A Pretty Thought--Tipsters--Our Feathered Friends--A Guide to
Manners--Aiding his Suit.
A Pretty Thought.
_After reading that a number of letters have been written to the King on
his birthday by school children, my wife and I have decided that our
little girl, Clara, who is just six, shall write one for next year--or
possibly for Christmas--and we should be glad of your counsel in the
matter: as to how his Majesty is addressed, how to make sure that the
letter reaches him and receives proper attention, and so forth. Is there
any intermediary with whom one should get upon good terms?--J. U. T.
(Haggerston)._
Your question is a very natural one, and we are glad to be able to reply
to it. The habit of writing to His Majesty is growing. He should be
addressed on the envelope as--
His Majesty,
Buckingham Palace,
near Victoria Station,
S.W.,
and the envelope should be marked "Private" or "Personal," to ensure his
getting it. By a piece of great good fortune for you one of the papers
has very considerately published specimens of letters just sent to His
Majesty, and you can make those your model. The most suitable is perhaps
this--
"Dear King George,--I wish you many happy returns of the day. If
I had one pound I would buy a suit of clothes with ten shillings
and a watch for the other ten shillings. I hope you will have a
long and fruitful reign."
Is not that charming in its _naïveté_ and whole-hearted delight in the
opportunity of congratulations and good wishes? We wish your little
Clara all success.
Tipsters.
_I receive every day circulars from gentlemen who assure me that they
know for certain the winners of forthcoming races and asking me to let
them send me this information for a consideration. Do you think I should
be wise in doing so? Naturally I want to make my fortune.--H. M.
(Epping)._
We reply to your question by asking another. How is it that these
gentlemen, with all their advantages of foreknowledge, are still so
anxiously in business?
Our Feathered Friends.
_Can you tell me how I can obtain information as to the means of
identifying the songs of birds? I hear a great many near our house in
the country, but I cannot put names to them. I am told that when Colonel
Roosevelt was last in England Sir Edward Grey took him for a long walk
in the New Forest to instruct him in English ornithology. Do you think
he would take me? I am a strong Free Trader and have traces of American
blood.--B. B. L. (Dorking)._
Sir Edward Grey, we fancy, has other things to do. You had better write
to "W. B. T." of _The Daily Mail_, or in his regrettable absence to "P.
W. D. I."
A Guide to Manners.
_I have a son for whom I desire a political future. What I should like
to get for him is a Member of Parliament who would converse with him on
statecraft, the British constitution and so forth, but it would have to
be one who was jealous for the honour and dignity of the House, and I
need hardly say that I should not care for a Liberal. Can you give me
any hints?--J. K. (Henley)._
We strongly recommend Mr. Ronald McNeill, Mr. Amery, Sir C.
Kinloch-Cooke, or Lord Winterton.
Aiding his Suit.
_Although an utterly unathletic man I am paying court to a lady who
dotes upon male proficiency in games. How would you advise me to forward
my cause?--M. L. G. (Harrow)._
We should advise you to put yourself into knickerbockers and a golfing
attitude and be photographed. Judging by their present contents, there
is not a paper in the country that would not be glad to print the
picture, and then you could show it to the lady and win.
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