"THE FLOWER SHOW."

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 27, 1 February 1930, Page 2 (Supplement)

"THE FLOWER SHOW."

(By Jean Cummings, 68, Mangere Road, , Otaliuhu, age 13.) Eversoweary, tlie little gnome, had a very pretty little garden patch but his little neighbour, Soslow, had a much prettier one still. This made Eversoweary awfully jealous because, before Soslow had come to live beside him he had had the prettiest garden in Pixietown. Also, there was to be a flower show an a month's time; and Eversoweary was ever so sure that his flowers would win the prize. Poor little Soslow had worked awfully hard to grow a pretty garden, but when he saw that he had offended Eversoweary lie was* very sorry. One day when lie saw his neighbour he said: "Why can't ,we be friends .Eversoweary?" But lie only tossed his head in the air and walked on. Soslow sighed and walked into his dear little house, put the kettle on the hob and sat down to think. Meanwhile Eversoweary' was hastening along the winding road to the village to see a friend of his. At last he reached a. funny, dirty, cobwebbed, tumbledown old house. Here he knocked and walked in.. In front of a fire, seated on a stool, rubbing his wizened old hands, was a witcli-like old man. He was-a wicked magician whom Eversoweary had come sec. "Hullo my friend," cried tlie magician as soon as "he saw Eversoweary. "Fine day," answered he. "Well, whatever do you want now?" asked the magician. "You see," replied his friend, "my neighbour has had the cheek to grow a Letter garden than mine, so, by the means of magic, I want you to destroy it." "Uh, hum! How much would you give me?" chuckled the magician. "Two bags of gold," was the reply. "Twenty," roared the magician greedily. "All right," sighed Eversoweary. So the matter was settled and he started for home, whistling to himself. In his house the magician was puzzling to himself how he could destroy Soslow's garden. Ail at once he remembered his friend, Jack Frost. Yes, lie would send him to wither up all his flowers. The next morning Jack Frost was standing before the magician. "What do you want?" he asked. His master then replied: - "I want you to go to. Soslow's house to-night and destroy his flower garden." "Agreed," said Jack Frost. "Wlifch is the house?" "No. 5, Twinkle Street," said the magician. "Take a' light with you." That night Jack Frost set off on his journey, but, because of a strong wind, his light went out and he could not see the number. The first house he found with a (lower garden was No. 4, Eversowcary's house. "Ha! ha!" laughed Jack, "I have found it at la6t."' He thought it must be Soslow's because it had a garden. When Eversoweary woke up next morning to find his garden destroyed he fainted with rage. Soslow went to the flower show and won a prize of fifty bags of gold, which lie shared with Eversoweary, who was then very ashamed, so Soslow and Eversoweary well' faithful friends forever.