Omaha daily bee., 1906-07-15
ROAR AGAINST TYPEWRITING
Friendships Spell wanes Where the
Pen Gives Way to the
Machine.

Two letters lay on the business mans
desk. 1t was just before the luncheon
hour, and he slipped them into his pocket
before going out with friend.
According to the American habit, the
business mans companion expected that
their talk would touch on matters of dol
lars and cents. But, as 1t happened, the
letters suggested the topic.
Look, here" the business man said
taking the envelopes from his pocket after
the order had been given. Here's some
thing I've been thinking of this morning.
This is a letter from my college room
mate; don't know as you ever met him.
but no matter. He and l were mighty
close to each other, but he hasn't been
on east for a long time and our corre-
spondence-my fault as much as his-has
been very infrequent.
Don't think I've heard from him before
for a year, and, without saying anything
against him. this letter was probably sent
off to salve his conscience. Well, here 1t
is, less than a sheet OF typewriter matter,
and a short sheet at that, and put on a
business letterhead. He dictated 1t and
may have put in Ave minutes in writing II.
Now the point of II. This other letter
Is from an English friend of mine There
are nine pages In handwriting, not so easy
to read az the other. grant you, but they
tell something. and they're from man
whom I've known five years for the twen-
ty-hve rye known the writer of the FIRST
letter I showed you.
THAT Englishmans letter took him the
better part of an hour to write; he gave
thought to it and he expects as much
thought to be given to the reply. And, by
jove, he'll get IT,
IF you or l got letter like that from
an American we'd think that something
was the matter, and ten to one, In an
swering him, we'd suggest that he get a
typewriter.
'It seems to me-" he continued, that
letter writing is becoming a lost are on
this side of the ocean. We think We
haven't got time for 1t, to begin with, and
even If we had the time for It we might as
we'll confess that we'd find we hadn't now
the knack OF expression. It's gone some
where.
1.-THE rare personal letters that we write
| become, by reason Of training, about as
| impersonal as anything we could imagine
| We're on the dead business level Of the
typewriter, and it's only when we're shaker
up a bit by a message from another world
| like this Englishman's scrawl, that W,
realize there are people who put some
thing OF themselves into what they WRITE
and do not deal in set phrases
The lunch was served and the letters
went back into the pocket.
(which letter will you answer hrst? tn
business mans friend inquired.
"Oh, I've answered one of them wa
the reply. my college friend wanted SOM
information and dictated a note to hin
this morning.
II am not any better than the averag
American in writing, although I may b
something more prompt But during tn
next month I shall sit down and write
myself-to my English friend. and I won
be hurried when I'm doing It, either.
His letters are altogether too enjoyabl
for me to do anything 10 stop them"
'Why don't you try that scheme on you
college friend?" suggested the other.
II might" said the business man, ''bu
It would be only an experiment and
know pretty we'll how It would result
Washington Post.