Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-30
ON LETTER WRITING
Hints for Good Taste in Notes Of
All Kinds.
Newest Styles In Paper Have Border.
ed and Folded MonOgrams
and Cresfs.
From Harper's Bazaar.

From Harpers Bazaar.
A pretty. safe general rule to follow in
writing all kinds of letters is never trust
anything in letter which you would be
afraid or ashamed to see above your own
signature in print. This applies as we'll to
manner as substance. Form or convention
ality is the oil which makes the social ma
chinery run smooth. Therefore, one must
either understand it's usage or by ignoring
1t, run the risk of being misunderstood.
Words should be clearly separated, lines
kept straight, with a distinct space be-
tween them, a margin of from three
fourths of an inch to one inch, according
to the size of the paper, left at the begin
ming of the line, and no word carried quite
to the edge of the paper at the right; in
brief, any suggestion of ,crowding is to be
avoided. Attention to such details has a
wonderful effect in clearing up what would
otherwise seem to be i hopeless scrawl.
Bulky letters ought to be avoided If it
is necessary to express ones self at great
length thin paper is the best expedient
and then one writes on only one side. Such
occasions are rare, however, as the day TOR
lengthy illusions is past. The fashion of
writing across the first and fourth pages,
then lengthwise across the second and
third, is permissible, and is generally fol-
lowed by the very young; but the most
sensible and dignified, therefore the best,
form Is TO write down the pages in the or
der as they come, except in the case of very
snort notes, which may be begun on the
first and finished the third page, or on
the fourth and finished on the frs. An
other error which is very common in social
correspondence is placing the date and ad-
dress at the end OF the letter, as in i noe
Inc right and suitable place for the date OF
a letter is, as it always has been, at The
r1ght-hand corner of the first page.
Letters should he nah. nd
tLated. This fact is usually ignored, the
Only mark in general use by many persons
being the dash. A few periods, an occa-
S1Onal comma, and new paragraphs dropped
back a little to the right of the margin
may cost little effort on the part of the
writer, but proportionately less on that of
the reader. Long and especially involved
sentences should be avoided. When n sub
1ect is finished, do not be afr aid of starting
another abruptly. When in doubt as to
punctuation, finish the sentence with q
period and begin another. The punctuation
of a letter or note is simple matter, or
should be. Authorizations are permitted
only in business letters. Eccentricities and
mannerisms of all sorts are faults of taste.
OF such nature is the use of fac-simile re-
production of ones initials or signature,
used In the place of ones monogram:
leaving a conspicuously broad Margin such
as one-third of the page; beginning the
substance of letter on the same line with
the address, as, My dear X, in reply to
your letter., etc.
Pale Gray and Pearl White.
The most approved stationery for this
season is a kid-finisht paper of the most
delicate shade of gray, really pearl white,
and of medium heavy wessht. Plain white
and cream white are a1WaFs in the best Of
taste. but the Tiffany gray as it is known,
has the advantage CT affording a better
background Tor engraving and Illuminating.
Other delicately tinted papers are sun
used, and are considered good form, but
they are fad, and such are losing
ground On no account are the bizarre
shades and effects displayed in the shops
as the very latest style such as pink or
blue paper with white borders, ever adopt
ed by people of refined taste. Oblong en-
Veiopes with paper to htSare more popular
at present than the sQuare-shaped ones
Fashion permits, but does not order a
rather large size letter sheet. Note paper
is. of course, small. The well-equipped ,
writer has for her social correspondence
three sizes of paper, for long letters fer
short ones, and for notes. The usual sizes
are-6l4 inches by IA inches, folded once; 5
inches by s, folded once, and :}a4 inches by
81. inches, also folded once. All these are
alike as TO quality of paper and color
A small crest monogram is the one
now in favor. 1t Is from one-half to three
fourths of an inch in diameter, round or
oval, and perfectly plain, or ornamented
with very simple wreath or scroll design
1t is placed usually in the middle of the
line, rarely in the upper left corner of the