BIG BROTHER BILL and the BAIRNS

Evening Star, Issue 22619, 10 April 1937, Page 8

BIG BROTHER BILL and the BAIRNS

THE FELLOW WHO WILL HOT PULL IS NOT WORTH A SEAT IN THE BOAT A full list of competition winnersi will be published in the columns on Satur day nest. ■■ THE POSTIE’S BAG Main road, Waikouaiti. Dear Bi* Brother Bill,-I will now early in. themornmg, thriU rd'ummer and" everything beautiful. After passing Mercer we stopped and) had a picnic hint hv the river side. One did nob feel 533 rt SS *£ Sand’s nicest inland towns We camped there forcarn^ trfes S f or “Shelter and again theWaikato River so close at hand. We set out early nest morning, as we wished to get to Rotorua early m the day. What a lovely trip! The scenery on passes through on this part of the journey is wonderful, and for miles one does not see a homestead. Rearing Rotorua one has a view of the town from the top of the hill. After fixing un at the camping ground we spent the rest of the day sight-seeing in and around the town. IN ext day we spen at Whakarewarewa, the wonder of Rotorua. We watched the Maori children diving from the bndge into the warm pool for coins the visitors had thrown in. We then went on through the village. The women could be seen cooking their mea.s in the hot steam coming from the boding mud and doing their washing in the hot pools. One looks on in. wonder at the Pohutu Geyser throwing up . great volumes of steam 30ft or 40ft m the air. It would take a long time to describe all that one sees here. I wiU pass on to the next day, which we spent at Hammerama Springs, Mhat a differ ence here! The water at the springs is icy cold, and one cannot keep ones hand in longer than a few seconds. The force is so great that a penny thrown in is thrown to the side and does not sink. On our way hack we spent most of our time watching the rainbow trout being fed. They are lovely and come very close up to the edge of the water. There are still quite a number of interesting things one could write, but time is up, so I must now close - I remain, your loving bairn, Joan M‘Fie.

I Thank von for your very interesting letter, Joan M'Fie. Your name is on the honour post, and you are the winner of the best letter prize. Brother Bill agrees with you about the wonder of Rotorua. He spent a hurried day there some years ago, but there, was enough in the day to provide weird memories for many years to come, tie remembers one place where the crust ox the earth had dissolved into thick mud. boiling like a pot of porridge; and another place where blue-grey water was eternally on the, boil in a great stone pot with deep and rocky sides. Did you see these places? The bairns will lie glad to read of your camping adventures. "Write, again soon.] Scott street, Portohello. February 16, 1937. Dear Big Brother Bill,—l suppose you thought I had forgotten all about you and the bairns I listen to you and the aunts every night over the air, and enjoy the riddles very much. i. enjoyed the songs and the stoiy about the "two boys and the'girls going fishing We have a puppy dog, which we call Glen. We have had him for a long time now. We take him for a long run up the hill .every day, and make him chase sticks all over the paddock. We have two wee kittens —a black one and a grey one. We are just teaching them to drink put of a saucar, but thev do not drink very ■well yet. They keep walking into the saucer. When the mother cat drinks out of the same saucer the kittens drink with her. We have them inside nearly all day. We still have a rabbit. The cat brought it home and laid it at my feet. We still have two ducks, hut they are getting old so they do not lay many eggs, but they are great pets. We have had a long holiday this year, hut the weather has not been very good, and we could not; go away anywhere because of the epidemic, but we have had a good time all the same. We can go for a swim, and we can go for a good run over the hills when the days are fine enough. I will close now as it is getting late.—l remain, one of your bairns, Hazel M'Cartney. [Thank you for your letter, Hazel M'Cartney. Your name is on the Honour Post for neat writing. Brother Bill has always thought that bairns who live in the country are_ much better off than others who live in town. After reading your letter, he is sure. There is always good fun in the open places, especially when one makes pets of the friendly things. Brother Bill hopes that the Easter holidays were happier than the ones spoiled by the epidemic, and, although much shorter, they have been, ho is sure. Write again soon.] Beach street, Vauxhall, Anderson’s Bay, Dunedin, E 1. Dear Big Brother Bill, —As I have not written to you for quite a while, I decided to send ray answers to the over-tens competition. This epidemic has been a very sad one, and there are still a good few children in the Hospital. I have only been to town three times, because before the restrictions

were lifted it was not safe to go out visiting or away for a holiday. Well, Brother Bill, I will have to close as this is all the news just now.—l remain, your truly, Nola Kean.

[Thank you for your letter, Nola Kean. It has been on the file for some time, but you will be glad to see it at last. When you wrote it the days were not as happy as they are now, because the shadow has been lifted, and, as far as Dunedin is concerned, the epidemic is over. We all hope that it will soon be very true of the other parts of the Dominion. Write again soon.]

167 Musselburgh Rise, Dunedin, E 1 March 7, 1937.

Dear Big Brother Bill,—Thank you very much for the bird badge and the book. We are back at school now, and 1 am in Standard VI. We had a long holiday, but it seemed to go very quickly. We used to go for a swim twice a day if the weather was fine. One day we and a party of friends went for a row on the lagoon. We rowed down to tbo other end, and when the time came to go back we found it was too hard, for a strong wind had arisen. A man was sent down, and even he could not get back, so he asked a boy to help, and at last we got back. My brother and another boy rowed and punted five boats back to the shed.. Next time we will choose a very calm day for boating. However, it was good sport. We saw a lot of ducks on the lagoon, and spent a long time watching the seagulls . darting _ about the lagoon. Do you draw the pictures that have “ B.B.B.” at the bottom? They are nice, and make the page look very interesting.—l am, yours truly, Howie Gall. [Thank you for your letter, Howie Gall. You appear to have had quite an adventure on the stormy lagoon. It was a good thing there was someone near at hand to help. It certainly will be wise to wait for a calm day, because there might not be help near at band, on another occasion. It is very nice of you to say kind things about the pictures that illustrate _ the weekly competitions. Brother Bill is glad to know that you enjoy them. Write again soon.] Irvine street, Mosgiel, February 28, 1937. Dear Brother Bill,—Well, here I am again. I am going to tell you about onr two love birds. One is green and the other is blue. They are quite young and bite everything that comes in their way. The other night my brother made a cage for them, and when he went to take them from one cage to the other they began to bite. Ginger, which is my cat, often likes to sit

below the cage, which hangs on the wall outside. Whenever my brother comes home from work he whistles to them, and it sounds quite funny to listen to them answering him. I think it would be a good idea to start up a corner for pen friends in your page, Brother Bill. Do you not think so? Are any of your big family interested in collecting photographs of film stars? I am, and so is my cousin, Marjory Wells. At present Ginger is sleeping in front of the fire. I will close now, Brother Bill. —I remain, William Cooper. [Thank you for your letter, William Cooper. There seems to be a great number of the family keeping budgies nowadays. So many happy letters come to Brother Bill describing these pets that he is tempted to join the enthusiasts and buy some for himself. How would you like to see 20,000 of them together at one time? Brother Bill remembers a day when he was riding in a sulky across the grass plains of Northern Australia. The man driving was a station owner, and at a certain place near a billabong (a water hole) a great, fluttering cloud of colour rose into the air. Brother Bill’s friend said they were grass parrots, and thought there must have been about 20,000 in the flock. The Australian grass parrot is the budgie, or lijve bird, and that day remains in Brother Bill's memory as' a particularly lovely experience. Write again soon.]

171 Main Valley road, Kaikorai, Dunedin, W.2, February 6, 1937. Dear Big Brother Bill, —Just a few lines, as this is the first letter I have written to you. We have one cow. My brother, Jim, milks her now. He is !-■ We have six big ducks. One sat, and has 14 young ones now, a month old. We have 10 hens and 12 chickens two months old. We live beside the Kaikorai Stream, and everything is lovely and green there just now. We have a dog. whose name is Dick. He is a good watch dog. We also have two wee kittens, Tiny and Fluffy we call them, and we have a big garden, with lots of nice flowers out just now. lam entering for your puzzle this week, l hope 1 win. Kind regards to yourself and the family.—Love from Cliff Rodger. [Thank you for your letter, Cliff Rodger. Brother Bill is glad to welcome you to the family. Your place sounds to be quite a little farm. Do you milk the cow That is one thing Brother Bill has never been able to do, which is rather a shameful contession. when a fellow like brother Jim, U years old, is able to do so. It seems to be so easy, too. But Brother Bill is grateful, anyway, for the Jims or the world who provide him with milk for his tea. Write again soon.] WISHES I wish I had a little duck, To sail upon a pond; I could not have a pet of which I should be half so fond. I wish I had a baby pig To keep inside a sty, With curly tail; I’d give him straw To keep him warm and dry. I wish I had a soft brown calf, With big, round, hazel eyes; For he should have a field of grass, And feed beneath blue skies. I wish I had a donkey grey, To gallop on the sands; I wish I had a ship with sails, I’d go to foreign lauds. But as I haven’t anything Bub just one lonely skate, I’ll have a ride around the park Before it gets, too late! THE COMPETITIONS The under-tens are asked to find the answer to the riddle the mischievous gnome is asking the rat; the over-tens are given 11 hidden animals made into a puzzle by the Wise Man of the East. Send your answers to Big Brother Bill, care of ‘ Evening Star,’ Stuart street, Dunedin, C.l. Be sure to mark the envelopes “ Competition.” THE RAT'S DILEMMA (Under 10 years. Prize, one shilling.) Can you find the answer to the riddle? . The first and last letters are given, which should make the discovery of the rest not difficult at all.

THE WISE NAN'S CONUNDRUM (Over 10 years. Prize, one shilling and sixpence.) This puzzle explains itself. See if you can discover all the animals hidden in the circle of letters.

A PLAGE FOR BIRD LOVERS The pledge: “I promise to care for all wild birds, especially New Zealand native birds, to feed them in winter, and to protect them at all times. I promise also to protect our native trees and bush, and at no time to assist in their damage or destruction, since they are the natural home of our native birds.” Name Full postal address If you wish to join the Bird Club it is necessary to send Is in stamps or a postal note, and a bird book and badge will be sent to you. Address your letters to Big Brother Bill, care of ‘ Evening Star,’ Stuart street, Dunedin, C.l. Be sure to mark your envelopes “ Bird Club.” THE LION TAMERS Cecil and Betty watched the busy circus people as they packed up theii tents and moved off in a slow procession of wagons and cages toward the next village. , . , The children had seen the wonderful performance that and both longed to join the circus as lion tamers. Suddenly Cecil’s eyes lit up. “ I have an idea, Betty,” he said. “ Let us follow the circus. We will not show ourselves till night, then in the morning we’ll show them what we can do.” , , , , , Betty smiled. “Yes—but how? she asked. . „ “ Oh, I’ll think of a way,” said Cecil. “ Besides, Uncle Dick won’t think of looking for us so far from home! So the children trudged for miles along the country road behind—some way behind—the circus. . Betty began to feel very tired. I do wish they would stop,” she said. “ It’s quite dark now.” Just as she' spoke the rattling procession came to a halt. They were on the outskirts of a big village. Cecil and Betty watched from a distance while the circus moved slowly into a big field. Men shouted orders and the great beasts roared. After a time silence fell and the children came near. “ Let’s creep below a caravan and wait a. little longer,” said Cecil. So they lay down on a heap of hay under a caravan, and before long both were fast asleep. Cecil was awakened by a, strange crunching noise. He lay quietly and listened. Suddenly he gave a wild yell as a warm, soft body hurled itself at him and settled on his chest. Two great green eyes glared down at him in the darkness. “Oh, help!” screamed Betty, starting up’. “A lion has escaped!” The circus people rushed out to know what was wrong, but no one could see in the darkness and confusion. A light was brought, and on Cecil’s chest sat—a large yellow cat with a bone in its jaws! The children had taken its bed and it had objected. Everyone was talking at once and asking questions when a car drove up and out jumped Uncle Dick. “So here you are!” he said. “ What does it all mean?” Betty explained in a small voice, while the circus people laughed at the new lion tamers. “ I’m sorry they have given you all this trouble,” said Uncle Dick. “ But I don’t think they want to he lion tamers now!” Cecil and Betty agreed.

A MODEL FATHER Pat and Doris, the Abyssinian lions which were sent to the Zoo by the King, arc proud parents once again. This time they have only one cub, hut it is a plump, sturdy baby, and the

LET’S HAVE A MARIONETTE SHOW A marionette show is a toy theatre in which the actors, instead of being out out in cardboard, are “ living.” They are little jointed dolls whose limbs are attached to strings so that their every movement is controlled by the person holding them. Now you will understand why there are so much greater possibilities with a marionette show than any ordinary toy theatre.

A MARIONETTE. First make some small marionettes, then later on you can “ increase your staff ” and invest in some larger ones. .The diagram shows roughly how the doll is made, in this case of wood. The body is a piece of a pole which is shaped a little with a knife. The arms and legs are cut from a round stick, the hands being quite roughly cut and the feet made separately and stuck ou afterwards. The doll must be as loosejointed as possible, so the limbs are held together by little hooks of wire (B and 0). The head is a wooden ball in which a hole with a diameter of about l-3in is made. The neck is attached by means of this hole, as shown in figure D. The hole is filled with glue, and then a little piece of material is pushed into it. The neck is fastened to the body by means of _ tacks and glue, and is made by twisting a little thin wire round the material. Avoid making the neck too stiff; it must be able to bang in all directions _ quite easily. In the diagram you will see some black spots numbered from 1 to 4. Tiny brass lugs are attached at these places, and are later used for the strings.

A FEW SUGGESTIONS FOR HEADS. The marionette’s nose and ears are made of thin wood (figures 1 and 3). Notice the little tabs on these extra parts; they are to fit into slots in the head. Of course, they must also be stuck very firmly, or there might he a catastrophe during the performance! A brass lug is screwed in above each car (see figure 2). Hats and such like are made of cardboard, painted, and stuck on, while hair and beards can be made from the bristles of an old brush. These are also stuck on. Yon must use your own imagination in making the different figures; it obviously depends on what plav you wish to perform. You could also use ordinary dolls’ heads with real wigs or use the hair from an old doll’s wig for the marionettes—for example, the boy in the picture.

THE STRINGS. . Each marionette must have a set of “ guiders,” as shown at the top of the diagram, and these are made of sticks of wood. The numbers 1 to 5 show where to attach the brass lugs_to which the marionette’s guiding strings are tied. Corresponding numbers show where the strings are attach**! to the marionette. The strings which usually support the marionette are those marked No. d, and these are single strings which are threaded through two lugs in the guidipg stick. These strings must pass quite freely through the lugs, or they wil clause much annoyance during the performance. The thin crossbar (2) is attached with a screw so that it can turn.,. The marionette’s knees are attached „ to this, and the . doll will “walk” when it is moved backwards and forwards. . The lose stick controls the marionette’s hands, so it is necessary to have one person to control each marionette, both hands - being used. In tying all these strings be .careful to make them the right length; they must naturally. be considerably longer than in the diagram. The guiding sticks are held as shown in the illustration, and the strings are the right length if the marionette stands at. attention when the strings are taut. The costumes are made of “ remnants,which you will have no difficulty in finding, and, of course, the marionettes must be “ dressed ” before the strings are attached. If some of the marionettes have long dresses it is unnecessary to tie strings to their legs. THE THEATRE. The stage itself is the. easiest to make. You might make it in' a doorway, the floor of the stage being a table in front of the door. The front edge of the table can be covered with a cloth

or a large piece of coloured cardboard* The top or the stage can also be a cloth, or. if you wish to have a curtain, a piece of thick cardboard decorated to suit your taste. The doorway above and below can be hidden by a curtain. See the illustration. -

The scenery should be as-simple as possible. The background is as dark as possible, as this renders the strings invisible. The scenery in the wings must be restricted to one side, and be slanting so that the audience cannot peep in at the sides.. The lightning is produced by means of one or two electric lamps, which are fixed behind a triangular screen at_ the front of the stage, so that the light is thrown on, to the stage.

The persons guiding the marionettes must stand on a bench or chairs at the back of the stage, and the use of a mirror for rehearsing the “ dramas is to be recommended.