LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLKS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1971, 14 November 1889, Page 35

LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLKS.

Dear Dot,— -I promised to write you when I got iato the Fourth Standard. The inspectors visited our school a few weeks ago, and as they seemed very pleased, we thought we had done our examination very well. We had a week's holiday after, and I enjoyed it bo much that I wish Mr Inspeofcor would come twice a year. I wish you could have been at ! our picnic last Saturday ; eight of ua started early fcr the Waikouaiti beach. Some of us took off our boots and stockings, and had ft wade in the ssa, and picked up a great number of very pretty shells, The others climbed Cornish Mount, from which they had a fine view. Then we gathered sticks, lighted a fire, boiled the billy, and made tea. We were all bo \ hungry that the good things soon disappeared. Before starting for home we had a drive the ■ whole length of the beach as the tide was back, One of the horses was frightened at the waves. We all enjoyed it so much that we mean to go back again some other time.— Yours truly, ' , Walter Macdonald (agad 11| years), i Flag Swamp, November 8, Dkar Dot,— l live about 10 miles from Riverlon. I go to Groper's Bush school. Mr Featherstone is our teacher. I have a goat. I have to keep it tethered, because it will destroy the apple trees. Wa have two psa fowls ; wg got thorn from Viotoria. lam going to the Exhibition. I would like to be there on New Year's Day.— Yours truly, Alioe Gumming. Fairfax, November 2. Dkar Dot,— l always read the little folks' letters. I have not written to you before. We have a tortoiseshell catj we call her Tottie. She has two kittens. Dear Dot, will you please give roe names for them. My dear father is down near I>unedia, and he has been array for four months, and has not come home; he won't be home till Christmas, and he is going to take us away down to Dunedin.— -Yours truly, Bessie Brown (aged 9 years). Arrowtown, November 3, [Gall the kittens Tab and Bab.— Dot.] Dear Dot,— l am five years old, and I go to the Mornington ochool, and am in the First Primer. I can read and flpell far better than I can write. Papa has a lot of psas with flowers -on. I have two brothers, Alwyn aud baby, and I had a dear little brother named Bertie, but Jgbus called him homo to live in Heaven. Baby's name is Bertie, too.— Yours truly, Henry S. Crawford. Clark street, Barrfield. Dear Dot,— l am in the Fifth Standard. I have passedovery time the inspector has been to our school. I like goiug to school. Our garden is coining on well. We are milling seven cows. On Saturday my brother and I were out on the .ake in a boat. Wewerelookiugfor Bwanß'eggs. We foundalotof shells of tha ogga, but we were too late for the eggs. We saw a lot of young awanß. There are Borne divers close here. They are diving for the Bilver of the Tararua wreck. They have been under water twice, but they got nothing. I had a gallop on my brother's pony yesterday. The Waipapa creek dredge is getting good gold. There is another dredge just arrived. It is working on the Mataura river. The dairy factory cpened today. It is half-past 9 now, and I imust get up at sin the morning, so I will finish up with good-bye for to-night,— Youra truly, John Charles Thomas (aged 13 years.) Otara, November 4. Dear Dot,— Our examination has not come off yet, but it will sooa take place.. I am in the Third Standard, and I hope I shall pass. My brother Robert's birthday wag on the 30th of last mouth, and W8 kept it up, and those present danced in the barn till 4 o'clock in the morning. Dear Dot, do you think the little folks would like a story called " Heartsease, the Fairy ? " It ia a very long story. I think lam going down to the Exhibition, and I hope I shall see you.— Yours truly, Amy Cotton. Waipori, November 7. [Yes, I should think they would like to hear about Heartsease.— Dot,] Dear Dot, —l continue Alice'sad ventures :— 11 Do you mean that you think you can find out the answer to it?" said .tha March Hare. "Exactly so," said Alice, "Then you should say what you mean," the Match Hare

went on. " I do," Alice hastily replied j" at least— at leaßt, I moan what I Bay. That's the same thing, you know." " Not the same thing at all," said the Hatter. "Why, you might just as well say that * I see what I eat ' is the same thing as ' I eat what I see.' " " You might just as well say," added the March Hare, " that ' I like what I get ' is the same thing as 'I get what I like.'" "You might just as well cay," added the Dormouse, who seemed to be talking in hiß sleep, " that ' I breathe when I sleep ' is the same as * I sleep when I breathe.' " "It ia the same thing with .you,'/ said the Hatter, and here the conversation stopped, and the party sat silent for a moment, while Alico thought over, all she oould remember about ravens and writing desks, which wasn't much., The Hatter wag the first to break the silence : " What day of the month is it 1 " he said, turn ing to Alice. He had taken his watch out of bis pocket, and was looking at it uneasily, shaking it every now and then and holding it to his ear. Alice considered a little, and said : " Tha fourth." " Two days wrong," sighed the Hatter fA« I, told you butter wouldn't suit the works," he added, looking angrily at the March Hare. "It was the best butter," the March Hare meekly replied. " Yes, but some crumba must bav.e got in as well,"; the Hatter , grumbled. '.' You shouldn't have put it in with the bread knife." The March Hare took the watch and looked at it gloomily. Then be dipped it into his cup of tea, and looked at it aprain ; but he could think of nothing else than bis first remark : " It was the best butter, you know," B. Saohtlib. (To be continued.)