EDITOR'S CORNER. 



WHY I USE FIGURES. 



I have frequently been criticised for using 

 figures to express numbers. The following 

 correspondence explains why I do so. 



" I enjoy Recreation very much, and 

 would enjoy it more if you would only 

 drop your present fad of printing numerals 

 of all kinds in figures. It is a pity to spoil 

 the appearance of an otherwise well-written 

 article by dotting it all over with figures, 

 many of which are put in the place of real 

 words — adjectives ! 



" ' In these 2 ways it is claimed, etc.' 

 How absurd! How silly! " 



Geo. A. Kellogg, Eureka, Cal. 



Dear Sir: I note, that at the end of one 

 of your sentences, you place a small round 

 dot. I assume this is meant for a period. 

 If so, why not say so? Why use a sign 

 when there is a word in the language that 

 would express your meaning, more fully 

 and elegantly? 



You speak of my printing numerals of 

 all kinds in " figures," and this word is 

 underscored. I assume the wavy line, un- 

 derneath, means this word is to be spe- 

 cially emphasized' in reading your letter. 

 If so, why not say so, in words? Why de- 

 face your letter with a sign like this, when 

 the English language is capable of express- 

 ing your meaning at greater length? Of 

 course, the words would take up more 

 room in the letter, and it would take longer 

 for you to express yourself in that way; but 

 if your criticism on my printing numerals 

 in figures is just, then you are sadly at fault 

 in not carrying out your own theory, when 

 writing letters. 



After the word " adjectives " you place a 

 vertical dash, with a dot under it. I as- 

 sume this means that you wish to express 

 astonishment. If so, why not express it in 

 words, instead of in a sign? Of course, 

 the sign is much more brief; and brevity is 

 said to be the soul of wit. Beside, most 

 people are busy nowadays, and they like 

 to economize in time and in space; yet it 

 is just as rude and impolite for you to use 

 these signs in your letter, as it is for me to 

 use the figures 14 to express the idea that 

 would be conveyed by printing out the 

 word " fourteen." 



Your letter is dated April 7, 1897. Why 

 do you use figures to express these dates? 

 Why not write out " April Seventh, One 

 thousand Eight hundred and Ninety- 

 seven " ? It is a pity to mutilate a letter, 

 that would otherwise be intelligible and in- 

 teresting, by the use of such abbreviations. 

 How absurd! How silly! Editor. 



TO ANOTHER CRITIC. 



My dear Mr. Nelson: 



The fact that other publishers have been 

 spelling out words, for a hundred years, 

 when figures would have expressed their 

 ideas much more energetically and tersely, 

 is no reason why Recreation should do 

 so. Neither does it prove that these same 

 publishers will always continue in this an- 

 tiquated style. Our forefathers used to 

 write put, in words, the date " One Thou- 

 sand Seven Hundred and Seventy-six," for 

 instance; and the public printer at Wash- 

 ington still does so, in all legal documents. 

 Even the great magazines, however, have 

 improved on this stilted form, and write 

 this year of our Lord — " 1897." I am well 

 aware that many people object to my use of 

 figures, but people object to every reform 

 that is instituted, and when all the other 

 great magazines adopt figures, instead of 

 words, I shall have the satisfaction of point- 

 ing to my bound volumes and saying, " I 

 told you so." 



When any man can give me a better rea- 

 son than tradition for printing " seven- 

 teen " instead of " 17," then I shall be glad 

 to consider his suggestion; but this is too 

 busy an age for people to live on tradition. 

 Our great grandfathers used to wear brass 

 buttons on their dress coats. Our grand- 

 fathers followed suit, and even some of our 

 fathers did so. But we of the present gen- 

 eration, have found we can be just as com- 

 fortable with cloth covered buttons on our 

 coats. These old forefathers — or rather 3 

 fathers — also wore white beaver hats, with 

 long nap and broad brims. Would we not 

 look rather grotesque if we still followed 

 their style? If we can improve on the 

 methods of our ancestors in some ways,' 

 why not in others? Yours truly, 



The Editor. 



A SAD BREAKING OF CAMP. 



My old friend, M. W. Miner, who is well 

 known to readers of Recreation, writes 

 me, under date of June 27th, of the loss of 

 his partner and hunting companion, A. B. 

 Lyons. They were camped on the middle 

 fork of Salmon river, where they were 

 prospecting. Lyons had an attack of grip 

 and became delirious. The 2 men were 

 alone and Miner watched and cared for 

 his friend, day and night for nearly a week. 

 Having been 4 nights without sleep, Miner 

 finally got his patient quieted and lay down, 

 at 3 o'clock on Friday morning, to get 

 some rest. When he awoke, Lyons was 

 gone. He had gotten up quietly, put on 

 his rubber boots and gloves, had taken a 

 6 shooter, a wagon sheet and a walking 



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