Some little while ago this journal drew atten-tention to the inordinate length of some of the letters sent to the editor for publication in the correspondence columns. For a short time there was a distinct improvement, and most of the epistles received were of convenient length, but some correspondents are falling back into bad habits again, and just recently quite a number of their letters have been rejected purely because of the amount of space they would have Occupied in print, Only two or three days ago one writer went to the trouble of dealing with a topical subject, and was so discursive that by the time he had reached his signature he had exhausted two columns of space. Generally this arises from the fact that the layman is unable te estimate how long his letter will be when set, He cannot be expected to be able to do so, but the following may serve as an assistance to those who would like to make surer that length alone does not interfere with publication of their writings. An ordinary sheet of business foolscap. typed with double spacing, represents a letter the length of this note. That is th most convenient size letter for publication fo: technical reasons connected with the make-up, though, when the importance of the subject justifies it, multiples of this unit will still make the letter acceptable from this one point of view, Other considerations, such as suitability, etc., must neutrally continue to prevail in the editorial office, but the short letter has always the mos: chance of publication, A written communication has to be of very great importance to command a column of space. When all is said and done, that is precisely the length allowed for the first editorial comment of the day, and correspondents cannot reasonably expect more space than he allows himself in which to express their opinions. Shorter letters permit the publication of a greater variety of subjects each day, and it is by providing this spice of life that writers of letters to the newspapers so greatly assist, night"
"Was I, dear? Sorry to have interrupted you."
No More Hornpuff: "Lil never ask another woman to marry me.
Skemp: "Refused again?"
Hornpuff: "No, accepted."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.