ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1840, 25 February 1887, Page 30

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.

J. C- Tho marriage is perfectly legal. It is the contracting parties who are married — not their names,— and the fact of the bridegroom giving tho name by which he •'was known instead of thnt to which he was legally entitled, does not affect the legality of the marriage. I am exceedingly glad to liear • what you say regarding "Chalk." These letters telling mo I have helped and" comforted, aro very cheering. When you tell me that your mother is much like Chalk, I am pleased, because so veralTiave considered the character impossible. In writing the story I have taken up arms against very common sine aud tried to show the evil consequences of such sins. Some, hasty to judg j before they read the whole tale, thought my object was to encourage euch self-sacrilice as Chalk's, and excuse Mary, while in reality I have been endeavouring to warn girls from the blighting of a whole life, and show them the untold misery that follows a wrong step. You say, •* Mary's Bufferings have been mine also ; I felt every pang ot her anguish." Those who have • never known the sor ow that fellows 6in aro not pleased with the mercy extended to Mary, but in hospitals and pr>sons. and from common life I have learned that mercy would save where nothiig else will. There is no such thing as sin escaping punishment. Ten thousand lives protest agninst the falsM idea. There isan inevitable law of suwr g and reaping. Thistles yield thutleo. Winifred from a generous impulse acted a lie. She suffered for that to the full. Charles reaped the harvest ct his suspicion and jealousy Over ando*er again I have seen such sins reap equal sorrow. 'She simple lives of Bertie and Mollie and the Grants could not bring confusion and disgrace. To know that I have warned, or helped, or comforted some gives me great pleasure. Lilias.— (l.) Ido not know of anything. (2.) It *s not right to meet a gentleman clandestinely, he H'lvised, have nothing to do with any man who dors not rourt you ojjeii'y. li'n nwn really cares for a woman he wili find some way of making the acquaintance of h<tr friends. If a girl does not set a value upon herself it 1b not to be expected that a man will respect her v-ry much. Svtrbie, Clyde.— Thank you for your complimentary remarks re the Indies' pages. Ihe price for a copy of " School for Scandal" is 9d. Bessie.— (l) You can get the hair restorer by writing to Mr Hickman, Lichfield street, Christchurch. Chemists do not sell it. (2) A dress of white not or muslin, trimmed with pale blue, would look very nice. A cheap white net dress, made entirely of net and ornamented with pale blue ribbon streamers, would be inexpensive and effective. "With silk gloves to match and a cluster of blue flowers in your hair. (3) The same dress would do for the wedding. (4) If your sister is married in the homo there is no occasion for a bridal veil. (5) It does not hurt the hair to curl it with curling to^gs, if they are not used hot enough to singo. (6) Amgladyoulike "Chalk" so much that you will be Eorry when it is finished. But ib cau'fc, like' Tennyson'a brook, "go on for ever." Miss H. L.— Thank you. Subscriber. — You will be able to get the book you require at Braithwaite's, Princes street, if ft is procurable in town. K. G.— l cannot get answers to your questions in time for this column, but they will probably be replied to in Note 3 and Queries. ■ • Bob.— Many thanks for recipes. They will appear next week.