The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-01-16

conclusion than you have to
extend soiled hand with assurance that
you have had no time to wash it.
For your own sake YOU cannot afford
to express yourself in careless awkward
fashion when you write. Your. written
words are more keenly scrutinized, more
carefully remembered than what you say; |
therefore, never write In haste.
The typical American note Is a docu- |
ment for which I can easily blush. 1t is |
apt to be written on expensive paper, |
showing the latest mode In costly stamp
ing. but it's composition leaves nearly
everything to be desired.
/ can pick one or more such produce
tons out Of my mail nearly every morn
ing l wonder If their authors realize
how disagreeably scribbled, clumsly ex
pressed. frequently misspelled, and only
occasionally punctuated document Of this
type appears to the recipient.
The trouble is that most Of them have
very evidently been dashed off at top
speed, without any thought for the fact
that a note can be made an advance agent
for evil as well as good.
Like your voice, your smile, your bow,
or your conversation, the note is a means
by which you can incur bitter enmittes
or gain warm friends.
Bret Harte, the novelist. knew this. He
wrote his notes with all the care lavished
on the composition of his inimitable
stories. He never posted so much as an
order to his tailor or q dinner invitation
to an intimate friend without reperusing
it slowly. If he had occasion to change
word, alter the turn Of a phrase or COR
rect the spelling, he rewrote the entire
missive. Not infrequently he would de-
stroy half dozen copies until in tone
and expression the billet reflected the
perfection Of polite, cordial and correct
| composition.
He maintained all his life that notes
were very important documents, and
recommend such precautions as he pur
sued to any one who is eager to acquire
the proud and precious distinction OF
writing them easily and gracefully.
photographic Charm.
The ordinary note is slovenly. This
may be sharp criticism, but it Is none the
less deserved.
If you wish to win golden opinions as
correspondent, understand here and
now that there Is such an accomplishment
as charm Of chirography.
| 1 do not insist that any one and every
one can write beautiful hand, but any
one and every one can learn to write SO
evenly and clearly that to pursue his or
| her notes will prove as much of a pleasure
| as to hear an agreeably modulated voice
There is a, very erroneous impression
entertained by good many otherwise in
telligent individuals, that a big. sprawl
| ing, 1nQlSClHCC CHlfOSIdpIly IS ldSlllOudDle
and distinctive. AS z matter OF fact.
such a handwriting is only significant of
pure affectation or selfish laziness 1t is
| above everything else essential to write
simply.
An example of extravagant penmanshp
| is even now spread out before me. 1T is
an excellent model of what a note should
not be- The date ana the address Of the
authors place of residence are both miss
ing, and it required one-nalf hour Of
painstaking study for me to fathom the
meaning that should have been conveyed
| in the space of five minutes. 1 should like
| to make the author Of that note under
stand that she is no more privileged to
write me in that fashion than she is to
address me with mumblngs and in a
voice too low for my ears to catch her
| words. ..-
By way of contrast to the aforemen-
toned PRODUCTION, 1 should dearly like to
reproduce a note from an English girl of
IS. Chirographically it is a model OF
what. note ought to be. The small. neat
penmanship is almost as clear as print
The punctuation is carefully done and
correct, the phrases are graceful and the
whole missive is replete with good breed
ing.
BY giving time and care to the make ur
Of the little document she has paid me a
compliment, a compliment that I have
not failed to appreciate. / have not as
yet met the English girl face to face, bu:
her note has given me absolute assurance
that she is willing to take the trouble
, to make herself infinitely agreeable by at
, tention to the small social details; an(
always and everywhere it is the details
that count. Adelaide Gordon.