Some few exceed the prescribed space, and others fall into the very natural error of enlarging on the opening incidents of the tale and leaving out a few lines for its development and conclusion. Those contributors selected for prizes have, it seems to me, best observed the balance and proportion of the story, and have thus given the fairest idea of what it is all about. But it gives me much pleasure to praise, with scarcely a reservation, the care and neatness which the many aspirants have bestowed on their papers; the correctness of the spelling, and the legibility of the writing. May I venture to hint that a little more care given to punctuation would, in this instance, have still further lightened the reader’s pleasant task. Faithfully yours, LESLIE KEITH. ⁂ We quite endorse all that the Author says in the above letter.—ED. OUR NEXT STORY COMPETITION. STORIES IN MINIATURE. _Subject:_—“THE G. O. P. SUPPLEMENT FOR FEBRUARY.” UP-TO-DATE MAIDENS: A STORY FROM WOMAN’S CLUBLAND. BY JEAN A. OWEN, Author of “Candalaria,” etc. We offer three prizes of TWO GUINEAS, ONE GUINEA, and HALF-A-GUINEA for the three best papers on our “Story Supplement” for this month. The essays are to give a brief account of the plot and action of the story in the Competitor’s own words; in fact, each paper should be a carefully-constructed _Story in Miniature_, telling the reader in a few bright words what THE GIRL’S OWN STORY SUPPLEMENT for the month is all about. One page of foolscap only is to be written upon, and is to be signed by the writer, followed by her full address, and posted to The Editor, GIRL’S OWN PAPER, in an unsealed envelope, with the words “Stories in Miniature” written on the left-hand top corner. The last day for receiving the papers is February 20th; and no papers can in any case be returned. _Examiners:_—The Author of the Story (Jean A. Owen), and the Editor of THE GIRL’S OWN PAPER. End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Girl's Own Paper, Vol. XX. No. 996, January 28, 1899, by Various