CURIOSITY.--Do you not confuse the heir presumptive and the heir apparent to the throne? The Grand Duke Michael is the heir presumptive only, and the “Czarevitch,” a term meaning only king’s son, or prince. The title “Cesarevitch,” _i.e._, “son of the Czar,” is only given to the eldest son, who is Crown Prince, Nashlyedrik, and heir apparent, and his consort is “Cesarevna.” The first Czar of Russia of the House of Romanoff was elected, and the succession has never proceeded in regular order. Peter the Great left the crown by will to his daughter Elizabeth; but Anne was elected instead, to Elizabeth’s prejudice, who had to wait till after the death of the Emperor John before she came to the throne. The four Empresses of Russia who have reigned alone have been Catherine, widow of Peter the Great; Anne, daughter of Ivan, his elder brother; Elizabeth his daughter; and Catherine II., widow of Peter III., a grandson of Peter the Great. The Czar is the supreme ruler, and the Government is an autocracy. The Salic law does not obtain in Russia. PANSY.--The following is the way that rust may be taken from steel, but great care is needed to do it. Immerse the article to be cleaned for a few minutes, till all dirt and rust be taken off, in a strong solution of cyanide of potassium--about ½oz. in a wineglassful of water. Take out and clean it with a toothbrush, using some paste made of cyanide of potassium, Castile soap, whiting and water, mixed into a paste of about the consistency of thick cream. MARTHA.--When washing linen you will find it advisable not to place either soap or soda directly into washing-tubs, coppers, or boilers of any kind. Both should be thoroughly dissolved in warm or cold water, and then only used in the coppers or boilers. A great deal depends on the soaking of linen before it is put into the boiler. It should be placed in a large tub of tepid water in which borax has been dissolved, or a little good soap has been lathered. One tablespoonful of prepared Californian borax to every gallon of hot water will be a very effective soaking fluid. Do not use soda at this stage of the process. You have probably been using too much. The soaking-water, or bath into which you put the linen must be tepid, not hot nor cold. Many people rub a little soap on the soiled place after the soaking and before boiling. The rinsing is also very important, and must be attended to or else the linen will be streaky or of a bad colour. In fact, neglect of rinsing is the general cause of a yellow hue in linen. The water used should never be cold but warm. Cold water sets, or fixes the grease and soap in the fabric. Boiling-bags are very useful, and protect the linen from the copper, but we think you will find too much soda is the cause of trouble.