ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.

STUDY AND STUDIO.

Clem.—We have just received from Miss Porter (author of an article, “How to Help the Deaf,” in the February Part of The Girl’s Own Paper, 1898,) details of an interesting scheme. She has compiled a system of classes, which teach the art of lip-reading by correspondence; a new and, she ventures to think, an original idea, which has obtained the approval of distinguished medical men. As you wish to learn the art, we should advise you to write for full particulars, enclosing a stamped addressed envelope, to Miss Porter, Normandy Villa, Chapel Allerton, Leeds.

Miss Porter.—We regret that we cannot print your article in full; but as you will observe in the preceding answer, we advise our readers to send to you direct if they are interested in obtaining particulars of your scheme.

Nemo.—The tune you enclose is very sweet and pleasing. It contains a few technical errors, e.g., the consecutive bass octaves in the first line, and the omission of the third in the chord (last bar but two) which gives a thin sound. You ought certainly to cultivate your talent by taking lessons in harmony.

Geisha.—We have read the first chapter of your story. It is graphic, but you need to study the art of composition. Take this sentence—“The gentle breeze fluttering the ribbons of her pretty morning dress; the raven black hair, loosely coiled at the back of the well shaped head: her features were regular and delicately chiselled, and her eyes, which of deepest blue, were shaded by long black lashes.” The first two clauses of the sentence need a verb, though your third omission may be an oversight. The art of writing for the press needs study and practice, without which no one can hope to succeed.

Lover of Literature.—Your letter is written in rather a stiff and childish hand, and you use bad ink. You will improve if you take pains.

Anxious.—1. Your letter is a type of many that we are constantly receiving, and we refer you to a series of articles on “Self-Culture for Girls,” by Lily Watson, which will give some help. In a case such as yours, we should think it would be very desirable to join the National Home Reading Union (address, The Secretary, Surrey House, Victoria Embankment). And why should you not, as you suggest, study for some examination? Write for particulars to Dr. Keynes, Syndicate Buildings, Cambridge, or H. I. Gerrans, Esq., Clarendon Buildings, Oxford. We find it difficult to recommend you special books, as we know nothing of your age or attainments. Have you read Ruskin’s “Sesame and Lilies”; Tennyson’s “Idylls of the King”; Scott’s novels; histories of your own country and of English literature? This suggestion may do to begin with.—2. We think powders for the skin are best left alone. Prepared oatmeal is the least objectionable, and can be dusted off after use.

Laura.—We should not consider the guitar too difficult an instrument for one with a fair knowledge of music to learn alone.

Onyx.—There is a Greek Correspondence Class which we have occasionally mentioned in this column. Address Miss Lilian Masters, Mount Avenue, Ealing. As for studying the language unaided, it is certainly a difficult task, yet it has been accomplished by others, and is worth attempting. Dr. W. Smith’s Initia Græca, Part I., is a good grammar; but if cheapness is an object, you will probably find a selection of Greek grammars for sale at a mere trifle in any second-hand book shop. A knowledge of Latin is not essential. Many thanks for your kind letter.

GIRLS’ EMPLOYMENTS.

Would-be Florist (Horticulture).—To be trained in the Nurseries Department of the Horticultural College, Swanley, Kent, would occupy two years for the full course, and would cost not less than £70 a year for board, lodging and tuition. Girls who have done well during the course usually soon obtain posts. Some of these situations are as teachers of gardening at institutions, others as gardeners to private ladies or to lady gardeners. Teachers and gardener companions receive about 25s. a week with board and lodging. As ordinary gardeners they could not expect to receive more than the sum mentioned, with possibly an unfurnished cottage, but no board. Too few women have attempted to grow flowers as a means or livelihood for us to be able to say whether this kind of enterprise is to be recommended; but such success as may attend it will certainly only come to women who have some capital and a disposition to work indefatigably, denying themselves almost all social relaxation. Undoubtedly it is not a business for every girl.

Ivy (Needlework).—Some of the large drapers employ ladies in the making of underlinen and children’s clothes. But we should think that in the district from which you write there must be numerous ladies who could employ a needlewoman in repairing and altering dresses. You had better advertise in the leading local paper.

Danish Gipsy (Editorial Secretaryship).—Such positions are usually obtained by ladies who have a decided talent for journalism and are active, energetic, and well educated. You are certainly at least four years too young to hope for such an appointment now. But you had better be receiving such an education and training as would qualify you for a secretaryship of any kind when you are grown up. You should study French, German, English history and geography, composition, shorthand, type-writing and book-keeping. If you do all this, by the time you are nineteen or twenty you would have become one of those girls for whom employment societies have no difficulty in finding an engagement. There is no “writers’ union” so far as we are aware. It is possible that the Incorporated Society of Authors, the Institute of Journalists, or the Writers’ Club may be meant. You might find it helpful to join some amateur literary society.

Mermaid (Stewardess).—You should call at the offices of the Peninsular and Oriental and the Orient Steamships Companies, and inquire whether there is likely to be any vacancy for a stewardess. The companies, however, generally know of a good many suitable women for such positions. The duties of a stewardess, about which you inquire, are to wait on the lady passengers. A certain amount of experience in hospital nursing is regarded as a strong recommendation.

MISCELLANEOUS.

Margery inquires why four-wheeled cabs are called “Growlers.” It would be quite reasonable to attribute the name to the loud rumbling noise they make, their construction being of an inferior kind, and the windows ill-fitting. But it is also a fact that “to growl” is an early form of English to denote “to crawl,” and a “crawler” is a name applied to empty vehicles of either two or four wheels, the driver of which is seeking a “fare.” This term “growler” came into use about the year 1860.

H. E. B.—In Welsh, a double “l” is pronounced as if preceded by “th,” as “Thlandudno”; but the usual pronunciation of that name in English is “Llandidno.”

Water-nymph.—In England, “Rosebud” would have been quite right in entertaining her sister’s friend till her return home; but in a foreign country it may be otherwise, and etiquette might require a young girl to retire from the room after proposing that he should await her sister’s return, and informing him of when it would be, or asking him for any message he might wish to leave. As to the infamous practice of “throwing vitriol in a person’s face,” it is for the purpose of blinding them and burning the face! It may be well to observe that the only way to prevent the burning of the skin from any accidental contact with vitriol, is to wipe it off quickly with a dry cloth, and dust the place over with flour or chalk, and carefully avoid the touch of any liquid. In the case of the eyes, we fear nothing could be done, as they are wet.

Ethel.—A girl is never “introduced to a gentleman”—it is the reverse. The man should find some remark to make to her, and she has only to reply. You should not say “Good evening” when introduced to each other, and certainly neither should say “I hope you are quite well.” All you have to do when a presentation is made, is to bow and smile pleasantly, and reply to whatever remark he may make, and then say something in the same connection.

T. N.—Wear gloves when going to dinner, or any evening reception or entertainment. When to a dinner, you remove them when you sit down to table. We can never promise the publication of an answer at any specified time, although it may be written at once, as the number to be answered is great, and all must await the finding of space.

Anxious Inquirer.—In the case you name, our Lord quoted a proverb (St. Matt. xxiv. 28), in explanation of which we will make a quotation from the Annotated Paragraph Bible, published at our office—“As quickly and surely as the vulture scents out the carcase, so quickly and surely will the ministers of vengeance find out a people ripe for destruction. Where then you see consummate wickedness, you may expect to see speedy and severe punishment.”

Motherless.—Your mourning, on both accounts, may be left off now. Your writing is very good. We cannot promise the immediate publication of our answers to correspondents.

Marguerite.—You write a nice hand, but you evidently write slowly. We thank you for your kindly expressed opinion of our paper.

Piano.—If the keys of your piano have become (not “gone”) brown, rub them with fine “glass-paper,” and then with a chamois leather.

Nancy.—A lotion of one-third of sal volatile to two-thirds of water is good for mosquito bites; so also, it is said, is rubbing with a raw onion.

Curiosity.—It is by no means necessary that a clergyman, or pastor of any denomination, should ask a girl to work in his parish, or amongst the members of his congregation, previously to making her an offer of marriage!

Inquirer.—From your description, we think the coin is a second issue of a gold seven-shilling-piece. It bears a laureated bust, facing to the right, and “Georgivs III. Dei gratia” on the obverse; and on the reverse, a crown with date below, from 1801 to 1813, encircled by the motto, “Britanniarum Rex, Fidei Defensor.” The value of these coins varies from 8s. 6d. to 12s. 6d.

B. S. and Wattle Blossom.—The mahogany sideboard is probably French-polished, and naturally this would show a white mark, were any heat applied to it. To French-polish again would remove the mark, but nothing else that we are aware of would do so. The hostess simply bows to her chief lady guest to indicate the time for rising from the dinner table.