AN ENGLISHWOMAN IN RUSSIA.—You will need to write many stories and to gain much experience in writing before you produce one fit for publication. We could not give advice about publication; but you will find the addresses of all London publishers in a London directory; and you must follow the example of Charlotte Brontë, and all our best writers almost, _i.e._, to try and try again until you gain a hearing. There is no royal road to success. You would probably find Vincent’s “Dictionary of Biography” in Haydn’s series a useful book. SHINING LIGHT (?).—“R. S. V. P.” are the initials of the French sentence “Répondez s’il vous plait,” _i.e._, reply if you please. They are put in the corners of invitations to various entertainments. HAPPY MINNIE.—The inner skin of the broad bean pod is said to be a cure for warts, if rubbed on gently several times a day. IRENE AYNSLEY.—1. In England drive to the left, but on the Continent and in America one keeps to the right. We do not know the custom in New Zealand, but doubtless it is the English. 2. Can you not get a small book on fancy knitting? REX.—Certainly call on and visit your pupils’ mothers, if invited. You do not need any other introduction. Unless introduced to the friends met in the street, it is well to walk on a short distance and wait. EIN UNARTIGES MADCHEN.—1. Punch and Judy dates its origin to one of the old mystery plays, _Pontius Pilate and the Jews_. The story as we represent it is attributed to Silvio Fiorillo, an Italian comedian of the seventeenth century. The moral is decidedly bad, as the evil is made to triumph over the good, and defies and defeats all law and justice. 2. Slope your writing more from right to left. ONE WHO IS WAITING.—The story you tell us of a cat taking care of two chickens when her kittens were taken from her is very wonderful; but we believe it has its parallel in one told by Sir John Lubbock, of a cat that brought up two ducklings, and was distracted at seeing them take to the water. We much approve of the wishes and feelings you express, and you have our sympathy. We wish you God-speed. WINIFRED H.—1. Grey is a very delicate colour, and probably the rain has extracted the dye, and nothing could restore the loss but having the material redyed in a darker shade. 2. It is not necessary that the name of a writer should appear; but the difficulty is that we cannot accept the articles and stories of unknown writers. We rarely take those of authors who have not made their names as such. “TRULY SWEET EIGHTEEN” (?).—We should say that, as a descriptive name, “Truly Vain” would be _truer_. If you find that you earn too little by dressmaking, perhaps you could turn your four years’ experience of that trade to good account by adding to your acquirements that of hair-dressing, and then you could take a situation as lady’s-maid.