Omaha daily bee., 1916-02-24
The Letter
Writing Vice
ny ADA PATTERSON.

In Brooklyn a married pair has sopar-
ated and an engaged one has developed
frigidity that Is first cousin to the mid
weather January weather. that swept
this country. Because a fool girl wrote a
fool letter.
There was kiss behind tho letter
But the kiss would have been harmless
despite the spread and acceptance OF the
germ theory had It not been for the let
ter that was as an echo or the kiss.
The wife OF music teacher ridding
his pockets OF their inpedmients while
she did the family mending found. read
and placed In lock box I'm a safety de-
pdsit vault, this letter:
Il was surprised how willingly I gave
my lips to you. II continue to do so
will not your wife become n maniac?
thought Of all these things while the
wind howled."
Tho letter set the domestic wind howl
ing Tho music masters wife con-
fronted him with copy Of the letter
>-nd with harsh words lie said. Il don't
know what made her write il. What she
refers 20 is a harmless little kiss OF
friendship"
But the music masters wife refused 20
derstand." When he cast his spectacled
glance over that letter he granted an
order of separation with alimony. The
music teacher will have TO give moro
music lessons than before to pay the
almony.
The girls family censured the music
masters wife and the judge. It com
planned that she was i'll. IAN this nom
sense has Frustrated her. There Is alb
solutely nothing in It." But the girls
fiance ceased calling. The girl is re-
flecting upon the folly of sentimental
letter writing.
The kiss was a mistake. The letter
was a greater one Some things are bet
ter forgotten. the sooner the better. Ana
there is nothing that so emphasizes a
mistake as a letter dwelling upon H. IL
ia casting the die 1t is an impression
made in what Is otherwise soft substance
and might remain pulpy and unm-
pressed Most of the foolish letters TO
which impatient Judges arc forced TO
listen are written by women and begin
with II have just left you, but must
K,ite you" and other inantes.
y Mon have moro of restrain, moro OF
worldly wisdom. in affairs OF sentiment
or of business, They are careful wat
they pen. woman Is as careless OF
what she writes as though some con
venient wind would Whist il away to uIi-
known quarters Of the globe, instead OF
reaching a mans easily accessible pocket
A girl told me of a sentimental scene
with a man who professed ardent ad-
rniration for her. Yet the next day, haN-
ing occasion to write her, he began the
letter with Dear Miss Blank and ended
Il with. yours truly. William Brown.
~Fortunately she was girl who thought
her way through things, That letter
checked her inclination to rush headlong
into an ili-considered and dangerous love
affair The next time the man called
she was out" And the next and the
next. When he teiephoned she gave him
the absent treatment. She has married
worthiiy and is glad that the chilling
letter checked a siroocco love affair IN It's
beginning.
F,t she was wiser than most girls.
Most OF them would have attributed that
glacial letter to the business habit. l
know q girl who accepted fhrtatious
mans excuse that he didn't write her
because he is so used to debating tnat
he could not write letters. Some girls
would have bedeged Yours truly, VIII
liam Brown" with tear wet epistle ask
ing him why he was so coldl
A girl who shows discretion In buying
n gown shows indiscreton I'm setting
down her threat throbs in pen and Ink
for a careless or scornful man to read
IA girl who stands at the head OF her
cass in school may be at the foot in COM
mon sense conduct Of everyday affairs
Consider this Brooklyn girl II she had
told her mother of the music masters
kiss her mother would have disenarsea
the teacher and the silly affair wouid
have ended. But she must write letter!
Beware the letter-writing vicel NO
the term is not too harsh. A vice may
be n defect, a blemish, fault lndis-
Greet letter writing is all these.