The Junior Dominion.

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 17, 14 October 1933, Page 23

The Junior Dominion.

Dear Boys and Girls, — What weather for gardens! Best of all the quiet lengthening evenings when front the warm coolness of a late afternoon sun to the cooler shade of the twilight you can pursue acquaintance with your garden. Watch aS you pull the. grass from between the bricks of the garden path the bewildered brown spiders scurrying away; the blue-black beetles standing their indignant ground until a movement sends them, too, into cover behind the next grass root. Stand spellbound by the incense-offering of the earth, dark prison of a thousand fragrances.- Then, as the clouds pass behind the trees, look up, and watch for the wind, which at twilight and dawn is mysteriously alive and still. A bird flutters down to another branch, the house cat sharpens his claws, the new leaves tremble as they sleep, and the clematis, piki-arero, the sacred flower, holds spring captive in her starry hands. You have all seen i the long-legged pukeko'running across the swamp, and perhaps have wondered why he has such very long legs'. This is the story which the Maoris would tell, if you asked them: Long ago, when the Sun God travelled, hastily across the sky, Maui, a Maori chieftain, made a great net to entrap the sun, so that he might be caught and punished till he promised longer days. Maui snared and fought the Sun God, fought against his fiery arrows, till his strength had almost vanished, till he was dying from thirst. Then Maui called the bird-folk. ‘'Help me, bring me water, bring me water.” But so fierce was the sun that all the birds hid beneath the trees and in the caves. All except the little swamphen. He filled a small skin bag with water, and circled up, up to Maui, who was made strong again—strong to vanquish Te Ra, the sun. Then Maui thanked the swamp-hen, and changed his short stumpy legs into very long ones, so that he could go fishing in the swamp without taking cold. How are all those rhyming stories progressing; not to mention the illustrated crossword pussies? By the way, no stories about Inkling. He feels that, as it is his page all the other ink people should have the stories to themselves. Good-bye until next week, League members-all. KIWI.

A FAIRY 1 know a little fairy, A merry fairy she, She’ll dance and dance the long day through, As daintily as could he. —Original by “Marion Nixon,” Wellington. THE DROWSY BUTTERFLY • « * The butterfly drowsy, Has folded, its wings; The bees are returning, No more the birds sing; Their labour is over. Their nestlings are fed.; It's time little people are.going to bed. —From Sylvia Hutchings, Featherston. POTTED VERSE THREE BLIND MICE Three mice, All blind, Farmer’s wife, Came behind. Sharp knife,, In a trice, Minus tails, Three mice. —Sent by “Marie,” Napier. CHRISTOPHER GLUCK (1714-1787) * * * Have you ever made music on glasses? You try it. Use a glass with a stem like a goblet, put a little water in it, hold it steady with your left hand on its foot, wet the tip of the first linger on your right hand, and rub it round and round the rim of the shsSß, smoothly, steadily, and always getting faster. After a nioment the glass will make a sweet, clear, singing note. The finer the. glass the better the note. On a number of glasses, each having a different note, tunes may be jfiayed. Great and famous composers have written music to be played in that way. It is strange to think of a celebrated man like Christopher Gluck playing On musical glasses to a very grand audience ; but he did it so well that everyone was delighted. Christopher Gluck was born in Wiedenwang, a small village in Bavaria. He. went to school at a Jesuit College, where he was taught music. His father was very poor, so that when the boy grew old enough to go to the university, he had to gb as a beggar student, which meant that he had to teach as well as learn. In holiday time he used to wander through the country playing his violin in the villages for dances and sleeping in barns or out of ddors. The villagers had very little money, so they often paid him by giving him eggs instead. He used to eat what he needed and sell the rest to get bread. In this way'he contrived to keep himself until the university opened again. Christopher was so clever that In spite of these hardships he became known as a very brilliant musician. Then one day Fortune turned. An Italian Prince who heard Christopher play was so charmed with his music that he asked him to come and live with him. As a member of the Prince's’ household Gluck had time to practise and to improve his work, and soon he became celebrated. His great work was to improve the writing and production of operas. He made the stories in them much more interesting, and he wrote music that just suited the stories. Here is a “memory tickler” about Gluck:— The opera improver called Gluck At a hen cast a terrible look

Saying ‘‘mcm’rics of eggs And my poor, aching legs Make me hate the mere sight of a chook!” ' THE FAMILY BOX ♦ ♦ ♦ How Eighteen People Saw a Budapest Play

When the Budapest Internationa] Fair is in full swing farmers and their country lads, peasants and their gailydressed wives, all flock to the city in great numbers. One good man lately arrived at the Kiraly Theatre to enjoy an evening’s entertainment with seventeen members Of his family! They wished to occupy a box for the performance, and it was only after much persuasion from the manager that they agreed that a box would not seat eighteen people lu comfort.

So the family went into conference; and, after giving the matter due consideration, they solved their problem very nicely. Nine of them should witness the first half of the play, and then give up their seats to the others. Thereupon the family sorted itself out. Nine left the theatre to wait in a restaurant nearby, while nine sat down to enjoy the play; and halfway through the evening an attendant hurriedly arranged the change-over. We are not told what the play was about, but somehow we cannot help picturing the first nine leaving the theatre in tears over the impending tragedy of the plot—to find the second nine holding their sides with mirth over its happy ending. Or did they have time to think about the play from their box? We wonder.

’ LADY SPRING

* » » Laughing Spring is here again, Sweet with showers of silver rain, Leaving violets as she passes Tiptoe through the waving grasses. Daffodils arc golden bright, Snowdrops dream in drifting while, While the tui sings in praise Of Springtime, and her fragrant wags. Daphne dwells in scented places, Pansies with their sleepy faces Watch the Lady Spring pass by; Joyously the bellbirds cry. From the kowhai's golden flame, Tuts call the magic name Of Spring, who brings the daffodils, And all the silent places fills With drifts of melody and dew. And hyacinths, so sweet and. blue, And clematis in starry sprays, A-swing in all the leafy ways. The Lady Spring is here again, Across the skies of sun and rain, To wake the world to youth and light, IFt'fk crocuses and hawthorn white. —Found by “Nonnie the Gnome,”

Napier. COLOURS * ♦ * Blue and white for sunshine’ Black clouds for rain, Grey for windy weather, Then sunshine back again. —Original, by “Evening Twilight," aged 9, Featherston. SCHOOLBOYS DESIGN POSTERS * ♦ ♦ Some schoolboys have been giving the Newcastle (England) people a lesson in tidiness. Every June the Town Moor has been made hideous with litter thrown about by the crowds who attend the festival fair. Not only were the hundreds of cartons and wrappings an eyesore, but they meant a waste of time and money, for collecting and burning the litter was an arduous task. This year the boys of the Royal Grammar School have been hard at work designing posters. ‘ On some of them were attractive pictures of flowers, on others were written appeals to the crowds to keep the moor tidy by putting their papers and wrappers in the bins provided. Original and amusing designs were displayed at prominent places so that there could be no excuse for anyone to be a Litter Lout. SOLUTION TO CROSSWORD PUZZLE Across.—2 Pot. 4 Ibis. 8 E.T. 12 13 R.E. 14 A.I. 15 N.P. 16 Idols. 19 Ermine. 21 Enn. 24 Eat. 25 C.E. 26 Otter. 29 Alarum. 32 N.E. 33 Espion. 35 S.E. 38 Ess. 39. Skin. Down. —1 Meridional. 3 Oral, o Bear. 7 Impediment. 9 Ted. 10 Ex. 12 Ann. 18 Seers. 19 Entails. 22 N.A. 27 Ten. 28 E.E.U.S. 30 Lark.' 31 Use. 34 P.M.

FOUND —ON HIS NOSE

When the visitor called the professor Was out. “I understand your master is a very learned man,” said the caller to the maid. “Wbat particular research work occupies most Of his time?” “It seems to be chiefly hunting for bls spectacles,” was the innocent reply.

■ -.-==■ fffhe ■■■— Exchange Circle [Notices for this column are inserted twice without charge to members of the Junior Dominion League.~]

Bryce Napier, Strathenden, R.M.D., Eketahuna, would like a pen-friend who collects and will exchange stamps.

Claudia Brice, 10 Kensington St., Wellington C2. wants a pen-friend, aged 13, fond of swimming, reading, and animals. Mona Young. 11 Ross Street. Marton, would like a pen friend aged 10-11 who is interested in reading and games.

George Russell, 152 Te Anau Road, Hataitai. Wellington, wants a pen friend who is fond of reading and stamp collecting.

Desmond Dyer. 22 Walter St., Wellington, C2, would like a pen-friend aged 14, who is a keen scout.

Eric Ornberg, 333 Victoria Street, Palmerston North, wants a pen-friend aged 0 or 10 who will exchange stamps.

Jean Ivin. 14 Arthur Street, Wellington. would like a peil-friend aged 11-1-who learns elocution. Nola Phillips, Imke Ferry. Featherston, wants a penfriend, aged 11, who is interested in everything.

“Silver Willow.” Carterton: Was it a nature study walk? That ditch sounds a dangerous obstacle. I m glad you didn t faH in. “Blackbird,” Wellington: Poor little chrysalis; but white butterflies' are pests. I know. No. not yet; I am afraid tlyat I am not a very brave spirit in the cold weather.

“Dimity Gay.” Wellington: Yes, you are allowed. Lucky for you. isn’t it! Do you want me to post your badge or will you come for it? Welcome to these new members: Josephine Walker, Alvic Toogood. Eugene Kay Willis, Eric Ornberg. Olwyn McEwen. Billy James. Thelma B akeficld, Jim Stevens. Betty Tomley. Grace JI ing. Molly Davis, Jessie Stornberg, and Peter Gaylie.