where the emphasis would have to fall on "till" to make the line scan. We can tell you, however, that the thought expressed is not commonplace.
MISCELLANEOUS.
Lassie.—We suppose you mean the "Rose of Jericho," which is a very curious cruciferous plant which grows in the sandy deserts of Syria, Arabia, and North Africa, and is remarkable for the hygrometric properties of its old withered annual stems. When in flower the branches spread rigidly, but as the seed ripens the leaves begin to wither and drop off, the branches curl inward, and the plant becomes coiled up so as to resemble a small ball. In this state it is loosened from the soil and is drifted about with the sand over the arid plains. Should rain fall, or should it be blown into the water, the branches expand, the pods open, the seeds fall out, and it is a remarkable and newly-discovered fact that in the short space of twenty hours the seeds germinate and root. The plant will retain its susceptibility for years.
Violet Heather.—We have read your very interesting letter with pleasure. We have already given a description of crétonne articles illustrated, which will be useful to you, and we think you would find Weldon's needlework series, published monthly at twopence each, most suggestive and helpful.
A. W.—To preserve your summer eggs for a scarcer time, the following is a good recipe:—Pour 3 gallons of boiling water on 3 lbs. of quicklime; when cold, add 1½ oz. of cream of tartar, and 1 lb. and 2 oz. of salt. When quite cold put in the eggs, and be particular not to move the jar when the eggs have been placed in it.
Sussex Trug.—What you have heard of Lewes having once been a seaport is true. There was a marshy island called Hamsey in the estuary of the river Ouse, which entered the sea at Seaford. The great storm of 1570 changed its course permanently, and Newhaven became a port at the new mouth of the river. At that time, Pevensey and Selsey were islands till the silting up of beach and sand annexed them to the mainland. Selsey, by which one island was called, meant seal island; which animals were once natives of that coast.
Dodo.—Your steel buttons could be freed from rust by immersing them in a strong solution of cyanide of potassium, half an ounce in a wineglassful of water. Then clean them with a paste composed of the same stuff mixed with castile soap, whitening and water, till of the consistency of thick cream. Then rub well with a chamois leather. If this prove unsuccessful, you will have to send them to a jeweller.
Young Mother.—We can give a few general hints so as to distinguish between the cries of a sick infant and indicate the locality of the pain. A child often cries because a pin has been left in the clothes. Always employ "safety-pins," and examine the newly-made clothing for fear of concealed needles. If suffering from pain in the stomach, the cries will be continuous and loud, with showers of tears, and it will draw up the legs. If the pain be in the head, it utters frequent sharp shrieks, moaning between whiles. If it suffers from inflammation of the chest, a short, hacking cough will help to indicate the locality of the pain; it will shed no tears, but will give a short sharp cry occasionally. If lacking in experience as to the care of infants, you should have a medical opinion, if the child should appear to be feverish as well as suffering. Teething pains must also be expected, and the state of the gums examined. Boys cut the teeth with more difficulty and danger than girls, as a general rule.
Nora.—Of course it is pleasanter to the feelings of any refined person to see as little resemblance in the animal food placed on our tables to the living creatures we see around us. And this feeling is carried out in the nomenclature we have adopted for meat. The generic term "meat" is an improvement on "flesh." We owe this refinement to our Norman ancestors, who employed the terms beef, veal, pork, mutton, and venison, which are never employed to denote the living animals.
J. Thompson.—Your question is one which often arises, and the charge made by the Railway Company is an illegal one, although it frequently meets with success, especially where ladies are concerned. I will repeat your query—"A train runs from A to C; a passenger gets in at B; can the Company charge the traveller the full fare from A to C?" If the train is a parliamentary one stopping at B in the ordinary way, the Company are not entitled to charge the passenger the full fare from A, because the contract between the passenger and the Company began at B and ended at C. The Company could, if they pleased, have prevented the passenger from entering the train at B without a ticket, but having tacitly waived their right by allowing him on the platform, they cannot subsequently impose a fine on him by making him pay for the whole journey. If, however, the train was a special express, or an excursion train running on special terms with the passengers, they would be in their rights by making the passenger pay for the full journey, because the Company only contracted to take the passenger subject to certain conditions.