THE CASTLE MAIL BAG.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 13 November 1926, Page 18

THE CASTLE MAIL BAG.

Skeet Rd., Auroa. Nov. 6. Dear Smile Queen, —Once more I take my pen to write to you. I nave not had much news lately. This weather puts the damper on everything. This wind is awful on the gardens. Dad had some lovely potatoes, but that strong wind last Sunday, broke .such a, number ox the stalks clean oh. 1 think the stalks must have been very brittle. The cabbages, broad beans, etc., have had a buffeting time. But i .suppose nearly all the gardens are having the same time. We have to be thankful that we don’t get hooded out, like they do in some districts. We will be having our Sunday School anniversary very soon now, unci we are ousy practising. 1 think we all look forwaid to the anniversary day. My brother, my cousin Amy and 1 went bird-nesting last Sunday morning. We got several blackbirds’ and starlings' nests. 1 think they are the worst birds in the garden, they have been playing havoc with ours this year, even taking the.liower seedlings. 1 think we will be soon starting tennis at our school now. They are fixing up the lawn now. I don’t think I nave any more news, so 1 will close with a nig smile to you and your fairies, with love from Gladys Bigham P.S. I forgot to thank you for the lovely card you sent jne. I have hung it on the wall over my bed. —G.B. [You had plenty or news this time' Gladys. Do you think you could write something just about birds and their nests please ? —S .Q.]

Ball Rd., Alton, Nov. 7. Dear Smile Queen, —As i have a lev, minutes 1 will write to you. We have eighty-six cows in now. We miik them by machines. I am sending in the names of the jumbled names. My Sunday seliool teacher asked me if I would bring her some eggs to send down to Wellington to give to the little children who have no parents. I have a little pony which my brother rides to school and her name is Kitty. We have all our vegetables up ancl some of them arc nearly ready to eat. I will close with a smile to you and your Smiles, from Emily Ruth Ward. P.S. Excuse a few smudges as Gladys, my baby sister, keeps rubbing her hands across it.—E'.R.W

Mokoia, .Nov. 1. Dear Smile Queen, —1 am very sorry I did not write to you before. It is quite a long time since 1 wiote to tou last. Thank you very much for the pretty little birthday card you sent me. We have eight chickens. They are dear little things. 1 feed them every morning and night. In the morning when I go to feed them, they are all waiting round the door. Yesterday morning (ynihday) I could only see five of them. 1 looiied round the house for tiie lost three chickens, but could not find them. After a while I heard a noise behind the chicken shed, then I went and had a look there, and .s.,re eiiougii there were two, a.s I could not catch them I let them go. A few minutes alter I went to see if their mother had them. J think tney came back to the mother themselves. As this is all 1 can think of. Smile Queen, 1 will close now. Love irorn, • u*an Main. [1 think little chickens are so pretty. --- ->-Q-1

•Auroa, Nov., (j. Dear Smile Queen,— ! am going to write a few lines as it is a long time since I wrote to you. I have been doing some home-work as I want to go into Primer 111. We have a new teacher ati .school since I wrote, and 1 like her so much. Don’t you think we are lucky children, as now we have men at our school, putting up swings, seasAws, a horizontal bar, and a slide? \y e have lovely fun now, and the big boys and girls like them too. Our mothers say that the slide is no good, as we will wear our clothes out, but all the same it is lovely. Don’t you think so, Smile Queen? I planted some pumpkin seeds last night and I hope they grow. I have some radishes and peas in my garden. I have no more news, so good-bye this time, love to all the fairies and yourself, from Amy Bigham. T [You are indeed lucky children, l would like the bars best of all your new things on which to play. S.Q-J

Skeet Road, Matapu, Nov. 8. Dear Smile Queen, —Wo are milking forty-four cows at present and taking seven cans of milk to the factory. I was twelve years old on April 20. Would you please give me a napie for my black kitten? 1 will close now with a big smile. —From your Smile, Ena Minhinniok. p.S.— I am sending in some riddles. [Thank you lor the riddles. Call the black kitten “To to.” That is what some wee black boys in Africa are called. —S.Q.] Kaikohe, X. Auckland, Nov. i. My Dear Smile Queen, —Thank you very much for the paper which you were so kind as to send me. Joyce and I have found only two ne-sts this year. They were both thrushes nests. \Ye have now got a cage across the river, and we have all been across on it. We have had two floods since we came here. The cows walk across the liver, and when the flood was pretty low down, the cows swam across to get to the good grass. The other day we went for a swim. As we are not getting the paper any more, I will not be one of your Smiles any longer. Goodbye. Love from Faith Rockell. [I hope it will not be good-bye Faith, you will still write to us sometimes. —S.Q.] Ball Rd., Alton, Nov. 7. Dear Smile Queen, —As 1 have a few minutes to» spare 1 thought 1 would write to von. AJv brother has a ponv and her name is Quceny. .1 ride her to Sunday School every Sunday with my sister. I walk to .school one and a halt miles. f am going for a holiday to mv auntie’s in W anganui. My sistei and I hope you have a lot of Smiles bv Christmas. 1 must close now because I have to go over to the cowshed and get the calf-milk. rreda. Ward.

Kaikolie, North Auckland, Oct. 31. My Dearest Smile Queen, —I wish to thank you very much for the pretty birthday card which you were so very kind as to send me. Wliat a lot of parties you and your fairies will be having. I suppose you will be giving dainty Spring a big farewell, and also I suppose you will be welcoming Summer. Next Friday will be Guy Fawkes Day, and once again everybody will be having great fun letting off crackers and skyrockets, and making big bonfires. Wo have such a nice lot of Christmas plums coming on and all our apple trees are in blossom. There is a lovely lot of roses in bloom —red, pink, and creamy white ones with pink in them. This morning my big sister and I walked two miles, over the paddocks to church, and I took a bunch of roses to one of our friends. We had a ride home in a car. The service was held in the school that Faith and I attend. At school we have sewing on Mondays and Wednesdays, and standards five and six have painting on Tuesdays and Thursdays; all these things we do for only half the afternoon. We go into school at half-past nine and get out at half-past three. There are such a lot of mosquitoes round here. They are trying to bite my ankles now. We have four little white pigs with pink skins. Our hens are laying from four to six eggs a day, which is pretty good, considering there are only seven hens and they are t hardly getting any hard food. Last week-end 1 rode sixteen miles over to my sister’s place and then wo went out visiting in the afternoon. On the Sunday we had some visitors, and on the Monday 1 rode home again. There are such a lot of Maoris up here. Fairh and I went for a swim on Saturday. The water was not very cold, which was just as well for us. We have found only two thrushes’ nests so far, which shows that there cannot be many thrushes up here, or else that the birds are very careful where they build. There are such a lot of cuckoos here already. Have you see or heard any yet? In our orchard there is a persimmon tree with little wee persimmons on it. We are having very changeable weather. One day I found some maiden-hair ferns, and another day I found some ’ ‘ silkferus ” growing on a log. I will send some riddles and poetry with my letter. I will also send a question for the Question Box.' We have not got a very good garden yet, but we have some lettuce, radish, and onion plants coming on; but have not got any flower garden yet. One day Faith and 1 were each given a loquai to eat; they taste very much like plums and look like very small quinces. Growing by our river Is a totoke. tree, which looks very handsome with its dark green leaves and bright red berries. 1 am sorry to say that as we are no longer receiving the Hawera Star I must resign from the Smile Castle. I am very glad, though, that I have something by which to remember you, namely, the photograph of sonic of the gifts and the two beautiful birthday cards which you have sent me. Also, I have the Smile Castle badge. May I still wear the badge, or must I put it away for ever more? I will say good-bye now, with much love and many smiles. 1 remain, - vours sincerely, Joyce I. Rockcll.

[We’ve neither seen nor heard cuckoos here yet. Do you like persimmons to eat? I think they look very pretty, and make nice drawing designs. Certainly wear your badge. I hope other Smiles will, too. Although, you do not got the Star you may still write sometimes. L hope you will. —S.Q.]

Mountain Rd., Ngaere, Nov. 8. Dear Smile Queen,—Please may I become a member of your Smile band? I promise to smile as often as I can. I live opposite the Ngaere school and I attend school every day I am well. I was ten years old on September 19 last, and T am in Standard three. I hope to pass into Standard four when we have our exam. I have no sisters, but I have four brothers and I am the youngest. We live on a little farm, but 1 do not milk. I am rearing a- calf for the Girls’ and Boys’ Agricultural Club. I have also a plot of mangolds and I will have to weed them in the holidays. I remain, your Smile, Gladys Taylor. [We are so pleased to welcome you Gladys. There are gardens at Ngaere. [ wonder if you would write and tell us all about them. You might have a special hearing if it is good enough. I think it must be lovely to have four older brothers. — S.Q.] Campbell Rd.. Eltham. Dear Smile Queen, —Just a few lines. Spark is dead now. We have all our vegetable seeds in now and all the flower seeds too. We have two pet lambs and their names are Billy and Nanny. 1 will have to close. From Marjory Jordan. [What a pity your essay was late Marjory. How old are you?—S.Q.] Auroa. Nov. 9. Dear Smile Queen, —I did not write last week ■ We have at school all sorts of things erected for us children, seesaws and a slide-down shoot. I had great fun. I had such a time, I blistered my hands, so that is why 1 did not write you a letter. On Fridays we sew at school. I have just made a bed for my doll. It is raining nearly every day. arid cold. The Mountain has got more snow again. Mother and I will be glad to get warm sunshine, and I am sure the cows will too. I hope you and all the fairies are well. I must close now, with love and a smile. —Flo Whiteombe. [ suppose the blistered hands were part of the fun, too. You will be able to sew aTTvour own doll’s clothes soon. —S.Q.]