davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1909-08-24
The Right Way to Write Letters
By Sherwin Cody [
Author of Cody System How to

feels to an interested consideration of
special dictionary which you have to
offer, as follows:
Wouldn't your letters be far more
correct if you had DICTIONARY so
HANDY you could keep it on your
desk, and feel you had time to refer to
it every day?
"A pocket dictionary is SO small it
is worthless.
large you cannot carry it, and 1t takes
you twice as much time to find any
thing as you can afford
"A cheap dictionary is not worth
buying, because you never know
when it will mislead you with its err
rors.
For the average busy man the
BEST DICTIONARY ON EARTH is
the new Condensed National"
You have prepared the reader for
medium-sized dictionary at reason
ably high cost, and can plunge in and
tell him all about the Condensed Ma
tional, clinching your arguments in IA
vor OF it by Offering one or two quo
tations from business men who have
actually used it in their Offices. Best
Dictionary on Earth is emphasis with
a vengeance, and the schoolmaster
would be repealed by such sweeping
claim; but if you really believe the
Condensed National is the best die
tionary on earth for the particular
man you are writing to, he will appre-
ciate it If you tell him so right out,
without beating about the bush. There
is certain amount of daring in such
emphasis, but it is sign of the en-
thusiasm that carries men with it,
If 1T is BACKED UP BY CONVIC-
TION. If it is not so backed up, it
ought not to be used. | am strong
believer in sincerity and personal con-
viction of the truth of what is said
1t is not practical to use the under
score in type, but in typewriter let
tiers | should substitute the under
score as often as possible for capitals,
as shown above, since small letters
are more easily read than capitals,
and | consider the nnderscore more
emphatic and stronger than capital
izing.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1909-08-24
oriental Silks

Oriental silks have a wav Of cont
IN on the market and meeti,n .,'..s
popular favor because of their aan, ",sn
oddlty among fabrics. Thev aro ~
ways sought by persons who ,oo,1 a.
noss;s,N S'uSiVe patterns and this is
t tuss,oie among oriental silks where
fe ~o patterns may be alike, but of diff.
a : II colors; The trimmings for sucb
,ne pam silks, soutache and crochet
buttons One of the dashing dresses
sons'ructed OF this material was
p tr,'s RED with clouded effect. # wac
e alhmea with black-red grosgra;n o
s''NN ana an edging of black sontaahn
~ sawtooth fashion for bands IT,, ne
uiess was very good examn,a ~
wnat can be produced with fpro, ~
silk. VIII foreign
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1909-08-24
HOW TO GET A LONG ARGUMENT
READ.

Very short letters may be read quite
generally, but still more important
question is whether they will produce
conviction and bring orders. In most
lines of business it takes long story
to produce conviction, and so it has
been found profitable in some cases to
mail out very long and solid-looking
letters, only very small percentage
OF which will be read, because the pro-
portion of orders from the few that
are read is so high.
There are two methods of combn-
Ing the advantages of the long and
the short. The first is to run an adj
vertisement or send out a circular let
ter merely to pique curiosity and get
an inquiry then to deluge inquirers
with printed matter and long letters.
This method is most largely worked
by the dictionary and cyclopedia adj
vertisers whose preliminary advertise
ments are rather long, but whose com
plete argument could not possibly be
condensed into even a very long let
ter. The other, largely used when the
argument is of medium length, con
sists In Turing the reader from point
to point A prospective customer re-
ceives circular letter with printed
matter inclosed. He is sure to look
at the corner of the envelope first. and
even II there Is one-cent stamp on
the letter he may be interested by the
advertising catchline in the corner
card. The same or some other adj
vertising catchline gets his attention
In his first glance at the letter itself
ana he looks down the page at the
underscored or capitalized phrases
and the short, easy paragraphs. If
these lead him on to read the whole
letter he should get complete outline
or the argument. including a brief ex
PLANTATION of how the thing works or
what 1t really is. proof of its value and
information as to how to get 1t in the
easiest way.
II the letter has gained the interest
OF the reader, he then wants to know
an about the proposition. A printed
circular should. therefore, be at hand
to tell the story all over again in log
ical order with complete details in
order to confirm the good impression
and produce complete conviction. Out
OF l'ooo printed circulars inclosed in a
batch of circular letters, $50 may never
De looked at, but they have to be sent
out In order that the so who are inter
ested by the letter may have the full
story at hand to complete their CON
viction and secure the so orders
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1909-08-24

lean business man (who did not have
the advantage Of a college education)
has been inclined to say: What do
care for the grammar of letter so
long as it gets the business?"
In the last five years the average
American has learned that grammatic-
al accuracy is something quite different
from mere elegance, and even when
customers are so ignorant they don t
know the difference, the grammatical
letter gets more business than the
ungrammatical.
Grammar is merely the science Of
the logical relationships Of words in
sentences. When the meaning is ex-
pressed with absolute clearness and
accuracy, the rules of grammar have
been obeyed whether the writer knows
1t or not. Errors of grammar mean
inaccuracy confusion of thought, a
little cloud between the mind of the
writer and the mind of the customer
The customer may be quite unable to
say what rule of grammar has been
Violated, or that any mistake has
been made but none the less he feels
the cloud, the words have not OK
pressed the meaning with easy and
logical clearness. Multiply these lit
tie clouds by 100, 1000, or 10000, and
the actual money cost of few errors
of grammar frequently repeated will
run to hundreds and thousands of dol
lars in the case of an extensive bust
ness done by letter.
The way to write dramatically is
not through the study of the science
OF grammar, but through effort to Sc
cure simple, clear, straightforward
expression.
We need a simplified grammar, not
The vast body of mechanical rules and
1ehnlt1ons we are taught In school,
where we spend all our time trying to
master the machine without ever be-
ing able to use it in a practical way.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1909-08-24
PATENTS Il; ; ;;';';; q: :: !: \;
Send sketch and description of your n.
Harry J. Robinson, Attorney at Law AID n
Of Patents. 3C4-5 Judge Building, Salt lii
PRESERVE CHARM OF w
Proper Care of Organ Which MI
Has Bestowed Is Essenti,I|
Duty Of All.

A sweet voice is a powerful 70,
inc charm. One also admires
masculine voices which are sonr
and full.
We should, therefore, be carefl
this organ which nature has besto,
upon us, and improve it if posspl
Coarse snrill and harsh voices mar
softened by care and study. A won
w'*n peacock voice can never cha.
Speak in low voice, but distine
Loud speaking denotes ill-breedY
and sometimes shows a dominica
spirit. Many people drown the vol
OF others In a discussion that NJ
may themselves attract the more
tention. To keep the voice at proI
tone, never call from one end Of (
room to another. nor from upslI
down, nor at any distance wher.
becomes necessary for one to sid
with all his might. as this coarsd
and roughens the voice and in tiI
ruins it.
There are persons who, vA
spoken to, pay no attention, etl
from abstraction or from Indifferent
to anything which may proceed IND
others. The person who speaks
then obliged to raise the voice and |
peat, and thus the habit of speatI
loudly is frequently formed.
These things occur in famITi
where but little politeness is obserY,
between those who owe one another
much consideration as is due to Q.
siders.
One should never cry out under i
influence of anger. indignation or p,
These cries forever destroy the b
mony Of the vocal chords. Childu
should be prevented from scream
when at play
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1909-08-24
TRUSTING HUMAN NATURE.

The average man is honest, and his
word is almost as good as his bond
He likes to be trusted, and he trusts
those who trust him. He is very sus-
picious of those who refuse to trust
him. Also he has very decided ideas
in regard to his rights, and what fair
ness and equity require.
In England the stores do not allow
goods to be returned or exchanged I'M
less they are defective In this coun-
try the merchants have come to per-
NIT free return or exchange of all
goods without any reason given, and
this freedom has very decidedly in
creased sales, while the loss is small
Many purchaser says: "Oh, well, if
| don't want it, | can take it back"
and so buys without much thought
But it takes time and effort to re-
turn goods, and most people will not
go to that trouble unless there is some
reason for it. This is the great safe
guard against abuse of the return priv
llege, and the time is no doubt coming
when all merchants will grant this
privilege to all customers. 1t is one
of the finest selling arguments mag
Unable.
The privilege Of return is usually
limited to week, or ten days, or 80
days That limitation means little in
the mind OF the purchaser when he
buys, but it is an excellent protection
against abuse.
If the margin of profit is large. or if
the goods are of such a nature that
they are not likely to lose much value,
1t is often exceedingly profitable to
send goods on approval, either with a
small deposit as sign of good faith.
or on simple written request
But If you send out goods without
any request or authorization, human
nature seems to feel no responsibility
and resents being called on to make
even the effort necessary to return the
goods. A thousand novelty nail files
were once mailed out with a reouest
that the inclosed stamped return en-.
Velope should be used to remit so
cents in coin holder, provided for the
purpose, or to return the file Moth.
ing was required but slipping the file
INTO the stamped return envelope and
mailing it, yet while a few remitted
the oO cents, and few returned the
Mes ~ per cent. of the files remained
unaccounted for. This did not mean
that the people were dishonest, or
even ready to take advantage of an on.
portunity to get something for nothing
out that they didn't feel any obliga.
lon and weren't sufficiently interested
70 give the matter the necessary
thought. Yet Ebert Hubbard sends
his books "on suspicion" to the "eect y
ana since they are interested, they pay
Tor the books or return them.
Sopyrisht 1909 by Joseph B. Bowles F.,
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1909-08-24
THE IDEAL IN BABY BASKET.
VI Wicker, Lined with Mercerized
Saline and Covered with
Paris Muslin.

A fascinating baby basket Just made
lor young mother was of wicker.
shallow and oblong. 1t was lined with
mercerlzed Saline, pink of high luster
and covered with Paris muslin. which
is as dainty looking as organdie and
much more durable.
The pink lining was put in plain. but
the muslin was gathered slightly at
top ana bottom of the sides, the bot.
tom being plain. Double strins Of
lnch-wlde valenciennes insertion wara
arranged across the bottom to form q
diamond
Along each side were pockets Of the
muslin gathered at the ton IN an
elastic and edged with narrow 1ooo
The fronts of the pockets as we'll &c of
the long pin cushion across one end
and the equally long, stiffened covor
WIN ieaves OF flannel underneath IN
mold safety pins at the other end woro
also stripped with insertion in dio
mond effect. ''"
where each pocket and cushion
joined the basket the sewing was con
cealed under fluffy rosettes of NH,
baby ribbon. p'"A
Inc ruifle that fell over the sides
was made of straight strips of the
ans muslin, with an inch-wide hon,
a. .ne oottom' and above it eighth of
an iiicn tucks a half inch apart. with
paoy ilppon sewed between each tuck
ne rlpoon was put on plain, thouph n
would have been equally pretty 10 -
"iu'h Wider ribbon was used ana
sathered at the upper edge.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1909-08-24
USE PUNCTUATION MARKS TIC
EXPRESS MEANING.

In school we are given a complicated
series Of rules on punctuation which
OF course we cannot hope to remem-
Der long, and which therefore are of
no value to us in letter writing SO
most of us stick in a punctuation mark
here and there where we think per-
haps one would be required by some
vague rule vaguely remembered
Punctuation might be a very simple
matter, however, II we used it in a
commonsense way to help us express
our meaning My great rule is,
NEVER PUT IN A PUNCTUATION
MARK UNLESS IT HELPS TO MAX
ING THE MEANING CLEARER. Fine
shades of meaning are often expressed
by punctuation marks, If we know
how to do it. If we don't, those
shades OF meaning escape US. will
speak or few common errors that
should be avoided
Many run two sentences together
with only comma between when the
second sentence begins with then"
therefore" however" or some such
WORD. These are not relative words
like when" Since" etc, and while
they indicate a sequence OF thought,
they convey no grammatical relation
ship, and should introduce new SEN
fences with capital letters following
periods. Some stenographers always
set however" off by commas. unmind-
ful OF the fact that 1t has two different
meanings and is relative adverb in
such a clause as however much in
sist."
The comma is used to separate
words or groups of words which would
be likely to be run together in con
fused way If there were no comma
between them. Any word or phrase
thrown In by way of explanation is al
ways set of by commas, but some in
sist on setting off by comma all rela-
tive clauses beginning with who"
''when,' or the like. largely because
they do not understand the rule that
restrictive clauses" are not set off
by commas. The better way is TO
forget all about where commas are
NOT to be put, and and insert them
only when you feel that two distinct
phrases or clauses are in danger of |
being confused If commas are not
used Common sense is a much bet
ter thing to tie to than bunch of
mechanical rules.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1909-08-24

iuture duty on these and found she
was IN about two dollars more. sin
chasing the economy bug sha on
neAed three yards of silk and calcu-
lated on net custom house saving of
20 cents. BY that time decided there
were limlts even to economy. So 7
tolu her she really shouldn't be 90
scrlmplng. With my income said
such frugality was unnecessarv -
was. And so persuaded her to 90
out and squander that last rs cents
on pound of chocolates that weren,t
gong up to dollar in the near future
and | tell you | thought | was GET
ting out of it easy" e
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1909-08-24

Some time I'm going to write a
book on Feminine Finance that will
Just knock the spots off the frenzied
variety said an Unkind Masculine
individual the other day You see. |
have an economical wife," continued
the Y. NJ. |. Last week she invested
in so pairs of silk stockings. By that
transaction she decided she'd saved
five dollars. She argued that each pair
could have cost at least ten cents
more If she hadn't bought before the
new tariff bill passed. So with the
five spot she got two new pairs of
gloves. She reckoned up the probable
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1909-08-24
POINTS ON LETrERHEADs.


We often hear that good stationery
and printing pay, yet we continually
see extremely poor letterheads, and
very few that are not commonplace.
distinguished-lool letterhead
that costs little money is what the
average business man wants If he
can get 1t, but usually he doesn't
know how to get it.
First, the paper. The country is
NODDED with cheap bond papers, and
they are good If they can be had in
high-class color or finish. have used
ten-cent bond with cloth-like or
linen finish which looks like a Is or
2O-cent paper In 20-pound weight.
Too often only the lighter weights are
obtatnable in cheap bonds. On an
other occasion | used manila paper
that had a color and finish that really
resembled parchment, the cost six
cents a pound A friend of mine
thought the idea good one, but got
another make of paper at the same
price which somehow suggested wrap
ping paper rather than parchment, and
his lettcrheads looked so bad he had
to throw them away For long time
| tried to get letterhead in French
gray, but that color was to be had
only in the very expensive bonds. At
last book paper costing seven cents
pound was put on the market and
the French gray color made the cheap
letterheads look distinguished.
Large circularizing on low-price
proposition requires cheap letterheads
to permit a reasonable profit. and an
extra effort has to be made to get
something that looks rich but costs
little.
Second. the type. The days of
large and expensive Autographed heads
are passing. though photography pro-
duces the simpler modern heads with
FAR greater delicacy and artistic effect
when they can be afforded. The aver
age business man has to use type,
and too commonly leaves the selec-
ton OF the type to the printer.
whose taste Is generally poor. Moth
ing Is more Objectionable than a tyne
with an old-fashioned cut, especially
II 1t has curlycues, is too narrow tlean
or condensed), or too thin in line. The
best modern type is round, rather
thick, with the edges noe too even but
resembling fine hand lettering. Only
one face should be used (printers seem
always to be working in number of
different and unharmonious styles
and the proportionate size of the diff
ferent items on the head is very i'm
portant. A letterhead should be read
at glance as far as the important
parts are concerned, and even when
some text is inserted for reference
only, the effect of the whole at the
nrst glance should be attractive and
artistic. Some one thing should stand
out strong, and everything else should
be proportioned to that
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1909-08-24
Lingerie Bao.

pretty summer fashion is A..
haae dorothy bag. Dainty little
pass oi open-work embroidery Of ~,
oiouerie Anglaise order. with lit.
IN delicate shades of mini i'ines
ban5,as IN Vi mauve and ribbon
iarlaies TO match, will be carried
Inc color chosen for the lin;n
pe repeated in the draped caint,,n n'
round the waist, the ribbon m ~,
lingerie hat and the bows of .s w 'ne
shade. 'ne sun
II is quaint and pretty fssh,o
'ne lingerie bag, and during the ho.
part OF the year the familiar ,oo.r Ivy
handbag will take back place
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1909-08-24

Alttie Eliza was in the first graz
Inc teacher wrote the word dish"
.ne BOARD and asked her what it N
nnAa shook her head; then u
'eacner thought he would help her o
ana said, What did you eat off fro
.n,s morning" Eliza spoke up y
SAID We ate OF from pancakes II
"ornlnE."-The Delineator
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1909-08-24

m
a
the waisoa Velvet used for the collar Hat of trimmed
ribbon.
CLOTH the
semftng buttons
the wrist
Materials required Eight cloth 31h yards
bodeed lace ~ BRAID
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1909-08-24
Paris Adopts Tailored Hate

me chapeau taileur is having an
astonishing vogue in Paris. So great
is the demand for this particular kind
OF headgear that the LEADING p.r;s 49,
sisners aid even those whose she.
clalty until now has been the elaborate
nat exclusively do not disdain to do
vote some of their attention to IT.
Vogue
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1909-08-24

Some business houses dealing with
educated customers have always been
very careful of the grammar of their
letters SO as not to offend their fas
tidious patrons with vulgar errors
But when customers were themselves
ignorant of what wasl dramatically
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1909-08-24


The kettledrum, Mr.. Gabriel Cleat1
CT commended, was perfectly comp
tent to produce atmosphere as wd
as rhythm. Even to tune the instr
ment three things were required
perfect musical ear, a fine sense
touch and i've years experience. Al
er playing over a kettiedrum meio&
written so years ago from Meyerbeerl
robert lie Diable," Mr.. Cleather Cd
tinued: Il venture to say that outsa
OF the musical profession not one pA
son In a hundred of those who lists
10 an orchestra to-day knows that tn
PAM have notes and can give out
melody" No instrument. he addsl
nad greater range of power than u
Kettiedrum, for none could be play
more softly and none had greater pd
etrating power.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1909-08-24
A LETTER TO SELL A SPECIAL
SIZE OF DICTIONARY.

Unless you bring the customer stem
py step to the exact point where lies
the advantage of what you have to Of
Ter, you cannot hope to make sale.
ASK man If he wants to buy a
goou dictionary, and he at once saws
NO, since he already has one at
home he never uses.
But you can lead him point by point
IRON certain deficiency he inevitably
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1909-08-24
SUITABLE IN MANY SHADES
Graceful Gown of Cashmere That
Would Be Appropriate in Al
most All Seasons Colors.

Alligator-gray is the color chosen
for this graceful gown, but it would
look we'll in many of the beautiful
shades there are to be had this sea-
son. The plastron down center of
front and back is trimmed each side
with satin covered buttons to match,
the other part of skirt is plain, and
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1909-08-24

rests slightly on the ground all ronnd
Two folds are arranged on each shoul-
der' and brought slightly toward the
plastron, both front and back. The
reVers are trimmed with braid, and
edged with ball fringe, the sleeve is
trimmed to match Tucked silk forms
tne yoke, and plain silk slightly
tucked Is used for the deep cuff edged
with frilling.
Hat OF stretched satin trimmed
with roses and ribbon.
Materials required Eight wards
cashmere 4S inches wide four DOZEN
buttons three yards ball fringe, one
nall dozen yards braid, two wards silk
l u yards satin.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1909-08-24
somewhat MixAd

mary aged four, returned fro1
Sunoay school and told her mother 81
knew the golden text. Her mother n
rn 10 you? What is it," MAJ
sala' The Lord is my Shepherd; n
800 eA me to lie down in green pr
'ures and roll over."-The Delineat@
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1909-08-24
Horribly Mean.

The meanest man in the wofll
the husband who placed his monl
In a mouse-trap so that his wife cod
not get it in the early morning whd
out liberating a mouse.--Exchanga
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1909-08-24
he New c,iIor

Inc new sailor has a low. broad
crown with wide brim a little wider
at one side than the other, the sides
curling up very slightly.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1909-08-24
When a Man Gets Older.

.outh Is the springtime of hope
"neh man gets a 1ittlc Ode
NC Stops hoping and begins to rear'
ou' LOT anything he can get his hand
on.-Chicago News.
The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1909-08-16
"BLLND PIGS"
ARE LASSOED

Two raids for operating blind
pigs" were made by the police yes
terday. At 322 Front avenue Tony
Boni, an Italian fruit vendor. and
Agostino GrannunziO, age 16, the
son of Boni's partner, were ar
rested by police officers who had
observed a briyk traffic headed
toward a room In the rear Of the
fruit stand, where they found the
Grannunzio boy in charge. Boni
was placed in the city Jail On two
charges, without bail, and the boy
was turned over to the juvenile
authorities at the courthouse.
At a boarding house conducted
by Mike Kesick, an Austrian, 221
Division street, the police found a
barrel of beer and several cold
bottles" on ice. with a number of
''empties" strewn under bed. Ke-
sick was arrested, but insisted that
the liquor had been used by his
boarders. without price.