BIG BROTHER BILL and the BAIRNS

Evening Star, Issue 22228, 4 January 1936, Page 4

BIG BROTHER BILL and the BAIRNS

HOT FOR OURSELVESALONE The winners of the Santa Claus letter competition are Joy Childs, Beaumont, and Irene Milburn, 59 lleid road, Dunedin, S.l. Congratulations. THE HEW-M9TTO. The winner of the 1936 motto competition is Joy Childs, Beaumont. Joy’s entry is at the head of the columns for-this first week'of.; the'New Year. While on : : the subject of the New Year Brother Fill would like to wish, all the bairns a very happy and prosperous, one. The first day pt 1930 was beautiful, with warm sunshine and cool breezes, the kind of day on which it was good to be alive. Everybody was happy, because 1936 came in with a smile. Big Brother Bill hopes that the year on which we have entered will be the same through all its days as it was on-the first. When the cold days and rain come again, as come they will and must if old Mother Nature is _ to prepare the earth- for other springtimes and summers, may we all carry sunshine and laughter in the heart I A happy New Year to everybody. HOW TO SPEND FIVE SHILLINGS Looking through the letters on this 'subject that came as entries, for our Christmas competitions, Big' Brother Bill has come to the conclusion that Vera Downes should be awarded the prize of live : shillings. The bairns will a<rree that Vera has written a good letter, and her way of spending the live, shillings would bring happiness to a number of people other than herselr. Congratulations to Vera. : 17 Swan street, Dunedin, N.l, December 17, 1935. Dear Big Brother Bill, —This is the way in which I would spend five snillings;— I have a little girl friend who has just come home after being in the, hospital and as she is not properly better she has to stay on a couch. As she is very lonely and has nothing to do. I would buy her a shilling bos of paints and two painting books of farmyard animals. These would keep her amused-' for' hours and also relieve her poor mother. Next I would buy a ninepenny- luce-embroidered handkeichief for a dear old lady who lives opposite us. For the little boy next door I would buy a pencil case, as.he Will soon bo starting school. To his. sister I would give a brown leather, zip-fas-tener pursej with threepence inside. For my mother I would buy a sixpenny bunch of roses, 1 as she hkes them but has no room to grow, them herself. As my father says he is not happy unless he , has. -■ a smoke, so • i would buy him a packet of cigarettes. With my last threepence I would buy a Maori Christmas card and send it to mv cousin in England. I would be very happy then, having made other people happier, ’ A merry Christmas to vou and all the aunts and uncles.—l remain, vours faithfully, Vera Downes. p.S.—I- am 14 years of age THE COMPETITIONS Here are some puzzles with matches. The under tens have to change six matches into nine, and the overmens have to make match squares. These are interesting puzzles that-you can work out on the table and then tr ansfer to paper by drawing straight line.. Send your answers to Big Brother Kill, care the ‘ Evening Star’Np'spaper, Stuart street, Maik the envelopes “ Competition.” MAKING NINE. (Under 10 years. Prize one shilling.) Arrange six matchsticks parallel with each other in this way I I I 1 1 /■ Now add five more matches and malic nine. MAKING SQUARES. (Over 10 years. Prize one shilling and sixpence.) Arrange 17, matchsticks to make six squares, three squares above and three below them. Now remove five matchsticks and leave only three squares. ' THE CHRISTMAS STORY COMPETITION Here is a little Christmas story written by Vivienne Kelly’. Brother Bill thinks that it is worth a place in the columns, even though it did not win a prize. The bairns will be glad to read it:— THE TRUE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT. The Christmas fairy tripped lightly, into the, court room, and seated herself on her beautiful. '■mother-of-pearl throne. Here she sat in state, waiting for her courtiers, who were to give their annual report of the Christmas feeling. The first to enter was the Christmas plum pudding, his merry face alight with smiles. He greeted the fairy in a hearty way, and gave his report. “ Everything is going smoothly in the pantry,” he said, “ and. all the cooks are busy, making trifles, and sweetmeats. I think- that there is an excellent spirit in the pantry, and that is what really counts.” ■ The Christmas fairy made no comment, but, smiling a little at his boasting, turned to greet the Christmas cake, who entered at that moment. “ Everything is going fine,” the cake declared. “Cook gave me two frostings, and an extra-amount of decorations, so she must have the Christmas spirit.” Just then a party of fruit and nuts entered, declaring in loud tones that everything was in order, and that they

had been bought in large quantities by the rich. . The holly./and mistletoe walked in at this moment, looking very sorry for themselves, and the good fairy, noticemg this, asked the reason for such behaviour on such a happy occasion. “It is all very well for you, grumbled the holly, “ but there is no uso for us now.” 11 No use for you. I do not understand,” gasped the perplexed fairy. “ Well, you see,” explained the mistletoe, “the true Christmas spirit is lacking among the rich, who think that we make too much mess about the place, while the poor people wish that they could afford to buy us.” “ But I must have some holly on my head,” cried the plum pudding. “ And 1,” echoed the cake. “ And I, and I," wailed the others. “Stop! Stop!” cried the Christmas fairy. “ This, is a time of happiness, not" sorrow. This is a bad state of affairs, and I must see to it. Go back to your duty and I shall come round to see how things are.” Away they ran, and in_ a few moments the fairy was alone in the room, gazing with sorrowful eyes at the doorway, 'through which fluttered a butterfly, which was to be her steed. The first house they was that of a poor widow, who found it very hard to obtain a living for her family.

Here the Christmas fairy revived wonderfully,,: as the Christmas spirit was in the air, even though there was no holly present. Next they arrived at a large mansion wherein dwelt a rich man and his two daughters. There .certainly was a little holly and mistletoe on the walls, but it hung limp and dying, for here there was no strengthening Christmas •spirit. “ This "will never do,” sighed the fairy. “ Come, holly and mistletoe, follow me.” Soon there was a long trail following her, for wherever she found no Christmas spirit she called the same words. She led the way from these houses to the poorer ones, w'here the holly and mistletoe made themselves quite at home. The fairy then distributed foods and presents at these homes, where the true Christmas spirit of happiness and joy reigned. Never before had the poor partaken of such a Christmas feast, and as the spirit was catching, the rich soon learnt what Christmas meant. So you see, if you wish to have a merry Christmas be sure to entertain the true Christmas spirit, also the spirit of giving freely, which was instituted on the first Christmas night, over 1.900 years ago, when our Saviour gave Himself freely to the world.

A CORNER FOR BIRD LOVERS Union street, Milton, _ December, 1 1933. Dear Big Brother Bill, —We have two chickens, four -bantams, 12 hens, and 26 pigeons, and it is lovely feeding them, for they are nearly all pets. They also peck the wheat out of my hand. My favourite pigeons are Robert and Judith. If Robert wants me ho will puff himself up, make out he is ill, and coo. When I go to him he makes the funny noise that pigeons make, and goes round and round on his perch. Judith is very tame, and when she sees me she will fly over to me. I will write and tell you some more about the pigeons another time. _ I will close now.—-Yours truly, Marjorie Wells.

1 Harcourt street, D/Unedin, W.l. Dear Big Brother Bill.—l would be very pleased if I could join the Bird Club. My brother Colin and I have been feeding the birds for about a week with honey, water, and a drop of cochineal to colour it red. One very wet day, as 1 was walking round our path, 1 saw a little bird whose wings were wet, so I took it inside so as to dry it. ‘When it was dry 1 put it in a box with straw, but when I came home from school it was dead.—Love from Joyce Pickard. Dear Big Broker Bill, —I was listening to the children’s hour to-night, ana enjoyed it very much. My sister Betty and 1 take turns at feeding the birds twice each day. I tied a piece of suet’to an apricot tree, but for a lev. days there was no sign of the waxeyes, until one day one came and pecked at the suet. After that numbers came, and they often take turns in feeding. They seem quite tame, and are very pretty. My Uncle Ed. has an aviary of 13 canaries. When he is feeding them they are so tame that they perch on his head and peck at his white hair. Although the canaries fly back to their perch at the slightest movement, they seem to know that he will not harm them.

NINEPINS.—For this indoor game of ninepins you require first of all a perfectly level wooden board. First take, a look at the measurements as they appear from the above diagram, in which a space of 16in by 20in has been allowed. _ The upright to which the ball is to bo attached must bo 2ft high, and can be made, say, out of a piece of an . old curtain pole with a knob at the end. Press the upright down on a nail that has been driven o through the board. The ninepins can very well be made out a broom / handle, which is divided into nine pieces each about 4in long. As it is important to get them perfectly level at the bottom, wo shall have to rub them with sand paper and perhaps scoop them out out a bit so that they-can stand quite firmly. The ninepins must then bo rounded of! at the top with a file or, failing that, with sand paper, Finally they are to be painted, some bright colour. The ball_ is attached to the upright by means of two eyes and a piece of string, and should hang about a quarter of an inch above the board. The next thing is to mark the respective positions of the ninepins, which must be done with the greatest care. The measurements must be strictly kept to, for the distances between the ninepins as well as their positions in relation to the ball have been very carefully calculated in order to make sure that there is a fair chance of the ball knocking down any ninepin when a player sets it going All that remains is to mark the points, and then the game can begin. The players swing the ball in turn, trying to knock down as many ninepins as possible, particularly those giving the highest points. The player first scoring-, a prearranged number of points is the winner.

Sometimes at dusk I hear an owl calling somewhere near our house. One day my auntie was feeding the birds from a window upstairs, and 'he crumbs landed n a man’s hat. I will write to you again.—Yours sincerely, Alistair M'lntosh. 20 Sydney street, sham, S.W. 1. Dear Big Brother Bill,—Please may I join your Bird Club ? lam very fond of feeding them. Mother gives me the crumbs every morning. I have also fed them in England when the snow was on the ground and all the water was frozen. My wee brother Mervyn sits in his pram in the garden all day long, and the little sparrows are so tame that they sit on the handle of his pram and he' laughs all day.—Yours sincerely, Tony Holmes-Libbis. 14 Lynn street, Maori Hill, Dunedin, N.W. 1. Dear Big Brother Bill, —May I join your Bird Lovers’ Club? lam 15 years of age, and am very fond of birds and animals. We live in Maori Hill, quite near to the native bush, and it is a treat to hoar the birds whistling and chirping in the morning, especially the bellbirds.. Late last summer a native wood pigeon used to come and eat berries from a berry tree near at hand. Ho looked so greedy with his enormous white breast. • . I have a bird house on one of our apple trees, and every morning when 1 go to put some food on its roof there is a number of sparrows and tomtits waiting for their breakfast. I also love painting the birds on paper, and 1 get a lot of enjoyment through doing so. Trusting that you and all the aunts and uncles are well, I remain, yours sincerely, Maurice Conly.

18 Parkside Avenue, Caversham, Dunedin, S.W.I. Dear Big Brother Bill, —I am writing a line or two. to ask you if I can join your Bird Lovers’ Club. _ Will you please tell me if the club is to meet any night. All last winter I fed the birds that did not fly away when the days wore cold. I am enclosing a stamp, and would you please send a badge? I will close now. —I remain, yours sincerely, Ilona Godfrey. 31 Joh'n street, Caversham, S.W.I. Dear Big Brother Bill, —I am very interested in the progress of your Bird Lovers’ Club. I would be very obliged if you would allow me to join. I have in our lilac tree, out of reach of any Cats, a jar of honey and a jar of water. It is very interesting to watch the wax-eyes chirping around them. I am sorry I wrote this in pencil, but I have to go to bed. I am 13. I have been led to understand you give a badge to the bird lovers. If this is correct, will, you please send me a badge?—Yours faithfully, Fred Page. 20 Botha street, Talnui, E.l. Dear Big Brother Bill, —As I am in your Bird Club I am sending for my badge and book. I am 10 years of age and I am in Standard IV. at Musselburgh School. I find your page in Saturday night’s 1 Star ’ very interesting. I likq feeding the birds, and there are many, different kinds of birds thdt come to the henhouse for food. Some are very tame. —I will close now.—l remain, yours truly, Colin Paul. 91 Moana Crescent, Sunshine, Dunedin, E,1.„, ; December 17, 1933. Dear Big Brother Bill,—lt is a very long time since I wrote to you last, and I hope that when you are reading this note you are enjoying good realth. I am hot going away for my holidays, but I shall enjoy myself just the same, as I intend going for many picnics if the weather holds good. Wishing you, all the aunts, the “Travel Man,” and all the bairns a merry Christmas and a bright _ New Year.—l remain, your bairn, Vivienne Kelly.

THE SAUCY ANN Peter ran down the meadow to the canal to watches the barges pass. _ He pushed his way through the thick line of willows that fringed the water and came out at his private landing stage. This was a little hollow in the bank, with a big stone placed just above the water for his feet to rest on. Peter stood stiffly to atttention, saluted his fleet of; imaginary ships, and sat down to wait. Soon he heard the clip-clop of a horse’s hoofs on the opposite bank, and round the bend of the canal came the barge horse, pacing slowly. Then the barge came in sight, low down in the water; heavily loaded with coal. It came on slowly, scarcely rippling the water, and it was called the Saucy Ann. The bargeman was leaning petcefully on his tiller. How delightfull Peter thought. Just to lean on a tiller and give it a twist now and then, and go sailing through the country. He made up his mind to be a bargemm when he grew up. The man nodded cheerily to Peter. Peter saluted stiffly and then waved excitedly. “ What a beautiful boat!” he said ; “ Ay, she’s a tidy little crift,” said the man, ijnd then added surprisingly, “ Well, Cap’n, are you taking a trip with me this morning?” “What!”' gasped Peter. “Do you mean it?” “ Surely,” said the man. “ Run on to the bridge and I’ll help you on.” How Peter ran! He ran across the meadow, over the bridge, and on to the opposite bank. Here the canal deepemd and the barge could come close info the bank. Peter grasped the friendly hand held out and sprang aboard. He watched the prow of the barge push through the water with scarcely a ripple. He watched the white wash splash up behind him and the banks float slowly past. All too soon the wharf was reached. “I’m unloading here,” said the bargeman, “ and then on to Liverpool.” “ Liverpool!” Peter. Well, one day he would sail in a barge all the way to Liverpool. He thanked the man politely and jumped ashore, remembering to salute just in time. . • The bargeman grinned and pulled his forelock. “ Well, Cap’n,” he said, “ I shall be coming back this way on Saturday. Shall I see you again ?” “R-ather!” cried Peter. THE KNITTING LADY Prunella loved toltake Charlotte out in her perambulator into the park. Charlotte was a I doll, and nearly every morning, while Mummy sat on a seat, Prunella took her for little walks. Her mother had made friends with a little lady whom Prunella called the Knitting Lady because she was always

sitting knitting on the same bench as Mummy. She told them that she knitted socks and jumpers and coats and caps for her nieces and nephews—and she never seemed to stop. Prunella’s doll Charlotte had a pretty blue silk coat which the Knitting Lady greatly admired, and which Prunella liked to put on and take off. This morning it was quite chilly in the park, and when the Knitting Lady saw that Charlotte had no coat on she said: “ Isn’t it rather cold for Charlotte without a coat this morning?” “ Well, I can’t get her silk coat on over this thick dress; it’s too tight,” Prunella explained. “ I just put it in the pram over her feet.” But when she searched in the perambulator and took out all the covers and pillows she could not find the coat. “ Oh, Mummy, I must- have dropped it!” she cried. And though they looked everywhere they could not find it. Then suddenly Prunella caught sight of a puppy chewing something on the grass, and when she ran up to him she found him biting Charlotte’s best silk coat ! Poor Prunella nearly cried ; the‘coat was muddy and torn and quite ruined. “ Never mind,” said the Knitting Lady. “If you will let me Have it I will see what I can do.” “Can I have it back to-morrow?” asked Prunella, rather tearfully. “ You see, it’s the only coat Charlotte has.” The Knitting'Lady nodded and said; “ i’ll do my very best.” Next morning Prunella ran ahead to see if her new friend had brought the “ Well, I have washed and mended, it,” said the Knitting Lady kindly, “ but I’m afraid it’s not much good. So I just knitted Charlotte a nice warm winter coat which I really think she’ll like better.” And she held up a beautiful little blue coat just the right size, with a little clipped wool collar. _ . _ Prunella's eyes shone with delight. “ Oh, thank vou! How lovely!” she cried. “ And that’s big enough to go over her thick dross. It’s just the very thing she wanted!” TWS COMPANY A missionary parson, Henry Gordon, who did 10 years’ splendid service on the Labrador coast,' had the following unique experience, described in the magazine of the Grenfell Association. He was bound north in the season of drift ice in a little outboard jnotor to visit some outlying members of his congregation. He had no companion on this trip. A shift of wind packed in the ice more tightly, and he was forced to land on a tiny islet off a long cape in a very desolate region. Only a narrow channel separated the little island from the mainland, but it was quite impassable. The ice here was not tightly packed enough to walk ashore, but it was too tight to allow of getting ashore with the boat. , When he had hauled up his boat and started to look for the snuggest .place for shelter, he found that the island had one occupant, a large polar bear. Gordon was entirely unarmed, whereas the bear had .his usual supply of homemade weapons. Night was coming on. There was no shelter available, and it was sufficiently cold to keep both of the marooned ones on the move. There was nothing to make a fire of; Gordon was hungry, and' reflected that the bear was surd to be the same- . _one moment in that rather hectic night man, and hear found themselves close enough', to-.shake hands, but neither was prepared to make the first advance. Meanwhile the wind was packing the ice ever tighter, not only on the outer shore where Gordon had landed, but also into the little channel that led to the mainland. About 2in the morning the bear tested the ice in the channel, and to Gordon’s relief his fellow lodger reached the mainland and vanished.

MOTHS AMD CANNIBALS Nearly every boy, and many a girl, has shared the enthusiasm which sent Miss Evelyn. Cheesman to Papua. Every house can remember the day when there were butterfly nets in the hall bottles filled with leafage and caterpillars in the bathroom, specimen boxes in evc.y drawer, and.queer smells all over the house. Entomology is seldom encouraged at home, but Miss Cheesman was luckier than most of us. She was actually asked to go to New Guinea to . collect specimens for the British Museum. . . The story of that expedition is told in her book, ‘ The jTwo Roads of Papua.’ . . Although it does not seem to have occurred to lier, she was a brave woman. In a matter-of-fact way she tells how she set off through the forests with only, her native carriers, naked savages who live and think like men or the Stone Age. This was her first visit occasion a landslide suddenly descesded in her path. Most of the time she was tramping through horrible mud. Boiling rivers nad to be crossed on the slippery trunks of fallen trees, sometimes 20ft above the waters. Once the party had to tramp through six miles of leech territory. Looking ahead, she could see a general movement as all the lithe bodies swayed toward the carrier’s feet. Leeches were on the leaves, twigs, boughs, and low herbage, on the fallen tree trunks—everywhere. Still, the scenery was glorious, and Miss Cheesman was collecting scores of interesting specimens. One day she met another collector ” a solitary white man. Mr Jack Hides, the patrol of the district, with 13 prisoners in chains. One was a well-grown man with an ape-like face named Gopa. “ Isn’t he a lovely chap?” asked the officer, smiling on his “specimen.” Lovely hardly seemed the word to Miss Cheesman. This was Gopa’s story. He was a chief, and he had never seen a white man. One day he led his people against three other villages, took many prisoners, and ate them. The news reached Mr Hides, who set off through the jungle with a party of native police. Days went by. At last they reached Gopa’s village, and hid near it till nightfall. Then they stealthily crept to the stockade, loosened and pul' 1 up the stakes, and entered the village. Some of the police proved cowards, but Mr Hides and a loyal handful surrounded the hut of the chief, in spite of arrows shot from every crevice and spears thrust savagely forth. , , , . At length Mr Hides forced his way in and found only one man! After a great hunt the others were found buried under the floor beneath a mound of ashes. All were marched away to Port Moresby, there to learn for the first time that it is wrong to raid and eat men. Then Gopa was sent back to tell this strange news to his tribesmen. No one can read this story without admiring the lady who tramped through Papua with a butterfly net. But her own admiration is all for the missionaries who nurse and teach in Papua. I‘ The Two Roads of Papua ’ leaves the reader filled with admiration for the bfavo white folk wire dispense justice and mercy in New Guinea.

THE HORSE, THE MAN, AND THE ELEPHANT An elephant has been matched against 55 men and was just able to pull against them. The test took place in Japan, and goes to support the belief that the giants among land animals are relatively not as strong as our great horses when exercising a steady pull. The force exerted by an elephant when the animal is charging would doubtless be much greater. In the latest trial the elephant, by going down on its knees, was just able to resist the pull of 55 men. Supposing each man weighed lOst, and that each pulled the equivalent of his own weight, we should say that the utmost pulling power of the elephant was about- three tons. Tested against a machine in England in which springs were attached to a recording dial, an elephant weighing about five tons pulled only 8,7501 b, 2,4501 b less than its own weight. Now, an English Shire horse is supposed to pull three times its own weight; a London coal horse pulls more than that, nearly four tons. But there is an enormous reserve of strength in the horse. A few years ago two Liverpool Corporation ' Shires, brought on show to London, ambled off over the treacherous surface of a public street with a load of 21 tons. Then the horses were taken to Wembley to show what they could do with a registering machine, and one splendid fellow pulled a starting load of 29 tons. Two yoked together at the machine pulled 50 tons, at which point .the machine broke. It would be unsafe to say that the horse is actually stronger than the elephant. These mighty weight-shifting Shires are heroic as prime movers. In the old days, when they were new to hauling great wagons on the railways, it was found that they quickly wore out through jumping into their work and starting off with a mighty tug. They were trained like men to do the work scientifically, to lean at the outset on the collar, and so to reinforce their natural strength by their own tonweight. Elephants have not been so taught. Nevertheless, it does seem that the spirit and skill of .the horse make him a great rival, if not the actual master, of Nature’s giants.

THE SPIDER'S WEB For hundreds of years it has been believed that a cobweb is a good thing to staunch the blood from a cut. The use of a spider’s web tor the purpose has probably caused much harm, for multitudes of evil germs must collect in the dust gathered about the web, and germs to an open wound may be, extremely dangerous. Now modern science, having learned that snake venom causes bipod to coagulate and bleeding to cease, is testing the efficacy of the cobweb remedy. Experiments are being made at the Zoo to discover whether there really is any property in the mysterious substance capable of causing it to solidify the bloocl and so to close the wound from which it issues. What we see as a spider’s web issues from the spider’s body as a gummy fluid ; it changes' instantly to silk of astonishing fineness and strength. Science is now seeking to learn whether, changing its apparent nature as it does in this way, it can produce, as remarkable a change in the blood issuing from a cut. TRAGIC SURPRISE FOR A TERRIER , A fox terrier has been for an, air trip near Vaalswater in South Africa, but it was not a joy ride. Curled up in a patch of sunlight in the farmyard, little did he guess that far overhead an eagle eye was watching him. While he slept, of all kinds of delicious smells, a huge eagle swooped down, grabbed at him with his talons, and carried him 10ft up in the air. There was such a commotion of whirring wings that Mrs Hewson, the farmer’s wife, ran out to see what was the matter. She stood helplessly watching her dog being carried off. But soaring to, the skies with a fullgrown dog proved to be a task too great for the strength even-.of an eagle. The bird flew 200yds, but was unable to rise and had to let go, and fortunately the dog fell into a soft mealie field. Before the eagle, which had killed several cats in the neighbourhood, could strike again a labourer ran up and rescued the frightened dog. It is good to know that the dog recovered from his fall, and it is unlikely that he will be caught napping again. Another eagle story comes from the Bavarian Alps, where Martin Sohupfe, of Krottenmuehl, hid his savings of 90 iparks in his wood pile. An eagle swooped down, snatched up the banknotes, and soared into the sky. Soon she had woven the banknotes into the inside wall of her house. Martin Schupfe toiled up the mountain, and after a dangerous climb reached the eagle’s eyrie. Fortunately the birds flew away and he recovered 60 marks. PERCY’S SONG (By Wynne Smiles.) This, this is the carol that Percy is spouting From morning, on Monday, till Saturday night; But somehow or other I cannot help doubting That what he would tell us is perfectly right, v What He Says on Monday. “It wasn’t my fault that the window was broken, 1 just touched the ball as it lay on the grass, And then, before even a word could be spoken. The wind came and carried it bang on the glass.” On Tuesday. “It wasn’t my fault, and there’s no one could doubt it. If tilty-top tables are stood in my way, They ought to get damaged, and that s all about it, And I’m not to blame for upsetting the tray.” On Wednesday. “ It isn’t my fault if the pie' in the larder Decides, like a stupid, to fall on the floor. Because of a glance that was not a bit harder Than others might give it, while passing tthe door.” On Thursday. “The tap in the bathroom I’ve carefully studied. It turns on a stream if I happen to cough. And yet you complain that the landing is flooded Because I was careless in shutting. it off.S

On Friday. “The clock has gone wrong? Well, it must be a duffer! I opened v the case for a moment to see If oiling was needed . . . and now 1 must suffer Because, if there’s blame, it must fall upon me.” On Saturday. “ There’s mud on the carpet that no one could pardon. The person who made it, I needn’t inquire. Yet how could I guess that the clay from the garden Would drop off my boots when I \ went to the fire? ” HOLIDAYS Oh! holidays are happy days, when work is laid aside. And hours pass by in many ways. No duty calls at morning, and no work at eventide. We greet each day with joy in holidays. We roam along the hedgeways, or linger by the stream, We see signs of welcome, balmy spring— The sunlight on the water seems to sued an added gleam, The song of wild birds, clearer seems to ring. , J The books we often glanced at we can now in comfort read, Or write long letters to a distant friend— ■ For frolic, fun, and laughter we have, all the time we need, And every day some new delight will send. ‘ Yet sometimes, as we sit and watch the evening shadows fall. And hear the shrieking whistle of the train, The thought comes to our hearts that even holidays can pall, And soon we’ll welcome school and work again. THREE JOLLY JUMBOS A GOOD-HIGHT TALE The Three Jumbos were the wickedest fellows in the whole of the jungle. The had tiny, twinkly eyes and frisky tails, and they loved pretending when they saw a toad that they were going to step on him (but they were much too kindhearted to do it, really). They had a lot of fun when they weren’t working, swishing water at each other from their long trunks and paddling in the muddy ponds and eating mouthfuls of green rushes. They all had such shiny, thick, nice coats. I’m afraid they were rather proud of them. They often said to one another what good-looking chaps they were. That was what really made them run away You see, Ahmed was carrying a big pot of whitewash, and he was sitting with his toes tuohed under him on

Chun-San’s back. And somebody threw; a slice of melon for Ahmed to catch. But Chun-San thought: “I Want a slice of melon. Why not me have the slice of melon? What? ” —which is the sort of way the elephants do think, if only you could hear them do it I So he twisted his head and caught the slice of melon and tudked it into his mouth. Ahmed was so angry, that he nearly fell off Chun-San’s back, only :he thought what a long way to the ground it would be■ and, oh dear, what a, lot of bother climbing up again—not to mention fetching the step-ladder from the chief’s bungalow. So he leant oyer to bang Chun-San hard bn the trunk—• and he upset the pot of whitewash: all down Chun-San’s back 1 Now I’ve said before how proud these three elephants were of their good looks, and you can’t really wonder that ChunSan didn’t care to have a lot of whitewash spilt on him and left there to dry. He told Spi and Tooth about it when he got back to the Big Tree where they were tethered for the night. “ Ha, ha,” said Spi, and “ Ho, ho,” said Tooth, and he sank down on his back legs (which looks funny when it’s done by an elephant), and mopped his eyes on a banana leaf. “ You needn’t laugh,” said ChunSan, and he turned soixily and walked awdy as far as he could. But Spi and Tooth went on laughing for a long time. But about 8 o’clock next morning they stopped and said, “ Yes, they agreed with Chun-San it was beastly, and they hadn’t had any sleep that night,' and they were tired of being elephants and carrying wood, and they were going to run away, too.” So when Ahmed came to undo the tether-rope they knocked him oyer all among the cactus, and pretending he was a toad they pretended they were going to make him “ pop,” but, pf course; that was only their little way and they didn’t really. They ran off all through the jungle. Spi- kicked, his heels as high as anything,: and Tooth and Chun-San trumpeted the whole way,* and they tweaked one another’s tails, and’ altogether found life great fun. . “We’ll never work • again, said Tooth next morning. “ We’ll .be free to squish water and* munch rushes all day! ” and. Spi and Chun-San said “Yes” in elephant language. But they made a mistake,, because the Rajah was waiting round a cactus bush, and he' said to his men ; Three .fin® elephants; just what I want, and the next thing our Three Jumbos knew they were being marched into the palac® grounds. “ Wo! ’’ mourned Chun-San, “I wish we’d stayed in the-forest.” But next day they didn’t. .The Rajah came and saw them all, and gave them a pail full of dates each (it was lucky he didn’t give, them any more, because Spi felt a bit funny after he’d eaten his),- and said: “ These shall be my own special elephants.” . And so they were. They had: satin and brocade back-cloths, and State howdahs, and when they weren’t out with Ihe Rajah and all his -wives they were flaying squish or eating dates in the palace grounds. ' - ■ Which just ; shows how lucky , these elephants were!