MISCELLANEOUS.
R. P. S.—To remove stains from marble take two parts of soda, one of pumice-stone, and one of finely-powdered chalk, sift through a fine sieve and mix into a paste with water. Rub well with it and then wash it with soap and water. This process will both remove the stains and also produce a fine polish. If the general colour of the marble be deteriorated, mix a quantity of the strongest soap lees with quicklime to the consistency of milk, lay the wash on the marble for twenty-four hours, and wash it afterwards with soap and water, and you will find the colour restored to its original hue.
Saturday’s Child.—The duties of a lady’s maid vary of course in different houses. As a rule she must be a good hairdresser and dressmaker, and know enough of millinery to alter or re-arrange a hat or bonnet, be able to pack, to wash lace, clean hairbrushes, and do all needful mendings. If a travelling maid she must understand packing, and travelling and foreign shopping, and must speak French well. The wages vary from £20 to £50 or even more, and if a competent woman, there is no more difficulty in finding this situation than in finding any other first-class place, such as governess or companion.
Mrs. B. (Ireland).—You do not give us a nom de plume, so we hope you will recognise this heading. There is no alteration in the rules about such presents. When a girl is not engaged to a man, the presents she may accept from him are flowers, books, or music, certainly not jewellery nor clothes. The former should never be accepted unless from an accepted suitor, and must be returned in case of a rupture between the parties. There could be no alteration in these laws, and every nice girl should know and abide by them, as the question is one of self-respect and propriety.
Carrie.—There is no objection to a girl playing the clarionet nor flute, only they somewhat spoil the beauty of the performer during a performance, to which some would take exception. The former is an ancient instrument invented by Denner, at Nuremberg, 1690; but the flute still more so, being mentioned in the Book of Daniel. An oboe is a hautboy, and is also one of the reed wind instruments of which the bassoon is the bass. The former, the hautboy, was much used by itinerant English musicians as early as in the fourteenth century, and formed one of the instruments played by the Court band, temp. Edward III. It was invented by Anfranci, an Italian, A.D. 1539. An ophicleide is the bass of the horn, and is a brass wind instrument invented by Frichot in 1790. The trombone may be had of four kinds, soprano, alto, tenor and bass, the best amongst them being the tenor.
Cornish Girl sends us the address of Miss C. Flower, 14, Norfolk Crescent, Hyde Park, W., who collects used stamps, and sells them for the purpose of helping poor and sick members of The Girls’ Friendly Society. Miss Flower sells foreign stamps at 7d. for fifty, and is very successful in making money out of them. She has sent eight sick members to the sea, and paid for two beds for two months in the Eastbourne House, Durnford Lodge.—2. Black currant acid is made as follows:—three pounds of black currants, one and a half ounces of tartaric acid, to one pint of water. Put the water and the tartaric acid into a deep pan, let the latter dissolve, add the fruit, and let it stand covered for twenty-four hours. Then strain it off and add to every pint one and a half pounds of loaf sugar. Stir it well, and when the sugar is dissolved, bottle it and seal it up. This would be enough for three bottles. A dessertspoonful will be needed for a tumbler of water for drinking. This recipe can be used for other fruits—strawberry, raspberry, mulberry and red currants as well.
Dolly.—The origination of the harp on the ancient Irish National escutcheon, on the authority of tradition, is attributed to one of the early Irish kings, called David, who took a harp as his heraldic device from the harp played by his namesake, the Psalmist. It was first placed on Irish coins by Henry VIII. Paper money owes its origin to the Chinese, some 2697 years B.C. The early issues in that country are said to have been, in all essentials, similar to modern bank notes. A specimen of a Chinese bank note is preserved in the Asiatic Museum, St. Petersburg, bearing date 1399 years B.C.
Begadkephath.—It is a rule to which all the best English stylists conform, that “very” shall not be used to modify a verb, even when the verb is used adjectivally, while it may be used to modify an adjective or an adverb, as thus—very pleasant, very pleasantly. With “pleased,” the correct phrasing is “much pleased,” or “very much pleased.” The foremost reviews of this country—the Athenæum and the Spectator—are loud in denunciation of “very pleased,” “very gratified,” and so forth. It has been made the subject of comment that Thackeray upon occasion writes “very pleased,” and “different to” for “different from.” His superb gifts make good such lapses, just as Shakespeare’s genius lifts him above criticism, even when his grammar is faulty. The average English girl, however, should beware of using ungrammatical phrasing, and when she is not of ingrained vulgarity, we have always found her willing to do so.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] Actually said early in the century.
[Transcriber’s Note—The following changes have been made to this text:
Page 315: of to off—“cut off”
Page 320: intruments to instruments—“wind instruments”]