OUR YOUNG FOLKS' COLUMN.

Mataura Ensign, Issue 1033, 15 May 1902, Page 4

OUR YOUNG FOLKS' COLUMN.

[Edited by Uncle Phil.] BULES. 1. All letters for the week's publication should reach the office not later than Monday afternoon. 2. Correspondents should write on only one side of the paper. 3. Ml correspondents must send their real names, not necessarily for publication. All letters should be addressed thus Uncle Phil, Ensign Office, Gore. OUB MOTTO: Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might. Dear Boys and Girls, —I suppose that, in a day or two, we shall know whether the Boers are going to accept English terms or not. We need not listen much to the cables that reach us from time to time, for the Boers can be trusted to keep their own secrets ; and the censor, or passer of the cables sent abroad, will be very careful to see that nothing of consequence passes from the British side. Apparently the British Government is not going to make easier terms than those already offered, and it is not going to ease off war preparations. To foreign nations the cost of this war will strongly appeal. Not for a moment that they will help to bear the cost, no, not anything of that kind, but it will serve to show them the costliness of modern warfare. What other nation could have stood the strain so long ? Russia is in a bad w ay. Her army is not much to be trusted in one respect. Some of the soldiers at least, the number who are prepared to act in the same way can hardly be found out, are not prepared to fire on their own countrymen. Indeed a country is in desperate state indeed when it calls on its soldiers to fire on women and children. But we must not make a mistake and think that these soldiers are so disaffected that in time of war they would not fight for their country. Shooting their own countrymen and women, and shooting foreigners are two quite different things. Yet we may hope that Russia's trouble at home will hinder her from taking in hand a war with a foreign power. But sometimes a country, suffering from serious trouble within itself, seeks to divert the disaffection by engaging in war. One got so many surprises from this war, that one does not know what to expect from a struggle with a Great Power. If naval warfare has to adapt itself as much to altered circumstances as military methods have had to be, then we do not know how even a naval struggle might end. Soon may this war cease, soon may Boer and Briton settle down peacefully under just and liberal laws, and may you and I never again hear the noise of war's alarms—these are the sincere wishes of— Uncle Piiil.

Dear Uncle Phil, —As I have just finished reading the little folk's column, 1 again take the pleasure of writing to you. I am sorry to see that there are not so many letters in our column as usual. Sandy writes very nice letters and I enjoy reading them. The harvest is very late this year, and some of the farmers have just finished leading in. In the harvest holidays we used to go down to the creek and have fine iun catching fish along with two other boys. One of the boys tramped on an eel, which gave him a fright and made him jump out of the water. My brother and I were busy gathering potatoes to-day and carrying them to the pit. In the evening we got some lollies as a reward for our work. This is all I have to say this time.—Your loving nephew, Raubiter. [I am giad to see your letter. Don't you think we had plenty of letters last week? Some of my correspondents have been very busy of late and we must make allowance for that. I suppose the lollies were all right. He is a queer boy who dislikes lollies.— U.P.]

Dear Uncle Phil, —I hope you wont think me too cheeky for trespasing on on your precious page so soon again. You never asked me to write again, so you see I am taking the law into my own hands. Well, the weather is all the talk. It has been very bad for the past two months, at least from a farmer's point of view. Farming operations have been greatly retarded. Some have their crops threshed and sold. Those who have their oats sold will be biting their fingers now, seeing that oats are still rising. It is a bit disappointing. I see that I am getting found out by everyone. I would like to know who you are Fern. Would you please send me your auto, and I will send mine. I went home on Saturday on my bike and came back on Sunday. I left a young friend in charge till I came back, and told him not to let the men at the cakes, etc. He gave them tea about five o'clock; that passed off all right, but when night came on they thought they would take a mean advantage and go in and have some supper. One man was getting some cake out of the tin when the young fellow rushed in and caught him by the neck. Trouble followed, so they had a bit of a tussle. The young fellow got his hat and threw it on the stove and burned one side of it clean away. They said if he told me anything about it they would put him in the creek. Anyhow, when I came home he told me about it, and I can tell you I gave them a bit of my mind. They take fine care riot to do it when I'm about. I should think that would be a nice pudding, Nancy. You seem to be having fine times of it. I know Flo's brother well. He says you and Nancy are hard cases, and lam of the same opinion. lam sending some recipes and hope they will be of some use to the cousins. I have another brother away with the 10th contingent; he went from Gore. I hope the war will be over before he gets there. I must draw this epistle to a close. With best love to Nancy, Flo, Nell, Widow McCarthy and the rest of the cousins, not forgetting yourself.—l am still Puff Paste.—lib flour, lib butter, 1 teaspoon cream tartar, 1 egg, 3 parts cup of water. Method: Chop the butter up with the flour in which the cream of tartar has been mixed. Chop the butter into squares. Make a bay in the centre and break in the egg and put in the water; chop all up together. 801 l out three times and put away in a cloth for Shrs to prove. Bake in a moderate oven.

Cream Scones.—Sift together two cups flour, 3 teaspoons baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt; work in 2 tablespoons butter, add 2 well-beaten eggs, and about one-third of a cup of thin cream and mis to a dough. Turn on a floured board, and roll out fin thick. Cut into shapes, prick with a fork, brush with white of egg, sprinkle with sugar and bake in a hot oven for 15 minutes.

Cheese Cakes. —Take 8 sponge cakes and pour over them a glass of sweet wine; beat 2oz butter to a cream, add 3 of sifted sugar, beat 4 eggs (yolks and whites separately), and add them first to the cake, beating all together thoroughly; add the other ingredients and beat well. Flavor with whatever essence is preferred, and bake in tin pans lined with puff paste. P.S.—I could send recipes for making ginger beer, lemonade and all such summer drinks if required. [That friend whom you left in charge is a thoroughly reliable person. We are having fine weather now, don't you think? I am glad you wrote without my asking, and I am all the more pleased to get your letter because it came from you spontaneously. Thank you too, for the recipes, and send those you offer with another long letter.—U.P.]

Dear Uncle Phil, —We have got all our crop stacked, and we are now ready for the mill. I am writing to you now while I have an opportunity, for I will be busy till the threshing is finished. This has been a lovely day. What a lot of rain we have had. We will soon have frost. In this part of the country a fine day is quite a novelty. Winter has now arrived—not a very welcome guest. There will not be any more excursions or picnics for a longtime. Do you know the number of your correspondents, Uncle ? You must have a very large number. We have got a lot of cows, and I milk three. I like milking when the cows are quiet. Do you like pet animals, Uncle ? I am very fond of them. I had two pet rabbits. They were such pretty little things. One was black, and the other was grey and white. One day while they were playing, the black one ran away into a hole, and I never saw it again. The other one lived a week after its mate; it grew less painful than before, and one morning I found it dead. I was very sorry to lose both my pets. It is now evening, and the sun is set. I watched a flock of sea-gulls, thirteen in number, that flew overhead. They flew abreast and seemed to form figures and letters as they flew onward. I watched them till they sunk below the horizon. Away in the distance they looked like a serpent coiling and uncoiling itself in the sky. They flew on and on till they seemed to be hanging motionless in the air. When they were near the horizon they divided into two flocks, and first one and then the other sank out of sight. I must close now. I remain, with best love to the little folk and my dear Uncle, your niece, Althaea FKUTEX. [You write a very nice letter, and I hope the threshing is now done at your place, and that you will be free to send me another letter. If we could fly like those gulls you watched, where should we fly to ? To some warmer place till oui Southland winter is over perhaps. Your speaking of pets minds me that I saw some tiny guinea pigs the other day. Pretty little things they were too.—U.P.]

Dear Uncle Phil, —I am a gray and white cat. I live in a nice large house which has five rooms in. My mistress is a little girl; she feeds me on new milk every morning, and I am well pleased with it. My mistress is nine years old, and she milks five cows every morning. She was ill for three weeks. Her little brother used to feed me, and sometimes forgot me, and I had to go and catch birds. But now she is well again, and I am fed the same as usual. I am mostly fed in the dairy, and there is a lot of mice in it. One day I was in the garden trying tc catch a bird when a bad boy went by and saw me, and throwing a stone at me he hit me on the leg; I have been lame ever since. My mistress tells me that her mother and father are going to shift to Dunedin, but I think I won't like Dunedin as well as the country, as I think there are not so many rats and mice there. I think I have written a long letter, and so think I will close.—l am, yours faithfully, CItUDGKIt. [Your little mistress is evidently a kind-hearted girl, and for her kindness will no doubt get much love in return. Boys are not always as thoughtful as girls. lam sure you would be glad when your young mistress had recovered. You do not need to fear boys with stones much. A boy generally misses the object he aims at. But look out when a girl throws stones for she sometimes hits what she has no intention of hitting. When is your next letter to arrive ?—U.P.]

Dear Uncle Phil —I suppose I had better write you a few lines to say I am still in the land of the living. The weather is keeping fair just now, but it is very cold in the mornings. There are not many farmers in this district, so I think the thrashing mill will be finished. We have had the mill, and have had the chaffcutter twice now, as it is here to-night. Lots of the farmers are oomplaining of the weather, but I suppose they will be looking up a little these fine days. Our school concert is to be held soon, and the flag is to be hoisted through the day. I believe we are to have a grand time. Will you be able to come, Uncle ? I hope you will. Dear Uncle, can you give me a cure for scabs, as I have three big ones on my face, and they are very sore. I wonder where Ben Hur has gone to. I have.not seen a letter from him this long while. What interesting letters he writes. I have started to write again, as I did not finish my letter last night. It is very cold this morning, and you cannot see very far for mist. I have read a good number of books, including "Ernie Elton," " The King's Messenger," "The rambles of three children," " The blunders of a bashful man," and many others. I also started to read " Great Inventors " and George Washington, but did not finish them. I wonder where all the Scotchmen have gone. I wish they would hurry up and write. I saw one of your nieces the other day, and she said she had no time to write to you, as she is so busy with her music. I think I will stop

now. Excuse the writing, blame the pen, skip the words ye dinna ken. I am, your loving niece, L.I.Z. [Your writing is very good indeed, perhaps the best I have passed through my hands to-night. You are very kind to invite me to your social, but I fear I shall not be able to accept your kind offer. Be sure to write again before long.—U.P.] Dear Uncle Phil, —I again take the pleasure of writing you another short letter. I think, Uncle, that some of the old writers need a touch up, as they seem to be forgetting about our young folks' column. What do you think of the cold mornings ? It is all right as long as we do not need to get up, but it is rather cold when get up time comes. It seems to me as if we are going to have a severe winter. I was speaking to Wallflower yesterday, and gave her a hint about not writing to our page. At last she promised she would write. Dear Uncle, I think it would be a grand help for the Presbyterian Sunday school if the cantata is a success, as we need some new books for the library very much. I suppose the farmers have finished their harvesting by this time, and I am sure they must be glad. I would like to live on a farm, as I think it must be grand fun, especially when the mill comes. Perhaps those who are on farms do not think it fun. I must now close, with love to all.—l am, your affectionate niece, Heatherbell. [Yes, the mornings are very cold, but we do not know what severe cold is. I hope your prediction about the winter will be wrong. Thank you for minding Wallflower to write. The mill causes a great deal of hard work. Write soon again.—U.P.]

Dear Uncle Phil, —I have once more found time to write to you after a long silence. The hum of the threshing mill is now to be heard, and, in aweek or two, I expect to see this important work finished. Some very large yields of oats are being reported. I heard of one crop of Waverley oats threshing 101 bushels to the acre ; and a crop of Gartons 134 bushels. Not bad crops' are they ? Farmers must be making' fortunes this year, for the price of oats is 2s 3d a bushel. Rabbitters are having a good time, for the bunniea are being caught in great numbers, but the prices are not good ; the highest price given is 5-fcd. Dear Uncle, 1 1 must thank you for the badge which I received some time ago, but I never had time to write and let you know I had received it. These badges are nicer than Dot's because they have a pin to fasten them with. Dear Jack, so you were asking for my photo, well next time I go to Gore I must get it taken and send you one. lam going to change my name, Uncle. The war is lasting a long time, but I "hope to see it at an end soon. A lot of lives have been lost through wounds and fever. The King's coronation is to come off soon, and I suppose a good few will be present. The Australian cricketers have arrived in England and started playing, and I hope to see them get beaten. I must draw to a close as I have broken a rule. I am sending some riddles. With love to all, —I remain, yours truly, Hokonui. [You appear to have an observant eye for crops and prices, Hokonui. Yes, those farmers who saved their grain in good order have cause to be thankful. Judging by all accounts the two varieties of oats you mention appear to suit Southland particularly well. Do not delay so long in writing for the future.—U.P.]

Dear Uncle Phil, —1 now take pleasure in writing you a few lines, hoping that you have not forgotten me. We are having very miserable weather lately. It freezes here nearly every night. 1 am home again to Waikiwi and have started to go to school again. The day after 1 came home Sir J. G. Ward hoisted our school flag. We have two flags, the Union Jack and the Ensign. After everything was over there were hands round. When are your badges coming out again, Uncle ? 1 would like to have one. 1 enjoyed myself splendidly while I was in Gore. We have a bush not far from our house, and my sister and 1 often go up and gather brambles and fuchsias. Last spring while among the shrubs in the bush, we found a lot of birds' nests with eggs, and some had young birds. Grain and potatoes are very dear in lnvercargill. 1 am acquainted with Wild Kose, and 1 see she has looked you up again. Here 1 close with love to my cousins and yourself. 1 remain, your loving niece, Mountaineer. [Gore weather must be better than than yours for we are having not bad weather. You should gather birdi' eggs since you have such a good chance. What standard are you in, and who is your teacher. 1 am not sure when more badges will be procurable. But if a goodly number of correspondents express a wish for them, 1 shall see what can be done. -U.P.] Dear Uncle Phil, —1 once more take the pleasure of writing to you. The weather has again taken up, and farmers have got their harvest finished and the grain thresed. Carting away is the order of the day just now, and farmers are continually grumbling about the shortness of trucks. This is particularly so at the sidings where there is no one in charge, and the scramble amongst the anxious ones when a truck does appear is a sight to be remembered. However, all things come to those who wait. A harvest-home was held here on the 9th, which is supposed to have proved a great success. 1 see by the papers that Mr E. E. Bowler has consented to be a candidate for the North Ward. MrjMacGibbon and Mr McFarlane had a tight go for the honorable position of Mayor, but Mr McFarlane was successful. The war still continues, and 1 think it will linger on for a good while yet. Kruger did a wise thing to clear out. If he had not done that he would have been a prisoner of war before now. 1 must draw this scribble to a close. Please excuse mistakes and bad writing as 1 am in a hurry. With love to Tom, Topsy and yourself.—l am, yours truly, Colonial Bobeets. [lt is a very difficult matter to get trucks. Mr Kruger is a knowing old gentleman who has a good care for his own skin. In regard to your private note the blame rests with me. 1 think 1 added an " s " to the end of

the name of the writer, and so made the letter appear as from you. It was done purely inadvertently, so kindly excuse me.—U.P.] Dear Uncle Phil,—l am going to try and send you a few lines. 1 always turn up, like a bad penny. We have got a fortnight's holiday just now, and lam very pleased. There is a new room put on to the school, and it is very much larger than the other rooms, but we are not in it. 1 don't suppose you know who 1 mean, but 1 will tell you that it is one of my mates and 1. 1 have been away from home for a long time, but 1 came home on Friday night. There are two electric lights here now, and they give a great deal of light. Sandy McNab wants me to write my nom de plume in her birthday book. 1 have found out a few more names since 1 last wrote. 1 have not lost my badge yet like some of my cousins. 1 must stop now as 1 am sending some riddles. With love to all.—l remain, yours truly, Silver Leaf. [1 wish you would write oftener. 1 had a letter to-day from South Africa, and in it was a statement about Ladysmith which said it was not so big as Mataura, but much more scattered. It is a good job that you have not lost your badge.—U.P.]

Dear Uncle Phil, —We now take the opportunity of sending you a few lines as we have a short time at our disposal; and so we thought we could do worse that write a few lines to Uncle Phil. There was a nice lot of letters in last week's supplement. We have got electric lights in our township now, and it is all right. We are having terrible weather down here ; it has been raining all to-day, but we must expect bad weather for a while at anyrate. We have a fortnight's holiday as our school is going to get painted outside and inside. We think we war will soon be over, and we will be glad when it is, as we have a brother over there, and would like nothing better than to see him home again. We have not seen a letter from Ben Hur for a while, and we wish he would write again, as we think it a treat to read his letters. He has a nice style of writing. We must now conclude, hoping to see letters from Pat Murphy and the Scotch cousins soon. With love to all the cousins, not forgetting the editor and yourself.—We remain, your friends, A Pair of Nooks. [You might have done a great deal worse than write to me—for example, you might have held back and so not written. Your school will look quite fresh when you go back. 1 am sure you will be glad to see your brother safely back again. Be sure to write soon again.—U.P.]

Dear Uncle Phil, —Here 1 am again. As 1 promised to tell you about the visit to the bush, 1 shall begin at once. When we got into the middle of the bush we started to look for ferns and peppermint leaves, but we were not successful, as we only got peppermints. It has been very wet and cold to-day, and hardly any sensible peope have ventured out. .Do you like ''music, Uncle ? 1 do, and am learning to play " Prince Imperial," " Heavenly Rest," and many others. 1 forgot to finish about my visit to the bush, so 1 shall finish it. After wandering about for some time, we had something to eat. We then went home after having spent a very pleasant day. 1 must draw to a close.—l am, your loving niece, Clementine. [Yes 1 like music, Clementine, but, unlike you, 1 can't play. Don't you think I'm too old to begin to learn ? We are having good weather here. -U.P.J

Dear Uncle Phil,—Although 1 have not much news 1 thought would write you a few lines. We have had very good weather here this last fortnight, except that it is a bit cold in the morning, just before the sun gets up. Some of the farmers round here have started ploughing again, but most of them are carting away their grain. Well, Tom, 1 tried your recipe for ginger snaps, and they turned out beautifully. There was a nice lot of letters in your page last week, but a number of the old writers never write now, and 1 do not know what has become of them. 1 was down at Woodlands about three weeks ago, and the weather being fine 1 enjoyed myself. Another hen came off yesterday with nine little chickens, but 1 think the weather has got too cold now for little chickens. You will have to excuse this letter as there is such a lot of talking going on while 1 am writing. You will think this is a short letter, but news is scarce. With love to all the little folk.—l am, your loving niece, Nell. [You were quite right to send me a letter. 1 am not sure about the safety of those chicks in this cold weather. Like the old Scotchman " 1 ha'e ma doots." Write a longer letter soon.—U.P.] NOTICE! TO CORRESPONDENTS. Will Ben Hur kindly send me his address, as I have a letter for him, Robina Crusoe.—l shall do as you wish, as soon as the address is available. Be sure to do as you promised. Will Fuchsia Belle please tell me whom the auto is for ? I had not the address, and neglected to put in the inside of the envelope containing the envelope whom it was for. Mistress of the Situation.—l am still waiting for your address. ANSWERS TO LAST WEEK'S PUZZLES. Captain Jackson's : 1. An eel. 2. The island of Skye. Lady Beryl's: 1. A looking-glass. THIS WEEK'S PUZZLES. Silver Leaf's: 1. Three young ladies dressed in white, all took a fright, and died one night. 2. Biddle me, riddle me, what is that ? Over the head and under the hat. 3. Why does a hen pick a pot ? Hokonui's: 1. Round as a marble ; deep as a cup; all the King's horses couldn't pull it up. 2. Hickerty, pickerty, yellow and green, the King couldn't read it nor could the Queen. They sent for a wise man out of the East; he said it had horns but 'twas not a beast.