THE SMILE CASTLE MAIL-BAG.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 23 February 1929, Page 16

THE SMILE CASTLE MAIL-BAG.

Mamgatoki. I>ea.r Smile Queen, —As I had nothing else to do I thought I would write. J. ■had a lovely time in the holidays. We had our two cousins up from VVellington, Bob and Gwen. We went for lots of swims in the river, and sometimes we went to the 'beach. Sometimes we would have rides on the horses, and nearly every morning we went to the factory with my big brother. Hasn't it been awful weather lately? My pet calf has grown very (big now' and so •have the other calves. Well, Smile Queen, as I have no more news, I will close with much love from Molly Nicholas. (You did have a nice holiday, Molly. It is lovely to have a big brother who can take you rides, isu't it? The weather has been bad, but it is nice now. Love, S.Q.) Meremere. Dear Smile Queen, —Just a few lines to see liow you are getting on at the Castle. It looks line rain to-day, and I hope it does, too, because our tank is nearly empty. We haven’t many vegetables left now, because someone left our gate open and our neighbour’s horses got in and ate most of them. We have a lot of pumpkins this year, because we planted a lot in our mangolds. Our dower garden is looking all right now. The nectarine tree has a lot of fruit on this year, but our apple trees never bad many on them. Well, Smile Queen, I will close. —I am, your loving Smile, Dora Coltart.

(Yes, I do hope you get the muchwanted rain very soon, Dora. , It must be an anxious time for you all when the water supply gets down. Oh, what a pity about your vegetables. It is" so nice to have them in one’s own garden, isn’t it? Love from 5.Q..) Hawera. Dear Smile Queen, —As I have not written for a long time I thought I would write to you now. In the holidays I did not go away to stay, but I -went to two or three places and just stayed for one day. I went to Ngacre Gardens, New Plymouth, Patea beach and Wanganui. Wo have been back to school a fortnight after a very nice long holiday. You have not had very many letters in the paper the last one or two weeks, have you, Smile Queen, but when tlve children are settled down at school they will write more often. The wind has been very cold out hero the last two days. I passed into* Std. IV. this year, but the work is not very much harder. Well, dear Smile Queen, as it is my bedtime, I must close.— Prom your loving Smile, Thyrza Abcrley. 1 (You had some nice little trips, even if you did not make a long stay anywhere, didn’t you, Thyrza? There were not many letters the last two weeks, •hut I am proud of all my correspondents this week. —Love, S.Q.) Mannia Load.

Dear Smile Queen, —Our picnics are all over now. Our school picnic was at Kaupokomii beach. It was- a. glorious •day and we had a lovely time. Our Sunday School picnic was liehl at Opunnke beach _ It was rather a cold day, we had a lollie scramble up by the cliffs and some treasure hunts. My brother and I got a Sunday School prize each for good attendance. The name of my brother’s book is "Sabbath Chimes,” and my book is "The Good Samaritan,” and wo like them very much. On Sunday we wont to Pukcnnhu for the day, and it just takes an hour to get there in the car. There are a great many corners and turns on the roads and hills, too. ißut it is lovely when you get there, because there is lovely bush and hills to run up and dawn. I have three girl cousins there and we have great fun, because I have not got a sister. But I have two little brothers. Your loving Smile, Jessie Cl ague.

(I am pleased you had such a lovely time at. the picnic, Jessie, and that you and your brother both got prizes. That trip to the bush must have been just delightful. I, too, love the bush. Love from S:Q,)

Otakeho, Dear Smile Queen,-— I am sorry that I did not write before this. Thank you for the nice card that you sent me for my birthday. On Wednesday I took a bull calf to th£_show, but I did not get a prize. I will close now, with lots of love to- you and your Smilesfr—Your loving Smile, Ralph Meek. (I am pleased to- bear from you again, Ralph! Hope you have more luck at next show. Write again soon.— Love, S.Q.) Inaha. Dear Smile Queen, —As the holidays are over I suppose you tMnk I am a ,long time writing. Well, I hope to bo able to write regular now. I had several swims during the holidays, as we went to* the beach many tinges. I am learning music now at the Manaia Convent, and I. like my teacher very much. I have only had four lessons,' and the Sister said I will soon be able to play ■hard pieces of music. I passed in my exam, last year and I am in Std. V. now. I learn cooking at school, too. Every Friday, Auroa and Otakeho boys and girls come down for woodwork and cooking at the High School. I notice in the ‘'Star” this year that there are no new Smiles in the Castle yet. I have entered some writing in the Manaia Show and also a map of Taranaki. The show is next Wednesday and I suppose we will be getting a half-holi-day as most of the children wish to see where there entries come. With best love from Daisy Prout.-

(I am glad you are going to txy and write regularly now, Daisy. What a nice neat letter; you write very well. You are a. fortunate little girl to be able to learn music. Won’t Mother bo proud of you when you can cook? Hopo 1 you have some luck at the Show. — Love, S.Q.) Mangatoki Dear Smile Queen, —I was very pleased to see my letter in the paper. 1 like reading the other. Smile’s letters. I am in Std. V. „at school. I have not •any pots. Wo have a hen and nine chickens, and I hope none of them die like all the others did. I went to Opunake beach on Boxing Day and had a lovely time with some of my playmates. At the present lam reading a book called "The Golden Stairway.” I was very pleased when school started again as I like, school very much. Hoping you and your Smiles ’are all well, I shall close. —Marjorie Taylor. (I do hope you have more luck with this lot of chickens, Marjorie. It is lovely at Opunake, isn’t it? I am glad you like school so much.—Love, HQ.)

o you aW work at the school garden? Dear Smile Queen, —I am now writing to you. Winkie is rather big now, and she plays round lovely. We are going to have another .school picnic soon. Dad has a, poisoned finger, and lie does not use it much. My little brother lias a stone bruise on his big toes, and -it is a terrible size. Dad is feeding out lucerne now for the cows. We haven’t much fruit this year. One of my big brothers has left school now. We are going back to school to-mor-row. Dear Smile Queen, I must close. Love from Queenie Golf-art. (Pussies are pretty things to watch at play aren’t they Queen in ? J am soriy you: father has a. bad linger and the poor little brother lias been hurt. I do hope they will soon be better. It is much too soon to 'have to feed out to the cows. I hope we may soon have some rain to help* the grass on, Queenie. Love from S.Q.)

Mangatoki. Dear Smile Queen, —Please may I become one of vour .Smiles. 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. I am 11 on November 12, and I am in Standard 3 at school. I did not go away for my holiday because I helped with the haymaking. I remain, your new Smile, Len Taylor. (Welcome to liie Castle, Lon! I am so happy to see tho boys arc becoming interested in our Castle. Bather would be glad of your help at the haymaking Write again soon.—Love from S.Q.)

Normanby. Dear Smile Queen, —Thank you for! your letter. I was plehscd to know / that yon would have me for a Smile. J I shall be nine years old on. May 20, | and I go 1 to the Normanby School. Ij am learning to sew at school’, and I like j it_ We are going to New Plymouth for our picnic on March 1. I hope the warship Dunedin will be there, as I have not seen a big ship, only in picture books. I went to Sunday School on Sunday. Did you see the aeroplane last Saturday morning. We had a good look,, because it came right over our heads, while we were in the garden. We have three cows, two calves, and one .teeny tiny pig. We are going to feed the pig up for winter bacon. Love from i Constance Evans.

(How nice to be learning to sew, Constance. Won’t it be lovely when you arc able to make your frocks?" I think the Dunedin will be in New Plymouth on March 1. I, too, hope you will be fortunate enough to see it. Yes, I got a splendid view of the aeroplane from the castle. Lave from S.Q.) Alangatoki. Dear Smii'o Queen, —Once again I take nay pencil to write to you. I like going to school, and I am in Standard f. We have a hen with nine chicks. I did not go away lor my holidays. On Boxing Day we went to Opunake beach; we also motored to New Plymouth’. In my flower garden I have ■sweet Williams, pansies, wallflower, and lavendar. We also have a lovely garden ait school. As it is any .second letter I shall say good-bye. Love from Myrtle Taylor. (I am pleased to hear from you again, Myrtle! Your garden must be looking very nice. Isn’t it lovely to have a I garden one can call their very -own ? i Do you all work at the school garden t Love. —S.Q.) j Otakeho. Dear Smile Queen, —We got our haystack topped off the other day, and it looked all right. We have a big stack af hay for the winter, and I am sure the cows will need it. Yesterday our windmills would not pump a drop of water for the cows, so they had none for two or three days. When there is no wind there is no water, and when there is no water there is very little milk, and so on. If wc only had a little creek how we would appreciate it, i but we only have the windmills on the farm. We have ordered paint for the house; the roof Indian red, and the facings and window sills purple brown, I am sure it will look nice when done, as one of our neighbours has his house the same and it looks lovely. Eva is going to see the Dunedin on March 1. She is going out to stay at Normanby, to go up with some friends of ours out there. They will be going up by train. We are feeding out soft turnips at present. To-morrow wc are going to fence our hay-stack. After we have finished I am going to clean the garden again, as the weeds .grow very quick. Our lettuce are very good, and we put ashes to them and watered them every day. Our onions are very large, but most af the cabbages have the clubroot, We have a splendid crop of potatoes called Sutton Supreme, and they -will soon be ready to plough out and bag up. I j suppose Eva will bo making some more I money, if she sells wee Bonnie. She i sold two ponies before and made nine pounds on them. I think she 'is a horse dealer, don’t you? She w'ont sell Trixie for any amount of money, as she is one of the fastest ponies in this district, and very reliable and handsome. We still have plenty of grass. One thing we only wish we had is plenty of trees for firewood. Wc are going to put lucerne in later on, instead of turnips. I have been working here ten months now, and I like my place very much, as they treat me like one of their own. Weil, I must close now with best of luck from your sincere Smile, Douglas Daine.

(I was glad to see your letter pop out of the bag this morning, Douglas, 1 look forward to your very interesting letters. Yes, you will be glad to have that hay for the cows. Tais dry weather is bad for the grass isn’t it.' The house should look well when it gets that nice new coat on. You seem very happy on the farnt. Some day perhaps you may have a farm of your own. 1 nope so, because I am sure you would make such a success of it. Gove from s.Q.)

Kiverlea. Dear Smile Queen, —Did you Have a good Christmas. x clitl, ana Santa Claus gave me a camera, ancl niy two young mothers a game ox bobs. 1 goo a manicure set ana a lot oi hanukercineis. 1 didn't go away tor a, Holiday, nut ,|. had a, good time home here, i ride a littie pony to senooi now, and its name is Bossuin. i am in fci-td. i ' now at school and 1 have ait my books except two. Did i ten you we had a pet tamo. It is a big one now and we nave weaned it and its worn is io»eJ.y and smooth, m our garden are asters, pansies and other kinds ox flowers, am i have no more news to tell you l will close now. \\ itii love, from nstlier Chapman. (what a lucky girl you are to get such lovely Xmas gifts. Why, x was a much bigger girl than you before i got a camera, xt is nice to have your own little pony-, isn’t it? Are you lond .oi the rowers csther ? Lo.e irom S.Q). Pihama. Dear Smile Queen, —Just a lew lines to let you know 1 am all right. On Friday morning we went in to Opunake.' The boys for woodwork and the girls for domestic science. in the afternoon the boys and some men damned up a swimming pool lor us. On Thursday next is our school picnic. On the 26th February the Hawera Scottish .Society are coming out to give a concert in . aid pi the school. You can see we are having a nice time can’t you? J. am still learning the piano and like it. How are ali your Smiles keeping? I hope they are air well. Yes, 1 will have to work hard this year if I want to get my certifies ite. ' I remain, your loving Smile, Owen Holmes.

(You certainly seem to be having lovely times, Owen! I am pleased you are learning to play the piano. Keep up your practise and some day you’ll lie awfully glad that you made the most of your opportunity . We are all well and happy at the Castle, thank you Gwen, cove from S.Q.)