THE CASTLE MAIL BAG.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 13 February 1926, Page 18

THE CASTLE MAIL BAG.

Manilla Ed., Manaia, Eeb. 7,

Dear Smile Queen,— I am sending a piece of poetry. The doctor says have not to go to school till next year. —Billy Laursen. [Thanks for your poetry, Billy. lam pleased you arc so much better. Next year is not really very long to wait. S.Q.] Rowan Ed., Ivapuni. Dear Smile Queen, —I am writing to you after sir weeks’ holidays. I hope vou and vour fairies enjoyed yourselves i„ the holidays. Our Sunday school started to-day, but we did not go because it was too wet. At Christmas I received a good few presents from Santa Claus. Well, dear Smile Queen, L must close now, with a big smile to you and your fairies. From Margaret Lindsay.

Manaia Ed., Manaia, Eeb. 6.

Dear Bmilc Queen,— How are you netting on? I could not write to you before as I was kept busy during the holiday hoeing and weeding my mangolds and carrots, as I am m the competitions. I was very pleaser when school started again. I passed both standard two and three. lam now in standard four. You asked me if I did the border design myself. i saw the picture of the honeysuckle in a book. I thought it would make a good border design. I meant the second piece to be a repeat. I remain, your loving Smile, Betty Laursen. [Clever girl, Betty. I hope you do just as well this year.—S.Q.]

Rowan Ed., Ivapuni, Feb. 7. Dear Bmilc Queen, —I am again writing to you after six weeks’ delay, hirst of all I must thank you for the lovely birthday card and greeting that I received from you. I also received another pretty card from the editoi or the Break' of Day. Yesterday we went in the train to Opunake, fo» the public works men gave the treat to the children. Our Sunday school started to-day; but, as it is too rough to go, I thought it a good opportunity to write, t expect you will have two little seivauts to carry your letter-bag this week? Well, dear Smile Queen, I will close now. I remain, your loving Smile, Mary Lindsay. [I arn sorry to say there were not enough letters for two messengers S.Q.j

Hunter St., Hawera, Feb. 8

Dear Smile Queen, —How did you enjoy your holidays? I hope you had a very pleasant time. We had a very good holiday. We went to Ngaere Gardens last Saturday and enjoyed ourselves very much. I also went to the Sunday school picnic held at Opunake beach,' and went for some drives down to the Hawera. beach, and spent two days out at my uncle’s farm. i have passed into standard three at school. I think that is all I have got to say just now. I remain vour loving Smile, Teddy Gane.

[Did you go on the lake in Ngaere Gardens'? 1 went on one which wa» 20 miles long and on another that was 40 miles long, but I got tired of so long a sail.—HQ. | Manaia Ed., Manaia, Feb. (>. Dear Smile Queen, —First, I should like to wish you :i happy Now Year. 1 was pleased to hear you had a happy holiday. Did you' hang up your stocking? 1 did. Father Christmas brought me a seal. With love, from Jim Baursen. | f hung up my stocking and so many nice things came that, the stocking wouldn’t hold them. One thing was a note which I gave to a man in a car, and he took me for miles and miles through the most beautiful country. Wasn't that a lovely present?—S.Q.]

Hawera, Fob. S. Dear Smile Queen,- —-My Grannie sent me a black cat for Christmas. I have some pretty handkerchiefs. —Edna Gane. |Hii the holidays I saw some cats, and they lived in a haystack. They were quite happy because they ate the mice which came to 'eat the grain.—S.Q.]

Taikatu Ed., Auron, Feb. 8

Dear Smile Queen, —1 once more sit down to write a few lines to you. Me broke up for our Christmas holidays on December IS. A week aftci New Year l went for a holiday to Eahotu for three weeks. The place where I stopped was a lovely nursery with beautiful flowers and shrubs. I brought home a bunch of flowers. I went to New Plymouth for a day and 1 -went to Kawaroa and Pukekura Parks. t bought a sunshade. The day was very wet and cold. I went to the pictures and went home by the 10 o’clock ’bus and 1. arrived home at 1— o clock. I had to come home because a little girl friend was coining to spend a few days after being laid up most of the holidays with a broken arm. I tun sending you a snapshot that my brother took of me. I am in standard five now, and I intend to work hard this year. Do you like mushrooms? for I do. Me have quite a lot on our farm. We can not use them nil. I must close now, wishing vou a merry New i ear. It is past my 'bed-time. * I remain, your loving Smile (with good wishes to all the other Smiles), Myrtle Svmes.

[I like your photograph. It is very kind of vou to send me one. .Yes, I like mushrooms, too. All fairies do. Thev arc our tables and chairs. Have yuu seeu the marks of the fairy rings on the grass? Fairies dance there on nice moonlight nights. When I turn into a human I like mushrooms to eat. —S.Q.]