Year: 1877




their friends, instead of burdensome
task tobe gotover as quickly as possible.


We often hear people excuse them
selves BY saying that they have ne "giit
for writing letters,' as though it we're
something like an ear tor music, only ac-
corded 10 favored few. But the truth
is, that any one can write interesting
ard pleasant letters who will take lit
tie trouble and real persevere in the
effort. The grand difficulty in the way
is that they are too selfish and too in
dolent to try. Nothing that is worth
anything comes without effort, and if
you donot care enough about gratifiy-
your flenas to take little pains for it,
you desrye never to receive any letters
yoursetrsf


a few simple rules, carefully observed,
will help you over some of the things
which you call difficulties. In the first
place, always write distinctly. 1t de-
stroys much of the pleasure in ..receiv'
ing letter if it can not be read without
puzzling out every word. Many an
epistle, written on heavy cream-laid
paper with a monogram at the top, il
only an annoyance to the one tC
whom it is addressed on account o.
pale ink and careless handwriting


Be particular in the matter of dating
giving every item distinctly, and sigr
the letter with your full name. If thii
habit is formed, you will not run thu
risk of leslng valuable letters, which car
not be forwarded from the dead lettel
office, unless accompanied with full ad
dress.


You will find it more easy to reply Il
a letter soon after you get than if yOu
neglect it for few weeks, because you
will have the impression which the frs
reading made upon you. Tell YOU
friend when you received the lettel
which you are answering, and take VI
the topics in the order in which they
naturally come, remembering to answer
all the questions which have been asked
Try to think what your friend would
like best to hear about, and when you
undertake to tell anything do not leave
it half told, but finish the story. People
who are not careful about this often give
false impression without meaning to dc
80. For instance, one of these careless
writers, in giving an account of fire
simply stated that the house was burned
without giving any qualifications, thus
giving the impression that it was en-
tirely consumed, thereby causing a whole
family much anxiety, as the actual burn
ing in question was very slight.


Do not consider anything too trivia
to write about which you would thinl
worth mentioning in conversation
Writing letters is simply talking upoi
pape| aad your friends will be mucl
entertained by the narration Of HtCE
everyday affairs than by profound oh
servations upon topics which yeu carr
nothing about.


In writing to very intimate friends
who will be interested in the details O
your daily life, it is well sometimes tC
make your letter a sort of diary-telling
something of how you have spent eact
day since you wrote last; what books
you have been reading, what letters you
have received from mutual friends, and
what YOU have heard or seen which has
interested you.


Write all you have to say on one sub
iect at once. That is, do not begin tc
tell about your garden, and then about
your school, and then about your gar
den again; but finish one subject before
you begin another. Do not be afraid o.
using the pronoun l. Some people avoid
it, and thus give their sentences a shabby
and unfinished sound, as, Went tC
Boston-called on Mrs. Smith" Never
apologize for what you write, by saying
that YOU do not like to write letters
You would not think it quite polite, in
visiting a friend, to say, 81 do not like
to talk to YOU, so shall not say much >
Keep the idea before you that you are
writing for the sake of giving pleasure
to your friend.


When your letter is merely an in
quirv. or on a matter of business, the
case is different. You then should try
to be as brief, concise and clear as posi-
BILE. An elaborately drawn out business
letter is as out of place as it is incSn
siderate.


"Do not think what to write, but
write what you think" is an old rule
and a good one to remember. If you arr
away from home, it is very selfish not Il
share your good times with the family
by writing frequent letters. You car
tell whist you are enjoying 50 much bet
ter while it is fresh in your mind thai
you can after you return, when you ma!
not have leisure to go over the who'll
ground; and these home letters may b
a means afterward of refreshing you
own memory, and reminding you Of in
cidents which you would otherwise hav
forgotten. There are many other thing
which might be said here, but this wi
do for the present. A very good rule fc
letter writing is the golden -"Do q
you would be done by."-Susan 4
Brorn, IN st. Nicholas for March.