,illustration3 ,,the ,,girl',s ,,own ,,paper ,,vol4 ,,xx4--,,no4 #iha4 ,,october #ae1 #ahih4 ,,price ,,one ,,penny4 ,,old ,,english ,,cottage ,,homes2 ,,or1 ,,village ,,architecture ,,of ,,bygone ,,times4 ,illustration3 ,,cottages ,,and ,,mill ,,at ,,amersham4 ,all rights reserved4 ,as our papers upon ,the ,characteristic ,church ,towers of ,english ,counties appear to have interested our readers1 it is possible they may be willing to peruse these remarks upon the old dwellings1 and some other objects which surround country churches4 ,we fear there can be no doubt that our village architecture has deteriorated1 and that the cottage of to-day is scarcely1 if ever1 as beautiful as that of former times4 ,nor is this our only cause for regret1 for1 unfortunately1 our beautiful old village architecture is disappearing so rapidly1 that it is to be feared there will be nothing left to convey to the minds of those who come after us any idea of its charm4 ,when one speaks of ,english villages1 it is advisable to point out that those small country towns which are erected after the same manner and method are included2 that is to say1 those which are contained in one single parish1 and which possess houses of small scale with rustic adjuncts1 gardens1 orchards1 farm-buildings1 etc4 ,there is architecturally no difference between a village and a town of this description4 ,it makes no difference whether the houses are built in rows or are detached4 ,the beautiful village of ,ayot ,st4 ,lawrence1 in ,hertfordshire1 has houses arranged in rows1 and so had ,eaton1 in ,norfolk1 before its rebuilding some years back4 ,the notion that country houses should always be detached1 or semi-detached1 has led to much injudicious arrangement in suburban building estates4 ,if there is land to spare1 isolate your houses1 but if not1 no good end is answered by detaching them so as to leave wretched narrow passages between them1 which are always damp1 gloomy1 and too frequently become receptacles for disused and broken articles1 which would be far better put on the fire or given to the dustman4 ,if houses are detached1 or semi-detached1 there should always be a space twelve or fifteen feet between them 7unless1 of course1 the houses are very low71 otherwise the rooms bordering upon the opening are damp and cold4 ,illustration3 ,at ,fordwich4 ,english country towns differ completely from continental ones chiefly for this reason4 ,on the ,continent1 towns were nearly always fortified and surrounded by walls1 though often their population was that of a mere village4 ,these little fortified places are in ,germany called dwarf cities1 to distinguish them from the dorf1 or village4 ,in ,england1 however1 small towns were rarely fortified or walled1 except when they were situated upon the sea-coast1 where they had to be ready to resist the landing of some foreign enemy4 ,lyme-,regis1 ,dorsetshire1 is an example of a small ,english fortified town1 and it is quite strange how much the place 7of course we refer to the old portions of it7 impresses one with its continental aspect1 because directly a town is circumvallated1 every building within it has to be erected upon a contracted space1 and the houses are consequently developed in height1 so that they in no way differ from those of a city2 in fact1 the small town might1 architecturally1 be a piece of some large city4 ,such ,english towns as ,amersham1 ,lavenham1 ,clare1 ,wheathamstead1 etc41 are1 architecturally1 large villages1 and probably originated in the same manner--i4e41 they were dependencies upon some lordship or monastery4 ,the ,english word village is derived from the ,roman word villa4 ,the villa was the castle or manorial house of the proprietor of the land surrounded by a series of humble structures inhabited by his labourers and serfs4 ,this was the village or dependency of the villa1 and hence its inhabitants were called villains 7villani74 ,now we are aware that some modern writers attempt to derive these words from the ,german wealh 7a welchman71 yet the old and usually received idea seems so obvious that we accept it4 ,how the meaning of the words villa and villain have been changed1 and yet how singularly the old word village has retained its meaning6 ,the modern stucco1 semi-detached desirable residence1 with its four or six rooms1 with its rustic porch and gritty front garden1 is a strange parody upon the stately villa of old1 and the good1 honest villager is neither a villain nor a ,welshman4 ,he may sometimes be the latter1 and justly proud of his origin1 but1 in any case1 he is very unlike our conception of a villain4 ,if recent newspaper reports can be trusted1 that character is rather personified by the ,london loafer and his most modern representative the ,hooligan4 ,when the villages increased in size and became important1 usually in the #acth century1 many of them claimed municipal privileges1 were called towns1 and erected town halls1 which are often highly-picturesque structures4 ,that at ,ledbury1 ,herefordshire1 is an interesting example which probably dates from the #afth century4 ,they are generally supported upon pillars so as to leave the ground-floor an open1 covered space which served as a market4 ,very charming are these villages and small country towns with their quaint old cottages and picturesque little houses bordering the wide street4 ,great elms shade the foot-path1 and sweet gardens are at the side or back of each dwelling4 ,perhaps a clear river winds its way amidst the ruddy buildings1 its banks converted into diminutive kitchen-gardens1 and crossed here and there by bridges4 ,the long low building of a water-mill seems to block the way altogether1 but in reality it simply utilises the water to turn its wheels1 and we shall find the river on the opposite side with its waters banked up some six or eight feet higher1 changed in character1 looking more still and deep1 reflecting the surrounding objects in a still1 silent pool1 shaded by lofty trees1 its banks clothed with deep grass plantains1 huge docks and marsh mallows1 a spot where1 on a sunny day1 an irresistible inclination seizes one to lie down on the cool earth4 ,the clinging foliage seems to second the invitation1 and one throws oneself down upon this sweet verdant couch to dream with one's eyes open1 for who could close them in such an enchanting spot8 ,but somehow or other1 whether it is the whirr of the water-wheel1 the fragrant scents of the plants we are crushing1 or the peace surrounding one1 time seems to glide away1 and1 upon consulting our watch1 we discover the mysterious fact that the day has become two hours shorter6 ,of course we have not been to sleep6 ,such village scenes and sensations are to be witnessed at ,amersham1 ,cringleford1 and many other spots in ,england which have still retained their old village surroundings4 7,to be continued47 ,illustration3 ,,town ,,hall1 ,,ledbury4 ,,household ,,hints4 ,a ,,good black straw hat and bonnet1 changed at the seasons with suitable blossoms1 is the most economical and ladylike fashion1 but the artificial flowers should be very good of their kind--those with silk or velvet petals look the best and most natural1 and can be used a second season if carefully brushed and put away4 ,,those who have to wear spectacles and eyeglasses should be very careful that the centre of the glass is exactly opposite the centre of the eye4 ,if not1 they should be altered to make them so4 ,,if hair is washed with soap it is apt to make it brittle1 so it should be afterwards rinsed with a little borax in water4 ,a ,,little ammonia in the water in which china is washed makes it glossier and nicer in appearance4 ,a ,,dress well made and of good material outlives several that are not1 and gives more satisfaction to the wearer1 but it should be carefully chosen as to colour1 and not be too aggressive in pattern or tint4 ,illustration ,,our ,,hero4 ,,by ,,agnes ,,giberne1 ,author of ,sun1 ,moon and ,stars1 ,the ,girl at the ,dower ,house1 etc4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,in ,,the ,,year #ahjc4 ,a letter from ,paris6 ,grandmamma1 a letter from ,paris6 cried ,molly1 as she rushed into the dining-room of ,mrs4 ,fairbank's ,bath house1 situated not far from the renowned ,pump-room4 ,look6 ,and it will be about ,roy6 ,and it is in my papa's handwriting4 ,polly followed close in rear of the eager child1 hardly less eager herself4 ,she might at least hope for a message from ,denham1 perhaps to say that a letter was coming4 ,mrs4 ,fairbank1 a comely elderly lady--in these days1 with the same weight of years1 she would be no more than cheerfully middle-aged--adjusted her horn spectacles1 laid the letter on her knee1 tied her loosened cap-strings1 and scrutinised ,molly's excited face4 ,you make too much of things1 child1 she remarked4 ,whatever may befall1 it is never worth while to discompose yourself4 ,then she lifted the letter1 examined it1 weighed it in either hand1 laid it down anew1 and resumed her knitting4 ,molly's agony of suspense and ,polly's wistful eyes alike failed to touch her4 ,young folks1 if well brought up1 were expected to submit without question to the will of their elders1 and ,mrs4 ,fairbank had always been an excellent disciplinarian4 ,this was1 in her eyes1 much too good an opportunity for a lesson in self-control to be neglected4 ,molly stood1 squeezing her hands together1 wondering if the slow moments would ever pass4 ,mrs4 ,fairbank serenely knitted1 stopped to count1 and knitted again4 ,i met ,mrs4 ,peirce and ,will in ,milsom ,street after breakfast1 she observed4 ,mrs4 ,peirce informed me that the ,admiral had a letter yestere'en from his nephew1 ,mr4 ,albert ,peirce4 ,mrs4 ,fairbank's eyes wandered round the room in quest of something else to remark upon4 ,my dear ,polly1 you must surely have forgot6 ,that piece of knitting which was to have been done to-day---- ,i'll set to work upon it1 ma'am4 ,it won't take me but a very short time4 ,o ,jack6--and a note of relief could be heard4 ,jack6 gasped ,molly1 under her breath4 ,my dear ,jack6 and ,mrs4 ,fairbank suspended her knitting to glance up in pleased surprise4 ,the young man who walked in--he was hardly more than a boy in years--bore small resemblance to ,polly1 though he was her brother4 ,he was of squarer build1 slightly under medium height1 and muscular in make2 his features were irregular1 and the eyes were light blue instead of brown4 ,beyond those good-humoured blue eyes and a fresh complexion1 ,jack ,keene had no pretensions to good looks2 but many people1 beside his grandmother1 counted him a very pleasant young fellow4 ,mrs4 ,fairbank1 after the manner of old ladies1 simply doted on her grandson4 ,in her view he could almost do no wrong4 ,jack1 ,jack1 there's a letter1 whispered ,molly1 clutching at him4 ,and1 oh6 she won't open it4 ,she won't tell us how they are6 ,all right1 murmured ,jack4 ,he understood ,molly's whisper and the look in ,polly's face2 and as he kissed his grandmother he took up the letter which reposed upon her knee4 ,no human being except ,jack might have ventured on such a liberty1 but he was a privileged being4 ,ah1 from ,france6 quoth ,jack1 with composure4 ,will you allow me to open it1 ma'am8 ,you are busy1 and news of any sort or kind from ,france in these days is to be welcomed4 ,mrs4 ,fairbank took the letter from him with as near an approach to displeasure in her manner as she ever showed towards ,jack4 ,you are pleased to be impatient1 she remarked1 with a sound of reproof4 ,exceedingly1 ma'am4 ,jack was always extra polite when bent upon his own way4 ,mrs4 ,fairbank examined the foreign missive afresh1 studied the stamp1 and at length broke the seal1 taking out a tiny enclosure1 which was addressed to ,molly4 ,from ,roy1 she said4 ,i think--and there was a dubious pause--,i think ,i may permit you to read this to yourself1 child4 ,doubtless your mamma has already seen it4 ,molly fled to the window-seat1 curled herself up there1 and plunged into the delights of ,roy's epistle1 seeing and hearing nothing else4 ,mrs4 ,fairbank's face of growing concern failed to reach her perceptions1 and a murmured consultation which took place might have gone on in ,china for all the impression that it made upon ,molly4 ,roy's prim round handwriting spoke to her as follows3-- ,,my ,,dear ,,molly1--,we got here yesterday all right1 and it pours with rain to-day1 so ,i am going to write to you4 ,it is great fun being abroad1 and all the children jabber away in ,french lingo1 and don't know one word of ,english4 ,i tried to speak to one man in ,french1 but he didn't know what ,i meant any better than when ,i talked ,english1 so ,i think they must be rather stupid1 don't you8 ,we had such a voyage4 ,it took ten whole hours getting from ,dover to ,calais1 and ,i was dreadfully ill1 and ,i haven't got right yet4 ,my back aches like anything1 but ,i don't mean to make a fuss1 because that wouldn't be like a soldier4 ,we had to stop a night in ,calais2 they do fidget so about papers and things1 there was no getting on sooner4 ,and then we had a chaise de poste1 with three horses side by side1 and the horses were harnessed with ropes1 not like our ,english harness4 ,the ropes broke twice1 and the postillions jumped off1 just like monkeys1 to put things right4 ,they didn't seem to mind the ropes breaking one bit1 and ,den says he supposes they are used to it4 ,but we hadn't got used to it4 ,we slept one night at ,montreuil1 and another at ,amiens1 and then we got to ,chantilly4 ,and the roads were most horribly bad1 and so they are here in ,paris1 and when it rains hard1 like to-day1 the streets are flooded1 and it smells so1 and nobody can walk along without wading1 at least in some parts4 ,we saw such a lot of ruined houses on our way to ,paris1 called chateaux4 ,they used to be so pretty1 ,den says1 and people lived in them1 ladies and gentlemen1 just as they do in country houses in ,england4 ,and then they had their heads cut off in the ,revolution1 and the chateaux were left to go to wrack and ruin4 ,i heard a lady say so yesterday4 ,she is ,english1 and she said it was very horrid1 such a lot of people being killed1 only just because they belonged to the nobility4 ,some of the chateaux that we saw had only poor people in them1 and the windows were broken and the roofs were gone from the summer-houses1 and the gardens were all wild and untidy4 ,it is thirteen or fourteen years since the ,revolution began1 and when ,i get home ,i mean to read about it all with you4 ,i do wish you were here too1 for there are heaps of things that ,i want to tell you4 ,everything is so different from ,england4 ,it is nice to see1 but ,i don't want to live in ,france4 ,i like old ,england much much the best4 ,i have not been out to-day yet4 ,mamma thinks ,i have caught a bad cold4 ,i wish people didn't take colds2 they are such stupid silly things4 ,perhaps ,i shall be all right to-morrow1 and then ,den will take me all about everywhere4 ,o dear me1 ,i don't think ,i can write any more2 ,i feel so sea-sick and funny4 ,and ,papa says---- ,there was no ending to the letter1 and ,molly read it through a second time4 ,then she hugged and kissed it tenderly1 and at length carried it across to the others4 ,roy has forgot to sign his name1 she said4 ,i suppose he went out to see the sights1 and did not remember4 ,my mamma thinks he has caught a cold4 ,roy is far from well1 my dear1 ,mrs4 ,fairbank observed solemnly4 ,he was taken ill with a most unexpected disorder while writing to you1 and could not conclude4 ,it is truly unfortunate4 ,roy--ill6 ',tis not good manners to repeat other people's words1 ,molly4 ,yes2 ,roy has the small-pox4 ,doubtless he took it into his constitution before ever he left ,england4 ,he must have caught the infection from one of his school-fellows4 ,polly wound her kind arms round the image of childish woe4 ,but numbers and numbers of people have the small-pox1 ,molly1 she said4 ',tis truly but a few who altogether escape1 you know4 ,and many get over the complaint4 ,doubtless ,roy will soon be well again--in a few weeks4 ,this was lame comfort1 but what better could ,polly say1 in those days of the awful unchecked scourge4 ,will his face be all marked8 sadly asked ,molly1 thinking of the innumerable seamed and disfigured faces which she knew4 ,will he become like to ,mr4 ,bryce8 ,oh1 ,i hope not1 indeed4 ,all who have it are not scarred4 ,captain ,ivor is not1 yet he has had it4 ,polly's lips trembled1 and she set them firmly4 ,think1 ,molly1 is not ,captain ,ivor a dear brave man8 ,he has taken ,roy into another house1 and he will not let your father or mother go near to ,roy1 or anyone that has not had the disorder4 ,they never have1 as you know4 ,and they were never inoculated1 so they might catch it4 ,and he is nursing ,roy himself4 ,the people in the hotel would not keep ,roy1 so soon as they knew that he had the small-pox1 but a room has been found1 and ,captain ,ivor is there with him4 ,and they hope it will not be a severe attack4 ,so in a little while ,i do think we shall hear that he is better4 ,molly was hard to comfort1 and what wonder8 ,polly would have liked to keep the ill news from her for some days1 till perhaps better accounts should arrive1 but ,mrs4 ,fairbank viewed the matter differently4 ,worse news might come1 instead of better1 she said4 ,no doubt that was true4 ,still1 ,molly might have been spared many weary days of suspense4 ,all her spirit went out of her1 and she seemed to care for nothing1 except clinging to ,polly and being told over and over again that ,roy would probably soon be well4 ,letters then were not1 as now1 an everyday affair4 ,posts were slow and uncertain1 and postage was expensive1 and people thought twice before putting pen to paper4 ,roy's father promised to write again speedily1 yet he waited till there should be something definite to tell4 ,so day passed after day1 and no further tidings arrived4 ,the suspense was almost as hard for ,polly as for ,molly2 harder1 perhaps1 in some respects1 only as ,ivor had had the disease1 and had nursed a friend through it two years earlier without being affected1 he might be counted personally safe4 ,nursing in those days was not a science2 trained nurses were unknown2 and ,roy could hardly have been in better hands than those of the young ,grenadier officer4 ,but ,polly knew that his stay in ,paris was likely to be much lengthened4 ,weeks might pass before ,roy would be well enough to travel1 and before it would be safe for either of them to go freely among other people4 ,ideas as to the nature and extent of infection were vague1 but small-pox was the terror of everybody1 and while there was little system in avoidance of the danger1 there was any amount of scare4 ,in all probability ,denham would spend the whole of his leave in attendance upon the boy1 and when he returned he would have no time to spare for ,bath4 ,polly would have no chance of showing off her tall ,grenadier among friends and acquaintances4 ,at present her fears extended no further4 ,meanwhile public events marched on with strides1 and that month of ,may1 #ahjc1 was astir with events4 ,the maintenance of peace between ,england and ,france became daily more and more precarious4 ,the feverish ambition of ,napoleon could know no rest1 so long as he was fearlessly confronted by a single nation in ,europe4 ,one chief bone of contention was ,malta4 ,napoleon had set his heart upon getting ,malta for himself1 and ,england was equally bent on keeping him out of ,malta4 ,by the treaty of the preceding year1 ,england had undertaken to evacuate the island1 and to restore it to the knights of ,st4 ,john4 ,but the withdrawal of ,english troops had been of necessity delayed1 until some means could be devised to save it from the grip of ,buonaparte2 and the ,first ,consul1 by deliberately breaking some of his own undertakings in the treaty1 set ,england free as to her undertakings also4 ,therefore ,malta still remained in the hands of ,england1 as did ,egypt and the ,cape of ,good ,hope1 each a source of jealous longing on the part of the ,first ,consul4 ,this state of tension steadily increased1 until the breaking out of war became merely a question of days4 ,large numbers of ,english had seized the rare opportunity of a year free from fighting to travel in ,france2 and at this time there were something like eight or ten thousand ,english1 mainly of the upper classes1 in that country4 ,it was unknown to them that1 pending negotiations1 the ,first ,consul caused careful returns to be sent to himself of the names and addresses of all ,english people then within ,french borders4 ,this bears a suspicious look1 when read in the light of his after act1 and possibly he already had in his mind the step which was soon to scandalise all ,christendom4 ,the ,french papers heartily assured ,english travellers of their absolute safety1 even supposing that war should break out1 and doubtless the editors of those papers meant what they said4 ,few men1 if any1 ,french or ,english1 could have foreseen what was coming4 ,a homeward stampede took place1 and the thousands were1 by some accounts1 rapidly reduced to hundreds4 ,a good many lingered1 however1 not all detained1 as were the ,barons1 by illness4 ,war-clouds might threaten1 but that private travellers should be affected by a declaration of war was a thing unheard of4 ,in ,may1 suddenly at the last1 though the step had been expected1 the ,english ,ambassador was recalled from ,paris1 and immediately the ,french ,ambassador was recalled from ,london4 ,meanwhile1 as a second step1 the ,english ,government1 issuing letters of marque1 seized a number of ,french vessels1 which happened then to be lying in ,english ports4 ,this1 it was said1 actually took place before the ,declaration of ,war could reach ,paris4 ,if so1 even though the deed was within ,english rights1 being sanctioned by previous centuries of custom1 one must regret its extreme haste4 ,but no excuse can be found for ,napoleon's illegal and cruel act of reprisal1 which indeed appeared to have been planned beforehand4 ,like a thundercrash came the order1 before the close of ,may1 arresting all peaceable ,english travellers or residents in ,france1 and rendering them ,prisoners of ,war1 or ,dtenus1 to be confined in ,france during the pleasure of the ,first ,consul4 ,here is the shortened form of that direful order1 as it was printed in ,english newspapers1 spreading dismay through hundreds of ,english homes1 and awakening a burst of anger against the man who had dealt the blow4 ,the ,government of the ,republic1 having heard read by the ,minister of ,marines and ,colonies a despatch from the ,marine ,prefect at ,brest1 dated this day1 announcing that two ,english frigates had taken two ,french merchant vessels in the ,bay of ,audierne1 without any previous declaration of war1 and in manifest violation of the laws of nations2 ,first3 ,it is prescribed to all commanders of squadrons or naval divisions of the ,republic1 captains of its ships and other vessels of war1 to chase those of the ,king of ,england1 as well as those vessels belonging to his subjects1 and to attack1 capture1 and conduct them into the ports of the ,republic2 ,secondly3 ,commissions will be delivered in course to those ,french privateers for which they are demanded2 ,thirdly3 ,all the ,english1 from the age of eighteen to sixty1 or holding any commission from ,his ,britannic ,majesty1 who are at present in ,france1 shall immediately be constituted ,prisoners of ,war1 to answer for those citizens of the ,republic who may have been arrested and made prisoners by the vessels or subjects of ,his ,britannic ,majesty1 previous to any declaration of war4 ,the ,first ,consul1 7,signed7 ,,buonaparte4 7,to be continued47 ,,lessons ,,from ,,nature4 ,,by ,,jean ,a4 ,,owen1 ,author of ,forest1 ,field and ,fell1 etc4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,introductory4 ,christ1 the divine teacher1 has taught us to go to nature for moral and spiritual lessons4 ,consider the lilies of the field1 ,he says to those who are anxious about1 and careworn with the things of this life3 and that old triangle of a problem with its hard points3 ,what shall we eat8 what shall we drink8 and wherewithal shall we be clothed8 does press heavily on many even of those who read our ,,girl',s ,,own ,,paper4 ,the fall of the sparrow1 too1 ,he tells us1 is noted by ,his ,father and ours4 ,he bids those who are neglectful of the talents given to them1 learn a lesson of the barren fig-tree4 ,again the rapid and marvellous development of the mustard-tree1 in the mouth of the great teacher1 becomes an image of the faith that ,he bids us have4 ,and even when speaking of the yearning love ,he had for souls1 ,he did not disdain to use the simile3 ,as a hen gathereth her young4 ,and so1 if the eyes are quick to note all that surrounds us1 all the wonderful life1 the infinitely small as well as the infinitely great1 and the heart makes room for love1 it will be possible to learn1 from the first year of our lives1 until the day of our death here1 lessons from nature which no man or woman has ever yet exhausted1 nor ever will4 ,one of my earliest memories is of an old-world garden where our mother1 who was an ardent lover of the beautiful1 would direct the attention of my sisters and myself to the pencilling on the petal of this and that flower4 ,god's finger painted the velvety face of the pansy1 she told us4 ,and how often ,i pondered over this expression and wondered if that finger did its work in the garden when we were asleep4 ,our dear mother gave us a love for nature which has been our resource and consolation in many a sorrow1 and which has filled the void of what would otherwise have been weary1 monotonous hours4 ,ruskin said1 ,despise the earth or slander it1 fix your eyes on its gloom and forget its loveliness1 and we do not thank you for your languid or despairing perception of brightness in ,heaven4 ,but rise up actively on the earth1 learn what there is in it1 and when1 after that1 you say ',heaven is bright1' it will be a precious truth4 ,lord ,bacon spoke fitly of the respondences of nature1 and he with many other great minds has dwelt on the marvellous analogies of nature4 ,these analogies are indeed evidences of the unity of creation4 ,and there are prefigurations which we may note in the animal kingdom1 in the various habits of the creatures1 their works1 economies and instincts4 ,human art is prefigured in the work of the bee1 the wasp1 and the beaver4 ,democritus averred that men learned weaving from spiders and architecture from birds4 ,virgil said that the bees had in them a portion of the divine mind4 ,the ,psalmist likened a good man to a tree planted by a river2 ,wordsworth writes constantly in a strain which bears witness to his belief that between man and the flowers of the field there is the closest affinity2 in quaint ,george ,herbert's poems we note also the same teaching4 ,look them up1 if you do not remember them1 especially that dear one called ,the ,flower4 ,how many great men have been influenced in their careers1 careers which have been great factors in the world's growth1 by the sight of what to many an unobservant or unthinking mind would seem too insignificant an object for notice4 ,there was the great traveller and explorer1 ,mungo ,park1 who was employed by the so-called ,african association to explore the interior regions of ,africa4 ,once1 weary1 disappointed1 and baffled1 he was on the point of giving way to despair1 when he suddenly came on a little plant the sight of which1 and the thoughts which its beauty suggested1 revived his courage and probably saved his life4 ,most of you will remember also that beautiful story of ,picciola1 the prison flower1 the seed of which had fallen on the paved yard of a prison where a noble ,italian was confined4 ,when he was in the lowest state of despondency1 and in danger perhaps of madness1 the tiny plant awakened interest1 and daily delighted the poor prisoner as its beauties unfolded1 opening a little world of interest to the starved heart and mind4 ,when at last he was set at liberty he caused his wall-flower to be transplanted and placed it in a border1 in a place of honour in his castle grounds4 ,it had been made the instrument of his salvation4 ,some persons talk of things being insignificant or too small to notice4 ,perhaps it will surprise some of our readers to hear that a common house-fly is said to occupy the middle place in creation as regards the size of known creatures4 ,most people can see big things1 but the gift of seeing tiny objects belongs rather to the few1 and yet it may be cultivated1 and great enjoyment may be found in observing things which seem to common minds to be unworthy of note--the simple1 homely1 and smaller life that surrounds us4 ,mr4 ,leo ,grindon1 a great student of life and a noted botanist1 says very truly-- ,to learn how to see and delight in little things1 as well as in large1 is1 in fact1 to make no slight progress both in true intelligence and in aptitude for genuine pleasure4 ,many laugh at the idea of being pleased with little things1 which1 they say1 'please little minds4' ,they should remember that the great mass of the population of our planet consists of the merest pigmies1 diminutive birds and fishes1 tiny insects1 animalcules1 only visible through a microscope1 so that to turn away from little things is to be indifferent to almost everything the world contains4 ,besides1 with ,uranus eighty times greater than the whole earth1 ,neptune a hundred and fifty times greater1 ,saturn more than seven hundred times1 and ,jupiter more than fourteen hundred1 it is rather inconsistent to talk about littleness in the objects of a world itself 7comparatively7 so puny4 ,our spring is in our lightsome girlish days4 ,spring is the season of growth4 ,let us try to promote a healthy mental growth by studying together in the wonderful book of nature and appropriating some of those helpful lessons which she has to teach us4 ,,the ,,provident ,,ant4 ,the wise man1 in the ,book of ,proverbs1 speaks of the ant as one of four things which are little upon the earth1 and yet are exceeding wise4 ,he says that the ants are a people not strong1 yet they prepare their meat in the summer4 ,that is1 when all in nature is at its richest1 when food abounds1 they use forethought and gather in enough to sustain themselves before the winter draws near1 and the usual food supplies have failed4 ,the ,book of ,job1 that ,eastern drama which is so wonderful in its lessons suited to human experiences in all time1 is marvellously comprehensive in its illustrations drawn from the natural world4 ,we are taken there into the regions of ice and snow1 and again we pass through the rich verdure of the tropics4 ,we try to sound the frozen deeps1 and anon survey the hot desert plains2 we wander where the lion seeks his prey1 and through dense forests where behemoth1 or the elephant1 feeds4 ,the coral and the pearls are there1 so are the gold ore1 the iron1 and the brass4 ,the ,author shows us the ostrich that scorneth the horse and its rider1 the hawk that stretched her wings towards the south like our peregrine1 the wander falke--the eagle that makes her nest on high yet is with the slain on the earth beneath4 ,and this great observer says1 ,ask now the beasts and they shall teach thee1 and the fowls and they shall tell thee1 or speak to the earth and it shall teach thee1 and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,wood ,,ant 7,formica rufa74 7a7 ,male2 7b7 female2 7c7 worker4 ,the lessons to be learned from the ant are1 of course1 diligence and a careful or prudent forethought for the future4 ,solomon says that the ant has no guide1 overseer1 or ruler1 yet she provides1 having gathered in during the summer and the harvest time4 ,how many of us there are who seem to need tutors and governors to urge us on through the duties of life1 not only in childhood1 but far on into man and womanhood4 ,compulsory pressure from without alone rouses some of us to action4 ,man thinks himself the lord of creation1 and is yet far outdone by a weak insect1 not only in energy and persistent work1 but often positively in intelligence4 ,perhaps you have1 many of you1 read of the so-called warrior ants1 the ,termites bellicosi of the more tropical regions4 ,they do not belong to the same order of insects as our own ants1 and we are happily not subjected to the havoc which their building and devouring works4 ,two species of termites have1 however1 got established in ,france1 notably in ,rochefort1 ,la ,rochelle1 and ,aix1 and there they have undermined and utterly ruined a number of houses4 ,in one town they gnawed away the supports of a dining-room before their ravages were detected1 and the floor gave way during a party1 the host and his guests suddenly falling through together4 ,artillery charged with grapeshot has been employed to destroy great fortresses that these ants have made in a tropical country4 ,in ,south ,africa the termites work enormous havoc4 ,they live in a social republic of their own4 ,some of them1 the males1 have wings2 the workmen1 the soldiers1 and the queens however have none4 ,the workmen construct their buildings1 the soldiers defend the colony and keep order1 and the females1 or queens1 are worshipped by all the others4 ,these become in point of fact mere egg-laying machines1 which have at last to remain tied to one spot4 ,twenty feet high their nesting-homes often are1 and pyramidal in shape4 ,wild cattle can climb upon them with impunity without crushing them1 the walls are so solid4 ,a dozen men can find shelter in some of their chambers1 and native hunters do often lie in wait inside them when out after wild animals4 ,they construct galleries also which are as wide as the bore of a large cannon1 and which run three and four feet underground4 ,the nests are said to be five hundred times as high as the ant's body1 and it has been estimated that if we built our houses as high1 proportionately1 they would be four or five times as high as the pyramids of ,egypt1 on which we look with such wonder and awe4 ,in speaking of the havoc some ants make1 let us also remember some good service rendered4 ,in the ,west ,indies there is a red cockroach which is four times as large as the ,english one4 ,it smells horridly1 and scents everything that it touches1 is far more destructive than the ant1 and quite omnivorous4 ,now1 although one cockroach in bulk outweighs two hundred ants1 the latter little creatures kill and devour innumerable cockroaches4 ,whenever an ant comes upon a cockroach that is at rest1 eating1 or in its hole1 suddenly myriads appear1 swarm round it1 as if by magic1 surround it completely1 and then1 with one consent1 rush all over it1 and as it is dragged away1 you see only a mass of ants moving along4 ,all the time they carry they are busily devouring it1 until only its shell is left4 ,we read also that in forests in ,switzerland and ,sweden the ants form lofty hillocks which serve as a compass to travellers who have lost their way by night or in a fog4 ,the nests being always made from east to west1 their peak is at the east end1 which is steep1 the ridge sloping1 however1 gently down to the nest4 ,so the wanderer can tell from these ant-hills in which direction he ought to go4 ,tamerlane1 the great ,tartar prince1 learned a helpful lesson from an ant once1 when he had taken refuge from the pursuing enemy in a ruined building4 ,having to stay there for hours1 at the end of his resources1 ready to give way to despair1 his attention was attracted by an ant which was carrying something larger than itself up a high wall4 ,noticing that it often let its burden drop1 he began to count the number of times that it began the ascent again1 and he found that sixty-nine times it failed1 its burden falling to the ground4 ,the seventieth time was a success4 ,this sight1 he said1 gave me courage at the moment1 and ,i have never forgotten the lesson it taught me4 ,our own ants afford a marvellous study for those who can and will give a little time to--as ,solomon says--the considering of their ways4 ,ants are said to stand higher than any other insects in intelligence--so-called instinct4 ,and insects in general have more of this faculty developed in them than have any other creatures4 ,they are watchful1 unwearying nurses2 they take the eggs out on fine warm days so as to warm and strengthen the coming ants1 and they will wait1 to be cut in bits1 rather than forsake their charge4 ,when the eggs are hatched1 the nurses clean and brush their young1 and even shampoo the thin skin which cover their limbs1 so that they can go free4 ,each grown ant knows its own business and can1 when necessary1 fight its own battles1 and yet there is always a community2 they have all things in common and work for the general good4 ,they are enduring1 persevering1 faithful in friendships1 and most industrious4 ,one writer has said1 in describing an ant-hill1 that whilst there was a twittering of birds1 and a buzz and hum of insect life around1 the ants were all silent1 only the sort of low hiss which arose from the collected workers1 resembled the noise of a ,london street more than any form of speech4 ,their power of self-sacrifice is a marvellous fact4 ,a man once saw a line of ants1 on travel1 trying to pass a little rapid stream4 ,they hooked themselves on to each other so as to form a chain which was carried in a slanting direction by the current to the opposite shore4 ,many of this chain were drowned1 dropping off in the forming process2 those in front were often baffled and overwhelmed in the rushing current4 ,at last the bridge was completed and the main body of the army of ants marched across the stream in safety upon the massed bodies of their self-sacrificing companions4 ,milton has written of the parsimonious emmet1 provident of the future4444 ,in small room1 large heart enclosed4 ,a writer has stated that a son of ,mr4 ,darwin dissected the head and brain of an ant1 which latter the great scientist declared to be one of the most marvellous atoms of matter in the world1 more marvellous even than the brain of man4 ,speaking of the brain of ants1 ,sir ,john ,lubbock says1 ,the head bears the principal organs of sense1 and contains the brain1 as the anterior portion of the nervous system may fairly be called4 ,forethought is at the root of all thrift1 and thrift underlies all civilisation as well as personal well-being4 ,we seem at times1 some of us1 rather to despise a saving disposition1 as if this necessarily implied meanness in its subject4 ,yet the greatest benefactors of our race have been nearly all great savers at some period of their lives4 ,and there is little true generosity in the soul of the woman who spends all she gets1 even if her means go largely to others1 if1 through failing to lay by something for a rainy day1 during the winter of life she is thrown on the charity of her fellows for her support4 ,as someone says1 nothing should be left at loose ends4 ,it is only the few who become rich through large undertakings1 the majority of mankind prosper by means of carefulness and the practice of the details of thrift4 ,thrift is the best means of thriving4 ,let us end this little study by reminding ourselves of that thoughtful dictum of ,ruskin's1 ,economy1 whether public or private1 means the wise management of labour 444 first applying your labour rationally2 secondly1 preserving its produce carefully2 lastly1 distributing its produce seasonably4 7,to be continued47 ,,about ,,peggy ,,saville4 ,,by ,,jessie ,,mansergh 7,mrs4 ,g4 de ,horne ,vaizey71 ,author of ,a ,girl in ,springtime1 ,sisters ,three1 etc4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,the school-room was a long1 bare apartment running along one side of the house1 and boasting three tall windows1 through which the sun poured in on a shabby carpet and ink-stained tables4 ,everything looked well worn and1 to a certain extent1 dilapidated1 yet there was an air of cheerful comfort about the whole which is not often found in rooms of the kind4 ,mrs4 ,asplin revelled in beautiful colours1 and would tolerate no drab and saffron papers in her house2 so the walls were covered with a rich soft blue2 the cushions on the wicker chairs rang the changes from rose to yellow4 ,a brilliant ,japanese screen stood in one corner1 and a wire stand before the open grate held a number of flowering plants4 ,a young fellow of seventeen or eighteen was seated at one end of the table employed in arranging a selection of foreign stamps4 ,this was ,maxwell1 the ,vicar's eldest surviving son1 who was to go up to ,oxford at the beginning of the year1 and was at present reading under his father's supervision4 ,his sister ,mellicent1 was perched on the table itself1 watching his movements1 and vouchsafing scraps of advice4 ,her suggestions were received with sniffs of scornful superiority1 but ,mellicent prattled on unperturbed1 being a plump1 placid person1 with flaxen hair1 blue eyes1 and somewhat obtuse sensibilities4 ,the elder girl was sitting reading by the window1 leaning her head on her hand1 and showing a long1 thin face1 comically like her father's1 with the same deep1 straight lines running down her cheeks4 ,she was neither so pretty nor so even-tempered as her sister1 but she had twice the character1 and was a young person who made her individuality felt in the house1 while ,maxwell was the beauty of the family1 with his mother's crisp1 dark locks1 grey eyes1 and rich brunette colouring4 ,these three young people were the ,vicar's only surviving children1 but there were two more occupants of the room1 the two lads who were being coached to enter the ,university at the same time as his own son4 ,number one was a fair1 dandified-looking youth1 who sat astride a cane deck chair1 with his trousers hitched up so as to display long1 narrow feet1 shod in scarlet silk socks and patent leather slippers4 ,he had fair hair1 curling over his forehead2 large1 bold1 blue eyes1 an aquiline nose1 and an air of being very well satisfied with the world in general and himself in particular4 ,this was ,oswald ,elliston1 the son of a country squire1 who had heard of the successes of ,mr4 ,asplin's pupils1 and was storing up disappointment for himself in expecting similar exploits from his own handsome1 but by no means over-brilliant son4 ,the second pupil had a small microscope in his hand1 and was pouring over a collection of specimens1 with his shoulders hitched up to his ears1 in a position the reverse of elegant4 ,every now and then he would bend his head to write down a few notes on the paper beside him1 showing a square-chinned face1 with heavy eyebrows and strong1 roughly-marked features4 ,his clothes were well-worn1 his cuffs invisible1 and his hair ruffled into wild confusion by the unconscious rubbings of his hands1 and this was the ,honourable ,robert ,darcy1 third son of ,lord ,darcy1 a member of the ,cabinet1 and a politician of world-wide fame4 ,the servants at the vicarage were fond of remarking1 apropos of the ,honourable ,robert1 that he didn't look it1 which remark would have been a subject of sincere gratification to the lad himself had it been overheard1 for there was no surer way of annoying him than by referring to his position1 or giving him the prefix to which he was entitled4 ,the young folks looked up inquiringly as ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,asplin entered the room1 for the hour after tea was set apart for recreation1 and the elders were usually only too glad to remain in their own quiet little sanctum4 ,oswald1 the gallant1 sprang to his feet and brought forward a chair for ,mrs4 ,asplin1 but she waved him aside1 and broke impetuously into words4 ,children6 we have news for you4 ,you are going to have a new companion4 ,father has had a letter this afternoon about another pupil---- ,mellicent yawned1 and ,esther looked calmly uninterested1 but the three lads were full of interest4 ,their faces turned towards the ,vicar with expressions of eager curiosity4 ,a new fellow6 ,this term6 ,from what school1 sir8 ,a ladies' boarding-school at ,brighton6 ,mrs4 ,asplin spoke rapidly1 so as to be beforehand with her husband1 and her eyes danced with mischievous enjoyment as she saw the dismay depicted on the three watching faces4 ,a ladies' school6 ,maxwell1 ,oswald1 and ,robert had a vision of a pampered pet in curls1 and round jacket1 and their backs stiffened in horrified indignation at the idea that grown men of seventeen and eighteen should be expected to associate with a kid from a ladies' school6 ,the ,vicar could not restrain a smile1 but he hastened to correct the mistake4 ,it's not a 'fellow' at all1 this time4 ,it's a girl6 ,we have had a letter from ,arthur ,saville's mother asking us to look after her daughter while she is in ,india4 ,she will come to us very soon and stay1 ,i suppose1 for three or four years1 sharing your lessons1 my dears1 and studying with you---- ,a girl6 ,good gracious6 ,where will she sleep8 cried ,mellicent1 with characteristic1 matter-of-fact curiosity1 while ,esther chimed in with further eager inquiries4 ,what is her name8 ,how old is she8 ,what is she like8 ,when will she come8 ,why is she leaving school8 ,not very happy4 ,peggy4 ,in the little box room over the study4 ,about fifteen1 ,i believe4 ,haven't the least idea4 ,in a few weeks from now1 said ,mrs4 ,asplin1 answering all the questions at once in her impulsive fashion1 while she walked round the table1 stroked ,maxwell's dark curls1 bent an interested glance at ,robert's collection1 and laid a hand on ,esther's back to straighten bowed shoulders4 ,she is ,arthur's sister1 so she is sure to be nice1 and both her parents will be in ,india1 so you must all be kind to the poor little soul1 and give her a hearty welcome4 ,silence6 ,nobody had a word to say in response to this remark1 but the eyes of the young people met furtively across the table1 and ,mr4 ,asplin felt that they were only waiting until their seniors should withdraw1 before bursting into eager conversation4 ,better leave them to have it out by themselves1 he whispered significantly to his wife1 then added aloud1 ,well1 we won't interrupt you any longer4 ,don't turn the play-hour into work1 ,rob6 ,you will study all the better for a little relaxation4 ,you have proved the truth of that axiom1 ,oswald--eh8 and he went laughing out of the room1 while ,oswald held the door open for his wife1 smiling assent in his lazy fashion4 ,another girl6 he exclaimed1 as he reseated himself on his chair1 and looked with satisfaction at his well-shod feet4 ,this is an unexpected blow6 ,a sister of the redoubtable ,saville6 ,from all ,i have heard of him ,i should imagine a female edition would be rather a terror in a quiet household4 ,i never saw ,saville2 what sort of a fellow was he to look at1 don't you know8 ,millicent reflected4 ,he had a nose1 she said solemnly4 ,then1 as the others burst into hilarious laughter1 ,oh1 it's no use shrieking at me2 ,i mean what ,i say1 she insisted4 ,a big nose--like ,wellington's4 ,when people are very clever they always have big noses4 ,i imagine ,peggy small1 with a little1 thin face1 because she was born in ,india1 and lived there until she was six years old1 and a great big nose in the middle4 ,sounds appetising1 said ,maxwell shortly4 ,i don't6 ,i imagine ,peggy like her mother1 with blue eyes and brown hair4 ,mrs4 ,saville is awfully pretty4 ,i have seen her often1 and if her daughter is like her---- ,i don't care in the least how she looks1 said ,esther1 severely4 ,it's her character that matters4 ,indian children are generally spoiled1 and if she has been to a boarding-school she may give herself airs4 ,then we shall quarrel4 ,i am not going to be patronised by a girl of fourteen4 ,i expect she will be ,mellicent's friend1 not mine4 ,i wonder what sums she is in1 said ,mellicent1 dreamily4 ,rob6 what do you think about it8 ,are you glad or sorry8 ,you haven't said anything yet4 ,robert raised his eyes from his microscope1 and looked her up and down very much as a big ,newfoundland dog looks at the terrier which disturbs its slumber4 ,it's nothing to me1 he said loftily4 ,she may come if she likes4 ,then1 with sudden recollection1 ,does she learn the violin8 ,because we have one girl in this house who is learning the violin1 and life won't be worth living if there is a second4 ,he tucked his big note-book under his chin as he spoke1 and began sawing across it with a pencil1 wagging his head and rolling his eyes in imitation of ,mellicent's own manner of practising1 and producing at the same time such long-drawn1 cat-like wails from between his closed lips as made the listeners shriek with laughter4 ,mellicent1 however1 felt bound to expostulate4 ,it's not the tune at all1 she said loudly4 ,not like any of my pieces2 and if ,i do roll my eyes1 ,i don't tumble up my hair and pull faces at the ceiling1 as some people do1 and ,i know who they are1 but ,i am too polite to say so4 ,i hope ,peggy will be my friend1 because then there will be two of us1 and you won't dare to tease me any more4 ,when ,arthur was here1 a boy pulled my hair1 and he carried him upstairs and held his head underneath the shower-bath4 ,i'll pull it again1 and see if ,peggy will do the same1 said ,rob pleasantly2 and poor ,mellicent stared from one smiling face to another1 conscious that she was being laughed at1 but unable to see the point of the joke4 ,when ,peggy comes1 she said1 in an injured tone1 ,i hope she will be sympathetic4 ,i'm the youngest1 and ,i think you ought all to do what ,i want1 instead of which you make fun1 and laugh among yourselves1 and send me all the messages4 ,for instance1 when ,max wanted his stamps brought down---- ,maxwell passed his big hand over her hair and face1 and reversing the direction1 rubbed up the point of the little snub nose4 ,never mind1 chubby1 your day is over6 ,we will make ,peggy the message-boy now4 ,peggy will be a nice1 meek little girl1 who will like to run messages for her betters4 ,she shall be my fag1 and attend to me4 ,i'll give her my stamps to sort4 ,i rather thought of having her for fag myself2 we can't admit a girl to our study unless she makes herself useful1 said ,oswald languidly2 whereupon ,rob banged the note-book on the table with clanging decision4 ,peggy belongs to me1 he announced firmly4 ,it's no use you two fellows quarrelling4 ,that matter is settled once for all4 ,peggy will be my fag2 ,i've barleyed her for myself1 and you have nothing to say in the matter4 ,but ,esther tossed her head with an air of superior wisdom4 ,wait till she comes1 she said sagely4 ,if ,peggy is anything like her brother1 you may spare yourself the trouble of planning as to what she must or must not do4 ,it is waste of time4 ,peggy will be mistress over us all4 7,to be continued47 99 99 99 99 99 ,illustration3 ,a ,,peaceful ,,hour4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,hawkweed4 ,,by ,,lizzie ,,deas4 ,somehow these flowers that late in autumn show1 ,so very rich a glow1 ,in summer seem to make but poor display1 ,there are so many flowers more beautiful than they4 ,i can but think that through the sunlit hours1 ,these golden-petaled flowers1 ,with no attempt to shine while earth is bright1 ,are yet at work for us absorbing warmth and light4 ,of this ,i'm sure1 they do but hide their store ,till we shall need it more2 ,for see1 as summer wanes1 what beauty lies-- ,what consolation1 too1 within their sun-filled eyes4 ,some lovely souls there are that1 like these flowers1 ,shine least in brightest hours2 ,only when shadows fall we learn to know ,the beauty they possess1 the sunshine they bestow4 ,illustration ,,in ,,the ,,twilight ,,side ,,by ,,side4 ,,third ,,series4 ,,by ,,ruth ,,lamb4 ,,part ,i4 ,,the ,,preciousness ,,of ,,time4 ,so teach us to number our days1 that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom 7,psalm xc4 #ab74 ,once more you1 my dear girl friends1 and ,i meet to hold pleasant converse with each other4 ,i feel that something specially pleasant would be missing from my own life were our twilight talks to cease4 ,it is with a sense alike of happiness and thankfulness that ,i look forward to your companionship for yet another year4 ,god grant that1 as in the past1 so in the future1 we may be very helpful to each other in crossing the rough places that have to be encountered on the path of life4 ,i feel that a song of thanksgiving should go up from us all for mercies already bestowed1 and an earnest united prayer to ,god for an ever-increasing blessing upon our meetings4 ,one thought must come to us all this evening4 ,two years have passed since we first came together1 hence we feel that so much of our lives has gone1 and we have two years less in which to work for ,god4 ,it will be good for each of us to ask ourselves1 ,what have ,i done for ,him during the time8 ,what progress have ,i made in my spiritual life8 ,have ,i grown1 as ,jesus grew1 'in favour with ,god and man' during these years8 ,conscience will answer and can tell only the truth4 ,such communings with your own hearts are1 however1 for the quiet of your own chamber1 when you have shut out the world and are alone with ,god4 ,still1 it may be well for us all to have a talk about the preciousness of some things of which we are too apt to take little account4 ,i wonder if you and ,i are in the habit of frittering away two invaluable gifts for which we have to give a strict account to our ,father in heaven4 ,these are1 time and opportunity4 ,i think ,i hear you ask1 ,what do you mean by frittering8 ,the dictionary tells us that 'to fritter' is to diminish or pare off4 ,i acknowledge that here we do not get quite the full meaning of the word fritter as we often use it in conversation4 ,we rather understand by it the diminution of something by almost imperceptible degrees1 of which no notice need be taken1 because they are so small1 and through the waste of which little loss is sustained by ourselves or others4 ,there are things in this world which are of small value in certain places1 because they are so abundant2 yet1 in another neighbourhood1 their scarcity makes them of vital importance4 ,for instance1 if we have unfailing springs of pure water to draw upon1 and all our neighbours are equally well supplied1 what matters it if the pail overflows1 or the tap is left running8 ,but in another place where water is scarce1 the waste of it would be sinful and cruel1 especially if we were well supplied and our neighbours compelled to economise every drop4 ,the child on the sea-shore flings the sand about with reckless hands1 gathers shells and leaves them behind1 or throws pebbles into the water1 caring nothing what becomes of them4 ,there is no need for care in such cases4 ,the sea gathers the shells and pebbles and flings them back in orderly ridges on the shore4 ,the embankments1 laboriously raised by many small hands1 and the trenches dug around them1 are quickly equalised again4 ,the mighty ocean sweeps all before it4 ,wave follows wave1 and the grains of sand are hurried onward4 ,castles are levelled1 trenches filled1 and the retreating waters leave the beach smooth again and ready for the morrow's toilers4 ,the last murmur of the waters seems to say1 ,you can fritter away nothing over which we flow4 ,we gather your scattered fragments together1 and not one grain is finally lost4 ,you and ,i1 dear girl companions1 have certain great trusts committed to us1 which are neither visible nor tangible4 ,we hold them in common with our neighbours1 though they are not given to all in the same proportion4 ,they are made up of littles1 and yet1 if we fritter them away1 they are gone past recovery4 ,we can no more regain the smallest portion than we can bring back the rain-drops which have fallen into the stream and are helping to hurry it seaward1 or collect the grains of dust which the wind has whirled across the plain4 ,time is one of these all-important trusts4 ,perhaps ,i should say the most important1 for time and our natural life virtually mean the same thing4 ,do they not begin and end together1 so far as we are concerned8 ,our first breath ushers us into the realm of time1 and with our last we close our eyes on it for ever4 ,does it not seem strange that any human being can be found who is careless about or forgetful of the preciousness of time8 ,people hesitate to part with a penny unless they can be sure of receiving something of equal value in exchange4 ,yet the same persons think nothing of frittering away1 without return1 that which the wealth of the whole world cannot buy back for them4 ,it seems natural for the very young to think lightly of the flight of time4 ,the world--in other words1 time and life--is all before them4 ,a day flies so quickly2 an hour is a mere nothing4 ,as to the minutes and moments6 ,what are they more than the drops that make up the ocean1 or the grains of sand that form its boundary wall8 ,who can exhaust these8 ,time1 to the child1 is an inexhaustible ocean into which he cannot dip too freely4 ,what if the tide recedes8 ,it is sure to flow again1 and is1 indeed1 ever flowing4 ,you and ,i have surely learned lessons as to the value of time to which the child would not care to listen even4 ,let us think together of the value of moments4 ,they follow each other1 and are swallowed in the ocean of eternity1 but there is no reflux4 ,not one comes a second time4 ,if an hour has been frittered away and we can show nothing for it1 all that remains for us is to make the best possible use of its successors4 ,very lately ,i heard a great preacher say1 ,we should be misers in the use of time and opportunity4 ,do we not value too highly what we call the riches of this world8 ,we are sparing of our gold1 or our silver--even of our pence--and yet we do not pause to take account of what is beyond all price4 ,have you ever thought1 dear girls1 that you are threefold debtors as regards the use you make of this great trust1 time8 ,we are all debtors1 in the first place1 to ,god1 and must account for the use or abuse of time to the great ,giver of it4 ,we are told to redeem the time because the days are evil4 ,i have in my mind the words of an old writer and profound student of the ,bible who says about the text ,i have just quoted1 ,buying up those moments which others seem to throw away2 steadily improving every present moment4 ,time is that on which eternity depends4 ,in time you are to get a preparation for the kingdom of ,god4 ,perhaps the apostle means in general1 embrace every opportunity to glorify ,god1 benefit your own souls1 and do good to men4 ,these words carry out the idea ,i have suggested as to our threefold debt in relation to the use of our time4 ,we should be misers of it1 that we may the more fully carry out our divine ,master's will1 follow ,his example1 obey ,his commandment to love our neighbour as ourselves1 and1 in so doing1 promote our own eternal welfare4 ,you and ,i can understand the need for us to echo the prayer of the ,psalmist1 ,so teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom4 ,how much teaching we need6 ,what heedless and forgetful scholars we are6 ,how constantly we need to be reminded of the value of that which we treat so lightly1 waste so often1 and lose with so little regret6 ,all other losses cause us trouble and generally sorrow4 ,if the child1 in hurrying to spend a halfpenny1 loses its one precious coin1 there is eager searching with the help of companions4 ,joy follows its recovery1 or bitter tears are shed if it is not found4 ,the lost purse1 or the jewel that has escaped from its setting1 is neither forgotten nor deemed of slight consequence4 ,it is sought1 advertised for1 and1 if finally lost1 is remembered with regret2 the more so if it has been the gift of a friend4 ,the merchant will risk large sums in the hope of doubling them4 ,if unsuccessful1 he can hardly forgive himself for having thrown away that which he had4 ,losses of these kinds are thought of again and again in after days1 and the face clouds over at the memory of them4 ,how few amongst those who have recklessly wasted moments1 hours1 and days1 pause to take themselves to task1 mourn over an irretrievable loss1 and resolve1 by ,god's help1 to redeem the time that is left4 ,as regards the season for making the new beginning1 there is only one word to express the right one3 now4 ,not a week hence4 ,not to-morrow4 ,not even an hour after the resolution has been come to2 for time is flying always1 and its redemption must begin with the moment which has revealed to us its infinite value4 ,henceforth we must be misers in the use of time4 ,time is often unwittingly wasted by thrifty people for want of due thought and calculation4 ,how well ,i remember1 in the earlier days of railway travelling1 what anxiety to be in time for a train was evinced by old-fashioned people6 ,i used to stay in a country house which was several miles from a station1 and my kindly host was so fearful of my missing the train1 that he used to insist on my starting early enough to spend nearly an hour in waiting for it4 ,it was very difficult to turn that waiting time to any useful account1 especially in the dim light of a wintry morning1 for ,i had to catch the first train4 ,i smile as ,i picture the little bare waiting-room and the scarcely-lighted fire1 by which ,i sat and shivered and tried to cherish bright thoughts amidst dull surroundings4 ,those who value their own time lightly are seldom scrupulous about wasting that of their neighbour4 ,have we not all been lectured1 again and again1 on the sin of unpunctuality8 ,i think ,i hear you ask whether unpunctuality deserves to be ranked as a sin8 ,let us consider the question1 then decide for yourselves4 ,neither you nor ,i would like to steal our neighbour's purse1 or even help ourselves to a solitary sixpence4 ,but if1 by our neglect1 carelessness or wilful selfishness1 we rob him of that on which his income depends1 are we not equally guilty1 though the law cannot reach us for this offence8 ,time is money to the toiler in every branch of work1 whether mental or physical1 and we have no right to waste our neighbour's capital which money cannot restore to him4 ,so many people1 old as well as young1 seem unable to understand what punctuality means4 ,those who allow their own time to slip away unheeded1 cannot see that it matters whether they are a few minutes too soon or too late for an appointment4 ,if by some chance--a rare one--they are too soon1 they plume themselves on this1 and are perhaps inclined to be indignant if they are kept waiting and their time is wasted4 ,dear girls1 do think of this6 ,if you make an appointment try and keep it to the minute4 ,be neither before nor after the time fixed1 but by your punctuality redeem your own time and avoid the sin of wasting what is not your own4 ,indolence is a terrible and stealthy thief that ought to be battled against1 with a prayerful sense of our own weakness to resist its encroachments4 ,indolent people are like unpunctual ones--very prone to steal the time which their neighbour values and turns to good account4 ,how many busy men and women have had to work when they ought to have been resting after a finished task1 because an idler has interrupted it by dropping in at the office or the home during working hours8 ,the one object of such visitors is to while away the time which hangs heavily on their useless hands1 regardless of consequences to those on whom they intrude1 or too selfish to care1 so long as their own end is served4 ,unfortunately the sufferers have not always a remedy4 ,circumstances may render it unwise to complain1 or politeness restrains them from doing so1 even when they are inwardly chafing under the infliction4 ,they do not like to deny themselves to these thieves of time1 for whom perhaps they feel a very real affection2 or it may be they cannot afford to risk giving offence on account of their relative positions4 ,hence they suffer in silence4 ,there are hard-working girls as well as older folk who suffer in like manner1 through other girls who place no value on their own time and have no qualms of conscience about wasting that of their neighbours4 ,take the lesson to heart1 dear ones4 ,ask that you may realise the full value of your own time1 and abstain from robbing another of what she esteems a precious trust from ,god4 ,there are unsuspected ways of wasting time which those who use it as misers are apt to overlook4 ,the more eager the worker1 the more interested she is in her occupation1 the more likely she is to be guilty of this kind of waste in these high-pressure days4 ,i have no doubt there are many of these too-hard workers amongst you1 my dear girl friends1 who grudge the time spent in rest1 who hurry over your meals1 who regard innocent recreation as almost sinful1 because it interrupts your labours and defers the completion of some task you have set yourselves4 ,believe me1 time is never more truly wasted than it is by those who work too long1 without pausing to refresh the weary mind and body4 ,time is saved if1 when nature cries aloud for rest1 we put aside the work we love and do absolutely nothing until we can return to it with a sense of fitness and freshness4 ,do nothing6 you exclaim4 ,why1 that would be the hardest task of all4 ,we may compel our hands to be idle or our tired limbs to rest1 but thought will still be busy4 ,the mind cannot be coerced4 ,perhaps not in a sense1 but if we wish it1 we can turn our thoughts into a restful channel4 ,what can be more restful and delightful than to sit with closed eyes and folded hands whilst we think over ,god's gracious dealings with us and make a mental catalogue of a single day's blessings8 ,what can so renew our strength to work1 as a little season spent in thanking ,god for the power to labour8 ,what will be more helpful to us than a quiet time with ,him whilst the world1 its cares and its business are shut out1 and we1 alone with our ,father1 ask for wisdom to use without abusing our time and all the powers ,he has entrusted to us8 ,cultivate the habit of leaving off work when nature craves for rest1 and you will find it1 both for soul and body1 by fixing your minds on ,god4 ,you need not utter either prayer or thanksgiving1 but your thoughts may overflow with both1 and ,he who can read them will accept your heartfelt thanks and answer your unuttered prayers by giving you a sweet sense of peace and renewed power to work for ,him4 ,oh1 it is lovely just to get away from the world and its bustle and toil for a little while and spend it in thinking of the goodness and love of ,god in ,christ ,jesus6 ,our work may well wait in the meantime4 ,i was with some dear friends who were sight-seeing in town1 and who1 accustomed to the quiet of a country place1 were almost bewildered with the din of the great city4 ,we were near ,st4 ,paul's1 and how glad we all were to enter the great church and to rest there in a quiet corner1 unconscious of all the noise and traffic which still went on around it4 ,my friends' stay in town was to be a short one1 and they were all eager to see as many of its sights as possible4 ,did they grudge the little time spent in peaceful communion with ,god1 or deem it wasted when there was so much to attract them in the great city8 ,ah1 no6 ,often afterwards1 when other incidents had faded from their memories1 they spoke of its sweet restfulness1 and thanked ,god for the open door of that grand cathedral1 which offered to weary wayfarers a chance of refreshment for soul and body4 ,dear ones1 learn a lesson from this little incident4 ,do not deem the time lost which is taken from the work you love for the rest you need4 ,you will redeem it in the best way if you turn your thoughts from earth to heaven1 from the world around you to its great ,creator4 ,unfortunately those who under-value time are more numerous than those who realise its preciousness4 ,we often hear the expression1 ,i am only giving my time4 ,as though money and goods were of infinitely greater worth4 ,it is when health fails and life is drawing near its close that the preciousness of every moment is understood4 ,i beg of you to remember now1 that the right use of your time is your evidence to those around you of your union with ,christ4 ,let us finish our talk this evening by repeating two or three reasons why we should be misers in the use of time4 ,time and life mean the same thing to us all4 ,time is a debt we owe to ,god4 ,all our work must be done in time4 ,eternity depends on the use we make of time4 ,time comes only once1 and the present is all we can call ours4 ,let us ask ,god to impress these great truths on our minds and to give us the will and the power to use time well4 7,to be continued47 ,,queens ,,as ,,needlewomen4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,the use of sewing is exceedingly old1 ,as in the sacred text it is enrolled2 ,our parents first in ,paradise began4 ,john ,taylor4 ,needlework has been a favourite method of employing time1 both in courts and cottages1 from very early days2 and one is not surprised at this1 seeing that it is not only necessary for the comfort of daily life1 but a very attractive occupation1 one capable of great variety and of being practised without fatigue4 ,the history of needlework was almost unknown until ,miss ,lambert and the ,countess of ,wilton devoted their time and talents to the collection and classification of facts concerning it4 ,the first piece of needlework we know of is that of our first parents in the ,garden of ,eden1 who1 with a thorn1 probably1 for a needle1 sewed fig-leaves together to make themselves aprons4#a ,milton refers to it thus3-- ,those leaves ,they gathered1 broad as ,amazonian targe1 ,and1 with what skill they had1 together sewed1 ,to gird their waist4 ,from all records of early ages we learn that the women used first a thorn and then a fish-bone sharpened at one end as a needle1 to sew the skins of animals or other material together4 ,most of our queens have recognised the advantages of being good needlewomen1 and several have left behind them beautiful specimens of work1 so that we have an almost unbroken record of their achievements with the needle4 ,the inducements to royal ladies to become proficient in the art of needlework have been many and varied2 for example1 some have been influenced by the desire to set a good example to their subjects2 others in order to lighten the weariness of solitary hours2 others that they might record the deeds of valour and daring performed by their husbands2 some because they were thrown on their own resources through lack of outdoor amusements and the absence of good roads2 others for real love of it2 while other few practised it from pious motives that they might contribute to the beauty of churches4 ,indeed1 church1 court1 camp and state have all more or less influenced royal ladies to become good needlewomen4 ,nothing creates a stronger bond of union between classes than like tastes and occupations1 and it holds good specially between sovereigns and peoples4 ,to know that probably the ,queen and princesses of the royal house are occupied in the same way as the poorest cottager1 either in sewing a seam1 making a dress1 trimming a bonnet1 or embroidering a tray-cloth1 creates a kindly feeling between one and the other1 and bridges over the distance between them4 ,i remember when our ,princess of ,wales came over to dwell among us1 it was stated that she begged to retrim the ,queen's bonnets and make them pretty and fashionable1 as she had always trimmed her own and her mother's4 ,when some of the ,london poor heard it they were delighted1 and said1 ,bless her now2 do you really think a laidy sich as her would a' done it8 ,nothing that has been told of ,princess ,henry of ,battenberg has brought her so near to the hearts of the poor as the piece of news that when she is in sorrow or perplexity she is greatly soothed by sitting down and sewing a long seam4 ,it is something they can understand and appreciate1 for it is most likely the very thing they themselves would do in like circumstances4 ,it has been of no slight benefit to us women and girls that our queens and princesses should have been good needlewomen1 for we are1 to a great extent1 influenced by the daily life of those in high places2 indeed1 the influence of queens upon their women subjects has always been noticeable2 their personal and private character1 their passions and prejudices1 are always more or less reflected in the women of the kingdom4 ,proficiency in the art of needlework is by no means confined to the great ladies of our nation1 for we hear that the princesses in the ,court of ,charlemagne were splendid needlewomen1 and the work of ,bertha1 wife of ,rudolph the ,second of ,burgundy1 has a world-wide fame4 ,she is represented on seals and monuments of her time as sitting on the throne spinning1 and even when out riding continuing her work4 ,in the old town of ,payerne ,canton de ,freiburg1 a residence of the kings of ,burgundy1 her bones1 together with those of her husband and son1 ,conrad1 were discovered in #ahag below the tower of the old church which she herself had built1 and they were buried in the parish church1 where the ,queen's saddle is shown with a hole for her distaff4 ,to this day the expression is used1 as a regretful allusion to the good old times1 ce n'est pas le temps o ,berthe filait4 ,gisela1 also1 the wife of ,st4 ,stephen1 king of ,hungary1 was a splendid needlewoman1 and organised embroidery work-rooms near her palace4 ,the mother of ,charles the ,bold and ,adelaide the ,consort of ,hugh ,capet were also celebrated needlewomen4 ,even nations far removed from civilisation have not been ignorant of needlework1 as the discovery of gold needles1 etc41 in the ,scandinavian tumuli testify4 ,to come back to our own country1 the palm is certainly accorded to the ,anglo-,saxon ladies for excellence in this womanly accomplishment4 ,we have proof that those of rank and royal blood were skilled not only in the use of the needle for necessary purposes but also in elegant and intricate embroidery4 ,the fleece which was brought home by the ,anglo-,saxon men in summer was spun into clothing by the female part of each family during the winter4 ,alfred the ,great in his will calls the women-part of his family the spindle side1 and it was understood by our forefathers that no young woman was fit to be a wife till she had spun for herself a set of body1 table and bed linen2 this is why the maiden was called a spinner or spinster1 and the married woman a wife or one who has been a spinner 7from ,anglo-,saxon wif1 the verb being wyfan or wifan1 to weave74 ,perhaps you have noticed that the armorial bearings of women are not painted on a shield like those of men but on a spindle called a lozenge4 ,the spindle half is a ,saxon term for the female line1 while the spear half is the male side4 ,among the ,anglo-,saxon ladies ,adelfleda and her three sisters1 daughters of ,edward the ,elder1 stand out as famous for their skill in all kinds of needlework1 and are known in history as cunning workers4 ,william of ,malmesbury says1 their father caused them in childhood to give their whole attention to letters and afterwards employed them in the labour of the distaff#b and the needle4 ,the same authority says that ,edgitha or ,editha1 the ,queen of ,edward the ,confessor1 was perfect mistress of her needle1 while the ,saxon historian1 ,ingulphus1 a scholar at ,westminster ,monastery1 near to ,edgitha's palace1 relates of her that she was skilful in the works of the needle1 and that with her own hands she embroidered the garments of her royal husband4 ,as a proof of the high value set on good needlework the ,anglo-,saxon ,gudric gave ,alcina a piece of land on condition that she instructed his daughters in embroidery and needlework4 ,it was the custom in feudal times for high families to send their daughters to the castles of their lords there to be taught spinning1 weaving and needlework under the eye of the lady chatelaine4 ,it was also a practice for great ladies and their attendants to pass their mornings at needlework1 singing and relating stories meanwhile4 ,it seems that ,william the ,conqueror on his first appearance in public after the ,battle of ,hastings wore a richly worked cloak of ,anglo-,saxon embroidery4 ,it may have been this fact which roused his wife ,matilda to produce a piece of work which was to live for long ages as a specimen of her industry and skill with the needle4 ,she was a jealous woman and might not have been pleased at other hands than her own working her husband's apparel4 ,it is difficult to understand the working of a woman's mind4 ,there is no doubt that the work she left behind1 and which is still preserved in the ,cathedral of ,bayeux1 is perfectly marvellous1 or as ,dibdin says it is an exceedingly curious document4 ,it is a piece of canvas or coarse linen cloth two hundred and twenty-seven feet long and twenty inches wide2 on it she has wrought with woollen thread of eight different colours a picture of her husband's exploits1 from ,harold's first landing in ,normandy to his fall at ,hastings4 ,it is a most important record of the history of the period1 because the events1 costumes1 and warlike instruments are faithfully portrayed4 ,the canvas contains many hundreds of men1 horses1 trees1 houses1 castles1 ships and churches1 with names and descriptions over them to make the story clear2 strangely enough there are only three women in the whole picture4 ,taken as a whole it affords a curious insight into the manners and customs of the ,norman ,period4 ,the figures and designs for tapestry work were always prepared by some skilful artist who traced them out in the colours that were to be used by the worker either in wool or silk4 ,matilda seems to have employed the dwarf artist ,turold to prepare her work and illuminate the canvas3 he was a dependent of ,odo1 ,bishop of ,bayeux4 ,the parts intended to represent flesh in the picture are left untouched by the needle4 ,it is supposed that not only was ,matilda assisted in her great work by the ladies of her court but by some of the beautiful workers among the ,anglo-,saxon ladies4 ,she was a woman who would not study the feelings of those around her1 nor would she consider their sorrow in having by their needle to perpetuate their sufferings and defeat4 ,the work which is now in ,bayeux is coiled round a machine like that which lets down buckets into a well1 and a woman is appointed to unroll it for visitors and explain it4 ,a full-sized coloured photograph of it may be seen in the ,south ,kensington ,museum1 and the ,society of ,antiquaries have engraved the whole of the ,bayeux tapestry and have coloured it like the original4 ,we are told in the life of ,st4 ,dunstan that he was originally in an obscure station of life1 and crept into notice by means of his taste and skill in delineating sacerdotal vestments and tapestry work for great ladies4 ,he must have had a great love of such work as well as genius1 for even when he came to high estate he did not disdain making sketches for queens to work from4 ,we now pass on to ,adelicia of ,louvaine1 the queen of ,henry ,i41 who was distinguished for her great beauty and talents1 but especially for her proficiency in feminine accomplishments4 ,a standard which she embroidered in silk and gold for her father when he was engaged in recovering his patrimony was celebrated throughout ,europe for the exquisite taste and skill displayed in its design and execution4 ,for centuries it was carried in procession on ,rogation days through the streets of the city of ,lige1 for it had been captured by the bishop of that town in #aabi4 7,to be continued47 ,,footnotes3 #a ,there is an ancient engraving1 in which ,eve is stitching away at the fig-leaves in a very edifying manner1 while ,adam1 far from trying to put in a stitch for himself1 is gazing upon her in utter amazement4 ,and while she continues her task1 as if she had been born to sewing1 his eyes follow her nimble fingers4 #b ,distaff--a woman4 ,this explains the phrase and fact that the crown of ,france never falls to the distaff4 ,,where ,,swallows ,,build4 ,,by ,,sarah ,,doudney4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,it is my last day in ,london1 said ,alice ,harper to herself4 ,the last day was a ,sunday at the end of ,july1 and ,alice's box was packed1 and ready for travelling4 ,she had attended service that morning in a beautiful church1 where she had often gained strength and comfort in her weariness2 and the music was still echoing in her ears when she turned into ,bruton ,street4 ,wherever she went1 she knew that she should hear that music still4 ,the smart people were all hurrying out of town as fast as they could go4 ,but ,miss de ,vigny was a very dignified little lady who never cared to hurry herself in the least4 ,she always went away on the first of ,august1 and could not be moved sooner or later4 ,so that when ,alice went into her house1 she found her friend sitting in her old chair near the window with an open book on her lap4 ,miss de ,vigny had always liked ,alice ,harper4 ,she had watched the girl through the season that preceded the sudden change in her lot1 and had thought her distinctly genuine and courageous4 ,she did not guess how soon that quality of courage would be called into play2 but when the crash came1 she was not surprised that ,alice bore up bravely under the blow4 ,one morning the daily papers announced the suicide of ,mr4 ,harper1 the well-known promoter of companies4 ,his daughter1 left quite alone in the world1 gathered together her few possessions1 and quietly vanished from the eyes of society4 ,only two or three persons knew what had become of her1 or what she was doing1 and ,miss de ,vigny was one of them4 ,she had found out that ,alice was going to be a dressmaker1 and take care of herself in future in her own way4 ,miss de ,vigny met her one day in a side street in the ,west-end1 dressed in plain black1 and carrying a brown-paper parcel4 ,she did not avoid the little maiden-lady as she would have avoided some of her former friends4 ,she stopped and accepted the hand that was held out so readily4 ,i shall be eighteen months in learning my business1 she said4 ,after that ,i must work six months longer as 'an improver4' ,and when ,i have thoroughly mastered the art1 or trade1 or anything that you like to call it1 ,i mean to go away1 and set up in the country4 ,quite in the country8 ,miss de ,vigny asked4 ,quite in the country1 ,alice replied4 ,i shall learn what ,london can teach me1 and leave it with a glad heart4 ,mind1 ,i am sure that ,i could not learn properly anywhere else4 ,but ,i shall rejoice when ,i am free to go4 ,when the time comes1 perhaps ,i can help you1 ,mary de ,vigny said4 ,meanwhile1 let me see you sometimes4 ,come and spend next ,sunday with me in ,bruton ,street4 ,but ,i do not want to meet people1 said ,alice1 flushing deeply4 ,my dear1 ,i do not want you to meet people4 ,it will do me good to have you all to myself4 ,i have never been a society woman2 the smart people don't find me at all amusing1 ,i believe4 ,i am dowdy1 and ,i do not know any good stories4 ,pray come4 ,so ,alice went4 ,miss de ,vigny was rather dowdy1 and she did not know any good stories2 but she knew other things that are better worth knowing4 ,she knew how to guide a sad soul into the true way of peace4 ,she was neither a rich woman1 nor a smart woman2 but she lived a life worthy of her faith1 and was a light to direct others to the road that led to rest4 ,from ,mary de ,vigny's house1 ,alice went to ,mary de ,vigny's church close by4 ,and so the two toilsome years in ,london were sweetened and cheered2 and if her outer life was hard and painful1 her inner life became peaceful and fair4 ,the time of release had come at last1 and it was ,mary who had found her a new home in the country4 ,miss de ,vigny's room was cooler than most rooms in ,london1 and when you went in you felt you had entered into an atmosphere of contentment4 ,there were always flowers here2 to-day ,alice's eyes rested gratefully on a big bunch of mignonette and some graceful feathery grasses4 ,mary greeted her with genuine affection1 and pointed to the nosegay4 ,only think what it will be1 said she1 to have your fill of flowers6 ,oh1 ,i have been trying to realise the delight in store for me6 ,alice cried4 ,my poor father never cared for the country in the very least4 ,he always bustled me about to fashionable watering-places in the summer4 ,if my mother had lived1 life would have been different for him and for me4 ,she sighed2 but ,mary spoke cheerfully4 ,we must let all the 'ifs' alone1 ,alice1 she said4 ,it is better to leave 'ifs' and 'might-have-beens' lying by the wayside if we want to get on upon our journey4 ,i know how prone we are to stop1 and pick up useless regrets2 it has been an old folly of my own4 ,they had tea together1 with the mignonette on the table between them4 ,miss de ,vigny said it was like a festival1 but she thought ,alice looking tired and worn4 ,i don't think you could have toiled on much longer1 she remarked4 ,it has been a weary time1 my child4 ,you have brightened it1 said ,alice gratefully4 ,everybody else has forgotten me1 and you know ,i wished to be forgotten4 ,here and there one remembers you1 said ,mary1 looking at her with observant eyes4 ,only yesterday1 in this very street1 ,i met someone who asked what had become of you4 ,i hope you did not tell6 ,alice cried4 ,i told very little4 ,i merely said that you were living1 and working for yourself4 ,it was ,mr4 ,cardigan who asked for you4 ,alice's mouth took a scornful curve4 ,i do not like him1 said she4 ,i detest rich men4 ,miss de ,vigny shook her head in reproof4 ,that is rather a hard saying1 my dear4 ,for my own part1 ,i think well of ,robert ,cardigan4 ,he is natural--refreshingly natural1 and ,i fancy he wants to know what to do with his money4 ,after all1 that money came to him in an honest way from a relation who died abroad2 ,i do not see why it should not wear well4 ,perhaps ,i am prejudiced1 said ,alice colouring4 ,i have not liked what ,i have seen of rich men4 ,most of them always wanted to be richer still1 and hovered round my father to be instructed in investments4 ,mr4 ,cardigan only came into his fortune just before the blow fell upon me4 ,but ,i thought he was like all the rest4 ,miss de ,vigny dropped the subject4 ,she was not a woman of many words1 and generally knew when to hold her peace4 ,alice walked to church with her a little later1 looking very stately and erect beside her small companion4 ,people had always regarded ,alice ,harper as a proud girl2 and there was something in her bearing which certainly suggested pride4 ,plain clothes only accentuated her air of distinction4 ,and this evening1 although she was very pale1 and there were dark shadows beneath her grey eyes1 she was more beautiful than she had ever been in the days of prosperity4 ,adversity either disfigures or beautifies4 ,there are certain full-fed1 insolently-prosperous girls who would be enormously improved by sorrow4 ,many a plain face has been made lovely by the chastening of the spirit2 and ,miss de ,vigny1 who did not possess a single good feature1 had a countenance on which1 at the first glance1 you could read the sweet record of inward peace4 ,she had suffered meekly1 and had come out of the strife into the rest4 ,afterwards1 when they parted at the door in ,bruton ,street1 ,mary said good-bye very tenderly to her friend4 ,she knew that she would miss ,alice when she came back to town in the autumn4 ,but above all things she desired that the girl might have peace after the weary struggle to learn her business4 ,one had only to look at ,alice to see that she was a woman who would do what she meant to do4 ,but these resolute people do not succeed without paying the cost of their success4 ,i know you will be happy at ,swallow's ,nest1 ,mary said confidently4 ,i have often told you how long ,mrs4 ,bower lived with my mother1 and how good and faithful she was4 ,some day ,i shall run down to the farm and see you all4 ,you will write soon1 dear1 will you not8 ,alice did not find it very easy to answer4 ,her grey eyes were full of tears4 ,she looked earnestly at ,miss de ,vigny for a moment1 and went her way4 ,there was something dream-like about the ,london streets in the evening light4 ,and ,alice1 walking back to the home which had sheltered her for two years1 felt as if she1 herself1 were someone who had been living in a dream4 ,she thought of the only child of the rich man1 brought up in a luxurious home1 but always pining for the mother who had been early lost4 ,she saw again those sunny heights of womanhood which the child's eyes had seen afar off4 ,how bright they were then6 ,something of the old splendour lingered about that cloudland still1 although the girl had become a sorrowful1 hardworking woman4 ,she smiled pityingly at the child who had always dreamed of doing beautiful things1 and making everybody happy when she grew up6 ,and yet1 perhaps the pity was wasted after all4 ,there are the elements of true happiness in many an unselfish dream4 ,we cannot tell how much we have helped others by the loving desires that we could not shape into deeds4 ,we do not see what our good angels are doing1 even with the thoughts of our hearts1 when they are sweet and true4 ,and then came a sudden remembrance of the men who had come to her father's house in ,park ,lane--men who had shown by their faces and by their words that they existed only for self-pleasing4 ,the quiet girl1 with her own aims and ideals1 had inwardly despised them all4 ,robert ,cardigan had been1 perhaps1 a little better than the rest4 ,she could recall certain looks and tones of his that had seemed real4 ,he had even listened1 with some interest1 to those schemes for helping humanity which she had spoken of1 once or twice1 in his hearing4 ,well1 the power that she had longed for had come to him2 but it was doubtful if he would use it as she would have done4 ,the child and the girl had both passed away2 ,alice ,harper1 dressmaker1 was walking through these ,west ,end streets to the home for working women which had been her refuge for two long years4 ,and ,alice ,harper1 dressmaker1 was going to leave ,london to-morrow to live in the country4 ,she had never seen ,mrs4 ,bower1 but she knew her perfectly by description4 ,mrs4 ,bower was the wife of a farmer2 they had two daughters who wanted to learn dressmaking2 and there was a good opening for business in their neighbourhood4 ,miss de ,vigny had advised ,alice to go to ,swallow's ,nest4 ,if you get tired of the country you can leave it1 she had said4 ,but you have an instinctive longing for woods and fields and fresh air1 and you are sorely in need of all these blessings4 ,the big house was generally quiet on a ,sunday evening4 ,it was sultry weather1 and all the windows were opened wide4 ,alice caught a glimpse of the new moon above the house-tops as she ran upstairs4 ,it hung faint and golden over the crowded roofs1 in a sky touched with pale crimson1 and dim with mist4 ,i shall see it to-morrow above the woods1 she thought with a sudden gladness4 ,she took off her hat and coat in her cubicle1 and ran down to supper in her muslin blouse and tweed skirt4 ,not a single person in that full house was acquainted with her real history4 ,she had never talked of bygone days and lamented her vanished prosperity4 ,she wore no jewels2 her watch was the sole relic of the past that could ever be seen4 ,one or two had remarked that it was a very beautiful watch1 and she had simply said that it was a gift from someone who was dead4 ,but in spite of a strong natural reserve she had made many friends4 ,living here1 a poor woman among the poor1 she had learnt that one must give love if one cannot give money4 ,so you are going to leave us1 ,miss ,harper1 said a young girl who sat beside her at supper4 ,you will be missed for many a day4 ,there are kindnesses that we never forget4 ,ah1 if only ,i could have been more helpful1 ,alice sighed4 ,you don't know how much you have helped1 the other answered4 ,people may give gold1 and it may go just as far as gold can4 ,that is a long way1 some will say4 ,well1 so it is1 but even the long way has a limit4 ,there is only one thing that is not hindered by any limit at all4 ,it flies on1 far1 far beyond ,time1 and right into ,eternity4 ,it is ,love4 ,illustration3 ,,miss ,,de ,,vigny ,,had ,,always ,,liked ,,alice ,,harper4 ,alice looked attentively at the girl for a moment4 ,she was a puny young woman with round shoulders and a narrow chest4 ,her skin was very fair1 and she had the large luminous eyes which often indicate consumption4 ,how did you learn so much1 ,miss ,dayne8 asked she with a smile4 ,just by watching life1 was the reply4 ,i do not think that we shall ever meet here again4 ,i am going a longer journey than you are4 ,and yet1 who knows8 ,perhaps it may not be so very far4 ,alice had arranged to start on ,monday by a very early train4 ,she left the house before any of the other women had come downstairs4 ,her box was in the hall2 she had supplied herself with some sandwiches1 and could have a cup of tea at the station4 ,so she was driven through the streets before the shops were open1 or ,london had shaken off such sleep as it can get4 ,she reached ,waterloo in time to drink her tea1 and secure a comfortable corner in a third-class carriage4 ,when the train began to move out of the station she was still thinking of herself as ,alice ,harper1 the dressmaker1 going to start afresh in a new sphere4 ,the former ,alice was merely the girl of the dream4 ,she smiled1 rather a forlorn little smile1 when she called up a vision of the dream--,alice1 travelling first-class1 and wearing a lovely1 grey costume1 as costly and as daintily simple as it could possibly be4 ,the dressmaker was arrayed in a coat and skirt of pepper-and-salt tweed which would stand any amount of wear and tear1 and a pink calico shirt4 ,her gloves were carefully mended2 a very serviceable umbrella and sunshade were strapped up with a plain waterproof cloak2 she had none of those charming superfluities which a well-to-do woman seldom goes without4 ,and yet it was a peaceful face that was shaded by the sailor hat2 and as the train rushed on into the sweet1 green country her eyes grew very bright4 ,i am going where ,i shall get lots of pleasant things without paying for them1 she said to herself4 ,in ,london you must pay your penny for the simplest flower that grows4 ,ah1 the good ,god must have thought of the poor when ,he purpled the wild land with the glory of heather6 7,to be continued47 ,,answers ,,to ,,correspondents4 ,,medical4 ,,bernice4--,beyond taking plenty of exercise1 feeding as well as you can1 and attending to the general laws of health1 we cannot tell you of any other means of obtaining what you desire4 ,a diet with plenty of farinaceous food1 milk puddings1 etc41 would suit you best4 ,,mary ,,carmichael4--,the public has been completely fogged over the subject of tinned meats for years past4 ,some persons have tried to prove that tinned articles are better than fresh ones2 whilst others have decided that all preserved foods are poisonous1 and that those who partake of them do so at the risk of their lives4 ,as is usual in such arguments1 the truth lies somewhere between these extreme points1 and we will endeavour to explain what are the various good and bad qualities of tinned foods4 ,in the first place1 we must notice that tinned eatables are very much better now than they were some years ago4 ,this is particularly the case with the tinned fruits from ,california 7the preparation of which is1 we believe1 entirely carried on by girls74 ,for some years back we have been able to get tinned pears1 peaches1 apricots1 etc41 from ,california1 and1 as far as we can find out1 no case of poisoning has occurred from their consumption4 ,it may be said that all the tinned articles which are allowed to come into ,london are perfectly wholesome while they are fresh2 it is only after they have been kept some time that they become injurious4 ,again1 it must be remembered that tinned goods will not keep when once the tin has been opened4 ,a large number of deaths have occurred from eating tinned meats which have been opened several days previously4 ,it is of great importance to recognise what the poison in tinned meats is1 and where it comes from4 ,there is a popular notion1 which is a very great fallacy1 that the poison is derived from the tins1 and that therefore there is no danger in meats preserved in jars or barrels4 ,this is a great mistake1 for although tinned goods do sometimes become contaminated with the metal of the tins1 this is only very seldom the case4 ,when the poison is derived from the tins1 as it was in some cases of poisoning from tinned cherries1 death is not very common4 ,whence comes the poison1 of which we all read cases1 of whole families being killed from partaking from a tin of salmon or sardines8 ,it is developed in the food itself4 ,this is not a case of organic matter going bad from decay4 ,articles sealed up in airtight tins will never undergo putrefaction4 ,this development of poisons in tinned meats is a totally different phenomenon from putrefaction4 ,it appears that if organic substances are kept for a long time1 whether in the air or in airtight cases1 extraordinary and little-understood changes occur in their composition1 whereby1 amongst other things1 are developed definite chemical compounds known as animal alkaloids4 ,these are the poisonous agents in tinned goods4 ,these alkaloids are allied1 chemically1 to strychnine1 morphine1 etc41 but some of them are immeasurably more poisonous than any known vegetable or mineral production4 ,a quantity of one of these alkaloids 7occasionally found in tinned sardines71 which is so small as to be almost impossible to demonstrate1 has killed a whole family in twenty-four hours4 ,bottled fruits occasionally become poisoned by the use of preservatives such as boracic or salicylic acid4 ,m4 ,h4 ,b4--,yours is a history which has been only too common after influenza4 ,you would probably derive benefit from a change of air4 ,we should advise a short stay at the north or east coast of ,kent4 ,margate would perhaps be too severe for you1 but we think that you could scarcely do better than go to ,folkestone or its neighbourhood4 ,the medicine that you are taking is about as good as any other for your trouble4 ,eat well4 ,a4 ,e4 ,,robinson4--,it is of great importance to keep false teeth scrupulously clean1 and it is the lack of this precaution which is the cause of most of the troubles due to false teeth4 ,the artificial palate is perhaps more difficult to keep clean when made of vulcanite than when made of metal1 but otherwise one substance is as good as the other4 ,you should never sleep with your false teeth in your mouth4 ,we have lately heard of a lady who was suffocated from her false teeth having slipped out of place during sleep4 ,false teeth should be taken out every evening and placed in water1 or1 better still1 solution of boracic acid1 through the night4 ,they should be carefully cleaned every night4 ,some people leave their false teeth in their mouths for weeks at a time4 ,particles of food get between the false palate and the roof of the mouth1 decompose1 and cause very many unpleasant1 and sometimes serious results4 ,,beattie4--#a4 ,we cannot tell you the cause of your complaint4 ,it is probably a slight error of development4--#b4 ,certainly there is no reason why you should not marry a man who has got a stiff hip from rheumatism4 ,,daisy4--,see the answer to ,maud in the ,may ,part of ,,the ,,girl',s ,,own ,,paper4 ,,ivy4--#a4 ,yes3 scurf on the head is seborrha4 ,you should wash your head every week in borax and warm water1 and apply the sulphur ointment afterwards to the roots of the hair only4 ,this condition of seborrha is most difficult to eradicate4 ,as a rule1 the best that can be done by treatment is to keep it in check and prevent it from spreading to the face4--#b4 ,cocaine will remove most of the pain of having a tooth extracted4 ,,study ,,and ,,studio4 ,,sunflower4--,we have read your letter and verses with interest4 ,the poem beginning1 ,there is no ,death1 suffers from a lack of attention to the laws of metre4 ,it is begun in ten-syllable lines1 which occasionally become twelve- and even fourteen-syllable lines4 ,this is quite inadmissible4 ,the other two poems are better4 ,the metre and the rhymes are correct4 ,there is some poetic feeling in ,twilight1 and we like your description of the ,friend you long to have3-- ,gentle1 and strong1 and wise1 ,loving1 and tender and true1 ,loyal to serve and to save1 ,steadfast to dare and to do4 ,we shall be pleased to hear from you again4 ,,brown ,,eyes4--,you should have written direct to the ,comtesse ,blanche de ,forestier1 whose address we gave4 ,she informs us that she has already found a correspondent4 ,you ask us to tell you of any faults we find in your interesting letter4 ,your writing is rather large and untidy1 and inclined to sprawl down-hill1 and the expression a lot is too colloquial4 ,also the sentence beginning1 ,deeply interested needs ,i am to make it grammatically correct4 ,it is rather thankless work thus to pull your letter to pieces1 as we have read it with much pleasure1 and are glad your grandfather has lately given you a beautiful bicycle4 ,o si sic omnes6 ,,violet ,,rene ,,gordon4--,we have always understood that the authoress in question was unmarried1 but as we do not know her personally we cannot vouch for the fact4 ,if anyone who does know her intimately tells you so1 you may of course believe it2 but information that has filtered through various channels is apt to be inaccurate4 ,,erin and ,a ,,lady ,,reader kindly send the words of ,pestal by ,w4 ,h4 ,bellamy2 and ,erin informs ,pansy that it is published as a solo by ,hutchings and ,romer1 arranged by ,c4 ,e4 ,horn4 ,erin does not know if it is to be had as a duet4 ,i4 ,m4 ,h4--,many years ago1 ,lytton ,bulwer 7afterwards ,sir ,bulwer ,lytton7 wrote contemptuously of ,tennyson1 calling him ,miss ,alfred4 ,tennyson retorted by a most stinging satire on ,bulwer1 which1 we believe1 is to be found in some early volume of ,punch1 but is not republished in ,tennyson's works4 ,the extract you quote1 containing the line3-- ,and half the little soul is dirt comes from this satire4 ,as it is suppressed1 you may have difficulty in finding it4 ,,fidelia4--,the verse you quote is from a poem of ,christina ,rossetti's entitled ,he and ,she4 ,as the whole poem is very short we transcribe it for you3-- ,should one of us remember1 ,and one of us forget1 ,i wish ,i knew what each will do-- ,but who can tell as yet8 ,should one of us remember1 ,and one of us forget1 ,i promise you what ,i will do-- ,and ,i'm content to wait for you1 ,and not be sure as yet4 ,you will find it on page #cbh of ,messrs4 ,macmillan's #ahib edition of ,poems3 ,christina ,g4 ,rossetti4 ,,the ,,lilac ,,sunbonnet4--,you should try to obtain a situation au pair in a ,continental ,school1 where you could teach ,english in return for learning ,french4 ,no premium or certificate is required4 ,the only way we know of obtaining such a position is to advertise in the provincial journal of any town where you would like to go4 ,see our former answers to similar queries1 when we have mentioned such papers as the ,gazette de ,lausanne1 ,journal de ,gnve1 ,feuille d'avis de ,vevey1 etc4 ,,mother',s ,,girl4--,your story is very well composed and neatly written4 ,the incident you describe is naturally told1 with a good deal of right feeling4 ,we can honestly praise your work4 ,it is very wise of young writers only to undertake simple subjects with which they are familiar1 and a good schoolgirl story is worth any amount of sentimental nonsense4 ,a ,,seeker4--#a4 ,your friend's verses fail in metre3 e4g41 ,death makes clearer the soul's view1 is a halting line4 ,the thought expressed throughout is a solemn one1 but the mode of expression is open to criticism4--#b4 ,the difficulty you place before us is one in which we have very great sympathy4 ,if you have been sent to an ,art ,school it is certainly your duty to work hard there4 ,but a change of occupation is by no means always prejudicial to success2 in fact1 it is often helpful even to the occupation which is laid aside for a time4 ,for example1 a girl is likely to become no better a musician because she practises every hour of the day1 and neglects all besides4 ,there comes a point beyond which work is useless1 and four or five hours well spent are better than twelve4 ,so with your drawing or painting2 you will do it no harm by laying it aside for awhile and lending a hand to household tasks4 ,there is often a tendency in eager students to overwork1 and see things out of their due proportion4 ,you must try to keep the balance true and not sacrifice character to ambition4 ,you will do the ambition itself no good by it4 ,we may suggest that artistic talent is very useful in millinery1 and that1 if need be1 you should not despise turning your gifts to account in designing some article of dress4 ,there is a wide field open to really artistic dressmakers2 but1 of course1 on this1 we cannot advise you without further knowledge4 ,,an ,,ardent ,,reader1 ,,rosy ,,nell4--,we are glad to hear all you tell us1 and hope you may succeed in the needlework competition4 ,we do not know the comic ballad you mention on ,a ,snarling ,wife1 beginning1 ,o do be still6 ,are you sure it is worth hunting for8 ,would it not do you more good to learn some poem of real beauty or interest8 ,,girls' ,,employments4 ,,agnes 7,training for ,children's ,nurse74--,your daughter is certainly wise in deciding to become a children's nurse rather than a nursery governess4 ,her gentle birth and education will be to her advantage in seeking such a position2 at the same time it is a pity that a regular training cannot be afforded4 ,under the circumstances we would suggest that your daughter should seek a situation under a lady nurse1 who would train her in the necessary duties4 ,such a situation is not often to be heard of2 nevertheless we think you might find one after careful inquiry4 ,for such purposes it would be better to apply to an employment agency than to advertise4 ,through such public organisations as the ,central ,bureau for the ,employment of ,women1 #fj1 ,chancery ,lane1 ,w4,c41 and the ,society for ,promoting the ,employment of ,women1 #bb1 ,berners ,street1 ,w41 you might hear of a suitable vacancy4 ,if you wish to have the addresses of thoroughly trustworthy private1 as well as public registries1 you cannot do better than order one of the lists of registries from the ,hon4 ,secretary of the ,associated ,guild of ,registries1 #ci1 ,victoria ,street1 ,s4,w41 enclosing three half-pence for cost and postage4 ,these lists have recently been issued for the first time1 and will gradually be extended4 ,they promise to be of great utility to parents and guardians as well as to young women who are seeking employment4 ,for registries vary much in character1 and there are some which experienced advisers would not at all recommend4 ,we do not answer privately1 our answers being intended for the benefit of readers of ,the ,g4 ,o4 ,p4 generally4 ,,amicus 7,home ,employment74--,we know of no society that exists for the purpose of providing ladies with work to do at home1 nor do we know of any firm of cigarette manufacturers who give out work4 ,quite possibly cigarette-making is undertaken by home-workers living in the immediate neighbourhood of a manufactory2 but manufacturers would hardly care to send tobacco and paper a hundred miles away from their establishment4 ,we would suggest that you should learn typewriting and shorthand1 and then seek a situation as clerk in one of the manufactories in your own city4 ,,ivy and ,,lora 7,training for a ,hospital ,nurse74--,it is true that we have repeatedly answered questions similar to yours4 ,nevertheless as you have failed to observe these replies1 we gladly respond to your query4 ,there is hardly any hospital to which you could be admitted before the age of twenty-one--twenty-three or twenty-four is preferred by most institutions4 ,in general a probationer can enter either by payment of a fee or by giving services free1 or in return for only a small salary the first year4 ,you could apply to the matron of any general hospital for rules of admission for nurses1 if you enclosed stamps for postage4 ,among the best training schools for nurses in ,london are the ,london ,hospital1 ,st4 ,thomas's1 ,st4 ,bartholomew's1 ,king's ,college1 ,st4 ,mary's1 and ,university ,college ,hospitals4 ,,alpedian1 although a boy1 takes great pleasure in reading ,,the ,,girl',s ,,own ,,paper4 ,we are very glad to hear it1 ,,alpedian4 ,nevertheless we cannot undertake to advise boys as well as girls in these columns4 ,however1 in reply to your special questions1 we may say that a boy must be articled to a firm of solicitors for some years1 and the fee is usually a high one4 ,afterwards your prospects of success would depend partly on yourself and partly on any connection you might possess among barristers4 ,a solicitor with no legal connection is apt to have an uphill fight for work4 ,,ann 7,missionary ,work74--,missionary societies do not always insist on candidates passing any examination1 but they would only accept the services of a young woman who had received a good general education4 ,candidates for work in missions generally spend a period of probation in some of the training schools4 ,further particulars could be obtained from the ,secretary of the ,society for ,promoting ,female ,education in the ,east1 #bfg1 ,vauxhall ,bridge ,road1 ,s4,w4 ,to judge from your handwriting1 you are at present rather young to enter on such work as this4 ,there is always1 however1 plenty of useful work that girls may do among the poor at home4 ,girls' ,clubs1 for instance1 often require helpers4 ,,miscellaneous4 ,,lily4--,your brother certainly shows great promise4 ,he should1 however1 try to perfect himself in mathematics1 as architectural construction depends greatly upon this science1 and especially upon mechanics4 ,he should also sketch buildings from nature1 and make measured drawings of some building1 a church or house or such like1 and carefully read works upon architecture1 such1 for instance as ,the ,glossary of ,architecture1 ,fergusson's ,architectural ,handbook1 ,rosengarten's ,handbook of ,architectural ,styles 7translated by ,w4 ,collett-,sanders74 ,he would also gain some information from ,architecture1 or the ,art of ,buildings1 published in ,,the ,,girl',s ,,own ,,paper1 ,october #bd1 #ahhe1 to ,may #bb1 #ahhf1 and contained in ,the ,girl's ,own ,annual1 commencing ,october #c1 #ahhe4 ,although against our rules we return the drawings to you as you requested for which you sent stamps1 but you give a very meagre address4 ,,jessie4--,the ,egyptian-looking obelisk of which you speak1 near ,forres1 in ,elginshire1 called ,sueno's ,stone1 has puzzled many an antiquary1 and the opinions they have severally formed do not seem at all unanimous as to its origin4 ,it is a very remarkable one--the broken remains standing #be feet in height1 and cut out of a block of the hardest granite to be found in ,scotland4 ,the opinion of the ,rev4 ,c4 ,cordiner 7a distinguished antiquary of the last century7 was1 that it was raised to commemorate the victory of the ,scots over the ,scandinavian invaders1 who had established themselves on the neighbouring promontory of ,burghead1 in the #ith century4 ,the monument is covered with figures of armed men1 some equestrian1 with bows1 swords and spears1 as well as a cross on the obverse side and sundry other objects4 ,,tooting ,,graveney4--,to water plants1 such as rose trees1 with tobacco water is said to destroy blight4 ,,lottie4--,we could not recommend anything for removing stains of paraffin oil from a light-coloured dress4 ,first1 you do not name the material2 but1 in any case1 we always recommend the employment of some trimming to cover the stain1 or else the substitution of a new breadth4 ,possibly a rearrangement of folds or pleats might conceal it4 ,,au ,d,,sespoir4--,it is1 as we have frequently told our readers1 quite impossible to teach ,french pronunciation otherwise than orally1 as their alphabet and ours are dissimilar in sound4 ,in ,latin it is otherwise4 ,of the terms you name1 however1 we may give the sound with our own letters4 ,monsieur is pronounced ,mus-yeu1 not ,mus-you2 and ,mademoiselle as ,mad-moy-zelle4 ,the syllable ieur is pronounced as the word for eyes in ,french1 viz41 yeux4 ,perhaps you know how to pronounce that word4 ,we are not acquainted with any other book on the subject of phonetic pronunciation4 ,,fatima 7,smyrna74--#a4 ,there is no periodical with which we are acquainted that is specially devoted to the question of hair-dressing4 ,those on fashions in dress very usually add some remarks on any changes with reference to the coiffeur4 ,in ,,the ,,girl',s ,,own ,,paper4--#b4 ,as to the dangerous attempt to give additional brightness to the eyes by artificial means1 we greatly object to them4 ,some foolish1 vain women1 employ belladonna--a drug that extends the pupil and injures the eye4 ,it should only be medically applied under a doctor's advice and direction for certain complaints1 not for the purpose of temporarily enlarging the pupil4 ,the eye is so delicate an organ1 and sight so exceedingly precious1 that no experiments by amateurs should be practised on it1 especially for mere vanity' sake4 ,we are always glad to hear from our foreign friends1 even if not subscribers4 ,your ,english is excellent4 ,,joice ,m4 7second letter74--,the several precious stones that are said by the ,poles to influence the twelve months of the year1 respectively1 are as follows3--,jan41 a garnet1 representing constancy2 ,feb41 an amethyst1 sincerity2 ,march1 jasper 7or bloodstone71 courage2 ,april1 a diamond1 innocence2 ,may1 an emerald1 success in love2 ,june1 agate1 health and longevity2 ,july1 cornelian1 content2 ,august1 sardony1 conjugal felicity2 ,sept41 chrysolite1 antidote to insanity2 ,oct41 opal1 hope2 ,nov41 topaz1 fidelity2 ,dec41 turquoise1 prosperity4 ,for this ,polish rendering of the question we have the authority of ,dr4 ,brewer4 ,,judic4--,the jewellery distinguished as rococo1 is usually made up of several varieties of gems4 ,moorish decorations1 and ,watteau's paintings1 are in this style2 also in furniture1 that of ,louis ,,xiv41 which is highly gilded2 and ormolu1 are called rococo4 ,the term is of uncertain etymology4 ,it prevailed more especially in ,france at the close of the #ahth and beginning of the #aith centuries1 and was extended to architecture and landscape-gardening4 ,in the former it is a debased style1 which succeeded the revival of the ,italian1 and was very much in vogue in ,germany4 ,s4 ,e4 ,h4--#a4 ,yes1 ,charles ,dickens did write a ,history of ,england designed for children4--#b4 ,your handwriting is fairly good and very legible1 though scarcely yet a running hand4 ,,lulu4--,there are classes held at least in three places in town for instruction in book-keeping1 amongst other things1 namely1 at the ,college for ,men and ,women1 #bi1 ,queen ,square1 ,bloomsbury1 ,w4,c42 apply to the secretary at the ,college for ,working ,women1 #g1 ,fitzroy ,street1 ,w42 and at ,birkbeck ,literary and ,scientific ,institution1 ,bream's ,buildings1 ,chancery ,lane and ,fetter ,lane1 ,e4,c4 ,address the secretary4 ,you might inquire respecting any book written on the subject at any of these places4 ,,miss ,m4 ,,bannerman4--,there is a ,ladies' ,art ,work ,dept at #bea1 ,brompton ,road1 ,s4,w41 address ,lady ,eden4 ,there is another ,work ,society at #ca1 ,sloane ,street1 ,president1 ,h4,r4,h4 the ,princess ,louise2 and a third1 ,ladies' ,work ,society1 of which the dept is at #ahe1 ,high ,street1 ,kensington1 ,hon4 ,sec4 ,miss ,k4 ,ford1 ,rock ,moor1 ,yelverton1 ,r4,s4,o41 ,devon4 ,m4 ,,orme and ,m4 ,e4 ,,morris4--,there are certain questions that do not come within our province to answer4 ,we regret we are unable to give you the answers you desire4 ,,miserable4--,pray for divine help to break off your acquaintance with such bad companions1 and go to your clergyman 7to the vestry of the church71 or to your minister1 tell him your trouble and ask him to give you his advice and follow it4 ,,the ,,girl',s ,,own ,,questions ,,and ,,answers ,,competition4 ,for particulars as to this interesting ,competition1 in which every reader will find it for her advantage to take part1 see page #ad 7,no4 #igi74 ,questions #ac-bd4 #ac4 ,when did the pianoforte first come into use8 99 99 99 99 99 #ad4 ,what is the most polite nation in the world8 99 99 99 99 99 #ae4 ,what is the nearest star to the earth8 99 99 99 99 99 #af4 ,what philosopher of antiquity married a shrew8 99 99 99 99 99 #ag4 ,what flower1 in the middle of the seventeenth century1 became the subject of a popular mania8 99 99 99 99 99 #ah4 ,what is the best soil on which to build a house8 99 99 99 99 99 #ai4 ,did anyone ever swim across the ,channel from ,england to ,france8 99 99 99 99 99 #bj4 ,what great lady once in a temper cut off her long and beautiful hair and flung it in her husband's face8 99 99 99 99 99 #ba4 ,what is the origin of the name foolscap as applied to paper of a certain size8 99 99 99 99 99 #bb4 ,have flowers ever been used as time-keepers8 99 99 99 99 99 #bc4 ,what famous relic of antiquity on its way to this country nearly found its last resting-place at the bottom of the sea8 99 99 99 99 99 #bd4 ,who was the famous carrier who gave rise to a proverb by always making his customers take the horse nearest the stable door8 ,,the ,,answers ,,to ,,these ,,questions1 ,nos4 #ac-bd1 together with the answers to questions #a-ab1 which have already appeared1 must be sent in on or before the #cjth of ,december1 #ahih4 ,,enthusiasm3 ,,an ,,address ,,to ,,school-,,girls4 ,,by ,,elizabeth ,a4 ,s4 ,,dawes1 ,m4,a41 ,d4,lit4 ,let a man contend to the uttermost ,for his life's prize1 be it what it will4 ,browning4 ,strive for the truth unto death 7,eccles4 iv4 #bh74 ,ye have not resisted unto blood1 striving against sin 7,hebr4 xii4 #d74 ,i propose to address to the readers of this magazine a few words on the subject of enthusiasm in a good cause2 for undoubtedly a lack of hearty1 honest enthusiasm1 a general slackness1 both in character and conduct1 is a sad characteristic of too many of the present-day girls and young women4 ,for this reason1 therefore1 ,i have chosen for you three quotations1 all of which speak of the duty of enthusiasm in a good cause1 or1 in other words1 of striving with all our might to accomplish our life's purpose1 or for the truth1 or in the battle against sin4 ,now ,i can imagine someone asking1 ,why should we be enthusiastic8 ,what is the good of it8 and to this question ,i would reply by giving as the three chief reasons3 firstly1 that nothing great or good can be accomplished without enthusiasm2 secondly1 enthusiasm in a good cause is one of the chief means of forming and ennobling the character2 and thirdly1 that it is commanded and commended by ,christ4 ,to prove the truth of my first reason1 you need only turn your thoughts to the world's history1 and recall to your memory the many enthusiastic workers and fighters--fanatics1 as the world often mockingly calls them--who have striven1 often literally unto death1 to promote some good cause or establish some truth1 and then ask yourselves1 ,would they have accomplished what they did if they had been lukewarm1 and half-hearted in their work1 and daunted by every fresh obstacle that beset their path8 ,no1 they would not2 for1 as you all know1 obstacles there are in plenty1 and1 as a ,greek writer says1 ,it is only true enthusiasm which can overcome all obstacles2 it is not the power1 but the will and the desire which are often wanting in us4 ,as illustrations of enthusiasts think of ,st4 ,paul with his tremendous missionary energy1 ,socrates1 ,wilberforce1 ,john ,howard1 and1 in our days1 of the women1 the pioneers1 who fought against apparently insuperable difficulties for the opening of the medical profession and a university career for themselves and other women4 ,secondly1 enthusiasm in a good cause forms and moulds the mind by giving it some definite object of pursuit1 which prevents aimlessness of purpose1 waste of time and capabilities1 and selfishness2 it ennobles it by raising it above trivial or low thoughts1 by attuning it to higher melodies than those of this earth1 and by breeding in it single-mindedness and fostering sincerity1 which is the first characteristic of all men in any way heroic 7,carlyle74 ,browning and ,michael ,angelo1 two powerful workers themselves1 bear testimony to this ennobling influence of enthusiasm1 for the former in his ,saul writes-- ',tis not what man does which exalts him1 ,but what man would do1 and the latter1 ,nothing makes the soul so pure1 so religious1 as the endeavour to create something perfect2 for ,god is perfection1 and whoever strives for perfection strives for something that is ,god-like4 ,my third reason scarcely needs comment1 for all will instantly recall the command that men should always pray and not faint1 ,his parable of the importunate widow1 and ,his commendation of ,mary because she hath done what she could and had brought her best to her ,lord4 ,but apart from what ,he said1 ought not the whole life of the ,perfect ,head and ,pattern of ,mankind to be a direct incentive to enthusiasm8 ,next1 ,i would suggest some subjects for enthusiasm4 ,one which should throw its glamour over us all1 and should spur us ever onward and upward1 is the great thought of our immortality1 or1 as a writer puts it1 ,we must shape our life under the government of the life to come1 however many difficulties there may be in trying to do so4 ,and1 if we are brought under the spell of this great thought1 it creates enthusiasm1 for to keep before us the real outlook of the soul is to refuse persistently to drift with the stream4 ,we have to take care to watch wisely and sternly over our wills1 to keep our eye on the spring of our actions1 to be careful about the decisions we make1 and to be earnest in watching against mere slackness of will in carrying out those decisions which we know to be right4 ,and if this thought--which yet was to them no definite thought1 but only a misty conception and the vaguest of hopes--exercised such domination over the souls of some of the ancient heathens as to cause them to lead spotless1 blameless lives1 what should its effect be on us now1 who know that it is no idle fancy1 but a thing to hold and live by8 ,further1 ,i like to see people enthusiastic about their family and home1 about the ordinary duties that lie to hand1 about the place in which they live1 and so on4 ,for assuredly nothing is more hateful--the word is strong1 but it is the right one--nothing1 ,i repeat1 is more hateful than to hear girls disparaging their mothers with remarks such as1 ,oh1 mother does not understand us modern girls1 she is so old-fashioned1 you know2 ,i never ask her opinion about anything1 or to hear them complain that there is no scope for their energies in their own homes4 ,such as these should remember ,archbishop ,trench's sonnet beginning-- ,thou cam'st not to thy place by accident2 ,it is the very place ,god meant for thee2 ,and should'st thou there small scope of action see ,do not for this give room to discontent4 ,while at school be enthusiastic for it and its customs1 and1 if you think it not all it should be1 work your hardest at rendering it more worthy of your enthusiasm1 and while there set the example of doing the lessons and playing at the games with enthusiasm4 ,but the crucial moment comes when you leave school and become more or less your own mistress--for while you are at school your time is apportioned out to various duties1 and the development of individual bents and tendencies can necessarily not be allowed such free play as they can revel in when school-days are over--and then it is for you to show whether you mean to pass your days in doing nothing much either at home or outside1 or whether you recognise your own greatness as an immortal1 and intend to do at least something or other in this world well4 ,and here a word of caution must be inserted against allowing enthusiasm for one pursuit to lead to the neglect of other duties4 ,there is the story of a friar who set to work to illuminate the pages of the ,apocalypse in his zeal and love for ,god4 ,he became so absorbed in this work that he neglected the poor and sick1 who were suffering and dying in the plague4 ,he came at last to the painting of the face of his ,lord1 but his hand lost its skill4 ,he wondered why1 and realised that it was because1 in his eagerness to paint his pictures1 he had neglected his poor4 ,humiliated by this discovery1 he laid aside his brushes and went down to minister to the sick and dying4 ,he wrought on untiringly till he himself was smitten down4 ,then he tottered back to his cell to finish his loved work before he died4 ,he knelt in prayer to ask help1 when lo6 he saw that an angel's hand had completed the picture of the ,lord in a manner far surpassing human skill4 ,it is only a legend1 but its lesson is well worthy your serious thought4 ,again1 contemplate the effect your enthusiasm will have on those around you4 ,one great and vital element in enthusiasm is hope--hope which endures under rebuffs1 derision1 and in spite of apparent failure4 ,now hope is most infectious1 and when others1 whose spirits are perchance drooping1 and hearts failing for the heaviness of their duties and the weight of their troubles1 see that you always maintain an ardent determination to accomplish your purpose1 a cheerful spirit1 and a smiling1 hopeful face1 they will feel their courage renewed and will resume their burden with re-invigorated strength4 ,this idea is beautifully expressed by ,mrs4 ,browning in the lines on ,work-- ,then others shall ,take patience1 labour to their heart and hand1 ,from thy heart and thy hand and thy brave cheer4 ,i will conclude by reminding you that1 alongside of enthusiasm on one and several other points1 you must1 be you strong or weak1 rich or poor1 cherish undying enthusiasm for friendship's ministry1 which is the half of your solemn duty of service to ,god4 ,so many people forget that it is not enough to feel love or affection for others unless they also show it and thus give pleasure and comfort1 and ofttimes strengthening1 to their friend4 ,a word of sympathy does so much4 ,once after the death of a good clergyman whose labours had been very blessed1 his friends expressed to his widow their appreciation of his noble life and work1 and she1 after thanking them for their kindly words1 asked1 amid her tears3 ,but why did you never tell him these things while he was living8 ,yes1 why not8 ,dr4 ,miller says3 ,too many wait until those they love are dead1 and then bring their alabaster boxes of affection and break them4 ,they keep silent about their love when words would mean so much1 would give such cheer1 encouragement2 and then1 when the friend lies in the coffin1 their lips are unsealed4444 ,let us not reserve all the flowers for coffin-lids4444 ,let us show kindness when kindness will do good4 ,all about us move those who would be strengthened and comforted by the good cheer which we could give4 ,it will make sorrow all the harder if we ever have to say beside the dead3 ,i might have brightened the way a little if only ,i had been kinder4 ,never then1 ,i beg of you1 forget to be enthusiastic in this ministry of friendship1 and if1 combined with that1 you entertain enthusiasm for other noble1 worthy things1 and try to kindle a like enthusiasm in others1 you may1 perhaps1 at the end of your life be allowed to feel that you have1 though perhaps but in a slight degree1 ,made the world within your reach ,somewhat the better for your living ,and gladder for your human speech4 ,whittier4 99 99 99 99 99 ,transcriber's note--the following changes have been made to this text3 ,page #cg3 prefiguratious changed to prefigurations4