News, Telling
Clear, simple communication is best when delivering painful news.
For the messenger of painful tidings, the shortest and simplest way of communicating the facts is the best. When the tidings was brought to Achilles, of Patroclus' death, it is simply, "Patroclus is down: they are fighting around his naked corpse; and his armor is held by the plume-waving Hector." When Gen. Burgoyne surrendered at Saratoga, the rumor one morning had reached the House of Commons. Every one was alert to hear; when Lord North arose slowly in his place, and with a solemn voice said, "Gen. Burgoyne and his whole army are prisoners to the Americans." A dead silence of several minutes followed.
