Thick white note-paper without lines is the approved style for young ladies, the sheet of note-paper folded once in the middle to fit an envelope which comes with the paper. Little girls may use the pretty Brownie paper, or other note-paper with a dainty device in the corner; but girls over twelve years of age should confine themselves to the clear smooth white paper. If you cannot write without lines to keep your words from a zigzag course, slip in between the folds of your paper a heavily ruled sheet, which will be a guide until practice enables you to control your hand so that you can keep your writing straight and even without an outside help.
Use black ink and a good pen, steel or gold, as you prefer. Keep your pen in perfect order.
At the top of your paper, a little to the right hand, write very plainly your post-office address. If your house has a special name, as, for instance, "Sunnyside," "The Owlery," "The Wren's Nest," "Riverbank," that will be first mentioned, but must be followed by the names of your town, or village, county, and State. It is important to give each of these in full. If you reside in a city, your street and number must be plainly written at the top of your letter. Should your letters be sent to a post-office box, instead of to your house, give the number of the box. Never omit these details. You cannot be sure that the most intimate friend will not be glad to save herself the trouble of looking up your address, and the proper thing is to be methodical and begin a letter with care.
Of course, in corresponding with your parents, sisters, and brothers, or dear schoolmates, you may be very affectionate in your expressions. "Dearest Mother," "Darling Papa," "My Own Dear Mollie," are all appropriate if your heart prompts you to write in this way to your home people. It is well to be less demonstrative with others, and "Dear Susie," or "My Dear John," are in better taste when writing to your cousins at a distance. "Dear" is considered less formal than "My Dear." Should you have occasion to write a letter of business, make clear to your correspondent what you wish to say. Business letters should be straightforward and to the point, and as short as is consistent with telling all that ought to be told. Home letters, and letters of affection, as also letters written when on a journey may be as long as you choose, and as far as possible, should be written as you would talk, a letter being a talk on paper to a friend out of sight.
No part of a letter is of more consequence than the signature. I sometimes receive letters from strangers, and am wholly unable to ascertain the names of the writers, their signature being so hurriedly written that it is what we call blind. Do you not think it worth while to write your name plainly when you remember that the name stands for you wherever you go, that it represents your character, that its lack makes a legal document worthless, and adds worth to whatever it is affixed? Always write your name in full at the end of every letter, preceding it by "Yours sincerely," or "Faithfully yours," or "Your loving daughter," or any other appropriate form or phrase.
LAUGHING BABIES
are loved by everybody. Those raised on the Gail Borden Eagle Brand Condensed Milk are comparatively free from sickness. Infant Health is a valuable pamphlet for mothers. Send your address for a copy to New York Condensed Milk Co., N. Y.—[Adv.]