instance, 81 was so sorry thought
YOU said three instead Of two, but as |
told you when we did finally meet was
thinking Of the last time you called for
me, and you remember that was three"
etc, a couple Of pages utterly use
less and uninteresting, since the friends
had already come to an explanation by
word Of mouth. And then on the fourth
page comes, ''Oh, must tell you I have
at last made an arrangement TO sell my
house and go abroad, but have no time
to tell you about it now, as the bell has
rung for dinner"
How many such letters we al receive;
yes, and unhappily go many CT us write!
Letters filed with what might just as
well be left cut, and emitting or mini
mizingt the most important subject at our
command. It is always better before
one puts pen to paper tocast q little eorn-
prehensiYe glance over what one has to
say and select the one thing that must
be said to begin upon; give the best time
and attention to that in the very first
place, and then if there is still room and
the dinner bell don't ring, fill up your
letter with as many 'frills' as you like.
Another very provoking kind Of
friendly @ letter is one l too often re-
ceiye. It is a very brief and scrawly
kind Of note, written merely to say that
the writer has no time for a letter.
although she has q thousand things to
say and loves me very dearly. To such
an one I have sometimes replied, IF you
havo no time for a letter, wait for q few
hours until you have, and if you love
me show your affection by making a
little time"
Yet another irritating sort Of letter is
a half confidential one: 81 had such a
strange interview with you know who!
If I should tell you about it you would
well, I don't know how you'd feel nor
what you'd say, but I ought not to tell
you nor anybody else, so l won't. 1t
wouldn't be right to let you see how far
well, there, we won't say any more
about it. Have you heard Patti this
season.
Now il ones intimate friend under
takes to talk in that fashion face to face,
Il can soon shake the whole story out
Of her, or if she is too exasperating can
say, Pray don't tell me If you don't
want to; really don't take any interest
in the subject" But when the friend is
miles or even oceans away, it is not
worth while to slap at her in this fash
ion, and of course wouldn't choose
to urge for a confidence, e if quite
sure it would come in the end.
So much for friendly letters. As for
business letters, their merit, like that Of
wit, lies mostly in their brevity. A per-
son who has a business proposition to
present or a business question Or a bust
ness reply to make should have a math-
ematical capacity for extracting the
square root Of the matter and giving
that to his correspondent, pure and sim
pie. l always distrust q business cor
respondent who INDUCES in fine language
or graceful verbiage; the truth, the whole
truth and nothing but the truth should
be the criterion of business letters, az
well as of legal testimony. You have
something definite to say-a proposal, a
petition, a question, a reply, or whatever
it may be-well, turn it e in our
own mind for a few moments, get at the
pith of it, the ''true inwardness," and
then clothe it in simple, straightforward
language and sign your name to it. OF
course there are some little forms Of
courtesy to be observed, but don't gar
nish your plain roast beef with paper
frills or carrot flowers; it will go down
better without them.
There is one kind Of business, or semi
business, letter which every editor re-
eeives only too often, and is more or less
grieved thereat, although it seldom eff
fects its object. 1t is written by some
poor soul who has been left a widow
with little children, or has a sick mother
TO support, or is struggling to get the
means for a collegiate education, or from
some other highly respectable cause is in
need Of money and has persuaded him
or herself that it may be wrung from the
handof a sympathetic editor in exchange
for a manuscript, accompanying the let
ter. Of course if the manuscript proves
available the hope is fulfilled and all
goes upon velvet; but, unfortunately, it
generally isn't available, for few persons
who have the gift CT authorship find it
out for the first time when misfortune
comes upon them. One must have