THE UMBRELLA.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 217, 13 September 1930, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE UMBRELLA.

(By JL G. DOREHILL.) Dimple was a little elf, and lie had an umbrella. He had made it himself with great thought and care, and, oh. he was proud of it, for none of the other elves had one. He took it with him everywhere, whether wet or fine, and gave himself such airs that lie was laughed at like anything. Once the elves got his umbrella and hid it from him for ;i whole day, and, once, they tied it up with string so that he could not open it. One day Dimple wae in a garden with a little fairy opening flower buds, when it began to rain. Hastily, the elf seized his umbrella, which, of course, was lying near. Xow was his chance to prove its usefulness, so,* holding it over the fairy, he pushed it up. Imagine his horror and dismay when a sliower of fine sand and tiny pebbles fell out upon her head. "Oh dear, oh dear," he shrieked, "who could have put that rubbish in my I umbrella?"

"No, don't, pray, pray don't. I did not mean it." Tho flame dragon-fly was the most beautiful insect you could imagine, with scarlet body and wings that gleamed with every colour. All the fairies longed to have this wonderful creature to ride upon, but alas, none dared go near it, for it had a terrible sting and attacked with fury all who ventured within its domain. Once the sting was plucked ■ from its tall it would be tamed. But this seemed an impossible task. The flame dragon-fly dwelt upon the banks of a beautiful pool where water lilies grew in great profusion. All day long he skimmed o'er them, his flame body flashing in the sunshine, a thing

of beauty and a thing of dread. To this pool, Dimple made his way in hot haste, his umbrella clutched firmly in one liand. "I will catch it. I will catch it," he muttered. But vrhen he neared the water his bravery began to cool, and when he glimpsed a flash of scarlet above the lilies lie even trembled. "But I can't turn back now," he thought, "or I could never hold up my hcCLd again.' . So he crept oil, clutching his

the end of the insect's tail and its powerful sting. Hastily he seized it above the poisonous point and plucked it out and flung it from him.

It was done in, a flash, but such a change came over the dragonfly, as you never would believe. It-dropped from the umbrella and settled on the grass at Dimple's feet, as tame as you please. The elf shut his umbrella and mounted on its flaming back with ease. Then away he skimmed to the garden where he had left Petal.

Poor Petal had been sobbing bittei'ly, for she was filled with remorse at having sent the elf upon such a dangerous errand. When she saw Dimple flash lip on the beautiful dragonfly, she" could hardly believe her eyes, and rubbed them hard to make sure she was not dreaming. "Oh, Dimple," she gasped, "however did you catch it?"

"With my umbrella/' cried the delighted elf." "It is a fact," and he told the astonished fairy all about it. "Get up and we will go for a ride/' he cried, '•'over the flowers and over the trees, over the breezes and through the sunshine, away, away." 'So Petal got up. and the dragonfly darted off, a flash of colour, through the air to Fairyland. When the elves heard | about Dimple s capture they were filled with astonishment and admiration. '-'Just fancy," they gasped, "he caught it with his umbrella —his umbrella! if you please. And we laughed at him. 5. Then some of them set to work, and made umbrellas for themselves. There are so many uses an umbrella can be put to, you see, besides keeping off rain. j SALTED NUTS. Everyone likes salted nuts, and they are quite easy to prepare. Whether you use shelled almonds or peanuts, the process is the same. Drop half a pound into boiling water for a minute or two. rub off the skins, and dry the nuts well in a cloth. lsow~ put about three tablespoonfuls of olive oil into a small, clean fryingpan, stand this over gentle heat, and when the oil is very hot, put in the nuts, taking care not to splash the hot oil. Be sure that the nuts arc dry when you put them into the pan; move them about with a fork, and fry them light brown. Have ready some thick white paper spread with salt. Lift the nuts out of the oil, drain them, place them on the salt, and sprinkle them with more ealt. Shake them about so that they are well covered, and, when quite cold, store them in a glass bottle. A CAT AND IVfoUSE GAME.

One player is chosen as the cat—the rest aive mice. Xow first of all the eat must catcli one of the mice, then he must take him over to some sheltered spot and leave him there. The game is then for the-mice to rescue their caught companion, and for the cat to protect his catch. And while he is protecting his caught mouse the cat is at liberty to catch any of the other mice, and add them to his corner. By the way, the cat must not keep too close to his sheltered spot —just a little way out to give the mice a chance. You'll find this makes it more fun.