Make-Believe

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23269, 11 February 1939, Page 8 (Supplement)

Make-Believe

—By Patricia Miliier (IS) D.M.B.G. (Original)

00-ER, A BIG, FAT CRAB !

Do you think he'll pinch ?,

CC ET along there you cows," f yelled the little figure in V_J navy blue linen dress with a green pinafore, the straps of which would keep falling off her sho»kle'"B- - wide linen hat was perched on one side of her black head and she wiped her brow in the approved manner, for herding cows, though they might be, was hot work. The sandalled feet went more s owly, and of course those cows scl^dt^ s opportunity to wander from the - Swish' went the long eleagnus.talk which served admirably as a stock hiP. especially when it was young and suppk and curled at the end. _ ~ "Got you that time!" cried the small cowherd triumphantly "That'l toach you!" The cows plodded on through the endless wilderness of the orchard, while the sun streamed down as a Zealand sun can in summer time. Many and winding were the paths taken J the cowherd to reach the "home paddock" which lay under the hedge bordering the orchard. Beneath the spreading branches oi old apple trees, now laden with r [P ßn,ne j fruit, and through lanes in the tall dry grass went little Margaret, singing to' herself as she cracked her whip. At last, the home paddock safely reached, the cows were handed over to Mr. Hookem, a 'maginary man, who milked cows, "sold things," drove buses or did anything to oblige. Margaret sighed with relief as the last cow flicked a fly off its back and vanished inside the "Well, that's overl" she exclaimed. "No more worries ! ntil three o'clock. C'mon, Tiri." " Tiri, who was a real dog, appeared from among the ferns by the hedge. He

was a fat fox-terrier with a white face having a comical air by reason of the dark patch out oi! which one of bis faithful brown eyes winked at you, and he always greatly enjoyed Margaret's games, having got used to cow-, herding. Usually he paid not the slightest attention to her shouts of Hound 'em up, Tiri!" or "To it, boy!" during some of her games, and went off on his own concerns, merely barking now and then to show that he was still near. The little girl and the old dog were great chums, and now, as Margaret plumped down into the sweet-smelling grass, Tiri came up and sat down beside her, tongue out Ji.nd ears cocked, as

though he were asking "What next?" Margaret ran her fingers up and down his broad back and Tiri squirmed with delight. He wagged his tail expectantly as Margaret rose, and, setting her hat fair and square on her head, remarked : "Well, Tiri, this morning we'll 'xploro the river bed. There's lots of wild animals there and we're going to hunt them out." The two set off, trudging down the grassy track that wound between the rows of fruit trees till they came to tfcfl rickety old gate, on either side of which

stood the houses of the two Jij™ Quinces. Margaret always stopped here and said good morning to the two old laclies, bowing first to the rioht then to the left. M "How are you this morning, Qui nce ladies?" she inquired politely, and then opening the gate, went out, followed bv Tiri, into "he "far end," which ff a» much more of a wilderness than tfcn orchard. Time passes slowly for a little maid and an old fat dog, and many fearsome animals were routed from their lairg before the sun reached "the top of the sky" as Margaret always called it. I n and out among the cool groves' of cannas and arum lilies which grew wild on the edge of the tinv creek crept the two dauntless hunters, until at mid-dav wearied of their morning's Work, they sat down at the loot of a gnarled old willow tree to rest Margaret fell asleeip and Tiri snoozed lightly, waking now and then as » grasshopper landed on his back or a leaf fell on the ground near by. Locusts in the trees all round sang unceasingly their monotonous tune—"Kizticizta kizticizta." The tall pines guarding the orchard sighed softly as the breezes caressed their dark tressei and the orchard slept. , •