FAIRY RING

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 59, 11 March 1939, Page 20

FAIRY RING

"THE CHIMING CLOCK.* 1

(Copied.)

•"■■i^T'TO'FAIKSLAND

(Written by; aged 13, of Petoiie, for the Fairy Ring.)

* If S that the postman, dear?" called. Mrs.. Newman, from .the*, kitchen! II Yes, mum," came "the reply, "and there's a letter. Oo! It's for me!" '. Coral opened* the, letter-and after reading its-contents gave a whoop of delight. "Hurrah! "I've been invited to Elsie's birthday party!" Suddenly, however, her.face fell. "Oh, mum, what am I going to do? I haven't a decent'thing to wear. Oh, dear!" "I'm afraid you'll have to write to say you can't come, because Irasa busy I couldn't possibly make,-you a dress by Saturday," replied her mother It was a very, sad and doleful girlie who- went to bed that night, and somehow Coral could'not .sleep. She was just dozing off when she heard a tapping on the window-pane, and somebody calling her name. She sat up in bed and looked, and there on the window-sill sat an elf dressed in a green coat and tight green trousers, with a cap and slippers of red

He .beckoned to Coral to follow him, and following him down the stairs Co^al found a lovely-blue coach drawn by two silver birds, waiting for them. Of course, the coach, looked ever so tiny because' she was' stiß big, so the: elf told her to- shut her eyes and count, ten. When she opened her eyes again she found herself as small as the elf, while the carriage looked ever so big! . Clambering into" it, she took a seat beside him and soon they were flyirpg through the sky at a terrific speed. Soon; they stopped, and, looking, oat, Coral was astonished at the lovely sight she saw. Little elves and fairies flitted to the dainty,, bright little shops; GaiJlycoloured butterflies flew swiftly from flower to flower, yet all the failles, birds, insects, and everything seemed to be going one way. / Coral and the elf, whose name was: Puck,, followed the crowd, and; &oon came to the Town Hall, outside of which hung a huge poster, on which^was written "Mannequin Parade." .'

jiniering me uau uivy naaae xneir way xo xne jruni ux me scans,, wnere the Fairy Queen was seated. . , / Puck introduced Coral, and then they were both invited to sit Mown next to the Queen. / Just then the announcer came onto the platform and announced fpat the parade would begin with a show of bathing costumes. ) ' - After that came the clocks of different colours and patterns, tMen the dressing-gown parade was next, when the fairies walked up and dc*wn the stage, hugging water-bottles. / However, the part Coral' liked b«st was the party frock parade, fApr when a.shy-little fairy came on. to the stage-., wearing a violet frock of iilk with frills- all round the bottom of it, the Fairy Queen said that Coral might have it afterithad'been made bigger. ; Coral was so delighted that she. kissed the Queen, much to Fucfctis. delight; After that the Queen took them back to. her paaw?e, where a feastfhad been prepared. ' ' ■ . "When she had ( eaten as many honey cakes and drunk as mv/bh dew as she could, Coral was given her dress, which had been made bigge^ for her. After that she thanked the Queen again,, and set off for hjbme, where the elf made her her normal size again. Then after Coral had tkaiiiked him for the lovely time he had given her, he" promptly disappeared. Coral was thankful as she climbed into bed that she had n,ot written to Elsie to say that she could not go to her, party, because now jshe could go after all. ~ ;

THE COLOURS WE LIKE

The cheerful red glow of the fire and the cold whit© of snow illustrate very clearly that colours produce, a definite mental effect upon us. Red and orange- we ..call cheerful; they are stimulating. Blue and green, on the other hand, are cool colours, restful and soothing-—except in certain "dreadful" shades!

We like certain colours, generally speaking, according to whether we like to be stimulated or.rested— our preference depends, in fact, on our temperament Very'often, though, we like or dislike certain colours through a particular, personal association 'j of ideas. For instancy; we" may simply > love a warm green shade because it is the colour of Mis,s Myrtle's tie, and Miss Myrtle, "our sports mistress, is utterly adorable! With equals proba-" bility-we may detest a perfectly harmless colour because it reminds us, perhaps unconsciously, pf: a .dress we once hated!

Some very interesting experiments have been carried out, both in England and on the Continent, to discover which colours are generally preferred,, which bring to light the fact that bur preference alters, as we grow up. Red, it is found, is the most popular colour between: the ages of four and nine, while blue is the most -ptopular colour between the, ages of nine and 15. >■~ ;■ t '\,;,. •:■ -: -^V - ,- : ~-,. . The average girl's colour preference -differs slightly from the average boy's^ Girls generally like colours in this birder: Blue, red,, : wJhite, green, yellow, ;black; while the equivalent list for boys- runs, according to the experiments: Blue,, red,, green* yellow, white blacky ' _•:;•'■ -;. ';'; , .:;..' •■ '.

CRAZY ADVERTISEMENTS

'. Itost.— A knitted lady's Jumper iand a green gentleman's glove.

Lost.—A watch 6y a boy with an illuminated dial. ' ' " > Lost.—A tennis racket by a man witß two broken strings. Sent by "BLUE B" and "LOSSIE LOTT." City. • ■ , • < Lost.—A purse by" &• lady made of brown! leather. j Found. —By a lady, sozna money that lsy very honest. " ' Found. —A brown beret by a lady with a' brooch, in the side. • - ' Lo»t.—A dog by a ntah wearing a leatha: collar. - . * ■ "BEDWING" (13) J City. . • 7

LITTLE WEAKER BIRDS

B<Cl>(^p>o(hCr>«><Z3-'

THE MTCH-WORK TfEA-COSY

! (Copied.)

It was' Brend's and Jane's Mummy who thotugftit of the cosy for Grannie's birthday You 'see, Grannie had such ; a lot of'grandchildren who all wanted to give presents. So Brenda's and Jane's ty/Gummy tnought it would be a splendftl idea if they all joined to•£etherj| tod <!! gave Grannie a tea-cosy made : J6i scraps. Brtsnda's and Jane's Mummy said she tyould make the cosy when they had iforoiight the patches. Brenda and Jane said, "It's a lovely idea!" ' So all the Mummies had to begin busily helping to make this cosy. The, dayy before Grannie's birthday, Br/9nda's and Jane's Mummy packed' it flip and posted it to Grannie. Grannie h#d invited all the grandchildren to j bjsfc party. And when they • arrived Were was the cosy standing up; arjß. I irfi.ore beautiful than the cake! "Doj I you like it, Grannie?" cried all the I/children as they crowded round j ffGrannie. "That's my bit, Grannie." ! "That's my bit, Grannie," they cried. I And Grannie said they couldn't have given her anything that pleased her more. "I. shall feel that, my grandchildren are'Svith roe every day," she said. ."PEG O' MY HEART;" /■City., ■;.;■." . ' ■•■ ■' ■ ■■■'-. ; ' . "^

There are little 'birds, known as weaver birds, living/in various parts of the world, which build-remarkable nests. They construct these nests close together in colonies and fashion them beautifully. .

THINK TWICE

The birds congregate ixv large flocks, gather grass, and/pile* it on. the branch of some tree ioj '-an enormous mass. They /give it ,kh irregular, umbrella shape, so that at looks like a small haystack. It is .almost solid, with the under surface fiiat. This pile is then honeycombed all over with little ca.yities, which :ser ; ve not-only as places in which they can hatch rtheir eggs, but also as" refuges ffdm"raih arid wind. Several of •"these structures may be, built in "the one tree, and if any damage is done to the polony the birds at once repair if, : So'much do these dome-shaped Structures.resemble native huts that even experienced travellers, seeing, them1 from a< distance, are; deceived. T^e .'birds tjine^; the nesting chambers j with feathers;, These are formed on both sides of ; the regular streets of the dome-sßaped home, with entrances, from the outside., As many as 800 to/ 1000 birds sometimes reside under tble same roof.

"YOU NEVER KNOW!" ...,. (Copied.) Some folks may like mustard Quite as much as custard; Some folks dote .on ink As. a summer driuk: Some folks-think that shoes ' ■ ', Atre beautiful in steves; Spme may think It good T*> chew a bit of wood. - - lira not one of these . Pass the jam, please. ,^^-r£^!M£S,IEZ£TA.'' (11). m*. ' ■■'■■.

A PARTY DISH. (Original.) My ■■ first is in joke and also in jest, 1 My second's in east and also in west ; • My third Is in small, but not in big. My ..fourth is in piglet but not in pig. My fifth isn't in girl, but it is in boy; My whole is a food we all enjoy. "JEMINA CANDLESTICK" (9). Karori. WHAT AM I? 1,-am riot flesh and blood, . Yet' have I many a rib. « No limbs except one leg, v 'Tis truth and not a flb. My friends are many, and dwell In lands of every race. But they poke' my nose in the mud, : And often spatter my face. I'm constantly carried about. And stuck in gutter and rut, And though I've no window or door. Yet I'm very frequently shut. CAN YOU GUESS? I am neither fish, flesh, nor fowl, yet I frequently stand upon one leg, and if you behead me I stand upon itwo. What is more strange, if you again decapitate me, I stand upon four, and; if you do not now recognise me. I shall think you are related to me 1 Sent by "WHITE HORSE INN." Lower Hutt. LAST WEEK'S PUZZLE ANSWERS. Built-up Name. —Susan. Riddle-me-ree. —Fairy. Guess Me!— Calf.

I'll tell you what the clock chimes sayt "Who's been a naughty girl today?"' It's very awkward, or you see, I mostly have to answer, "Ale 1" And on the days when I've been good, And said my poetry as I should, The chimes (which is an awful shame) Will ask the question just the same. "Who's been a naughty girl today?" Is what those clock chimes always sayl "TAR-BABY" («.

Newtowa.

NEW ARRIVALS

"We have some new little baby chickens. They: are dear wee things, too. I have made up a song about them." : ~_ ■

The chickens in the farmyard, They rim.: about v all day, ; "But if yve want to play with them, They quickly-.run "away. '■ ■'.■■ "JASMA" (7).

HOLIDAY FUN

,tl had a Srand holiday. I went right down to Reefton, then back to Nelson, where we stayed for several weeks." - . ■''/■I "POLLY FLINDERS" (11). ••■.CjLty.'- , ■ : •-... -..

ON HOLIDAY

"Some of my holidays I spent on a farm, about twelve miles from Masterton, on the Castlepoint Road. One day, when I was leaning over the railings of an old rustic bridge, several shaggy-coated bullocks trailed down the dusty track that led to the drinkingpool. The pool lay just beyond a grove of beautiful native bush which fringed the sides, of the clear rivulet."

Lower Hutt,

HELEN WEBLEY.

"WELCOME TO ...w

"Felicity Fair" (12) "Fickle Fancy" (12) "Ardara"i (13) , Mona Joplin (17) "Tui Chorus" (13) \

City City

Petone SoutH Africa Petone

Mona Joplin; whose address is Post Office, Komgha C.P., South Africa, would like a New Zealand boy penfr.iend of soveifteen or eighteen years of age. IVlona is intere.sted in all sport, music, collecting stamps, reading, and biology. Will somebody please send her a letter?

FAIRIEL. SENDS...

'.'Great Greenfeather," Jpftnsonville.—Two -dainty... sketches from your pen. The new .treatment of |he background in the smaller ■ /sketch is mosf effective. We hope you won ;; the race yesterday. Did you?. ( "■Silver Star," Johnsonville.—Every day a swimming day. The Weather Man has re- : lented at Jast. ' Thank you for the snip of : , a poemi. The Elf agrees with it entirely. VsLassie," Kelburn.—Letterbox JSlt and I peeped :'between the trees of the photograph and I found you. What an adventure and what 1 rivalry among bushland songsters. Even :'; the locusts were silent. A'MaryVw.," City.—What a heap of surprises your.;envelope carried. Letterbox Elf opened each .separate puzzle and joke for me. Thank you'for all of them. "Rambling Bon," City.—Are you keeping a scrapbook'.. of your printed work this year, Ron|;;'' Soys' and girls' pages make ah interesting hobby for you. :' "Patty lWl," City.—The Elf and 1 enjoyed your jokes'. How clever of brother Ken to make the rlittle Doat, Have you been for a sail in it?

"Blue Veil," City.—A red, red sun in a bed of'grey. I. saw that sunset too. What news you had to tell of your holiday. No wonder .Daddy called It your novel. "Nancy D.," Brooklyn. —JPerhaps those weeds sprang up just to welcome you. Yes, our gardens are . longing for showers and the Weather Man says it's a thankless task to please everybody. "Cherry Cheeks," City.—Party fun to remember. What a lovely time you had with your , cousin. '■■'~ ,:

"Gwen J.," Hataitai.—And does the swimming pool win or do you still prefer the waves? '■ Letterbox Elf and I like the rollers that roar in on grey days. "Red Witch," Miramar. —You are getting better and better at making up poetry. Soon, very Soon, you'll find it among our own verses, June.

TO EVERY ELF:

"Jonette." Levin.—You truly counted enough real sheep to send you to sleep but Letterbox Elf says the woolly ones must be jumping over' a gate. "Miftcemeat," Petone. —A good day for being a mermaid, wasn't it? Letterbox Elf added ten new freckles to his score. We've altered your'address in the Ring Roll. "Wineberry," Ngalo.—All brownies will love your poem, dear. Is the broken arm mending nicely? It was fun to have a lefthanded letter. You're very good at it. "Miraflora," Khandallah.—Birthday happiness to you, pixie. Another interesting picture story and a splendid try for Miss Elevenyears.

-irENNIFER is an extraordinary little girl; at least Great-Aunt Louise always I said so, and being Jen's Godmother she ought to know. "Of course, she s oil not a changeling or a fairy child, or a little queer^-oh no! She's perfectly normal, but she is blessed with the gift of an excessive imagination, which only her mother and I can understand," said Great-Aunt Louise. One day while they were in town for the day Jennifer's mother took her to see the Art Gallery. Some of the pictures enthralled her, but when mother met Miss Milden and began to chat, Jennifer was bored, and the paintings were dull. She slipped away from the two grown-ups, who were engrossed in their conversation, and made her way to the far gallery where the pictures of the people of long ago were hung. . She admiringly strolled up and down, up and down, gazing at all the lovely frocks and the magnificent gardens. Then she came to a portrait by a well-known young artist—a beautiful piece of work portraying three oldfashioned ladies dressed in the fashion of the seventeenth, eighteenth, and the nineteenth centuries respectively. Jen sank to her knees at the side of the picture. Here was food for her imagination! , Perhaps I can imagine something interesting about these little ladies —■ I wonder. . . . Why, yes. I can!"

In a large old-fashioned room of the court, three women are gathered together talking. They are prominent women in the society of their particular period, arid for convenience's sake I shall call them Seventeen, Eighteen, and Nineteen. Listen! They are discussing the various fashions of their respective days. Seventeen seems to be laughing at the others, and telling them how staid and simple they are!

(Seventeen): "Forsooth! Methinks times have changed somewhat since I graced her Virgin Majesty's ballroom and Drake's men sailed the Spanish Main. Clothes are quieter nowadays."

She looks at* the frocks of her companions, and then at her own jewelbedecked, lace-trimmed, rich brocaded apparel. '*' (Eighteen): "Indeed, they have, sister. We ladies believe in being quiet and thoughtful and wearing simple gowns, and we all have strong ideas about religion. Yes! I think such extravagance of dress does not please the gentlemen as does a clean, neat appearance. Mark you, I think sister Sarah's

A silver bubble of a moon showed the way to the Ring last Saturday, but every evening since the reaching fingers of the pines have stolen a little of her silver. Have you thought, Pixie Ones, that next time the moon -> is - round it will-be the Easter moon and you'll be finding holiday fun again. And there will be an Easter Page in the Ring, with room for your special Eastery stories, vefrses, and < drawings. Three whole weeks for you to think out your very best work. Who has seen the first-Easter egg, in its gay tinsel wrapping? Letterbox ,Elf has gone blackberrying again. He says he knows just where the luscious beauties are to be found, and he loves finding things—-except the answers to sums. '

Not many of our storymakers tried the Lavender and Old Lace" competition, but those who did enter sent stories to rival those of your bookshelves. Best of all was sent by Pat Dobson, aged 14, of Dannevirke, and when you have read "An Art Gallery Fancy" you will agree that Pat really deserved the prize. "Aute" and "Miraflora" also sent good stories, and these, too, will find -places in the Ring. Now, read on, Pixie People, but please give the Easter moon a special place in your memory boxes!

FAIRIEL.

THE FAIRY AND THE FIELD MOUSE

(Written by "Pom-Pom," 11, of Island Bay.)

FAIRY POM-POM was; a little town worker; she worked every day on anything untidy her big blue eyes fell upon. The Queen said that she was one of her best workers, and so allowed her to have a holiday. Pom-pom was pleased, and thought at once, "I'll go to the country," which you might have guessed.

Next morning she made some daisy-chain reins, put them on her riding butterfly, and set off.

Now, in the same place where Pom-pom stopped was a big hairy field-mouse, and one day he came across her as she was sitting on a leaf

enjoying the summer sun. He heard a rustling noise and couldn't see for the tall grass, so he climbed up a long stalk of wheat to see. There was Pom-pom. She looked up suddenly. "Hullo," said the moute sharply. Pom-pom felt shy, but said timidly, "Hullo! Who are you?" "Who am I? Why, you ignorant child, what do you think I am? "A rat?" said Pom-pom doubtfully. i "A rat!" shouted the field-mouse. "How shocking! I wouldn't be a rat for—for—well, for—o, for anything! I'm a real, proper fieldmouse. 0, dear, 0, dear! These tiresome fairies! Good-bye!" And before Pom-pom had time to say anything, he scampered down the wheat and was gone. But before Pom-pom's holiday was ended, she and the field-mouse (she never again mistook him for a rat) became quite friendly, and they had many games together in the wheat-field before she returned once more to the Queen's courts

4N ART GALLERY FANCY

(Prize Story illustrating "Lavender and Old Lace," written by Patricia Dobson, 14, of Dannevirke.)

THE STREAMLET

(Original.) The streamlet ripples by With a murmur and a sigh; Winding through bush and glen, Leaping . now and gliding then; Passing banks where children play, Never stopping night or day; Laughing merrily with glee Till it reaches Mother Sea. "AO-TE-AROA" (10). Lower Hutt.

BITS OF NEWS

"We have a canary at school. . We call him Tony. Joan's father is going to get us a budgie."

"TOMMY." "I went to the beach and had two swims."

"ANNE ELIZABETH" (5). . "Mother found a wee canary and he is chirping now."

"JOAN."

"At our picnic the boat tipped over." "DAVID" (5)

"I am in Standard 2 this year. We take it in turns to clean Tony's cage after school."

"PEGGY" (7). "1 sit by Elizabeth in school. Our bird likes a bath." "MAKGARET J." C 3). Ngahau School. .

RULES OF THE RING

Visiting nours to the Fair* King are 3 to «.3O o'clock on Mondays. Wednesdays. and Friday*.

I AOdres»( letter* to Fainei. "Fairy Kino "Evening Post" City Cl

2- fell your age, name. «no address, a* well as your pen-name.

3 Always say whether yonr work n original or . copied. . . ■• ■■-~.. '

4 Oo drawing on unMnco whit* naoef >n

genail or Indian Ink.

ft Leave ■■•'■'; margin when writino stone* or worses, and write in INK on one iidc oi the aaper only .... b The -Ring closes at 4 o'etoeh on Woones- - days, to ooal early In the week

AN ANSWtN TO . . ♦

"Maid of th« Moors," Hataltal.—Your letter came a day lata for last week's Ring, elf. But aren't you baring the grandest time, with so much swimming and fun I ■ "Silver Water," City.—Good gracious—to forget your own name! Letter-box Elf says he'll paint it in bright red on your mushroom, and make it plain as plain. "Blue 8.," City.—So very nice of you both to visit, and next time perhaps Lossle Lou will . come too. Look for the funny little piece you sent in next week's Ring. "Red-Wing," City.—lt's a good wee story, only that the frocks seem rather more important than the skating. I'd have liked to hear a little more about the championship. "Gipsy Princess," Pahiatua.—But that's a ■ splendid story, sweetheart. I sent it to Printer-man straight away, so that you'll be reading it in the Ring .tonight or next week. "Fickle Fancy," City.—Such late visitors ; . but you were just in time. It was most nice to welcome you both to the Fairy Ring. "Felicity Fair," City.—Lovely that you are both story makers. Letter-box Elf and I will both be watching for your tales to appear. Who'll be the first? ' "Ardara," Petone.—'l'm perfectly certain no elf has happened on that! Where did you find it, pixie? It's:a quaint name. "Aute," Island Bay:-r-If it has any fault, it's that Jennifer .figures a little too much, and the picture ladies not quite enough, for their importance to the story.' Everything else, specially your style, couldn't be better; "Pat D.," Dannevirke.—Poem and sketch will find a place, Pat. Try to study the rhythm of words carefully, lass. Reading good poetry helps, tremendously. "Mona J-," South Africa.—A mushroom beneath a jacaranda tree? Thrilling to find strange stamps in the Letterbox. We'd loVe to hear more from this new pixie. : "Sydney Damsel," Lyall Bay.—A ' holiday in Wonderland. Did you see Aladdin's cave with its jade pool? Glad you have not forgotten our mushroom ring, tho' you sprang into the outside world with a hop, skip, and jump. "Ardagh," Northland.—"That's a photograph sketch," said Letterbox Elf when he saw your drawing. The three in your picture were wearing their very best smiles. Good work for a very young artist. "Little Budgie," Johnsonville.—"Colour" is a charming poem for a little person to recite. And there are still colours left over for you to make a poem about. Try? "Mother Bear," Lower Hutt.—So you have discovered the fun of silhouette-making. We'd love to have your minuet lady in the Ring.

"Tui Chorus," Petone.—This pen-name takes us back to bushland ways and its cool, dim greenness. A special welcome to a storymaker I , Try again, Rita. .Your story was not quite ready for Printer Man.

costume is too heavy-looking and severe. No ribbons and laces: just black serge."

(Seventeen) (laughing): "Ye Gods! Women have certainly changed. Od's Bodkins, Jane, ypu talk like a Quaker. Tis a good thing Bess is dead these many years, or life would not be so easy for your kind. And men like a rich appearance, child!" (Nineteen): ;'Decidedly not! I don't agree. It is disgusting to see the way people dressed in your time, Lady Anne. Bare shoulders, hair curled artificially, or wigs used! Ribbons and flowers, and silly bonnets like Jane's are foolish. Good plain serge is good enough, and sensible. In my day we wore these high necklines, full skirts, leg o' mutton sleeves and no fal-lals." She turned up her nose at the.clothes of the other two. ' (Eighteen): "In places you're right, Sarah, but this bonnet is not silly, and your costume really is severe, and too plain. Queen Bess allowed too much freedom of dress at her court, but my dress is just right. Plain headstyles aren't fashionable, and look too ordinary." (Nineteen): "They are not" (Seventeen): "Be quiet, I say, and listen to the story about Sir Walter Raleigh when he danced with me!" (Eighteen): "I won't! What about the time. . . .?" (Nineteen): "Oh, stop, stop!"

They are all quarrelling violently. Lady Anne ends up in a real Elizabethan temper and Sarah's anger is shown in the Victorian manner, in her tight-lipped, snapping eyes, while Jane is sulking. Suddenly "they retained their normal places in the foreground of their picture, and all was quiet once more. Jennifer got her feet, stretching her stiff legs. She remarked to nobody in particular: • "What fun! I'll bet that's just how they'd argue. That was better than traipsing round with Miss Milden and mother. Poor dears, those three ladies must get tired of being stuck up there year in, year out. Perhaps they dance at night with the gentlemen in the other pictures. Who knows? Oh. here I am, mother. I'm coming!" As she went out through the door she was certain she heard Lady Anne laugh with silvery lightness and say softly, "Who knows, Jennifer?" and heard them all laughing quietly She tip-toed back, but "all was still. Did she just imagine it? Who knows?

MOLLY'S WASHING

(Copied by "Sunlight," of Island Bay, for the Tinies.J

J^£OLLY went down to the gate to wave good-bye to Mummy, who was just off to take a few things to a sick friend, leaving Molly to take care of the house and her brother Peter. Peter was playing with his bricks when Molly went in, and he seemed very contented, so she heaved a sigh of relief, because there was quite a lot of tidying to do. "It's going to be great fun," she said to herself. "I will get the place ever so clean and do all Peter's washing and ironing before Mummy comes home. It will be a great help, and she'll be ever so pleased." It seemed ages before she had finished sweeping and dusting. Then there were the beds to make and the breakfast things to wash up, but at last she was ready to start the washing. "Now for some nice hot water," she said, "and I'll soon have these things lovely and clean, and hanging on the line i nthe garden." She took the big tub out, and soon had it full of soft soap-suds. Then she sorted out Peter's things from the linen basket, and was soon rubbing away at them for all she was worth. It was very warm work, but at last she was wringing them out of the rinsing water.

"There!" she said proudly. "Now for the clothes-pegs, and I'll soon have them on the line." Molly carried the basket over the grass and ran inside to fetch the pegs. '

Peter, who up to this time had been quite happy with his bricks and toys, began to get restless and cross. "Oh, dear," said Molly, and then she lookec at the clock. "Why, it's long past our dinner-time! Poor old Peter, he mus' be hungry." She went to the pantry and fetched their food, and proceedec to lay the cloth. ■

"Cqme on, Peter, dear," she said,' "you've been such a good boy this morning. Mummy, will be pleased when I tell her." When they had finished,

Molly cleared away the things and washed up. Then she ran out to the garden to hang up the clothes.

Poor Molly! What a shoek 4 she had; All her washing was strewn about the garden and covered with dirt! "Whatever could have happened?" she gasped, and then she understood. The puppy from next door was just disappearing under the fence. So he was the culprit! Molly blinked back the tears at the sight of her washing. 4"I don't think they'll ever come clean again!" she sighed She gathered them up and put them into the basket.

"Where are you, Molly?" It was Mother's voicd calling. She came into the garden as she spoke, to find Molly looking sadly down at a basket of very dirty washing "Why, whatever is the matter, dear?" she asked. Then Molly told her how she had wanted to get it all done as a surprise. "How very nice of you, dear," her mother said. "But cheer up. They won't take very long to rinse through, and you can peg them up for me." So Molly helped her get some more water, and very soon they were hanging up to dry. so. her washing day was not such a "failure after all.

■C^XXK" ' >r«X XXnC~~>otp<rrr~>Oo<C"^»C<K.

ANSWER IF YOU CAN

1. Who was the first man to reach the South Pole?

2. Why do we always shake hands with our right hands?

THREE WISHES

(For: Tiniiesi)

3. : Why are there so many unusual animals in Australia?

4. What is the difference between a cruiser and a battleship? 5. What rare substance is necessary for the growth of teeth?

ANSWERS.

1. The Scsuth Pole was first reached by the Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen, in December, 1911.

June and her little brother Billy used to get up very early every morning and gather water from a little stream near their. ' house.* , One particular morning as they were, .going to the stream as usual they heard someone crying. They looked down and saw

2. The custom of shaking hands with the right hand has come down from the time when every man carried a sword or knife. In those days, when one met a stranger it was customary, as a friendly gesture, to hold out the right hand, to show that it did not hold a sword or knife ready , for attack. 3. Australia has been an island continent, cut off from the rest of the world, for many millions of years. Some of the very ancient animals have, therefore, been able to1 live on here, although competition with newer animals killed them off in other parts of the world.. .

4. A cruiser is a warship built principally for speed, at the expense of armour and gun strength A oattieship has much heavier armoui and larger and more numerous guns 5. A very small amount of fluorine, combined with other substances, is believed to be necessary for the growth of the enamel on our teeth In its pure form fluorine is a poisonous, intensely corrosive gas which corrodes almost every known substance and destroys all living matter.

nwCXllX^Xi

a little fairy. She had only one shoe on. and..-her.-hair, was Ho-wing about in the wind, as.she had lost her hat and shoe. June tried to comfort her, while Billy looked for the hat and shoe.. He walked.over towards a large tree and suddenly he stopped, as he saw a baby, squirrel trying to squeeze the shoe on his foot, and it had the little hat at its side. Billy managed to grab the hat, but the squirrel ran up the tree with the shoe. Billy climbed up the tree and bumped his head, but he did- not give.up. He went straight up and. he caught .the naughty little squirrel and took the. shoe from him. The squirrel cried w because he had lost his treasures, and Billy felt sorry for him. He climbed down from the tree and gathered a lot of acorns and put them in the squirrel's little' storehouse , f Then he ran as fast as he could and took the hat and shoe back to the fairy, and she thanked him and said that he and June could have three wishes. Billy wished for a toy fire engine, a new dress for mummy, a | new suit for daddy. He got them all. Next it was June's turn to wish. She. wished for a gold watch, a hat and purse for mum, and a hat and tie for dad. The/fairy said that they were .very unselfish to think of their mother and father, and she took them to see the Fairy Queen and they had a beautiful banquet After that the Queen gave them each a little brooch with "Kindness" written on it. They thanked her very much and then they were back in their own garden. And sure enough the things they wished for were next to them on the ground and they had their brooches on their coats just where the Queen had put them. "RED WING" (13). City. . :

SMILE AWHILE

WITH GREAT CARE. Bill Brown went to London to shop. And longer, for pleasure, did stop; Wheu a hlg box arrived Mrs. Brown scarce survived. For ehp read "BHI inside" on the top! BEATING THE RECORD What is the difference between « ehntiiptwi f athlete and a doctor's watch timing a imtlout's j pulse? One beats the record and the other roconls the beat. OF COURSE NOT. Bill: You should uever dive Into it swlmmnm*pool after a big dinner. ! Jack: Why not? J Bill: Because you'll noror ttiui «ne <Uor# } MISTAKEN. : In the dark street tho \lll»»<> tmvit with some carols, while n oitllooiwr o*llo\? swvs> house to house. "What do you wiint," di'tn.uuisM •* U.\ holder The collector slinoh UN t>ov * I \v l »i *V for a gratuity." "A gratuity? I ihoiiulM \^ MV> x -v to apologise." SANTA HI-AU& With bags of toys «U1 \\-*i'x Comes down the oht«»ftp> But, when he's don« «h»^ -VJi5 Why Is his beaM ihM M-vA* "AFTERNOON! tMH ' .| ' ((Ifrifrlnal ) One afternoon Redwing «tt<i i ' To ride on the "dodgems' >*<M.t c ,i in tr\ i Wo sat down together in <-a\ nttirhVT j\ ' And then with the mttvii* the oa> n.tVs ' It ran round In circles, lM ( mpln< in?.1* m, \\d i Till 1 besau to wondei if \ >n?« «ii\wiwt 1^ • all! 1 Somebody biuißed us, so we (UM'ei1! iVip «h*vi round. And steered very well all v>\ei (he evxHW^l I got bruised, but wo renllj liaii t\;n v }mi aoe . If anyone reads this I'm .sui'a th»^'» sg\\^ ••4IISCHIBVOUS" (XSK City,

\?." A. A MrlWO

h\ ,v, v s >, xvdiiian who lived \M \hf vhate oi her iattuly lived in

1 Sv\o "hao «six*s"-fiVe sons and a dear i ,huTe daughters And /he soaped thefti by sixes m lavenAAd \Vhen «;he «ad ftnsed them, their is-v little t&<&& \\Wild dix iftx-ough Hie noles whicw weif m«id<» fov tlie laces T'liei'e w <h^ time* when she though^ 'It would sooner be done If I'd MXi.j five daughters and one little son." (Because girls are much cleaner than bays!)