The local newspapers were full of pictures of dead birds, and plaintive letters to the editor wondering, for example, why "the sea gulls had to suffer if they never did anything."

Who knows what damage that might do, argues a plaintive letter to the union urging students to soften their stance.

The real hero - or heroine - is his daughter, Virginia, whose intelligent, touchingly plaintive letters to her genius father Ms. Applebroog carefully simulated.

The number of readers who wrote "plaintive" letters to the editor can be numbered on the fingers of one and a half hands.

The Driers aren't answering their mail, so the mother wrote me a plaintive letter, begging me to help her understand her child.

For months afterward, his immediate superiors wrote plaintive letters to the various division and army commanders, and to the War Department, asking for guidance.

There are readings of Grace's plaintive letters to Chester.

The Republican candidate's office fires off a plaintive letter complaining to President Hardshaw and appealing to her party loyalty.

And where, she asked in one especially plaintive letter, was that young "untitled" John Adams she had fallen in love with.

She'd written plaintive letters for years, each detailing the particulars of whatever personal crisis she was experiencing.