Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1891-08-19
LETTERS, AND HOW 10 WRITE
THEM.


pearances are proverbially deceptive
Letters are often by no means easily
written, and it occasionally happens
that some particularly important one
IS not written at all, and this not SO
much from any deliberate intention,
On our part, as from an unfortunate
trick of procrastination which is pecu-
liar y apt to affect us IN those moments
which We ought to devote to our cor
respondence. 1t is a strange thing
enough that many fairly well educated
persons, persons not only solidly
grounded in those first principles of
al learning vulgarly known as the
''three Rs" but possessing besides
much useful information and many
graceful accomplishments, should
throughout the whole of their lives
never appear to be on terms of any
thing like intimacy with their pen and
paper; to write letter is to them
always thing to be carefully avoided,
to be put on one side and FORGOTTEN, no
matter how serious may be the conse-
quences involved, and thus they will
continually expose themselves to all
sorts of unpleasantness and inconyeni-
ence rather than put reluctant pen to
unfamiliar paper, and so end the
matter at once. Polite people, who
usually treat their fellow men and
women with scrupulous consideration,
Will yet be guilty of acts of grave dis
courtesy so soon as it becomes ques-
tion of writing to or for them; while
naturally kInd-hearted persons will
apparently lose all sympathy for the
feelings of their nearest and dearest,
and leave them the prey of anxiety and
wearing apprehension rather than
write the few lines that would at
once remove their fears and give them
that most priceless boom, peace of
mind. How many estrangements
between once firm friends may be
traced to this source, how much sor-
row, how many misunderstanding
There is nothing in this perplexing
world of ours that causes so much
trouble and misery as letters, and the
not writing them, unless, in some few
cases, the lll-judged and unadvised
letters that are written. The one is
merely a sin of omission, and may
perhaps be pardoned and forgotten in
time; the other, unfortunately, lives as
an a accomplished fact; and even should
the letter itself be destroyed, its mem
ory will survive to shame and confound
US; therefore, of the two; the latter is
the greater evil.
Letters, and the writing of them,
being thus of SO much Importance, it is
surely to be regretted that people.do
not give little more thought and at
tention to the matter, which after all,
is simple one enough. Take, for in
stance, the letters OF acknowledgement
which we all of us have to write from
time to time-debts of honor these,
that must be paid, or how shall we look
our felIow-man frankly in the face?
Good manners lose half their charm
by being delayed in their effect. If,
for instance, you have a birthday, and
a neighbor or a friend sends you flowers
or bonbons, new book or an etching,
or manages some pleasant treat to your
interest, always write your note OF
thanks before the sun goes down.
There is special grace in a prompt
ly-written letter of courtesy-a per
loses, and which is not present in a
tardy note, apparently the result of
prick of conscience or an afterthought.
Now all this is very true, and most of
us have had occasion at one time or
another, to appreciate the force of the
from practical experience.
We know how pleasant 1t Is to feel that
our effort to give pleasure has been
and we also know too often
how diSagreeable and unsatisfactory it
Is to wait and wonder through the long
days and weeks, hoping We have given
pleasure, fearing We have given pam.
In these cases of ungracious delay the
perfume is apt to exhale with ven
geance and leave nothing but a very
odor behind. Surely no
one is justified in yielding to this selfish
habit of procrastInation, and thus
possibly wounding the feelings of those
who sought-however imprudently-to
do kindness Promptitude in writ
ing letters of acknowledgment is ore
Of the great secrets of success in this
difficult art, and it is rule which may
be applied with equal confidence to
letters of all kinds.
Indeed, so far as correspondence is
correspondence enters
very largely into our complex modern
ife-it is a good rule invariably to
hloNVA OhC ASAbcl auu
rs soon after their reception as practica.
Bile; and, whenever the letters convey
invitations or have in any degree a
havor of compliment, by all means let
them be responsive to the dominant
key.
This is an important suggestion
which We shall all do well to lay to
heart; it should not be difficult to act
upon it, and certainly we must all
readily admit that a courteous letter
should be answered with courtesy, Just
as pretty speeches merit a pretty
reply.
But, after all, promptitude is, gener
ally speaking, the most important, as
it is too often the most neglected, point
in letter writing; and if it is mere not s
Of courtesy, where no great harm could
result from delay, how much more so
is it in business communications and
letters OF real momentl Here the fatal
habit of procrastination may some
times cause incalculable mischief, and
lead to terribly serious results, far
beyond our control Such risks should
not be slightly run, and all for an IN
dislike to the use of the
harmless, necessary pen.
1t Is not usually the busiest people
who offend most in this respect; for
them there might be some excuse.
But it is rather the fault of those per-
sons who, having nothing to do, spend
their whole time in doing nothing, and
yrudge every moment to any. even the
Iightest, employment. Such persons
appear to be of no practical use in the
world, and merely serve to complicate
matters for their buster brothers and
sisters.
CONSCIENTIOUS Nuclos. -"Why