INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENCE.
"Ugly Duckling," Hungary, has two offers of correspondence—from Mildred E. Davis, just nineteen, passionately fond of music and painting, address, 70, Broad Street, Blaenarvon, Monmouthshire, and "Faith," Glasgow, who gives no address, but sends us a letter, which we regret we cannot forward. We must repeat that we undertake no postal communication, direct or indirect, in connection with this column.
Mademoiselle Lucile Feltz, aged twenty, 92, Grande Rue, Chantilly (Oise), France, wishes for an English correspondent of about the same age, of good education, who desires to learn French. Mademoiselle Feltz reads English well, but cannot write it fluently. Each would write in the other's language. Perhaps this offer would suit "Harebell," of about the same age, of good family. She reads French with ease and would like to improve herself by correspondence. Address, Oak Villa, Whiskham, Newcastle-on-Tyne.
Nellie Anderson, aged nineteen, of 2, Royston, Bangor, co. Down, Ireland, would like to correspond with Miss F. A. Jeffery, 848, Columbus Avenue, New York City, U.S.A.
Miss Zeila Bawen, aged seventeen, The Lodge, Stoke St. Milburgha, Ludlow, wishes to correspond with a French girl, of about her own age.
Mrs. Hastings Ogilvie, Bolareen, Deccan, India, sends her address with great pleasure for "Friend Studio." She is a "married girl," and hopes "Friend Studio" will not suppose she is too old.
Miss Anice Cress, Mysore, South India, would be delighted to correspond with "Erica," "Budapesth," "Hungary," or any of our girl readers, in English or French. She is sorry she does not understand German. We quote a sentence from her letter, apropos of another correspondent she has found through The Girl's Own Paper—
"If people in Europe could only see the pleasure it gives us out here to receive European letters, I think they would not consider the trouble they have taken in writing to be in vain. Mail day is such a 'red letter day' to us."
Miss Elspeth Duckett, Orange Fountain, Malmesbury, Cape Colony, South Africa, would also be pleased to correspond with Erica.
Marguerite Rahier (sister of a recent prize-winner) just sixteen, would like a well-educated English correspondent. Address, Rue de la Rampe 5, Brest.
⁂ The photograph from which our illustration on [page 81] of this volume was taken was the work of Mr. C. Read Wineshaw.
[OUR SUPPLEMENT STORY COMPETITION.]
A PENNILESS PAIR.
A STORY IN MINIATURE.
First Prize (£2 2s.).
Ethel Mary Wake Cleveland, Bedford.
Second Prize (£1 1s.).
Mary Adèle Venn, W. Kensington Park, W. London.
Third Prize (10s. 6d.).
Annie Birks, W. Hartlepool.
Honourable Mention.
Edith Coates, Kington; Kate Kelsey, Bristol; Rebecca Judge, Banbury; H. Cope, Liverpool; E. H. G. Bowden, Worthing; Letitia E. May, Alton, Hants; Margaret Christina Haynes, Clifton; Letitia Cullen, Dulwich, S.E.; J. E. Jones, Bannister Park, Southampton; N. Wade, Wandsworth; Edith Alice White, Balham, S.W.; Mabel Wilson, Bedford Park, W.; Ida M. Green, Forest Gate, E.; M. Y. Hethrington, Walthamstow, E.; May Maile, Provost Road, N.W.; "Espérance," Thornton Heath, Surrey; Hettie Higginson, Edgbaston, Birmingham; Louie Pearson, Dublin; Theodora Willoughby, Montagu Square, W.; Edith Francis Sellers, Ramsgate; Agnes Lichfield, Lewisham Park, S.E.; Winifred Page, York.; Cécile Rahier, France; Mary Curatós, Roumania.
To the Competitors.
I have much pleasure in stating that I have found the mass of the "Miniature Tales" good. They show an intimate and intelligent acquaintance with the incidents of "A Penniless Pair," and have, for the most part, a distinct perception of its salient points. Indeed, the general merit of the papers has rendered it difficult to award the prizes and to note the instances where the writer deserves special commendation. I should like to praise everybody and to thank each and all for proving themselves (with hardly an exception) free from erratic spelling and bad grammar. May I call their attention to the fact that the rule of the competition is to summarise the story within a certain compass, and that any infringement of the rule ought to disqualify the competitors. Now it is not abiding by the rule to unfold the sheet of paper so as to represent one sheet which in reality makes two; neither is it in strict accordance with the spirit of the rule to write in such very small characters as to squeeze into one page the material for two.
I cannot finish these brief remarks without drawing attention to the three papers from foreign sources—two from France and one from Roumania. One of these papers exceeds the space allowed, but in other respects, as the work of non-English students, the whole three deserve cordial praise.
Sarah Tytler.
[OUR NEXT STORY COMPETITION.]
STORIES IN MINIATURE.
Subject:—"The G. O. P. Supplement for December."
A LITTLE EXILE; the Story of an English Girl in a German Home.
By LESLIE KEITH.
We offer three prizes of Two Guineas, One Guinea, and Half-a-Guinea for the three best papers on our "Story Supplement" for this month. The essays are to give a brief account of the plot and action of the story in the Competitor's own words; in fact, each paper should be a carefully-constructed Story in Miniature, telling the reader in a few bright words what The Girl's Own Story Supplement for the month is all about.
One page of foolscap only is to be written upon, and is to be signed by the writer, followed by her full address, and posted to The Editor, Girl's Own Paper, in an unsealed envelope, with the words "Stories in Miniature" written on the left-hand top corner.
The last day for receiving the papers is December 20th; and no papers can in any case be returned.
Examiners:—The Author of the Story (Leslie Keith), and the Editor of The Girl's Own Paper.
Now Ready.
Price Sixpence.
WINTER SWEET[4]
BEING THE
Extra Christmas Part
OF THE
Girl's Own Paper, 1898.
CONTENTS.
Frontispiece: "The Carpenter's Shop at Nazareth."
From the Painting by P. A. J. Dagnan-Bouveret.
The Old Maids' Christmas. A Story. By Darley Dale.
A Christmas Carol. By Nora Hopper.
A Christmas Letter to my Lassies. By "Medicus."
My Grand-Dame's Old Sedan. A Poem. By Helen Marion Burnside.
Miss Prissie. A Story in Twelve Chapters. By Amy Irvine.
The Great Java Eruption. By Lady Mary Wood.
Can she make a Pie? A Poem. By the Rev. Frederick Langbridge, m.a.
"The Frog who would a-wooing go." By G. D. Lynch.
Christmas Wishes.
Some Christmas Lore. By Nora Hopper.
Jemima's Trousseau. A Story. By Ida Lemon.
Two Christmas Days in a Girl's Life. A Story. By Eglanton Thorne.
Christmas Fare. By "The New Doctor."
Adelé. A Poem. By the Rev. W. T. Saward, b.a.
"Honesty's the Best Policy." A Child's Story. By the late Mary Cowden Clarke, hitherto unpublished.
Eight Christmas Presents from a Yard of Canvas. By Leirion Clifford.
Santa Claus.
The Gladness of Winter. Cantata for Girls' Voices. Words by Helen Marion Burnside. Music by Mary Augusta Salmond.
Winter Tea-Cakes.
"Helping Along." A Short Story. By Grace Stebbing.
Astray. A Poem. By E. Nesbit. Illustrated by Percy Tarrant.
Only a Joke; or, How Madge kept her Promise. A Short Story. By Mrs. J. F. B. Firth.
A Triple Acrostic.
From Our Note Book.
New Puzzle for our Extra Christmas Part.
Copies should be ordered at once, as the Part will not be Reprinted.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] His novel, Zeluco, was an inspiration to Byron.
[2] He had been received freely at the Courts of Vienna, Berlin, Hanover, Brunswick, etc.
[3] François was with him to the close of his life.
[4] Winter Sweet is a lovely shrub with a delightful perfume, and is most useful for room decoration as it lasts a long time without fading. Its botanical name is Chimenanthus fragans.