Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1895-10-06
ETIQUETTE IN HANDWRITING
Polite ConventionaIities ofStation-
cry and Signatures.
A SEALED COMMUNICATION
A Thing of InWolabIe Sacredness-llI-Breeding
IN Correspondence That Is Often
the Result of ignorance
BY DIANE DE MoRHY.

Copyrighted, 1898, by Diane de Morny.)
Women of breeding are exceedingly
conventional in respect to stationery,
visiting cards, invitations, etc, and will
brook no eccentricities. so in case you
have disposition to be original In the
matter of writing paper, monograms, ETC.,
curb your ardor until you are quite GER
tain your taste is correct. for rest as
sured society will make no exception in
your case. Many a good and sweet
woman has forever lost her chance of ad-
mittance into the social set she so eager
ly desired to mingle with through her
ignorance of the laws governing written
and engraved communications. No one
is strong enough or rich enough or pow
erful enough to triumphantly defy the
edict concerning the letter and note pa
per of the fashionable world. Good form
in writing ard in writing materials is
second only in Importance to that crucial
test of breeding, the dinner table code.
The rules governing all correspondence
are plainly set down and may not be
tempered with. 1t is absolutely impera-
tive that one should spell properly and
write a fair hand, and that one should
express oneself in well chosen and cor
rect English.
Correct Stationery.
In fitting up your writing desk you
will save yourself much annoyance by
purchasing the proper stationery and &C
cessores of a fashionable tradesman. Do
not be persuaded to buy anything con-
spicuouSly novel or new in the way of
paper or envelopes. Plain white paper is
always In good taste. Ruled paper
should never find it's way to your escri-
toire. The forms and colors offered one
in stationery are constantly changing.
Pale green or greens always (unleSs the
within of a woman who is at fashions
pinnacle and powerful enough to indulge
In a caprice) subject the user at least to
satirical criticism. French paper, which
Is thin and was proper enough for foreign
letters while the postage was matter OF
consideration, is now rarely used.
For letters to ones intimates, select pa
per of medium size, and rather small note
paper both for writing and answering in
vitations.
1t is no longer fashionable to indulge in
snowy monographs notices or initials on
writing paper; crest Is in good form,
it should either be embossed or simply
engraved in one color-black, blue, scar
let, mauve or pale gray on white paper.
The address Is now legibly engraved al
the head of all ones stationery. custom
which Is most justly popular, for who has
not in times gone by racked his brain
hunting addresses of the writers of COM
munications demanding an immediate re-
ply? Besides, the engraved address it is
de rigeur In every case to add the date.
In q letter the day, month and year must
be given; In a note it is only necessary
to mention the day. For example, at the
head or end of al letter write:
New York, June Is, 1885,
In note write the day of the month
only at the end and after the signature
''Yours sincerely,
"CLARISSA HARLOW RATHBONE.
Thursday. the 11th."
Evils of Poor ChiroGraphy.
Above all things write legibly. 1t Is not
ns.,n 10 tor-t ri 6G wit
glyphics which necessitate calling In the
entire family to decipher. Any distinct
school of handwriting is to be con-
demned. Were we all to write precisely
alike our correspondence would be want
ing in character and expression. One can
not conceive Of a love letter written in
perfect Spencerian style without smile,
and a document of supreme importance,
say, for instance, the declaration of in
dependence, with every signature in
handwriting precisely like the one pre-
ceding it, would be an almost exasperat-
ing record. 1t is the individuality, the
spontanety, the individuality in persons
which attract us, and the strong charac-
'erstics of the men and women are as ev-
ident in their handwritingS as in their
conversation and appearances. Do not
attempt, therefore, to pattern after any
one school, especially avoid the angular
handwriting which many of our girls
have pushed to really maddening limits.
self first of all to write legibly; and sec
ondly, do not permit yourself to copy
your letters; you will invariably change
and stiffen them by doing so. Practice
writing just what you wish to say-do not
search for high-sounding sentences in
which to express a very simple fact.
Never attempt flourishes. I have seen a
number of truly wonderful signatures
which would be minus many a curve and
scallop had their writer's dreamed of the
ridcule inevitably produced by such
grandiloquence on paper.
Important Details.
1t is conceded that well-bred persons
are more exact than any others in small
matters. A gentlewoman will carefully
fold a letter-she will address it with
scrupulous nicely, and fix the stamp
evenly in the right hand corner. A pos
tage stamp which appears to have been
thrown at an envelope is in execrable
tcste. Take care also to fold a letter so
~ 1t will, when opened, ''be right side
up A pretty woman is a very fascinat-
ing object writing and sealing note.
She is so dainty in every movement and
many a man has lost his heart while
watching a charming girl at this most
feminine occupation. Never permit your
self to acquire the notwithstanding habit
of sealing letter or note, by wetting ii
with the tongue. moistened sponge
should be used both for sealing all letters
and for aflixing a stamp.es
muchsfn favor Only those who can make
a very nice, even and clean-1ooking inn
preston should venture on sealing with
wax 1t is chic If done we'll. or course,
1t Is understood that on no account is
one to cross ones writing. 1t is fash
ionable at present to write on the first
and fourth sides of a sheet of paper,
then to open it and turn 1t the other way
and write across the third and second
sides. The explanation for this depar-
ture is that it is more convenient to dry
the first page on the blottinss pad while
one IS writing on the fourth. 1t is-sin
reality caprice which has no satisfac-
tory excuse<and will be superseded, posi-
bly,, by more sensible fashion.
Ladies' and gentlemen never avail
themselves of postal cards. / once knew
a western woman who lost the chance
of marrying a very distinguished man
because of communication which she
sent him by way of this democratic me-
dunn.
1t is an affectation. and a very school
girlish one, to insist upon a quill when