Waterbury Democrat., 1902-06-12
COMPLETE LETTER WRITING
A Few Things That Should Not Bt
 Written.

A Few Things That Should Not Be
 Written
 In our grandmothers' day, when more attention was paid to education and less to fads in the schools, any advice on this subject of letter writing would l have been superfuous.
 Then every man and woman was a complete letter writer ill himself or her. self, but now, when the exigencies of the higher education leave children no time to learn to read and write and spell, a few words on the subject may not be amss.
 | In the first place, the one who as- accomplishment is warned against a return to the old-fashioned, conserva- tive way of writing a letter.
 The present hop, skip and jump method where, when you finish one page you have to go on a still hunt for the next, adds all the interest of a Chinese puzzle, and makes what might be a very commonplace letter as much of a mystery as who killed Walter Brooks.
 ] The fact that many people don't care | for puzzles, and don't take the trouble to find out how the different parts of q letter fit into each other. is no reason 1 for giving up a custom that is smart and fashionable.
 l If you are a woman and are writing q business letter, be sure to sign your name Mary Smith, ill one place and 1 Mrs John Smith" in another. A busy merchant has nothing to do but to trace down your identity. l In writing to solicit employment for yO11rcnlf hn "A fpix To-, al explanation of why you need work. and the family troubles that led to your present necessity for a job. Employers run eleemosynary institu- tions, but always lire men and women on account of their needs instead of with any reference to their ability Never date a letter. It adds piquan- cy to it to have to guess when and where it was written. Never hesitate to give letters of in- troduction to strangers. They may borrow money on the strength of your recommendation and get your friends into uncomfortable places, but other people will be suEe to do you that way, and it is your only chance of getting even.
 In replying to a letter never answer any of the questions that were asked By Joet1 SOAiOoPOnUCut. IulS WOulu Ill., dicate an interest that is thoroughly bourgeois.
 Always put off answering a letter as long as possible. and then take up three fourths of your space in apologies about being so busy. There is a pleas ing novelty about such expressions that cannot fail to charm
 When your friends meet with mis- fortune do not trouble to sit down and write them few lines of sympathy. They will know how you feel about it without your saying so Never answer an invitation prompt ly. This shows you are used to soci- ety, and, besides, your hostess will en- joy the pleasing uncertainty of not knowing whether to order supper for five or fifty.
 1t is also comme il faut to write and say you will not go, and then drop ill just as everyone is seated at dinner, or to accept and then stay away. Either one will successfully break up a G.nner party. Take your choice of methods.
 When you are angry with person, never fail to sit right down and express your opinion of his conduct to him be- fore you have time to cool off. You can get lot of ginger into a letter that way that you would miss if you waited until the next day.
 II you are q girl, don't hesitate to write gushing and sentimental letters to any man with whom you happen to get acquainted. He will enjoy reading them. So will the other men to whom he shows his Hmash notes''
 Don't overlook the matinee hero. He IS often hard-working man. with a large family to support, and his salary depends on the number and feryor of the letters from girls he can exhibit to the manager.
 It is also highly proper for a girl to 1 write three or four Ifales to a mans | once It hatters a mans vanity to | thlnk that his correspondent is chasing him down. Besides, it shows a com | mendahle desire on her part not to let | good thing escape her. For the girl | who yearns to make fool of herself ! no other field offers such limitless op portunities as letter writing
 Finally, never hesitate to be indis- erect in letters. You have the best of precedents in politicians and others who write indiscriminating letters and then satisfy prudence by saying Burn this" at the end. Nobody ever does. for those are precisely the letters that are most valuable and interesting in breach of promise cases and criminal 
 By following these few directions any intelligent person can attain the art of writing letters according to the manner most Ill vogue in our best society