QUEENIE DESMOND.—The word mandoline is thought to be derived from the Latin _pandora_, or the Greek _pandoura_, from Pan. But we must go further back for the origin of all instruments of the guitar class, which are said to owe their beginnings to the ancient viol, which was a six-stringed guitar. This instrument is called a psaltery in the Bible; and you will find in Smith’s _Bible Dictionary_ an account of them. The words psaltery, or sautry, lute and viol, are all often found in the old English poets, and were all different, though alike. The first originals of the mandoline lie, probably, in the psaltery. BAZAAR (1) would find the quotations she needs for her book in any dictionary of quotations. We could not undertake so long a search.—2. For painting in oils on satin there needs no preparation, but in both cases, for either oils or water colours, the satin must be _very tightly and evenly stretched_ on a drawing-board, or frame for water colours. Take one ounce of Nelson’s gelatine, and cover with cold water for an hour; pour off the cold water, and put a pint of boiling water to the gelatine, stir and dissolve quickly; then strain through muslin, and while still hot apply to the satin with a clean sponge. Go over the _whole surface_, making it not too wet, but rubbing it in. Rub with a piece of clean silk, and dry, stretched as you have placed it. ESSEX and LOVER OF “G. O. P.”—We can obtain cross-stitch patterns for working in Weldon’s _Work Series_, an excellent paper of the kind, issued monthly, price twopence, at any newsvendor’s. A WELSH GIRL.—We should advise you to put glass over the panels. That would look the best, and be the most reliable preserver in such a position. LADY BETTY.—We do not know of anything better, nor more easy to obtain, than Weldon’s _Practical Work Series_, price twopence a number, at any stationer’s. FOREIGN AWARDS. AN IDEAL GARDEN. _Prize Winners (Half-a-Guinea Each)._ Cecilia Nicolay, c/o Messrs. John and Cleary, High Street, Freemantle, W. Australia. Elsie M. Wylie, The Manse, Mintaro, S. Australia. _Very Highly Commended._ Mrs. H. Andrew (Canada), M. D. Browne (India), Nellie M. Daft (Portugal), Ethel M. Danford (Canada), Elsie V. Davies, Lillian Dobson, John A. Fitzmaurice (Australia), L. Hill (Argentine), Anna J. Hood (France), Gertrude Hunt (New Zealand), Harry John (India), Elizabeth Lang (France), Margherita P. Martinetti (Italy), Mrs. G. Marrett (India), Gertrude E. Moore (New Zealand), Beatrice and Hilda D’Rozario (India), Edith Wassell, Geo. Waterstrom (Australia). * * * * * No solution has been mentioned which was not verbally perfect. The prize solutions were only discovered to be better than many others after the most minute examination.