THE TAMING OF TESS.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 224, 21 September 1929, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE TAMING OF TESS.

(By Sheila Quinn, Tennyson Street, Mount Eden ; age 16.) "Tess," said Laurie, and looked round rather helplessly, "is getting worse every day. I'm sure I don't know what she'll do next." We grinned sympathetic-all}'. Tess was Laurie's young sister and took the greatest delight in giving poor Laurie the time of her life. She was in the fourth, and she and her friends were everlastingly fighting us. Now I might explain that we have just lately entered the sixth, and arc therefore prefects. Laurie is Head Prefect, and it is very annoying to be always made fun of by the juniors. "Yes," Laurie continued. "She must be tamed." I grinned to myself. Eeally, I thought, they were a bit hard on Tess. She was a bit harjim-scarum, of course, but —well, I might have reminded Laurie arid the others that they were quite as bad, or worse, a year ago. However, I merely said: — "Whose going to do the taming 2" "Oh! we'll all help," Laurie replied vaguely. "She needs a lesson. Has anyone got a brain-wave?" "Listen," Stella said rather excitedly. "1 know for a certainty that Tess and some others are going to break bounds to-morrow night and go to the Art Ball." "My word," Laurie breathed. "She's the limit. This is where we step in. We'll go to that ball, girls, and give Tess and her friends the scare of their lives." We chuckled softly. It was a real good idea. It would pay Tess out, and — we did not say this though we felt it— we would have quite an enjoyable time at the Art Ball. "Well, that's settled; now wait till to-morrow," Laurie said darkly, and we trooped off to cricket practice. It was the next night. All day long , the fourth formers had gone round looking greatly excited, so we concluded that Stella's .information must have been correct. Even in our domitory that night there was suppressed excitement. Our fancy dresses were dragged out of trunks, and when at 9,30 we crept out of bed we felt as guilty as the fourth formers them-, selves.

Silently we flitted from the dormitory and along the passages. Lights showed under some of the mistresses doors, but we six silently filed safely past, and out into the quadrangle. There was no sign of the erring juniors; evidently they had left long before. There was only a walk of about five minutes, before we finally reached the bus, and after a short journey we found ourselves outside the Town Hall. ""Tess'll be dressed as a daffodil, I think," Laurie informed us as we slipped off our coats in the cloakroom. Sure enough, we had scarcely entered the ballroom before we spied a gailydressed daffodil followed by about Ave or six other girls in fancy dress, fitting in and out among the crowds. "We'll leave tlieni for a while," Laurie said grimly. "Meanwhile, girls, let's enjoy ourselves." . And we did. Such fun we had, dancing and entering for the competitions, and because we wore masks Tess and the other juniors did not see us. At least that is what we fondly imagined. But stop—l am racing ahead. Half-past ten came. We were beginning tp think it was time to -make our presence known to the culprits. Supper was just over and we were chatting among ourselves, when suddenly Laurie gasped, and I saw her face go deathly pale. * "Why, Laurie —" Stella began, but got no further. For down upon us there swooped —yes, swooped is the only word to describe it, our worthy headmistress, Miss Vernon. "Laurie, Stella, girls, what does this mean?" she said regarding tis in positive amazement. Even at that critical moment I grinned. It struck me as being a bit funny that the school prefects should be caught at the Art ball when we should have been fast asleep at school. We said nothing, but gazed helplessly at each other while Miss Vernon stood by, her face getting sterner every minute, if that was possible. Well, explain," she said coldly. ut how could we. It was an unlaw at QUr sc h°°l that there thS , t6lling taleS - 11 WaS a oSi!" W c?° dcroft was ever guilty eyes rovinir 0 ® tood \ silently by, four s 'ght of ballroom f or a were not tr> v,'„' an d the others l>'«t s , y O Uu& Mn ' •n-PJ tad com.

In silence we returned to the school. What an end to our adventure. With Miss Vernon standing grimly by we crept into bed, and not until then did she depart.

"I'm going to leave the 'Taming, of Tess' to someone else," Laurie said mournfully from beneath the blankets. Through the darkness there came a soft chuckle, and though we could not see lier we easily imagined the impish Tess laughing at us in the doorway. "Ever been had?" she whispered impudently. The door creaked; we heard light footsteps pattering along the corridor, but still Tess' soft laughter lingered, in our ear's. WALKING ON AIR. Ask your friend to tiy walking along while he is looking through the wrong end of a pair of opera glasses. He will get a queer sensation. The ground seems to he such a long way away that you are almost afraid to put your foot down. WHATS AND WHYS. i 1. What is the most sporting of all numbers. —Ten is (tennis). 2. What seven letters did Mother Hu'bbard say when she saw the cupboard was empty ?-M3 I C U 11 M T.

J SEPTEMBER 15. Burley, Vivian. Talks,. Olwyn. Baguley, Ellen. Mackenzie, Frances. Crossley, Merle. Nicholson, Marjorie. Cooper, Norine. Ramsey, Harry. Ensoll, Nancye. ' Rose, Tlielma, ■ Flower, Jean. Straka, .Tean. Hull, Norma. Urquhart, Ailsa. Hudson, Horace. Viney, Rijssell. Johnson, Valona. Ward, Mary. Lowther, Raymond, Williams, Mavis. SEPTEMBER 16. Blewden, Alfred. Kindred, Winifred. Burgess, Joyce. Phillips, Essie. ' Bryden, Thomas. Rogers, John. Davidson, Elva. Rackham, Olive. Dale, Mildred. Rouse, Vane. Farquhar, Rowena. Reed, Inez. Hawkins, Jean. Ryan, June. Hempel, Ronald. Sands, Elva. Howard, Marjory. Stonex, Lewis. Jones, Nancy. SEPTEMBER 17. Aley, Eric. Haines, Gordon. Baker, Elsie. Joliuston, Pearl. Barton, Audrey. Kasper, Dorothy. Blackburn, Jim. Muljins, Dulcie. Coates, Helen. Nichols, Gilbert. Davidson, Lois'. Prenter, Albert. Desmond, Georgeni.l. Rutledge, Barrett. Gannon, Michael. Smith, Marie. Hedlund, Lyle. Turner, William. Hill, Ruth. • SEPTEMBER 18. Barker, Bruce. Macky, Elizabeth. Beehre, Raymond. McLean, May. Balance, Clarence. ■ McLean, Mary. Duiin, Daphne. Patterson, Jack. ' Edmonds, Arthur. Rowell, Leslie. Henry, Hazel. Studman, Lillian. Harrison, Doreen. Tyler, Lorraine. Hill, Owen. Taylor, Alice. Jacobs, Vivian. • Wood, Audrey. Millener, Nancy. Wedgwood, Marjorie. Moran, Eileen. Watson, Edward> Massham, Gwenyth. SEPTEMBER 10. Bragden, Stanley. Langton, Phyllis. Bradley, Adeline. Millar. Billy. Bull, Minnie. Mc In tyre, Gloria. Fry, Allan.' McGechie, Molly. Grieve, Jean. Newald, Margaret. Harris, Roy. Parsons, Mavis. Johnson, Donald. Ross, Esma. Jaffrey, Patricia. Ryan, Maurice. Kendon, & Philip. Thompson, Hylda. Kent'Johnston, W. • SEPTEMBER 20. Allom, Barbara. Orange, Freddie. Atkinson, Maude. Parkinson. John. Armstrong, Lillian. Petrieevich, Fred. Bell, Nancye. Price, Arthur.", Barkex 1 , Jean. Peters, Phyllis. Coulam, Gladys. Pilkington, Raymond. Foley, James. Richardson, Francis. Graham, Margaret. Rogers. Thelma. Gunning, Norma. Synnott, John. Kennedy,' Mary. Webb, Robert Lomas, Molly. ~ Whitehead, Margery. Mitchell, Dorothy. Western, Kathleen, Mackay, Ailsa. Yearsley, Edwin, SEPTEMBER 21. Brickland, Royce. Kemble, Myra. Buck, Lorna. Kennedy, Lindsay. Brown, Trevor. Lee. Dorothy. Bliek. Leslie. Mason, Sydney. Chiplin, Joan. Miller. Anthony. Curtis, Flora. MncKenzie, Ailsa. Duncan, Jean. Mac Donald, Allan. Drysdale, Janet. McCormick, Beatrice. Green, Sidney. Xicolson, Phyllis. Growe, Mary. Olsen, Edward. Gardner, Barriuiore. - Perkins, Mary. Holibar, William. Phillips, Barbara, Jeffrey, Phyllis. ' Scornrifji, Ernest. Jones, Ronald. Walker, Royce.

until one misses. But remember this: You play with one hand only, the ring being caught and returned with your right hand only —unless you agree to play a left-handed game. And alsp, you must toss the ring over; to throw overhand or side arm is illegal. Only an underhand toss is permitted. You must not hold the ring; as soon as you catch it, toss it right back over. Briefly, then, let us summarise the rules:—

1. The server serves lirsfc from the right side, then the left, throwing diagonally to the opposite court, keeping one foot in the server's box until after the ring is tostsed. 2. The ring must be caught and thrown with one liand only. To change hands or touch the ring with the other hand loses the point. 3. The ring must be tossed over the net with an underhand motion. 4. Holding the ring after catching it without making an immediate etl'ort to return it loses the point. 5. To make a motion to toss the ring after catching it and not throw it loses the point. <). If any part of the ring lights on the boundary line, it counts as' falling in., 7. The points, games and sets are scored as in tennis. ' 8. In all other situations not liiere covered, tenais rules hold.

How to Address Envelopes.—Letters to any of the Budget folk are addressed to (Peter Pan, Wendy, Tink or the Witch Doctor, as the case may he), care "Star" Office, Shortland Street, Auckland. Envelopes containing entries for the weekly ! competition must have Peter Pan's signature (cut l'rom the paper) pasted in the lefthand top corner. -Other contributions may he' sent to Peter Pan at the address previously given. Our O.S.B's.—The Order of the Silver Badge is bestowed upon members whom Peter Pan considers have done the most for the Budget during its existence and who in other ways are qualified for the distinction. The choice of future O.S.B's. rests entirely with Peter Pan; there are no set tasks or standards which entitle one to Become a "knight" or "lady" of the club. Birthday Greeting Certificates.—The three-point certificates which Peter Pan gives club members for birthday certificates count towards the twenty-five points necessary for a Jjook reward. About the Roll Call.—Each week the names or two club members, chosen at random from the roll cards, are published in the design and if the children whose names appear cut out the design and post It, together with their name and address, In time to reach this olllce before the Wednesday following publication, they will receive 2/6 each. Merit Certificates,—When the 25 points have been received at this office the certificates are cancelled and returned to the owner with the book. Club Badges may be bought by sending in 1/3 in stamps or postal notes. Painting Competition for July 27.—The results appeared in the supplement Tor September 7.