The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-10-18
IN LETTER WRITING
Is Almost a Lost One,
(dging From the Aver
age Correspondence.
TO SIGN ONES NAME
be Foremost Writers Of the Last
)Century-The Proper Use
of Postal Cards.

ew simple rules should be borne in
a for guidance, whether in a letter
s. ote. In the first place, there is the
err of address. Begin any note or
to an acquaintance, or a person to
you write for a favor, an inquiry,
htograph. etc. Dear. etc., etc."
dear" is a mere matter of social
rs meaningless as any common
@bciety phrase. but accepted by the
horities as correct If writing an
to a workman who is to be
loved or if answering a note
4 letter addressed in the
person. use that formula. i.
~ Hiss Tor Mrs.)--would like A. B. to
Il here at 9 A. NJ. and attend to the
i ntering needed,n or "Mrs. A. is in
pit of Mr.. BIS note of the 10th, and she
sts she is unable to give him the in
i alton desired" 1t is inelegant to
Ia any letter "Friend, etc." although
bed by mary well-educated people.
4 dear" etc., in such a case should
hsed.
lore mistakes, however, are made in
4 atures, and here / would also sug-
a few simple rules. Never sign
n name with a prefix of any kind.
reason is obvious. Ii you sign your
Ter. Yours truly, Miss Mary Smith,"
Example. you make use of a title, the
2ss', having nothing whatever to do
b -FOUR name, which is your signature.
etiquette requires you should
- g. Dtn nVnnrc frJIIw Mnru
sth." In the event of writing to any
4 or person who would in return Feed
.now how to address you put Mrs"
fMiss" in brackets a little distance to
left of the signature. In addressing
Fntlemau on business In a purely for
manner write thus, "Charles j.
|wn, Esq. Dear SIR" And in such
j always sign, "Yours respectfully.
4, etc." In writing letters to your
lids or acquaintances, make what you
not only worth reading, but as free
possible from all ~affectation. Say
little about the affairs of others, and
rded in what you write or your
tivate concern: but apart from this
{ pick and choose words, o feel
to consider how each sentence
be rounded" Your letters will.
u you are constantly considering
bode Of expression, be dull and
and not worth their postage.
|Yte to your friends as you would talk
hem.
! the last century letter-writing was
Inc art, aud as a result we have the
{ charming and perfect pictures of
hines. Horace Walpole, Lady Mary
tley Montagu, Madame d'Arblay are
three among a hundred famous
r-writers of that day, when to sell
ter any distance cost some shillings,
therefore all "the news" IS well as
social and domestic events, was
nIcled. Nowadays people seem 10
no time for real correspondent &c
h should be in every household aud
ly one of The most interesting ele-
IS. A postal card or u brief note
to suffice for the most important
ion, aud the increased postal facilI-
bake this sort OF despatch" Lusl-
easier. And here it may be said that
should never write a letter to a
d or a stranger on a postal card.
Ia you notify the iceman that your
Ter will need an extra quantity of ice
a The morrow, or the coal dealer that
eeilar needs refiiling, you may use Il
card, for this is a convenience to
ceman and coal dealer; but avoid
cards for anything but the very
est and least private of messages
beT's Young People.