Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-03-28
ART OF LETTER WRITING

letters without an effort, and see an excuse
for a letter in things that other people
would never think of in that connection
This is the class that fill the columns of the
papers of the country with communica-
tions. They deem it their duty to apprse
The public at large with their views on all
topics of the day. As rule this class have an
abundance of time on their hands.
To the busy man or woman, who has be-
come accustomed to the swift transmission
Of the telegraph or telephone, the task of
writing letter seems overwhelming. The
paper and the envelopes wait invitingy on
the desk. There are the stamps, also. No
great physical exertion is demanded, and
as for the time required, FIVE minutes will
suffice.
Yet the man or woman postpones the Job
as long as possible and then goes to it with
the unwilling spirit of the boy who is sent
to labor at the woodpile: And it is equally
as hard work for them as cutting wood
They can find nothing in it that savors of
pleasure, and this class only write letters
when stern necessity demands it,
You will hear some one say: 81 would
rather give ten dollars than write a letter."
Why is this?
Isn't it because a conscientious person
breads to assume the lofty manner which be,
longs to the correspondent? In the first
place he must dear" some one with whom
he has mere street-car acquaintance, and
then he must give literary polish to certain
hollow expressions of regard, and finally, in
accordance with tradition, he must protest
his humility, his sincerity and his "truli-
ness all without meaning a word of it, so
that when he signs his name he does SO with
the profound conviction that he is somewhat
OF a liar and more of hypocrite.
Very few people dare to be candid in
their letter-writing. Every man, when he
takes a pen in his hand, gets away from his
usual style of expression and adopts more
or less stilted method. He may be charm
ing talker, because his language is simple
and clear and straight to the point, but
when he takes his pen in hand he begins to
think in long words and build up welround-
ed and sonorous sentences of the Lord
Macaulay kind.
On the other hand, however, letter-writ-
ing is a help to the ditfident or hesitating
man who has not the gift of confident and
flowing speech. He takes courage when no
one is looking directly at him. His thoughts
come from under cover. He even attempts
figurative speech, which only the sublimest
heroes and people on the stage dare attempt
in ordinary conversation, and as a result
he writes letter which puts him in the light
OF an energetic and audacious character.
That is why courtship by letter is so dan
gcrous and misleading. The timidest and
most palpitating men always write the most
resounding letters, and then when the time
comes they fail to live up to their own ad-
Vertisements.
Every Chicago girl who is truly loved finds
that she has two sweethearts-the blushing
young man who sits in the parlor every even
ing and chokes up when he tries to talk
about the weather, and the gallant cavalier
who writes so entrancingy of his passion
and his rosy plans for the future.
There isn't in the whole town young
man who would have the courage to sit
alongside of the divine being and tell her
the things which he puts into his letters.
For instance, could you imagine any young
man saying anything like the following: "Oh,
Flora, if you could but understand that un-
ceasingly, night and day, my thoughts relate
toyoul 1t seems to me that if you were to dis
dain my love or transfer your affections to
another | would find life SO cheeress that
could not long survive?"
Of course it's preposterous. No sensible
young man could talk such stuff, but he will
send reams of it in letters. There is no deny
ing that every man has a special vocabulary
and distinct style for his letter-wrting
Fortunately there are some persons who
write letters from the love of writing and
out of a real interest in their fellow beings
If your habitual letter-writer goes to the
theater and witnesses a play he sits down
next morning and writes letter to the star
actor either commenting or criticis:ng the
performance. If it be letter of praise the
actor is much pleased and the letter accom-.
pllshes lis purpose.
The author of every book receives dozens
of letters from appreciative readers, and he
is cheered into the belief that these readers
are much wiser and more discriminating
than most of the critics.
gentleman who happens to possess spe-
cial information on some topic may be inter.
viewed by the newspapers. All at once he
finds himself public character. The letter
writers have made him so.
The presidential candidate receives his
bushel of mail every day. Who writes to
him? Not you, perhaps, but the habt,ial
letter-writer, the same one who writes to
Washington commencing this statesman or
that statesman and who peppers the news
paper offices with lay opinions on all public
matters.
There is no disposition herewith to poke
fun at the willing letter-wrter. Far from it,
lie is life-saver When he comes across a
peculiar incident or hears new story he
sends it to the STORY" mill, and often it is
as welcome as loaf of bread to starving
family. And sometimes it comes like the
governors pardon in the melodrama.
The unhappy wretch is down to his last
crust of anecdote. In his despair he has
searched the archives of childhood an
dragged out dog story. But he needs one
more story-one more! But what shall it
be? He closes his eyes and pulls at his hair
and thinks-thinks as hard as he dare. No
use. He is lost! "Helpl Help!"
But what is that?
The postman enters wth-yes, letter
lie tears it open. What is this? How
South Chicago boy happened to fall into the
rain barrel! Saved! Saved
With hysterical shrek of relief he sits
down to copy it, caring not for the morrow
remembering only that he has been granted