SOLUTION.
A Short Story in Verse.
A short-sighted stork
Was once taking a walk,
When he met with a rusty old nail;
And, being in the mood
For a mouthful of food,
He waggled the tip of his tail.
Said he, "I opine
"I can very well dine
"Off this small but acceptable bone;"
But when he had dined
He more sagely opined,
"I wish I had let it alone!"
Prize Winners.
Twelve Shillings and Sixpence Each.
- Rose S. Bracey, 92, Upper Tollington Park, N.
- Mrs. J. Cumming, 1, Elvan Terrace, Ibrox, Glasgow.
- Rose D. Davis, St. Georges, Roundhay, Leeds.
- Mrs. Grubbe, Mentmore Vicarage, Leighton Buzzard.
- J. Hunt, 42, Francis Road, Birmingham.
- Edith Morrison, 65, St. Peter's Road, Handsworth, Birmingham.
- Kate Robinson, 4, Queen Street, Horncastle.
Five Shillings Each.
- Lily Belling, Wribbenhall, Bewdley, Worcestershire.
- Eva M. Benson, The Rectory, Ballymoney, Co. Antrim, Ireland.
- Ethel M. E. Lea, Northfield, Royston, Herts.
- Polemarchus, 24, Tay Street, Dundee.
Very Highly Commended.
Eliza Acworth, Maud L. Ansell, Ethel C. Burlingham, M. J. Champneys, Helen M. Coulthard, S. Dewhirst, Lily Dickin, Mabel Dickin, Edith E. Grundy, Alice E. Johnson, Rev. V. Odom, Ada Rickards, Mrs. G. W. Smith, Gertrude Smith, Isabel Snell, S. Southall, Ellen Thurtell, May Tutte.
Highly Commended.
N. Campbell, M. Christie, Mabel E. Davis, Ethel Dobell, A. and F. Fooks, E. F. Franks, Eva Florence Gammage, Nelly I. Hobday, Eva Hooley, D. A. Leslie, Nellie Meikle, E. M. Rudge, Jas. J. Slade, Constance Taylor, C. E. Thompson.
Honourable Mention.
Maud Allen, Mrs. Astbury, Agnes Beale, Isabel Borrow, Leonard Duncan, Annie K. Edwards, Dorothy Fulford, Peter Kelly, E. M. Le Mottée, Fred. Lindley, Marian E. Messenger, J. D. Musgrave, E. Cunliffe Owen, Alfred Scott, Miss Sharp, M. Short, Winifred Skelton, Ellen R. Smith, C. E. Thurger, Ethel Tomlinson, Edward Tweed, E. Watherstow.
EXAMINERS' REPORT.
The title is not "A Small Conservative in Verse." Apart from its absurdity there is an objection against it which appears to have escaped the notice of many competitors. Concerning the rest of the puzzle, there is little to say, it is so simple. The chief value of it lies in the instruction, afforded by the solution, on the use of quotation marks in verse. These should be placed at the beginning of the quotation, at the beginning of every line of quotation, and at the end of the whole quotation.
The solutions of the 1st prize winners were perfect; those of the 2nd prize winners only failed to give the form of the verse correctly. The solutions very highly commended placed the quotation marks wrongly but gave the form properly; those highly commended were incorrect in both respects, while those in the last list contained trifling errors in other ways.
"Wisely" and "rightly" often took the place of sagely in line 11. The picture represents a sage, and though sages are often wise there was no necessity to go so deeply into the matter to obtain a good reading. "Rightly" is altogether wrong.
To Violet and others. The "O" in the solution of Fluctuations should have been Oh.
[GIRLS AS I HAVE KNOWN THEM.]
By ELSA D'ESTERRE KEELING, Author of "Old Maids and Young."