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diff --git a/old/66730-0.txt b/old/66730-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 86f04f3..0000000 --- a/old/66730-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,2778 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Girl's Own Paper, Vol. VIII, No. -374, February 26, 1887, 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 -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: The Girl's Own Paper, Vol. VIII, No. 374, February 26, 1887 - -Author: Various - -Release Date: November 14, 2021 [eBook #66730] - -Language: English - -Produced by: Susan Skinner and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team - at https://www.pgdp.net - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GIRL'S OWN PAPER, VOL. -VIII, NO. 374, FEBRUARY 26, 1887 *** - - - - - -[Illustration: THE GIRL’S OWN PAPER] - -VOL. VIII.—NO. 374.] FEBRUARY 26, 1887. [PRICE ONE PENNY. - - - - -A FAMILY LIKENESS. - -BY ISABELLA FYVIE MAYO. - -[Illustration: - - “I TELL THEM ALL THE HOUSE IS FREE, - AND BID THEM MAKE THEMSELVES AT HOME.”] - -_All rights reserved._] - - - My parlour is a pleasant place, - I love its silence and its shade, - ’Tis like some sweet, accustomed face - So dear, it need not fear to fade: - And here I sit with folded hands, - To welcome John from foreign lands. - - You see that portrait in the room? - My great aunt’s—long ere she was wed. - Once, when my mother praised its bloom, - John turned to me and softly said - (And then at least he thought it true), - “A very lovely face—like you!” - - Don’t blame him. No. I had no wealth: - His fortune, too, was all to seek. - Though love might enter in by stealth, - He thought it was no time to speak. - So silently John went away, - And now he brings his wife to-day. - - And there they are! And this is he - (I’d know his voice if I were blind!); - And in his smiling spouse I see - A gracious beauty, fair and kind, - A stately lady—not at all - Like yon quaint picture on the wall! - - And now for all the boys and girls - Who make my old friend’s household bliss; - Oh, Johnnie, with the chestnut curls, - I’m sorry he’s too old to kiss!— - I only say, “How like his father!” - And take his hand and press it rather. - - I tell them all the house is free, - And bid them make themselves at home, - And so, with peals of laughing glee, - About the stairs and rooms they roam: - But Johnnie joins not in their rout; - He stays with us, and peers about. - - He sees that portrait on the wall - (Still hanging in the same old place); - He turns about before us all, - And says, “That is a lovely face.” - His mother rises up to see; - His father smiles, and looks at me. - - “It ought to be restored,” says he, - “It’s piteous how these beauties fade” - (Ah, the old dream is safe with me). - John has forgotten what he said! - Old picture, we’ll forget it too— - Come, Johnnie, here’s a seat for you! - -[Illustration: - - “HE SEES THE PORTRAIT ON THE WALL - STILL HANGING IN THE SAME OLD PLACE.” - - [_See page 338._] - - - - -TINNED MEATS: THEIR VALUE TO HOUSEKEEPERS. - -BY A. G. PAYNE, Author of “Common-sense Cookery,” “Choice Dishes at -Small Cost,” “The Housekeeper’s Guide,” &c. - - -PART III. - -There is no doubt that in this country the present generation is far -more luxurious than the one that preceded it. Living is to a great -extent a question of habit. At the present moment a Russian soldier -is paid at the rate of a shilling a month, and his only ration is -rye-bread baked into biscuit, washed down with a draught of water. The -British workman of the day requires a hot meat dinner, cooked from -fresh meat expressly for him alone. Were his wife to supply him with -cold meat, he would probably grumble. In the last century a labourer -was content with a piece of fat pork boiled on Sunday. Possibly in the -next century we shall have our soup kitchens for the poor altered into -turtle soup kitchens; for it is a fact that the luxuries of one century -become the necessities of the next. - -It is a question worthy of consideration whether this country has not -reached that pitch of luxury and self-indulgence which all history -teaches us is the turning-point in a nation’s greatness. Ananius, -Azarius, and Misael have told us that we thrive better on pulse and -water than on the king’s meat. Let us hope as a nation that, unlike the -king in question, seven times may not pass over us to cure us of our -luxury and pride. - -I will not enter into a description of the various uses of the more -expensive luxuries now sold in tins. I refer to truffles, cocks’ -combs, _fina cière_, _ragout_, _foie gras_, etc. Mushrooms, however, -are exceptions. They seem like gifts of nature, and, like the manna -of old, they require us to rise early and gather in our harvest -fresh, not forgetting that, like manna, they will not properly keep -till the morrow. It is, however in cases like this, when the food is -of a perishable nature, that the invention of preserving in tins is -so useful. There are probably few of what may be called accessories -to food more useful or more delicious than mushrooms. Mushrooms are -preserved in tins in two forms, by far the most common one being quite -plain in water. Were I to give a list of all the various dishes in the -composition of which mushrooms enter, I should require as many volumes -as I am allowed columns. I would, however, remind housekeepers that -small tins of mushrooms can now be obtained at sixpence each from all -respectable grocers. - -I will give one or two simple cases to illustrate the various uses to -which mushrooms can be applied. - -First, mushroom sauce. - -You can have brown mushroom sauce and white mushroom sauce. - -To make brown mushroom sauce from tinned mushrooms, open the tin of -mushrooms and add the contents, liquid and all, to about an equal -quantity of good, thick, rich, brown gravy. The mushrooms should be -chopped small, and served in the gravy just as they are. - -White mushroom sauce, which is so delicious with boiled fowl, can be -made by adding a tin of mushrooms to some good béchamel sauce. Béchamel -sauce is some very strong stock, mixed with some boiling milk, or, -still better, boiling cream, thickened with a little butter and flour. -When the tin of mushrooms is added to the white sauce, the whole should -be rubbed through a wire sieve with a wooden spoon. This helps to -thicken the sauce, and greatly adds to the flavour. - -Another simple instance of the use of mushrooms is some kind of fish -_au gratin_. Take, for instance, a sole. Dry it, flour it, and egg -and breadcrumb it in the usual manner. Next take a sixpenny tin of -mushrooms, strain off the liquor, and chop up the mushrooms finely with -a piece of onion as big as the top of the thumb down to the bottom of -the nail, a piece of lemon peel, say about the size of the thumbnail -and as thick; that is, you only use the yellow part, and not the white. -Add also sufficient chopped parsley to fill a teaspoon, as well as a -little pepper and salt. Fry all these in a frying-pan with some butter -for a few minutes, and when it is partially cooked place about half -of it in a tin sufficiently long to hold the sole. Place the sole on -the top of these chopped ingredients, and place the remainder on the -top of the sole. Pour all the butter in the frying-pan on it, and, if -necessary, add a little more butter, so as to keep the sole moist, -and bake it in the oven till the sole is done. Of course the time for -baking varies with the size of the sole and the fierceness of the oven. -When it is finished, a little finely-grated Parmesan cheese may be -shaken over the whole. Parmesan cheese can now be obtained in bottles, -the price of a small bottle being about eightpence or ninepence. The -Parmesan cheese is, however, not absolutely necessary. Also a few bread -raspings shaken over the whole gives it a finished appearance. This -dish looks a great deal better if the tin is the same shape as the -sole, and the fish served in the tin in which it is baked. Long oval -tins are sold on purpose. - -Almost any kind of fish can be served in this way, such as lemon soles, -fresh haddock, filleted brill, filleted plaice, etc. Just before the -sole _au gratin_ is sent to table many persons add about a teaspoonful -of sherry to the sauce by which it is surrounded. To my mind it is a -doubtful improvement. - -Another very excellent form of preserved mushrooms of which I cannot -speak too highly, is what is known as black Leicestershire mushrooms, -preserved in gravy. These are quite different from the ones usually -sold in tins. They are round and flat in shape, and are much more like -the ordinary mushrooms that we are accustomed to gather in the country, -being white on one side and black on the other. The way to use them -is to make the tin hot in boiling water, and then add the contents to -either a well cooked steak or chop, taking care that the red gravy that -runs out of the steak or chop is added to the gravy in the mushrooms. -It is an improvement if you have some good thick gravy, to add a -little of it to the gravy in the tin. One of these tins very greatly -improves the flavour of a dish of hash or stewed steak. I would -strongly recommend you to try the experiment of using one of these tins -the next time you have a chop or steak. They can be served just as they -are, after being made hot, in a sauce tureen, and will be found far -superior to any mushroom sauce generally met with, even when made from -freshly gathered mushrooms. The cost of a small tin of these excellent -mushrooms preserved in gravy is about sevenpence. - -We will now consider tomatoes in tins. Fresh tomatoes are now preserved -whole, and will often be found very useful. Suppose, for instance, as -we mentioned in our first article, that we are taken by surprise in a -country house far away from all shops, and we want a delicious little -entrée in a hurry. We will suppose the store cupboard to contain a tin -of tomatoes preserved whole, and also a tin of mushrooms. The dish we -are going to send to table is called tomatoes _au gratin_. We will -suppose the larder to contain a piece of cold boiled bacon, but raw -bacon would serve our purpose equally well. Take the piece of cold -boiled bacon, and with a blunt knife scrape off about two or three -tablespoonfuls of fat. Chop up very finely a tin of mushrooms with a -piece of onion, lemon peel and parsley, exactly as if we were making a -sole _au gratin_. Add a small saltspoonful of dried thyme. If the thyme -is fresh, less than half that quantity will be ample. Fry all these -ingredients in a frying-pan with the fat bacon, and then add sufficient -bread-crumbs to make the whole into the consistency of a pudding. Now -take the tomatoes very carefully out of the tin without breaking them, -and I would warn you that they require very delicate handling. Give the -tomatoes a gentle squeeze so as to get rid of any of the pips inside. -Then with a teaspoon carefully fill the tomatoes with the mixture we -have just made. The more mixture you can get into each tomato the -better. Next pour a very little salad oil into a tin—oiled butter will -do—and place the tomatoes one by one on the tin without breaking them, -and bake them in the oven. When they are hot through, they may be -served. In taking them out of the tin and placing them on the dish, use -a slice similar to that for taking out fried eggs. - -The only difficulty I know of in making this delicious dish is to avoid -breaking the tomatoes, which are more liable to give way when they -are hot than when they were first taken out of the tin. Shake a few -bread-raspings over the top of each tomato before serving—that is, -cover the top of the mushroom mixture with the bread raspings to make -it a nice brown, but do not shake the bread raspings over the tomato -itself. If the tomatoes are placed in a silver dish and surrounded with -a little bright-green fried parsley, it has a very pretty appearance. -If you have some good brown gravy in the house, the tomatoes can be -served in a little gravy; only do not pour the gravy over the tomatoes, -as it would utterly spoil their appearance, but pour a little gravy -into the dish first, and then place the stuffed tomatoes carefully -in it. The gravy should be rich, thick, and of a good brown colour; -otherwise the tomatoes _au gratin_ are best served as they are. - -Tomatoes preserved whole will be found useful to ornament a large -variety of dishes, such as _tête de veau en tortue_, _poulet à la -Marengo_, etc. For instance, a simple dish, but very bright-looking, -can be made as follows:—From the remains of some cold boiled potatoes -make some ordinary mashed potatoes; and if you live in the country, -where cream is cheap, remember a very little boiling cream added is -a very great improvement, both in appearance and flavour. Mashed -potatoes, to be really good, should be rubbed through a wire sieve. -Pile the mashed potatoes up in the middle of a vegetable dish, and -place round the outside alternately a mutton cutlet and a whole tomato. -The cutlets can be cooked perfectly plain—that is, simply grilled on -the gridiron like a mutton chop—or they can be fried after being egged -and bread-crumbed. The tomatoes simply want being made hot by being -placed on a greasy tin and warmed up in the oven. Place the cutlets -round the mashed potatoes, first leaving room for the tomatoes between -each. Then take out the tomatoes with a slice, and make a bed in the -mashed potatoes, in which they can quietly repose; otherwise they are -apt to smash and run, and make the dish look untidy. - -We will next consider the best way of utilising the various vegetables -that can be obtained in tins, such as asparagus, green peas, French -beans, and last, but not least, _macédoines_. - -First with regard to asparagus. Of all the vegetables preserved in tins -I think this is the best. It requires no preparation whatever. Make a -piece of toast, and place it at the bottom of a vegetable dish; then -make the asparagus hot in the tin, and when the water in which the tin -has been placed has boiled for some four or five minutes the tin can -be taken out and opened. In opening a tin of asparagus, cut the tin -right round the edge, so that the sticks of asparagus can be taken out -without breaking them, and take out any tops that may be left in the -tin, and add them to the rest. Strain off the liquid, and place the -asparagus on the toast, the white part resting on the edge of the dish. -The asparagus should therefore be divided into two parts, so that the -green parts meet on the toast and half the white sticks rest on one end -of the vegetable dish and half on the other. A little ordinary melted -butter or white sauce is generally served with them. For my part, I -prefer the asparagus quite plain. - -Tinned asparagus differs in one respect from ordinary asparagus, -inasmuch as you can nearly eat the whole of it. Asparagus can be eaten -cold as a salad, and a very delicious salad it makes. Open a tin just -as it is, strain off the contents, dry the asparagus on a cloth, and -place it as I have described before on a dish, but without any toast. -Now make a little sauce to pour over the tips as follows:—Take, say, -a couple of ounces of butter, and dissolve it in the oven in a teacup -till it runs to oil. Now take it out, and add to it three brimming -teaspoonfuls of freshly-made mustard, a dessertspoonful of vinegar, -and a saltspoonful of pepper and another of salt. Stir this up with -the oiled butter. As the butter begins to get cold the sauce commences -to get thick, and as soon as it has got into that state in which it -resembles custard, pour it over the asparagus, of course leaving -the ends of each stick free from the sauce, as it is now customary -to eat asparagus with the fingers. This sauce, to be good, requires -real butter, which is a substance now rarely met with, even at -respectable grocers, the adulteration of butter with fat being almost -universal—this universal adulteration being the chief cause of the -depression of trade throughout the country. The salad should not be -served till the sauce is quite cold and sticks to the asparagus. - -Green peas are now to be had preserved in tins, not only very good but -very cheap. Good preserved peas should be small and of a light green. -When the peas are large and high coloured, they are inferior. The fact -is that the former are young and the latter old. Preserved peas are -best served in a course by themselves, though, of course, they can be -handed round with ordinary joints. The art of sending preserved peas -to table is to make them look and taste as much as possible like green -peas freshly gathered. For this purpose you should act as follows:—Make -the peas hot in the tin and take, say, a dozen fresh mint leaves and -scald them in the water in which the tin is being made hot. Next take -these hot mint leaves and put them in a vegetable dish. Open the tin of -peas, strain off the liquor, and pour the peas on to the mint leaves. -Now add a small saltspoonful of powdered sugar, half a saltspoonful -of salt, and a small pat of butter as big as a five-shilling piece. -Toss the peas for a minute or so lightly together, so that the butter -is dissolved and the sugar and salt melted, and the fresh mint leaves -brought to the surface. Now send the dish to table. The fresh mint -leaves help to convey the idea that the peas are fresh. In everything -we eat and drink imagination goes a long way. Who, for instance, would -care to drink port wine out of the spout of a teapot, even if the -teapot were solid silver? - -I might here mention in passing that a small sixpenny tin of peas -will be found very useful in ornamenting a boiled leg of mutton. If -you want to make a boiled leg of mutton look really nice, proceed -as follows:—Of course you have boiled turnips and carrots with it. -Boil the turnips whole, and when they are tender take them out of the -water and cut each turnip in half and scoop out the centre, so as to -make it like a cup. Now take the outside part of the carrot, which -is a brighter red than the inside part, and chop it up into small -pieces. Place the leg of mutton in the centre of the dish, and pour -over it either some of the water in which it is boiled or some thick -caper sauce. Now fill up these cups made out of the scooped turnips -cut in half with a tablespoonful of green peas and a tablespoonful of -chopped-up carrot alternately. It is a very simple garnish, and gives -but little trouble; but what a difference it makes in the appearance! - -We will next take French beans, or, as they are properly called, -_haricots verts_. I think these deserve to be served in a course by -themselves, even more than peas. If they are served with a joint they -must simply be made hot in a tin, then drained and allowed to dry, -and handed round just as they are. French beans go best with a haunch -of venison or roast mutton. If, however, you serve the beans as a -course by themselves, you must, after making them hot and draining -off the liquid, add a couple of tablespoonfuls of good white sauce, -that is _béchamel sauce_, or if you have none, add to a tin of beans -about enough fresh butter to fill a dessertspoon; add also about a -saltspoonful of finely chopped fresh parsley, a little pepper and salt, -and about a teaspoonful or rather more of lemon-juice, as well as a -little powdered sugar. The beans should be tossed lightly together -until the butter is dissolved, and then served. - -Last, but not least, come _macédoines_. _Macédoines_ in tins are simply -mixed preserved vegetables, the chief ingredients being green peas, -chopped carrot, and turnip. - -_Macédoines_ are one of the most useful kind of tinned goods to have -in the house, as you can always make a pretty dish at a few moments’ -notice. A spoonful of _macédoines_ will turn some clear soup into a -bright-looking spring soup. A tin of _macédoines_ made hot and placed -in the centre of a dish of mutton cutlets always has a bright and -appetising appearance. _Macédoines_ can also be added to the remains of -some cold potatoes, and used to make a German salad; while, with a few -hard-boiled eggs and a small pot of _caviare_, we can make with their -assistance that excellent supper dish known as a Russian salad. - -(_To be continued._) - -[Illustration] - - - - -THE BROOK AND ITS BANKS. - -BY THE REV. J. G. WOOD, M.A., Author of “The Handy Natural History.” - - -CHAPTER V. - -The bank-vole—A long-tailed field mouse—Its varied -diet—Insect-eating—Robbing a moth-hunter—Treacles and their -visitors—The voles as climbers—The water-shrew—Signification of -its name—Habits of the water-shrew—Its activity and grace in the -water—Teeth of the shrews—Structure of its ears—Mode of swimming—The -flattened body—Colour of the water-shrew—Its food—The shrew and the -rat—An unfounded accusation—Burrow of the water-shrew—Superstitions -regarding the shrews—The shrew ash—Land-shrews—The -shrew-mouse—Distinctive structures—Mortality among shrews—Killing -shrews with shovels—The pigmy shrew—Our smallest mammal. - -As might be expected from its name, the BANK-VOLE (_Arvícola -glaréolus_) is to be sought upon the banks of our brook. As its tail -is nearly as long as that of the common mouse, it is often called the -“long-tailed field mouse,” and it may easily be distinguished from a -true mouse which does inhabit the country by the shortness of its ears, -the bluntness of its snout, and the white colour of its paws. - -It has many of the habits of the campagnol, but its diet is more -diversified, including insects, worms and snails, and it is accused of -eating young birds. - -A rather startling incident, showing its insect-eating proclivities, -was witnessed by my son, Theodore Wood, some years ago. - -In those days he was an enthusiastic lepidopterist, and was in the -habit of going out at night “treacling” for moths. This process is -simple in principle, though rather difficult in practice. Many moths -are irresistibly attracted by the odour of treacle mixed with the -newest and coarsest rum. The moth-hunter, therefore, mixes treacle and -rum, and at night paints with the mixture the trunks of suitable trees. -Attracted by the odour, the moths fly to the bait, swallow the sweet -mixture greedily, and become so intoxicated that they either fall or -can be picked off the tree with the fingers. - -Now, the “treacler” has many enemies. Slugs of the most portentous -dimensions descend from their hiding places in the tree, and absorb -the treacle just as if they were so many hungry leeches fastening on a -plump and thin-skinned patient. Toads sit in a row round the trunk of -the tree, waiting to snap up any moth that falls. The bats soon learn -the value of a treacled tree, and sweep rapidly by it, whipping off the -pre-occupied moths as they pass by. - -On one occasion my son caught sight of a bank-vole, which had climbed -up the tree and was taking its share of the spoil. - -All the voles are admirable climbers, as indeed is necessary, in order -to enable them to gather the corn and fruit of the hawthorn and wild -rose. Their paws grasp the corn stems or tree twigs as if they were -hands like those of the monkey, and they run about the slender branches -of the hedges and shrubs that line the banks like monkeys among the -trees of their native forests. - -Like the campagnol, they make globular nests of grass, which may be -found among the herbage of the bank by those who know where and how to -look for them. - - * * * * * - -Just as the ordinary farmer lumps together half-a-dozen species or so -of small birds, under the comprehensive title of “sparrows,” so do most -people consider that every animal which labours under the misfortune of -being small in dimensions, brown in colour, and having a tail appended -to its body, must be either a rat or a mouse, according to its size. - -No one can be familiar with the banks of any brook without being -acquainted with the pretty little WATER-SHREWS, which, like their -relatives of the land, are almost invariably considered as mice, -although, as we shall presently see, they are not connected in any way -with the creatures which they superficially resemble. - -If the observer will pick out some spot where he can be tolerably -screened, and where the water of the brook is clear and rather shallow, -he will be very likely to come upon the water-shrew (_Cróssopus -fódiens_). Both of these names are very appropriate. The first, or -generic, name is of Greek origin (as all generic names ought to be), -and signifies “fringe-footed.” The name is due to the fringe of stiff -hairs with which the feet are edged. A similar fringe is found on the -lower surface of the tail. As these fringes are white, they are very -conspicuous. Their object will presently be seen. - -The second, or specific, title is (as all specific titles ought to be) -derived from the Latin, and refers to the habits of the species. It -signifies a digger or burrower, and alludes to its custom of digging -burrows in the banks of the brook in which it loves to disport itself, -and where it obtains much of its food. - -As with other creatures, absolute stillness and silence is required on -the part of the observer before the water-shrew will even show itself. -Though there may be plenty of the little animals within a few yards, -not one will be visible. But in ten minutes or thereabouts the silence -will reassure them, and they will make their appearance on the bank. - -I have seen them playing with each other on the bank of a rivulet -which at that time was so dried up by want of rain that the water was -scarcely a foot in width. They were almost within reach of my hand, -and could easily have killed one or two with a stick. But as I prefer -watching the habits of animals to killing them, they continued their -pretty and graceful evolutions undisturbed. - -Being sociable little creatures, a single water-shrew is seldom seen, -and, if the observer should detect one of the animals, he may be -tolerably certain that it will presently be joined by others. They are -as playful as kittens, and, in their way, quite as graceful, their -lithe bodies and active limbs being able to assume as many varied -attitudes as may be seen in a family of kittens at play. - -They chase each other over the bank, pretend to fight fiercely, -squeaking the while as if wounded to death, just as puppies will do -when playing and making believe to be hurt. Then one will jump into the -water, and dive, as if to escape, while one or two others will pop in -after it, and chase it under water. - -Indeed, on the occasion which I have just mentioned, the whole -proceedings reminded me forcibly of the games in which the boy swimmers -of Oxford were wont to indulge for the best part of a summer’s day. - -One of our favourite games was for one to dive into the Cherwell -(mostly from the top of a pollard willow), and then for the rest to -dive after him, and try to catch him under water before he had swum a -certain distance. We used to shriek in our sport quite as much, and as -loudly in proportion to our size, as the water-shrew squeaks, and I -cannot but think that if any being as much superior to man as man is to -the shrew could have watched us, we should have amused him much in the -same way that the shrew amuses us. - -In his admirable work on the British mammals, Mr. Bell states that the -water-shrew will dive into a shallow, rippling stream, and run over -the stones, pushing its long snout under them, and turning them over, -should they be small, for the sake of dislodging and capturing the -fresh-water shrimp (_Gammarus_), and then carrying it off to the bank -and eating it with an audible, crunching sound. - -I have not personally observed the creature engaged in this sub-aquatic -hunt, though I have often seen it dive, and have been near enough to -note its singularly beautiful aspect as it wriggles its irregular way -under the surface. - -Air is largely entangled among the hairs of its body, the imprisoned -bubbles looking just like globules of shining silver. The -water-spider, which is also a common though unsuspected inmate of the -brook, is adorned in a similar manner when it dives. - -No one can watch these pretty little creatures without being interested -and amused. But amusement ought not to be our sole object in observing -the inhabitants of a brook. Let us catch one of the animals and keep -it long enough to examine it. There is little difficulty in capturing -a water-shrew, as the little animals are so fearless when they think -themselves unobserved that a small hand-net can easily be slipped over -them in their gambols. We need not keep our captive long, and, after -inspecting the characteristic fringe of the feet and tail, we will -examine its head and jaws. - -A mere glance at the head ought to tell us that it cannot be a mouse, -no mouse having a long, pointed snout, which projects far beyond the -lower jaw. On opening its mouth and examining its teeth, we not only -see that it cannot be a mouse, but that it is not even a rodent. It -is, in fact, much more nearly related to the hedgehog than to the -mouse. All its teeth are sharply pointed, and the lower incisors -project almost horizontally forwards. The animal must, therefore, -be predacious in character, and a comparison with the structure of -other animals shows that it belongs to the important though not very -numerous group of the insectivora, or insect-eaters, of which the mole -is the generally accepted type. There are, however, some systematic -zoologists who hold that the shrews, and not the moles, ought to be the -typical representatives of the insectivora. This, however, is a matter -of opinion, and its discussion does not come within the scope of our -present undertaking. - -Before we release our captive, we will examine its ears. - -These are small, as are those of all water-inhabiting mammals, but -there is a peculiarity in their structure which is worthy of notice. -They are furnished with three small valves, which, being made on the -same principle as those of the heart, are closed by the pressure of the -water as soon as the animal dives below the surface, and open by their -own elasticity when it emerges. - -Now, we will allow it to escape into the water, and take note of it as -it swims away. - -I have already casually referred to the irregular course which it -pursues in swimming. This is due to the fact that the water-shrew -drives itself along by alternate strokes with the fringed hind feet, -so that its progress reminds the observer of that of a boat propelled -by two unskilful rowers, who have not learned to keep time. Still, its -pace is tolerably rapid, though it lacks the steady directness which -characterises that of the water-vole. - -Another remarkable point in its swimming is that the outstretched legs -cause the skin of the flanks to be widened and flattened in a way -that reminds the observer of the flying squirrel when passing through -the air. Although in the water-shrew the skin is not nearly as much -flattened as in the squirrel, it is expanded sufficiently to alter the -shape of the creature in a notable manner. - -Supposing the observer to be tolerably familiar with the terrestrial -shrews, he must have been struck by the blackness of the fur of the -back, and the contrasting whiteness of the under-surface. So strongly, -indeed, is the contrast marked, that an exceptionally dark variety was -long considered as a distinct species, and called the “oared shrew.” - -Like the insectivora in general, the water-shrew is not at all -particular in its diet, providing it be of an animal nature. As most of -us know, the hedgehog, although its normal food consists of insects, -snails, and the like, will feed on frogs, toads, mice, and even snakes -and blindworms. So will the water-shrew, if it can be fortunate enough -to find the dead bodies of any of these creatures, for it is not -sufficiently powerful to kill them for itself. - -In Mr. Bell’s work, to which reference has already been made, there is -an interesting notice of the carnivorous habits of the water-shrew. - -An ordinary rat had been caught and killed in a steel trap, and upon -the body of the rat was perched a little black creature, which proved -on examination to be a water-shrew, which was trying to make a meal -upon the rat. It had already bored a hole in the side of the rat, and -was so absorbed in its task that it suffered itself to be touched with -a stick without being alarmed. - -This little animal does not restrict itself to the neighbourhood of -water, but is often found at some distance inland. It has been accused, -and I believe with justice, of devouring the eggs of river fish, a -crime which, as I have already mentioned, is wrongly attributed to the -water-vole. - -Although we may see the water-shrew swim away and disappear below the -surface of the water, we may watch in vain for its reappearance. As -is done by the duckbill of Australia, the animal always makes several -entrances to its burrow, one of them being on the side of the bank, -below the surface of the water. It can, therefore, enter or leave the -brook without being observed. - -All the shrews, whether of the land or water, were at one time the -objects of universal dread, and even the toad and blindworm could -scarcely be more feared. - -As one old writer remarks, in his sweeping condemnation of the animal, -“It beareth a cruel minde, desiring to hurt anything, neither is there -any creature that it loveth, or it loveth him, because it is feared of -all.” - -It was held to be the special foe of cattle, biting their hoofs while -in the stall and running over their bodies as they lay chewing the -cud in the field. A cow over which a shrew had run was said to be -“shrew-struck,” and to fall straightway into a sort of consumption, -accompanied with swellings of the skin. - -The disease, being caused by the shrew, could only be cured by the -shrew, the usual mode of treatment being to burn the animal alive and -rub the cow with the ashes. As, however, a shrew might not always be at -hand when a cow was taken ill, the ingenuity of our forefathers devised -a plan of having essence of shrew always within reach. - -A shrew was caught alive, and a hole bored into the trunk of an ash -tree. The shrew, which must be still living, was put into the hole, the -entrance to which was then closed with a wooden plug. As the body of -the shrew decayed, its virtues were supposed to be absorbed into the -tree, so that a branch of a “shrew ash,” or even a few leaves, were -supposed to be an effectual cure if laid upon the suffering animal. - -The tail of a shrew, when burned and powdered, was considered as a -certain remedy for the bite of a dog; only the tail must be cut from a -living shrew. - -I have already made casual mention of the shrews of the land. - -Two species of land-shrews are recognised as inhabitants of England. -One is the common SHREW, or SHREW-MOUSE (_Sorex vulgáris_), which for a -long time was thought to be identical with the water-shrew. The fringed -feet and tail, however, afford sufficient indications that it is a -distinct species. - -Towards the end of autumn there seems to be quite a mortality among the -shrews, their bodies being plentifully strewn about the roadways and -paths across fields. Why this should be so no one can tell, though many -conjectures have been offered, one absurd theory being that man and the -shrew are so antagonistic to each other, that when a shrew tries to -cross a pathway made and used by man it dies from sheer antipathy. - -This fact was known to Pliny, and Topsel, the old writer who has -already been quoted, is of opinion that when a shrew dies in a -cart-rut, the finder should not fail to secure so valuable a prize. - -“The shrew which by falling by chance into a cart road or track doth -die upon the same, being burned and afterwards beaten or dissolved into -dust, and mingled with goose-grease, being rubbed or anointed upon -those who are troubled with the swelling coming by the cause of some -inflammation, doth bring into them a wonderful and most admirable cure -and remedy.” - -The same author mentions its predacious habits, and states that it is -especially fond of the putrid flesh of the raven, the French using it -as a bait, and killing numbers of shrews as they are feasting on the -dead bird. He is especially careful to mention that the deluded shrews -are killed with shovels. - -The third species of British shrew is the PIGMY-SHREW (_Sorex -pygmæus_), which is even smaller than the harvest mouse, and is the -smallest of all the British mammals. - -I have mentioned the three species, because until quite recently much -confusion reigned concerning them and their habits, and much difficulty -has been found in disentangling them. - -For example, no distinction had been recognised between the common -shrew and the water-shrew, while the pigmy-shrew was thought to be -the young of the common or erd-shrew, and an exceptionally large -specimen of the water-shrew was supposed to be a separate species, and -distinguished by the name of oared-shrew. - -So, by means of carrying out our study of the water-shrew we have -not only found much that is interesting and amusing, but have added -something to our knowledge of animal physiology. - -(_To be continued._) - -[Illustration: NEST OF THE CAMPAGNOL.] - - - - -HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MUSICAL FORMS. - -SKETCH IV.—MADRIGALS AND SECULAR PART MUSIC. - -BY MYLES B. FOSTER, Organist of the Foundling Hospital. - - -In my last sketch I endeavoured to show you, as briefly as I could, the -historical aspect of sacred concerted music in some of its vocal forms, -with and without instrumental accompaniment. We will now, for a short -space, consider vocal concerted music as adapted to secular uses. - -Prominent here above its fellows stands the Madrigal, claiming -precedence not only for its antiquity, but also for its lofty style, -and, in most cases, learned and elaborate development. - -Once again the name for our subject is veiled in a certain amount of -doubt and speculation. There are at least five different theories in -reference to the derivation of “Madrigal,” not one of which seems -altogether suitable. All disputants agree on one point, at any rate, -that “Madrigal” was originally the term given to poems founded upon a -motto or theme, and was afterwards transferred to the music to which -such poems were wedded. - -From the rarity of MSS. in early times, one is led to believe that -the Troubadours extemporised the discant[1] which they added to their -secular melodies, and which was as undoubtedly the origin of the -madrigal as the combination of plain chant and discant was the fount -from which sprang the motett. The connection of the term with a poem -of a popular character certainly existed as early as the fourteenth -century, and perhaps earlier. - -There appear to have been three classes of secular composition, -for which madrigal became the general term—viz., madrigals for one -voice, with accompaniment; madrigals for several voices, in parts and -unaccompanied; and, lastly, madrigals accompanied by many instruments, -and sometimes described as “apt for viols and voices.” The English -writers preferred the second class, and excelled in it. - -In the fifteenth century the madrigal was well known in the Low -Countries, being at that time invariably constructed according to the -ancient ecclesiastical modes, and sometimes containing great features -of elaboration. I complained, when speaking of the history of the mass, -that musical subjects originally associated with profane words were -introduced as canti fermi, but we find in the case of the madrigal that -the reverse happened, and that passages of plain chant were used in -connection with some light secular counter-subject. - -Petrucci, before mentioned as the inventor of movable music types, was -the first to publish these works, composed by such representatives of -the early Flemish madrigal school as Okenheim, Tinctor, Josquin des -Prés, Agricola, and several others. I should like once again to quote -that learned writer on music, Mr. Rockstro, who considers this first -period “no less interesting than instructive to the critical student, -for it is here that we first find science and popular melody working -together for a common end.” - -From 1530 to the end of the sixteenth century a great advance was -taking place in art generally. Appropriate treatment of words, and, if -it were necessary, simplicity itself, restrained that desire to show -contrapuntal complexity and other conceits at the selfish expense of -truth and honesty. - -This advance in the right direction was supported by the last composers -of the old Flemish school, Archadelt, De Wert, Waelrant, and that -great writer Orlando di Lasso, at whose death the madrigal school of -the Netherlands ended; but not so the madrigal itself, which long ere -this had been transplanted into other countries, and had commenced to -grow most healthily in Italy. In fact, Archadelt’s first collection of -madrigals was published in Venice in 1538, and was speedily followed by -five other sets, in some of which we find specimens by the first really -good Italian madrigal writer, Costanzo Festa. In his work, and until -Palestrina, vestiges remain of the Flemish style; but gradually the -Roman or Italian element destroyed all foreign character and influence, -and alone remained. - -Palestrina wrote madrigals with equal facility and merit in all styles; -he named two of his volumes “Madrigali Spirituali,” sacred music, but -intended rather for the chamber than the church, for which latter -the motetts were written. He varies every passage according to the -sentiment of the words, and above all his contrapuntal learning, places -his noble sincerity and purity of style and expression. Would that our -modern work possessed such simple nobility! - -Succeeding him, Felice Anerio produced, and in 1585 published, three -volumes of Madrigali spirituali, and, soon after the year 1600, two -volumes of secular madrigals; there were besides fine madrigals by -Giovanelli Nanini, Francesco Anerio, and last but not least, Luca -Marenzio. These and others formed the great Roman school, but there -existed a school in Venice also, founded by Willaert the Netherlander, -from which sprang the works of the two Gabrielis, Leo Hasler, -Gastoldi and Croce. In Florence also madrigals were very popular for -a short time, until the craving of the Florentines for instrumental -accompaniment destroyed their early affection for purely vocal music. - -In Naples a lighter form (villanella) existed, but in France and -Germany it found no home, where the chanson and volkslied held their -respective sway. - -In England a national school was formed which took firm root, and -developed into fully as healthy a tree as any of the rival foreign -growths. First of all Italian madrigals were introduced and printed -in England, but by the end of the sixteenth century Byrd and Morley -had published original specimens, and the madrigal was fast becoming -an English institution, supported by such excellent composers as -Weelkes, Edwardes, Kirby, Dowland, Wilbye, Ford, Benet, Michael Este, -and others. We may call special attention to Morley’s collection -in honour of the virgin Queen Elizabeth, named the “Triumphes of -Oriana,” including madrigals by many of the above-named writers. It -was published in 1601. Only a few years later Orlando Gibbons brought -out a volume of “Madrigals and Motets,” and just a hundred years after -the earliest publication in England of such works, appeared a book -of madrigals collected by Martin Pierson. Madrigals they undoubtedly -were, though he called them “mottects.” Ambros, in his “Geschichte der -Musik,” speaks in the highest praise of our great madrigal school, and -names it “one of the most pleasing flowers of that Elizabethan soil,” a -soil teeming with great scholars, poets, and dramatists. - -To conclude, the madrigal is generally interpreted by many voices to -each part, and as a rule is the more effective in proportion to the -number of singers employed. Whereas the glee, into which the madrigal -gradually changed, and of which we are about to speak, is intended to -be sung by a single representative of each part. Other differences, -more important than this, we shall have occasion to note later on. - - -GLEE. - -At the beginning of the seventeenth century the madrigal, properly so -called, disappeared from amongst the compositions of both English and -foreign musicians. The word _glee_ is the Anglo-Saxon “gligg”—music, -and has no special reference to joyfulness; in fact, it is as common -to find the title “serious glee,” as it is to see “cheerful glee.” A -glee is unaccompanied, and is written for at least three solo voices, -most frequently men. The chief differences between the glee and the -older form of madrigal are the natural results of evolution in harmony, -and the wedding of words to expressive music, even in defiance of -ancient and mechanical rules. The tonality of the former is modern, the -subjects are constantly changing, and are seldom developed, leaving an -unsatisfactory feeling of restless abundance, inability to make the -best use of the rich resources, and a consequently frequent complete -cadence, which in many cases gives a detached, hesitating feeling to -the work. Continuity seems to be the best test of great ideas; having -something to say, and if worth saying, saying that something thoroughly -and logically. - -Our best glee writers, living from 1740 to the early part of this -century, were Samuel Webbe, Dr. Callcott, his son-in-law, William -Horsley, Sir H. R. Bishop, and Sir John Goss. If you go back to the -commencement of the glee period, by a careful study of the works of -Weelkes and Gibbons, you will find in the latter’s compositions many -striking novelties in harmonic progression, and in those of the former -equally powerful and novel contrasts in movement and expression, and -in the masterpieces of both great independence of thought, in which -combined advances we trace the transition from the madrigal to the -glee, the latter being essentially English. - -Later in the seventeenth century, during and after the Commonwealth, -meetings for the singing of glees and catches were generally held in -inns and taverns, the musicians being forbidden the theatres, previous -to the restoration of King Charles II. - -Glees were first published in the collection by John Playford, called -the “Musical Companion.” Catches, canons, and rounds took the place -of the old glee after this: and even these, according to Dr. Greene, -were seldom sung about the middle of the eighteenth century. Amongst -excellent writers of catches and canons we find Henry Purcell, -Dr. Croft, Dr. Blow, and many others. Shortly after Dr. Greene’s -lament—that is, in 1760—a catch club was started for the resuscitation -of glee and catch singing, and since then unto our own times clubs and -societies have flourished for this purpose, and have encouraged English -composition in these forms. - -It is thought by some writers that Sir Henry Bishop’s glees are not -properly so called, because they have independent accompaniments. Their -form, however, is generally that of the best glees. - -A canon is a species of imitation, the most strict and exact of all -imitations, written according to rule (καυώυ), the idea being that one -voice shall start a melody and some other voice follow with the same -melody a few beats later on, imitating the first voice note for note, -and usually interval for interval, either at the unison, the octave, or -some other distance. At one period canons were made musical puzzles, by -the composer writing only the first part (called the “dux,” or leader), -and then, by some sign over one of the bars, indicating at what point -the following voice (or “comes”) should come in, the latter singer -having to guess the correct interval at which he was expected to enter. -However ingenious such riddles may be, they do not help art. - -A catch at first greatly resembled the round, where a complete -continuous melody was written out, and when one singer had reached a -certain point in this melody, another singer had to begin, and _catch -up_ his part in time—the difference between catch and canon being that -in the former each part imitates at the same pitch; in the latter the -imitation may be at any interval from the original voice. Besides, -many canons are connected with sacred words, and introduced into our -cathedral services, whereas the catch, in the reign of that dissolute -monarch, Charles II., degenerated into an improper play upon words, -assisted by music. At a later date, in the eighteenth and at the -beginning of this century, this idea of the singers “catching at each -other’s words,” so as to alter the meaning of those words, was cleverly -used by S. Webbe, Dr. Callcott, and others. A well-known example by the -latter will best explain the effect produced:— - - “_Ah! how, Sophia_, could you leave - Your lover, and of hope bereave?” - “_Go, fetch the Indian’s_ borrowed plume, - Though richer far than that you bloom.” - “_I’m but a lodger_ in her heart, - Where more than me, I fear, have part.” - -The result of one voice entering after another is, that the first seems -to be shouting, “A house a-fire!” the second excitedly answers, “Go, -fetch the engines!” whilst the third excuses himself by saying, “I’m -but a lodger!” After all, these could only be considered ingenious -trifles, and most of the singing clubs have turned their attention to -the more interesting and higher forms of madrigal, glee, and part song, -which, as a later development, we will now speak of. - - -PART SONG. - -A part song is most likely to prove itself a melody harmonised, in -three, four, or more parts—that is to say, there will be but little -contrapuntal or imitative writing about it. It is of German origin; but -it has been imported into our country, and our native composers have -written some very beautiful specimens. - -Part songs have been written either for sopranos, altos, tenors, and -basses, or for male or female voices only. Many are in the ballad form, -in which the same music is repeated to any number of verses; others -are more elaborate, and contain portions allotted to solo voices, or -to a single voice accompanied by a chorus. Part songs may be set to -either secular or sacred poems. Schubert’s, Weber’s, and Mendelssohn’s -contributions to this form of music are of great value and of wonderful -variety. - -Those of the latter helped to revive the taste for part music in -England, and assisted in the foundation of the many classes and smaller -choral societies which nowadays are in existence all over the country, -from Penzance to the north of Scotland, and the formation of which -creates the demand in our country for composition of this kind. Amongst -modern English writers may be named Henry Smart, Sullivan, Samuel Reay, -Barnby, Macfarren, Miss Macirone, Eaton Faning, and last and greatest, -J. L. Hatton. I might add to this list many names, for the making of -part songs is without end. - -Whether in two, three, or more parts, the part song should be sung by a -number of voices, the proportion, of course, being carefully balanced. -I must tell you before I finish that there are also many duets, trios, -and quartets which do not come within the range of the part song, it -being intended that they shall be rendered by a single representative -of each part, but many of these are extracted from works in which each -part is taken by one of the _dramatis personæ_. Such excerpts we cannot -include in our consideration of complete works. In my next sketch I -hope to conclude the subject of vocal forms, and to turn your attention -to instrumental varieties. - -(_To be continued._) - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[1] Discant—Counter-melody. - - - - -VARIETIES. - - -MUSIC RUN MAD. - -“Yes,” says Heine, writing of the piano, “the piano is the instrument -of martyrdom whereby the present elegant world is racked and tortured -for all its affectations. If only the innocent had not to endure it -with them! (Alas! my neighbours next door, two young daughters of -Albion, are at this moment practising a brilliant study for _two left_ -hands.) - -“These sharp, rattling tones, without a natural ‘dying fall’—these -heartless, whirling tumults—this archi-prosaic rumbling and -tinkling—this pianoforte mania kills all thought and feeling, and we -grow stupid, insensible, and imbecile. This hand-over-hand dexterity -of the piano—these triumphal processions of piano _virtuosi_—are -characteristic of our time, and prove utterly the triumph of mechanical -power over the soul. Technical ability, the precision of an automaton, -identification with the wire-strung wooden machine—this sounding -instrumentification of humanity, is now lauded and exalted as the -highest attainment of man.” - - -ENDLESS LABOUR. - - “Some respite to husbands the weather may send; - But housewives’ affairs have never an end.” - - —_Tusser._ - - -AN ANAGRAM.—“The best anagram,” says Chevreau, “I have met with is one -which was shown me by the Duchess de la Tremouille. She was the sister -of the Duc de Bouillon and of Marshal Turenne, and her name was Marie -de la Tour—in Spanish, Maria de la Torre—which a Spanish anagrammatist -found to be exactly ‘Amor de la Tierra.’” - - -OUR WANTS.—We are ruined, not by what we really want, but by what we -think we want; it is wise therefore never to go abroad in search of our -wants. - - -WORKING WONDERS.—“Time works wonders,” said a young man of -twenty-seven, when he returned home and found his elder sister only -eighteen. - - * * * * * - - -To the Editor of THE GIRL’S OWN PAPER. - -SIR,—Will you kindly allow me space to express my warm thanks for the -numerous parcels of old Christmas cards, scrapbooks, and dolls for -Indian children, which I have received in response to my appeal in your -December number? - -I have acknowledged most of these gifts direct to the friendly donors; -but some were sent anonymously, and I am glad to take this opportunity -of thanking all who contributed. The “Two Little English Girls” (S. -and N. H.) and “A Young Domestic Servant” are among those who gave -no address, and their parcels were very welcome. I was able to send -off the cards that arrived just after Christmas Day at once to Madras -in a case that had been packed. The others I will transmit very -shortly, mostly to Madras, but some to a school at Poona, the lady -superintendent of which has asked me to let her have some pictures -for her little scholars. Miss Govindarajulu, the Deputy-Inspector at -Madras, wrote to me lately that the head master of a girls’ school had -begged for a second supply of cards, as he had found the attendance of -the children so much improved in consequence of his having had some -for distribution last March. She says that sometimes Mrs. Brander lets -the children choose which cards they like best, and they always take -those with the brightest colours. This leads me to tell your readers -that a very pretty effect is produced by pasting or gumming Christmas -cards, each separately, on to a piece of gay-coloured calico. A little -margin of calico should be left round the card, and this should be -snipped, so as to form a fringe. - -Mrs. Brander has been continuing her inspection tours, travelling from -one place to another to examine the girls’ schools. She went lately -from a town called Salem, which she reached by railway, to a small -place thirty-one miles distant—Atur. The road is so frequented by -thieves that she was advised to engage drivers for her procession of -carts belonging to the caste of those very thieves, so as to ensure -not being attacked. This was done, and they proved “most polite and -excellent drivers.” The school at Atur contained only forty children; -but Mrs. Brander felt that she did good by visiting it. The prizes that -she had brought were distributed, and the little girls were delighted -to receive them. An important native gentleman of the place who came to -the ceremony made a good speech in the Tamil language, and altogether -Mrs. Brander’s arrival was felt to be an encouraging incident in the -life of that far-off place. - -I shall be glad after a while to tell your readers how their kind -presents were used; and I may add that I shall still be grateful for -more. - - E. A. MANNING. - - 35, Blomfield-road, Maida-hill, - January 18. - - - - -DRESS: IN SEASON AND IN REASON. - -BY A LADY DRESSMAKER. - -[Illustration: ON THE MEER.] - - -Just at the present writing we are in the middle of the sales, which -now seem to be carried on far into the month of February, at many -of the shops, and certainly appear to offer each year more and more -benefits to the purchaser of goods. But it must be understood that the -said purchaser have her wits about her, and know what she wants. This -last is the case with very few women who are not very methodical in -their purchases of dress, and very rarely make their plans far ahead. -This is explained, first, by their slavish adherence to the ephemeral -fashions of the day, and also by their being led so much by the eye, -and buying things they fancy, not the things that are really suitable -or needful to them. There are few women who dress on any plan of what -is most becoming to their individual style, or most lasting, with -a view to their particular purses; and the longer I live the more -convinced I am that it needs special qualifications to be a “shopper” -of any ability; the greatest requisite of all being a cool, calm head; -and, if you have children to cater for besides yourself, the power to -make a plan and stick to it. It is wonderful how much you find to help -you when you once do this, or how easily everything arranges itself. - -“But,” says someone, helplessly, “how am I to know what to wear or what -my style is? Where am I to find rules to guide me?” In the present -day we seem to have two rules, both of which are comparatively easy. -The first is that the complexion is to be the guide as to the colours -worn, while the second is that the eyes shall perform that office for -us. Where there is a poor complexion, the first rule may be followed, -but where the eyes are good, I think the last is decidedly the best. -For instance, the many women who possess good eyes of a greenish or -decidedly green hue will look best in olive, bottle, or very dark -Tyrolese green—called sometimes a “hunter’s green,” having much blue -in it; and the large army of women with yellowish-brown eyes look best -in shades of yellowish-brown. The same may be said of blue eyes, which -are changed into a hue like spring violets by a judiciously-chosen blue -of a dark shade. Grey eyes which verge on blue may also wear blue; -but the blue must be of the shade called “royal,” as a blue with no -reflections will not answer. - -For very dark women and girls with good clear skins, there is a large -amount of choice in colour—red, orange, and yellows, as well as black, -grey, and navy blue. But if the skin be sallow and dull, she may use -dark and light reds—no blues nor greens. White and primrose-colour -are likewise generally becoming to them. Fair-skinned people may wear -browns, blues, and pinks, as well as green. - -But after all, the great thing, it seems to me, is to be able to choose -for one’s self; and thus to avoid either the extreme of fashion or the -fear of dowdiness; and the taste of the Englishwoman seems generally -to turn to quiet, neat styles. It is to her good taste and sense that -we owe most of the best fashions of the day—the tailor-made, neat -dress of tweed cheviot or woollen material; the sensible coloured -under-petticoat, dark stockings, and the comfortable ulster. - -So far as hygienic dress is concerned, the rules of that are fairly -fixed now, and most women and girls have decided in favour of the -tight-fitting, elastic woollen combinations, either of Dr. Jæger’s -make, or of some English firm. Add to that the divided skirt, made of -black cashmere or serge, and lined with flannel for winter use, as the -sole needful under-garments for the cold weather. As to the stays, they -may be the new knitted ones of Jæger’s make; the low riding-corsets, or -else a boned bodice made of jean, and modelled like the dress-bodice, -to fit without squeezing or tightening in. So long as the divided -skirt is used as an under-skirt, no objection can be taken to it, as it -does not show at all. The dress above should be made short enough not -to require lifting, however muddy the roads and pavements; and it is -decidedly the most comfortable garment ever invented in that capacity. - -[Illustration: GIRLS’ WINTER DRESSES IN WOOLLEN MATERIALS.] - -Of course, as the sales are going on, there is little that is novel to -chronicle. Indeed, the winter events, where all that is pretty in dress -are seen, are the private views of the two great picture galleries—the -Royal Academy and the Grosvenor Gallery. At these two places all the -_élite_ and the famous in literature, art, and society congregate; -and generally wear their prettiest clothes, I think. Of course, some -æsthetic ladies are to be seen. One of them had on a pelisse of -moss-green velvet, made very short-waisted at the back, with a small -round cape, the skirt hanging long, straight, and full; in short, much -like a “Kate Greenaway figure,” and very peculiar was the effect. One -lady wore a brown cashmere, with pea-green trimmings, and flowing -ribbons of pea-green, which, I suppose, must have been an artistic -fancy. The great difference between the artistic and æsthetic dressing -is in the way the dress is cut at the neck. The artistic portion bares -its throat bravely, at any and every age, and cuts its dresses well -down on the collar-bone; while the general public wear high neck-bands, -and try to reach the tips of their ears; assisted by big beads and -ruchings of satin. At present neither class affects collars, unless the -falling lace of the æsthetic lady can be mentioned in that category. - -There was a great deal of brown worn, relieved by yellow, and also -much green in various shades, the most popular being moss-green and a -new hue called “jade.” There was also a good deal of heliotrope, and -that always in woollen materials; so I should not be surprised if we -found this hue in vogue in the spring. It is extremely becoming to many -people. Black jackets and mantles are worn with it, and also black -bonnets with heliotrope trimmings. Black plush is the most popular -material for small or large mantles, and it seems, in any case, to be -very much trimmed all over—shoulders especially. Amongst these artistic -ladies the bonnet-strings are usually tied very loosely, resting on the -throat, while everyone else in the “Philistine” world—as, I believe, -it is nick-named—still wears theirs tightly tied under the chin, with -short ends, and the bows tied under the chin, and so much pulled out as -nearly to touch the ears, one loop being ornamented by a brooch or pin, -generally jewelled. - -Red in all shades was also much worn. In some cases it was quite a -bright scarlet; but I did not think the idea a happy one. I looked very -carefully at the numberless so-called tailor-made suits, and, after -all, admired the wearers—neat, trim and tidy—the most. They were of all -materials—ladies’ cloth, cheviot, homespun, and undyed Shetland cloth. -Many of them were suitable for any season of the year, as, indeed, -the true tailor-made gown should always be. The newest thing in them -that I saw was a skirt put on in three immense box-pleats, so big that -one formed the front, and the two others were enough for the back and -sides, the skirt itself being quite plain and free from any ornament -whatever. The newest muffs seemed to be those made of the material of -the dress. The trimming was of fur, plush, or jet passementerie. - -Amongst the few changes in fashions I must mention that the basques to -bodices for everyday wear seem to be longer, and in some cases they -are put on separately to the bodice. Polonaises also are becoming very -general, and, no doubt, in the spring we may see a great return to -them—certainly the most becoming and useful of any of our dresses. -The polonaise that was illustrated in our dress article with the -pleated bodice will be much in vogue, and also a smockfrock polonaise -that is very pretty and becoming, but, of course, would need the -smocking performed in the first style of that difficult art. This makes -it rather expensive, and the houses who make a speciality of the work -find it far from easy to get good workers, and, consequently, these -smocks are expensive. - -This winter there has been so much choice in the matter of styles and -shapes that nothing can be called “old-fashioned,” and I am looking -forward with hope to the long wished-for day when our own individual -thought will, in a great measure, rule our fashions, and make us much -happier in having less to worry ourselves with, if our gowns prove -not exactly like Mrs. A.’s or Mrs. B.’s; and that they bear the mark -of last year, or even of the year before. So long as they suit us -personally, it really ought not to matter. - -[Illustration: PRINCESS DRESSING GOWN.] - -This year mantles have been either very large or very small, and -bonnets have been both remarkably high and almost hoodlike in shape. -Hats, too, have been small and close-fitting, or large and spreading. -As to our dresses, we have worn polonaises, pointed bodices, and -jacket-bodices quite indiscriminately. Norfolk blouses have been also -much worn, and they promise also to continue in favour, as they are -most useful for young and old. The same may be said of the jersey -bodice, and the so-called garibaldi skirts. In regard to out-of-door -jackets, I should think the same tight-fitting, jaunty-looking jackets -will rule such as we have worn for the last two seasons. They are too -useful to be discarded as permanent occupants of our wardrobes. - -In our sketch of “girls’ winter dresses in woollen materials,” I have -carefully given every method of draping the skirts and making the -bodices that has been worn this winter; and I consider most of them -will be continued on until the spring, as the “wrapping style” of which -the drapery hangs in straight folds, and as if wrapped round us, is -very popular with everyone; and people seem to have grown tired of the -skirts which were made of pieces of material. The skating picture, -too, shows the general effect of out-of-door dresses during the cold -weather; and the way in which fur was used by the best dressmakers -and tailors. The dresses are more graceful, and less heavy-looking -than usual, when trimmed in that manner. We do not often have such a -cold winter as the present has been hitherto, and I hope my readers -have applied themselves to learn the lessons of sensible and hygienic -clothing which I am constantly preaching to them. Armed by it, they -would have successfully resisted the cold, and escaped unharmed. I am -more and more convinced that most of the illnesses and deaths of our -winters arise from want of sensible clothing, and from the fact, too, -that we are all accustomed to regard England as a temperate climate, -when in reality the cold is more felt here, on account of its dampness, -than in severer latitudes. - -So many of our girls have begged that a plain and simple shape for -a dressing-gown should be added to our paper patterns, that, after -looking about me for some time, I have decided to select a princess -shape, as one that could be made at home by anyone with little -difficulty, either in flannel or any other material selected. The -pattern will be quite suitable for a dress, if required, as many -servants prefer that shape to any other. Indeed, when made up in a -blue and white striped Galatea, I do not know any dress in which a -girl looks better or is more becomingly attired for going about her -morning duties. I must confess I like my maidens to look their best -and happiest while under my roof, and nothing but the most exquisite -neatness will content me; and I have found a plain girl grow quite -pretty after a few months of care in the ordinary matters of the -toilet. The weekly bath is a thing that every mistress can see that her -servants have, and also a few hours for attending to and making and -mending their own clothes. - -The princess dressing-gown, or dress, consists of seven pieces, and -may be made of either eight or ten yards of material, according to the -width. The half of the back and the half of the fronts are given, and -the fronts may be cut in one, if the pattern be intended for a dress. -Price of paper pattern, 1s. - -All paper patterns are of medium size—viz., 36 inches round the -chest—and only one size is prepared for sale. Each of the patterns -may be had of “The Lady Dressmaker,” care of Mr. H. G. Davis, 73, -Ludgate-hill, E.C., price 1s. each. It is requested that the addresses -be clearly given, not omitting the county, and that postal notes -crossed only to go through a bank may be sent, as so many losses have -recently occurred. The patterns already issued may always be obtained, -as “The Lady Dressmaker” only issues patterns likely to be of constant -use in home dressmaking and altering; and she is particularly careful -to give all the new patterns of hygienic underclothing, both for -children and young and old ladies, so that her readers may be aware of -the best method of dressing. - -The following is a list of those already issued, price 1s. each. - -January, 1886, princess under-dress (under-linen, under-bodice and -underskirt combined); February, polonaise, with waterfall back; March, -new spring bodice; April, divided skirt and Bernhardt mantle, with -sling sleeves; May, Early English bodice and yoke bodice for summer -dress; June, dressing jacket, princess frock, and Normandy cap for -a child of four years; July, Princess of Wales’ jacket-bodice and -waistcoat, for tailor-made gown; August, bodice with guimpe; September, -mantle with stole ends and hood; October, pyjama, or night-dress -combination, with full back; November, new winter bodice; December, -patterns of Norfolk blouses, one with a yoke, and one with pleats -only; January, 1887, blouse-polonaise, with pleats at back and front; -February, princess dressing-gown. - - - - -MERLE’S CRUSADE. - -BY ROSA NOUCHETTE CAREY, Author of “Aunt Diana,” “For Lilias,” etc. - - -CHAPTER XIX. - -A CATASTROPHE. - -About three weeks after my mistress’s visit something very terrible -happened. I wish the history of that day would get itself told without -the pain of telling it. My life has been a happy one, thank God! I have -been “led by paths that I have not known,” but even now I never look -back upon that day without a shudder. Oh, Reggie, my darling! But God -was good to us, and the danger passed; still, it will be only in heaven -that we may bear to look back on past perils without dimness of eyes -and failing of heart! - -I had never left Rolf alone with the children for a moment since Judson -had told me of his mischievous propensities. I had grown fond of Rolf, -and he was certainly very much improved; but I always felt he was not -to be trusted, and either Hannah or I kept a strict guard over him. He -was never permitted to enter the nursery in the morning; if we went -out, he joined us, as a matter of course; but more than once when he -begged for admittance I had refused it decidedly. Hannah was always -busy in the morning, and the children slept for an hour, and if there -were time I liked to take Joyce to her lessons, or to set her some -baby-task of needlework, and Rolf always made her so rough. - -On a rainy afternoon or in the evening she would be allowed to romp -with Rolf, and they always played together on the beach. Rolf was more -in his element out of doors. Judson had been very unwell for some days; -she was a sickly sort of body, and was often ailing; but just then she -had a threatening of quinsy, and seemed very feverish and suffering. - -Her room was close to the nursery, and it was only sheer humanity for -Hannah or myself to go in now and then and see what we could do for -her. I had got it into my head that she was somewhat neglected by the -other servants. I know Gay thought so, for she asked me to do what I -could for her. - -She had been ordered some linseed poultices that morning, and Mrs. -Markham had come up to the nursery and asked me very civilly if I would -apply them, as the upper housemaid was away, and Susan was very clumsy -and helpless. - -“I will stay with the children,” she said, quite graciously, for her; -“and Hannah is here.” And as I knew Rolf was in the garden with his -aunt, I could not find a loophole for excuse. I do not think I was -wrong now, for how could I have refused such a request? But the fates -were against me. That is a foolish and untrue expression, but I will -let it stand. - -The poultices were far from hot, and poor Judson, who seemed in great -pain and very nervous about herself, begged me to go down to the -housekeeper’s room and make some more. “It is no use Susan making them, -and Mrs. Rumble is always so busy,” she whispered; “do go yourself, -Miss Fenton, and then I shall be more sure of hot ones.” - -The housekeeper’s room lay at the end of a long passage leading from -the hall, shut in with red baize doors. These swing doors deadened -sound, and that was why I did not hear Rolf come in from the garden and -scamper upstairs. - -The front-door bell rang immediately afterwards, and some visitors -were asked into the drawing-room. I knew Gay was about the premises, -and the idea never crossed my mind that Mrs. Markham would desert her -post and leave the three children alone in the nursery; but I heard -afterwards that this was the case. An old Indian friend had called, and -Mrs. Markham had desired Rolf to summon Hannah from the night nursery; -but Rolf, who was seldom obedient to his mother, had simply ignored the -order. - -I was some little time in the housekeeper’s room. The kettle did not -boil, and I was compelled to wait. I was rather impatient at the delay. -As I stood talking to Mrs. Rumble, I saw Mr. Hawtry ride up to the -front door. - -I succeeded at last in making the poultices. Judson was very grateful -to me, and thanked me warmly as I put them on. I had just covered her -over comfortably and taken from her the red woollen shawl in which she -had wrapped herself, when a sudden report, as though from a toy cannon, -and then a piercing scream from the nursery, made me start as though I -had been shot, for the scream was from Joyce. - -The next instant I was in the nursery, but, oh, merciful heavens! the -sight that met my eyes. Hannah had just opened the door. Rolf and -Joyce were huddled together on the window seat, beside themselves with -terror, and there stood Reggie in the middle of the room with his -pinafore and white frock in flames! I must have uttered a scream that -roused the house, and then it seemed to me as though I knew nothing, -and felt nothing except the smarting pains in my arm and shoulder. I -had thrown the child on the floor and covered him with my body, and the -woollen shawl was between us, and I was crushing the dear life almost -out of him with that terrible pressure. - -I seemed to know instinctively that nothing else could save him. -Happily, I wore a stuff dress, for there was no rug or carpet in the -nursery, and, with the open door and windows, another moment would -have been too late. I could hear Reggie’s piteous cries, but I dare -not release him; I must crush and smother the flames. There was the -terrible smell of burning, the singeing of stuff, a sudden uproar round -me, confused voices and exclamations. I seemed to hear Gay’s voice -crying, “Oh, Merle! you will smother the child!” And then strong arms -lifted me off Reggie. I knew it was Mr. Hawtry; no one else could have -done it. His grasp gave me intense agony, and I tried to free myself. - -“Let me go; I must see if he is hurt.” But Gay had him already in her -lap, and I knelt down beside her and examined him carefully. - -His frock and pinafore were hanging in blackened shreds around him, but -there was only a large hole burnt in his flannel petticoat, and one of -his dear little legs was scorched; not a curl of his hair was singed, -and only one hand had sustained a slight injury. They said there were -bruises on him that I had caused by my violence, but that was all, Mrs. -Markham assured me; there were tears in her eyes, and her face was as -white as death as she said it. - -“The little fellow will soon be all right,” observed Mr. Hawtry, -kindly; “he has been frightened and hurt that makes him cry so. But now -it is time your wounds should be dressed, Miss Fenton.” - -I looked at him as though I failed to comprehend his meaning, but he -pointed to my arms with such a pitying expression on his face, that I -looked too. My sleeves were hanging in shreds like Reggie’s frock, and -there were large burns on each arm; my right shoulder felt painful, -too; a faint sickening sensation seemed creeping over me. I must have -got my arms under him or I should not have been so badly burnt, and -some of my hair was singed. When Gay touched me gently I shuddered with -pain, and they all looked at me very gravely. - -“We must have Dr. Staples, Roger,” observed Mrs. Markham; “her arms -must be properly dressed.” - -“I will go for him at once,” returned Mr. Hawtry, “but I advise you to -give her a little wine or brandy; she looks faint with pain.” And then -he went away, and we could hear him galloping down the avenue and along -the road. - -I drank what they gave me, but I refused to lie down until Reggie had -been undressed. I would not be persuaded without the evidence of my own -eyes that he had sustained no serious injury. I suppose his scorched -leg pained him, for he still cried incessantly and beat us off in his -usual fashion, but when Hannah had dressed him in his nice clean frock, -he grew pacified at the sight of his blue ribbons, and only said, -‘Poor, poor,’ as he pointed to me. He wanted to come on my lap, but -when I tried to take him I turned so faint, that Gay looked frightened -and snatched him away. - -I wanted to know what had become of Rolf, but Mrs. Markham said, -sternly, and her lips were still very pale, that she had sent him to -his room. “Tell me how it happened, Joyce,” she continued, drawing the -child to her. “I told Rolf to fetch Hannah; did she not come to you?” - -“Rolf didn’t fetch her, Aunt Adda; he said he was a big boy, and would -take care of us. Poor Rolf did not mean to be naughty, did he, nurse?” - -“Rolf must be severely punished for his disobedience; he has nearly -killed your little brother, Joyce. Tell me what Rolf did after that.” - -“He asked me if I would not like to see his dear little cannon that -went pop when he told it,” went on Joyce, looking extremely frightened. -“I did not know cannons were wicked things, and I said yes, and Rolf -showed us the cannon, and told us to get out of the way, for it would -kill us dead, and I runned, and baby clapped his hands and runned -the wrong way, and Rolf had fire in his hand, like Hannah lights the -candles with, and baby’s pinafore got on fire, and I screamed as hard -as I could for nurse.” - -It must have been just as Joyce said, for the toy cannon was on the -floor, and a box of matches beside it. Probably Rolf had not seen -Reggie beside him, and had thrown the lighted match aside in his -excitement. Mrs. Markham sighed deeply as she listened. She had -sustained a severe shock; her face looked very dark and rigid as she -left the room. I was afraid she meant to punish Rolf severely, and -begged Gay to follow her and plead for mercy. - -“Rolf has had a fright that will last him for life; his terror has been -punishment enough.” But Gay shook her head. - -“It is no use interfering with Adelaide; she will take her own way. I -am sorry for Rolf; but he deserves any punishment he gets. Reggie would -have been burnt to death but for your presence of mind, Merle; none of -us could have reached the nursery in time. Mr. Hawtry said so at once.” - -Reggie burnt to death! and then my mistress would have died, too; -she could not have survived the horror of that shock. I begged Gay -faintly not to say such things; the bare mention of it turned me sick. -I suppose she was alarmed by my ghastly look, for she kissed me, and -said, soothingly, that I must not distress myself so; we could only be -thankful that Reggie was safe. - -Dr. Staples came soon after that. He was a benevolent-looking old man, -and was very kind and gentle. He said one of my arms, the left one, -was severely burnt, and that it would be some little time before it -was healed. “These things depend a great deal on constitution; but you -seem strong and healthy, Miss Fenton, so I hope you will soon be right -again; but you must not expect to lose the scars.” - -I was sorry to hear that, for I knew the scars would remind me of a -terrible hour in my life. The dressing was very painful, and when it -was finished I was compelled to follow Dr. Staples’s advice and go -to bed. I was suffering from the shock, and I knew my arms would be -useless to me for a week to come. I felt shaken and sick, and unable to -bear the childish voices. - -Gay followed me into the night nursery and gave me all the help -she could, and she did not leave me until my head was on the -lavender-scented pillow. In spite of pain and dizziness, it was nice to -lie there and hear the birds twittering under the eaves and the bees -humming about the flowers, and to look out on the sunshine and feel a -great mercy had been vouchsafed to me, that I had not been suffered to -fail in the hour of peril. - -Gay hung up her cage of canaries in the window to divert my mind, and -laid a bunch of dark clove carnations, with a late rose or two among -them, on the quilt. - -“Mr. Hawtry is still here, Merle; he is very anxious to know if you are -in less pain, and whether there is anything he can do for you. He seems -quite grieved because Dr. Staples says your arm is badly burnt.” - -I sent a civil message of thanks to Mr. Hawtry, and then I detained Gay -a moment. - -“Miss Gay, you must write to Mr. Morton yourself. I have promised your -sister to tell her everything; but it will shock her too much, and I -think Mr. Morton should know first.” - -Gay looked distressed. - -“Need we tell them, Merle? Violet is not at all well; Alick said so in -his letter this morning. Scotland does not seem to suit her, and he -thinks they will soon come home.” - -“And they have not been away a month yet,” I observed, regretfully; -“not more than three weeks and two days, and Mr. Morton is so fond of -Scotland.” - -“Alick thinks more of Vi than deer-stalking. If she be not well he will -bring her home without a word of grumbling. In some respects Alick is a -very good husband. Why need we say anything about the accident, Merle? -Reggie is scarcely hurt at all; his scorched leg will soon get right.” - -“It is not fair to keep anything from them. I promised I would tell -everything, and my mistress must know I am invalided and cannot do my -duty.” - -“You need not fret about that,” she returned, cheerfully. “Susan shall -help Hannah, and I will be here as much as possible. I am a famous -nurse. We will make Mrs. Rumble wait on Judson. Very well, Merle, I -will write to Alick; but I would much rather not.” - -I had forgotten poor Judson, but I did not forget Rolf; I asked several -times after him, but Gay had not seen him. Rolf was in disgrace, and a -close prisoner to his room. He had had his dinner sent up to him; but -Adelaide was lying down in her own room all the afternoon with a bad -headache, and, as Rolf’s communicated with hers, no one could visit him -unperceived. - -I wondered if Mrs. Markham’s eyes were at last opened to the danger of -Rolf’s disobedience and her own faulty management. She was to blame -as much as the child. She had given me her word to remain in the -nursery, and no visitors should have tempted her from her post. It was -no surprise to me to hear she was ill with worry; her conscience must -have reproached her for her breach of trust. If Reggie had been killed, -his death would have been owing to her carelessness. Later on in the -evening, just as it was getting dusk, Gay came to me for a minute with -a plate of fine fruit in her hand. They had tempted me all day long -with delicacies, but I had felt too ill to eat. The fruit just suited -me, for I was feverish with pain. - -“Adelaide has just come downstairs,” she said, with a droll little -laugh. “Mr. Rossiter had heard of the accident, and had dropped in -to inquire, so father kept him to dinner. When Adelaide heard that, -she came down as soon as possible, and there she sits, looking like a -ghost, until Mr. Rossiter takes his departure.” - -“And Rolf?” - -“Oh, I suppose Rolf is asleep,” she returned, carelessly; and as she -was evidently in a hurry to return to the drawing-room, I would not -keep her; but as soon as she had closed the door a sudden idea came -into my head. I would go and see Rolf myself; I was not easy about -him. I knew his mother could be too severe even with her idolised boy -on occasions, but I never could bear a child to be long unhappy. I -rose very quietly, so as not to disturb the children, and threw on my -dressing-gown. I was rather afraid my white face and bandaged arms -would frighten Rolf, until I remembered it was dusk, and he could not -see me distinctly. - -Mrs. Markham’s suite of rooms lay in the west corridor. I knew no -one would be about; poor Judson was in bed, so I reached Rolf’s room -without interruption. I thought I heard him sobbing softly to himself -as I opened the door. When I spoke to him, making my way through the -summer twilight to his little bed, he started up and held out his arms. - -“Oh, Fenny, is that really you, dear Fenny? Do come close and let me -feel you. I have been thinking of such horrid things.” - -I told him gently that I was in great pain, and that he must not touch -me, but that I would sit down for a little while beside him and talk to -him. - -“But I may hold your hand,” he pleaded. “Is your hand burnt too, Fenny, -or don’t you like to touch me because I am such a wicked boy, as mother -says, and very nearly killed poor little Reggie?” - -My heart melted at his pitiful tone, and I stooped over him and kissed -his hot face. - -“You may hold my hand, Rolf, dear, if you like; it is only my arms that -are hurt; there, we are comfortable now. Tell me, have you had a very -miserable day?” - -“Oh, so miserable!” and there were tears in Rolf’s voice. “Mother has -been so angry; she shut me up in this room though it was such a fine -day, and would not let anyone speak to me, and I could not get her to -answer although I said over and over again that I was sorry and would -not have hurt Reggie for the world, he is such a dear little fellow, -you know. Oh! I am so fond of him. But mother said no, she would not -listen; I had disobeyed her, and nearly killed Reggie, and that Aunt -Violet would never speak to me again.” - -“Oh, yes she will, Rolf.” - -“But if Reggie had been really burnt, you know,” and here Rolf -shivered; his hand was quite cold though his face was burning. He was a -nervous, excitable child, and no doubt this long summer’s day had been -a martyrdom to him. He had conjured up all sorts of horrible fancies to -haunt his dreams. Yes, he had been sufficiently punished, I was sure of -that. - -“Tell me how it happened, dear,” I said, quietly. - -“I was firing my cannon to please Joyce. I know mother told me never -to take it in the nursery, and that she did not like my lighting it -unless Judson had the matchbox, but I forgot.” - -“Did you really forget, Rolf?” - -“Yes, really I did; I never do remember things, you know. I was only -thinking how Joyce would scream when the cannon popped. I told them to -get out of the way, only Reggie, poor little fellow, ran against me -and knocked the match out of my hand—it was alight, you know—and then -Joyce did scream, and,” but here Rolf buried his head in the pillow; -the recollection was evidently too painful. “You will all hate me,” he -sobbed, “because I nearly killed Reggie—you and Aunt Violet, and I do -love Aunt Violet, because she is so pretty.” - -“No one will hate you, my poor child; we are only sorry that the son -of a brave soldier like Colonel Markham should be such a coward as -to disobey his mother. Your mother told you to fetch Hannah. Did you -forget that too, Rolf?” - -“No,” in a conscience-stricken voice, “I did not forget, Fenny, but I -thought it would be fun to take care of the children.” - -“But it was disobedience, Rolf, just as much as your coming into the -nursery at that time you took advantage of my absence first, and then -of your mother’s. I think a brave soldier like your father would call -that cowardly. Now, I want you to listen to a story about the bravest -boy of whom I ever heard.” And as I stroked his rough head I told him -the story of Casabianca and the burning ship. - -(_To be continued._) - -[Illustration] - - - - -[Illustration: New Music] - - -NOVELLO, EWER AND CO. - -_Concone’s Lessons._ Fifty Lessons for the Medium Part of the Voice, -and Forty Lessons for Contralto, or for Bass and Baritone.—It is -needless for us to recommend sterling works like these, the value of -which has been acknowledged for so long a time; but we may call special -attention to this admirable new edition, containing, as it does, a -completed system of phrasing and expression marks, a correction of the -breathing points, and a careful revision at the hands of Mr. Randegger, -the well-known professor of singing at the Royal Academy of Music. - - -STANLEY LUCAS AND CO. - -_The Return of May_, a choral trio for female voices, is a very -clever piece of three-part writing, with an interesting independent -accompaniment. It is by Amy Elise Horrocks, and the words are those of -Mrs. Hemans. - -_Fly, little Song, to my Love._—A most charming ballad by Alfred -Cellier, whose writings are always graceful in melody and uncommon in -harmony. The constant repetition of the initial phrase becomes a little -tiring, beautiful though the phrase undoubtedly is. - -_Violets._—A sweet, simple song addressed to some flowers plucked to -cheer a poor invalid in the “great, dim, smoky city.” Poetry by Ellis -Walton. Music by R. B. Addison. - -_Four Songs for Tenor._ Composed by Whewall Bowling.—A good present -for tenors who sing something greater and better than the drawing-room -ditty of commerce. The accompaniments are beautiful, and need good -playing. - -(a) _Four Sonnets by Shakespeare._ The German version by Bodenstedt. -(b) _English Lyrics._ Second set. Words by Shakespeare. Composed -by C. Hubert H. Parry.—Of these, the sonnets will be above the -comprehension of the average singer. They are very fine and wonderfully -thought out and wedded to the sentiment and expression of Shakespeare’s -powerfully expressive words. The lyrics from Shakespeare’s plays are -more easily grasped, and cannot fail to give enjoyment. In No. 5, “When -icicles hang by the wall,” there is a funny introduction of the song -“We won’t go home till morning” in the accompaniment! - -_Characteristic Tunes of the British Isles._ (Books 1, 2.) Selected -and arranged for four hands by C. Hubert H. Parry.—Very original duet -arrangements of our well-known national songs. “Three Blind Mice” is -treated in a very droll manner. For perfect beauty we think you will -agree that “The Pearl of the White Breast,” an Irish air, bears the -palm. The Scotch tune, “The Flowers of the Forest,” is not the form of -that song best known to modern singers. - -_Larghetto and Allegro._ For violin and piano. By John Christian -Mantel, who in 1730 was organist of South Benfleet, in Essex, and who -appears by his writing to be an admirer of Handel’s.—The edition is by -Otto Peiniger, at whose recitals these old English violin pieces have -been played. - - -J. B. CRAMER AND CO. - -_The Silent City_, by Cotsford Dick, may be recommended as a Sunday -song. Effective and easy, and of moderate compass. - -_O Loved and Lost._ Song. Written and composed by Lord Henry -Somerset. Published in F and A. The former key suitable for basses -and contraltos, and the latter key for sopranos and tenors.—Full of -delicate sentiment and graceful treatment of what are sometimes rather -trite expressions in melody. - -_At the Concert._ Humorous song. By Henry Pontet.—Will amuse, if it -does not point an obvious moral to concert-goers, who attend those -entertainments in the body, but in spirit (and conversation, alas!) are -far, far away. - -_A June Song_, by Mary Carmichael, is, what it should be, suggestive of -the “odour of hay:” “full of the scent and the glow and the passion of -June,” as the pretty words tell us. - - -HUTCHINGS AND CO. - -_The Wreck of the Hesperus_ is set by C. H. Lewis as a cantata for -female voices, and merits the attention of ladies’ choirs. - -_The Long White Seam._ Song by Jean Ingelow. Set to music by Wilfred -Bendall.—A song of more than average excellence by this rising composer. - -_The Evening Farewell._ A four-part song. Composed by Sir G. A. -Macfarren, to words by his father.—Presenting nothing uncommon about -it, this little part-song runs smoothly, and may be easily performed. -Singers will enjoy the soft effect of the minor common chord on B flat, -immediately following and, as it were, qualifying the major chord upon -the same root. If proof were needed as to which should be in reality -the relative minor to any major scale, the scale possessing the same -signature to start with, but contradicting that signature in practice, -or the scale having the same dominant and the same leading note, this -little passage alone would decide us in favour of the latter. - -_Broken Heart_, _An Old Tale_, and _May Song_.—Piano pieces, good in -their form, songs without words, but very suggestive of their titles, -and carefully written, by John Urich. - -_Alla Tarantella._ Caprice for piano. By Joseph L. -Roeckel.—Characteristic and well worked up to the necessary pitch of -mad fury. - -_Danses Sclave._ Pianoforte duets. By J. C. Bridge, M.A., -Mus.Doc.—Rather a mild notion of the impetuous Slavonic dance, with -its strange accents and brusque uncouthness, combined with its many -charming and sad quaintnesses. You should learn these duets, though; -for even if they prove that a man writes best in accordance with his -environment, they will also prove themselves interesting, pleasant -tasks for young pianists. - -In _Elementary Music_, Book I. of a complete school, by Alfred Gilbert, -M.R.A.M., it seems to us that the arrangement made is likely to -prove rather confusing than otherwise. Too much is said. One of the -statements, at least, will be a source of trouble, viz., that “the -white keys of the pianoforte are called naturals.” What will the little -student do about E♯, F×, G×, C♭, B♯, E♭♭, etc., etc.? The contradiction -of the above statement occurs naturally enough in the music -provided later on, but only in the music. [Transcriber’s note—the -multiplication sign, x, has been used in the paragraph above in place -of the double sharp symbol and two flat symbols in place of the double -flat symbol.] - - -J. AND J. HOPKINSON. - -_In Dreamland City._ By Theo. Bonheur.—A pretty song, with a graceful, -taking refrain. - -_Bonnie Face._ Words by the late Hugh Conway. Music by A. H. -Behrend.—Another sad invitation from either a grannie, or an auntie, -or an unclie to a little childie to keep its spirits up, and, if -possible, remain a little child for ever, as the opportunities for -enjoyment, or, at any rate, for laughter, become limited when we learn -to read and write. Enough to damp the ardour of any healthy, growing -child. - - -EDWIN ASHDOWN. - -_La Zingara_, for piano, by Michael Watson, is named by him “Morceau -alla Tarantella.”—The bite of the tarantula seems in this case to be -rather pleasant than otherwise; it would be better styled “A Gipsy -Dance.” - - -MARRIOTT AND WILLIAMS. - -_Mirage._—An expressive, powerfully-written song, by Edith Marriott, -who shows great progress in her various compositions. - -_There’s a Bower of Roses._—A charmingly simple setting of these -lovely words of Thomas Moore. - - -F. PITMAN. - -The Christmas double number of the _Violin Soloist_ is a marvellous -twopennyworth, containing twelve well-known pieces. They are fingered -and bowed thoroughly, and the whole number is well printed and got up. - - -W. J. WILLCOCKS AND CO. - -_Verviers_ is the name of a bright, sparkling _air de ballet_, written -for the piano by Ivan Caryll. - -_Three Sketches_, by Edward L. Hopkins, are quiet Sunday scenes -expressed on the pianoforte. - - -T. H. BARNETT. - -_Saltarello_ in A minor. By R. J. Thompson.—A bright little movement -for players of moderate capacity and ready fingers. - - - - -A DAUGHTER OF SORROWS. - - -CHAPTER IV. - -LAST DAYS. - -It might have seemed now that Marie Thérèse of France had endured -enough of sorrow, and that her days might be allowed to flow on -evenly—not, indeed, joyfully, but in a calm content. For a year or -two it seemed as if this would be the case, but there were still other -storms to be encountered before the life history was to be complete. - -Five years after the second Restoration the Duc de Berri was -assassinated at the Opéra. The Duchess of Angoulême was one of those -immediately summoned to the ante-room of the Opera House, where her -brother-in-law lay dying. Her husband, fearing some danger, would -have restrained her from accompanying him, but she felt her place was -there. “What,” exclaims Châteaubriand, “were dangers to her, who was -accustomed to look revolution in the face!” Herself overcome with -grief, she paid a noble tribute to the fortitude of the Duchesse de -Berri. “She is sublime,” she said more than once; and, bending over the -dying man, she said, “Courage, brother; and if God calls you hence, ask -my father there to pray for France and for us.” - -When, six months after his father’s death, the only son of the Duc and -Duchesse de Berri was born, it was the Duchess of Angoulême, to whom -the blessing of children had been denied, who showed the infant to the -people assembled before the palace windows with every sign of joy and -delight. - -The death of Louis XVIII. in 1824 made the Duchess of Angoulême -Dauphine of France. But her life continued as retired as ever, and she -spent much of her time in watching over the early years of her little -nephew, the Duc de Bordeaux. After six comparatively uneventful years -the storm broke which doomed her to a final exile. The duchess was at -Dijon when a hostile reception at the theatre announced to her that -there was once more a revolution. Travelling all night with one or two -attendants to Versailles, she made her way in the disguise of a peasant -to St. Cloud, only to find that the King was at Rambouillet. “Can you -forgive me?” cried Charles X. as he met his niece. Her answer was an -embrace. “I trust,” she said, “we are now united for ever.” The King -abdicated, and the Duc d’Angoulême surrendered his claims in favour of -the little Duc de Bordeaux, while Louis Philippe of Orleans was to be -Lieutenant-General during the prince’s minority. But the Chamber of -Deputies declared for Louis Philippe. After some little hesitation, he -consented to become “King of the French,” and there was nothing left -for Charles X. but to depart. Escorted by the commissioners sent by the -new king for the purpose, the royal family passed with slow stateliness -on their way to the sea coast, taking a fortnight in reaching -Cherbourg. The last pageant of the departing dynasty was witnessed -for the most part with silent respect. The little Duc de Bordeaux and -his sister, ignorant of the meaning of it all, stood at the carriage -windows, bowing and kissing their hands in their childish way to the -people, and the sight of the children made the tears start to many -eyes. The Duchess of Angoulême sat in one of the carriages, silent and -alone, save for a lady-in-waiting. It seemed a hard fate that condemned -her once more to exile. It was the 16th of August, 1830, when they -embarked for England, and it was characteristic of the duchess that she -lingered longest on the deck, watching the shores of France as they -receded for the last time from her sight. - -The exiles landed at Weymouth, and spent two months under the -hospitable roof of Cardinal Weld at Lulworth Castle. Thence they -repaired to Edinburgh, where they occupied the palace of Holyrood. -Thence, in the end of the year 1832, they returned to the Continent, -and took up their residence in the old Hradschin palace at Prague. From -Prague they removed to Goritz, and here, in the winter of 1836, Charles -X. died. Eight years later the Duchess of Angoulême was left a widow. - -The last years of her life were spent at Frohsdorf, a plain, somewhat -uninteresting house near Neustadt, commanding a prospect over the -plain which extends to the borders of Styria, which had been purchased -for her from Caroline Murat, the ex-Queen of Naples, and to which she -retired after her husband’s death. The Duc de Bordeaux (better known -to modern readers as the Comte de Chambord) and his sister, afterwards -Duchess of Parma, resided with her, and old and faithful courtiers and -servants—all of whom were French—formed her household. Distinguished -Frenchmen often visited Frohsdorf, and were always received graciously -and kindly. In 1848 the news was brought to the duchess of the fall of -Louis Philippe. “It is enough,” she said, as the story brought vividly -before her the memory of another fall eighteen years before, “I dare -not listen any more; we are too completely avenged.” - -It was a sorrow to her that her nephew seemed content to let -opportunities slip past him, and she had at last to acknowledge that -he was unlikely to regain the throne of his ancestors. His training -had been of a narrowing character, and he lacked the energy and the -decision which, if exercised at the right time, might have led to great -results. - -The end came to the Duchess of Angoulême at Frohsdorf, in the autumn -of 1851. Her illness lasted only two days, and she died on the 16th -of October, the fifty-eighth anniversary of her mother’s execution. -We may not doubt that the happiest day of her long, eventful life -was that which marked its close, and re-united her at last to all -those she loved. “I do not fear death,” she wrote, in her last will, -“and, lacking merit of my own, I place all my trust in the mercy of -God.... After the example of my parents, I pardon with my entire soul, -and without exception, all those who have injured or offended me; -sincerely praying God to extend to them His mercy, and to me also for -the pardon of my sins. I pray God to shower down His blessings upon -France—France, that I have never ceased to love under my bitterest -affliction.” - -She was buried, in accordance with her expressed wish, in the vault of -the Franciscan Convent at Goritz, between her husband and the King, -her father-in-law. In the same vault there now rest the two children -over whose early years she had watched with tender care—Henri Duc de -Bordeaux and Comte de Chambord, and Louise Marie Thérèse Duchess of -Parma. - -A few words which form the close of an article on the Duchess of -Angoulême, which appeared in the _Gentleman’s Magazine_ at the time of -her death, sum up her life history so concisely, that I append them -here by way of conclusion:— - -“Of the seventy-three years of her life, she passed eight (the best of -her youth) in restraint or in a dungeon, and thirty-eight in exile, and -yet she died acknowledging the mercies and the glory of God. Let us who -have not known affliction, or who have been but lightly visited, derive -wisdom from the instruction offered us by the pious daughter of Louis -Seize and Marie Antoinette.” - - R. W. R. - -[THE END.] - - - - -A GERMAN NUPTIAL EVE. - -BY ONE WHO WAS PRESENT. - - -It is an old custom in Germany, and one which we may hope will never -die out, to have a gathering of friends on the nuptial eve, either at -the house of the bride elect, or, when this is too small, in a hotel. -Most of the guests are expected to appear in some character, and give -a recitation or song, if possible, composed for the occasion, and -referring in some way to the bride and bridegroom. It is a cheerful, -pleasant custom, and helps to make the last evening in the old home -a happy and joyous one, by surrounding the bride with the friends of -her youth who come to wish her God speed in the new life about to open -up. It seems in many ways much better than having a party after the -wedding, when the bride and bridegroom are no longer among the guests, -and it is pleasanter to remember that the last festivities in the old -home were brightened by their company. - -Let me give a sketch of a nuptial eve, or, as our German cousins call -it, a “Polter Abend” gathering, at which I was present, held at the -house of the bride, and for that reason more homelike than if it had -been held in a hotel. In former times it was common among all classes, -but now chiefly among the poorer, for the guests to bring old crockery -and smash it before the door of the house, so that next morning, if it -had been a large party, the unfortunate father had to employ a man and -cart to carry away the fragments. I was unable to discover the origin -of this, but it seems like our throwing an old shoe after the bride as -she leaves home. Has it anything to do with the German custom of giving -the baby a shilling when he breaks his first plate? Most people appear -to be not altogether sorry that this marriage custom is dying out. - -Without any crockery, but with a little inward fear and trembling, -owing to my slender knowledge of the language, I stood, one evening -last September, at the house of my friend, waiting for the door to open -to introduce me into the midst of the excitement. Glad I was to find -several who could speak English, and I was tempted to talk more English -than German. - -The programme of the evening commenced by Fräulein and a young medical -student singing a very humorous duet together, containing some warnings -to the bride and bridegroom, who, however, seemed to enjoy it as much -as anyone. In accordance with a time-honoured custom, which is also -observed when moving into a new house, a little girl went up to the -bride, and, after reciting a poem, gave her a stand containing salt and -a bread-basket, in order that the newly married couple, on commencing -housekeeping, might have something with which to begin and keep them -from starvation. Perhaps the salt may also be meant for a warning -against ever letting any bitter words pass between the two who are now -so loving to each other, and the bread may also signify contentment -with the simpler things of life, coupled with the rich delicacy of love. - -After the bride had received this present, a dwarf with a long white -beard, described by Scheffer, the German poet, as Perkeo, dwarf of -Heidelberg Castle, came forth, and sang a song of his own composition. -It narrated several events in the lives of the bride and bridegroom in -a very amusing manner. The dwarf was personated by the medical student, -a younger brother of the bridegroom, and he told how, in the earlier -days of courtship, they used to send him away to play with other boys, -in order to be alone together, and how, having wisely learnt English, -they would tease him by speaking in that language, which he, poor -fellow! did not understand. But now that is all forgotten, and he is -quite ready to forgive them for all their misdeeds in the past, ending -by wishing them a very happy and joyous future. - -While we were having some refreshments, a peasant girl from Southern -Germany appeared, dressed in the pretty costume peculiar to the -district, and with a basket upon her back such as is seen in all -pictures of German market-women. It contained crockery. Addressing -the bride, and after praising up her wares, and saying how impossible -they were to break, she carelessly let fall an already broken cup, -but in such a manner as to make it appear as if it broke in falling. -She quickly atoned for her stupidity by presenting the bride with a -beautiful china tea and coffee set painted by her mother, and which she -was very careful _not_ to break. Very heartily she was received, and -continued to receive the congratulations of her friends until no less a -person than the self-appointed ambassador of her most gracious Majesty -Queen Victoria and of the President of the United States is announced. -He came as a joint ambassador of the two nations, partly because he -had himself lived some years in England, and partly because the bride -had lived in America, so that it was fitting that someone should -represent these nations. The manner in which he was received showed -the cordial relationship existing between Germany and these countries. -He finished, after mentioning the recent marriage of the President, by -conveying united congratulations to the bride, who was delighted with -the voice from the old country, and who, by the way, had placed a small -American flag above a large German one. - -The young Englishman having finished, a lady decorated the bride with -the bridal wreath, reciting a poem composed by herself. A pretty custom -usually takes place at this moment. All the young people present form a -circle round the bride, who stands blindfolded in the centre and places -the wreath upon someone’s head, showing who will be the next to be -married. Unfortunately, it was omitted on this evening, so we did not -know on whom the lot would fall, much as we should have liked to, and -the question remains unanswered. - -When the bride had received the wreath, the bridegroom’s father recited -a poem, and gave the bride a box containing the rare meerschaum powder, -brought from Ruhla, a great seat of the meerschaum pipe trade in the -Thuringer Wald. The German wives are noted for being good _hausfraus_ -(housekeepers), and frequently a girl will go into a _pension_ to -learn housekeeping before she is married. This powder is for cleaning -purposes, and serves as a reminder of what is expected from the bride. - -The evening finished by one more very clever speech from the student, -who made some capital jokes about the partnership of the two names, -which were, both in German and in English, names of very common -businesses, without which we could not live, and certainly, if they did -not go hand in hand with each other, a general failure would be the -result. And with everyone in good humour, we bid adieu at half-past -eleven, we English almost thinking that we might take a lesson from -the Germans, and very much increase the pleasures of a wedding by -instituting a “Polter Abend” in England. - - W. A. H. LEGG. - - Arnstadt, Nov., 1886. - - - - -ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. - - -EDUCATIONAL. - -BEATTIE.—You do not say where you reside. You should write for all -such information to the special college under whose training you will -find it the most convenient to place yourself. Address the secretary. - -G. M. H. should read all our answers to correspondents under the above -heading, as her questions have been answered over and over again in our -volumes. In one of the early volumes there was an article entitled “How -to Earn One’s Living.” - -A. MC.—You should write to the secretary of the Holloway College for -Women direct, and obtain their prospectus, stating your wishes and all -the particulars of the case. - -E. T. G.—The Latin motto, _Virtus semper viridis_, is that of three -families—_i.e._, Corry, Green, and Lowry, and means, “Virtue is always -flourishing.” - -C. M. should write direct to the secretary of the College of -Preceptors, 42, Queen-square, Bloomsbury, W.C. 2. We give you the same -advice; you had better read and judge for yourself. - -POLLIE.—Write to the secretary of the Civil Service Commissioners, -Cannon-row, S.W., and obtain the printed prospectus of rules respecting -the clerkships of the telegraph department. If you look through our -answers under the above heading, you will see scores of replies to this -question. - -C. KERSHAW.—There is a training home for domestic servants, The Guild -of Aid, at Zeals, near Bath, Somerset, and one at 19, Romney-place, -Maidstone; matron, Miss Kemp. Also St. John’s Training School for -Girls, Westbourne-park, W.; matron, Miss McEwen. - - -ART. - -ZILLAH.—If the medium known as Florentine is used when painting upon -silk, it is not necessary to prepare the foundation. - -MARS.—In mirror painting it is necessary to use one of the many -mediums advertised, or the oil paints are easily removable with -turpentine or a penknife. - -THE LADY OF AROOSTOCK.—It is extremely difficult to sell original -drawings, and much more so to sell mere copies. So we fear that we -could not help you. Shew’s mounting medium for photographs is the best -to employ. - -IVY.—The safest manner of cleaning photographs is to immerse them in -pure clean tepid water, and then wipe them dry with a soft silk rag. - - -WORK. - -A MOTHER is thanked for the recipe she kindly gives for a description -of embroidery, especially her own:—For the foundation, prepare as -proposed for crazy work in our part for November, 1886. Get artificial -flowers of velvet, old or new, the brighter the better, and of all -varieties. Tack them on the sprays, large or small, or grouped; then -use buttonhole-stitch to fasten down every flower in coarse crewel -silk, of the respective colours required by the flowers, finishing -round the larger flowers and leaves with gold tinsel cord, and using -small yellow beads for flower seeds. The stems should be made in shaded -greens with crewel-stitch, and the whole effect is very brilliant. - -TEETEE.—With reference to your helping to support your mother and -yourselves by dressmaking, no friends worth keeping would cast you -off on that account. No disgrace is attached to honest work, but -you would show consideration for the feelings of others by working -under Christian names, a common practice amongst dressmakers and -milliners; and this little act of delicacy for your relatives’ sake -will be appreciated by them, supposing the family name be one of any -distinction—a common one would not matter. We advise you to get some -lessons in fitting from a good tailor, as women dressmakers fail -signally on this point, as a general and almost universal rule. - -[Illustration: SPRING - - “MARCH WINDS, - APRIL SHOWERS, - BRING FORTH - MAY FLOWERS.”] - -LOVER OF THE G.O.P.—On no account take any notice of such a note. It -was a most intrusive and impertinent act on the part of a strange man -to drop it into your lap in the railway carriage. It showed that he -mistook you for a girl lacking grievously in self-respect and in any -knowledge of propriety. - -FIDELIS.—We have advised our correspondents very many times against -such advertisements, which are almost all catchpennies, and intended to -delude and swindle the foolish and unwary. We have no knowledge of each -separate advertisement, and we speak only as a general rule, of course. - -E. H. E. K.—The best cotton to use for knitting a quilt is No. 6, -with No. 12 needles. In asking how much cotton you would require, you -never mention the size of the quilt which you mean to make, but after -knitting one of the diamonds you will know how much you have used, and -also the number of diamonds you will require, and you can calculate -from that. If you keep to one maker you can always match the cotton -exactly. - -AN IRISH DOCTOR’S WIFE.—To make a stitch, put the thread before the -needle. A slipped stitch means one that is passed from one needle to -the other without knitting it. We think you would find it easier to -induce some experienced knitter to give you a few instructions. - -KASCHEU.—1. The cracker nightdress case may be made in plush. This -case resembles a cracker in shape, the two ends being secured with -drawstrings about four inches from the edge, and this frilled part is -lined with satin. The nightdress is placed in the centre, where the -bonbon of a real cracker is secured. 2. For plush embroidery, coarse -silks are used, and the patterns are worked in outlines. The material -presents such difficulties that the embroidery is never very elaborate. -The watch pockets to match the cracker nightdress case are shaped like -half a cracker, and are placed upon the foundation upright. The watch -pockets are hung up by a ribbon, and are gathered at the top. - - -MISCELLANEOUS. - -VIDA.—It is only in convents that women take vows of celebacy. -Remember also that there is a Divine rule for guidance in reference to -sacred vows, which must include every description outside the simple -and imperative obligation to serve God humbly and faithfully in your -ordinary daily life and conversation, and in the inner sanctuary of -your own heart, for which Divine rule see Numbers xxx. 3, 4, 5. - -SRIXO.—In no case should a hostess go in first to her own dining-room; -every guest should precede her, excepting the guest that escorts -herself, or _vice versa_. If a cake be presented to a girl on her -birthday (which is by no means _de rigueur_, and like the ever-provided -wedding cake) it may be placed either at the top, bottom, or side of -the table, as the mistress of the house may please. - -CONSTANT READER.—We are very glad that you see your past errors, and -are endeavouring to act as shall be pleasing to your Heavenly Master -in your daily life, and as ever in His sight. Ask for the help of the -Holy Spirit so to do. The Odd Minutes Society might meet your wishes in -trying to do some little extra work for Him in His poor. Write to Miss -J. Powel, Luctons, Buckhurst-hill, Essex, for her prospectus. You might -get some fingering wool, and crochet or knit for them in odd minutes. - -LICHEN.—You should pay a visit to a florist’s, and ask for the species -you name and examine for yourself. If anything be worth knowing it is -worth taking a little trouble to obtain information. Our girls are too -lazy and continually ask us to hunt through the indexes supplied for -their own use. When you have made a full inspection of the flowers for -yourself, you can get direct special information from the florist. - -DUCHESS.—The verse you quote is not taken from any of the canonical -books. It is apocryphal. - -INQUIRER does not appear to be at all acquainted with the Holy Gospel -according to St. John, or she would know where to find the text quoted. -She ought to feel ashamed of such ignorance, and we recommend her to -read that Gospel through, and commit some of our Lord’s discourses to -memory. We also advise her and all our girls to obtain a concordance of -the Holy Bible at our office, as soon as they can afford to buy one. - -NIL DESPERANDUM should obtain medical advice. We can only make general -statements, which may or may not be correctly applied to individual -cases. - -BATTY.—If the glaze be produced by the wearing-away of the nap of -the cloth, there is no cure for it. Perhaps you could turn it with -advantage. - -APE and DONKEY (New South Wales).—Lads of nineteen are certainly -too young to choose partners for life, and no girl would be wise in -binding herself to marry a young fellow who could not know his own -mind. A man should be at least twenty-five before he asks any girl to -risk her happiness in giving him a promise of marriage. If an escort -from church on a Sunday evening be desirable, you should make due -arrangement for it before venturing to go. Impromptu accidental offers -of escort are very inexpedient. In such cases you should have another -girl with you likewise. - -SPHINX.—Accept our thanks for your kind letter. We cannot decipher it -all, but see no question to be answered. - -BUSINESS WOMAN.—We have given a long series of articles on the subject -of Good Breeding, and also of Etiquette, of an exhaustive character. -Some are entitled “Duties,” etc. Look for them in the indexes, and you -will learn all you require to know under any circumstance in which you -may be placed. - -BROWNY.—To become talkative would be most objectionable. Read our two -articles on “The Art of Conversing Agreeably.” We thank you for your -prescription against sea sickness, viz.—2 grains of bromide of sodium -taken three times a day, two days before going on board, and night and -morning while on board. But we have not tried it, and so must advise -anyone wishing to experiment on the dose, to consult her own doctor -before so doing. - -A DUBLIN LASSIE.—The 18th December, 1871, was a Monday. In reply to -your second question, see our answer to “Browny.” - -SUSIE M.—Our blessed Lord was tempted in all points, like as we all -are. Read the other passages in connection with this distinct and -positive statement. - -A PARLOUR-MAID writes, “What will remove black spots from silver?” and -she goes on in the next sentence to say, “when the plate is cleaned -they go away.” What more does she wish to know? Clean, the plate, and -do so frequently and regularly. - -POPSEY.—September 5th, 1856, fell on a Friday. Conversion to God may -be sudden, but is more generally a gradual and growing conviction of -sin and apprehension of the way of salvation, a gentle process of -drawing to Christ by feelings of gratitude for mercies received, and -through hearing and reading of His love. This appears to be a more -reliable and satisfactory process than sudden convictions with an -assurance of faith. Still, such conversions as the latter do occur. -There are many godly people, also, who have never known any change -since their early childhood, but who always feared God and trusted in -His atonement. - -A. PAYNE.—You are doing a very rash thing in trying to thin yourself -by taking carbonate of soda in daily doses. You will thus thin your -blood, and thinness of blood often results in dropsy, spots, and boils, -etc. Your being stout is a great advantage, if not excessive. You have -some substance to waste safely in case of illness. Do you wish to -look like the poor scarecrows with pipe-stopper waists? Your hand is -scarcely formed, and you should use a softer pen. - -HELIOTROPE (New Zealand).—1. We read your letter with interest, -although the answer to it be so late. You are very right in the views -you express about marriage. Young girls are too apt to take its -responsibilities upon themselves without counting the cost, or their -own suitability. 2. Changing the key of a song seldom improves it. But, -at all events, if the key were unsuitable for your voice, your singing -would be more agreeable than it would have been in the original key. -Accept our thanks and best wishes. - -M. WRIGHT (New South Wales).—We thank you for so kind a letter, and -assure you, as we did “Heliotrope,” that such as you have both written, -have encouraged us in our work. We may also add that, if you have not -had the benefit of a good education, you have profited by what you -had far better than many girls who had that advantage. We wish you -God-speed. - -THE VICAR’S DAUGHTER (Victoria).—We cannot answer your question exactly -in the form you wish, but may, at least, say that you might procure -what you want through the Messrs Trübner, Ludgate-hill, London, E.C. -Accept our best thanks and good wishes. - -MINNEHAHA.—Dr. Samuel Johnson died on the 13th of December, 1784. -The name Helena ought to be pronounced with the accent on the first -syllable, _i.e._, Hel-e-na, although the island of that name is -pronounced otherwise, the accent being placed on the second syllable, -and divided thus, St. He-le-na. - -PERPLEXITY.—We recommend any unbeliever to read the Rev. Joseph Cook’s -“Monday Lectures,” first and second series, “God and the Conscience,” -and “Life and the Soul,” sold by Messrs. Ward and Lock, Dorset -Buildings, Salisbury-square, London, E.C. - -WELL-WISHER ELSIE.—Your hand is rather a poor one, but it is legible, -and is at any rate preferable to the coarse Stonehenge type affected by -so many girls. We suppose the phrenologist meant to say that you could -if you tried so to do, pass a good examination in the science and art -of music. - -EVELYN B.—The papers written by Miss Caulfeild on etiquette, good -manners, and duties have extended through most of our volumes, -beginning with vol. i. and ii., and one and all are valuable authority -on all such points. - -EVER HOPEFUL.—The best way to get the information would be to write to -the vicar, enclosing a stamped envelope, and ask whether he can supply -it from the registers of his church, and if so, what the fees will be. -Then, on his answer, you can remit the fees asked. - - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GIRL'S OWN PAPER, VOL. -VIII, NO. 374, FEBRUARY 26, 1887 *** - -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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