The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1905-02-16
'rake Thy Pen and Write Quickly

1Of RoOu WTdppou up III lo1oci VIII
ing. 1t is one of the easiest, cheap
est, and simplest methods OF helping
others. Why then, do we not avail
ourselves of it more frequently and
more Systematically?
Most of US have to write business
letters occasionally, and some OF US
have to write them nearly every day
and a good many, too. Now bust
ness letter ought to be business
letter in the sense that it goes
straight to the point in as few words
as possible, but a business letter,
even ii dictated may have an atmos-
phere and tone which will please and
not irritate the recipient. The latter
can be led to infer that the writer,
though he may be an ent re stranger
to him, is a gentleman. One can
,metimes add sentence that
savors of good fellowship, or at least
of Il friendly human interest ct
many sucn business letters IN the
course of a year which their autbUr1
have spiced with bit of humor, or
with an expires sion Of good will
watch falls like bar of sunshi ne
across my desk.
Are we as considerable as we ought
TO be in carrying on our CORES pond
ence with our kindred? A mother,
whose son just out of Harvard is
now clerking in city $500 miles
awav. conficed to me the other day
that she did wish Jimmie would
write oftner than once month. II
know be is busy she said, ''buc |
long to hear from him. y That
youth might have TO get up little
earlier some morning or forgo some
evening" pleasure. IN order to send a
CHEEKY budget of news to the one
who loves him better than anyone
else in the world, but it would pay
him over and over again, and how it
would GLADDEN. her! | know men far
on in in middle life who still. keep up
thu custom Of writing every Sunday
a letter to the old folks sitting in the
sunset in the ancestral homes cad.
We ought to be cival. at least, to-
ward our own flesh and blood.
Then there is the wide field of
general CORES pondence which off RS
SO many opportunities for helpful
service. How long is it since you
have written letter to your pastor
or former or present school teach
er expressing your appreciation of
stimulus aud inspiration received?
That schoolmate of yours with whom
you used to be SO intimate, but from
whom you seem to have drifted
latterly would be SO glad to get
letter from you wringing with the
old spirit of comradeship. That
4 man on the next street who is pas
sing through deep waters would APP
p~eciate it If you knew he IS facing a
difficult problem, but he could count
on your sympathy through it all.
Write to the editor now and then
and tell IN that you like this or
that thing in his paper, to the faith
fol policeman or postman going his
rounds in all sorts of weather. to
The conscientious city official who
stands for the best things in POLITICS.
Yes, to some little child you know
who will be SO glad to get q letter
from a grown up" person,
A big hearted and ingen;us New
England minister has recently
worked out "a plan for binding to-
gether in the simplest sort of organi-
cation the persons who really want
10 use their pens now and then in
behalf of their telIow-men, He has
forned a league whose certificate of
membership expl esses the purposes
of each member in these words: II
will write letter at least once
month in the spirit of Christ to
stranger, friend or kin to give cheer,
courage or COUNSEL A nickle sent
to The League of the Golden Pen,
Beverly, Mass, will secure the
certificate aud admit one to full
membership. Surely no one IS so
busy that he could not write one
such letter in the course of a month. |
There are advantages in joining
such fraternity, but whether one
does it or not he can at least carry
out the idea.
We have an abundance of hook |