THE CASTLE PLEDGE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 7 August 1926, Page 18

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. Dear Smiles, — One thing’. I have discovered; this week: You are most of you fondi of word-building. So many lists have reached! me of words made* from, “ Smile: Castle that' it has .been impossible to finish the marking- so that you will have to wait at least another week for the: results. But now I am much more inclined to continue our competitions. If only some of you would suggest other forms of competition, we might have as many entries always as we have this time,. Who has anything to- propose-? Your letters this week have been full of .had! weather and influenza—l mean, of -course, you have written about those things. The weather hasn’t been very -pleasant; but for the most part the, rain has been warm and the: days what our farmers and gardeners call ‘ ‘growthy. ” You must have noticed how the grass is growing—and the weeds! And one of cun -Smile family tells of a fruit, tree already -in blossom. :So the longer and sunnier days l are coming. Meanwhile we should ibei seeing, if wo .cannot, by our smiles, cause our friends, even when they are- sick, to forget the wild weather. It is- easier to smile and spread sunshine in summer; but then there is usually plenty of sunshine naturally. Yon will have heard the. story of the Irishman who sa-id hei preferred the moon to the sun l ; because the sun shone by diay when there was no need of him, whereas the, moon shone at night, when it was dark. That Irishman was a -bit of a 1 wag, as people say; but perhaps- the story has a lesson for us. It is when all the outside world is dreary with rain, and folk inside- the house seem dull and unhappy in sympathy, that cur smiles mean most to those around ns. What do you think? Still cheerily yours, SMILE QUEEY.