re might be put the "letter of calamity," the letter of
gloomy apprehension, the letter filled with petty annoyances. Less
disturbing to receive but far from enjoyable are such letters as "the
blank," the "meandering," the "letter of the capital I," the "plaintive,"
the "apologetic." There is scarcely any one who has not one or more
relatives or friends whose letters belong in one of these classes.

Even in so personal a matter as the letter to an absent member of one's
immediate family, it should be borne in mind, not to write _needlessly_ of
misfortune or unhappiness. To hear from those we love how ill or unhappy
they are, is to have our distress intensified in direct proportion to the
number of miles by which we are separated from them. This last example,
however, has nothing in common with the choosing of calamity and gloom as
a subject of welcome tidings in ordinary correspondence.

The chronic calamity writers seem to wait until the skies are darkest, and
then, rushing to their desk, luxuriate in pouring all their troubles and
fears of troubles out on paper to their friends.

=LETTERS OF GLOOMY APPREHENSION=

"My little Betty ["My little" adds to the pathos much more than saying
merely "Betty"] has been feeling miserable for several days. I am worried
to death about her, as there are so many sudden cases of typhoid and
appendicitis. The doctor says the symptoms are not at all alarming as yet,
but doctors see so much of illness and death, they don't seem to
appreciate what anxiety means to a mother," etc.

Another writes: "The times seem to be getting worse and worse. I always
said we would have to go through a long night before any chance of
daylight. You can mark my words, the night of bad times isn't much more
than begun."

Or, "I have scarcely slept for nights, worrying about whether Junior has
passed his examinations or not."

=LETTERS OF PETTY MISFORTUNES=

Other perfectly well-meaning friends fancy they are giving pleasure when
they write such "news" as: "My cook has been sick for the past ten days,"
and follow this with a page or two descriptive of her ailments; or, "I
have a slight cough. I think I must have caught it yesterday when I went
out in the rain without rubbers"; or, "The children have not been doing as
well in their lessons this week as last. Johnny's arithmetic marks were
dreadful and Katie got an E in spelling and an F in geography." Her
husband and her mother would be interested i