Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1905-04-05
BY KATE UPsoN CLARK.

-.
We are told that the telephone is
killing correspondence. Even before
the telephone came in, correspondence
was in bad way, and we were told
that the young ladies' schools taught
only underwriting. Notes of invita-
ton and acceptance thanks and of
condolence-these, we are told, are all
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,
nothing else does. Rousseau used to
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 company of intimate
friends that it was 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. che
written word stands there. If it is
bad, it is a more nearly fatal witness
than almost anything else, for it i'm
plies elaboration which is most
prejudicial.
If it is good, its goodness is trebled
by it's 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 a fool, particularly ii
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. If 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.
tits said 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-
| cnan1cal part of the letter, to a large
| section of our populatiOn-especially
| 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
must bear decent proportion to the
| number of your ideas. There is no ar
| bitary rule, but there is a standard of
| 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 Jonn,"
may do for family letter, but put in
all the words to make the sentence
complete when you are writing to less
intimate friends Authorization and
| condensation are two very different
things.
Emerson has many bits of good ad-
vice to give upon this subject, and
| none is better than this: In a letter,
any expression may be abbreviated
rather than those of respect and kind
ness. Never write, Yours aff'ly'" 1t
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 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
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 is NO
surer mark of regard than when your
correspondent ventures to write non
sense to YOU" But do not write TOO
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
are inclined to think that there is still
a vast deal of really interesting letter.
writing done. The world is SO large
that enc cannot generalize. Over in
Europe, we are always hearing, Amer