Evening star., 1898-12-24
IN BLACK AND WHITE
we should BE Careful to Whom and
How We Write.

We should Be Careful to Whom and
How We Write
From Harper's Bazar
a scrap OF paper, a few penciled words
or record written in faded ink: but #
survives the changes of centuries, and rises
up In Judgment to condemn or aDprove jts
maker long after his drst has mingled with.
the MOWERS OF another age We are con-
e'ahty Witnessing some proof of the i'm
Perlshable quality of that which f. once
committed to the written page, and in this
regard. II in no other, the pen Is misbtiar
than the sword
we should. therefore, be careful what we
write, to whom We write and in what tom
per we write. Far be 1t from the senr;,1.
woman, high-minded and weII.bred ~
stoop to a clandestine corresnon,eno.
Ihat would be to go contrary to her tr.,n'
ing and traditions; and should she evo,. On
Ioollshly err, through impulse or misn,acod
aHection or sentimentality. let her not ba
surprised II there come an hour when tbot
~ ~, sie whispered in pen and ink NAV.
10 ner embarrassment and confusion -.
PROGRAMMED from the house-tops. No bonI
CraDie person should ever write mr. ennano
IN or commit to the mails any sort of "a,.
spo,,oen.e seS o1ot which has in it an occasion
LOT avoiding the light This does not ~
course. refer to a legitimately confident,.i
Sor,espondence between accented lovers
husbands and wives, and kinsfolk and 90, >
quaintance. anu dc
Also. one should never suffer barss,f -
write an angry letter. no matter hew trr;
,auhg the circumstances prompting r. NAV
oe; Gamer mood OF less perturbeG state
a,n,o,a ",n cone, extenuations may be perceived,
aPoiosies may be proffered or exnIanetions
gwen. and the furious letter will itsojf ar.
raign It's author: it will be q mistaLa 10
rot a Misrepresentation.
of 70 'h write t, when one is suffering from fit
OF the blues. from temporary or chronic
depression, thus sending forth ones meIan-
cnoiy TO become the chilly wet blanket
which can smother another's happiness 10
eqnai!y snort-sighted. Out comes trc
bright sunshine and your clouds vanish :.
put your darkly and wretchedly conceived
letter has gone beyond your reach. and Won
cannot recall. it, and it is busy about its
mind to own that you sent it out Years
afterward 1t may fall into the hands Of
your heirs and may lay at your door the
charge of tendency to insanity, or be
mental weakness and infelicity, Refrain
from writing letters when you are in a low
mood.
Another point, and this has to do with
the letters OF wen-known people What
right has the public to tho intimate knowl-
edge. the unveiling, tho revelation caused
by the publication Of letters when the
helpless dead can lift no hand for their
own defense or protection. Much as We
enjoy biography. there often comes over us
q creepy feeling, sort of shiver, at the
thought that those who wrote these pri-
vate personal letters never intended them
for the perusal of other eyes than those of
the one to whom they were addressed. Fa-
nous men and women should take precau-
tions during their lifetime against this In.
vasion OF their Individual rights when they
are no longer here.
Letters are endowed with q sort of ea arthly
immortality, an tndestructibility which re-
slsts everything except the flames.