How to Write Letters (Formerly The Book of Letters) Part 27

Yours very truly, James Bonner & Co., (Handwritten) _L. Jones_, Manager.

_Selling home-made articles_

19 Waverly Place, Bridgetown, N. J., April 5, 1922.

Dear Madam:

Have you ever counted the cost of making your pickles, jams, and jellies at home? If you have, and are satisfied that yours is the cheapest way, considering time, labor, and the use of the best materials, then my product will not appeal to you.

But before you decide, may I ask you to make a comparison?

I make at home in large quant.i.ties and according to the best recipes gathered over years of experience, all kinds of pickles and relishes--sweet, sour, dill, chow-chow, piccalilli.

My special jams are raspberry, strawberry, plum, peach, and quince.

Crabapple is my best liked jelly, and red currant a close second.

A very special conserve is a grape and walnut, for which I have a large call, for teas.

The peaches I put up in pint and quart jars.

I use only the very best vinegar and spices.

My products are made only to order and at the lowest possible cost. To do this I must get my orders some time in advance so that I may take advantage of attractive prices on fruits and other ingredients.

I append a list of prices which I charged last year. This year they will be no higher and in all probability less.

May I get a small trial order from you?

Very truly yours, Martha Walker.

(Mrs. William Walker)

_A letter to recently married people in moderate circ.u.mstances_

J. L. BASCOM COMPANY 20 MAIN STREET RICHMOND, VA.

May 8, 1922.

Dear Madam:

This store is for sensible, saving people who want to make every dollar buy its utmost. But sometimes being sensible and saving seems to mean just being commonplace and dowdy. Ours is not that sort of a store.

We believe that useful articles ought also to be good looking, and our buying has been so skillful that we believe we are safe in saying that our goods are not only absolutely dependable but also will compare in appearance with any goods anywhere, regardless of price. We think that this statement will mean something to you, for in furnis.h.i.+ng a home, although appearance may not be everything, it is certainly a good deal.

Between two articles of the same durability the better-looking one is the better.

It is our aim not merely to make home furnis.h.i.+ng easy but to make a beautiful home at the price of an ugly one. Our experience has been that it does not pay to put into a household any article which in a few years you will get so tired of looking at that you will want to smash it with a hatchet. We have the values and also we have terms that are as good as the values.

We enclose a little booklet that will give you a hint of what you can find here. We cannot give you more than a hint. The best way is to come to the store. Tell us your problems, and let us aid you with our experience.

Very truly yours, J. L. Bascom Company.

_Introducing the mail order department:_

L. GIRARD & CO.

ST. LOUIS, MO.

April 4, 1922.

Mrs. Benjamin Brown, 29 Shadyside Vine Avenue, St. Louis, Mo.

Dear Madam:

This Spring brings to us many new ideas in merchandise that our buyers have picked up in their travels. In many ways we have now the most interesting stock we have ever been able to show. It is indeed so large and varied that we shall hardly be able to give you more than a suggestion of it in our public advertising.

We feel sure that we have something which you have been looking for among the splendid values in both personal and household necessities.

You will find that through our individual shopping service purchasing by mail is made most convenient and entirely personal.

May we look forward to having again the pleasure of serving you?

Very truly yours, L. Girard & Co.

_Announcement of overcoats_

THE BARBOUR CLOTHING CO.

2249 WABASH AVENUE CHICAGO

October 19, 1921.

Mr. Charles Reid, Winnetka, Ill.

My dear Sir:

In a couple of weeks you are going to think a good deal about your overcoat. Why not start thinking now?

We are offering this year the most complete line of overcoats that we have ever been able to buy. We have found that we could buy absolutely first-cla.s.s coats at absolutely fair prices. We are selling them on the basis on which we bought them, and we bought a lot because we think the values will sell them.

The prices are surprisingly low. They range from $20 to $70.

At the lowest price we are selling a coat which, if you saw it on the back of a friend, you would think cost at least $50.

The highest priced coat is as good as money can buy. If you expected to spend $50 for a coat, you may find that you can get what you want for $20 or $25, or you may find that you will want an even better coat than you had expected to buy.

We think that it would be worth your while to look at this stock.

Very truly yours, The Barbour Clothing Co.