FOR THE CHILDREN

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 59, 10 March 1923, Page 24

FOR THE CHILDREN

TH_ GOLLIWOG'S REVENGE. The baby Golliwog was tired of being treated as if ho were of no importance at all. They threw him about just as if he'd been a ninepin, or the cloth rabbit, who was quite a bloodless person! And once they left him out in the rhubarb bed all night. So that was why the baby Golliwog ■waited for his revenge. One night, after they had been worse to him than usual, ibe flipped off and told his aunt. His aunt's name was Gargle. She had a game leg and a voice like a gander. it was half-past-falry-time and all the children were asleep. They woke up to hear a strange noise coming up the stairs. It came nearer and nearer. They nil sat up in bed and listened. Only no one but the baby Golliwog knew what it was. It was his Aunt Gargle's game leg. There wns a very bright moon that night, so that when the door creaked open and Aunt Gargle stumped into the room, they could not see quite plainly what she was like. She wns fat and black and ugly, and directly she saw the children she began to cackle at them ganderishly. Then, one by one. she snatched them out of bed. They began to scream with fricht. "Wark! Wark! Wark:" cackled Aunt Gargle, as she took a big birch rod from under her cloak. Fortunately, just at that moment, Nurse, who heard the screams, came running along the pasage. Aunt Gargle did not wait to be caught. With a fearful cackle she sprang right through the window, glass and all. And the horrid baby Golliwog sat smiling on the bed.

MAC. It was not often that the Baby was left alone in the nursery, but as She 'was fast asleep in her cot that morning, it really eeemed quite safe for Nurse to go away for a few minutes. It was just like the Baby to wake up directly she had gone, to climb down from her cot, and' to toddle to the fire and hold Nurse's newspaper towards the blaze with a fliuckle of glee. But although she did not notice Mac, ■who waa cUrted tip on the hearthrug, Mac noticed her. He knew that someone always pulled her back by the skirts if she went too near the fire. So, as there was no one at hand to perform that duty now, he took it upon himself, and came up very quietly behind her. Then there was a Struggle. Mac, with the Baby's skirts between his teeth, pulled backward, and the Baby, shouting, pulled forward. Once she reached the flame and set the paper alight, hut as Mac pulled her over upon the floor next moment she rolled upon the lighted corner and put It ont, with no further harm than a hole burned in her pinafore. She waa very angry, and shouted more loudly than ever as she scrambled up, and again stretched out her arms to the blaze, and tried to get nearer to the fire. It was then that Mother and Nurse rushed into the room. I really do not know who was hugged the more afterwards —the Baby or Mac; but I am sure that both of them wondered what there was to make such a fuss about. And yet everybody bad said that Mac was no use at all, because he had once been afraid of a scarecrow. Can yon say this: Jemima Jenkins, the Jerusalem Jewess, judiciously jotted jokes in her journal in June, on hefj journey through Judea to Jericho beyond Jordon. Kate Kearney kidnapped a knave, a knight, a khan, a kaiser, and a king, and kindly kept them upon ketchup, kale, kidneys, kingfishers, kittens and kangaroos.

BRUIN'S QUESTION. Miss Amanda was very unhappy. She >ras the most beautiful of all the Duck family, and was very rich besides, for she had a necklace of real pearls and a fine gold locket. So it was no wonder that many people wished to marry her, and she was very troubled because she could not make up her mind whom to choose. One day she remembered that old Teddy Bruin was supposed to be very wise, so sho went to his house, where she found him in the garden playing his clarinet. When she asked him what she should do, he answered at once: "Why, that is very easy. You must ask all your suitors a question, and you will marry the one who guesses the right answer." "But what shall I ask them?" said Miss Amanda. Bruin thought for a moment. "I know," he remarked. "Ask them in which of my pockets I keep barley sugar.'' Mies Amanda's suitors thought this a very easy question, and they all began to make guesses. One thought the barley sugar was in Bruin's left-hand pocket, because the flan was turned up where Bruin had put his hand in so often; another thought it was in the right-hand pocket, because he kept it so tightly covered, for safety; still another suggested the trouser pockets, because his trousers were so baggy. But Bruin shook bis head to all these answers. At last there was only Mr. Thomas Dumpling left, and when the question was nut to him he said at once ; "Why. Tediy Bruin has such a sweet tooth that if he had any barley sugar he would put every bit of it in his

I mouth, and wouldn't keep it in any pocket at all!" At this everyone laughed, and Bruin grew red, for he did not like to be thought greedy. But the answer was quite right, and as Miss Amanda thought Mr. Dumpling would make a- very handsome husband, she decided to marry him. It was a grand wedding, with a red carpet for the bride, and bridegroom to walk on, and two bridesmaids to carry Miss Amanda's train. Teddy Bruin played all the wedding music, and he was given so much barley sugar that for once he had to put some in all his pockets. But it didn't stay there very long, for in the middle of the night ho felt hungry, and next day there was none left. ORANDHOTHERS CHAIR. Jln our house ta n lovely ehnlr I With wide arms, soft and bright. And flowery cushions, lavender and pink: My grandmother, whose pretty hair Is silky, fine and white, Sits often there to read and sew and think. I like to watch her smiling slow— The way grandmothers &o— Because they know so much and are so wise: I creep up close ana wßlsner low, "A story, please. Will you 1" 0, you should see the twinkle In her e.ve! She draws mc gently very near. Laying her book aside, Then starts to speak of fairies, brownies, elves. Or castles locked up for a year With princesses inside. Or maybe about people like ourselves. Sometimes when everyone's away, I slip Into ber chair And smooth tbe cushions where the roses grow; I'm grandmother. I l|ke to play. And sitting smiling there Tell stories to a little girl I know. BUILDING SAND CASTLES. Castles Of sand! Castles of sand! Gaily we build them wltn bucket and spade; But when the tide washes In and we wade, Down fall the castles we thought were so grand.