Middletown transcript., 1898-03-12


Self criticism should be most severe
composition, penmanship and piiBcttiai
ton for the severer The criticism, the
quicker the remedy. Never abbrp-
viate, for that IS a habit quickly form
ed and hard to break; and us as few
superlative adjectives as possible. for
they do not emphasize unless used
sparingly. In addressing a letter the
character of the correspondence should
be studied, SO that each will receive
what he will most enjoy. When writ
| ing TO children consider what will in
terest them and write about that, so
that they will have some incentive to
reply, and thus the first instructions in
this accomplishment will be given.
| But rebuke should never be written
to them; it hurts much more than Sc
we're punishment personally admins
tered, for it sinks deep into the heart,
to be brooded over in private; when it
is necessary it is not hard to admonish
-by means of advice, and boys and girls
should only receive by mail what is a
pleasure to them if they are to be en-
cour aged to write themselves. To a
contemporary anything like gossip and
scanda should be carefully advoided.
| The use made of letters in our court 8
of law make this Injunction seem axio-
matte, yet unfortunately it is temp
| tation often yielded to. ssTalk about
things, not people, " is proverb in a
Scotch family which is also good coun-
sci for letter. writing, and to it may be
added, wien writing about people al
Mays write:kindly. and then no harm
dsn follow. To the elderly correspon-
.dknt degree Of Difference should al
why's appear, and although it is never
necessary to sacrifice principle, it is al
ways courteous to surrender an opinion
to one who has lived longer and pre-
sumbly knows more of the world.
The golden rule of sdoing to others
as you would that they should do to
you" would reVolutionize the penman-
ship of many, and patience would make
perfect work in some, if all letters were
easily read. Itwts mornings occu-
patton to decipher London professors
letters; he was famous alike for learn
ing and illegibility; being an excep-
tional man, his friends forgave hin,
but that is too severe a test for, mo t
correspondents. A gentleman living
some distance from the railway station
returned home after al short abseuc @
and was exceedingly aHSated not to
find his carriage waiting for him. On
reaching home by public con veyance,
he went at once to his wife and asked
her if she had not received the card he
nad posted saying when the carriage
should be sent for him. She sweetly
answered that she had carefully ept
the card for him to read to her on his
return. Whose fault was it he had to
take cab?
Tie eccentricities of the English lam
guage will not excuse either bad spell
ling or bad grammar in letter writing.
A little slip in the use Of a verb which
is readily overlooked in spe aking be-
comes positively offensive when written
while a mis- -pelled word rarely escapes
detection; even those who cannot spell
well themselves can discover q similar
failing in another. For those who
have any difficulty in spelling it shoul Id
be the practice to have dictionary at
hand, and when In doubt always TO use
II. because, whatever the decision other
wise cached, is almost sure to be
wrong.
After acknowledging that there are
certain details to be attended to in
writing letters, it must also be under
stood that there are certain courtesies
that should not be forgotten when re-
ceiving them. Although every item of
news contained in letter may be freely
discussed, no adverse criticisms should
ever be passed on it. This needs only
to be mentioned for all to agree about
Is Is, and yet very many err lust hare. and
cause some to hesitate about writing
letters, fearing these criticisms. A
few remarks made by group of ladies
about letter of thanks which had been
rece ived by charitable society affected
one sensitive nature so lastingIy that
no inducement was sufficient to get
even the scrape of pen from her.
This m y be an extreme case. but TO
say all that truthfnlly can be said in
praise, and never to make or allow to
be made any criticism, will prevent a
blight falling on correspondence; for
there will always be some hesitation be-
fore submitting letter to such CON-
nents as are frequently heard, and
nothing takes away the freedom and
spontaniety SO soon as such remarks
Besides they are distinctly discourteous.
The contents of a letter may also
come under consideration, What is
confidential in them should be more
closely guarded than any secret of ones
own, and nothing can be more mean
and despicable than to allow such con-
fidenca to become public. But there is
a great deal in letters sent to one men,
ber of family that can be enjoyed by
all and it false sense of honor that will
not sh are such imply because it is writ
ten instead of spoken; that is one way
and a pretty sure one of making
united family become a family of units.
With some people there seems to be
constant dread of their letters being
read by those to whom they are not ad.
dressed, but that ought 1t TO be with
proper early training. Children can
be taught that anything written, even
a postal card, is the absolute property /.
Of the person addressed, and when that
is the case there is no need for such
great care in locking away ones CORE
spondence as soon as it is received.