"THE CITY OF PEARLS"

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 51, 1 March 1930, Page 18

"THE CITY OF PEARLS"

"Ruth! Ruth!" called a soft little voice, "Come here, clear." "Who's that?" said Ruth. "I can't see you." Oh, yes, you can; jusj look behind you." Ruth did so. Turning round from the breakwater to the golden sands of Brighton, where she was staying, Ruth beheld a beautiful mermaid combing her beautiful hair. "Hallo, little girl," she ; said. "I'm Silver; you're Ruth, ain't you?" "Yes, Silver." ; "By the way, would you like to come to the "City of Pearls? asked ! the Sea Nymph. J ! "Qh,"yes, please," answered Ruth. "I'd love to, only lam afraid of the water. You sec, I can't swim. I can only dog-paddle." "Never mind about that, Ruth. You jump in the water when I say three, and keep-your eyes open," commanded this fair maid of . Father.Neptune. . . •■ Ruth did as she was told, and felt herself going down, down, '■ down into the deep blue water. On the way she saw several nasty, evil-looking fishes, who stared rudely at Ruth and Silver as they passed fey them in the water. ,-.. ' ■. ■ . After a while they came to a stop on the bottom of the ocean, »nd walked along till they came to. a big gate marked "Pearl City." The gates were made of white pearls and were guarded by two stern Hapukas. They smiled when Silver showed them her ring of seed pearls', and bowing said, '"Enter, Your Highness." The gates opened and then closed after Ruth and Silver had walked through them. They passed along a' street paved with Jpearls, instead of stones. On either side were little houses with windows and doors made of oyster bubbles. Every now and then* they passed shops with tig, fat, jolly-looking fishes lolling outside the! doors. Ruth noticed that none of these shops were butcher's shops, and asked Silver "why. "My dear," said Silver in a reproving voice, "Remember, we are •,fishaterians, not cannibals." •■'"'. "But," retorted Ruth, then stopped;. for in front of them was a magnificent castle made entirely of pearls and pink coral. "The palace of Pearls," said Silver, bowing low, and led the way, in, and they went up a broad flight of polished black pearl stairs. ' Soon they entered a large hall called the "Banqueting Hall." At on« end, stood a throne ,of pearls, with two crusty old lobsters in gold chains and .pearl suits. ' At the foot of it, seated on the throne, was Father Neptune: holding a long fork. Ruth's mermaid friend rushed - forward and bowed before the King: "Father," she said, "here is Ruth." "Welcome, Ruth; welcome to; our land," he said. "Now for. the banquet." ,: ........ Ruth was-led away to a long table, where,she sat down and waited for the dinner. But she couldn't eat boiled fins, cod's scales, jelly fish, etc., so she asked if she could go home* Then the King gave her a string of costly pearls and called his sea horses and his chariot. Ruth turned to say good-bye, but fell and woke up to find her mother dangling a string of pearls before her. 1 ;"Wake up, dear,", she said. "Here is something for you. You've been dreaming.", . .. ! And even though Ruth told people about her visit to Pearl City, no one believes it' But you and I know it's true. Northland. ' MARY HAZELDON.

FAIRIEL:----"I buried a poor, wee : penguin in amongst the grey sands, firstly folding his ■.stiff wee flappers, and putting a shroud round him. When I had finished two little girls and a boy came running to the place of buriaL "He's dead,asn'fc hei.Will.-he go to heaven?" And wheii I had answered, the little boy struck in scornfully, "Aw, only people go to Heaven; don't you believe her," pointing to me in 'I-know-all' style. 'I had a bird what died, and my .daddy^put him in a box, and digged him in the garden. I left him for a long, long time,: and' when no one was about I, digged mi the earth, for. my bird,: an' he was stiU'there. Now what have.you;got to say?" ho added, taking a .deep breath. I had not anything to sayy., especially ■to a small' boy who doesn't understand. ..." <_■>■•.■'■; :;:i:.-■:-' : -■■ •,..-'.•■ "IRISH MARY;';'| > iMiraniar. - _ ' ■, ;

" THE'FOUNDLINGS" . !

ONE WINDY NIGHT "I was staying in, the country with some, friends, during the holidays, and my friend and I slept'in a shed some little distance away from the house. To reachV this shed" one never knew when one might trip • over one of the little pigs, or tread on a wandering duck. "One dark and windy night when we went out as usual, I noticed a white thing just beside,the gooseberry bush, which is very largo and very prickly. I mentioned this to my friend and we both hurried towards it. By the time we got to it, however, it had disappeared; and so had she. "The tont in which twod the boys slept was closo by-j and: I guessed it was just one-, of the.boys playing a joke ou. ; us. •. All at .once- I saw this white ■-thing again ?staridirig quite near me with hands out-to grab' me. The sheet . was ' a bit; .skgwgee now, »nd sticking:out from underneath were a a pair of very substantial trousered legs! I pulledthe sheet off, and there was the grinning face' ; bf one of the,boys with whom I was staying. My friend had gone into the' tent and then went on to bur shed. She got a fright when.l came in very suddenly, but by then the excitement was all over, and there was nothing more exciting that night." \ ' : '•".■ ■'■..•:"■"' ''PETER- PAN.' 3 Wadestown. ■';

"YOUR FIRST DIVE" ■ ''Have you ever experienced your first dive or jump off a spring-board or down a shute? First there is the excitement of 'I. wish I could!' and then the determined and brave heroine walking out to the .end. The plunge is made but unfortunately, the inexperienced heroine- takes a.deep breath when she reaches the-'s'ea! You open your eyes unconsciously and see nothing but a funny green, and your one thought is 'When'am I going to reach tho top?' '.' .• ■ : : "WENDY." Wellington. '

Down where the sea flowers sway on silver stems, ■■ " And small fish, flick And bubbles rise, I found them, hidden each inside , a shell, . . ' ■~ . looking a,t me in sleepy, soft surprise Two mer-babes, ebon-haired, with seagreen eyes. v BETTY KNELL.

"PLIMMERTON BEACH" "We ■';went on the rocks to loolc for fish. There were quite a lot of boats out, and a speed boat, and in the afternoon tho yachts camo out. They looked like big white butterflies with folded wings. . ." ; '■'-.: ... "KEWPIE." Levin.

"SUCH A FRIGHT!" "One day when I was swimming with some friendß and cousins I went out a bit further than them and was swimming when I saw hundreds of shrimps (six inches long) .jumping through the waves towards us. I iptood up and shouted,,'Oh, look at the fish!' when suddenly one came smack against my back! It gave me such a fright that I just swam for all I was worth towards the shore, for I felt so quakey inside. I think I must have frightened all the fish, because we never saw them again." j "SAUCY SALLY."' ! Titahi Bay.

"SOME FINE FUN. . . " "My brother and I had a very enjoyable time camping out at Pahautanui. There was a very nice swimming pool there and we had some fine fttn bathing in it; There was a boat on the river especially for children, and we had some greatfun in it, too."' '* EDWAKD BOOSIB. Seatoun.

"OUR SWIMS" "We go for our swims in Evans Bay, just at the ena of our street. . ." "DAKDY'S BOSEBUD." Kilbirnie.

"THE HILLS" I love the hills, The grey hills, "Who on a summer's day, Call me and beckon me, Away—from the towns, away— They bid me leave my work behind, And follow the winding trail, That leads me, that lures mo O'er meadow, down, and valu The wind siiigs songs of welcome, The air is fresh and sweet. The hill provides a resting place, "For weary minds and feet. KOMA ItOGGAftD. j Lower Hutt.

?'/ WENT TO NELSON. . . ." I went to Nelson for my- holidays. Often we went to Tahuna in the morning for a swim. One day we went to Aniseed Valley for a picnic. After lunch we went for a "bathe, but it was so cold, and wo'got out quicker than ire went in. Then wo climbed up a hill and slid down. ' : ■ '-.' "STOKYGIBL." Xclburn. ' ' j