THE "GOOD ENDEAVOUR" LEAGUE FOR YOUNG READERS ONLY

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 142, 15 August 1941, Page 6

THE "GOOD ENDEAVOUR" LEAGUE FOR YOUNG READERS ONLY

What ho, what ho, ma hearties. How do you like sheltering in Port Chalmers after that heating round the south cape. It certainly was a bad drubbing but the good old ship stood up to it avcll enough, and I'm gladi to see that my crew did the same. Not one was seasick. Good lads and lassies ! Now I want to 'ay fn some provisions as I have decided to visit the Sounds, In'for? wq go iloine. What soy you all? Well, we might as well seeing we are so far south. We will sec Queen Charlotte Sound and later will try ft trip to Milford Sound where wo can see for ourselves the. Mitre Peak. So now I'm going to give you -ill shore leave and you can if you like take train to Christchurch and see the Cathedral City. All ashore till next week when off we go north again. Yours till then Peter the Whaler.

OUR STORY

CONNIE'S BIRTHDAY

It was Connie's birthday and she <vas live years old. This was what Connie was thinking of as she lay awake waiting for her father to come and kiss her good morning.

But 3ier lather did not come, and •is little Connie lay waiting a

strange nurse went past the door and looked smilingly in at the little girl. Even her mother did not come in to dress her. Connie could not remember her ever forgetting to do such a tiling before. She could not help thinking, even small as she was, that something had happened. She slipped quietly out of bed and put oil her clothes in some Way of her own —for her little arms were 100 small to rcach round to do them up—ami then ran out of the house and down the garden path.

She lay down under a tree feeling rery unhappy and disappointed, and Degan to cry. "An' it is my birthday, too," she sobbed, zey must ail

must have gone away an' left mo here wil' dat howwhl ole woman dat wasn't here before."

Connie la}' there in her childish grief until her father came to look for her. "Why, Connie," he said "what's the matter with my; litUo

Connie was so surprised that sU*; jumped right up and ran into Ivr father's arms. "I fought you had all gone away," she said, as her father wiped her tears away and carried her up to the house. As he took her into breakfast lie kissed her good morning and put a little parcel into her hands. On opening it she found that it was a tiny little gold bamboo bangle, Avhich just fitted her little hands. "Daddy, where is my mother?" shs (isked.

"Never mind where mother is just now, dearie," answered her father. "But hurry up and have your breakFast, because she told me she had! a lovely birthday present for you."

"I wonder what it is, Daddy. Let's guess. I say it's a pram for the big dolly I got at Christmas time. What do you say, Dad?"

"Oh, I say it's a new dolly.. I wonder which will be right."'

"Come, and we'll see, Daddy. I've finished my breakbus," said Connie. Mr Dean lifted her up in his arms and kissed the eager little face, and then /went softly into the hall, telling Connie not to make a noise. As they went into her mother's room Connie saw the big strange nurse standing beside the bed, and as they entered she went over and pulled up the blind. Greatly to Connie's surprise she saw -her mother in bed, and as her father put her gently down beside lire she whispered, "Are you sick, mummy? An' what have you got for my birfday? Because Daddy guessed, it was anovcr dolly, an' I guessed it was a pram for ClovfM\ Which is right?"

"Daddy is right, darling. It is a lovely big dolly for you," answered Mrs Dean quietly. "Come here, and I'll show it to -you, dear.'*

As Connie looked eagerly under the clothes she saw a dear, tiny little baby, her tiny soft head nestling against the pillow.

[Aboard for the Goodwill Cruise!' PETER THE WHALER c/WHALE ISLAND t

"Oh, mnmmic," she cried, !i is it my

present?'

"It is a dear little brother for your very oAvn, darling," said Mr Dean, as she kissed her daughter's soft little head.

That day Connie was the happiest little girl in tlie -world, and she still has both her birthday presents, although the bangle will not go on, as she has grown too big for it.

A CARD THICK

TO MYSTIFY YOUR FRIENDS

Try tliis card trick. Take a pack of playing cards and ask a member of your audicnce to sclcct three of the cards and drop them in a hat. which you should hold in your hand. These cards should be placed face upwards in the hat.

Raise the inside hat band to prevent a view of the cards, and then lift the hat above the level of your eyes. Your friends will be surprised when you name the cards and produce them one by one in the order named. Here is the secret of the trick. Use a very old hat, and cut a hole under the ribbon band. The hole will lie covered by the head-band on J,lie inside, and the ribbon band on the outside. Push the ribbon away ivith your thumb and look through the hole in the hat. First of all, name a card, produce it, and so on,

NATURE NOTES

NATURAL SOAPS

There arc two natural soaps found hi the Western States of North America. One is the seed of a plant, and tvorks up into quite a satisfactory lather. The other is a -\vhitc rocit failed soapstone (scientifically known as amargosite), which is now heiiiL; mined near California. The Indians have used both of these soaps from

time iAiimemorial,

LAST WEEK'S COMPETITION

JUMBLE PUZZLE

I'm afraid 'my crew arc all too smart. Sixteen replies l and twelve correct ones. Those that were wrong only made mistakes in the spelling or left words out.

The question was—Make a verse of this:—

Captain 4 'bis Sent his 4 f c's To the West in 'd's And fed them on pot 8 e o's„

Here was the correct answer:—•

Captain Forbes, Sent his forces, To the West Indies And fed them on potatoes.

After a terrifically long search 1 have chosen the winners as under:

Louis Keepa, Bernadette McLaren, Pauline Stewart, David Sullivan, Donald McKenzie, Joe Gattsche, Margaret Prince.

THIS WEEK'S COMPETITION

GEOGRAPHICAL

What is the distance between: Auckland and Sydney Auckland and Melbourne Auckland and Suva Auckland and San Francisco Auckland and Honolulu.

The first three answers will win free picture tickets with my best compliments. P.T.W.