OUR YOUNG FOLKS' COLUMN

Mataura Ensign, 21 March 1907, Page 1

OUR YOUNG FOLKS' COLUMN

OUIi MOTTO: | Wliatever thy hand findct.li to do, do I it with all thy might. KULE S. 1. All letrtcrs for the week's publication should reach the office not I later than Monday afternoon. j 2. Correspondents should write on only one side of tne paper. 3. All correspondents must send their real names, not necessarily for publication. 4. All letters should be addressed thus Press M.SS. UNCLE PHIL, Ensign Office, Gore. NOTE TO COKKEijI'ON DIINTS. Era Diavolo: Thank you for private lettor ami onclosure. Your memory in no worse than many another. Awaiting letter. ilori Pirika : Will be glad to hear from you as sijoit as you can got time to write. Tluuik you for private note. Dear Boys ami (iiris, —Through the kindness of Mips Bellamy, Southland Secretary of the Umpire League, I. am permitted to publish the following two letters, which were, in the lirst plaee, addressed to school children, hut have come into my hands. Babbie tho Egyplain has another interesting story for us. How much we owe her! UNCLE PHIL. Dear Colonial Friend,— No doubt it will interest you to hear a little about the places of interest, in our town. 1 thought perhaps you would like to know a little about it, as it is so different from what one would expect to find in New Zealand. Some of the buildings here are very old, and great people have visited them in ancient times. The Old Hall is very old, as its name implies, and in former times it was the residence of one of England's gieatest Alfred the Great. It is connected, by secret underground passages. with the parish church and also with the river. The parish church, which is a very old and beautiful building, was "founded in the time of the Danes. Allot her ancient building is "I'illrad House," where Queen Elizabeth is said to have visited in the olden times. The river 011 which our town is situated w one of the two tidal rivers of England. The "Aegir" conies up the river twice daily, and it: is a very interesting scene for those who have not witnessed it before. A. public library was opened here in October. 19(15, and it is very nice when anyone wishes to be quiet, to go in and read awhile. 1 must now close, hoping to receive an answer from you.—l remain, vour sincere friend, ETHEL BATES. Gainsborough, England. Dear Colonial Friend, —I am writing a letter to you to tell you about the Christmas decorations. On Boxing Day the snow began to fall. The windows were wonderfully decorated. Every owner of.a shop tried to make his shop look attractive. In one shop there was a maypole of dolls; in another there were a bride, bridegroom, two bridesmaids, and the best man. Some people made their shop windows look nice by decorating them with Christmas toys. The confectioners made their shops look seasonable by icing the caking which were in the windows. They write on the cakes words such as "A Merry Christmas," "Christmas Greetings." etc. Where there are several children the old custom is to have a Christmas tree and trim it with ornaments. An old custom is to hang our stockings up to see what Santa Clans will bring us. We liang them up on Christmas Eve, and it is supposed a man named "Santa Claus" or "Father Christmas" fills the stockings with toys, nuts, sweets, oranges, and apples. II is quite a surprise for the children on Christmas morning to lind their stockings tilled with good things. Some children shout up the chimney to tell ileal' old Santa what they would like him to bring them. I must now conclude.— I remain, vour sincere friend. & HILDA BAUXES. (iainsborough, England.

Dear I'lr-le Phil, — I suppose you will be thinking Ihii! I have forgotten you; but it is not so. si you will see by this letter. My sister wrote to you last week, and, Uncle, I don't think she told you about the change iu her name. It used to be llunky Dundas. and now she has changed il to Gamut. 1 have a little news to tell you this tine l , as my aunt and cousins came down lor a fortnight's holiday, and 01' course we had a good time. One morning etv a'nit and 1 decided lo go to the back beach, because we heard that mushrooms grew round there in abundance. Now, as my aunt was a lliver of thein, fill 1 "' was eager io go, even if it had been five miles away. When we were Hearing Howell's Point W" saw hundreds of mutton birds flying backwards and forwards fi om Tail's Point, to Howell's Point, and screeching so loud that it almost deafened you. Some of them settled 011 the wafer, while others again perched on the tops of the rocks. All along the beach we could see the k"!p which the Maoris make bags of Io put their mutton birds 111. When we got' round I ho point, what should we sec but: a number of calves coming towards lis. ami, not knowing whether they were wild or not. naturally we had to make for the nearest fence. Well, Uncle, yon must think that we were foolish to turn back; but you never know—there

might have been more cuttle loitering about; and don't you think it is best to be 011 tho safe side? My aunt and 1 spent the day gathering shells, mutton-bird leaves, and rock l'orns, and we enjoyed ourselves none the worse becuuse we know we were safe. We arrived home in time for tea, which was just the thing we needed after our long journey. Next time T write I shall tell you about the picnic we hail at C'olac Bay the same day as the Gore school excursion. With love to all tho U.P.N's., and not forgetting yourself, 1 am, etc., POUKOPOUIiOKINO. Itivertou. [You did not tell us whether you succeeded in getting mushrooms or not. Here there has been an abundance, and lovers of fried mushrooms have been enjoying themselves. Never in my recollection have 1 seen so many. I should think there was 110 reason why you should not make yourselves sufc by keeping out of the calves' way; though, as a rule, they will run away from rather than to you. We shall be glad to&et the account of your run to Colac.—U.P.] Dear Undo Phil, —As it is a. long time since I last wrote to your page, 1 think it is time to begin. Our school oponed last Monday, and it is much bigger since it was altered. We have our harvest all done now, and threshed. Since I last wrote to the page 1 had an aunty married at Gore. I was not at the wedding, but my father and mother were. My sister is going to live at Wairio. Have you any badges left? With love to all the U.P.N's., ] remain, etc.. PANSY. Edendale. [1 am sure you might write much oftcnei-. Your harvest is over early this year. The noise of the threshing mill makes one think of winter. I hope your sister will have a long, happy life. When are you going to visit her? Yes, we have one or two badges left.—U.P.] ! Dear Uncle Phil. —A few weeks have now passed since last 1 wrote to your page. I am living in Gore now, but I like Dunedin much better. About five weeks ago 1 had a nice drive from Waikaka Valley round to the Kelso Mounted Kitles' sports. 1 stayed at Kelso over night and drove home the next day. and enjoyed myself splendidly. When I arrived homo- T felt tired after the long drive. The weather is very changeable lately. Some of the farmers arc busy harvesting, but 1 suppose the wet weather will prevent them from doing so. 1 shall now conclude, with kind lovo to my cousins, not forgetting yourself. I remain, your loving niece, GOLDLINIv. Gore. [You write a nice hand. 1 am sure you will soon like Gore. Try to write a long letter soon. That was a long drive. No wonder you were ready for bed when you got home.—ll.P.] A CVt'LE IiIDE. (By C.J.8.) We said the gates at Paradise were out of keeping with the name. The scenery, however, makes some amends for the gates, as 011 the left side of the road lies the Diamond Lake, with its pretty blue waters; and, 011 the right, are large birch trees, some of which must be close on 100 ft 'n height. A little further on the road is bordered by n large rocky wall overlooking 100 ft in height, with birch frees growing from the sides of it wliereevor they can gain roothold. The road is very pretty indeed where it passes under the giant birch trees. In about two hours from after starting we were at Paradise. I will not attempt to describe this place, as everyone should try to see it for himself. We stayed two hours, and then had to leave. At five o'clock we were again 011 board heading for Queenstown. and arrived there about a-quarter to nine, after a very enjoyable trip. Next morning we went down to the boat to farewell the Gore, boys; and, after seeing them off, went back to the hotel, oiled our bicycles well, strapped oil our bundles and started off, though we were not "the first that ever burst" through that region of mountain and gorge. Not being particular which road we took, we chose the one bv Arthur's Point, it being recommended as being the less dusty of the two. The first point of interest was the Gladstone liock, just a little out of Queenstown. Hero the figure of Gladstone's profile seemed carved by Nature iu the rock—a living likeness so it's said, forehead, nose, and chin are clearly defined. Alter looking at it for awhile we mounted our machines again and rode till we reached the Shotover bridge. Here we amused ourselves for a time by dropping stones into the river below and counting how long they took to reach the bottom. Here we noticed a good deal of sluicing going 011, and could not help noting the wonderful manner in which the water is brought into the claims, and the immense amount of money which must be sunk in water races. The day being very warm, we tied our coats and vests to the handlebars of our machines, and this we did every day afterwards. We passed through Miller's Flat, where all tiie crops seemed to be looking splendid; in fact, this was the best agricultural district wo saw in the Central. We reached Arrowtown a little after ten, but did not stop. Just after passing through the town there is a fine bicycle track by the side of the road, and here it was r got my first spill. The track, being smooth and down hill all the way, in riding free-wheel machines, we were very soon going at a. very fair rate. When the track ends it takes a very sudden dip down, and 1 did not keep fair in the centre; my pedal struck the side, and T was quickly turning somersaults, much to my mate's amusement. I landed in a sitting posture, with the bicycle on top of me; and, nothing being broken, we were soon 0.1 the road again. In a little while wo si ruck the Kuwarau lliver, uml the road keeps its company for many a mile; and till they parted company again I was not very comfortable. The road runs close io the river, which, rushes nnd roars most of the way at depths ranging from :iOft. to over 100 ft. below. Now, to tip over the edge of the road meant in most places a very quick descent to the 1 iver, with never u chance of coining back. "Why dost thou madly rush and roar, Mad river, oh, mad river? Wilt thou not pause and cease to pour Thy hurrying, headlong waters o'er This rocky bed for evw?" My mate, too, always chose the river sido of the road, as it was the best part; I (diose tile centre :it was safest! Personally .1 had 110 desire to see what a plunge into the Kawarai was like. (To bo continued.')