The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-12-29
A WOMAN'S DESK.

From Coed Housekeeping.
Correspondence, both in its business
and its social aspects. is not the art that
it might be. especially among women,
and this may be due in fact must be due,
to some extent. to the condition of a
woman's desk
For, If this be "A place strewn with I'M
! sorted letters. if its pencils ara never
/ sharpened and its pens are dulled with
rust; if the ink we'll continually needs
! hlling; II blOttArs are scarce; if one Is
never certain of the supply of note pa
per; If stamps are the exception rather
/ than the rule; if the whole desk bears
! the appearance Of frequent rummaging in
the search of missing articles. then what
/ incentive is there 10 sit down and write
/ But think Of the possibilities of a wom-
/ ans writing desk orderly and well equip
/ ped! A desk can be imagined so pleasing
/ IN contents and arrangement that II
would invite correspondence.
/ Three sizes of stationery should stock
| this well-equipped desk-a small size for
/ notes, invitations regrets; a medium size
/ for regular, everyday correspondence:
/ and a larger size that is often used for
/ the long home letters. and sometimes for
! business correspondence.
The colors of letter paper for social
J uses are governed by styles. Delicately
/ tinted papers appear from time to time
and then disappear White stationery
/ alone is always in good taste and always
/ in style. a fabric paper in gray, or pale
! tints that are almost white is fashion
/ able just now. for both business and So
/ cial use.
The shape of stationery is governed
/ also by styles The tendency at present
/ is toward square sheets and Oblong en-
I velOpes. which have the advantage of
/ greater space for writing the address.
/ The latest fad in imported stationery is
! a sheet only about four inches wide, and
/ long enough 10 be folded TWO or three
/ times to nit its envelope.
| Whether the monogram. address or
! crest shall be used on stationery are mat
/ ters Of individual preference. They are
/ perfectly correct if they are desired, al
/ though monogram or crested paper should
not be used when writing TO a trades
man. The place for these marks may he
the first page, sometimes the fourth The
| address appears usually on the first page,
about three-quarters of an inch from the
top and in the center or in the right
hand corner.
The use of the crest and motto on
stationery is a masculine privilege. The
wife may correctly use her husbands
coat of arms Upon the unmarried Wom-
ans letter paper, the family coat OF
arms may be used only in the shape Of
a '1oZenger that is. the outline OF the
coat of arms is inclOsed in diamond or
oval-shaped disk.
In country homes, stationery is some
times marked with the address for tele-
grams, the name of the railroad station.
and the address for letters. A unique
marking of the stationery for the coun-
try house just now is 10 have tiny en-
cravings of a railroad station. a mail
box, and a telegraph pole. with the name
of the station post-office address, and
telephone number printed opposite them.
This marking is, of course, a great con
venienee to out-of-town friends.
This desk we are furnishing might well
add to its stock a supply of correspond
ence cards-square cards just the size of
their envelopes. These viii be found
most convenient for notes, invitations,
and acknowledgements. They are some
times engraved with monogram or ad-
dress.
The ink kept on the model desk must
be black, as that color should always De
used fer writing notes and letters.
One and two cent stamps are OF greaf
Importance in the furnishing of d desk