BIG BROTHER BILL AND THE BAIRNS

Evening Star, Issue 19894, 16 June 1928, Page 17

BIG BROTHER BILL AND THE BAIRNS

A WEEKLY TALK Hello Everybody : The winner of the competition last time was Miss Mavis Paine, 116 Maitland street, Dunedin. But Mavis didn’t answer all the questions correctly; she got sixteen out of the twenty, and at that was better than all the others who entered. The correct answers are:—Match, watch, river, boot, clock, armchair, umbrella, tree, rooster, brush, saw, vyce, table, inchtape, potatoes, bod, cliff, hill, wind, motor car. In answer to an inquiry regarding the competitions, anybody can use those competitions at a party if they like. Brother Bill will charge no lee excepting the teeniest bit of party cake or a few lollies. The motto for this week is a real good one, although, as said the old lady, “I says it as shouldn’t.” And since rumour is whispering that the school inspector is abroad in the land, some of the family will be bound to prove it to be true. Everybody wants to do their best at school examinations, and everywhere else for that matter: and we all hope for the best. But IT IS NO USE HOPING FOR THE BEST UNLESS YOU TAKE OFI YOUR COAT AND WORK FOR IT. Yours affectionately always, BIG BROTHER BILL.

THE POSTIE’S BAG 10 Phillip street, Limvood, Christchurch. Dear Brother Bill,—Would you kindly put over the air on Tuesday night this message to Molly and Betty Gollan, 33 Roseberry street, Belleknowes, Dunedin:—-Best wishes from Grandma, Auntie Till, and Uncle Jack. Grandma is quite well, and is having a nice time in Christchurch. I enjoy Istening to tlie children’s sessions heie, and I know you listen in every night when Big Brother Bill is on. Love to all.—From Grandma E. Gollan.

[I put that letter in the postie s bag to show yon what a wonderful thing is radio. Grandma Gollan has a rncuo set, and so has Molly and Betty. Grandma is in Christchurch, and Molly and Betty are in Dunedin. All that is needed is a goodhearted chap iko Big Brother Bill in between, and a message goes swift as light from one to the other. The distance docan t matter at all, either to Grandma GelTon, Betty, and Mollv, or any other member of our famdy- I '® lll different houses and in different places, but we are all one family circle when the carrier wave brings Brother BUI s voice into your home, which is both splendid and wonderful.]

81 Highcliff road, Anderson's Bay. Dear Big Brother Bill, —Thank you very much for the lovely book you sent me by the Radio Postman. It is called ‘Tales of King Arthur.’ It has lovely stories and very .pretty coloured pictures. For my birthday 1 got a n etty cream ribbon, a game of Blind 1 ig, « pair of shiny shoes, a pencil case rut i a mapping pen and two lead pencils and this pen 1 am writing with now in it. I cot a work basket, with pins and needles, hooks and eyes; a box of writing paper, and a wee gold box rutli three pretty hankies in it, and two other ones, and two wee ornaments. Was I not a lucky girl? How did you know Jean with there and about her birthday? 1 was at Jean’s birthday last Saturday. We bad lots of games and lovely things. I am sorry there is no cake of mine left to send to you. And Brother Bill, will you please tell us the story, of the little sqinnchy duck? I liked that story very much. Daddy and mother have been to Invercargiil for a holiday, and Daddy brought Juno a ball, and we got a packet of transfers. Mother gave ns a game of Happy Family between ns. Grandma and grandpa are away back to Christchurch again.—Lots of love from Jack, Bert, June, and Bernice Hayraan.

[That is a long letter, but when you consider it is troin four people it is not so long after all. Certainly it is most interesting. You must all bo very lucky people on the Higbcliff road, and if ever 1 am looking tor another mother and father I shall certainly conio and knock at your door. Look at the gifts you receive from them ; absolutely stunning 1 call it. And Bernice gets enough birthday presents to fill a wheel-barrow. I think that Mother and Father Hayman must have two things at least—a lot of money and a lot of love for their bairns. Certainly the last. Brother Bill sends a handful of kisses to divide among the four of you, and lots of love in return.]

Convalescent Home, Dunedin

Bear Brother Bill,—l would tike to join your happy family. My birthday is on July 9, and I will be elevein I have been a patient in the hospital fourteen months, but am hoping to go homo very soon. My mate, Ralph, wrote you a letter, and we were very pleased to see your answer in the ■Star.’ We have not got a radio here, hut we have a gramophone and a number of records.—l will close now, with good luck from yours sincerely, Fred. Dennison.

[The same to you, sou, and heaps of it—-enough good luck to put you nu your feet quickly and make you well again. I remember Ralph, the brave chap who wrote me a letter some weeks ago. and I am glad to receive you into the family, too. A cheerful heart _is hotter than medicine, Fred; and being brave about things helps the doctor womlerfullv. You ask the if Brother Bill isn’t giving good advice. When I come out to see you one day I shall expect, to you both because you have tho biggest and brightest smile in tho hospital. Thanks for your letter, Fred, and tons of good wishes to Ralph and yourself.] Pleasant Valley Sanatorium, Palmerston. Dear Brother Bill, —I am a patient at Pleasant Valley Santaorium, and expect to bo here for some time. So I would like to join your family of listeners. As we aro going to get a big new wireless sot, I will bo able to listen in every evening. I enjoyed your children’s hour on Friday evening. I am fifteen, and hope that is a nice age to join your circle.—Yours sincerely, Mary Pratt.

[Well, Mary, that’s a very nice letter. Certainly you are welcome to a seat in the family circle, but you will understand what I mean when I say that I hope your expectations of staying at Palmerston for “some time” will be disappointed. While you are there .write to me as often as you care to, and I shall be very glad.- Your age is just exactly right, Mary: as a matter of truth, .Fll whisper a secret to you which you must keep to yourself. .Age doesn’t matter m my family, because we are all young. Anybody who Jiasn’t forgotten" how to tell a joke or laugh at one being told _ is eligible to join. But the person with the gloomy mind and the bad temper gets the door slammed like a slap in the face. Servo them right, too; they’ve no business to be alive. So keep a smile on, Mary, even though you have to ask “sister to stick it on with court plaster.”] Wednesday. Dear Big Brother Bill,—l wish to be one of your happy family. My name

is. Elsie Roberts, and 1 go to High Street School. 1 am in class 111. i read all the bedtime stories, and like them very much. I have four brothers and two sisters. I am the youngest, and my oldest brother is twentyr nine. Good-bye. Write to me on Saturday, please.—Elsie Roberts. [Of course, I couldn’t resist such a pleading end to a letter, even though Elsie has a really truly big brother already. Still, Elsie, he. is not as big as Big Brother Bill in ago (even though he is twenty-nine), so I shall be your Big Brother Bill after all. Now, don’t begin to think that 1 am an old man because you would be.quite wrong. I shall never grow old if I can help it. And such letters as yours Elsie will help to keep me young. 1 am glad yon like the stories, and, since you say such nice things about Big Brother Bill, 1 shall be glad to have you in the family. Thank you very much for your letter.] BIRTHDAYS Ruth White, King street, Mosgicl, was nine years old on Tuesday, June 12. Many happy days to little Ruth. The radio postio called with a parcel, and left it on the window seat in the front bedroom. It was an umbrella; so now Ruth will bo ready for winter weather. Molly Haig, Lauder, was five years ofd on June 8. Many, many happy days to little Molly. She has been attending school since Easter, and is doing fine. She had a party and a birthday cake, and the radio postie left a small parcel underneath her pillow. Bruce Barnes, Binnie street, Abbotsford, was ten years old on Saturday, June 9. Many happy days to Bruce. The radio postie called with an electric torch, and left it under his pillow. Bruce will bo able to let his light shine splendidly from now on. Joyce Haliday Taylor, 76 Hazel avenue, Caversham, will be sis years old on June IS. Many happy days to little Joyce. The radio postio called with a parcel and left it on the gramophone table in the dining room. Joyce shared her happiness by sending a postal note for 2s 6d for the sanatorium wireless fund. Many thanks.

Billie Matheson, Morrison’s P. 0., Waihcmo Downs, had a birthday on Tuesday. June 12, and was nine years old. Billy is a lucky chap. Ho has a pony named Tommy, and fourteen rabbit traps, with which he goes trapping. Also he had a birthday party, with cake and the nicest things to go with it. And he wants an airgnn. I don’t know what was in it, but the radio postio left a parcel on the little carved tablo in the front bedroom. Many happy days to Billie. Doreen Shepherd writes to thank Brother Bill for her birthday parcel. It had gum hooks, nice slippers, garters, and a locket in it. Splendid. Doreen. I am glad the gum boots and slippers were just your size. The very best wishes to all the birthday people whose names do not appear in.'this column. It you want your name fo appear in print you must write Brother Bill a few clays before your birthday. Don’t forget, because that is most important. A POEM FOR BOYS One of the familv asks mo to (print the poem Rudyard Kipling wrote specially for boys. Well, hero it is, under this note, although the excellent advice in the poem is us much for girls as for boys. I have never really understood why everybody should think bovs can’t get along without barrow loads of advice, whilst girls need scarcely any at all; advice is good ior both parties—in small doses, of course, and with-a sugar coating, like this poem. But read, the poem and enjoy it.

If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make allowance for their doubting, too; . If you can wait, and not be tired ol waiting; Or, being lied about, dou t deal in lies; Or, being hated, don't give way to hating, And yet don’t look good or talk too wise.

If you can dream, and not make dreams your master; If you can think, and not make thoughts your aim; If you can meet with triumph and disaster, And treat those two imposters just the same.

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew To serve your turn long alter they aro gone, , And ao hold on when there is nothing in you, Except the will, which says to them, “Hold on.”

Jf you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with kings, nor lose the common touch; If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you ; If all men count with you, but none too much ; If you can fill the unforgiving minute With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run; Your’s is the earth and everything that’s in it, And—what is more—.you’ll be a man, my son. THE QUESTION BOX . “ Dear Brother Bill, —lliavo been visiting an aunt at Wellington, and was horribly seasick crossing in the lorry. What makes you seasick, Brother Bill? Do you know a good cure? i ask you this because you appear to have travelled a great deal. . . .’ Joyce. [1 have travelled a great deal, Joyce, but not tar enough to discover a cure for seasickness. Like yourself, I suffer the wretchedly humiliating experience every time I go across in the ferry. Nobody seems to have a cure. A doctor friend of mine once recommended raspberry jam. When asked what ho meant by such an absurd prescription, he answered: “ Well, it’s the nicest cure, anyhow; it tastes the same coming up as going down.” It was his way or saying that all cures are overcome by the trouble, but it wasn’t at all a helpful thing to say, was it? The wise men explain the reason for seasickness in a very strange fashion. It appears, Joyce, that you have little cnrly-wurly 'passages inside your ears which keep you right side up. You don’t turn head over heels because these little semi-circular canals in your ears keep you steady. But you can’t keep steady when you are on a boat that does every sort of undignified thing except turn complete _ somersaults ; so the poor little semi-circular balancing canals in your ears, after frantically doing all they can to keep you steady, give up in despair. And you know what happens next. The curious thing is that these queer little canals in the cars arc very useful to fishes. A fish has no ears, of course, but there is a little dent on either side of its head; behind this dent aro the queer little balancing canals. In the fish they arc little curlv, hairy passages; and by the way the water rushes through them as the fish twists this way and that in the water it learns to swim on an even keel. I suppose, Joyce, this will be’ the reason why some people advice miserable folk like you

ami mo to put cotton wool in our cars when going a sea voyage; you can try it next time. As for Brother Bill, the only way cotton wool would stop him getting into trouble would bo to stuff a bale of it down his throat. FRANKLIN HYDE (Who caroused in tho dirt and was corrected by bis uncle). His uncle came on Franklin Hyde Carousing in the dirt. Ho .shook him hard from side to side, And hit him till it hurt, Exclaiming, with a final thud; “Take that, Abandoned boy, » For playing with disgusting mud As though it were a toy.” Moral: From Franklin Hyde’s adventure learn To pass your leisure time In cleanly merriment, and turn From mud and ooze and slime And every form of nastiness; But, on the other hand, Children in ordinary dress May always play with sand. H. Bklloc (‘Tho Cautionary. Tales’). THE COMPETITION

Do you know what is a simile? it is a figure of speech expressing a likeness to something—thus, “That boy is as sharp ns a needle.” This competition will test your skill and memory in regard to similes. The correct answer given to eacli question will complete a familiar simile. This competition will close on Juno 23 (next Saturday). 'J ho prize will be as usual. 1. As wise as an owl. 2. As innocent, as a 3. As scared ns a 4. As cunning as a 3. As poor as a (3. As proud as a 7. As stubborn as a 8. As busy as a 9. As tender as a 10. As strong as an 11. As deceitful ns a 12. As grim as 13. As restless as a 14. As crooked as a 15. As swift as a 16. As thin as a 17. As thick as 18. As clear as 19. As keen ns a 20. As tight as a THE RAT PRINCESS A BEB-TiME STORY All the family knows that just recently Noel Davidson gave Big Brother Bill a pair of white rats. I have them still, of course, in. a little two-story house made of boxes, all snug and comfortable in the washhouse. Well, the other day I discovered this .tale about rats. It is a Japanese tale, and certainly worth again to the family. So here goes.* Once upon a time there was a rat princess who lived with her father and mother, the rat king and queen, in a rice field in far-away Japan. The rat princess was pretty, with snow-white fur, little pink eyes like rubies, and the daintiest front paws, just like wee, wee bands. Her father and mother were so foolishly proud of her that they decided she .should not marry anybody less important than the most powerful person in the world.

Nobody else could possibly be good enough. Well, tho lather rat started out to find the most powerful person in tho world, raid before going further decided lo ask a wise old rat who had lived lor nobody knows how long in a drain on tho north-cast corner of tho rice field.

“Humph,” said the wise old rat in a way wise people have. “Humph! 1 suppose the sun is tho most powerful person in the world, since it is ho that makes tho rice to grow and ripen.” “Thank you kindly,” said the rat Icing respectfully, because even kings have to respect brains, “ thank you kindly. I shall now visit the sun.”

Well the rat king climbed the highest mountain, ran up the curve of a rainbow, and as quick us a wink was racing across tho blue floor ol the sky. In a groat while he came lo tho sun’s house.

“What do you want, little brother?” tho sun asked when ho saw him. “I come,” said tho rat king, very importantly, *' to offer the hand of my daughter, the princess, because you are. tho most powerful person in the world. No one else is good enough.”

“Ho, ho,” laughed the suu, so heartily, that his eyes were closed by his fat cheeks, “you are kind, little brother. But the princess is not for me. The cloud is more powerful than I, for when he passes over me i, cannot shine.”

“Indeed,” said tho rat king, “then you are nob the man for me,” and he left tho sun without more words. But all the sun did was to laugh louder than ever.

Well, the rat king travelled across the sky until lie came to the cloud's house.

“What do you want, little brother?” sighed the cloud when he saw him. “J come to offer the hand of my daughter, the princess,” said the rat king, “ because you are the most powerful person in tho world. Tho sun said so, and no one else is good enough.” The cloud sighed again. “1 am not the most powerful pierson in the world,” he said; “tho wind is stronger than I—when he blows, 1 go wherever ho sends mo.” “ Then you are not tho husband for my daughter,” said tho rat king, proudly, and off he started lo find the wind. Well, he had to travel this time to the very edge of the sky, where, in great caverns, the wind makes his home.

When the wind saw him coming he laughed a big, gusty laugh. “Ho, ho,” lie roared, “what do you want, little brother?” “I come to offer you the hand of the rat princess,” said the rat king again, “ because you are the most powerful in the world. Hie cloud said so.” . “ Indeed 1 am not,” the wind roared again. “The wall a man makes is stronger than I am; lie will not move with all my blowing. Go to the wall; little brother.” So tho rat king had to trot back again over the sky's blue floor, by tho cloud’s house and the sun’s house, down the curve of the rainbow,_ until he came to tho wall quite near his own rice field.

“ What do you want, little brother?” grumbled the. wall, when he saw him.

“ 1 come to offer you tho hand of my daughter, the rat princess, because you are the most powerful person in the world, and no one else is good enough.” “Ugh, ugh,” grumbled the wall, “ then you have come to tho wrong place, "i am not the strongest. Tho big grey rat who lives in the cellar is stronger than 1. When he gnaws and gnaws at me I crumble and crumble, and at last I fall. Go to the rat, little brother.”

And so, after travelling all over the world to find the most powerful person, the rat king had to marry Ins daugher to a rat after all. But the princess was glad of it, because she had been in love with the grey rat in the cellar all tho time. THE LOUIE RECIPE Here is a lollio that is cheap to pre-‘ pare, easy to make, nice when it is made, and healthy to eat—which seems to meet al Ithe necessary demands of popular lollie making. Wash a cup of cooking almonds and put them through the follow with a cup of stoned dates. Now put almonds and dates through the mincer together. Make into marbles and roll in castor sugar. This lollie may be varied by using walnuts and dates, almonds and raisins, walnuts and raisins, almonds and figs, and so on, in as many combinations as you may fancy. A'more expensive lollie may be made by dipping tbc balls of nutti-fruiti meat in melted chocolate. In doing that, do not roll the balls in castor sugar. Pick them up on the end of a small afternoon tea fork, and dip them in liquid chocolate, made according to the following directions: — Melt a bar of chocolate by shredding it into a small basin, and, placing the basin inside a saucepan partlv filled with boiling water. Two tablespoons of hot water may be added to assist melting. Stir until completely melted and well mixed, then remove basin to a table and dip the nutti-fruiti balls in tho chocolate. If yon have no waxed paper on which to place the dipped hails, use clean brown paper. The chocolate halls will peel off when set and dry. Tho dipped nutti-fruiti balls are called “ chocolate titbits,” and are delicious. Cheerio everybody! ' BIG BROTHER BILL.