illegible signatures, it must be confessed, are more often a man's folly
than a woman's.

Always, too, sign your name the same way: get into the habit of it.
Don't let it be to-day "Mary G. Snodham," and to-morrow "Mary Snodham,"
and the day after "M. G. Snodham." If character comes out anywhere in
writing, it is in the signature, and it ought to be every day the same,
the same in words, the same in writing, and the same in flourishes--that
is to say, if there are any flourishes.

When you send a Post Office order to anyone, however, you may make an
exception to this rule. It is a good plan to sign a letter accompanying
such an order with initials only. When this is done, should the letter
fall into the hands of dishonest people, the chances are considerably
reduced of their knowing the name of the sender so as to get payment of
the order. In getting the money for a Post Office order it is always
necessary, as perhaps you know, to tell at the post-office who sent it.

When you (we shall call you Elizabeth Fisher) are asked to write a
letter in the name of another person (call her Janet Constable), how
should you sign it? Not, certainly, by just writing Janet Constable;
that would be highly improper. To put another person's name to any
letter or document whatever, even in fun, is not even to be dreamt
about. You must sign--

Yours truly,
_for_ JANET CONSTABLE,
ELIZABETH FISHER.

Or, if you like it better--