Pollie.—Write to the secretary of the Civil Service Commissioners, Cannon-row, S.W., and obtain the printed prospectus of rules respecting the clerkships of the telegraph department. If you look through our answers under the above heading, you will see scores of replies to this question.
C. Kershaw.—There is a training home for domestic servants, The Guild of Aid, at Zeals, near Bath, Somerset, and one at 19, Romney-place, Maidstone; matron, Miss Kemp. Also St. John’s Training School for Girls, Westbourne-park, W.; matron, Miss McEwen.
ART.
Zillah.—If the medium known as Florentine is used when painting upon silk, it is not necessary to prepare the foundation.
Mars.—In mirror painting it is necessary to use one of the many mediums advertised, or the oil paints are easily removable with turpentine or a penknife.
The Lady of Aroostock.—It is extremely difficult to sell original drawings, and much more so to sell mere copies. So we fear that we could not help you. Shew’s mounting medium for photographs is the best to employ.
Ivy.—The safest manner of cleaning photographs is to immerse them in pure clean tepid water, and then wipe them dry with a soft silk rag.
WORK.
A Mother is thanked for the recipe she kindly gives for a description of embroidery, especially her own:—For the foundation, prepare as proposed for crazy work in our part for November, 1886. Get artificial flowers of velvet, old or new, the brighter the better, and of all varieties. Tack them on the sprays, large or small, or grouped; then use buttonhole-stitch to fasten down every flower in coarse crewel silk, of the respective colours required by the flowers, finishing round the larger flowers and leaves with gold tinsel cord, and using small yellow beads for flower seeds. The stems should be made in shaded greens with crewel-stitch, and the whole effect is very brilliant.
Teetee.—With reference to your helping to support your mother and yourselves by dressmaking, no friends worth keeping would cast you off on that account. No disgrace is attached to honest work, but you would show consideration for the feelings of others by working under Christian names, a common practice amongst dressmakers and milliners; and this little act of delicacy for your relatives’ sake will be appreciated by them, supposing the family name be one of any distinction—a common one would not matter. We advise you to get some lessons in fitting from a good tailor, as women dressmakers fail signally on this point, as a general and almost universal rule.