THE SMILE CASTLE

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 22 August 1925, Page 18

THE SMILE CASTLE

A CORNER ESPECIALLY FOR CHILDREN. THE CASTLE PLEDGE. I promise to smile every time I can, and to chase all the frowns into the dark cave, where the Smile Giant will kill them with his Magic Sword Happiness.

My Dear Boys and; Girls, — During tlie past week or two everyone I’ve, met lias talked about tlie American Elect. All the illustrated papers have been full of pictures of the. U.S.A. sailors, battle-cruisers and numerous other ships that, belong to the navy now visiting New Zealand. I laughed because people were so excited and travelled miles and miles to see this fleet. I wouldn’t dream of doing it. But —would you believe it? —your Queen suddenly got the craze as badly as anyone else. I really didn’t mean to. Since last week I decided that it would be rather quiet staying at the Castle when so many of my household were away on holiday; so for one or two days I set out to have a look at you all in your homes. In a vr ■ v short time I found most of you, except those who were away on ht liday. Then, seeing such crowds of people flocking to the ports, I sailed along in mv car, too. In Wellington I remembered Thelma Laurent’s warning about the speed of the motor ears and all the traffic which one has to avoid. I had a. big, fat fairy with me as an escort, so we were fairly safe. One needs to have good ears and eyes and swift feet in the city. Then, away out at sea in our fairy ship, we could see the red, green and yellow lights of all the decorations on the Wellington buildings. We saw also the searchlights: flashing their signals into the night. Some of our Smile fairies heard that more of the American fleet was in the South Island ports, so off we sailed away south to cooler shores to see more sailors and more ships. There were seaplanes, too, and these circled round in tlie air doing many wonderful tricks. They were better than real birds. But I’m pleased we do not have to IB e in the south. The ground was white with frost and the hills covered with snow, and we were so glad to spend one night in the warm play-room of some children with whom we went home. • Boys, don’t forget the verse competition on “Bedtime.” And please, all of von, put your names, ages and class at school on your work. I. had such a lot of trouble marking your drawings because you did not do this. Every few minutes I’d have to turn up my book to find how old someone was and in what class. I am sorry that there was a mistake in one of the names in last week’s prize-list. We have no member Peggie: Musehamp. It was Peggie Muschamp who got 23 marks, and so is now leading for the. boys’ prize. We were pleased to be back after our three, days’ sight-seeing. Perhaps next week we may take a few more days out. I hope all tlio other Smile fairies and children are having a splendid holiday. I’ll expect most of them: home by next Saturday. Love from, SMILE QUEEN.