The Girl's Own Annual. (R.T.S. 8s.)—This annual maintains its excellence,
and the proportion of fiction to miscellaneous literature is now less than it was. Indeed, the variety and scope of some of the papers must make the Girl's 0,wn entertaining to grown-up as well as youthful readers. "The Adventures of Two in a Flat" is a guide to housekeeping taken from real life. "All About Country Cottages" is charmingly written and illustrated, and will set many readers off on the quest for the ideal cottage. "How I Live in Cornwall on Five Shillings a Week" will, perhaps, give some girl readers a better idea of the "simple life" than the excellent papers by Dr. Schofield, for the fact remains that some continuous daily occupation and the "simple life" are almost inseparable. No rigid line can be drawn, but no one dependent on the personal service of others can realise the "simple life." "A Holiday for Three Farthings" sounds simple enough. "A Month's Housekeeping in Normandy" contains some interesting facts, from which we gather that sugar is dear in that district, and that one must not be surprised if potatoes instead of apples appear when you ask for yomnies. Many things were very dear, such as beef, ham, tea, jam, honey, and you had to bargain with the fishmonger. On the whole, for six people to live on .62 10s. a week, exclusive of rent, was distinctly creditable. The technical articles are attractive,—" Scandinavian Leather Work," "Every Girl her own Picture-Postcard Maker," "Cooking Recipes," "Stitches," "Embroidery," and others. "The Fidelio Club" provides a series of expert criticisms on musicians. &c., by Eleonore D'Esterre-Stahl. "Neckties for Brothers" we may specially recommend for young ladies, as perhaps less tedious than darning socks. Last, but not least, we must mention the fiction : " Odette : Soprano " ; "Ruth Thornton's Wanderjahre," by the collaborator in "A Son of the Marshes" series, Jean A. Owen ; " Barty's Marriage," by Norman Gale ; "For the Faith," by Lady Margaret Majendie ; and other and shorter sketches. Dr. Gordon Stables takes up his professional role in the Girl's Own, and wants no recommendation from us. We can only allude to many other articles under the term miscellaneous. One, "On Writing for tho Press," is excellent, being short and even pithy. Altogether, when we add that there are fashion-plates with accompanying letterpress we have indicated the variety to be found in the Girl's Own. It is an excellent issue, and the photographs are exceedingly good.
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