The evening world., 1891-06-08
Nell Nelson Answers the Plant Of a
Jersey Girl
Good and Bad Form In the Weld
Ing of a Pen.
Hints that "Clara" Will Do Well
TO Follow.

Luo eultOr' 3 nedu TeBhrulnB reCouJ HrIlClo
one is printed in full 1t is from Jersey
and is illustrative of the wordiness OF some
women's correspondence.
To he Editor.
DEAR SIR: Your article entitled "Letter
writing" published recently in THE EVENING
WORLD, has interested me greatly, and l hope
sincerely that others may pront as much by the
valuable advice you have given to Mrs. s.
as have done. But as some things have also
puzzled me very much, would ask you to ex-
plain yourself still further for the benent of
such dense and beniRhted beings as seem
to be.
In the first place, what expression ought
Mrs. 8. have used instead OF "lady friend"
which you consider such bad form, II she
wanted you to know that she was speaking OF
q friend OF the female sex and did not want to
mention her name?
Secondly, how can there possibly be any
harm for q lady to "be obliged" to anybody
who conferS favor upon her, TO you, for in
stance, for devotng part Of your precious
time TO her In answering her queries, rather
than "demand an answer rs her Just right 2"
am sorely afraid such demands would not
receive much attention from the men OF the
present day, as tho good opinion you have of
women in considering them divine beings is
shared, alasi by but too few Of the stronger
sex.
Then, again. II ], maiden, were requested
to register my name when going TO hotel and
do not happen to have a card, must Iput the
word Miss before my name? You have sue
ceeded in making 1t very plain to Mira s., but
whether the same rules hold good In regard to
ra, On es in aonn ethIno am ar xinnq
to know.
i do not inclose stamp, as want you to
answer my questions in The EVENING WORLD;
and since you will not have my address, will
not be "obliged" to you, but will thank you
very kindly IL you will point out the mistakes
have made in my letter, which, doubtless,
will be as plentiful az the sands OF the sea in
your critical eyes. Very truly yours, CLARA.
Miss Clara.
DEAR MADAM: You make the unpardon-
able mistake Of being tedious. Nothing
but the matchless love of your mother or
the honest affection Of your young man
could save such an effusion from the yawn-
ing NAV of the waste basket. You are evil
IDENTIFY young woman Of much leisure, but
1t would have been saving Of nice writing
material and an economy of cerebrum II
you had curtailed matters and gone out for
an April ramble. Boiled down to one page
your communication would have been less
formidable and great deal more valu-
able. You see, Miss Clara, II time
is not precious to business man
physical force is. Good eyesight
amiability and animal tissue are injured in
the contemplation Of three-page letter
from perfect stranger. No head of an
establishment would read 1t, and the clerical
slave assigned the task would preface the
attack with Sigh, skip the middle section
and finish with handful of hair or a
mouthful Of profane words.
1t may interest you to know that Mrs.
William Astor, who has an enviabe repu-
tation as correspondent, limits herself to
200 words. Most of her formal communi-
cations are penned on tho back of her call
ing card. Mrs. Judge Roger Pryor writes
a beautiful letter, and, although she uses the
smallest size note paper, there is always an
Addisonian touch that makes the recipient
reluctant about destroying it. Mrs. Gen.
wife of ex Secretary Whitney condenses
her letters into graceful notes, and under
the careful tutelage of her dignified hus-
band. Mrs. Cleveland never commits herself
on paper. Indeed, 1t is said that most of
her letters are acknowledged in two or
three polite words written across her card.
Even the great and only gentleman who
founded society is laconic. SO you see
that brevity is the rule in society as well as
business circles.
Now for the substance of your letter.
Don't call yourself names. Leave that
to your enemies. Your use OF the word
dense " is not strictly correct, the term
being one of the properties of solids and
fluids. Mercury, tar, smoke and the Dead
Sea have been referred to as dense bodies,
but Hoboken damsel neverl
People who speak about their "lady
friends" generally use the term "gents "
when they refer to the opposite sex. Both
expressions are vulgar. In these days Of
Selt-worship friend is precious thing to
have, and II philosophers are to be believed
the average is less than three to a family
Mrs. s. in all probability had an Acquaint.
ance in mind, but whether the individual
} was friend or not it is nice compliment
to use the term.
Whether the critic was a man or woman
is immaterial and does not concern the
public. If the case justifies that knowledge
the sex will be made apparent in subse
quent words of the conversation or writing
The expression be obliged is sole
cism, and like "your humble servant, ," ar
absurdty. Rhetoricians classify the two
I as inelegant forms of speech. But there II
"no harm in using them. You are the
! best judge, and If they please you il
would be ingenerous TO chide. There Il