Kiwi Opens the Mail

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 267, 6 August 1932, Page 18

Kiwi Opens the Mail

LETTERS FROM LEAGUE MEMBERS

I] Dear Scribes—A rainy day is writing, I find, so a Rain Page !' don't you think? This one has, j! KIWI. *’ Doris Court, Woodville, says: “There ‘I was an • all-day fog on Monday. Of a course, I missed most of it by going to school, but I was fairly well acI’ quainted with its grey gloom all the same. It had been a hard frost, too, and I shivered at the thought of biking V through the icy atmosphere. Yes, atli mosphere,. not air, it was too pea soupy I for that ; it seemed as H one could cut f out slices of fog. Well, I walked the M three miles to the. station and ended |l up with being beautifully warm. The • magpies were silent for once. I don t I know whether the fog gave them a cold , or not and I had a grey-white world to I myself. A pond that I pass on. the way I seemed to. look-funny, so 1 threw a i stone to see whether there was ice. ! And I should just think there was I i The stone didn’t go through, although I It cracked the surface, and then the I barbery hedge was a masterpiece of I Jack Frost's. Each of the tiny, manyII pointed leaves were outlined, with a i frosty edge that emphasised the cheery I red of the tinted leaves. And the conwebs! ‘ They were silyer-spangled wheels, hanging from wires that were transformed from rusty fences to > things of white loveliness. I couldn t Il help being childish enough to. stop and ‘ breathe on them to watch the frost melt '■ into glistening rainbow drops." i- [lf it’s childish. I’ll be a child till J I’m a hundred years old!] , .., ■ i Peggy McGuinn, Taihape, writes: I “My brothers went skating the other ■I day on, ice. It was three inches thick I and looked like crystal. I don’t ' suppose : It will surprise you. after these terrible I frosts. The other day we' went to | town,, and on . the way home we ran into a snow storm. We had a cleaner on the front of the car, and it was closed I In, but the blinding snow stuck to the - cleaner. The once-green hills were soon white with the soft fleecy flakes. The sky was white and peaceful-look-ing, but the earth looked wild, cold and dreary. We . were almost forced to stop,-but as we came near the end of our weary journey it ceased snowing. ’ [Have you been skating too? I envy anyone who has the opportunity to enjoy that .wonderful, sport]| ,L„ .... ' “Jacoblna,” aged 15, Wellington, tells I us that: “The other night when I was ' coming home I felt very tired and ‘ crotchety arid my new shoes were hurting.me, and whenever I feel like that I always try to think of something nice or see something beautiful—then all my tiredness vanishes. I could ’ not dwell on the beauty; of the, night because: it was just an ordinary one, but suddenly I caught sight of something really magnificent—it’s something I passed, every day and just thought ordinary and never took much notice of it but now, surrounded by the lights of the . city and rearing up- into*the

heavens it really was a wonderful spectacle. It’s our War Memorial, of course, I mean. I went right up the steps arid had a good look at'it, and in the darkness I could just-read'the inscription and see the carved figures on the wall, and I thought even if that memorial were , ugly it would be thought beautiful by the people because of what it stands for." [lsn’t it lovely? Especially at night, with the light on its whiteness, and the dim figure of the horse and rider almost reaching the stars, it seems.] Maurice Johnson, aged six, Koputaroa, writes such a good letter for a small scribe: “I have been to the clinic three times. First I had five teeth out, then five again, and now I don’t have to go’ 1 again. I lilted the-drawings, on the Winter Page, and when I’m older I am going to try to do something myself. I like drawing at school. I looked through the window arid saw that the sun was shining on the snowcovered hills. They did look nice. I had a silent reader about. Rumple-stilt-skin,' and it was a good tale. Kiwi, when you are telling . ..that black little fellow ’in . your '■ inkwell' some names, ask him if . his name is Nigger Imp. We have a dear, little calf called Betty. Dad has given her to me for my very own. Tiny and Furry are both growing, and I,have a lot of fun with them. I am looking forward to the Rain Page next .Saturday." ■ * , . [His name wasn’t Nigger Imp,-for I asked him; you’ll see-what.it'is to-day. My love to Betty arid Tiny and Purry.] “Two-Gun Bill,” Feildlng, says:.“l have several pigeons and I. feed them every morning; When I let one of my pigeons out it always comes-back at night-time; and goes straight into the cage. I haven’t got a very big cage for them, so I think I will make another one.” - [I hate .never kept pigeons, -but I think they are lovely. That’s a very good drawing of a ship. Could you get some Indian ink and do your drawbigs with it,- when you are going to send them to me? I love the picture of yourself and “artijlery” I] “Sweet William,” Pahiatua, writes: “On Saturday we went to the woolshed, which is beside a trough. May and I had made boats out of the thick stalk that has the seed on from a flax bush; they Were very tiny. 'We also took our .kewpies to the trough with our boats- A canoe which belongedto May had. her kewpie Rosy in it. Soon a puff Of wind came "along. -It,began to blow the boat along,’and-it blew a bit too hard, and. Rosy blew out of the boat and stood up on the water.” [What'a good thing Rosie the kbwpie could .swim J It was a terrific adventure for her, wasn’t it?] BRIEF REPLIES "Grhualda.”—Mr. Five is delightful. We’ll have him in the page one of these days.. . “Laughing Lily.”—The drawing fs very .pretty, I think. I hope you are quite better now; ’flu is horrid. “Dolly Dimplekin.”—What a terrific frost when all the taps were frozen! That sounds more like the South Island , than sunny OtakL Story competition quite soon- ’ .

s a splendid opportunity ..for lettershould have lots of letters in it , anyway, and I’m so pleased.— Ashley Bell.—l think you will find some riddles to-day, Ashley, so you will be pleased. - “Queen of May.”—No, I hadn’t heard that puzzle. Will you remember to sign your proper name as well as your pen-name always when you write? Thelma Luttrell. —Thank you for tne evening picture-ln-words. “Dianthus.” —I’m sorry you haven’t been well, dear. What are you going to make now that you have learned to crochet? - . ‘Tpter Pinkeye.—Thank you very much for the riddles. Billy Fisher.—They’re very funny riddles and tales that you sent Thank yon. ■ " Elsie Fisher.—What lovely neab printing!- And goodpokes too. “Sunshine.”—So the diver came from you. I was so puzzled. .Pancakes are a terrible weakness of mine, and it is .almost as much fun making - ; them as eating them! . ,• ,1., "Scarlet Pimpernel.”—Such soft wee pussies on the pussy-willows... I. pass some on my walk ,to town each day, and I’ve been watching/, them come shyly out. ’■' - ' 1 > Betty'Warrington.—Both the puzzles are good, and thank you very much. Kona . Heinemann.—You have not told me your age, Rona, and I must know that before I write your name in the big’book of 1 members. Such a sweet poem. Betty Holmes.—Yes, you may be called “Athena.” You must try to be wise, like your namesake, the • Greek goddess. I - am glad to hear that Toby is a Tail-Wagger. Doreen and Phyllis Baker,—Will you both remember, please, that stories and poems for our page must never be written' on both sides of the paper? I’ve put your names.down as “Peanut’ and “Bonnie.” Robert Whetven.—Thank you for the puzzles, new member. Margaret Ryan.—My Glory Box always has room for “Things to Make,” and I am very pleased with the one you have already sent.'| You are going to be a very helpful member, I think. “Madcap.”—lt-is. lovely to hear that you think , the page is growing more Interesting than ever. ’ “Sun’over.”—There ’is no need to leave the League when you leave Porlrua, dear, unless, you are going so far 1 away that you will not see "The Dominion.” Juist let me know your new address. 1 . Waveney Harding.—ls 4t.. yoiir, own visit to the zoo that you ate describing? Jack Fox.—Yes, you, may have “White Wolf” for your name. •/. Perhaps “one of the most valuable" was what was, meant Supposing.you write some little histories.of stamps for me? Such a lot of i membersj'are interested, and not all* have such“good sources of information’as you have.' - ,I shall do what I can about a pen-friend in Greece, but it is rather a lot to ask! “Mickey Dripping.”—l should think you would leave the neighbourhood of the bull when he began to get’ restless! One whitebait certainly wasn’t much of a catch, but, as you say, one is better than none! ; “Butterfly Wings.”—Pansies are almost my favourite flowers. I love their quaint little faces and rich, colours. So I liked the ones you drew on your letter. • They aren’t ; In flower yet ‘Thoebe Deane.”—l was Interested to hear of your singing and acting 'it the social, and how is the mandolin guitar getting;on? Don’t let the dogs chew Buster; he must be so sweet, and all cats would steal if they weren't taught not to, and kept well fed. Keith Jensen.—Thank you for the little poem. It must wait till alutumn comesagain. ' "Shirley Poppy.”—l told Madame X what you thought of her, and she didn’t take the slightest notice, the slowcoach! Is it Nigger and Tobby who fight? Bad things! But I haven’t a remedy, I’m. afraid. . “Red Riding Hood.’’—l am so glad that you haven’t forgotten us. The wee lady is charming. Spring does seem to be early this year. So many scribes are telling me about pet lambs, like -yours.' " Doreen Williams.— Certainly you may join, and be called “Little Ladybird.” Ido hope small Nancy-is. soori better. ; , . Alison Connell.—“Buttercup," by all means. . ■ ' ■ ' ' ■ “Excelsior Elf.”—You had left .out. “weeping,” so I put' it right. lam delighted to hear that you may be-com-ing to Wellington next holidays, and you must let me know just as soon as you come, and pay me a visit. Remind me to tell you what I think about your university plan, and the others, when I see you. \ ■■ . “Darzee.”—lt wouldn't have been nice if you had tumbled In that creek, on the way to the golf course, would it? I hope you like learning French. It is really great fun trying to say little sentences. It's a' pretty painting of violets, dear.

Saida Hill, Rakaunui, Pahiatua, aged 11, would like a pen-friend in the South Island. , ‘ ■ s' Jocelyn Batten, of Paraparau.mo, would like a pen-friend between the age of Io and 16. Mervyn De we, 4 Grey Street, Feilding, would like a pen-friend who is fond of reading cowboy yarns and whose age is about twelve. .. Irene Hutana, Porangahau, would like a pen-friend who is interested in sewing, gardening, sports of all kinds, and housework. Will a country girl aged about 12 please write to Kathleen Mason, 3 Semeloft, Terrace, Wellington? Phyllis Baker, The Mill Tuai, would like a pen-friend between 11 and 13 years old, who is fond of knitting, animals, reading and writing. Doreen . Baker, The Mill, Tuai, would like a pen-friend between 10 and 12 years old, who is fond of games, writing, knitting, and animals. ■'