24 April 1881 - Answers to Correspondents - Miscellaneous

LITTLE MOLLY – Your name should be engraved or written on your mother's card. If the friends on whom you call be at home, your cards will not be needed. Tell your names to the servant who will announce you, and if your father should send his card, lay it on the hall table as you leave the house.

GREENWOOD – Your desire to devote your restored health to the service of the sick is a very commendable one; but in some cases such creditable desires cannot be carried out; and under the disappointment which you would naturally feel, you must remember that while David's intention to build the Temple was frustrated, his desire to do so was accepted and approved. "It is well that it was in thine heart," was the answer of God. Now in reference to your being a nurse, having been four years suffering from a severe pulmonary affection, we feel sure that you are quite unsuited to such an arduous life. Strong health and nerves are amongst the essential requirements in a nurse. Do not think of it further.

CELANDINE – Feed your puppy with a little sop of bread and milk and water, or porridge and dogs' biscuits. While very young feed him night and day.

CORAL NECKLACE – Gooseberries are not served as a dish for dessert in society. At home, you hold the gooseberry, and having pulled off the little terminal tuft at the end, you squeeze the contents into your mouth. In reference to grapes, which always appear at dinners in society, there is a fully acknowledged difficulty. It is a safe rule to notice what the best bred persons do who are present at table with you; but it is an undoubted fact that they usually make a cup of the left hand, place it close to the mouth, and so receive the stones and skins, and convey them as privately as possibly to the plate, while others swallow the whole in preference. But no one likes to do either; and the best plan is to restrict your indulgences in all such fruits to private dinners.

BESSIE – Your poems have merit and show good feeling likewise; and you write a pretty, well-formed hand; but we cannot always publish even good amateur productions. You are right in supposing that we are neither "bewigged nor bespectacled" nor at all disposed to find fault with your kind letter. We shall always be glad to hear from so good a friend.

CLEMENCE TAYLOR – You suffer from bad circulation, produced either by insufficient clothing and food, or those which are not suitable for your case, or else from too sedentary a life; or, again, you may have a feeble heart. Take exercise; use a flesh brush; eat warming food, such as lentils, beans, peas and so forth; and wear merino under-vests and warm stockings. If not sufficient to improve your state, consult a doctor.

ROBIN – Enclose a note in the parcel containing the wedding gift, only inscribing upon it:- "With all good wishes (or affectionate wishes) for your happiness – From 'Robin,'" giving your real name. Your writing is stiff and large, a more flowing hand would be prettier.

RUTH – Considerably more than a hundred letters come every day. It is necessary to make some selection for replies, although all letters are read. To many questions answers have already appeared  in previous numbers. Others will be met b articles soon to appear. Other questions are either trifling ones or could be answered by any person at hand, by an older girl or teacher, or by referring to common school books or dictionaries. Some scores of letters ask opinions about handwriting! If all letters were answered there would be no space left for other matters.

A.C. of E.H.S. GIRL – You give yourself much too long a name for our columns. Exercise a little strength of will and purpose, and resolutely keep your hands still when addressing anyone.

25 September 1880 - Answers to Correspondents - Miscellaneous

A YOUNG BRIDE - We give your own spelling of this word, which you repeat no less than *four times in your short note. From this we also should judge that two years more of schooling, at least, would be needed to complete your education, and to prevent the possibility of your future husband being ashamed of the ignorance of the girl whom he has made his wife. You say your age is seventeen, and if this be true, be advised by us and take the next two years for study, making an earnest effort to fit yourself  for the life before you. If your lover be truly attached to you, he will wait; and if not, you must remember that marriage is by o means the chief aim or end of life, and that such early marriages do not tend to permanent happiness. 2. Brides' dresses are usually made of white satin at present, and the bridesmaids may be dressed alike in pairs. 3. Go at once to your mother, or whoever is your chaperone at the time. No well-bred young ladies do otherwise.

LEEK - 1. Feed your pug from the scraps of the table, and let him have milk and bread, and green vegetables. Not too much meat, nor too much food of any kind.  2. Silver ornaments are very fashionable. 3. Yes, your writing is very bad. We are bound to be candid.

A COASTGUARDSMAN'S BRIDE - To go to a wedding in deep mourning is not good taste; either stay at home or change your apparel  for the day.

5 June 1880 - Answers to Correspondents - Miscellaneous

NELLIE - The best cure for cold feet is to take good exercise, such as skipping with a rope, and to wear woollen stockings. Of course, your face and nose will be red if your feet be cold. The blood must go somewhere. Going into a warm room, out of a cold atmosphere, especially if you sit close to the fire, will heat the outer skin, while the flesh is cold inside, and do you harm. Were you to put your feet to the fire when cold you would probably get chilblains.

ZIL - We cannot give you any recipe for destroying a nerve in a tooth. It is not at all to be recommended, as you will certainly lose one so treated sooner or later. Nature will make efforts to get rid of a dead tooth, and you will suffer much from inflammation to the gum while it is gradually loosening.

ELAINE AND MAY - 1. You may wash your face in tepid, not hot, water in cold weather. In the summer it is not necessary to warm the water. 2. We cannot give you a recipe for "making" you fair, nor "making" your neck nice and white. Nature alone bestows that. Consult your doctor with reference to your bad digestion. 3. You can buy a little powdered orris root, or any other scent, at a chemist's for your sachets.

KITTY - Home-made wines are wholesome, rhubarb wine especially so; but to certain habits of body various excellent drinks and edibles are unsuited. Of any personal peculiarities which may exist in members of the same family your doctor will be the best judge.

SNOWDROP - We advise you to watch for opportunities for being obliging and useful to the school-fellow whose especial regard and affection you wish to win. Do not hang about and follow her. Probably it is to this that you owe her endeavour to avoid you. Young girls are often very teasing to older ones, whose affections they desire to win.

CLARA - 1. In reference to the proper arm to take in walking with a gentleman, all depends on which is the inside or outside of the path or pavement. It is not etiquette for a man to take the inside, whether he gives an arm or not. He must change sides whenever he finds the lady on the outside. In entering any place of assembly, or going in to dinner or supper, it is  for the gentleman to offer his arm; not for you to take it. So, the selection does not rest with you. 2. The third finger of the right hand is the popularly recognised one for an engagement ring.

ATTENTIVE READER - The amount of pocket money suitable for a little girl of twelve years old depends on the circumstances of her parents, and of course should be decided by them alone.

LITTLE MITE - You should not feed your dog with meat at all, and had better give it up at once. "Won't" is not the word to apply to a puppy, for if properly managed, dogs will eat anything. Sopped bread and milk is good for it.

23 October, 1885 - Answers to Correspondents - Miscellaneous

The Girl's Own Paper: Answers to Correspondents. Sound advice with a side of snark.

GLADYS AILEEN:- 1. We should bury the dog's skull in an ant hill, which little animals will eat every atom of flesh upon it, and we should then wash it very well with the red Condy's Fluid, and then put it outside your window to bleach. It was rather unnecessary to inform us that your dog was not living. We could scarcely imagine his trotting about having neither fur nor flesh upon his head, although we have heard of spectral brethren of his reputed to be headless altogether. When your deceased's dog's skull has been well bleached, varnish it with white transparent artists' varnish to keep it clean and preserve it. 2. I your hair is very long and thick, it may be desirable to wear a bathing cap, as it is difficult to dry it thoroughly.