CORRESPONDENCE CONDENSED

Otago Witness, Issue 2490, 4 December 1901, Page 73

CORRESPONDENCE CONDENSED

Annah asks if Henlrv West's initials are E. •C. and Clotilda's J. ML. Our newlyformed corps (.the Murihilvu Mounted !i f U-,> have lately been in camp for a week. Ihvy had rather a rough time of it, as ow.ng to t)je tvefc weather their camp got flooded, and they had to strike camp and shift into the goods ahed."

Quince -would like Harry and Black "Watch to exchange autos with him. He also say.s he has been found out in all directions, through a D.L.F. in v/boni he placed confidence betraying him. "What a grand puccess the King and Queen week proved to be. "Whatever became of Rinibecco and the Invercargill High School girls? I thought they would have favoured us with a letter on a special occasi-.u like that."

Stella thinks the gills up in Wanganui only •wear badges on Sunday. At the sports at ihe charily fete a. pudding was produced, and a great many people tried to guess the weight, rrhich was olb 9oz, and the only near guess was 6)b. The pole drill at our concert was much admired by the onlookers, and the boys encored them. '

Tui was -weeding in the garden for a while, but soon got tired of that. She finds the D.L.F. Page very interesting.

Are Ake's mother has had the measles, and is not quite better yet. "I was at an excursion to Riverton yesterday, and had a grand time. I thiuk it is a very nice place for an excursion. I went "down to the bfach after I had dinner, and was wading for a long time."

Jessamy's school is practising for a concert just now, and she is in it. '"The other night tby sister was riding a bicycle, and she was going to go to the side of the road when it ran away from her, and she ran into a man. I can tell you I had a good laugh at her."

Hkubabb's examination is to be next week. "I hope to pass. I haven't failed once since I went to school, and I will be going three years on Friday. I will be nine on Friday.''

Nid lias passed into the Sixth Standard. "It is very cold here to-night, and the hills aie covered with snow, which is a funny sight to see in summer. I was at the W. show, and I did not see any L.F.— even Gladstone was not there. Deal Dot, are you fond of roses ? We have some red oaes out, but they are destroyed with the wind."

Hearty Lassik often goe3 down to the beach •with her schoolmates to have a- wade. "I have Wo pets, a lamb and a kitten. I call the lamb Barney, and the kitten I call Dot, after you. I was sitting at the door one day, •when, all at once, Barney came jumpiug and frisking round the corner of the house. I did laugh, and so would anybody. ' Japonica gives her version of an episode mentioned by Giulia in her last letter, hut I think it would be much better if little misunderstandings bet-ween correspondents were explained privately and not through the papc-v. "It was very dry weather up here, she contii.ues, "for" a long time ; but lately it lias rained— that is, a shower now and again. It iained a little to-day, and it will do sorue «ood, as the wind has dried nearly everything tip, or blown it away. I have my badge oil a pin, so that I can move it from one nai to onother without having to sew it on. ' Benitv lias the auto, craze, but she has only two so far. "I am," she writes, "by r.o meaLs an important personage. Ido r.ot like to as.v for more. One day lately I got a bit oi a fright I went to take the cover og the pony. I was just unloosing the strap under its neck ■vvken it gave me a lather sharp bite on the arm. I Tet go pretty quick, and held my aim ior a minute or so till the pain went out a Jittle." BEUHH enjoyed herself very much on tbe King's Birthday. She went on a visit to her cousin at Kaitangata, and stayed till Monday "I am very fond of reading. I used to read such a lot," but a while back my eyes got sore, and 1 went to the doctor about them. He 6 aid I was not to read any more until 1 got -lasaes; but I read sometimes when I on get anything else to do, and then my _ eyes get fore /nd my head aches." Beulafa should obey the doctor's msliuctions, or she will be BOiry for it later on. Magnolia would like to exchange aulos wi'ai Token Thelma. "In my last letter to you you asked me if I had the flower magnolia giowing in my garden. iSTo, I have not; I Lave never seen it growing about here. I enjoyed myself immensely on the King s Birthday. Oryza ?.nd 1 were going fermng, but v.c changed our ininds, as the bush was so wet, but wer are going another time. I learn music, Dot, and I thought it veiy iiaid at first,, bvtt I don't think so now." Dancing Dolly is having a holiday, and is enioyin" herself veiy much. She knows Twinkling Star, who is her cousm. Her birthday was on the 21st November, and cae got a lot of presents. Grace Dent tells me about a little ioal, wfcifih *Ji9 cftU» Oiplian, because its mother

died when it was a month old. It is abouttv. o months old now, and drinks milk like a calf.

Little Francy has just passed into the Fourth Standaid, "Our schoolmaster is very ill just now, and the mistress teaches us. One day my sisters and I went up to the Pigcoa Rocks, and we all enjoyed ourselves very mucr. We got home "at 6 o'clock. '

Ivy Leaf has a cow, which she cplls Beauty, and she sorue'fmics milks liei. She knov.'a White Dov-e iind a number of other D.L.F.

CrAiLLAnDiA kiiov, s a f»w ol tiie D.L.v . living in her immediate Deighbovuhood. "Dear Dot, it is very dry weather just now, and our flower golden is not looking so nice this yesr as last for want of ram. Theie are a lot of big hills and locks about here, and we have a, ]\iL'inc now and pgain. ' Maria Thebes a. :s 12 years old, is in the Sixth Standard, a iv has three miles to walk to bchool. '"My .sister has a pet Jamb, and it is veiy playful. I have an Old cat, which -5 i. early 17 years old. ' Justine is in despair about the weather, and wonders if summer is ever coaiirg. "We aie milking four coy.-3, and I milk one. We havt a little black and white pup, and this morning, v.l' en i >?3 goirg to milk, lie gave such a lood i'iiixcESS ALvltd has only 10 autos, bvt will exchange with whoever cares about doing so. "I pm in the S.xth Standard, but have eight more years yet to write to you." Hilda has a little calf, which she calls Shiner. "'I bave been wilting to the Litt.e Folk's Page for two years, but I have only wiitten three letteis. I -was m Oamaru, and I did not see any badges. I have 14 autos, and should, like to exchange with other D.L.F." Bbooji has a good many autos, but she wants more, and would be glad to exchange with Seaspray and any other D.L.F. She wants to know what is the best thing to clean the badge?. I Slid '"Monkey" brand soap, with a chamois to polish it, very effective.

BtTTTEBcer is collecting auto?, and would like to exchange with any D.L.F. She approves of the condensing column.

JCiobe knows Con, Lois, Palsy, and a few others. Con used tc go to the same school as &he goes to.

Peppek Pot approves of the condensed column, and modestly adds, "especially for letters like Biiue. She tells me of a bachelors' ball at S. H., at which she enjoyed herself immensely; and also of a soiree at H., where she saw Petronella and Wattle Blossom.

Gohse Hedge knows a few writers about where she lives, but not many.

C M. C. has found the year very short — indeed, it only seems like three months to her since the beginning of the year. "I was at "the show, and I saw a good many D.L.F., but I did not speak to any because I did r_ofc have my badge on, and I was too shy to speak without that sign of my importance. I have read 'Alice in Wonderland, 1 and I think it ia a very silly story. I suppose it i 3 amusing to little children, but I did not think much of it."