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long letter, it is best to use letter paper, which in size is four-fifths the length of foolscap.

The common Business Letter should be so brief as generally to require but one page of commercial note, which is somewhat narrower and shorter than letter paper.

Note and billet paper are the smallest sheets made, being suitable for Notes of Invitation, Parents' Excuses for children to teachers, and other written exercises that are very brief.

Etiquette of Letter Writing.

As a rule, every letter, unless insulting in its character, requires an answer. To neglect to answer a letter, when written to, is as uncivil as to neglect to reply when spoken to.

In the reply, acknowledge first the receipt of the letter, mentioning its date, and afterwards consider all the points requiring attention.

If the letter is to be very brief, commence sufficiently far from the top of the page to give a nearly equal amount of blank paper at the bottom of the sheet when the letter is ended.

Should the matter in the letter continue beyond the first page, it is well to commence a little above the middle of the sheet, extending as far as necessary on the other pages.

It is thought impolite to use a half sheet of paper in formal letters. As a matter of economy and convenience for business purposes, however, it is customary to have the card of the business man printed at the top of the sheet, and a single leaf is used.

In writing a letter, the answer to which is of more benefit to yourself than the person to whom you write, enclose a postage stamp for the reply.

Letters should be as free from erasures, interlineations, blots and postscripts as possible. It is decidedly better to copy the letter than to have these appear.

A letter of introduction or recommendation, should never be sealed, as the bearer to whom it is given ought to know the contents.

Titles.

T is customary, in the heading of petitions to persons in official positions, in the complimentary address of a letter, and in superscriptions, to give each their proper title. These are divided into titles of respect, military, and professional titles.

Titles of respect are:- Mr., from Master; Mrs., from Mistress; Miss, from the French De-moi-selle; Esq., from Esquire, an English Justice of the Peace, or member of the legal profession, but applied very indiscriminately to males throughout this country generally.

Two titles of the same class should not be applied to the same name. Thus, in addressing John Smith, do not say Mr. John Smith, Esq.; though we may say Mr. John Smith, or John Smith, Esq.

If the profession of the person addressed be known, the professional title alone should be used. If the person be entitled to two titles the highest is given.

Titles of respect are usually placed before the name; as Mr., Hon., Rev., Dr., and military titles.

Professional titles sometimes precede and sometimes follow the name; as Dr. John Smith, or John Smith, M.D.; Prof. John Smith, or John Smith, A.M.

The following list illustrates the various titles used for the different ranks, among individuals, either in the complimentary address or superscription on the envelope.

To Royalty.

"To the King's Most Excellent Majesty."
"To the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty."
"To his Royal Highness, Albert Edward, Prince of Wales."

In like manner all the other members, male and female, of the Royal family are addressed. To Nobility.

"To his Grace the Duke of Argyle."
"To the Most Noble the Marquis of Westminster.”
"To the Right Honorable the Earl of Derby."
"To the Right Honorable Lord Viscount Sidney."
"To the Honorable Baron Cranworth."

The wives of noblemen have the same titles

as their husbands; thus,

"To her Grace the Duchess of Argyle."

"To the Most Noble the Marchioness of Westminster,"
"To the Right Honorable the Countess of Derby."
"To the Right Honorable the Viscountess Sidney."
"To the Honorable the Baroness Cranworth."

The title of Honorable, in Great Britain, is applied to the younger sons of noblemen (the elder son taking, by courtesy, the title next in rank below that of his father.) It is also given to members of parliament and to certain persons holding positions of honor and trust.

To Baronets.

"Sir Walter Scott, Bart."

To Knights.

"Sir William Armstrong, Kt."

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Superscriptions.

NVELOPES that are perfectly plain, for ordinary letter writing, are regarded as in much the best taste. Ladies do well to use white. Buff, light straw color, or manila answer for business purposes, though it is always in good taste to use white.

The upper side of the envelope is that containing the flap. Care should be observed, in writing the superscription on the letter, to have the same right side up.

Extensive practice enables business men to write comparatively straight upon the envelope, without the aid of a line. The inexperienced penman may be aided in writing on the buff colored envelope by lead pencil lines, which should never be used, however, unless completely erased by rubber after the ink is dry.

Care should be taken to write upon the envelope very plainly, giving the full name and title of the person addressed, with place of residence written out fully, including town, county, State, and country if it goes abroad. The designation of the street, number, drawer, etc., when written upon the letter, is explained elsewhere.

For light colored envelopes, a piece of paper a little smaller than the envelope may be ruled with black ink over the blue lines, thus, and placed inside.

A

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inside a light-colored envelope, will enable the person writing on the same to trace distinctly

these lines, and thus write the superscription

straight.

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For the convenience of the mailing clerk in handling the letter, the postage stamp should be placed at the upper right hand corner of the envelope.

may be omitted. In that event the street and number are usually given, or the post office box. Each should be written very conspicuously upon the envelope, for the convenience of the

If the town is a large metropolis, the county post office clerk and the mail carrier; thus,

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To a man and woman, engaged as partners in business, but unmarried, the address may read:

Mr. Wm. H. Smith and Miss Mary H. Boone. Or, Wm. H. Smith and Mary H. Boone. To a husband and wife, where the wife, alone, has the title, the superscription will read:

Mr. J. B. and Mrs. Dr. E. L. King.

To a husband and wife, each of whom have a title, the address may be as follows: Rev. W H. and Mrs. Dr. A. B. Smith. Where the wife has a title, and is, alone, addressed, the form may be

Rev. Mrs. Chas. D. King.

Or, Rev. Mrs. Jane E. King.
Or, Rev. Jane E. King.

If the lady's husband, alone, has the title, the address will properly read:

Mrs. Rev. Chas. D. King.

If the lady is unmarried, and is a minister of the gospel or physician, her address may read:

Rev. Miss Mary Williams.
Or, Rev. Mary Williams.
Miss Dr. Helen E. Snow.
Or, Dr. Helen E. Snow.

Suggestions.

If people wish to have their letters perfectly secure from observation it is better to seal them with wax, which cannot be broken without exposure. The ordinary envelope is easily opened, and sealed again, leaving no trace of the fact; though a very heavy fine is imposed as a penalty on any one convicted of opening a letter, that is not authorized to do so.

In the United States, a letter not called for within a certain length of time is then advertised, after which it is held thirty days, when, no owner being found, the letter is forwarded to the Dead-Letter Office at Washington, where it is opened. If the address of the person who wrote the letter can there be learned, the letter is then returned to the writer.

If the name or address be written or printed upon the envelope, instead of going to the Dead-Letter Office, the letter will be returned to the writer at the expiration of thirty days. If

desirous of having it sooner returned, the writer should add, "Return in 5 days," or "10 days,' etc., as seen in the letter of W. B. Keen, Cooke & Co., shown above.

It is safest for persons sending letters to place stamps upon the envelopes themselves, and not depend upon postmasters or their clerks to do so, as, in their haste, they sometimes forget directions.

It has been suggested that the State be written first upon the envelope; thus,

MISSOURI,

CORNING,

JOHN SMITH.

As the State to which the letter is directed, is, however, no more conspicious at the top of the superscription than at the bottom, there is no advantage gained in this mode of address, on the score of legibility.

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