Evening star., 1914-04-26
BY ANNA BIRD STEWART

Cfl1S way ne learned IOC only TO express MS
own personality, the object of all letters, but
also to express that of the person for whom
he was inditing the letter. Some enterpris-
ing students have estimated the time that
his favorite heroine, Clarissa Harlowe, must
have spent, not alone to write the lengthy
miSsives Richardson aScribed to her, but to
do all the things she relates, as we'll
Heroines of fiction need much less sleep
than do the poor mortals who read about
them. Judged by the standard Clarissa
sets, perhaps letter writing is not quite all
it used to be. Richardson, it must be ad-
mitted, had an inkling of the same thing;
for he apologies for the extreme length of
his novels with the explanation that the real
pouring of the writer's soul at the very mo-
ment when it is still @agitated by hopes and
fears"
How often have all of us had an inspira-
ton to write to some near friend at the very
moment when things were happening in
quick succession, How often have we put it
off, only to find later on that there was moth
ing to say! We might have caught the elusive
flavor of the moment, have sent to our
friend breath of real life, Whit of the at
mosphere in which we are living; but when
we do get to the actual writing we have
nothing left but blank memory.
Longfellow voiced general emotion in
one of his letters no less surely than he did
in his poems: at is so long since 1 wrote
you last that I am heartily ashamed to think
of it. Let us make believe that am good
and punctual correspondent, and then l
shall have courage to proceed"
No less famous letter writer than Charles
Lamb at one time in his life had occasion to
apologize for not writing to his friends.
3You must think me brute beast, rhi-
noceros," he begins one long-deferred letter.
Indeed, am none of these shocking things,
but have arrived at that indisposition to
letter writing which would make it a hard
exertion to write three lines to King to
spare a friends life
Few of us are able to put into our own
feelings toward some negligent friend the
same sympathetic understanding that ami
mated George Eliot when she wrote, @Don't
write unless you have a real desire to gossip
with me little about yourself, and our
mutual friends. You know 1 always like
to have news of you; but l shall not think
you unkind: l shall only think you have
other things to do, if you are silent"
u do not like shuttlecock correspon-
dences, says James Russell Lowell. "What
is the use of our loving people, if they can't
let us owe them letter, if they can't be
sure we keep on loving them if we don't
hands and seals once month"; AS if there
could be statute of limitation for affection!
The moment Love begins to think of duty,
he may as well go hang himself with his own
bowstring."
The secret of letter writing is as elusive
as that of charm. Many person of learn
ing and of facility in writing lacks the in
formal, personal touch that makes letter
delightful; many one of little education,
but with keen observation and ready SYM
pathy, has the gift divine.
THE best way to learn to write letters is to
write them, just as the way to learn to
play the piano is to practise. The best way
to write interestingly is to be interesting.
Have personality that is worth expressing.
Only take care to express it with some re-
serve and consideration for the person to
whom you write.
The gifted letter writer will select the de-
tails as well as the general style with view
to what the recipient will most enjoy.
Mother and Father back home will like
nothing better than the facts of everyday
life, how warm and comfortable ones room
is, the kindness of companions or the neigh
bors, the details of ones daily work, the
measure of present success and what one
plans to accomplish in the future A person