The Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., N.D.) 1902-1913, 1905-04-13
TO WRITE A LETTER
GENTLE ART NEEDS cuLrrvAr-
ING By YOUNG WOMAN.
Some Of the Worlds Most Charming
Literature in. Letter-Form-"Lav-
ish" Handwriting Suggests Pau
city of ideas - Don't Write Too
Much Nonsense Until You Know
Your Correspondent.
BY KATE UpsoN CLARK.


was in a bad way, and we were told
that the young ladies' schools taught
only underwriting. Notes of invita-
ton and acceptance-of thanks and of
condolence-these, we are told, are ali
that is left of the old art of letter.
writing, the art which has given us
some of the most charming books in
the whole range of literature, and
which reveals the soul. as, perhaps,
say that he often left home just for
the pleasure of getting letters from
the loved ones there. A distinguished
society woman laughingly told her
husband before q company of intimate
friends that it vas his letters that
won her heart.
More things have been wrought by
letters than the world dreams Of We
all know how dangerous letters may
become. The spoken word passes. !'he
written word stands there. II it is
bad. it is q more nearly fatal witness
than almost anything else. for it inn
plies a deliberatiOn which is most
prejudicial.
If it is good. its goodness is trebled
by its constancy. There it lies-that
sweet thought-that amusing, whim-
steal turn-that agreeable suggestion
to be read over and over, until it's
charm masters the soul. In these days,
when competition bristles on every
side, the girl is fool, particularly it
nature has rather been unkind" IN
outward gifts, to neglect the art Of
letter-writing.
How shall YOU write? Do not scrawl
all over the page, with a few words.
There is an appearance of panic about
this widespread, lavish handwriting.
1t suggests also an alarming paucity
of ideas. If you are merely saying
that you cannot come to a party, very
well. II YOU are pretending to write
real letter, you cannot more deeply
insult your friend than by this la
bored, thin, outspread of one thought,
or less, per page.
On the other hand. if you use the
small hand which most literary and
highly cultivated people prefer. do not
press your lines too near together. The
first essential to the success of a let
ter, is that it shall be easily and COM
fortably read.
Then. after having learned to con-
dense your handwriting, learn to con-
dense your forms of expression. We
all have some correspondents who can
not express themselves briefly. 1t is
with feeling of almost dread that
one receives their bulky letters.
ssaid thatthe habit of making ones
handwriting economical leads also to
the economizing of words. Possibly
this is true. If so, we commend the
rapid and constant study of the di-
minution and compression Of the me-
chanicsl part of the letter, to a large
section of our population-especial
of the girls, who are more likely to err
than their brothers in the matter of
diffuseness. If you really wish to
learn to write that very attractive
composition. good letter, your words
must bear decent proportion to the
number of your ideas. There is no ar
lulCs OuC lAOAC 40 q oS0Aud1u VI
taste in the matter. which should be
carefully observed.
Beware of abbreviating, especially
when writing to those whom you do
not know very well. Had company
last evening Haven't seen John"
may do for a family letter, but put in
all the words to make the sentence
complete when you are writing to less
intimate friends. Abbreviation and
condensation are two very different
things.
Emerson has many bits of good adj
vice to give upon this subject, and
none is better than this: In letter.
any expression may be abbreviated
rather than those of respect and kind
ness. Never write, Yours aff1y.'" It
is astonishing the difference in effect
between that phrase when written out
properly. and when cut short in that
heartless way.
And what shall We write about?
There seems to be a substantial
agreement among the thousands who
have written concerning this interest
ing theme. that the writer should make
herself the chief topic of her letter.
Not in an egotistical way, but by
opening her heart and revealing what
one might not show to every passer-
by.
In point of fact, it makes little diff
ference, probably, what you write
about. Describe what you have been
reading, the places where you have
been, new friends. almost anything,
provided it be done with spirit, and. if
possible, with humor. Spontaneity,
perfect naturalness. an absence of all
straining after effect, these are essen
tials of the perfect letter.
Scott said to Byron: There 10 NO
surer mark of regard than when your
correspondent ventures to write non
sense to YOU But do not write 100
much nonsense until you know your
correspondent. Nothing is more like
ly TO be taken amiss by dense mind.
In spite of all that is said regard
ing the decline of correspondence, we