SOLITUDE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 2, 3 January 1934, Page 12

SOLITUDE.

(!By Kathleen M. Henry, 23, Tennyson Street, Mount Eden, age 15.)

Old Peter lived alone, 'way up in the higher valley, and only at Christmas time, when happiness lent kindness, would, he see anyone, for then the curly-haired village children would climb with golden smiles and ringing laughter to old Peter's hut with presents .and sunny greetings. Old Peter was very old, his hair was as white as the winter snows, and When he spoke his low, gruff voice was lost in the snowy beard. Hib eyes were blue, and often he sat on a grey stone and gazed pensively out to eea. Peter's hut was made of logs, and the floor was strewn with rushes from the singing creek. No one knew why old Peter chose to live in such solitude, especially as he was so old and feeble. The time was very near to Christmas when one day a stranger came to the village. He stayed with the villagers and helped with the Christmas preparations, iOn Christmas Day he went with the children, who carried presents for- old Peter. They climbed up into the higher valley and plucked a great bunch of yellow wattle to cheer old Peter on this Chris tmas Day. They ran the last few yards and called gaily to the old man. The stranger'entered the hut with the children and saw old Peter lying in a huge chair beside the fire. He was asleep. They crept up and looked at the upturned face of the old man. The stranger looked at the snowy head and said "Father!" very quietly and unbelievingly. Old Peter stirred in his sleep; he was very deaf, and did not hear the word. The stranger woke old Peter and said, "Dad, oh, dad, we thought that you were drowned when the ship went down."

There was great rejoicing in the village that Christmas, and now old Peter lives with hie son in the village, and every Christmas the curly-haired village children bring presents to old Peter, who receives them with the excited delight of a little child.