The Hawaiian gazette., 1896-08-25

Have you ever made q study of sigma
tures2 I do not mean merely the names
which you should scrutinize with the
detective eyebrows of q cashier. but the
whole ending Of g letter, which you
should look al as 3 genial tourist would
inspect epitaphs or historical relics.
Have you ever done that, I say? Its
quite worth while. / assure you. At
first you would observe the curt extreme
of business. indicating little time or de-
sire for more than Yours, or Yours
Truly, or. in important letters, Yours
Respectfully. These expressions merely
serve as buffers between the letter and
the name. which would otherwise come
suddenly upon the reader with con-
siderable shock.
Between this extreme and the gush
ing adjectives and adverbs Of young la
dies in their intimate correspondence
there is q long and delicately shaded
list OF expressions Each OF these
phrases comes up 10 be used as fitness
demands il a fitting signature is 3 bit
OF elf-sausfaction-it is a delicate COM
plimeut 70 our peculiar temperament
or condition. and The whole letter leaves
with you delightful impression if the
ending Is personal and characteristic
Some people never take the trouble TO
break to US gently the news of the ap-
preaching end OF q letter. The end is
abruptly proclaimed when We get there
by 3 meaningless Yours Truly. that
might be applied TO anybody and every
body.
For the benefit Of DEMONSTRATIONS
souls who fear TO betray undue warmth
in their closing remarks, let me say that
the easy-going Yours Sincerely is good.
but implies some need Of propping up
your genuineness- Yours Cordially is
somewhat patronizing. Yours Lovingly
presupposes intimacy and affection. but
Yours Afectionarely is quite safe; il
merely indicates the disposition Of the
writer. not her feeling for the recipi-
ent Of the letter. ! once had 8 letter
from Florence Oakum. who. in her de-
sire not 10 mislead me by professions
Of friendship she did not feel, wrote
somewhat vaguely. i am ever Florence
Oakum." I have often wondered what q
eynie might say if she were TO become
Mrs. Beecham.
Above ali my other dislikes is my
aversion for the man or woman who
subscribes himself thus: i am. Sir.
yours. etc" What more insulting. con-
descending. irritating. insinuaring ex-
preston can YOU imagine9 Yours, etc.
Il implies that the writer cannot take
the trouble 10 select 2 fitting word 10
-
and snobbishness and hostility. Yours,
etc, It's exssperating. sometimes see
certain English journal that contains
much excellent matter, but I am irri-
tate6 beyond measure by the whole pa
per simply because Of the hippant sig
natures. which read. every last one OF
them. ! an. Sir. yours. etc" For my
part I assure You that my name shall
never 6arken the subscription list Of q
journal thai is such continual nerve
irritant-
4 real letter Is wider revelation Of
human life il seems 70 me. that even
acquaintance. unless il be intimate The
writer Of real letters dashes on what
he feels ST The moment with 10 attempt
al fine writing or close thinking. and
the feeling Is likely 10 be more genuine
than in finished prose. What 8 group
o. letter writer's the world has for US
Madame de Sevigne. Scott, Byron. Shell
ley, Macsuley. Mrs. Carlyle, Matthew
Arnold snd Ffugerald may be put Al the
head O. the list What charming
glimpssS We have OF Thackeray in his
letters, and OF Phillips Brooks in his
correspondence ! simplicity prevails
IN al Of these letters that refreshes Us.
2 6irectnesS that we sometimes miss
II more ambitious writing, and an eph-
smsral quality that suggests the odor
Of dried -Oss-leaves SIBYL