Write legibly.  Handwriting may or may not be an index of character, but it certainly does indicate certain attributes.  A cramped, slovenly, awkward handwriting is naturally associated with a careless and uneducated person; whereas a free, graceful and trained hand indicates culture and refinement in the writer.  We say again, write legibly.  Nothing is more exasperating than certain examples of modern fad-writing, where one might as well attempt to translate a page of Chinese script.  Despite the typewriter, one should endeavor to be a good penman, because the typed letter or note is inadmissible in polite society, being reserved for the world of business.  Avoid also the microscopic calligraphy with a fine pen; it is very trying to your correspondent’s eyes, unless she happens to have a reading-glass conveniently near.

Take pains to make your signature easily decipherable.  Remember that while a word may be puzzled out by the context, or by the analogy of its letters to others, the signature has no context, and is often so carelessly written that the letters composing it are indistinguishable.  One should be particularly careful in this respect where writing business letters or letters to strangers.

[Manners and social customs 757]

Letter Forms—­Ceremonious letters, and notes in the first person are addressed to My dear Mrs. Smith.  If Mrs. Smith is a friend or an acquaintance, she is addressed as “Dear Mrs. Smith.”  This is the American custom, and is an exact reversal of the English. which is, by the way, being more generally adopted in our society.  “My dear” certainly seems to the uninitiated, at least, more intimate and familiar than “Dear.”  A business communication to a stranger begins—­

    Mrs. Joseph Smith,
      Dear Madam:—­

There are shades of courtesy to be observed in signing letters.  “Sincerely yours” is a little more formal than “Yours sincerely;” “Yours with much regard” is more familiar than “Yours sincerely.”  “Yours truly” is for the business letter; “Yours affectionately” for the family or those to whom we are much attached.  The rule has been to capitalize all the words of the address, but only the first word of the conclusion, as “My Dear Friend Mary” and “Yours sincerely,” but of late this rule seems to be broken in regard to the address, which is now often written “My dear Mrs. Smith.”

Abbreviations.—­Abbreviations are always incorrect.  The month, day and date must be spelled out; the street number and the year are correctly indicated in numerals.  The year is sometimes spelled out on formal invitations, but is regarded as an affectation in private correspondence.  To indicate a date in numerals, as 3:  18:  ’12, is bad form.  “Street” is not shortened to “St.” and “Avenue” is to be spelled out.  The city and state should be written in full.  “Cal.” and “Col.” are often wrongly read by busy railway clerks, and your Colorado letter goes to California.