JESSICA.—Write a separate answer for those of your party who refuse the invitation. If not a very special one, where the number would make a difference, or if uncertain, accept for all on one card, and apologise for those absent as you enter and greet your hostess. GLADYS.—We suppose you know the glass bottles that are sold for fly-catching. In America what is known as the feverfew, queen’s daisy, or pyrethrum, is thought to keep flies away. You might try a few pots of that. It may be either grown from seed, or can be obtained at a nurseryman’s. Darkness is one of the best remedies against flies, and so the more shaded you can keep your windows the better and the darker the shop on a bright day. SISTER EDITH.—Not admitted under twenty-one years of age, we should think; but we can find no limit of age. Deaconesses must be under thirty-five years of age when admitted. IGNORANT ONE.—1. For a seed cake the following, from a well-known cookery book, is excellent and cheap. Rub six ounces of butter into three-quarters of a pound of flour, add a pinch of salt, five ounces of the best moist sugar, and a dessertspoonful of caraway seed. Dissolve half a small teaspoonful of soda in a teaspoonful of hot milk. Beat up this with two eggs, already well beaten, and stir the whole into the cake. Put the mixture into a buttered tin, and bake in a moderately-heated oven—from thirty to forty minutes will suffice.—2. Hyacinth bulbs deteriorate after the first year, and would not do for water after planting in the ground. * * * * * [Transcriber’s note—the following changes have been made to this text: Page 779: scence to scene—“upon the scene”. Page 784: unhealthly to unhealthy—“being unhealthy”.]