JOAN'S BIRTHDAY

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 131, 4 June 1932, Page 8

JOAN'S BIRTHDAY

(Original.)"

Joan Johnson lay-in the children's ward.-of .the Wellington Hospital.- It was her birthday to-morrow; and,she sighed as she thought of it,. for' she knew that because of the hospital fees her mother.would>not be able to rive her a present..^ ;-.: .V. -■-. >/_■'■:;:- :- - --■: Soon, however,' Joan.cheered up for .when \Nurse: heard ;the istorjr she promised. that: Joan^ and her ;f ri&ds' should *? aYf : an. . extra-special 4:ca;:"the"•" next •night.V ■■)''. ' .' "■• ;v' r fis;v"■'- "•■', '■ ■•'"' '■• '■ '•■

~; "Yon never knawj^peVhapsßomething exciting might'happeni?^-said; Nurse •mysteripnsljv^'-j.;^';'^^"7 ;"^;'-; : " ■■■-.- I ! ""W^fedo'-^u^ineaii?'' asked- the ■children€xeitediyi;-But the'nurseionly shook::herhead; ■■•'-'' ''-1 • ■-: l;-.rt-.»

' •Ne'xtI"morning"'abottt. ten o'clock the 'children =h'eard''-a»Tcnoc£ at:"the r door.' -'^Gome<int»».they eriedi vis the'door! 'opened'slowly the :cnadreri'' gasped in rastbhishmenti.'; There at: the" door was a beautiful: carriage drawn by^,four' butterflies. In the carriage, sur:rounded: br : parcels sat a beautiful fairy. ': ■Nurse came into.the room. "Children," Bho.said. "To-day is the Fairy King's birthday, and Fairiel is honourting us with a visit."

Fairiel stepped out of the carriage, aiid_ handed Joan three parcels. "As it" is your birthday, I am giving yon the scrapbookthat won first-prize, as well as theso other two presents.*' Then Fairiel went on passing scrapbooks -to tha other children. After a while''she wont away. Joan opened her parcels. In one she found a "beautiful scrapboc-k brimming over with stories and pictares. Soon Tbom was filled with the children's excited voices as they examined their presents. That night, Nurse bought in a birthday cake, and Joan and her friends had a wonderful party.

"GOBBLIWHTKS" (11). Lower Hutt.