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diff --git a/old/53427-0.txt b/old/53427-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index cfd1e4c..0000000 --- a/old/53427-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,3081 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Girl's Own Paper, Vol. XX, No. 994, -January 14, 1899, by Various - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: The Girl's Own Paper, Vol. XX, No. 994, January 14, 1899 - -Author: Various - -Release Date: November 1, 2016 [EBook #53427] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GIRL'S OWN PAPER, JAN 14, 1899 *** - - - - -Produced by Susan Skinner, Chris Curnow, Pamela Patten and -the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at -http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - - - - - -[Illustration: THE GIRL'S OWN PAPER - -VOL. XX.--NO. 994.] JANUARY 14, 1899. [PRICE ONE PENNY.] - - - - -“WHEN HEAVEN IS RAINING GOLD.”[1] - -BY CLARA THWAITES. - - -[Illustration] - -_All rights reserved._] - - - There are hours when voices call us - From earth and sea and sky, - To take the benediction - Which falleth from on high; - And ere they fleet, their benison - Our eager hands may hold, - Bring out your every chalice, - When heaven is raining gold! - - There are days of bright endeavour, - When the spirit is aflame - To reach unto the utmost - That human heart may claim: - Press on, ere daylight dieth; - Press on, true heart and bold; - Possess the good thou cravest, - When heaven is raining gold! - - There are times of glad refreshing, - When roses strew our path, - In summer's bright effulgence - Or autumn's aftermath. - Hereafter we may wander - In darkness on the wold, - Rejoice, with joy undoubting, - When heaven is raining gold! - - The storms will surely gather, - The sunshine will not last, - But the heart may count her treasures - When the skies are overcast. - Possessions past revealing - May be ours, and wealth untold, - If we but seize Love's largess, - When heaven is raining gold! - -FOOTNOTES: - -[1] _Oriental Proverb._--“Hold out your skirts when heaven is raining -gold.” - - - - -“OUR HERO.” - -A TALE OF THE FRANCO-ENGLISH WAR NINETY YEARS AGO. - -BY AGNES GIBERNE, Author of “Sun, Moon and Stars,” “The Girl at the -Dower House,” etc. - - -CHAPTER XVI. - -FRIENDS IN NEED. - -“I want to look up a Mr. and Mrs. Curtis--a young artist and his wife. -He was pointed out to me at _appel_. They were at Brussels on their -wedding tour when the arrest took place, and I'm afraid it is a serious -matter with them, in more ways than one. Mr. Kinsland asked me to call.” - -“Then they've come here from Brussels?” - -“Yes, with Major Woodgate and his wife, in an open cart.” - -“Why?” - -“Couldn't afford anything better.” - -“What a beastly shame! Is Major Woodgate badly off too?” - -“He was short of money. A good many are, naturally enough, under the -present condition of affairs. Your father is going to call on Major -Woodgate.” - -“To help him?” - -“Possibly. That is only between you and me. I am treating you as my -friend--speaking in confidence.” Roy's glance bespoke comprehension. -“If you were in temporary difficulties, and a friend gave you quietly a -little help, you would not wish to have the fact published.” - -“No. And, Den, are you going to help the Curtises?” - -“That is as may be. I wish to find out how things are with them. And I -am taking you because it may be a help. If you can keep Mrs. Curtis' -attention engaged, that will give me a chance for a few words with her -husband. You see? You will not have anything to do with what goes on -between him and me.” - -“Good thing papa has lots of money!” - -“He is better off than many; but bills are only to be cashed here at -a heavy loss; and it is very uncertain how often he may be able to -get remittances from England. So it will not do to spend recklessly. -Besides, after the way we have been treated, we are not anxious to -enrich our captors.” - -Roy's “No!” was energetic. - -“And, with so many of our countrymen in want, we must save all we can, -to be able to help them the more. See, Roy?” - -“I think I won't ask mamma to get me a new waistcoat just yet,” was -Roy's practical response. “I'll wait. Are you going to stop?” - -“This is the house. Remember, you have to get Mrs. Curtis into a talk.” - -Roy was deeply interested. Mr. Curtis proved to be a gentlemanly young -fellow, with a keen clever face, much overshadowed by present care, -while his wife, hardly more than a child in age, was kitten-like in -small plump prettiness. - -“Oh, it is quite dreadful!” she said, speedily fraternising with -Roy. Having had six brothers of her own, she was much at home with -boys in general. “We were to have gone back the very next week, and -everybody said there could be no need to hurry. And we were so enjoying -ourselves--you know”--with a blush. “And then that terrible order came, -that we were to count ourselves prisoners. At least, my husband was -a prisoner, and that, of course, meant the same for me. And our dear -little home, where we meant to be so happy, has been waiting for us -ever since--empty. And Hugh's studio, and the picture he had in hand, -which was to have been finished this autumn. He”--lowering her voice -and speaking with childish unreserve--“was to have had a hundred pounds -for it. And now everything is at a standstill. But you are in the same -trouble too.” - -She stole a glance across at Ivor, who was speaking in an undertone to -her husband. - -“It is so good of Captain Ivor to call. Mr. Kinsland told us that he -would ask him to come; but we never dreamt of seeing him so soon. We -feel strange here, you know; and it is a help to see anyone come in.” -Mrs. Curtis dropped her voice afresh. “What a pleasant-looking man he -is--and so soldierly! Mr. Kinsland said he had never seen a handsomer -face; and I don't think I ever did either. It is such a kind face too. -Mr. Kinsland said you were desperately fond of him.” - -Roy laughed. It was not his fashion to talk about being “fond” -of people. “Den's just the very best fellow that ever lived!” he -declared--his usual formula. “And I suppose you got here before we did.” - -“Only three days ago. We had to come to these rooms. Not very homelike, -are they? But the landlady is pleasant; and nothing else would matter -much if only Hugh could get back to his work. It makes him so depressed -not to be able, poor fellow. Men are very soon depressed--don't you -think so?” - -Roy said “No” promptly, and then remembered Denham on the preceding -evening, but he did not take back the monosyllable. He exerted himself -to keep her talking, and he also did his utmost not to see or hear, -yet he could not help being aware of a suspicious little movement -of Denham's hand, and then of a startled “No, no! How can I--from a -stranger?” - -“We are not strangers; we are brothers in misfortune,” Denham answered, -with the smile which always drew people to him. “Call it a loan, if you -like. For your wife's sake”--softly--“do not refuse.” - -Roy did not hear all this, but he heard more than he was intended to -hear. A move then was made, and Curtis replied huskily to some careless -remark as the callers took leave. - -“Den, I say, I didn't mean to listen, but I couldn't quite help,” came -outside as a confession. - -“Then your next duty is to forget. Now for the ramparts,” Ivor said, -dropping the subject. Roy knew him better than to put questions. - - * * * * * - -On this first arrival of the large body of English détenus in Verdun, -they found a quiet town, with little going on in it, with few shops, -and those second-rate in style. There were some small manufactories, as -of coarse felt hats and sweetmeats, and also some tanneries. A limited -number of “hôtels”[2] belonged to members of the old “noblesse,” who -had been allowed since Revolution days to return to France, though in -few cases had their confiscated property been restored to them. Those -who were in Verdun lived in a very retired style. The _bourgeoisie_ -too were rural and unsophisticated. But this condition of things, -unfortunately, was soon to be changed, and by no means for the better. - -A sudden rush into the place of hundreds of strangers, many of them -used to a luxurious style of living, many of them lavishly free with -their money, could not but have a marked effect upon the inhabitants. - -Among the détenus, it is true, a goodly number lived with close -economy, refusing to keep horse or carriage or one single servant more -than they counted strictly necessary. They only broke through this -self-imposed rule on behalf of their poorer countrymen, dozens of whom -were condemned to live, or rather to half starve, upon the wretched -pittance, allowed by the French Government to those who had no other -means of support, of three sous and half-a-pound of bread each day. - -But the détenus, as a body, included men of various descriptions, -not only those of high principle and loyal feeling. There were rich -men, rendered reckless by their captivity; and there were others, not -rich, yet equally reckless and extravagant, who rushed into debt with -complete indifference as to consequences. As may easily be supposed, -they did much harm by their example and influence, more especially -among young naval officers, who as time passed by were taken prisoners -in the course of the war, and were sent to Verdun. When first Verdun -was appointed to be a dépôt for prisoners, the commandant was a General -Roussel, of whom no English prisoner had any complaint to make. He -treated them well and justly, and such hardships as they had to endure -were for the most part not his fault but the fault of the French -Government. - -Unhappily, before many months were past, General Roussel was sent -elsewhere; and his successor, General Wirion, soon showed himself to be -a man of a totally different stamp. - -Wirion was a product of the Revolution; originally the son of a -pork-dealer in Picardy; later an attorney's clerk, with a shady -reputation; then an active terrorist, approved of by the villain -Robespierre. He was, in fact, a low-born and ill-bred scoundrel, -avaricious and grasping, who, under Napoleon, had risen to be a general -of gendarmerie. - -Prolonged captivity, with such a creature in authority, was likely to -become even worse than it had been before; and so, to their cost, the -captives at Verdun speedily found. - -All indulgences allowed by the first commandant were removed. Prisoners -and détenus alike, no matter what their grade or position, were -compelled twice a day to report themselves at _appel_, unless they -preferred by payment to escape the unpleasant necessity. Instead of -being free to walk or drive as far as five miles from the town in any -direction, they now might not leave the gates without payment of six -francs. Incessant _douceurs_ were demanded on every possible pretext, -and oppressions, bribery, and rank injustice became the order of the -day. Wirion and his gendarmes showed a shameless capacity for pocketing -money--nay, for inventing opportunities to wring gifts from the English. - -Again and again numbers of the détenus, on some false excuse or with no -excuse at all, were closely imprisoned in the citadel, being set free -only on the payment of heavy sums of money. This terror hung over them -all, as a perpetual possibility. Worse still was the dread of being -some day suddenly despatched to the grim fortress of Bitche, where -numbers of British prisoners pined in close confinement. The tales of -Bitche dungeons and of Bitche horrors, which from time to time filtered -round to those who lived at Verdun, read now like stories of mediæval -days.[3] - -And Roy was still at Verdun. Every effort to get a passport for him -had failed. In that direction Colonel Baron would thankfully have paid -aught in his power, if thereby he might have sent his boy safe to -England. But the time was gone by. Napoleon was very bitter against -England; and passports were refused to almost all who requested them. - -As a writer of the day states, France had become one huge prison, not -only to such English as were compelled to stay there, but also to the -French themselves. If a Frenchman wished to leave his country and to go -elsewhere, leave would in most cases be refused. As conscripts in the -army men might go; seldom otherwise. - -In the autumn of 1805, not many weeks before the battle of Trafalgar, a -fresh blow fell. - -Roy had felt his captivity much, boyishly gay though he was and rarely -to be seen out of spirits. But he had had Denham all through; and -Denham, though commonly looked upon as a grave and dignified man, had -been to Roy the most delightful of companions. - -From the spring of 1803 to the autumn of 1805 the two had been seldom -apart for a whole day. Denham had been Roy's tutor, friend, and -playfellow. Roy had in the place one or two boy-friends; but, compared -with Denham, he cared little for any other. His absolute devotion to -Ivor somewhat resembled Jack Keene's adoration for John Moore, only -it meant greater personal intimacy. Roy was known among friends as -“Captain Ivor's shadow” and “Captain Ivor's echo.” What Denham thought, -Roy thought; what Denham said, Roy said. - -“I don't know what he would do without you,” Colonel Baron sometimes -said gratefully to Ivor. “No use to say how much we owe to your -kindness. You have been the making of the boy.” - -Ivor would reply, “Roy is as much to me as I am to him.” And, in a -sense this might be true, though not in all senses. - -September came, and with it a fresh device of the pork-dealer's son. -General Wirion decided to send a large number of the Verdun détenus -away to Valenciennes, a distance of about one hundred and fifty miles. -No reasons were given, and the choice made of those who should go was -entirely arbitrary. The wishes or convenience of anyone received not -the slightest consideration.[4] - -On Saturday, September 17th, the order went forth that about forty -of them were to leave on the Monday, only two days later. Many had -made their arrangements for the winter, even buying and laying by -little stores; and now, no matter at what cost or loss, they had to -leave. Some were artisans who had just begun to make a little headway, -others were gentlemen hardly able to pay their way from the perpetual -uncertainty as to remittances from England. But the autocratic order -had to be obeyed. - -Early on Monday morning the first batch started, being seen off at -the gates by a crowd of their English friends. And that afternoon -at _appel_ forty more were desired to hold themselves in readiness -to start on the Wednesday. Still no reasons, no explanations, were -vouchsafed, no apologies were made; and every détenu in the place lived -on tenterhooks of suspense, not knowing whether his turn might come -next. - -The second forty departed; and on Thursday another announcement was -made to a third forty, that they too must prepare to go to Valenciennes -on the Saturday. - -Upon some who were concerned the blow fell a few hours earlier. -Although Wirion curtly declined to inform the détenus themselves -which among them would be despatched next, he did take the trouble to -send lists of their names to some leading tradesmen in the town; and -from those quarters information might be obtained, though many of the -détenus proudly refused so to seek it. - -“Roy, I want a word with you,” Denham said, towards the evening of -Wednesday, putting his head into the salon. “Come here.” - -“Just in a minute. May I get----” - -“Never mind anything else. Come to my room.” - -Roy obeyed at once. - -“Shut the door. I have something to say to you.” Ivor motioned the boy -to a chair. “I have just seen Curtis.” - -The tone was unusual. Roy looked hard at Denham. - -“Is something the matter?” - -“Yes. Wirion----” significantly. - -“Do tell me.” - -“Mrs. Curtis was so anxious about this Valenciennes business that she -persuaded her husband to see one of the shop-lists.” - -“I know. Papa said he'd have nothing to do with that way of finding -out.” - -“No. But Curtis went--and he finds----” - -“Are they ordered off? O I'm sorry. I like Mrs. Curtis. She's so -jolly--like a boy, almost. I shall miss them ever so much. Are they -really going? What a bother!” - -“Yes.” - -“Anybody else?” - -“Yes.” - -Denham's grave eyes met Roy's, with an expression which somehow -sent Roy's heart down and down into his very shoes. The boy sat and -stared--aghast and wordless. - -“I want you to know beforehand, not to be taken by surprise. When a -thing has to be, it's no use making a fuss. For your mother's sake you -must bear it bravely.” - -Roy had grown pale, and his gaze spoke of dismay and incredulity. - -“But you don't mean--you! Not you!” - -“Yes.” - -“Den!” - -“It is not difficult to find a cause. You see, we have held aloof from -Wirion's set, and have declined his invitations. And I have managed to -hold back one or two young fellows from those miserable gaming-tables. -No doubt he prefers to have me out of the way for a while. It may be -only for a few weeks. But----” - -Roy walked to the window, and stood with his back to Denham. Silence -lasted fully three minutes. Denham remained where he was, looking -sadly enough towards the boy. He had much to do, but Roy was his first -consideration; and he knew from his own sensations what the parting -would be to the other. - -“Come,” he said at length. “It can't be helped. And--I don't know what -you feel about it, but I have an objection to letting Wirion see that -he can make us unhappy.” - -Roy came back slowly. - -“That--brute!” he burst out, choking over the word. - -“Yes--I know. There's no sort of excuse for him. Roy, I want a promise -from you.” - -“What?” - -“You know the sort of thing that is going on here. Promise me -faithfully that, whatever happens, you will keep clear of the -gaming-tables. You may be tempted, and I shall not be at hand to look -after you.” - -Roy was silent--perhaps because of those last words. - -“Promise. I can depend upon your word.” - -“I do--promise,” Roy said with difficulty. - -“Faithfully?” - -“Yes--faithfully.” - -“And you will do your best to keep up your mother's spirits? You must -be the same plucky fellow with them that you have been all along with -me. Don't make any difference. They will need it now, more than ever.” - -“It's so beastly hard,” muttered Roy. - -“Yes--it is!”--and a pause. “There's one thought that always is a help -to me, and I hope it will be to you. Whatever happens--remember, God is -over all. By-and-by we shall see it to be so. Things won't go on always -like this.” - -The interview was getting to be too much for both of them, and Denham -drew one hand across his forehead. “There!--that will do. No need to -say more. You won't forget that I depend on you; and you'll be just the -same as if I were here. The same--every way. I shall miss my----” - -He was going to say “friend;” but he stopped in time. Roy could stand -no more; and Ivor hardly felt as if he could himself. The boy's face -worked painfully, and Denham's hand grasped his. - -“Not for long, I hope,” he said in a cheerful tone. “Now I must go and -tell your father.” - -Three days later the third company of forty détenus quitted Verdun for -Valenciennes. Roy and his father, with others, were at the gate, to see -the detachment off upon their enforced pilgrimage. Denham had never -held his head higher, or looked more sternly composed, and Roy did his -best to imitate his friend; but he found it hard work. This was not -like an ordinary farewell. He and Denham were alike in the power of an -unscrupulous martinet, behind whom was another equally unscrupulous and -quite irresponsible despot. Neither could guess what might become of -the other, or whether they might hope again to meet before the close of -the war: and each could be sure that every possible impediment would be -thrown in the way of their communicating by letter one with another. - -“Remember, Denham, you are always one of us. Wherever we may be, there -is your home,” Colonel Baron said, in moved tones. “When you can join -us again, your welcome is certain.” - -“I could never doubt it, sir, after the past,” Denham answered. - -Then he was gone, and Roy returned with his father to M. Courant's -house, a heavy sense of blank weighing upon them both. Ivor's was a -personality which never failed to make itself felt, and he had largely -the power of winning affection, without apparent effort. The difference -made in their little circle by his departure was more than could -beforehand have been imagined. - -Not in their own little circle only. Many in Verdun knew that they had -lost a valued friend that day; and even downstairs Denham was strangely -missed. Somebody else, besides Roy, shed at night a few quiet tears, -when nobody could see. Lucille herself was perplexed at the acute -consciousness which clung to her of Captain Ivor's absence. - -Somehow, she had not of late thought a very great deal of that poor -young De Bertrand, whose image once had filled her thoughts. Not that -she forgot him, but that other thoughts and other interests had taken -possession of the foreground of her mind. - -(_To be continued._) - -FOOTNOTES: - -[2] The word, used thus, means simply “mansion.” - -[3] “Bitche, of which place I had received such accounts, as left -scarce a doubt of death being preferable.” Quoted from Major-General -Lord Blayney, Prisoner of War at Verdun, from 1810-1814. - -[4] The Commandant of Verdun had power, as he willed, to transfer -détenus and prisoners of war from one dépôt to another. - - - - -FROM LONDON TO DAMASCUS. - -[Illustration: A DRAGOMAN.] - - -PART III. - -ENGAGING A DRAGOMAN. - -We had been strongly advised by our Jaffa friends to take as guide -for our long journeys a young English-speaking man living in Jerusalem. -He was represented as thoroughly trustworthy and intelligent, besides -being willing to fall in with our plans, rather than insisting upon our -falling in with his. This was exactly the man we needed, and as the -travellers' season was at its height, one of our first duties must be -to find him. With this object in view we started one morning in search -of his home. Two rival dragomen, of whom we inquired the way, assured -us that Ameen--for so I will call him--was in Damascus with a party, -and would not return for forty days. As this gratuitous information -was imparted to us with unnecessary vehemence and exaggerated regrets, -we distrusted its veracity and continued our search. Ameen's dwelling -seemed to be hidden away in some remote region “far from the madding -crowd,” but after many false turnings, we at length espied a neat -little house standing in a garden, and a neat little woman with a baby -in her arms standing in the doorway. We opened the gate and walked up -the path to the young woman. “Does Ameen live here, and is he at home?” -we asked in English. For answer she smiled, pointed to a divan inside -the house, and by signs invited us to go in and “sit.” We did so, and -continued our conversation by smiling inanely at each other, for our -hostess evidently understood no other language but her own barbarous -Arabic, which was the more disappointing as no Ameen was visible. He -might be in Damascus after all. We were not going, however, to give -up the object of our visit so easily. We must try another method of -rousing Mrs. Ameen's understanding. A bright thought flashed through -our mind. There was that Saracen maiden who long ages ago travelled -from Palestine to England in search of her lover Gilbert à Becket. -She only knew two words of English, “Gilbert” and “London,” but they -were the talisman which, after many adventures, brought success, and -her lover to her side. Why should not we try the effect of two words -on the little woman before us? The louder you shout to an Arab the -more important does he consider your communication, so we shouted -“Ameen--dragoman,” accompanying our duet with gestures expressive -of our desire to see him. Our hostess redoubled her smiles, and we -redoubled our shouts, until “Ameen--dragoman” became a monotonous -chant, which grew more despairing at each repetition. When our efforts -seemed most hopeless, Mrs. Ameen allowed the light of intelligence -to dawn on her countenance, and murmuring some indistinct apologies, -she suddenly darted through the door and disappeared. Congratulating -ourselves on our success, we waited patiently for ten minutes or so -before the welcome sound of voices and footsteps sounded near at hand, -and in walked our little friend, still carrying the baby, and proudly -escorting the redoubtable Ameen, whose preposterous Turkish trousers -gave him a swagger as consequential as that of a Highland piper. He -greeted us courteously in excellent English, but as one who had been -expecting us, and immediately inquired whether we had left his cousin -in Jaffa in good health, and if he had told us any family news. Happily -we had met the cousin, and were able to give the desired information, -which was received simply and as a matter of course. - -We were favourably impressed by Ameen's honest face and gentle manners, -and though he looked delicate, he seemed capable. He told us that twice -he had acted as guide to a celebrated English explorer and that he -knew the country thoroughly. We were rather alarmed, on his producing -an enormous sheaf of testimonials, and modestly requesting us to read -them. If the few we glanced at were to be relied upon, our friend must -be a Solomon in the matter of wisdom, a prince among guides, a servant -with so many superlative qualities--we felt excessively small in his -presence--while his record as a “provider” might have caused the cheek -of the renowned Mr. Whitely to grow pale with envy. - -Ameen was evidently a treasure (and such he afterwards proved himself -to be), and must be secured, so we plunged at once into business, and -for the next half-hour discussed routes and other minutiæ. The bargain -was concluded by Ameen agreeing to take us for a four days' trip to -Jericho, and a five or seven days' trip to Tiberias. The charges were -to be a pound a day each. He was to provide everything, including good -horses, and saddles, a muleteer, and when necessary an armed escort, -which a thoughtful government--with an eye to _backsheesh_--insisted -upon, lest the confiding traveller should fall among thieves. As the -escort was invariably chosen from a tribe of raiders, the moral was -obvious. We considered these terms very moderate for this time of the -year, especially so, as the party was to consist only of Elizabeth and -myself. - -We further stipulated for the horses and saddles to be brought round -for our inspection the evening before we started on our journey. -Everything being now satisfactorily settled, we partook of coffee, said -good-bye to the little wife, kissed the baby, who resented deeply the -familiarity, and, preceded by our picturesque guide, who had already -assumed an air of proprietorship, made our way into the city, where we -dismissed him and continued our prowl unattended. - -On one of our excursions we took part in an adventure which might have -ended seriously to one of the party. Looking back now, it seems like a -modern version of the story of the Good Samaritan. - -It was a hot afternoon in April when Elizabeth and I, accompanied by -Elias, Miss K.'s native servant, carrying a tea-basket, set out for -Neby Samwîl, the ancient Mizpeh, where we intended picnicking. - -As we were riding slowly down the hill in the direction of Jerusalem, -we noticed afar off an unusual cloud of dust, out of which there -presently emerged a horseman riding furiously. Almost before we could -exclaim he had turned the sharp corner by the Pool of Hinnom and was -tearing madly on towards us. In another moment the horse wheeled -suddenly round and, flinging its rider to the earth, galloped back to -the city gate. - -We reined up near the unfortunate man, who lay stretched out -unconscious in the middle of the road, a tropical sun beating fiercely -on his uncovered head, and the blood slowly trickling from a nasty -wound in the temple. - -In an incredibly short space of time a crowd collected. White-sheeted -women, like flocks of seagulls, scudded down the hill slopes, and were -joined by dark-faced men, who seemed to spring from nowhere. - -They stared with much curiosity at the little group below, but neither -signs nor talking could induce them to approach nearer than the stone -wall which bounded the road. They answered our appeals by jabbering -among themselves like so many monkeys, pointing at us and gesticulating -excitedly. Clearly we were each unintelligible to the other. - -We next tried to awaken the sympathy of a family living close at hand; -but, much to our indignation, they refused help though they showed -considerable interest in us, wondering why we took so much trouble -about a stranger who was nothing to us. We could only be sorry that -with the knowledge of English had not come the knowledge of our Lord's -answer to the question, “Who is my neighbour?” - -Appeals to the passers-by met with the same heartless indifference. -They stared at the unconscious cause of the commotion and looked at us -with eyes which plainly said, “The English are mad, they are always -minding other people's business.” - -In the meantime the man was in great danger from the heat. He was -too heavy for us to move, and Elias, with true Oriental timidity, -refused to touch him. The case was becoming desperate when we saw a -benevolent-looking priest coming along the road. He joined the circle, -looked at the wounded man, and turned to resume his journey. - -Elizabeth stopped him and eagerly accosted him in French, but he was -evidently ignorant of that tongue. She then attacked him in German, -but he shook his head deprecatingly. As a last resource she bombarded -him in Italian, which language he did understand, for he immediately -replied that he was at the signora's service. - -“Then,” said Elizabeth, “will you kindly tell us, signor, what to do -with that poor man? He was thrown from his horse a few minutes ago. He -is wounded, and may be dying. Could you not get him carried to a place -of safety and find out who he is?” - -During this address the priest's countenance changed from courteous -attention to grave disquietude. He scarcely waited for its conclusion -before he gathered up his skirts and, murmuring that “he knew -nothing--it was not his affair,” walked rapidly away. - -We were more perplexed than ever. Could there be defilement in the -touch of the wounded man? Or did the fact of his wearing European -clothes proclaim him an infidel and one whom it was best to leave alone? - -While we were deliberating on the best course to take, Elias shook off -his fear and began talking to a big porter who was looking on. After -what seemed to us an endless discussion, he came forward and intimated -that the porter would carry the man to a _hakeem_ (doctor) in Jerusalem. - -It was not without a great deal of talking, appealing looks from the -porter, and, I must add, evident reluctance on his part, that the -wounded man was placed on his shoulders and the procession started -for the city, Elizabeth riding on ahead in the hope of finding some -intelligent person who would interpret for us, for we were still -puzzled how to act for the best. - -Among the motley crowds always assembled at the Jaffa Gate, we caught -sight of a young clerk, with whom we had had dealings, and who spoke -English fairly well. He was standing near his office. In response -to Elizabeth's sign, he crossed the road with alacrity, and was all -attention to her commands. When, however, he understood their extent, -and grasped the fact that a stranger had met with an accident, and saw -him apparently dead on the back of the brawny porter, he bolted into -his office, shut the door with the words, “Excuse me, madame, but I -am too busy to help.” There was no time to analyse our own feelings, -for the procession had increased considerably, the babel of tongues -was deafening, donkeys braying, camels grunting, men screaming and -gesticulating; even the lepers rushed forward and added to the noise -and confusion. The porter's face bore a look of unmistakable terror, as -he caught a glimpse of the ragged uniform of a soldier, but on we went, -hoping that the _hakeem's_ house was not far off. - -Happening to glance round we saw to our intense relief the swaggering -form of Ameen approaching. In him we saw also an end to all our -difficulties. We attacked him at once. - -“Find a doctor, please, or do something for this poor man, and do, if -you can, stop that awful noise!” we exclaimed. Alas, Ameen manifested -the same extraordinary unwillingness to interfere, though his sympathy -was excited. “Do look at him,” we urged, “perhaps you may know him, and -why are all the people calling to him and shouting _hakeem_?” - -Yielding to our entreaties Ameen examined the face of the object of our -solicitude, added his contribution to the hubbub, and exclaimed-- - -“He's the Russian doctor from the hospital, the people say; he was -riding into Bethlehem this afternoon, it is the day he sees patients -among the pilgrims there. Poor man, we will carry you to the Russian -hospital, that is,” continued he, turning to us, “if you will take all -the responsibility, Miss N.” - -“Of course I will take the responsibility!” was the impatient answer. -“Be quick, unless you want him to die!” - -Ameen now assumed leadership, issued his orders with much importance, -using the English lady's name with great effect, we could see. The -porter, however, kept close to us, talking earnestly. - -“What is he saying?” inquired Elizabeth. - -“He is afraid that he will be punished. He thinks he will be accused of -the doctor's death and be put into prison; he begs of you to say that -he is only acting under the English ladies' orders; he is their slave, -and cannot help himself,” replied Ameen. - -“Assure him that he need have no fear, he shall not get into trouble -for helping us; we will see to that,” Elizabeth answered, looking down -kindly on the man, who seemed as grateful as if he had been rescued -from some terrible danger. - -“You see, Miss N.,” said Ameen, “we are all afraid to help in an -accident of this kind, the risk is too great. We might be seized and -thrown into prison, accused of having murdered, or attempted to murder, -the person we were only assisting. Certainly if he happened to die, we -should be held responsible for his death, and could not escape prison -unless a big _backsheesh_ were constantly paid to the governor. You of -the English nation are different, you are just, and do not understand -our Government. Your word they will take, ours they would not believe. -We are not naturally inhuman, we have to pretend to be.” - -This explanation threw a new light on the indifference to suffering -which we had witnessed. Under the circumstances it certainly required -a very brave man to follow the dictates of ordinary humanity where a -stranger was concerned. We were truly thankful that we were “of the -English nation,” and free to exercise our privileges here. - -But we had now reached our goal after being nearly forty minutes on -the road. The poor porter's strength was giving out, but he managed to -get up the steps of the hospital and lay his burden down on the cool -floor of the hall. The nurses gathered round the unconscious doctor, -talking volubly in Russian, which none of us understood. There was -a look of consternation on their faces as they carried him gently -into an inner room. We could not explain what had happened, but we -waited until we thought we heard sounds which indicated returning -consciousness, then telling Ameen to reward the good porter with a -liberal _backsheesh_, and bring us news of the patient on the morrow, -we rode on our way to Neby Samwîl. - -It was a glorious day, and we were glad to get away from the noise and -dust of the city into the open country where quiet and beauty reigned. - -The watch-tower on the top of Mizpeh, though three hours' distant, was -plainly visible in the clear atmosphere. It thrilled us as we called -to mind that it was on that spot Laban and Jacob made their covenant -of amity and settled their differences for ever. There the judges -had assembled the Israelites together in times of national danger or -calamity. It was at Mizpeh the prophet Samuel anointed young Saul king -of Israel. From its summit the Israelites, after humbling themselves -before God, rushed into the plain, routed the host of the Philistines -and discomfited them. - -Through the very passes we were traversing and over those grey stony -mountains had Samuel, Saul, David, and hosts of the famous men of -old walked. If they could speak, what marvellous stories could those -ancient hills tell of all they had heard and seen of triumph and defeat -of great armies, of God's anger towards His stiff-necked people, of His -unbounded love and forgiveness! - -It was not easy riding. The flat smooth rocks were slippery footholds -for our sturdy little horses; but they were hardy fellows and stepped -over the most break-neck places with the ease and confidence of -mountain goats. - -We were enchanted with the gorgeous carpet of flowers spread out at -intervals before us. Here was a patch of cyclamen, covering a space of -about twelve feet, nestling under the eaves of a sullen brown rock. -Masses of scarlet anemones, yellow flax, pheasant's eye, and many -other lovely flowers disclosed their beauty to us, making up in their -colouring and variety for the lack of trees and foliage. - -The slopes of the hills were dotted with handsome, long-haired goats -feeding side by side with the ungainly “fat-tailed” sheep. These sheep -are far from pretty. Their tails, hanging like great bags, touch the -ground as they move, giving them a most unsymmetrical appearance. The -fat of the tail is considered a great luxury among the natives. It is -made into “seminy”--a strongly-flavoured grease used in all native -cooking and, to our taste, rancid and unpalatable. - -The summit of Mizpeh was reached without further adventure. A few olive -trees grew there, and the watch-tower seemed old; but, otherwise, there -was nothing to remind us of the past. - -We tied up our horses, and in a few minutes the kettle was singing -merrily and we were enjoying a cup of tea, which was very refreshing -after our long ride. Elias was made happy with a great piece of sugar, -which he ate slowly, smiling upon us the while like a dusky cherub. - -There was but little time to indulge our fancy, though the spot on -which we sat teemed with memories. It was getting late--sunset would -be upon us in an hour. If we did not wish to be benighted among those -desolate mountains we must be up and going. So, as soon as tea was -over, we mounted our horses and turned their heads homewards. - -Before we were half way, the great sun left us suddenly (as if he were -pressed for time and must make it up on his next journey), and we were -plunged into darkness, for there is scarcely any twilight in the East. - -It was a hard matter to keep Elias in sight; but, fortunately, the -horses knew the way, and we rode with a loose rein. Soon the silver -moon rose in the heavens and flooded the landscape with her brilliant -light. A couple of hours later saw us cantering through the deserted -streets of Jerusalem, throwing long shadows as we passed under the grey -walls of David's Tower. - -The ghastly Pool of Hinnom looked more ghastly in the moonlight; but -the shining road gave no indication of the scene in which we had acted -a few hours before. Ten minutes later we were dismounting at Miss K.'s -hospitable door, well pleased to be back again among our friends. - - S. E. BELL. - -[Illustration] - - - - -BEAUTY IN WOMAN: FROM A MAN'S POINT OF VIEW. - -BY “MEDICUS” (DR. GORDON STABLES, R.N.). - - “Shalt show us how divine a thing - A woman may be made.” - - _Wordsworth._ - - -That I am an admirer of female beauty and loveliness goes without -saying, nor would I care to take tiffin with a man who isn't. - - -BEAUTY LIKES TO BE ADMIRED. - -Yes--that is true, and I don't blame beauty a bit. Nevertheless ladies -who are not gifted with this great glory, prim, demure women, with -prim, demure ways, may look sadly sour and say, “That Miss So-and-so -thinks she is entrancing, and maybe she is good-looking after a -fashion, but I feel sure she spends quite a deal of her time indoors -attitudinising and gavotting before the looking-glass, and she can't -pass a shop window without using it as a mirror to note how she looks.” -Well, for the life of me I cannot see any harm in Miss So-and-so's -turning a shop window into a mirror if she chooses. Her mind is thus -satisfied. That dress does hang nicely, and she carries herself well in -it. - -As to Miss So-and-so spending some time before the mirror at home, -the Misses Prim can only be reasoning from analogy. They themselves -doubtless do the same, but it is as a forlorn hope and in order to see -if there be anything about their faces and figures analogous to beauty. - -But Miss So-and-so is right again. What are mirrors made for, I wonder, -if not to study before, to study attitude, the set of the head, the -proper use of lips and eyes, and the contour of the neck. Indeed, -indeed, I'm all on beauty's side. - -But in this, as in all other matters, there is a danger of over-doing -it. It is quite proper to assure yourself that you look your best, but -it is unwise to think too much of the matter, or to allow yourself to -become a piece of human vanity. - - -EVERY WOMAN HAS A MISSION. - -I should be sorry indeed to speak disparagingly about the Misses Prim. - -There are a great many of them in this world, and they can do much to -make the world better and happier. That is their mission. Some fulfil -it, some don't. Some want to die right off the reel because nature -has made them somewhat angular and gray and has, in fact, denied them -beauty. They become sour in temper and sharp in tongue because of envy. -Ah, but just see the happiness they could shed abroad among others were -they only cheerful and always willing to assist their neighbours with -good sound, solid advice. And this happiness would come back to their -own hearts and take up its abode there, so that blessedness should -shine in their faces. Women of this description ought to dress very -neatly but not gaily. They often have good figures, and these may be -attired to advantage without their making any attempt at dressing to -kill, which would obviously be somewhat ridiculous. They should be neat -also in hands and feet and hair, the arrangement of which lends itself -to much that is artistic and beautiful. - -The Misses Prim may be thirty or forty years old, or more. What matters -it? Their mission lies chiefly among the young, and thoughtless though -these may be, they are loving and have ten times more gratitude in -their souls than grown-up people. Alas! though, I may be addressing -some who have but little time to help those around them, little time -even to read; theirs only to work, to long, and sometimes to weep. I do -in my heart feel for such as these; but the very fact that they do long -for something better to come shows, I think, that there is a better -world than this, and that this life is but probationary. - -It is their mission then to work, and to try to do so willingly, for -methinks duty well performed is a reward in itself. - - -BEAUTY'S MISSION. - -Beauty's mission is a noble one, and if kept well apart from pride and -frivolity, it is a self-ennobling one. - -Beauty has been called a fatal gift. It is so only when the possessor -thereof has no other attractions. Every beautiful girl should possess -refinement, and by this I do not mean accomplishments that can be shown -to advantage in a drawing-room. No, but refinement of mind or soul. She -ought to be well read, though far indeed from being a blue-stocking. -She ought to be herself a poet at heart, a lover of nature and of God's -animals, His trees and His flowers. She ought to be a good but not a -garrulous conversationalist; the sentences that leave her lips ought -to flow like the murmur and ripple of a sparkling fountain. Forced -conversation has no reality about it, and anyone can see it does not -come from the heart. - -Beauty should be musical. Alas! it is not always so. I may go further -and say it is too often automatical. This is the result of a forced -musical education. Beauty should never play what she cannot feel. If -she feels, so shall others around her, and the chords will touch the -heart. - -A beautiful woman who can play the violin so as to bring tears to the -listener's eyes, possesses a power that nothing on this dull earth of -ours can excel. - -And a beauty like that which I so feebly paint has a deal to be proud -of, though she ought not to be vain. Vanity only proves narrowness of -soul, a mind with no breadth of beam. - - “She moves a goddess and she looks a queen.” - -True enough, yet the greatest of beauties are not simply there for -show. For her a nobler part is retained, and ere many years are over -her head she ought to be as noble-minded and beautiful a matron as she -now is a maiden. - -Yes, and if health and beauty go hand-in-hand, with modesty and virtue -in their train, this great kingdom of ours will never need to lower its -flag to any combination in the world. - -I say, then, to every girl-reader I have, “It is well to be beautiful.” - - -GROWING OLD GRACEFULLY. - -I cannot but respect and admire the women who grow old gracefully. -Generally a little inclined to _embonpoint_ are they, which but accords -with their years. But there is a sincerity about them which is very -creditable. A lady of this kind is never ashamed to own that she is -getting up in years. No one would be rude enough to ask her age; but if -anybody did, they would have a straightforward truthful answer. See, -there is a sprinkling of silvery hairs on her head; she is, I believe, -somewhat proud of them rather than otherwise, and if true religion -dwells in her heart, she is altogether amiable. Some day she knows she -will die. Some day--yes, some day; but this death will only just be -going home. She is to be envied. - - -SHOULD ART AID BEAUTY? - -My answer is, “Yes, undoubtedly, if it be real art.” - -Says the poet-- - - “Beauty unadorned is adorned the most.” - -This is all nonsense. It is just as reasonable for beauty to call in -the aid of science and art as it is for her to use soap with which to -wash her hands and face. But on the other hand, a beauty that is all -artificial is quite detestable. No man can stand a painted doll. We -meet such in society all too often, but we soon find out that she is -just as frivolous and heartless as she is artificial--a painted fraud, -in fact, and I pity the poor fellow who is snared into marrying her. - -But there are legitimate methods of securing greater beauty. The chief -of these is health. Without good health there can be no real beauty, -no beautiful complexion, no bright and sparkling eyes, and no power -to please others or make others happy. One cannot bestow upon those -around them that which they do not possess themselves. It is girls -like this--girls who may be classed with that great army, the only -middling--who, instead of endeavouring to set themselves right by the -aid of judicious living and everything that conduces to health, are for -ever hunting among the trashy advertisements of cheap ladies' papers -for cosmetics that shall not only make them beautiful for a day, but -keep them beautiful for all time. - -Very catchy are many of those advertisements to the eyes of the simple -and the ignorant, and they are always tastefully illustrated. In a -country better governed than ours, those advertising quack-women, who -charge such awful prices for specialities that are simply worse than -want, would soon find themselves inside the four walls of a prison. -Pray take my warning, girls, and keep your money in your purses. - -Do not forget, however, that regularity in living, temperance in -eating, daily pleasant exercise, no spurting if you ride, plenty of -fruit, and the bath, using the mildest soaps are the passports to -health and happiness; and beauty cannot exist without these latter. - - - - -LETTERS FROM A LAWYER. - - -PART IV. - - The Temple. - -MY DEAR DOROTHY,--Before going away for your summer holiday, I should -advise you to put all your valuables, such as your silver tea-set, -etc., into a strong iron box and get Gerald to deposit the same at his -bank, where it will be perfectly safe. - -The bank will not give you a receipt for the contents of the box, -because they will not make themselves responsible for property which -they are taking care of gratuitously; but they will give you an -acknowledgment for the box itself, which is quite sufficient for your -purpose. - -The landlady at Southsea had no justification for writing and telling -you that you could not have the rooms, which you had previously -engaged, for another week yet, because her present lodgers were staying -on in them. She has broken her contract with you--which was to let her -rooms to you from a certain date for a specified amount--so that if you -find it more convenient to leave town at the date you originally fixed, -you need not wait upon the Southsea landlady's pleasure. The contract -to take her rooms is at an end, and you need not go to her at all -unless it suits you to do so. - -From a strictly legal point of view, you have a right of action -against her, which I do not advise nor suppose you would care to -exercise, although it is most annoying to have your plans upset in -this manner, and more especially too when you went to the trouble and -expense of going down to Southsea so as to make certain of securing -comfortable quarters. - -I would not advise your friend to have anything to do with those -attractive advertisements which appear in the newspapers, offering home -employment to gentlewomen at the rate of ten to thirty shillings a -week. The dodge is little better than a swindle; perhaps not a swindle -in a strictly legal sense, but a swindle all the same. - -The way it is worked is this: you are asked to send two or three -shillings in the first instance and in return you get a quantity of -rubber stamps which you have to sell to your friends at a profit, and -when you have disposed of them all (a most unlikely event) you buy more -rubber stamps at wholesale prices and sell them at retail ones; or else -you receive a packet of wool, which you have to knit into an impossible -number of socks and comforters, and for which you will be paid a small -sum for so many dozen pairs. - -It is a particularly heartless swindle to my mind, because the -unfortunate ladies who answer these advertisements can ill afford to -waste even two or three shillings, and, of course, they are quite -unable to sell the rubber stamps or similar rubbish received in return -for their money. - -I have received frequent complaints from ladies who have been taken -in by this trick, and I should like to see all such advertisements -expunged from the newspapers. The advertisement columns contain a good -many traps for the unwary. For instance, there is the “lady” who is -offering silver fish-knives for sale at an immense sacrifice, unused, -and less than half the original value. - -You will observe that the word is “value” not “cost”; but she omits to -state that the value put upon them is that given to them by herself, -and, curiously enough, she is offering a similar sacrifice every day in -the year. - -I do not suggest that there is any swindle in the above style of -advertisement. It is a trick of the trade, and if you are sharp enough -you will find that the same “lady” is offering other articles for sale -also at a sacrifice in another part of the paper. - -The fact also that nearly all these articles are advertised as “unused” -ought to be sufficient to warn people that it is a dealer and not a -private individual who is advertising; but people, especially ladies, -my dear Dorothy, are so anxious to make a bargain that they cannot -resist the temptation to purchase an article, with a fictitious value -attached to it, at half price. - -A similar article, if bought at a shop in the ordinary way, costs -less and lasts longer; but then it would not profess to be a -bargain--wherein lies the charm. - -I am afraid that I cannot give you any comfort as regards the bill sent -in by your stationer, whom you say you have already paid. If you cannot -find or did not get a receipt from him you are powerless and will have -to pay it over again. - -When tradespeople know your name and address, it is always advisable -to ask for a receipt if they do not offer to give you one. Even when -dealing with shops which profess to sell on cash terms only, I always -make a point of asking for a receipt if the goods are to be sent to my -address; and, for the future, I advise you to follow the example of - - Your affectionate cousin, - BOB BRIEFLESS. - - - - -OLD ENGLISH COTTAGE HOMES; - -OR, - -VILLAGE ARCHITECTURE OF BYGONE DAYS. - - -[Illustration: COTTAGE AT PINNER.] - - -PART IV. - -We will now describe a few examples of village architecture in the -immediate neighbourhood of London, with illustrations from Pinner and -Acton. The first, which is in “Post-and-pan” construction, is a simple -but pleasing example of Gothic work, dating from the reign of Henry -VIII., sketched at Pinner. The second is a porch to a cottage in the -same pretty village; it is one of the most picturesque examples we know -of, and the lovely rose bush which shades it adds much to its beauty. -When we first saw it great clusters of these exquisite flowers clung -around the ancient timbers and spread themselves over the ruddy tiles -of the roof. It would be difficult to conceive a more charming bower, -but, although some mending has been recently carried out, it will -probably not last through many more winters; some cruel wind may wreck -it, or some tempest ruin it, but when this catastrophe takes place -it will have served its purpose for nearly four centuries, and can a -wooden porch be expected to do more? As we heard an archæologist say, -“it will have earned a right to tumble down.” Alas, we fear that most -of the old village architecture in England has earned this right, and -will, before very long, take advantage of it. - -In addition to this the wholesale “improving” away of picturesque -village architecture in the vicinity of the metropolis will leave -little for those who come after us to study or admire. - -A few years back how beautiful a place was Willesden, with its -mediæval cottages, ancient wooden parsonage, inns and country houses -surrounded by gardens, farm-yards, barns, wooden granaries, etc. All -but one or two have lately disappeared, and they are threatened. - -What a pretty country village Acton was, but now how changed! The old -forge still remains to speak to us of village life of the past; it is -sweet and charming, its walls mantled with creepers and overshadowed -with great elms and poplars. A quaint little garden with brick paths -separates it from the road. The building itself is of brick partly -framed in timber, though not of “Post-and-pan” construction, as the -wood is simply introduced by way of bond, a kind of construction which -came in towards the end of the seventeenth century. The chimneys are -older than the house, and look quite Elizabethan. It is altogether a -lovely village bit and strangely out of gear with the smart suburban -villas growing up all around it. - -[Illustration: COTTAGE PORCH, PINNER.] - -It is strange that in times within the memory of the writer the -villages closely surrounding London were so countrified. Hampstead, -Highgate, Acton, Fulham, Barnes, Kew, Richmond, Bow, Stratford, Bromley -were quite separated from the metropolis and surrounded by pleasant -fields, approached by lanes shaded by elms and tall hawthorn hedges, -full of good old-fashioned houses shut in with lofty red brick walls, -over which fruit trees might be seen, laden in autumn, with ruddy -apples, golden pears or purple plums, offering a temptation to the -passer-by. Fields of cabbages or fragrant beans, (can anything surpass -the scent of a bean-field in full bloom with the sun upon it?) market -gardens, orchards, and acres of more delicate vegetables, cucumbers, -etc., grown under glass; great waggons laden with the produce of the -land jolting and jingling along the road or stopping for refreshment -for man and beast in front of some well-shaded wayside inn. A -four-wheeled cab might be seen occasionally, when folks would look at -one another, and say, “What can be the matter? Here's a cab going to -the Smiths'. Can it be a lawyer going to draw up the old man's will, or -has his son, after so many years, come back again from India?” See the -neighbourhoods now with their huge warehouses, manufactories or smart -suburban streets and rows of shops, omnibuses, motor cars, etc. How few -years, comparatively speaking, it has taken to effect these changes, -and one wonders whether any country at all will be left in the days of -our grandchildren. - -[Illustration: VILLAGE FORGE AT ACTON.] - - -(_To be continued._) - - - - -VARIETIES. - - -A FABLE FOR CRITICS. - -A lamb strayed for the first time into the woods, and excited much -discussion among the other animals. In a mixed company, one day, when -he became the subject of a friendly gossip, the goat praised him. - -“Pooh!” said the lion, “this is too absurd. The beast is a pretty beast -enough, but did you hear him roar? I heard him roar, and, by the manes -of my fathers, when he roars he does nothing but cry ba--a--a!” And the -lion bleated his best in mockery, but bleated far from well. - -“Nay,” said the deer, “I do not think so badly of his voice. I liked -him well enough until I saw him leap. He kicks with the hind legs in -running, and with all his skipping gets over very little ground.” - -“It is a bad beast altogether,” said the tiger. “He cannot roar, -he cannot run, he can do nothing--and what wonder? I killed a man -yesterday, and, in politeness to the new-comer, offered him a bit, upon -which he had the impudence to look disgusted and say, ‘No, sir, I eat -nothing but grass.’” - -So the beasts criticised the lamb, each in his own way; and yet it was -a very good lamb nevertheless. - - -TAKING DOWN THE CLOTHES-LINE. - -“We had at one time in our service,” says a modern housekeeper, “a very -simple young woman, who came to us through one of the registry offices -in our town. - -“She showed the quality of her intelligence on the very day she came. -She was told to go out into the yard and take down the clothes-line, -which was stretched upon half-a-dozen posts set up for that purpose. - -“Bridget was at the task so long that we began to wonder what on earth -had become of her. We went out to see what she was doing, and found her -working away vigorously with a spade. She had dug up three of the posts -and had almost completed the work upon a fourth. She did not stay with -us long.” - - -TRUTH IS ALWAYS EASIEST.--It is hard to personate and act a part -long; for, where truth is not at the bottom, nature will always be -endeavouring to return and will peep out and betray herself one time or -other. - - -THE GIFTS OF FORTUNE.--“I generally divide my favours,” says Fortune, -“by giving a gift to one and the power to appreciate it to another.” - - -NATURAL BAROMETERS. - -From the earliest times observations have been made on the signs -exhibited by members of the animal world indicative of changes in the -weather. - -Rain and storms have been predicted by asses frequently shaking and -agitating their ears; by dogs rolling on the ground and scratching up -the earth with their forefeet; by oxen lying on their right side; by -animals crowding together; by moles throwing up more earth than usual; -by bats sending forth their cries and flying into houses; by sea-fowl -and other aquatic birds retiring to the shore; by ducks and geese -flying backwards and forwards and frequently plunging into the water; -by swallows flying low, etc. - -Fine weather, on the other hand, has been foretold by the croaking of -crows in the morning; by bats remaining longer than usual abroad and -flying about in considerable numbers; by the screech of the owl; and by -cranes flying very high in silence and ranged in order. - - -COURAGE.--There is nothing like courage even in ordinary things. -Let us be willing to try at anything we wish to accomplish. It often -happens that those who try at it do it. - - - - -ABOUT PEGGY SAVILLE. - -BY JESSIE MANSERGH (Mrs. G. de Horne Vaizey), Author of “Sisters -Three,” etc. - - -CHAPTER XV. - -For the next week conversation was more strictly centred on Rosalind -than ever, and the gloomy expression deepened on Peggy's face. She was, -in truth, working too hard for her strength, for, as each day passed, -the necessity of hurrying on with the calendar became more apparent; -and as Robert was no longer master of his own time she was obliged to -come to his aid in writing out the selected quotations. - -At every spare moment of the day she was locked in her room scribbling -away for dear life or searching for appropriate extracts, and, as a -consequence, her brain refused to rest when she wished it to do so. She -tossed wakefully on her pillow, and was often most inclined for sleep -when six o'clock struck, and she dragged herself up, a white-cheeked -weary little mortal to sit blinking over the fire, wishing feebly that -it was time to go to bed again instead of getting up to face the long, -long day. - -Robert was not more observant than most boys of his age, and Peggy -would have worked herself to death before she had complained to him. -She was proud to feel that he depended on her more than ever, that -without her help he could not possibly have finished his task, while -his words of gratitude helped to comfort a heart which was feeling sore -and empty. - -In truth, these last few weeks had been harder for Peggy than those -immediately following her mother's departure. Then, each one in the -house had vied with the other in trying to comfort her, whereas now, -without any intention of unkindness, her companions often appeared to -be neglectful. - -When Rosalind was present Esther hung on one arm and Mellicent on -the other, without so much as a glance over the shoulder to see if -Peggy were following. Instead of a constant “Peggy, what would you -like?” “What does Peggy say?” her opinion was never even asked, while -Rosalind's lightest word was treated as law. - -It would have been hard for any girl under the circumstances, but it -was doubly hard when that girl was so dependent on her friends, and -so sensitive and reserved in disposition as Peggy Saville. She would -not deign to complain or to ask for signs of affection which were not -voluntarily given, but her merry ways disappeared, and she became so -silent and subdued that she was hardly recognisable as the audacious -Peggy of a few weeks earlier. - -“Peggy is so grumpy!” Mellicent complained to her mother. “She never -laughs now, nor makes jokes, nor flies about as she used to do! She's -just as glum and mum as can be, and she never sits with us! She is -always in her bedroom with the door locked, so that we can't get in! -She's there now! I think she might stay with us sometimes! It's mean, -always running away!” - -Mrs. Asplin drew her brows together and looked worried. She had not -been satisfied about Peggy lately, and this news did not tend to -reassure her. Her kind heart could not endure that anyone beneath her -roof should be ill or unhappy, and the girl had looked both during the -last few days. She went upstairs at once and tapped at the door, when -Peggy's voice was raised in impatient answer. - -“I can't come! Go away! I'm engaged!” - -“But I want to speak to you, dear! Please let me in!” she replied in -her clear, pleasant tones, whereupon there was a hasty scamper inside, -and the door was thrown open. - -“Oh-h! I didn't know it was you; I thought it was one of the girls. I'm -sorry I kept you waiting.” - -Mrs. Asplin gave a glance around. The gas fire was lit, but the chair -beside it stood stiffly in the corner, and the cushion was uncrushed. -Evidently the girl had not been sitting there. The work-basket was -in its accustomed place, and there were no cottons or silks lying -about--Peggy had not been sewing at Christmas presents, as she had -half hoped to find her. A towel was thrown over the writing-table, and -a piece of blotting-paper lay on the floor. A chair was pushed to one -side as if it had been lately used. That looked as if she had been -writing letters. - -“Peggy, dear, what are you doing all by yourself in this chilly room?” - -“I'm busy, Mrs. Asplin. I lit the fire as soon as I came in.” - -“But a room does not get warm in five minutes. I don't want you to -catch cold and be laid up with a sore throat. Can't you bring your -writing downstairs and do it beside the others?” - -“I would rather not. I can get on so much better by myself.” - -“Are you writing to India--to your mother?” - -“N--no, not just now.” - -“Then really, dear, you must come downstairs! This won't do! Your -mother wished you to have a fire in your room so that you might be -able to sit here when you wanted to be alone, but she never meant you -to make it a habit, or to spend all your spare time alone. It isn't -healthy to use a room night and day, and to burn so much gas, and it -isn't sociable, Peggy dear. Mellicent has just been complaining that -you are hardly ever with them nowadays. Come along, like a good girl; -put the writing away and amuse yourself downstairs. You have done -enough work for one day. You don't do me credit at all with those white -cheeks.” - -Peggy stood with her eyes fixed on the carpet without uttering a word. -It would have been the easiest thing in the world to say, “Oh, do let -me stay upstairs as much as I like for a day or two longer. I have a -piece of work on hand which I am anxious to finish. It is a secret, -but I hope to tell you all about it soon, and I am sure you will be -pleased.” If she had done so she knew perfectly well how hearty and -pleasant would have been Mrs. Asplin's consent; but there are some -states of mind in which it is a positive pleasure to be a martyr, and -to feel oneself misunderstood, and this was just the mood in which -Peggy found herself at present. She heard Mrs. Asplin sigh, as if with -anxiety and disappointment, as she left the room, and shrugged her -shoulders in wilful indifference. - -“She thinks I like sitting shivering here! I slave, and slave, from -morning till night, and then people think I am sulky! I am not working -for myself. I don't want the wretched old ten pounds; I could have ten -pounds to-morrow if I needed it. Mother said I could. I am working to -help Rob, and now I shall have to sit up later, and get up earlier than -ever, as I mayn't work during the day, Mellicent said I was never with -them, did she! I don't see that it matters whether I am there or not! -They don't want me; nobody wants me now that Rosalind has come! I hate -Rosalind--nasty, smirking, conceited thing!” and Peggy jerked the towel -off the writing-table and flicked it violently to and fro in the air, -just as a little relief to her over-charged feelings. - -She was crossing the hall with unwilling steps when the postman's -knock sounded at the door, and three letters in long, narrow envelopes -fell to the ground. Each envelope was of a pale pink tint with a crest -and monogram in white relief; one was addressed to the Misses Asplin, -another to Oswald Elliston, and a third to Miss Mariquita Saville. - -“Invitations!” cried Peggy, with a caper of delight. “Invitations! -How scrumptious!” Her face clouded for a moment as the sight of the -letters, “R.D.,” suggested the sender of the letters, but the natural -girlish delight in an unexpected festivity was stronger even than her -prejudices, and it was the old, bright Peggy who bounced into the -schoolroom holding up the three letters, and crying gleefully, “Quis, -Quis, something nice for somebody! An invitation!” - -“Ego, Ego!” came the eager replies, and the envelopes were seized and -torn open in breathless haste. - -“From Rosalind! Oh, how very funny! ‘Requests the -pleasure--company--to a pink luncheon.’ What in the world is a ‘pink -luncheon?’--‘on Tuesday next, the 20th inst....’” - -“A p-p-pink luncheon? How wewwy stwange!” echoed Mellicent, who had -been suddenly affected with an incapacity to pronounce the letter “r” -since the arrival of Rosalind Darcy on the scene, a peculiarity which -happened regularly every autumn, and passed off again with the advent -of spring. “How can a luncheon possibly be pink?” - -“That's more than I can tell you, my dear! Ask Rob. What does it mean, -Rob!” asked Peggy curiously, and Robert scowled, and shook back his -shock of hair. - -“Some American fad, I believe. The idea is to have everything of one -colour--flowers, drapery, and food, china--everything that is on the -table. It's a fag and an awful handicap, for you can't have half -the things you want. But let us be modern or die, that's the motto -nowadays. Mother is always trying to get hold of new-fangled notions.” - -“‘Peggy Saville requests the pleasure of Jane Smith's company to a -magenta supper.’--‘Peggy Saville requests the pleasure of Mr. Jones's -company to a purple tea.’ It's a splendid idea! I like it immensely,” -said Peggy, pursing her lips, and staring in the fire in meditative -fashion. “Pink--pink--what can we eat that is pink? P-prawns, -p-pickles, p-p-pomegranates, P-aysandu tongues (you would call those -pink, wouldn't you--pinky red?). Humph! I don't think it sounds very -nice. Perhaps they dye the things with cochineal. I think I shall have -a sensible brown and green meal before I go, and then I can nibble -elegantly at the pinkies. Would it be considered a delicate mark of -attention if I wore a pink frock?” - -“Certainly it would. Wear that nice one that you put on in the -evenings. Rosalind will be in pink from head to foot, you may depend -on it,” said Robert confidently, whereupon Mellicent rushed headlong -from the room to find her mother, and plead eagerly that summer -crepon dresses of the desired tint should be brought forth from their -hiding-place and freshened up for the occasion. To accede to this -request meant an extra call upon time already fully occupied, but -mothers have a way of not grudging trouble where their children are -concerned. Mrs. Asplin said, “Yes, darling, of course I will!” and set -to work with such good will that all three girls sported pink dresses -beneath their ulsters when they set off to partake of the mysterious -luncheon a few days later. - -Rosalind came to the bedroom to receive them, and looked on from an -armchair, while Lady Darcy's maid helped the visitors to take off their -wraps. She herself looked like a rose in her dainty pink draperies, and -Peggy had an impression that she was not altogether pleased to see that -her guests were as appropriately dressed as herself. She eyed them up -and down, and made remarks to the maid in that fluent French of hers -which was so unintelligible to the schoolgirls' ears. The maid smirked -and pursed up her lips, and then meeting Peggy's steady gaze, dropped -her eyes in confusion. Peggy knew, as well as if she had understood -every word, that the remarks exchanged between mistress and maid had -been of a depreciatory nature, not as concerned her own attire--that -was as perfect in its way as Rosalind's own--but with reference to -the home-made dresses of the Vicar's daughters, which seemed to have -suddenly become clumsy and shapeless when viewed in the mirrors of this -elegant bedroom. She was in arms at once on her friends' behalf, and -when Peggy's dignity was hurt she was a formidable person to tackle. -In this instance she fixed her eyes first on the maid, and then on -Rosalind herself with a steady, disapproving stare which was not a -little disconcerting. - -“I am sorry,” she said, “but we really don't know French well enough to -follow your conversation! You were talking about us, I think. Perhaps -you would be kind enough to repeat your remarks in English?” - -“Oh-h, it doesn't matter! It was nothing at all important!” Rosalind -flushed, and had the grace to look a trifle ashamed of her own -ill-breeding, but she did not by any means appreciate the reproof. -The girls had not been ten minutes in the house, and already that -aggravating Peggy Saville had succeeded in making her feel humiliated -and uncomfortable. The same thing happened whenever they met. The -respect, and awe, and adoring admiration which she was accustomed to -receive from other girls of her own age, seemed altogether wanting in -Peggy's case, and yet, strange to say, the very fact that she refused -to fall down and worship invested Peggy with a peculiar importance in -Rosalind's eyes. She longed to overcome her prejudices and add her -name to the list of her adorers, and to this end she considered her -tastes in a way which would never have occurred to her in connection -with Mrs. Asplin's daughters. In planning the pink luncheon Peggy had -been continually in her mind, and it is doubtful whether she would have -taken the trouble to arrange so difficult an entertainment had not -the party from the vicarage included that important personage, Miss -Mariquita Saville. - -From the bedroom the girls adjourned to the morning-room, where Lady -Darcy sat waiting, but almost as soon as they had exchanged greetings, -the gong sounded to announce luncheon, and they walked across the hall -aglow with expectation. - -The table looked exquisite, and the guests stood still in the doorway -and gasped with admiration. The weather outside was grey and murky, -but tall standard lamps were placed here and there, and the light -which streamed from beneath the pink silk shades gave an air of warmth -and comfort to the room. Down the centre of the table lay a slip of -looking-glass on which graceful long-necked swans seemed to float -to and fro, while troughs filled with soft, pink blossoms formed a -bordering. Garlands of pink flowers fell from the chandelier and were -attached to the silver candelabra in which pink candles burned with -clear and steady flare. Glass, china, ornaments were all of the same -dainty colour, and beside each plate was a dainty little buttonhole -nosegay, with a coral-headed pin, all ready to be attached to the dress -or coat of the owner. - -“It's--it's beautiful!” cried Mellicent ecstatically, while Peggy's -beauty-loving eye turned from one detail to another with delighted -approbation. “Really,” she said to herself in astonishment, “I couldn't -have done it better myself! It's quite admirable!” and as Rosalind's -face peered inquiringly at her beneath the canopy of flowers she nodded -her head, and smiled in generous approval. - -“Beautiful! Charming! I congratulate you! Did you design it, and -arrange everything yourself!” - -“Mother and I made it up between us. We didn't do the actual work, but -we told the servants what to do, and saw that it was all right. The -flowers and bon-bons are easy enough to manage; it's the things to eat -that are the greatest trouble.” - -“It seems to be too horribly prosaic to eat anything at such a table, -except crumpled rose-leaves like the princess in the fairy tale,” said -Peggy gushingly, but at this Mellicent gave an exclamation of dismay, -and the three big lads turned their eyes simultaneously towards the -soup tureen as if anxious to assure themselves that they were not to be -put off with such ethereal rations. - -The soup was pink. “Tomato!” murmured Peggy to herself, as she raised -the first creamy spoonful to her lips. The fish was covered with -thick pink sauce; tiny little cutlets lurked behind ruffles of pink -paper; pink baskets held chicken souffles; moulds of pink cream and -whipped-up syllabus were handed round in turns, and looked so tempting -that Mellicent helped herself at once, and nearly shed tears of -mortification on finding that they were followed by distracting pink -ices, which were carried away again before she could possibly finish -what was on her plate. Then came dessert-plates and finger-glasses, -in which crystallised rose-leaves floated in the scented water, as if -in fulfilment of Peggy's suggestion of an hour before, and the young -people sat in great contentment, eating rosy apples, bananas pared and -dipped in pink sugar, or helping themselves to the delicious bon-bons -which were strewed about the table. - -While they were thus occupied the door opened and Lord Darcy came -into the room. He had not appeared before, and he shook hands with -the visitors in turn, and then stood at the head of the table looking -about him with a slow, kindly smile. Peggy watched him from her seat, -and thought what a nice face he had, and wondered at the indifferent -manner in which he was received by his wife and daughter. Lady Darcy -leant back in her chair and played with her fruit, the sleeves of -her pink silk tea-gown falling back from her white arms. Rosalind -whispered to Max, and neither of them troubled to cast so much as a -glance of welcome at the new-comer. Peggy thought of her own father, -the gallant soldier out in India, of the joy and pride with which his -comings and goings were watched; of Mr. Asplin in the vicarage with -his wife running to meet him, and Mellicent resting her curly head on -his shoulder, and the figure of the old lord standing unnoticed at the -head of his own table assumed a pathetic interest. It seemed, however, -as if Lord Darcy were accustomed to be overlooked, for he showed no -signs of annoyance; On the contrary, his face brightened, and he looked -at the pretty scene with sparkling eyes. The room was full of a soft -rosy glow, the shimmer of silver and crystal was reflected in the sheet -of mirror, and beneath the garlands of flowers the young faces of the -guests glowed with pleasure and excitement. He looked from one to the -other--handsome Max, dandy Oswald, Robert with his look of strength -and decision; then to the girls--Esther, gravely smiling, wide-eyed -Mellicent; Peggy, with her eloquent, sparkling eyes; Rosalind, a queen -of beauty among them all; finally to the head of the table where sat -his wife. - -“I must congratulate you, dear,” he said heartily. “It is the prettiest -sight I have seen for a long time. You have arranged admirably, but -that's no new thing; you always do. I don't know where you get your -ideas. These wreaths--eh? I've never seen anything like them before. -What made you think of fastening them up there?” - -“I have had them like that several times before, but you never notice -a thing until its novelty is over, and I am tired to death of seeing -it,” said his wife with a frown, and an impatient curve of the lip as -if she had received a rebuke instead of a compliment. - -Peggy stared at her plate, felt Robert shuffle on his chair by her -side, and realised that he was as embarrassed and unhappy as herself. -The beautiful room with its luxurious appointments seemed to have -suddenly become oppressive and cheerless, for in it was the spirit -of discontent and discord between those who should have been most in -harmony. Esther was shocked, Mellicent frightened, the boys looked -awkward and uncomfortable. No one ventured to break the silence, and -there was quite a long pause before Lady Darcy spoke again in quick, -irritable tones. - -“Have you arranged to get away with me on Thursday, as I asked you?” - -“My dear, I cannot. I explained before. I am extremely sorry, but I -have made appointments which I cannot break. I could take you next week -if you would wait.” - -“I can't wait. I told you I had to go to the dentist's. Do you wish -me to linger on in agony for another week? And I have written to Mrs. -Bouverie that I will be at her ‘At Home’ on Saturday. My appointments -are, at least, as binding as yours. It isn't often that I ask you to -take me anywhere, but when it is a matter of health, I do think you -might show a little consideration.” - -Lord Darcy drew his brows together and bit his moustache. Peggy -recalled Robert's description of the “governor looking wretched” when -he found himself compelled to refuse a favour, and did not wonder that -the lad was ready to deny himself a pleasure rather than see that -expression on his father's face. The twinkling light had died out of -his eyes and he looked old, and sad, and haggard, far more in need -of physical remedies than his wife, whose “agony” had been so well -concealed during the last two hours as to give her the appearance of -a person in very comfortable health. Rosalind alone looked absolutely -unruffled, and lay back in her chair nibbling at her bon-bon as though -such scenes were of too frequent occurrence between her parents to be -deserving of attention. - -“If you have made up your mind to go to-morrow, and cannot go alone, -you must take Robert with you, Beatrice, for I cannot leave. It is only -for four days, and Mr. Asplin will no doubt excuse him if you write and -explain the circumstances.” - -Lord Darcy left the room and Robert and Peggy exchanged agonised -glances. Go away for nearly a week, when before two days were over the -calendar must be sent to London, and there still remained real hard -work before it was finished! Peggy sat dazed and miserable, seeing the -painful effort of the last month brought to naught, Robert's ambition -defeated, and her own help of no avail. That one glance had shown the -lad's face flushed with emotion, but when his mother spoke to him in -fretful tones, bidding him be ready next morning when she should call -in the carriage on her way to the station, he answered at once with -polite acquiescence. - -“Very well, mater, I won't keep you waiting. I shall be ready by -half-past ten if you want me.” - -(_To be continued._) - -[Illustration] - - - - -THREE GIRL-CHUMS, AND THEIR LIFE IN LONDON ROOMS. - -BY FLORENCE SOPHIE DAVSON. - - -CHAPTER IV. - -JANE MAKES HERSELF USEFUL. - -“I met Norah Villiers yesterday, girls,” said Ada Orlingbury to her -sister and Marion as they all took their seats at the breakfast-table -on a gusty February morning. - -“I wonder you had the audacity to speak to anyone so grand!” laughed -Jane. - -Norah Villiers was an old school friend who had married a very wealthy -man. - -“Oh, Norah is very sensible! She never had any nonsense about her! Her -money has not turned her head, as happens to some people. She looked -perfectly charming in a sweet little toque all over violets, and she -was so pleased to see me. But I could not help laughing to myself to -find how very elderly and staid she had grown. Not in appearance, you -know, but in manner.” - -“I suppose she gave a great deal of motherly advice for the benefit of -three young things living together in an unprotected condition!” said -Jennie. “What did she advise? Burglar-proof window fasteners, or cork -soles, or what?” - -“Don't talk nonsense, Jane!” said Ada severely. “She has made some -excellent discoveries in the course of her housekeeping, and now that -she is so wealthy she hails any very economical discovery with glee, -as so many do when there is no longer any reason to restrict oneself -within narrow limits. We talked for ten minutes on the subject of -Australian meat, and she charged me solemnly to deliver the glorious -news to you.” - -“What news?” asked Marion smiling. - -“Norah declares that hardly anybody knows how to cook Australian meat -properly; but that when it is treated in the right way, it is as good -as any meat for which one could wish. And as it is much cheaper, that -is good news to us if it be true.” - -“What does she recommend should be done to it?” asked Jane. “It has -always been tough whenever I have tasted it.” - -“She says it should be properly thawed,” went on Ada. “You see one -forgets that as it is frozen meat it must be thawed before it can be -cooked. The consequence is that as a rule when the meat is supposed to -be cooking, it is only thawing. Norah says that the meat should hang -in the kitchen for the whole of the day before it is wanted, and then -should be put quite near the fire for an hour before ever you attempt -to cook it at all.” - -“Well, we will certainly try it,” said Marion. “I think Mrs. Villiers -might be able to afford herself English-fed beef, but I have few -prejudices, and I am glad to hear of anything economical.” - -“Well, let us then,” said Ada; “for Norah was so urgent in the matter -that I should not like to have to face her again unless I could assure -her with a clear conscience that I have taken her advice.” - -“Well, on Thursday, then,” Marion agreed. “I will get in the mutton -on Wednesday morning, and it shall hang in our spacious kitchen all -the day before. All meat is better for hanging, and I often regret our -delicious country joints.” - -“You certainly always had splendid meat at Hawthornburrow,” said Ada. -“I remember hearing one of the curates from Fosley admiring it to my -father. But I thought it was because of those black-faced little sheep -that your father always buys.” - -“Partly that,” answered Marion, “but principally on account of the long -hanging of all the meat. We often have joints hanging for a fortnight -if the weather is cold--hanging with the thick end upwards, I mean, so -that the juices shall not run out. Consequently the flavour of the meat -is infinitely improved.” - -“Marion talks like an elderly farmer!” cried Jane. “So much solid -wisdom is overpowering to my giddy brain. Never mind, dear,” she went -on, patting Marion's head, “we all appreciate it very much. I can't -imagine what we should do if we had to go and live in a boarding-house -now that we have become accustomed to your nice cosy little ways. Oh,” -she cried suddenly as she helped herself to some marmalade, “to-day is -Shrove Tuesday, and we must have some pancakes! I will fry them all if -you will make the batter for them. No, I shall be home early and I will -perform the whole operation. _Gare aux crêpes!_” - -Making pancakes was Jane's favourite occupation as far as cooking was -concerned. So the others laughingly acquiesced. - -“How did they teach beginners to toss pancakes at the cookery school?” -asked Marion. - -“Oh, the teacher did the first one, and then we tried! There is no -need to toss them really, you know; they are equally nice if you just -slide a hot knife underneath when they are cooked on one side and turn -it gently over. But, of course, no one was satisfied until she could -toss them. I have seen an enthusiast work away with one long-suffering -pancake until she could toss it and catch it again with ease, and each -time it missed the pan, the blacker grew the pancake and the redder -her face. How we laughed when it spun across the floor into a bowl of -water! There is a great deal in not jerking the pan to the right or -left, but just lifting your arm straight up when you toss it.” - -“Very well, you shall give us a practical demonstration to-night and -work off your superfluous energy,” said Marion as she helped Jane on -with her jacket. “Ada and I will sit in state at the table and wait for -relays.” - -So a little before dinner-time Jennie went into the kitchen, first -donning her professional apron and sleeves. - -As she wanted the pancakes to be extra good, she allowed herself two -eggs. She put four ounces of flour in a basin and stirred in the two -eggs one by one with the back of a wooden spoon (first removing the -tread and keeping the mixture very smooth). Then she stirred in half a -pint of milk by degrees and beat all well with the front of the spoon. -She then melted about two ounces of butter in a small saucepan and took -off the scum and poured it off into a measure. This was to prevent the -pancakes from sticking to the pan, as they would have done if she had -left the scum (which is the salt) on. Before each pancake was made, a -little of this was poured into the frying-pan to grease it well, and -then poured off again. - -For each pancake she poured about a tablespoonful and a half of the -batter into the pan, doing this off the fire as, if it is done on the -stove, the batter sets quickly and cannot be run over the bottom of the -pan quickly enough to make nice thin pancakes. - -She ran the batter round the edge of the pan, and then tilted it -quickly so that the bottom was quite covered. Then putting the pan -over the stove she shook it briskly, loosening it at the edges with a -knife; and as soon as it was a light golden brown she lifted it off the -stove and tossed it deftly in the air, so that it fell in the pan with -the cooked side uppermost. A few seconds more over the fire and it was -done. Now to turn it on to a warm plate, squeeze lemon-juice and sift -castor sugar over, and roll up is short work. She had two hot plates; -one to turn the pancakes out on to, and the other to put them on when -folded over. When the last pancake had been made there was a goodly -pile of twelve upon the dish which Jane carried triumphantly to the -sitting-room, first sifting them with castor sugar. It was as well that -Abigail did not care much for pancakes, for alas! there were none left. - -True to her promise, Marion provided some Australian mutton in the -course of the week, and treated it according to Mrs. Villiers's -directions. She bought the thick half of a leg of mutton on Wednesday -morning, and all that day it hung in the kitchen on a hook. The hook -went into one of the joists, and so was perfectly firm. She cut a -fillet of about a third of an inch thick to keep for Friday's dinner, -and cut it as for veal cutlet in round pieces about the size of the top -of a tea-cup. These she egged, and fried a golden-brown, and served -round a pile of mashed potatoes. On Thursday they had the rest of the -joint boiled to a turn, surrounded by turnips cooked with the meat. -Marion was too practical a cook to fall into the usual error of letting -a so-called “boiled” joint actually boil for more than a minute or -two, and so become hard. The joint, which weighed four pounds when the -fillet was removed, was put in the fish-kettle, with enough cold water -to cover it, and was brought very slowly to the boil. It was allowed -to boil for two minutes, and then was well skimmed; then the turnips -were put in, the lid put on again, the heat was lowered, and the joint -kept barely at simmering-point for an hour. All this was done in the -morning. An hour before dinner the joint was put on the stove again to -finish cooking and re-heat; it was then put quickly on a hot dish, and -parsley sauce poured over. The joint was beautifully tender, and the -water in which it was cooked was used for making a delicious carrot -soup on the following day, and which preceded the fillets, fried as we -have described. Marion always arranged her dinners at the beginning -of the week, and she found it would be more convenient to have the -boiled joint on the day before the fillet, as the soup made from the -stock would come in so nicely before a little meat dish like the fried -fillets. - -The small amount of mutton that remained was minced finely and made -into some meat patties for Sunday's supper. - -This is the dinner list for the week. They had fried bacon for -breakfast on the mornings on which they did not take porridge. - -_Monday._ - - Milk Soup. - Toad in the Hole. - Artichokes. - Baked Potatoes. - Apple Dumplings. - -_Tuesday._ - - Lentil Soup. - Fried Lemon Sole. - New Carrots à la Flamande. - Pancakes. - -_Wednesday._ - - (High Tea.) Curried Scallops and Rice. - Dough Nuts. - -_Thursday._ - - Boiled Mutton and Turnips. - Parsley Sauce. - Welsh Rare Bit. - -_Friday._ - - Carrot Soup. - Fried Mutton Cutlets. - Mashed Potatoes. - Rice Pudding. - -_Saturday._ - - Fried Steak and Onions. - Boiled Potatoes. - Steamed Marmalade Pudding. - -_Sunday._ - - Roast Fowl. - Baked Potatoes. - Oranges in Snow. - -The last-named dish is such a pretty one, and so exceedingly nice, that -as Marion does not mind we will give the recipe in full. - -_Oranges in Snow._--Make a syrup of half a pint of water and half a -pound of loaf sugar. Pare six oranges very carefully and put them in -the syrup; let them simmer very gently until they are perfectly tender -but quite whole. Lift them carefully out with a fish-slice, and put -in two ounces of tapioca. Let the tapioca cook until clear and soft -in the syrup, by which time most of the syrup will be absorbed. Pour -this into a glass dish and let it get cold, stand the oranges upon it, -sweeten some whipped cream and pile it upon them, and decorate with a -few hundreds and thousands sprinkled over. - -Now follows the food account for the week. - - £ s. d. - 1¼ lb. rump steak 0 1 3 - 5 lb. mutton at 7d. (Australian) 0 2 11 - ¼ lb. suet 0 0 1½ - 1 lb. fat for rendering 0 0 2 - 1 lb. apples 0 0 3 - ½ pint lentils 0 0 1½ - Flavouring vegetables 0 0 2 - Turnips 0 0 3 - Carrots for soup 0 0 3 - New carrots 0 0 4 - Onions 0 0 1½ - Lemon sole 0 0 10 - 15 eggs 0 1 3 - 2 lbs. bacon 0 1 4 - Fowl 0 2 6 - 1 lb. cheese 0 0 7 - 9 scallops 0 0 9 - 1 lb. marmalade 0 0 6 - 1 lb. tea 0 1 8 - Tin of cocoa 0 0 6 - 1 lb. Demerara 0 0 1¾ - 1 lb. loaf 0 0 2 - 8 loaves 0 2 2 - Milk 0 1 9 - Cream 0 0 6 - 8 lbs. potatoes 0 0 6½ - 1 lb. artichokes 0 0 1½ - 1 quartern household flour 0 0 5½ - -------------- - £1 1 8¾ - -------------- - -(_To be continued._) - - - - -THE RULING PASSION. - - -CHAPTER II. - -The next morning was clear and bright. It was one of those mornings -that sometimes come in February to tell even Londoners that spring has -really started on her journey northward, and that she may be expected -to arrive some time soon. - -The sun shone, a fresh, but not cold, wind blew from the south-west, -hurrying the soft golden clouds across the sky, and the sparrows had -actually begun their spring quarrels. - -The Professor, contrary to his usual habit, took no notice of these -nice things. He felt very old and weary as he set off on his journey to -the city with the same undefined feeling of misfortune that had haunted -him all night. - -He went straight to the stockbroker's office, expecting simply to have -to sign a paper or two, receive his quarterly cheque for £6 5s., cash -it at the bank, and then go quietly home again. He was surprised when -the clerk asked him to sit down. - -“I think Mr. Surtees wants to see you, Mr. Crowitzski,” he said, more -politely than usual. “He will be disengaged in a few minutes, if you -don't mind waiting. Oh, he's ready now”--as an electric bell rang three -times. - -The old man followed the clerk upstairs to the first floor, where they -paused outside a door marked “Private.” The clerk knocked softly. - -“Come in,” said a voice, and the clerk ushered the Professor into his -master's presence. - -“Good morning, Professor Crowitzski!” said the stockbroker cheerily. -“Come and sit down by the fire. You look cold. It's a fresh morning, -though the wind is sou'-west!” - -He drew a leather-covered arm-chair forward as he spoke, gently pushed -the Professor into it, and stationed himself on the hearthrug with his -back to the fire and his hands behind his back. - -He was a fresh-faced, kindly-looking man of middle age, with humorous -grey eyes, and gold spectacles, which gave him a benevolent expression. -He had undertaken the management of the poor Professor's small -investment for many years out of pure kindness of heart after hearing -his tragic history from a common friend, since dead; but he had a task -this morning that he did not relish. - -“Have you seen to-day's paper?” he began, looking keenly at his client. - -“No,” said the Professor. “I do not often see the paper. Is there any -special news?” - -“Well--er--yes, I think so. News of some importance to a good many -people, I'm afraid.” - -The old man looked up in a mildly inquiring way, and the stockbroker -continued-- - -“Fact is, those beastly South Americans are kicking up a row amongst -themselves again--quarrelsome beggars! They can't keep themselves quiet -for long! And the worst of it is, they disturb us peaceful citizens -here who only wish to lend them money to get on with!” - -A faint expression of interest began to dawn in the Professor's face. - -“I suppose,” he said, “you mean that the money market is influenced by -this kind of thing. Does it make any difference to my little income?” - -Mr. Surtees turned round and poked the fire vigorously--an unnecessary -proceeding; but the sight of that mild old face, and the knowledge -of what he had to say, made it imperative that he should relieve his -feelings somehow. - -“It's hard on the poor old chap,” he muttered to himself. “But it can't -be helped!” - -He straightened himself, looked at his client, then out of the window, -then into the fire. - -“Well, Professor,” he said slowly, “I am very sorry to say that all -South American stocks and securities are very low in the market just -now--in short, some of them have gone altogether. Clean gone!” - -Professor Crowitzski sat upright in his chair. A mist seemed to float -before his eyes; his heart began to beat as if it would choke him. He -felt as if the room were spinning round, and he grasped the arms of the -chair tightly to try to steady himself. When, after a few moments, he -spoke, his voice sounded faint and far away. - -“And--and--my--money?” he gasped, with pauses between each word. - -John Surtees looked down into the fire and gave his head a little shake. - -“Is it all gone?” said the old man in a kind of breathless voice. - -There was silence for a few moments, broken only by the ticking of the -clock on the mantelpiece and the cries of the paper boys in the street. -Then the stockbroker turned round. - -“I am exceedingly sorry to have to tell you,” he said, speaking -rather hurriedly. “It is all gone, and there is no help for it. No -one--nothing could have saved it; the panic was too sudden and too -violent. If I could have done anything, I would; but it was hopeless. -It is hard--very hard--not only on you, but on lots of other people -too. Not that that's much consolation to you!” - -The Professor sat perfectly still, as if turned to stone, gazing -straight into the fire, but seeing nothing. He was so still and silent -that Mr. Surtees began to feel alarmed as to the possible results of -the shock. He moved a step forward and gently laid his hand on the old -man's shoulder. - -“Look here, Professor,” he said kindly, “don't take it so much to -heart; your friends will be sure to look after you. If I can be of any -service to you in the way of a little loan for present use--no hurry as -to repayment, you know, just as between friends--I shall be most happy, -most happy.” - -The poor Professor drew a long breath and looked up into his face with -a vacant, unseeing expression in his eyes as of one struck blind. - -“Friends!” he said slowly and brokenly. “My friends are long dead. I -have no one left.” - -He attempted to rise, but the stockbroker pressed him down again. - -“Don't hurry away,” he said. “Stop here and rest a bit. You won't be in -my way. I'm going to give you a small brandy and soda--capital thing -for you just now.” - -He went across the room to get it out of a cupboard near the window -and was taking the stopper out of the little brandy decanter when the -sound of the Professor's voice arrested him. He had risen from the big -arm-chair and stood in the middle of the room, leaning heavily on his -stick. - -“I cannot take it,” he said, more firmly than he had yet spoken. “I -cannot take it! It is years since I tasted wine or spirits, and my head -is not clear enough. I must go home to rest and think--if I can.” - -He moved towards the door, and the stockbroker saw it was useless to -try to detain him. However, he made one more little effort. - -“You'll let me advance you five pounds for the present, at any rate,” -he said, “just as a matter of convenience, you know, till we can think -what can be done for you.” - -The old man shook his head. - -“I thank you for your kindly thought,” he said; “but I do not at -present see how I am to raise money to repay you. I have always kept -out of debt, and I am too old to work.” - -“Oh, never mind, never mind! Don't trouble yourself about that,” began -the other, but a look of such determination came back to the old -man's face that he thought it unwise to press the matter further, and -continued, “Well, we'll speak of that some other time. You'll always -find me here and glad to see you. Can you manage to get home all right? -Shall one of my clerks go with you?” - -But the Professor strenuously refused all offers of help, so Mr. -Surtees had to be contented with seeing his aged client downstairs -himself. And he stood for a moment watching his feeble progress down -the narrow court that led into busy Broad Street. - -“Poor old chap!” he said to himself. “No wonder he is hard hit if -that was his whole living. I wonder why he always would keep it in -those South American stocks?” And he returned to his own room, feeling -dissatisfied with everything in general and the money market in -particular. - -Professor Crowitzski got back to his little room in Green Street rather -before one. He sat down in his old chair near the fireplace, leaned -back, and closed his eyes with a sense of weariness and despair that -made him half wish the end might come then and there. He was utterly -crushed by the weight of his misfortune, and he felt quite unable to -think of any means by which he might be able to live out the small -remnant of his life outside the workhouse. - -He had not taken off his old Inverness cloak, and as he put his hands -into the deep pockets to try to get them a little warm he felt a folded -sheet of paper. He drew it out mechanically and looked at it absently; -it was the programme for the next Monday's concert. - -Instantly his whole mental attitude changed. Music, the ruling passion -and great love of his whole life, asserted itself once more. Cold, -hunger, the need of money, the workhouse, and starvation, all faded -from his mind, and he was in the world of glorious sound. - -What a fine programme! Quartett, Beethoven in E minor, Op. 59. Ah, -what a beauty that was, with the glorious Adagio that no one could play -like Joachim. Ballade in F, Chopin: he glanced at his piano and smiled. -Who had ever written for the piano as an instrument like Chopin? Songs -by Schubert, divinest of song writers, and--last and best, the Clarinet -Quintett of Brahms. That would be a feast. His eyes shone as he went -to his pile of music and fished out a little well-worn volume of -Beethoven's Quartetts and a book of Schubert's songs. Then he went back -to his chair to enjoy himself for the afternoon, quite oblivious of the -fact that he had had no dinner. But the strain of the morning had been -too great, combined with the want of proper food: the sight and mental -sound of the music soothed him, though he could not long respond to its -stimulus. Little by little his head drooped, and he sank into a gentle -sleep. - -When he woke it was dusk and he bethought himself of some tea. The -old music spell was still on him, but he remembered with a shiver the -events of the morning. He realised that he must see how much money he -really possessed, and calculate how long it would last; but he made up -his mind, should it be much or little, one shilling of it must be saved -for that concert. - -He found he had ten shillings and a few coppers, five shillings being -due to his landlady for rent and sundries, and with the rest he would -have to live till Monday. He remembered that he should see Herbert -Maxwell then or on Tuesday, and he might be able to help him to -something. - -On the Monday he was at St. James's Hall at seven o'clock, but it took -him much longer than usual to climb the gallery stairs. He had to stop -to get his breath several times on the way up, and when he reached his -seat he could only sink down into it, close his eyes and remain in a -state of half stupor till the music began. He had not even the energy -to look round for Herbert, who, however, did not come. - -The first notes of the Quartett roused him to his general state of -keen, nervous, interest; indeed it seemed to him that his musical -perceptions were more sensitive than usual, and he felt as if he were -some fine instrument that was being played on, that throbbed and -vibrated in response to every chord sounded by the players on the -platform. - -The performance of the Brahms Quintett was a magnificent one, led by -that great German clarinet player Mühlfeld, who comes to England too -seldom; and at its close the players received an ovation in which the -Professor joined with all his old fire and energy: he felt quite strong -and himself again. - -It was not until he got out of his omnibus that he realised his -weakness. It was a bitter night, with a strong north-east wind blowing, -bringing with it blinding showers of sleet and hail, though the moon -shone brightly between the storms. A furious gust almost blew the frail -old man off his feet as he alighted, and the icy air made him gasp -painfully for breath, and pierced through his worn clothing to his -bones as he crawled slowly to the door of No. 9. - -He dragged himself wearily up to his room; his body felt numbed and -sluggish, but his brain was still vibrating with the music he had just -heard. He threw his hat and stick on the bed and sank down into the -little chair beside it: he must rest a little before undressing; no -need to light the lamp, the moon would break through directly--she -always shone into his room. - -Ah, that Brahms Quintett! What a heavenly thing it was. He could hear -it still; how haunting the Adagio with its mournful, pleading melody, -and then that wild fantasia for the clarinet--why--surely they are -playing it in the room beneath. Yes, there can be no mistaking the tone -of the clarinet, no one but Mühlfeld can play like that. Louder and -louder grows the passionate strain, like some agonised cry, with the -dull wailing of the muted strings beneath it. The sound fills the whole -house--louder and still louder. - - * * * * * - -“Yes, sir, the Perfesser is at 'ome, sir, though I don't rightly know -if 'e's got up yet,” said a plump, kindly-faced woman in answer to -Herbert Maxwell's question the next morning. “My daughter took 'is milk -up at nine o'clock and he wasn't movin' then. Will you walk up, sir? -Top floor on the right 'and.” - -Herbert went gaily upstairs. He felt in exuberant spirits. Things had -gone well with him beyond his wildest dreams. His career was pretty -well assured. The great singing master had undertaken to make himself -responsible for his Academy fees, to find him means of earning money -during his years of study and to help him in every possible way. -Professor Crowitzski's five pounds had not been needed, and Herbert had -it with him to return to the old man. - -He knocked softly at the door without receiving any answer, so he -knocked again a little louder, and yet again; but all was still. - -“He must sleep soundly,” thought Herbert, “or----” - -A sudden cold fear shot through him, and he opened the door and looked -in. - -The Professor was dressed in his ordinary clothes and Inverness, and -sitting on the low wooden chair at the head of his bed, which had not -been slept in. His right arm was flung across the pillow, his head -rested on his arm, his left hand lay on his knee. - -At the first glance Herbert thought he was asleep, but the stillness -of the figure and the marble whiteness of the face filled him with an -awful dread. He went swiftly across the room and gently touched his old -friend's hand, only to find the dread was a reality: he was too late. - - - -[THE END.] - - - - -ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. - - -[Illustration: RULES. - -_I. No charge is made for answering questions._ - -_II. All correspondents to give initials or pseudonym._ - -_III. The Editor reserves the right of declining to reply to any of the -questions._ - -_IV. No direct answers can be sent by the Editor through the post._ - -_V. No more than two questions may be asked in one letter, which must -be addressed to the Editor of THE GIRL'S OWN PAPER, 56, Paternoster -Row, London, E.C._ - -_VI. No addresses of firms, tradesmen, or any other matter of the -nature of an advertisement, will be inserted._] - - -MEDICAL. - -EILEEN.--Your troubles maybe due to any number of causes. The great -number of symptoms having but little connection with each other, which -you describe, strongly suggest that a large part, if not the whole, -of your trouble is due to nervousness. There is a disease which, from -the number and complexity of its symptoms, is called the protean -disease, or, in common parlance, hysteria. This affection varies from -the slightest forms of nervousness to absolute mental and physical -perversion. It is in the slighter grades of this affection that you -will find your own malady. Whether there is anything else besides this -the matter with you is impossible for us to tell. It has been our -experience that cocoa is quite as indigestible as tea or coffee, though -it produces a form of indigestion differing considerably from that -produced by tea. Drink nothing but warm milk, and take a liberal diet -of easily-digestible food. - -PRISCILLA.--Trichinosis is a very rare disease produced by eating -underdone pork. One of the tapeworms (_Tænia solium_) is far more -commonly obtained from the same cause. Both diseases are uncommon in -England, for the English eat little pork, and always cook it well -first. There is no danger of either disease from eating well-done pork. -Where pork is eaten raw--as it is in some hams and sausages--the danger -of tapeworms and trichinosis is very considerable; but it must always -be remembered that sound meat cannot produce either disease. - -INDIGESTION.--You are on the right track to treat indigestion, but you -have made one or two errors. You should not drink “plenty of water.” -The less water you drink the sooner you will be well again. You must -not take anything to digest your meals for you. Of course you are -referring to pepsin, etc. These may be taken by dyspeptics only when -they are incurable or gradually starving to death. Dyspeptics are -rendered worse by their use in the long run. You must relieve your -constipation. A teaspoonful of liquorice powder will do this very well. -Six miles daily is quite sufficient exercise. - -ANXIOUS.--If you suffer from flatulence you must attend very carefully -to your digestion and guard against constipation. The pain of wind may -often be relieved by taking half a teaspoonful of spirit of ginger or -compound tincture of cardamom in a little water. - -IN NEED OF ADVICE.--Nothing save the surgeon's knife will remove moles -from the face without great danger. The operation for removing moles -is practically free from danger; but it is not always advisable. The -best way to remove the hair which grows upon moles is to shave it off -or bleach it with peroxide of hydrogen. Electrolysis is sometimes used -to destroy hairs on moles, but it is infinitely inferior to, and more -dangerous than, excision of the whole mole. Moles very rarely grow -quickly; indeed, usually they grow less rapidly than does their bearer. -If you have a mole which suddenly begins to grow rapidly, go to a -surgeon at once, for in all probability it has altered its character -and become a serious disease. - -BRUNETTE.--Dandruff and falling hair are usually present together, for -the former is one of the commonest causes of the latter. Wash your head -once a week in warm water and borax (one teaspoonful of borax to a pint -of water). Wash the scalp particularly well, and thoroughly dry both -the scalp and the hair afterwards. When the hair is quite dry, rub a -very little sulphur ointment into the scalp. It is no good applying -this to the hair itself. It is the scalp and hair-roots which need the -ointment. Use a hair-wash of cantharides and rosemary. - -IRIS.--1. If you use peroxide of hydrogen to bleach your hands, do -not put it in the water you wash in. Get from your chemist “hydrogen -peroxide 10 vols.” Dilute this with three parts of water, and dip your -hands in the solution once a day. This can do you no harm. Whether it -will do what you want it to do is another question. Sometimes it serves -its purpose; usually it fails.--2. Orris-root is the root of the iris, -and not of the violet as is so commonly thought. - -M. O.--You suffer from the double complaint of indigestion and feeble -circulation. You must be very careful what you eat, avoid excess of -starchy foods, sugar, alcohol, tea, coffee, and cocoa. But take a good -nourishing diet. The pills will do you good; but you must be very -careful to guard against constipation. Take a fair amount of exercise. -Take a small dose of bicarbonate of soda when you are troubled with -fulness after meals. - -AN OLD READER.--We think it quite improbable that your brother will -derive any benefit from smoking. In fact, we think that it will simply -make him worse. - -EMILY.--It is very difficult for us to advise you what to do, for -the information that you give us is too scanty to enable us to form -a just idea of your condition. You should have told us your age, and -occupation, and habits of life, for it is necessary to know these -before treating any complaint. The stiffness in your arms may be due -to rheumatism or it may not. You might try gentle massage and friction -with camphor or soap liniment over the joints of your arms. For your -other troubles we cannot help you without information as to what they -are and how they originated. - -GLADYS.--The chief causes of somnolence are overwork, insufficient -sleep, underfeeding, overfeeding, indigestion, anæmia and other forms -of physical weakness; and lastly hysteria and nervous exhaustion. -From which of these are you suffering? Seven and a half hours' sleep -daily is sufficient; but, if you could, we advise you to give yourself -another hour. Do you eat properly? Do you eat sufficient, or do you eat -inordinately? Do you have indigestion or fulness after meals? All these -make you feel sleepy. Are you in any way unwell? Do you feel the cold -severely, or have any symptom which would suggest that your circulation -was not what it should be? Are you at all nervous, or do you belong -to a nervous family? This last more commonly causes wakefulness than -sleepiness. Lastly, are you worse in the morning or the evening? If you -are all right in the morning, but tire and get sleepy as the day wears -on, then we must look for a physical cause of your trouble. If you are -worse in the morning than you are later in the day, then the cause is -probably nervous. To cure yourself of your trouble you must find out -and remove the cause. Take an extra hour's sleep if you can manage it. -Look carefully to your digestion; many forms of dyspepsia give rise to -scarcely any symptoms except sleepiness. - -ALICE.--Read the advice we gave to “Anxious.” You must be very careful -about your digestion, and take the minimum amount of fluid that you -can. Let your diet be as solid but as digestible as possible. - -SUFFERER.--You had far better see a physician, for you may be -seriously ill, and it is quite beyond our power to help you. As regards -hot-bottles, they should never be filled with boiling water, and should -always be provided with jackets or wrapped in flannel. You are not the -only person whose legs have been burnt through ignorance of the proper -use of hot-bottles. - - -STUDY AND STUDIO. - -COUNTRY LASS.--By far your best course would be to enter some small -ladies' school, where you would associate with well-educated women. -We do not think the scheme you mention would be very feasible. It is -difficult for us to mention any one school; the fees (unless under -special arrangements) would vary from £50 to £100 a year. Would you -like to go on the Continent? If so, we should advise Lausanne. Perhaps -you can give us a few more particulars. - -IRIS.--1. You might procure Creighton's _First History of France_, -published at 3s. 6d., or Smith's _Student's History_, published at -7s. 6d. There is a book by Charlotte Yonge--_Aunt Charlotte's Stories -from French History_--but we do not know it.--2. A thunderbolt, in -the sense of a metallic substance, or bolt, hurled through the air -by a thunderstorm, does not exist. The term is properly applied to -the stream of electrical fluid passing from the clouds to the earth. -Aërolites, or meteoric stones, have no connection with thunderstorms. -Two questions are our limit. - -EMERALD.--We are sorry we cannot tell you of a good grammar of the -Irish language. Perhaps some correspondent, noting your wish to obtain -one, may help you. - -PATEETH.--1. Write to the publishers of any of Jerome K. Jerome's -works, and inquire for the recitation in question.--2. We do not know -of any way of disposing of silver paper. Inquire at a confectioner's. - -DOROTHY will find the poem “Nothing to Wear” in Alfred Mile's American -Reciter, price 6d. - -“THE ELDEST GIRL.”--Certainly we do not object to our girl-readers -“writing about the articles and stories in the paper, saying what they -like and dislike in them,” so long as the letters are as pleasant and -courteous as your own. - -FELICIA.--Your quotation-- - - “The mighty master smiled to see - That love was in the next degree,” - -is from _Alexander's Feast_, by Dryden. - -ARITHMETICIAN.--Many thanks for your solution of the problem in our -August number. - -AMATEUR SOCIETY.--We have received a notice of “The Budget” Manuscript -Magazine Club; subjects optional; good criticism; two prizes yearly. -Address, Miss Louise M. Larner, 22, Ladbroke Road, Notting Hill, W. - -ZINGARA.--1. We do not recommend books on fortune-telling by cards.--2. -We have observed in one or two of the larger weekly illustrated ladies' -papers that character is described in the correspondence column from -handwriting. A glance through these papers at any public library will -inform you where to apply. - -BESSIE MATTHEWS.--Your letter is beautifully written, and the white ink -on the blue paper is very pretty, if a little too dazzling for ordinary -use. We thank you for your information, which we repeat elsewhere. - -CISSIE (Southend).--You do not give us your Christian name, which we -require for International Correspondence. “R.” is not enough. - -PHŒBE WILSON.--There is a picture in the National Gallery, we believe, -of the first title you mention, but it is quite impossible for us -to tell you either the painter or the value of your pictures by the -names alone. You should let a local picture-dealer see them in the -first instance, and if they are thought to be of value, you might send -photographs or a rough sketch of them to “Christie, Manson & Woods,” or -“Agnew's,” New Bond Street, London, asking for information. - -MERCIA.--We do not consider you at all too old to begin to study at a -school of art. With perseverance and diligence you will doubtless make -rapid progress. These are the great requisites; a very youthful age is -a secondary consideration. - -E. W. H.--The teacher who trains your voice will tell you whether it -is a contralto, mezzo, or soprano. We should consider that F or G was -about the lowest note for a contralto; but it is for the master who -teaches you to judge of the compass of your voice, not for you to -inform him of its range. - - -OUR OPEN LETTER BOX. - -MISS DOROTHEA KNIGHT, Keswick Old Hall, Norwich, wishes us to say that -if any reader of THE GIRL'S OWN PAPER who collects postage stamps cares -to send her some duplicates, she will send some in exchange by return -of post. - -BRIAR ROSE informs “Last Hymn” that the recitation of that name is in -one of Buchanan's “Penny Pathetic Readings,” and is also published -under another title--“The Haven”--in the _Victorian Reciter_, edited by -Bernard Batigan, of Hull, price 1s. - -BESSIE MATTHEWS, 3, High Street, Cheltenham, offers to send “Last -Hymn” a copy of the poem on application, and informs SAXIFRAGA that -“The False Light of Rosilly” is in the _Prize Reciter_ for May, -1897, to be obtained from the office of _Great Thoughts_. It is also -contained in Childe Pemberton's Poems, published by Messrs. Ward, Lock -& Co. We commend this information to BRIAR ROSE. - - -GIRLS' EMPLOYMENTS. - -MARGARET MARSHFIELD (_Civil Service_).--Please read our reply to -“Wood Violet” last week. The examination fee is only a shilling, so -there is no obstacle in that part of the matter. But there are other -difficulties. You could only now offer yourself for appointment as a -female sorting clerk, or telegraph learner in the provinces; and to do -this you must obtain a nomination from a local postmaster to be sent to -the Postmaster-General. You have then to pass the examination. You ask -what we think of your writing and composition. The writing is very neat -and clear, but composition is a trifle shaky. To say “mother's helps -(our only other resource) seems to be so overstocked” is not first-rate -English, though we understand what is meant. But why should your only -other resource be to become a mother's help? Can it be because you -think it would be derogatory to you to fill one of the more recognised -positions in household service? If so, we would persuade you to reflect -on the superior advantages enjoyed by a children's nurse, a cook and -a parlourmaid. All these persons, as soon as they have obtained a -fair amount of experience, can command good wages and an ample choice -of situations. No doubt there is some little trouble in obtaining a -first place; nevertheless, many ladies are willing to teach an active, -hardworking woman, if the latter, on her side, will accept a small -amount of payment during the period of apprenticeship. It really seems -to us best that you should turn your thoughts towards domestic service; -though, if you could afford to spend a little time and money, we should -also have recommended you to learn laundry-work. - -AZALEA (_Teaching in France or Germany_).--It is almost impossible for -an English teacher to obtain employment in France; but in Germany there -is less difficulty, provided that the teacher has high qualifications. -We recommend you to apply to the Foreign Registry of the Girls' -Friendly Society, 10, Holbein Place, Sloane Square, S.W.; Miss Nash, -Superintendent of the Home for British and American Governesses, 22, -Kleinheerenstrasse, Berlin, might also be able to advise you, but you -ought to furnish the fullest account of your general education and -professional training. - -SINCERITY (_Rural Nursing_).--If you could go to a large London -hospital training-school and remain there a year, so as to qualify you -to become a Jubilee District Nurse, you would, from a professional -point of view, be doing the best for yourself; but we think the work -of cottage nurse on the Holt-Ockley system would probably be quite as -congenial to you, and the likelihood of your obtaining an engagement -would be greater. You should apply for further particulars to the Hon. -Secretary, Mrs. Lee Steere, The Cottage, Ockley. - -FREDA (_Evening Employment_).--Such work, especially if it is only -addressing envelopes, is peculiarly hard to obtain. You might consult -the Secretary for Promoting the Employment of Women, 22, Berners -Street, W., but we fear she will only be able to say the same. - -ANXIOUS TO KNOW (_Missionary Work_).--You had better make known your -wish to become a missionary to the Women's Mission Association, 19, -Delahay Street, Westminster, S.W., or to the Society for Promoting -Female Education in the East, 267, Vauxhall Bridge Road. You would -probably be required to undergo a course of preparation. Missionaries -are supported by the societies which employ them, but only of course in -a simple manner. - - -MISCELLANEOUS. - -INQUISITIVE.--You should read Charles Kingsley's _Heroes_. That would -give you all information about the heathen mythology, or system of -myths, and ancient hallucinations respecting their false gods. Apollo -was the reputed son of Jupiter and Latona, also called Phœbus, supposed -to be the god of the fine arts and originator of poetry, music, and -elocution. Besides the names already given, he was called Delius, -Cynthius, Pæan, and Delphicus. He is represented as a handsome young -man, with an almost feminine face, and beardless, holding a bow from -which an arrow has been discharged. This refers to the fable that the -Serpent Python had been destroyed by his arrows. Evil foreboded is -represented by the “Sword of Damocles,” who was set down to a splendid -banquet by the tyrant Dionysius (the elder), a sword being suspended -over his head by a hair or thread. Thus the miserable courtier dared -not to stir lest the slightest draught or vibration should bring it -down upon his head. - -ANXIOUS MARIA.--Because you may be full of faults, and weak in times -of temptation, feeble in faith and too lukewarm in love and zeal, you -would not be thereby justified in adding a fresh act of disobedience by -drawing back from the Lord's Table and neglecting to obey one of His -last commands. If you were to wait till really worthy in reference to -sanctification, you would “draw back to perdition,” it is to be feared. -Remember that, however faulty you may justly feel yourself to be, you -can go to your divine Redeemer, “washed, sanctified, and justified” in -His Name. - - “All the fitness he requireth - Is to feel your need of Him,” - -and with that feeling to pray for His grace, and to “strive to enter in -by the straight gate.” A battle has to be fought. Do not forget that. - -CARNATION inquires, “Are tomatoes healthy?” We fancy but very few of -them are diseased. Those that lie long on the ground during wet weather -do not remain so long. That, as an article of food, they conduce to our -health is absolutely proved. Few vegetables are more wholesome. Ladies -do not rise, if seated, when men address them. - -DOT.--You should say, “It is I” (not “me”). The former is used in the -nominative case, and the latter the accusative. But you should not say, -“between you and I,” but “between you and me.” If you wish to speak -correctly, be careful how you employ adjectives. You misapply the word -“beautiful” when you say “beautiful butter,” or jam, or fat; but you -may use it very correctly as regards a landscape, a flower, a rainbow, -or any work of art. Also the word “delicious” is often unsuitably -employed, such as when applied to a joint of meat, or a book. To apply -it to fruit would be more suitable. The words which should often be -employed as a substitute for “delicious” are “excellent,” “nice,” or -“good.” The word “beautiful” is correctly used with reference to form, -and colouring, and combinations of the latter. Another very commonly -misused word is “expect,” “I expect she is,” etc. The word “expect” has -reference to the future, and the speaker's anticipations in connection -with it; “she is,” denotes the present and already existing condition, -and the two cannot be used together. This misapplication of the term -has come from over the Atlantic. You will find much to assist you as -to right and wrong employment of words in that useful book _Enquire -Within_. See pages 163-174. - -IGNORAMUS.--All invitations are given by the mistress of the house, -though she should include her husband's name in giving them; and all -replies should be directed to her, although, inside, you thank for -their united invitation. The house is the woman's domain, and she -“guides” it. - -JOAN.--The beneficial influence, or the reverse, of allowing ivy to -grow over the walls of a house has been a question of difference -of opinion. Formerly it was condemned as harbouring moisture, and -liable to injure the health of the occupants. Now it is said that the -overlapping leaves preserve the walls from the rain, and they are found -to be quite dry beneath them. It is also said that it renders a house -cool in summer, and warm in winter. But there is a drawback, and that -is that it brings insects of all kinds into the rooms--spiders, flies, -earwigs, and woodlice. Whatever you may prefer to do in reference to -its growth on your house, it is an unmitigated evil on trees, and it -should always be sawn through, and then rooted up. - -MORA.--Much depends on the species of palm, as to the watering they -require. Also, they must not be exposed to a draught. Perhaps yours -is not one that would grow tall under any circumstances. As we know -nothing about it (for you give no particulars), we cannot help you. - -BROWNIE.--We cannot do better than refer you to the articles on the -care of the hands by “Medicus.” See vol. xiii., page 358. Doubtless -you have been out without gloves, and the sun has tanned them. The -very narrow rim of insensible skin that surrounds the nail preserves -the true skin from being torn and made sore at its termination at the -quick. Of course it will not bear rough usage, for if cut or cracked, -the tender skin behind it, which it is designed to protect, will -naturally become sore. Wear gloves until quite healed. - - * * * * * - -[Transcriber's note.--The following changes have been made to this text: - -Page 253: crépes changed to crêpes.] - - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Girl's Own Paper, Vol. XX, No. -994, January 14, 1899, by Various - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GIRL'S OWN PAPER, JAN 14, 1899 *** - -***** This file should be named 53427-0.txt or 53427-0.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/3/4/2/53427/ - -Produced by Susan Skinner, Chris Curnow, Pamela Patten and -the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at -http://www.pgdp.net - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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