MISCELLANEOUS.
Primrose.—We do not think a stone could be set in a small wedding-ring. You had better consult a jeweller about it, as we have not seen it and cannot give a reliable opinion.
Dodo.—The distinctions between the heterodox beliefs of a Deist and an Atheist are considerable. The former believes in the existence of a God, but rejects the divine revelation of Him given in the Holy Scriptures. He also believes in the immortality of the soul, and in the suitable reward of virtue and the punishment of vice. The latter denies the existence of a God, or Divine Providence, and holds no religious belief of any description. An infidel, or unbeliever, is one who denies the Jewish and Christian religions, and may be of any unorthodox belief.
H. H.—Much depends on your finances. There is a good rule which tells you to “be just before you are generous.” Of course, it would be best to take nothing that you can help (by self-denial) from the contributions you usually make in church; but the money required for restitution of fraudulently-acquired money, it should be your first duty to make good (see St. Matt. v. 23 and 24). This precept would apply to such a case as yours. Of course, “there is hope while there is life.” Our blessed Lord says “He is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God through Him”—His blood-shedding—and “Him that cometh unto Me, I will in no wise cast out.”
Olive.—That the Celts are a branch of the great Aryan family is regarded as beyond all doubt, by their language, which bears a close resemblance in grammatical structure and vocables to Sanscrit. They were the first of the Aryan settlers in Europe. Herodotus (B.C. 450) speaks of the Keltai. By this name the Greeks called them, and the Romans Galli, and a very numerous branch of them called themselves Gael. They settled in most of the European countries, and in the British islands, notably in Scotland and Ireland, but more in England than is generally supposed. Your own aboriginal family name is clearly Celtic.
Sunflower.—The fact that your copy of the Bible is 100 years old is not the only question to be considered. If one of the several editions named after typographical errors, such as the “Breeches Bible” or the “Vinegar Bible” (published in 1727), and others, then there would be a fixed value for it. The celebrated “Bowyer Bible,” illustrated with 7,000 engravings, etchings, and original drawings, was sold to a Mrs. Heywood, of Bolton, for £500. It was one of the Macklin Bibles. You had better send a particular account of yours to some large library, and discover its value from the manager.
Queenie B.—Fringes, if worn, are short and encroach little on the forehead. You should look at the dummies in the hair-dressers’ windows, and get a hair-dresser to cut your hair properly, or it will not curl. A situation as “companion” is rarely to be obtained. A girl should have a good address and good manners, should be a good reader, and write a good legible hand, be well-informed, sing, or play; have a sweet temper, and a great store of patience, with tact. As to the salary, that would vary, and must be left to private arrangement. If you possess all these qualifications, then advertise.
[OUR NEW PUZZLE POEM.]
⁂ Prizes to the amount of six guineas (one of which will be reserved for competitors living abroad) are offered for the best solutions of the above Puzzle Poem. The following conditions must be observed:—
1. Solutions to be written on one side of the paper only.
2. Each paper to be headed with the name and address of the competitor.
3. Attention must be paid to spelling, punctuation, and neatness.
4. Send by post to Editor, Girl’s Own Paper, 56, Paternoster Row, London. “Puzzle Poem” to be written on the top left-hand corner of the envelope.
5. The last day for receiving solutions from Great Britain and Ireland will be August 17, 1899; from Abroad, October 16, 1899.
The competition is open to all without any restrictions as to sex or age.
To the Readers of “The Girl’s Own Paper.”
Dear Girls,—I have received a number of letters on the subject of my last story, “About Peggy Saville,” all expressing the kindest interest in the heroine, and a desire to know more about her.
These letters have been a great pleasure to receive, for, to tell you the truth, I myself am very fond of “Peggy Pickle,” and should much enjoy spending a longer time in her company.
Your kind Editor has expressed his desire to gratify you by publishing a sequel to the story, and we have arranged that if all goes well, the first chapter shall appear in October, or early in the spring.
For the next two months, then, you can think of me sitting in my summer-house every morning with Peggy for my companion, and I will think of you, and, I hope, work all the better for your kindly appreciation.
Your friend,
Jessie de Horne Vaizey.