YELLOW CROCUS (_Qualifications of a Clerk or Secretary_).—These are, a clear neat handwriting—yours, by the way, though excellent in other respects, covers rather too much space—impeccable type-writing, rapid shorthand, and, if possible, some knowledge of a modern language. A good general English education ought to be indispensable, and though we cannot say that it is so, it makes the difference between a permanently low salary and promotion. From your letter we infer that you have had a good education; it therefore only remains to study the subjects we have mentioned. Many thanks for your kindly expressed wishes for the future of the “G. O. P.” It is interesting to learn that you, in common with so many of our readers, have derived pleasure from THE GIRL’S OWN PAPER since its first appearance. S. B. F. (_Laundry Manageress_).—We are glad to see that you corroborate the advice we constantly give to girls to learn the laundry business in all its branches. The vacancy you mention you might try to fill by applying to the Central Bureau for the Employment of Women, 60, Chancery Lane, though it is not always easy, as you know, to find girls possessed of the requisite trade experience. For the benefit of some of our readers we will quote a passage from your letter—“I can assure you on behalf of my colleagues in the trade that there is a great demand for women of fair education, who are sober, trustworthy, and able to take the oversight of the work in laundries. The great failings of nearly all capable laundry manageresses are drink and a low standard of morals, especially as regards honesty; and if a woman of superiority went in for the work, she would never lack a good berth, as all the hard work in laundries is now done by men.” We quote what you tell us with the more satisfaction in view of the statement sometimes made by ill-informed persons that girls are likely to be ousted by men from the laundry trade. The demand for expert and honest laundresses and manageresses was manifestly never greater than it is at present. IDA (_Book-keeping_).—If you wish to learn book-keeping by double entry in a thorough manner, you should attend classes at some technical institute in your neighbourhood. Were you living in London, we should advise you to join the Birkbeck Institute, Bream’s Buildings, Chancery Lane, or the Regent Street Polytechnic. Many excellent handbooks have been published on the subject, by the aid of which every determined and persevering girl could master the subject alone; but, of course, lessons in class make the difficulties much more readily surmountable.