Kiwi Opens the Mail

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 150, 21 March 1931, Page 25

Kiwi Opens the Mail

* * * Dear Scribes,— lam very interested in your ideas for improving our page. Some excellent suggestions have been received. If you have not already done so, will you write and tell me what you would print in the Junior Dominion Page, if you were Kiwi.—KlWl.

LETTERS FROM LEAGUE MEMBERS

Doris Court sends a pretty description o£ evening. She writes: —“Darkness has crept down over the hills—hiding even the golden afterglow. I Wish I could parcel up one of our autumn evenings and send down to you, although the sunsets over the sea and city are, I know, very beautiful. But here there are no dancing waves—just the mountains showing up clear and sombre against the evening sky, a sky that fades from orange to yellow, from yellow to palest gold till it mingles with the dark blue of the heavens that have already captured a twinkling star ....

“Even though we have not had such a beautiful summer as we might have had, the Manawatu River has changed to a deep, mysteriously flowing stream. The depths seem to hold lurking wonders and the rapids are not their usual noisy, boisterous selves; instead they seem to dance over the rocks lightly, not' bumping and jumping from ledge to cleft as they do in spring. “Just now the clear, shrill whistle of a train travelled through the night air—a whistle that remind me of the dusky, frosty evenings when our train is standing at the tiny Gorge station, and the engine’s warning, often so unmusical, is echoed and tossed from hill to hill, till it sounds like little tinkling cries before it fades away or is broken by the clack-clack of the wheels over the joints in the line." [Your letter was very interesting, Doris. What a faithful guardian you have in “Fido.” Your questions about moths will be answered in the “Do you know” column next week.]

“Jocelyn,” in part of her letter, describes the sunset hour at the seashore. She writes:—“As we were going home around the bays, we saw the v. little waves come rippling up on to a sandy sheltered beach, and the sun was setting over the hill behind. The foam was tinted palest pink' and sparkled in the fading sunlight. Some pretty little gplls, about a dozen of them, floated peacefully on the little billows, ... up and down. .; . But around the-.corner was such "a buffeting windy evening—just as I like them. We went for a run on the

sands, and a clean clear wind blew all around us.” [I am so glad you were pleased with your prize, “Jocelyn.” Don’t you love the poem about the gulls? “A meadow of birds” is a very beautiful description.] “Fairy Nightlight” writes about autumn. She says: “This is one of the prettiest seasons of the year, for leaves are changed to all the colours of the rainbow. The fruit trees are starting to colour now, and I have also noticed falling leaves. The willow and laurel trees are yellowing and the snowball trees are turning all shades.” [lt doesn't seem very long since you wrote about spring, “Fairy Nightlight.” I hope there are no more summers such as this has been, in the Weather Clerk’s storehouse. We shall have an autumn page soon.]

“I have been very interested in the Children’s Page in the ‘Dominion’ every Saturday,” writes Irene Pearson. “I would very much like to be a member of it. I went to Christchurch for my Christmas holidays, and I enjoyed it very much. The prettiest part, is the river Avon, with all the weeping willows along its banks. Another pretty spot is the statue of Scott, especially at night, because it has two white lights shining down upon it I have a little kitten, at least it is a fullgrown cat now, and when it wants to come in it rattles the door nob. My little kitten, which is not tall enough to reach the nob, sits down behind her, and when we open the door the mother cat and her kitten walk in. When they want to go out, they do the same.” [A hearty welcome to our League, Irene. I hope there will be many letters from you in the future. We already have a “Moonbeam,” dear. Is there any other pen-name you would like?] “Gladness” writes: “Last night was a truly magical one: the sky was alight with millions of stars and a little crescent moon sailed proudly among them, while stretching away across the starlit heaven, was the unending milky way, and through my head, at the sight of it, ran a little poem I had learned as a child. If my kitty, when she dies. Could go to heaven, I think I know the path She’d like to go— Along the Milky Way She’d choose to travel: She never could be hungry There, you know. Oh, how I used to love that little poem, and I don’t think I’ll ever forget it.” [Not a scrap of your letter bored me, “Gladness.” lam never tired of reading letters from League-members. What a pity you missed “Laughing Water.” There will be many other opportunities of seeing her, I am sure. Of course you may come and see me one day. I shall be very glad to make friends with you, “Gladness.”] BRIEF REPLIES “Mignon.”—l thought you were lost, “Mignon,” and I was ever so glad when your letter came to tell me that you were not. Do you practise for one hour every day? 1 hope we shall hear that you passed the music examination with honours. Wouldn’t that be splendid? “Billie.”—l thought I recognised that large, neat printing, “Billie.” I have not seen it for a long time, have I? What dear Persian kittens yours must be. What do you call them? Se you have turned ten since I last heard from you. You will soon be catching up to me. “Twilight.”—lt was nice of you to write -again so soon. We’ll have to find some of those adventure stories you like so much. ' : “Marama.”—What fun sack races are! lam so glad you kept on trying even after falling. It shows that one can win if one perseveres, and it is the same with everything. We never know when the man in front of us is going to trip, and so be overtaken. I hope you had a nice afternoon with Peggy and Mona. Beatrice Kennett. —I love receiving your letters, Beatrice, and reading your stories, and I am sure the Junior League members love them too. We are very sorry to hear you have not been well and hope you are better now. “Laughing Lily.”—The Dutch doll in your sketch looks very jolly. Do you like clog dances? 1 think the rhythmic clatter of the wooden shoes is very fascinating. I have asked “Fairy Nightlight” to write to you, Lilian. “Rosemary.”—l was delighted when I found the little photograph in your letter, “Rosemary.” It is a very clear one and I hope I shall be able to print it one day soon. Did you enjoy the swim you were preparing for? The sun seems to be shining very brightly in Palmerston North.