HE promised letter from Canada comes in most opportunely this month, because I want especially to turn the attention of our Members to Canada.

But I must tell you more about the Spring party. I need hardly say to our members, that no one will be eligible 'who has not hitherto led a blameless life.' Respectable lodgings will be secured at

First of all, it is very much the nearest place to go to; any young woman going there can hope to come back and see the old folks at home,' just on a visit, you know, after a few years' work, before she marries the young backwoodsman, who has got a strong, rough log hut, and a clearing, up in the Far West ready for his promised wife.

Secondly, people who don't like a hot climate may suit themselves there. Hot it is, indeed, for a short time of the year, but they have not the same length of heat as in southern climates. Cold they must be prepared for, but by going out in spring they have many months before winter, and get gradually acclimatized.

But you will want to know something about the size of Canada. Speaking roughly, it is as big as Europe and half as much again. The population was 4,000,000 in 1880; the square mileage 3,500,000. Lake Superior itself would contain England, Scotland Ireland, and Wales, and leave a margin over!

The members of G. F. S., who have read the letters about Emigration in Friendly Work, must have noticed how much importance I give to two things. First, that letters should be written before the girls start to the ladies who undertake to receive them, to state when they may be expected. Second, that situations should be ready for them to enter.

The scheme, about which I am going to tell you, for Canada, provides this and many other advantages. A vessel will leave Liverpool at the end of April. She can carry 500 women, who will be carefully selected for their characters and service capabilities. The Rev. J. Bridger, whose name is so well known in connexion with well-managed emigration to Canada, will be in charge of the party. He will have two or three lady matrons in charge of the women; there will be no other passengers at all. Now you will be ready to say, 'That would be a nice, safe ship to go in, but if there are so many women going at one time, there never will be situations enough for them all.' Indeed, there are situations vacant, and mistresses waiting for many more than 500. These are Mr. Bridger's words: 'So great is the scarcity of woman's labour in Manitoba alone, that a yearly emigration of 2000 women for four years is needed to restore the balance.'

before the vessel starts. The cost of going is reduced, as you will see :

Passage-money (instead of 37. as usual)
Fare (if from London) to Liverpool...
Board and Lodging in Liverpool
Ship-kit...

Cash for food on journey

...

£2 10 0

O 12 6

O

3 0

96

3

O 60

We had a very good voyage, the sea was very calm; we were ten days on ship, and then we got in the train, and then in the boat, and then into Canada; the bells rang because we were landed safe, and then we got at Miss Rye's at dinner-time. I am very happy now. I have got a new home, and they are very kind to me. They have learned me to milk, and to churn, and a great many other things besides; and I know a lot of little girls, and I live close to one of Miss Rye's girls, and we go and see each other. I have grown so much that I have grown out of my things, so they have bought me a new dress-it is a white one, and a new hat, and two new pairs of stockings. I have got a nice room to myself, and a nice bed, and when I get up in the morning I go to Sunday school and to English church, and when they go to church and I am coming home they meets me and takes me home in the carriage. The lady to whom I live has six married daughters, and they are all good housekeepers, and one daughter at home, and the daughter at home is learning to be a good housekeeper. They are all kind to me. There are two gentlemen and three ladies-there are six altogether, with me, so we are all happy together. I suppose I may put the dog's name in; his name is Nack, and a house-dog, and minds the house. We have got a lot of apples, cherries, plums, grapes, pears, peaches. Give my love to the Hon. Mrs. Joyce, and my love to my little brother, and tell him to be a good little boy and everybody will like him. So I have no more to say at present, so good-bye and God bless you all. From

K. R.

There are other colonies writing home for servants of good character, who don't mind work; but pray re

collect colonists don't want people about them who wish upper housemaids' places. A servant must be good all round, and as mistresses take their share, they of course expect thorough service capabilities in the persons to whom they pay good wages. Every emigrant should be able to wash and iron her own clothes well; and, as I suppose she will some day look forward to have a house of her own, she must know enough cooking to do simple fare properly. Work generally divides itself where two are kept, into the housemaid being half a nurse, and the cook being half a laundress. I am now, of course, speaking of servants in the country.

The matron who has gone to-day in the Warwick to Sydney is such a sweet, motherly woman, I wish some of our Members had been going with her. She is most anxious to become an Associate, as she says then 'the girls will feel they belong to each other.' I hope she has been admitted into the Greenwich branch. She tells me that no one is allowed to come inside the dépôt at Sydney without a written order; so they are very particular about employers as well as about girls.

The cost of going to New South Wales is 27.

Wages general servants, if young, 20l.; if experienced, 267. to 40%.; housemaids and parlour-maids, 267 to 35.; cooks, 267. to 65%; laundresses, 30l. to 45. These are town prices. Population in 1881: males, 411,149; females, 340,319.

Steamers go once a-month, but I always want a long notice to be able to group a party for this colony. There is so much to tell you still, I shall never get it all in this month. The view which was presented gratis in the January number, was sent for you by some one of the Emigration Committee who is working for you, because we find that girls have such very funny notions of the other side of the world; some fearing it is a wilderness, and others appearing to fancy that gold grows on the branches of the trees, and will drop into their mouths as they walk along.

The girls who left England in the British Queen on December 27th, wrote very happily from the dépôt, saying they had made the acquaintance of the other six, and that the matron had already shown them much kindness.

Mrs. Hill, from Auckland, writes: Mr. Hill will do his very best to get them good situations, where they will be under good influence, and where they will be looked after. We are looking forward to have one of them ourselves; Mr. Hill has had several applications for the girls you are sending.'

.

Now, having told you briefly about Canada, New South Wales, and our last month's interests in New Zealand, I must close this letter with a most earnest word of caution: Do not attempt to make your own arrangements; you will lose all the special advantages prepared with great thought and trouble for G. F. S. girls if you do not apply through your Associate, or directly to me, for information and for application forms.

Some girls have tried to change their papers when they had got them for themselves and found out there was a G. F. S. party going in another ship, and not one where they were going.

I MUST REPEAT AGAIN, THAT NO GIRL SHOULD

EMIGRATE UNLESS IT HAS BEEN PLANNED FOR SOME ONE TO EXPECT HER, AND MEET HER WHEN SHE LANDS; AND THAT NONE OF THE SPECIAL ADVANTAGES OFFERED TO G. F. S. MEMBERS CAN BE OBTAINED BY THEM UNLESS THEIR APPLICATIONS FOR EMIGRATION PASS THROUGH MY HANDS, AS APPOINTED CORRESPONDENT FOR THE G. F. S.

• Address all inquiries to

The Hon. Mrs. JOYCE, St. John's Croft, Winchester.
Correspondent for G. F. S. Emigration.

CAUTION.

Associates and Members are particularly warned, that being a Member of G. F. S. does not obtain for a girl any of these advantages unless they are secured for her by her application for Emigration passing through the hands of the appointed Correspondent, the Hon. Mrs. Joyce, St. John's Croft, Winchester.

It must be obvious that Mrs. Joyce cannot describe the service qualities of Members, or write of their good characters, unless their application papers and testimonials have been examined by her and she has corresponded with their references.

Directions to Associates and Members of G. F. S. about Emigration.

1. To write to the Correspondent for G. F. S. Members' Emigration (the Hon. Mrs. Joyce, St. John's Croft, Winchester) for information and advice.

2. State girl's name, age, service qualifications, and climate preferred.

3. State whether the girl has friends in any Colony. The advantages to be secured for G. F. Society Members by the arrangements made for them by the Correspondent for Emigration are :-

(a) That these girls are grouped together during the voyage, by day and night.

(b) That they are specially entrusted to the Matron of the ship, who is told the name of the lady expecting them, and requested to put them in communication with her on landing.

(c) That the Correspondent for Emigration writes. before the girls leave England to a Lady or Associate at the Port they are going to, describing their service capabilities, and requesting that they shall be met on landing.

A VISIT TO A G. F. S. LODGE.
BY A G. F. S. MEMBER.

MY DEAR FRIENDS,-Having this summer spent five weeks at the G. F. S. Lodge, Newport, Salop, I thought perhaps you might like to hear something about it, so will do my best to describe it. I was quite expecting to see a large building and several inmates, but in this was pleasingly disappointed; instead of the large building I found a dear little home-like cottage, with two rooms up and two down, and a small garden in front. There is a nice piano in the Lodge for the use of members, also a library. On Sunday afternoon, from three till four, there is a Bible Class held by one of the ladies in connexion with the G. F. S. Society. This I feel sure you would like; I thought it a most enjoyable hour. Whilst I was there, two evenings in the week, Monday and Thursday, were devoted for fancy work for a sale of work in aid of the G. F. S. Lodge; on these nights one of the Associates, Miss L, always came down and conducted the work, and altogether you cannot think what happy evenings they were. You will perhaps wonder, as I am in business, how it was I could stay so long; I only went for a week, but when I had been there a few days I was taken ill, and so could not return. Dr. Elkington (hon. surgeon to the Lodge) attended me, and was very kind; and as to the kindness I received from the lady associates, matron, and members, it is more than words will express. Whilst I was there I went to the Wrekin, Lilleshall Abbey, Edgmond Rectory (here I spent a whole day), and Chetwynd. The country all round is beautiful, and the walks along the canal are very pretty; here and there you may almost fancy you are by some lovely river, and if you have had with you, as I generally had, an interesting book, why it is simply delightful. Although I have been in the G. F. S. some time, I have never seen or felt so much of the real G. F. S. spirit as I did when away. I am sure it has made me love our dear Society more than ever, and long to do something for it, though it be but little.

Your sincere friend,

L. M. A., G. F. S. Member.

A LETTER FROM GREECE.
BY C. J. HAWKSLEY.

HÔTEL D'ANGLETERRE, ATHENS. December 11th, 1883. MY DEAR G. F. S. MEMBERS,-I hope my last letter reached you all in time for Advent Sunday, and now we are close upon Christmas; at least we English people are, but here, in Greece, we find the Greeks counting by the old calendar, which is twelve days later than the rest, so that they will not celebrate Christmas till January 6th. Is not that strange?..

You will see, if you look in the map, that we are travelling on fast. We hope to be in Alexandria by

After we left Naples we went to Brindisi, and then from Brindisi in a steamer to Corfu, where we spent Sunday, and then came in another steamer the next day to Corinth. How I should like to have had you all with me there, and how we should have talked of Aquila and Priscilla, and of all St. Paul's work! Don't you like to think of St. Paul working at his tent-making with Aquila every day, and then preaching and reasoning with the Jews and Greeks on the Sabbath? Corinth is almost a ruin now, and very few people live there; they had an earthquake in 1858, and since that it has become quite deserted, but I could not help looking at it with most intense interest, as I think every one who has read the eighteenth of Acts and the 2nd Epistle to the Corinthians, must do. I should like to have stayed there, but there is no place fit to spend a night in; and new Corinth, where the steamer stopped, is no better. So we came on to Athens, and here we seem still more able to tread in St. Paul's footsteps, for Mars Hill, where he preached his wonderful sermon, is close to us. Such a beautiful spot it is! The hill itself is somewhat rocky and overgrown with very green grass, and the view all round is magnificent. We walked up to the ruins of the ancient Acropolis, and stood on Mars Hill the very first morning we were in Athens, and such a morning as I shall never forget. It was quite hot, more like a July day in England, and the light and shade on the purple mountains all round us, and the distant view of the sea, with the Island of Salamis brilliant in the sunshine, made such a contrast to the white city of Athens at our feet! As we stood there, and looked up at the great Acropolis, which was the pride and glory of the Athenians, and from which, I suppose, in St. Paul's day, the great figure of the goddess Minerva rose a statue made of ivory and gold, 47 feet high, visible for miles around-one could understand how. St. Paul's spirit was stirred within him, and how gladly he seized the opportunity for answering the Athenians' questions'May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is? Never a more splendid platform for a sermon, never a grander theme: 'Whom, therefore, ye ignorantly worship, HIM declare I unto you.' The steps by which in those days the people reached the hill from the market-place were steps cut in the rock, and are there untouched still, so that we were able to tread, as far as can be known, in the very same steps by which St. Paul walked up to Mars Hill. . .

...

There is a large Mission School here of 600 Greek children, mostly girls, and some tiny boys. Connected with it is a boarding-school. We went to see these schools,

and I heard them sing 'Hark! the herald angels sing,' in Greek, and say the Nicene Creed and the Collect for Christmas Day. The girls in the boarding-school learn English, and some can speak it quite nicely; so after they had sung to us I spoke to them, and told them I had many dear girls at home, who would like to hear all about them. One gave me her photograph to bring away, and what do you think? I found one of the governesses knew all about the G. F. S. She came from America, and had heard of it there! But I must not write more now. God bless you each and all, and give you a very happy, because holy, Christmas. Try and be very happy and bright yourselves, and do each one of you something to brighten another life. Your true friend and Associate,

CORDELIA J. HAWKSLEY.

[Printed by permission.]

G. F. S. FLOWER MISSION. MADAM,-Now that spring is again approaching, and, at any rate in the southern counties, snowdrops, crocuses, primroses, &c., will soon appear, I think that the Members of some of our Country Branches may like to hear of the plan that was adopted by my own Members last year for supplying flowers to some of those who have none. We applied to the Secretary of one of our neighbouring large town Branches for a Sick Member, and she gladly gave us the name of one who was dying of dropsy, and who was passionately fond of flowers. Our plan of work was so simple that it might very easily be adopted, even by Members themselves. Each Sunday after my Bible Class I supplied an addressed luggage-label to one Member (in turn) who undertook to send off by Friday's post a small box of flowers: From A- B(or whatever her name might be), Branch,' paying the postage for that week herself. In this way each individual Member felt that one box of flowers was her own special gift to cheer and gladden a Sick SisterMember; and yet the cost to each was very trifling, as probably no one would have a turn more than twice during the year. Most of my Members are in service, but in no case did any mistress object to the time and trouble spent on this object (some of the girls spent their afternoon out in gathering flowers, others begged them from their parents or friends, or bought them), and in one or two instances the mistress most kindly presented choicer flowers from her own garden. Thus E. D. was sent fresh flowers weekly up to the time of her death, and then the name of another invalid Member was kindly given us by the same Branch Secretary, and she was kept supplied until the autumn frosts had destroyed even the lateblooming anemones and nasturtiums. We hope to work on a similar plan this year, and perhaps some other Members may like to carry out the same idea.

A COUNTRY ASSOCIATE.

THE Editor thanks L. E. S. for her nice letter, from which she inserts the following extracts :

'I was so sorry to read that you cannot get sale enough

for Friendly Work, but I think there is a great many Members that have never heard of it, or I think if they were to read it they would like it. I like them both (Friendly Leaves and Friendly Work), and they do make such nice books when they are bound. How yery kind of the lady that is going to let Members answer Bible questions, and then send them to her! I am so glad and thankful, for it will be so nice to try and answer them; it will make up to a great many girls for the loss of their Bible Class, for there is a great many who are far away from their own Branch, and then perhaps the one they have been passed on to is too far away for them to attend.'

RELIGIOUS KNOWLEDGE CORRE

SPONDENCE CLASS.

QUESTIONS (NEW TESTAMENT).—ACTS, V.-VIII. Answers must be sent, post-paid, by February 20th, to Miss E. COLERIDGE, Eldon Lodge, Torquay.

1. Draw a comparison between Barnabas and Ananias, showing the outward resemblance and inward contrast between the true and the false disciple. What proof of the Divinity of the Holy Ghost is contained in the words of St. Peter?

2. Fill ye up, then, the measure of your fathers' (St. Matt. xxiii. 32). Show, by quotations from the speech of St. Stephen, what this 'measure' was, and how it was 'filled up.'

3. Write notes on the following: (i.) 'After this man rose up Judas of Galilee, in the days of the taxing ;' (ii.) The Grecians, the Hebrews; (iii.) The Synagogue of the Libertines;' (iv.) 'The tabernacle of witness;' (v.) 'Which also our fathers that came after brought in with Jesus into the possession of the Gentiles.'

4. Relate, in your own words, the acts of Philip, as recorded in chapter viii. Who was Philip? Give two reasons for the conclusion that he was not the Apostle of that name. At what time and place does he appear again in the Apostolic history?

ENGLISH COMPOSITION.

THE subject for the next short paper will be 'What books I like best, and the reasons for my choice.' Papers to be sent in by Feb. 18th, addressed to 'Editor, care of Secretary, 3 Victoria Mansions, Westminster.' Papers received on 'Summer Holiday' will be noticed in our next.

G. F.S. IN PARIS.

IN answer to numerous inquiries on the subject, the Head of the Foreign Department on the London G. F. S. Diocesan Council begs to state that Miss Leigh's Home in Paris is not in connexion with the G. F. S.

WORDS AND MUSIC of 'OUR MOTTO,' on tinted card, 2d. each (not 3d. per doz., as stated by mistake last month). Words alone on paper, 3d. per doz. or Is. 6d. per 100. Address Rev. A. Saunders Dyer, M.A., St. Jude's, Southsea,

The papers sent in for competition by the Members of the St. John's Branch, East Dulwich, are of exceptional merit, and reflect considerable credit upon those competitors who have maintained so equal a position on every paper of questions.

L. Pauline has answered particularly well upon the later subjects of examination; her paper upon Sicknursing is praiseworthy.

Bessie Lord deserves honourable mention, because, although she has missed two sets of papers in the early part of the year, her marks are next in order of merit to the prize-winners.

We shall gladly welcome papers from old friends during the coming year, but it would be still more satisfactory if from twenty we should increase to forty candidates for the prizes.

Any Associate or Member desiring information may write to Miss H. A. Martin, Whitelands College, Chelsea. The names of the prize-winners, with the total number of marks for the year 1883, are as follows :—

:

2. What are some of the chief advantages to depositors in the Post-Office Savings' Bank? [30]

3. Describe a 'stamp-form,' and explain how it can be used for saving pence. [20]

4. How can a young woman buy a pension from Government through the Post-Office Savings' Bank? [30]

RIDDLES AND PUZZLES.

Answers must be sent by Feb. 20th to the 'Acrostic
Editor,' Millicent, Naas, Ireland.

1. DOUBLE ACROSTIC.
Useless one without the other,
Friends of many a toiling mother,
Many a lady rich and great,
Many a lass of low estate;
Joined we help to form a name
For a certain well-known dame.

Made of stone, or wood, or brick,
Lofty, stumpy, thin or thick;
Perhaps designed by Scott or Wren,
Or some humbler unknown men ;
Yet I'm as a feather light,
Gauzy, soft, transparent, bright,
With a shifting rainbow hue,
Like a gleam in drops of dew.
And I'm kept in glass with care,
And they gaze upon me there.
Once a man, long, long ago,

So they say no doubt they know-
Tried his best to go with me
Where no man should ever be ;
But he found it wouldn't do,
For I left him in a stew.

You may see a mighty force,

Formed of men and guns and horse,

Routed, turned, compelled to fly,
By a being such as I.

Though so fierce I can be gay,

You may see me any day

If you've tickets for the play;
Cupid if he lost me, too,

Would not know whate'er to do.

Noisy Boreas with me

Rushes over land and sea;
Whispering Zephyr too can say
That I aid his gentle way.
Tender green, or heavenly blue,
Golden yellow-any hue,
Raven black, or white as snow.
Now my name you surely know.
RAGGED ROBIN.