st
of street or number, in default of which more than one letter has gone
unanswered.

The date of a letter, month, day, year and city is first in place.
This should be written on one line, beginning, according to length,
more or less near the center of the sheet and ending at the right-hand
margin. In business letters, unless the printed letter head fixes the
place, this line should not be more than one-quarter down the page;
while in social or formal letters it should be one-third the distance
down. If it should be desirable to give the county also, the date may
be allowed to occupy two or more lines, as follows:

MENDOTA, LA SALLE CO., ILL., May 29, 189-.

In the same manner a city number and address may be given:

309 POST STREET, OTTAWA, ILL., January 30, 189-.

In writing from hotels, the following form should be adopted:

THE ARLINGTON, BINGHAMTON, N.Y., October 3, 189-.

Some, in polite letter-writing, prefer to give the address at the
conclusion rather than the beginning of the letter. Under these
circumstances the prescribed form would be:

Truly your friend, MARY N. PRESCOTT.

FRANKLIN GROVE, Lee Co., Ill., January 14, 189-.

There are several ways of writing the figures that compose the date of
a letter. Many business men and others use this form, 1-2-189-, or,
1/2/9-, for January 2, 189-. Others still would write as follows: Jan.
2nd, 1896. Taste and habit will decide the matter for each. To give
the name instead of the number of the month is, perhaps, more elegant.

The address, supposing it to be a business letter would come next in
order, beginning at the left-hand margin, and our letter would stand
thus:

TIPTON, IOWA, April 1, 189-.

MR. WILLIAM H. HILL,
307 Wall Street, New York.

The salutation is a matter wherein there is great latitude of usage.
In conformity with custom, some title is to be used in addressing
correspondents, and this title differs greatly in accordance with the
degree of acquaintance, or friendship, with the party addressed. It
should always begin at the left of the page. In the business letter
just above, the form might be as follows:

TIPTON, IOWA, April 1, 189-.

MR. WILLIAM H. HILL,
307 Wall Street, New York.

DEAR SIR: (or, SIR:)

Or, if there should be a firm name, the address would be as follows:

Messrs. WILLIAMS & HILL, 307 Wall Street, New York.

DEAR SIRS: (or