Success and long life to the Captain staunch, May his hand, so kindly and strong, Yet for many a year the good ship launch He has guided so well and long. Success and long life to her faithful crew, Long, long may they rally round, And one and all, at their Captain’s call, Be “ready and willing” found! Then success and long life to the “G. O. P.” ’Tis with hands all round, and across the sea, That we speed her forth with our three times three! HELEN MARION BURNSIDE.] OUR 1000TH NUMBER. The printer has put a fourth figure to the number on the front page of this issue, and the Editor makes his bow to his faithful readers—of whom there must now be many millions—and congratulates them on having done their part, the most important of all, in bringing this magazine to so enviable a point in its history. To all girls who now read its pages, and to all who have read it in the past, he sends hearty greetings and offers his sincere thanks for their loyal support. Everyone works best when his labours are appreciated, and the Editor feels that he ought, at least, to have done well, for he has pursued his task accompanied by a constant chorus of friendliness and encouragement. * * * * * The first idea of THE GIRL’S OWN PAPER came as a happy thought to the present Editor about twenty years ago, at a time when he was closely connected with the management of two other magazines long well known to the public. It appeared to him that there was a real want of a paper which girls could truly call _their own_: a paper which would be to the whole sisterhood a sensible, interesting and good-humoured companion, counsellor and friend, advocating their best interests, taking part in everything affecting them, giving them the best advice, conveying to them the best information, supplying them with the most readable fiction, and trying to exercise over them a refining and elevating influence. * * * * * To meet this want he proposed the starting of THE GIRL’S OWN PAPER to the present proprietors. By them the suggestion was well received—indeed, they themselves had about the same time conceived the notion of a magazine for girls—but many doubts and difficulties were expressed as to the carrying of it out, which was natural, seeing the venture meant the sinking of a considerable amount of capital. At last, however, the decision to start the paper was arrived at and careful preparations were made for launching the first number on Saturday the 3rd of January, 1880. * * * * *