The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-12-26
LETTER WRITING.
Abuse of Correspondence
Pointed Out.
Amelia E. Barr Gives Some Sound
Advice to Girls on the Necessity
of Intelligent Restraint.


playing with edged tools, and of all such
dangerous playthings a habit of promis-
cuous, careless letter writing is the worst;
for In most cases the danger is not obvious
ct the time and the writer may even have
forgotten her imprudence when she has to
meet the consequences. The romance, the
gush, The having nothing particular to do,
the almost insane egotism which makes
some young women long to exploit their
own hearts caused poor Madeline Smith 10
write those foolish letters to man whose
every good quality she had to invent and
who afterward tortured her with these
very letters into a crime which made her
stand for months within the shadow of the
gallows. She had not patience to await
until the real lover came, and then when
he did come those fatal letters stood be-
tween her and her happiness and her fair
name.
The very instinct which leads TO con-
slant letter writing goes with a constitu-
ioual want of caution, and therefore
indicates the necessity fer intelligent self
restraint. IT young women when writing
Letters would only project themselves into
the future and imagine a time when they
might be conf onted with the lines which
Ivy nave just PthDtu many an lll-auVlS6u
HlsSlNe would 20 into the FIRE instead of
into the mail bag. Indeed, il letters at all
doubtful IN spirit or intent were laid aside
unllI next morning" many wrong would
oe lett und0ne: many friendship would
DE preserved unhruksn and many an i'm
prudence be postponed and so unc0mmit-
yea. III, indeed, a woman could say truth
tully Tits letter IS my letter, and if mis-
chief comes OF ii | alone have the penalty
20 pay, extensive correspondence might
he less dangerous. But no one can thus
limit folly or sin, and it's consequence
may even touch those who were not even
aware Of the writing of the letter.
The abuse oil letter writing is one of the
greatest trials of the epoch. Distance,
which used 10 be protection, ia now done
away with. Every one cries ou:, and in
Sists upon your listening. They write
events while they are only happening. Peo-
pie unknown in;fude unun your time and
take possession of il. Enmities and friend
ships thousands of miles away scold or
careSs-one Is eXactlng, another angry, a
thlrd lays upon your >cOnsclene e obliga-
tons which he has invented. For a mere
nOthing-a yes or a no-idle, gushing peO-
pie ire oil continual notes and insist upon
answers. Now this kind OF letter writing
exists only because postage is cheap; if
such correspondents had TO pay % cents
for giving their opiGiOns, they would not
give them at all. 1t is an simpertiuencs,
we'll enough 10 receive from him visit
or even TO return 1t, it is a very different
thing TO DE called upon to retire into our
selves with pen and ink and note paper.
and give away time and interest which We
are not inclined to give.
Plenty OF girls write very clever letters
letters that are an echo of their own circle,
full OF a sweet audaeity and an innocent
swagger of know Ledge of the world and
OF the human heart thai Is very engaging.
And the temptation TO write such letters is
very great, especially as both the writer
and her friends are apt 10 imagine them
evidence of a large amount of genius. In
deed. some who have specially bright pen,
CT else a specially large circle of admirers
and hatterers, arrive speedily at the con-
vIction that they can Just as easily write
book. So without reason and without re-
suits, they get themselves heartburniug
and heartache and DISAPPOINTMENT. For
there is absolutely no kindred whatever
between this graceful, piQuant eloQuence
du billet and the fancy observation and
experience necessary TO successful novel
writing.
If girl really has a vein of true senti-
ment she ought not at this day 10 give 1t
away in letter writing. There Is a safer
and more profitable WAY to use it; she can
BOW take il o market and sell it for pad
ding the mag zines and Indies news
papers. Seat ment and fancy have COM
lhSfCldl Nhlues anu lHSkSdu Ol StdIlnS the Ill
ND in 2-cent envelope for an aCquaint-
auee-who IS likely very unapDreclatiVe,
and who perhaps tOsSes them into the fire
with cOuiemptuous adjnctive-she might
send them to sYme lODg-sutfering editor
These men know the depths of the glrlish
heart in this respect, and they have a
patience in searching for the gold among
the drosS that Is not generally believed in.
Therefore If q z RI must write, let her send
her emotions TO the newspapers; an editor
is lar more prudent cOnfdante than her
very dearest friend.
Really, the day fer letter-writing is past.
4 an art il is dead, as convenience il re-
mains. But it has lost all -en timent
Even Nine. de Sev-ue could MT be charm
Ing Oh a postal cad, and for genuine In
formation the general idea is to put ii in o
twenty words and send it by telegraph.
So, then, it is a good thing for young
women to get over as soon as possible the
tendency of their years 10 sentimental let
ter-writing. They Will thus save theG-
selves many a heartache in the present,
and many fear for the future. For If
they do not write letters they cannot feel
hurt because they are not answered.
They cannot worry because they have said
something imprudent. They will not
make promises in the eXaltatlon of COM
position which they will either break or
hate TO keep when they are in their sober
senses They VIII also preserve their
friendship, IOI LH6y Will not Q6pIIVe GHeW
altogether of that charm which leaves
something to the imagination.
OF course, there arr yet such things as
absolutely necessary letters; and these, in
their way, ought to be made as perfect as
possible. Fortunately, perfection in this
respect is easily attaiuaDle, its essentials
being evident to all as soon as they are
stated. First, letter which demands or
deserves the attention Of an answer ought
to have it as promptly as il we were pay
ing bill. Second, we ought TO write dis
tinctIy, for bad handwriting represents a
very logged, self-asserliDg tsmper, one,
too, which is unfair, because if we put
forward our criticisms and irregularities in
a personal meeting. they can be returned
10 kind, but TO send letter that is almost
unintelligible admits of no repTisal, but an
answer in some equally provoking scrawl.
Even if the writing is only careless. and
may be read with little trouble, we have
no right to impose that extra trouble.
Third, it is a good thing to write short
letters. The cases in which people have
written long letters and not been sorry
fnr having done so. are doubtless very
rare. No one will ever be worse for just
saying what they have to say. and then
signing their name to II, plainly and IN