Kiwi Opens the Mail

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 172, 16 April 1932, Page 19

Kiwi Opens the Mail

LETTERS FROM LEAGUE MEMBERS

Dear Scribes,—Such a fat mail-bag this week. not ideftd how I would squeeze all my replies into the Mail Corner, but thcres on £ one answer to that, isn’t there? We must make the coiner bigget to tit the mall '--KIWI.

“Fairy Nightlight” writes, “It is pouring with rain outside. Ileal Winter weather! And as I write this letter I can hear on the roof of the house, ‘Pitta Patta.’ as it falls. When I lookout of the window I see, every now and then, the sparrows, flying as quickly as possible to shelter in a near-by pine tree. The ducks are having a great time. They run hither and thither, •splashing through mud or swimming in the creek or even waiting to grab up in their bills a pbor little worm which ventures out of the ground in the rain. The fowls are all keeping to their sheds just as the birds shelter among the trees. The big, tall poplar trees, with their beautiful autumntinted leaves, yellow, green, brown and orange, make a very pretty sight. All of a sudden lhe wind comes along and you Sec all the coloured leaves go floating softly to the ground, covering it, and making it look like a patchworkquilt. The fruit trees have also got a touch of yellow in them, especially the apple trees. The snowball trees Oh! Kiwi, you should see them. They have every kind of colour in them, and they blend so well together; so do the blackberry leaves. The paddocks look very green With the freshly rain-wash-ed grasses. Upper Hutt just at present is all yellow and green, or gold. The green gorse, with its yellow flowers. the yellow leaves and many other things. ' The trees are especially all gold.” [You have given us a very vivid picture of a rainy autumn day, “Fairy Nightlight.” But I rather wish the rainy days didn’t come so often, don’t you? A blue sky is such a lovely i background for the autumn colourings of the trees.] "Gold Dawn,” writes a lovely long letter, with a pretty drawing at the top of the page! She says; “All around the countryside, autumn is ♦iiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiifiiiiiiKiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiuiMiminF

painting pictures; the colours she uses arc the same as last time she visited us —gold, yellow, red and brown she has painted the leaves of the trees. Those tall, stately trees we call poplars are spreading a gaudy carpet on the grass and roadside. The beautiful weeping willows, which droop over the water are turning their leaves into gold it. seems. They bend lower and seem sadder now the Sweet Summer Lady has departed.”

[You will be very busy now you are at High School, but I hope you will still write to me. I would have liked to print the charging story your Daddy told you about the weeping willows, but you had written it on both sides of the paper, which made It impossible. Will you write it out again for me, dear? I shall watch for the other poem, and the photo has been added to the league picture gallery.]

"SuUdOivucr” is a new member who writes: "To-day I Will tell yoib about niv bantams. I have two bantams, one Is a hen and the other is a rooster. The rooster is eight years old. He was given to us when 1 was only small. We have a little kitten which is a month old. IVe don’t feed him yet on meat hut he drinks milk. There is no name found for him yet. Do you know one? He comes inside sometimes and I don’t know' how he gets up the step.” [Your rooster has had a long life, hasn't he? Would Tira be a good name for your kitten? He must be a darling.]

"Madame Pompadour” has had the bad luck to hurt her foot While she was out on the hills, and writes front bed : "This evening Mum pulled my bed close to the window, and 1 amused myself by watching the sunset. It. was a calm sunset, but the still beauty was impressive. After the sun had slowly drifted from view the whole sky that J could see suddenly.lit up with lovely changing colours. There were no clouds anywhere, just a wonderful mix-

ture of soft tints. I watched the moving picture swift in its change from primrose to. gold and orange, from rose to flame, and then on a bare branch out against the sunset a speckly brown thfUSh sang his good-night song. And now the lilac has faded to deep, velvety midnight-blue. A great silver moon, prodigal with beauty has drifted up behind the dark, lacy boughs of swaying firs, and infinite star points of light glimmer up there in limitless space, like sparks of white fire. The wind is soughing low, sad night music, and now I hear a solemn little owl hooting from some dark tree, I wonder if autumn will spare us another of her golden-blue days to-morrow, we really need rain badly.”

[I hope your foot is quite better now, dear. It was horrid to have to be in bed on those lovely crisp autumn days. "At Daybreak” Is particularly good.]

“Dimple” tells me about her holiday in Wellington. This is what she saw at the museum: “After dinner the day I came to see you we went to the Dominion Museum; it was lovely. We saw all the New Zealand birds, Kiwis. Whiteeyes, Kingfishers, Owls, Tuis and many others. We saw the model of a Maori village with tiny storehouses and pas, also tiny Maori carved posts atoUnd the gates of the fences around the tiny village; it was very interesting. There was a case full of New Zealand shells, moths and butterflies, fish and rock. There were many fish of other Seas, too. We saw the skeletons of birds, many years old found in caves in NeW Zealand. There were animals of all countries in the world; birds of other countries, too. There were Maori Carvings and canoes all around the room. It was very interesting indeed.”

[What a pity the studio was shut. However, you saw some fascinating things at the Dominion Museum. Now you must make plans for your next visit to 'Wellington. Looking forward to things is such fun, isn’t it?] BRIEF REPLIES

Beatrice Kennett.—Thank you very milch for your letter and poem, Beatrice. lam glad to hear that you are getting better. Perhaps the Autumn Lady will spare us some more sunny days, Which will be good for you.

Joyce Smith—You have the jumbled names quite correct, but won’t you write a real letter next time, please?

Ashley Bell.—l am glad you enjoy the puzzles, Ashley. It is splendid that you are able to help your father with the milking. I hope you will write me a longer letter soon.

’ Joyce MacGregor.—Your essay Was well written but not suitable for the Junior Page. Joyce. How- about writing a story? .

"Kiki.” —I liked your little letter ami the poem very much. Do you think it is a pity April Ist only comes once a year, I Wonder?

“Moata Mary.”—You have chosen a pretty pen name, and I have written it carefully in the register. The poem you sent is very pretty indeed.

Freda Jenkins.—A big welcome to our League, Freda. I hope you Will Write again soon. The dolly’s trousseau must be very pretty. Do you make her clothes yourself?

"Autumn Girl.”—No, I escaped being made an April Fool! I hope you are getting the paper every Saturday now, so that you will not miss our page. It is fl shame to call the kitten “half a cat” because he has no tail. What arc your names for your pets? Thank you for the riddles.

“Silver Dewdrop.”—l was very pleased With the poem and your little letter. Wilt you write a longer letter next time sO that perhaps I wilt be able to print it among our "Best Letters?”

Helen Kulti.—l am glad you received yotir badge safely. I enjoyed the Easter vacation very much though it was wet find cold here in Wellington.

“Lily Pond.”—You see I have given you the pen-name you asked for, dear. I am so glad that you have joined the League after wanting to for so long. You must get your school-friends to join, too. “Lobelia.”—Well done, this time! And now for the one about Shah.

Muriel Aleoek.—First letters are very difficult, I know. but. yours Was a very good one. and now it is over and the others Will be easier! I know that road from Lyall Bay to Seatoun, and I love it. The sea and the rocks are always beautiful, especially in a storm.

"Honesty.”—Your little letter was One of the neatest and best written ones I have had this week. Your garden must look very pretty. Chrysanthemums will soon be at their best, and their beauty will make us forget about old man Winter for a little while longer.