they owe to those who have entertained them or who have shown them thoughtful kindnesses. In time we answer a business letter, or an invitation to dinner, but to our friends, unless we want something, we seldom write. There are various reasons for this. Unless when the inspiration or the kindly thought seizes us we "take our pen in hand" we are likely to procrastinate; tomorrow, we argue, will do as well as today. Sometimes the happy phrase does not occur to us; we do not quite know what to say, and we are afraid we may say the wrong or the awkward thing. Perhaps it may be selfishness that holds us back from voicing our thanks, or our congratulations, or our words of condolence to our friends, and the letter is not written and the debt is not paid. Sometimes it is ignorance or inexperience or self-consciousness; we do not realize that the conventions of society require that we should pay these obligations, just as we must call after we have been to a dinner
