The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1901-04-17
Portman Letter.

some wise person has said to this Of
''c'' IN ORDER to write well, never at
tempt 10 ~rito until you have somctbinp
to tay."
To-day whilo force of habit has been
urging TO the usual weekly correspon.
dence, benevolent memory has said:
don't, you have nothing to say.
few faces. however. that nrn .ea- =.
me, arise In sweet expression and saw:
why don't you write that letter? When
YOU don't, we look the paper through
aud arc disappointed No; long since, a
friend said: we have been taking the
ISTEi.iiG ENcEn for years, and satisfied
with 1t; but now some way if that Port
man letter is missing there is something
lost to us, and don't take the samc In
terest In tho reh! of tho paper all week."
IL is for such kind readers az these, that
INC letter must attempt to appear, if ever
Tor no further qualification than it's bow
before tho footlights, which is matter of
appreciation for tho audience, and not
| talent of its own.
Hot possessing tho requirements OF q
writer Ia especial sonse, the correspon-
don't, kno owing that many persons, kind
In their intention might undertake the
saiutrry correction of literary criticism,
ooci"ed-with respects to these friends
to retire In name from tho subject of the
letter. Too old now to learn, too lethar-
| gic TO aspire, criticism would hurt with
oat improving aud instruct without
teaching. The letter, plain, simple, and
In fellowship with the large hearted gen.
orosity OF simple folk WAS intended from
the beginning to entertain these gracious
people, whose enviable talent Is to ap-
preciate what is we'll meant. The letter
is for Portmar, from Portmap, aud for all
Portman friends. These simple friends,
and those specially who wished some one
would write for them a Portman letter,
wiil sympathizs when they know that
last week couple Of these returned let
ters were received from friend with tho
following corrcc!!ons along the margins
beware OF mixed metaphors; your
lmoaning !, not clear fall ofthe water'
should be impact "bad, vsry bad,
your byperbols is oyerstrained and be.
comes bombasi;" 'ihis period is too long;
study mixture ofiong and short periods;
this relieves the mind ofirksomeness and
entertains by adiversity of impressions"
too obscure. too involved, not apposite;"
this introduces an idea wholly foreign
TO tho impression ard ruins all;'' 'bad
grammar" The general reader will now
understand why the writer wishes to re
main unknown. Of course, the criticisms
are correct and the writer is wrong; but
Whprq Va tho bn
be committed over again in manuscript
and in print will appear like oil under
hot iron. The writer knew an author
who never looked at his own works when
they came from tho press. They dis
couragod him with their Inaccuracies.
Mono saw these nesrly po well as he did.
lie closed his >es, ssying: ''the public
may not nee the errors as do; but if I
am again conscious of them shall never
be able to begin another plge."
gentleman from the Fork recently
believed be extended compliment when
he said: "I havo found out who writes
the Portman letter." II have not inquir-
ed any way about it," said the correspon-
dent, 'only thore teems to be little news
In them" "Ab." said the gentleman,
"but they make Portman known, and
We think they are very good. I've been
reading the ANDERSON INTELL1dENCER
since small boy, when after the war NV
father commenced taking the paper.
Every column seems mine and now this
Portman letter seems to give mo an OK
ira page" How gratifying by compari-
son is this. No expansive erudition sep
arates the lordly learned from the sim.
PIE unlettered. The sweet unction Of be-
Ing able to please few ieIfar more profit
able In spirit than perusing tones OF crlti-
ciam which, like the author, would pre-
vent from ever again beginning another
page.
There are honest and hopeless mistakes.
some time like literary Inaccuracies, and
there are remedial mistakes like that
which last week made the wires each be-
tween Portman and Anderson carry 1000
volts CT electricity instead Of ii 600. Re-
gret was inferred that If by any Sabbath
law the wo:kmen were p evented setttpg
the wires on Sunday when the mills were
closed they would on week DAYS be sub
ifct from each wire to the fatal shook OF
600 volts. The legislation allows LOO
volts for logal eleotrocution. 1000 Is not
so damagable, but / 900 from each is dam
gerous.
wife, Sam'l Orr, Jr and Miss Enor Hill
visited POrtman.
On Sunday last Mrs. Joo Busby enter
tained Mr.. and Mrs. Arthur Buchanan
aud SOD, K. A. Buchanan, of Autup, Miss
Leila buchanan, Miss Leila Carwile,
hlessrs. Sam Jackson and Sylvester Ell
rod. MIR. j. F.. Busby and Mr.. Noah
Sharp.
Miss Claudia Provost and Miss Lucy
Giimer were also guests OF friends at
| POrtmaD.
80