Aunt Roberta’s Family

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 223, 21 August 1931, Page 10

Aunt Roberta’s Family

OUR MOTTO FOR 1531. ] When * ta.sk is once begun, i Never leave it till it's done: j Be the labour great or Email, | Do it well—or not at aii. i Dear Children, — | Buggies is a fox terrier pup. He is very j vain about his appearance, and he has cause jto be. He is perfectly marked, and is a i beautifully built clog. One day Buggies was lying asleep at the feet of his master, who was sitting in the garden. Two men walked past in the street, and one said, ‘‘That's a pretty dog, isn’t it?” Buggies jumped up and wagged his tail, quite sure that the compliment wa» meant lor him. He in intelligent, too. When he nus very small hi.s owners had a baby fox as ! a pet, called Michael. Every night in summer the family used to sit on the lawn, | and the mother would give the children I sweets to eat. Buggies and Michael always came for theirs, too. They would be handled one each, and would then scamper under j the house to eat the sweet. They would rejturo for a second sweet, and then go quietly jto bed. They would never go before they ! had had two eweetc, arid would never dream oi going back for a third! ! Buggies is very fond of walking. He 'walks demurely by his owner until he is ■corning home and reaches the corner of the !street where the house is. Then Buggies (asks for stones to be thrown for him to chase. If he is ignored, he picks up a I stone and drops it at his master's feet, as j a sort of reminder. It is no: known what | pleasure the dog geos from chasing the •stones. First a stone i 3 held for him to 'jump over (he is very good at jumping, and can clear four feet, although he is only [about a foot high); then it is thrown—and j Buggies chases it. But he has never been j known to bring a etone back, or even pick ■it up in'his mouth; he limply chases the clones.

I walk to love and life alone Over these mournful places. Across the summer overthrown. The dead joys of these silent faces. To claim my own.

O leaves, eo quietly ending now You have heard cuckoos sing.

O tell me, tell me ere you die, Is it worth the pain? You bloomed so fair, you waved so high Now that the sad days wane. Are you repenting where you lie?

Kiss me again as I kiss you; Kiss me again; For ail your tuneful nights of dew, la this your rime of rain For aii your kisees when Spring was new?

You will not, broken hearts; let be. I pass across your death To a golden summer you shall r.ot see, And in your dying breath There is r,o benison for me.

There is an autumn yet to wane. There are leaves vet to fall Which, when I kies, rr.av kiss again, And pitied, pity me all for ail, And love me in mist and rain. HIGHLY COMMENDED COMPETITION ENTRIES. AN AEROPLANE TRIP TO THE COUNTRY OF MY DESIRE. w.., GLAND. England would be the country I should like beet to fly to in an aeroplane. I have always longed to see so many places there. First, there would be London with its historical buildings,—The Tower, Westminster A obey, St. Paul’s, and many others. Old Father Thames I’d see, and the Crystal Kgw Gardens and .London Sncigc, which opens to let the tall-masted ships pass, through once a day.

He is very fussy about his food, and will not eat raw meat. Thin is a good thing, because he is not so likely to pick up a poisoned bait. Buggies cherishee no love for hawkers or canvassers. They used to hit at him over the fence with their cases. Now the 6ight of anyone with a suit case starts, him barking at once. He is not a scrap vicious towards any member of the family, however, but is an fond of them as they are of hirn. The Book Prizes awarded in the 6th competitions have been posted to Arnold and Ronnie Dalefieid, Freda Lewin and Myra Newman. I hope all these - prizes have been received nafely. Your Loving, i'QujjJbj {*3dbtxbcb ENROLMENT COUPON. Cut out this coupon, fill it in, and post to “Aunt Roberta,” care “Standard.” My Name is My Age ie My Birthday is r My Address is I read “Aunt Roberta’s Family” Page. Signature of Parent, Guardian or School Teacher Sent in by ..' SPECIAL PRIZE OF A BOOK VALUED AT 2s 6d.

Pd go to the great aerodrome at Croydon, where big airships are alwavs arriving trom, or departmg for, the Continent. ."stratford-on-Avon, with its memories of Shakespeare, would be an intereeting place to visit, and I’d like to fly over Salisbury P.am and see the gigantic ruins of Stonehenge, which are probably remains of Druidical temples.

1 would not forget to go to the “Loraa Doone” country, and see the “Kidd Farm” arid the Dooney valley in the depths of Bagworthy Forest. (If there had only been aeroplanes in thoce lawless days how- short the reign of those Doone robbers would have been.)

Sherwood Forest I must visit, too, where Robin Hood and his merry men held revels, arid Runnymede where the .Magna Charts. vs'a3 signed by bad King John. And all the old Norman Castles I’d like to see, and the beautiful churches that are hundreds of years old.

England would be a wonderful countryto visit—there is so much to see and to admire.

—ARNOLD DALEFIELD (15 years)

ENGLAND. If I had the opportunity to go for an aeroplane flight, my choice would be to go to England and visit the factories to see the many different things manufactured there. The route I would take would be the Suez, because I could call at a number of the ports of the world. 1 woffld leave from Wellington, and fly across to Melbourne (Australia), where I would land for petrol. After staying a few days there I would journey on to Colombo, where I could visit rny relatives. On leaving Colombo I would start on that lonely flight across land and sea. On reaching London I would go to the nearest factory, where I could see manv things being manufactured. I would al=o visit Westminster Abbey, where statues of great men are.

When a member of the Family gains 25 points by highly commended, and commended marks in the competitions, including any other marks gained by recipes, something to make, games, interesting facts, etc., a special prize, as above, will be awarded.

When I had toured England I would fly home to New Zealand, thinking what wonderful sights I had seen.

—PRINCESS (13 years)

Please write your name, as well ae penname, on everything you send for the page. INTERESTING FACTS. HOW GLUE IS MADE. Glue is an animal product obtained from skins, hides, fish scales and an assortment of similar refuse boiled down with water and afterwards purified. The boiling process ia carried out in a large steel boiler provided with a manhole at the top for putting in tho raw material and another at the bottom for the withdrawing of tho exhausted material. The extraction of the glue io carried out by live steam under pressure. The hot steam brings about chemical changes in the animal matter which liborato the glue and dissolve it into the liquid which sets to a jelly on cooling. This is then subjected to further evaporation which causes it to slidify to a degree of hardness which permits of moulding, cutting and drying. The lastnamed operation requires much care. The sheets of glue are placed on wire netting stretched on frames. These are passed through a tunnel some 250 feet long, through which a current of air is drawn that sets tho sheets into the hard form that we know ae glue. 1 mark (Please send NAME). RECIPES. CREME CANDY. (Very rich.) lib and 2ozs of icing sugar, 11b and 2oz,s of castor sugar, jib brown sugar, £lb butter, 2 tablespoons golden syrup, 1 tin oondenecd milk. 3 tablespoons water. /.Id a little vanilla when stopped boiling. Boil about 15 minutes, till light brown colour. PEANUT CREAM. 4 cups soft brown sugar, 1 cup mashed roasted peanuts, 1 teaspoon butter, enough condensed milk to moisten. Bring all to the boil gradually, and boil 6 minutes. Remove from the fire, and beat until thick. Pour out on a buttered plate. CHRISTMAS LILY—I mark. NUTTIES. 3 ozs. butter, 4 ozs. sugar, 2 ozs. walnuts, 2 ozs. cocoanut, 1 egg, 1 level teaspoon baking powder, pinch of salt, £ breakfast cup flour, 1 breakfast cup oatmeal. Cream butter and sugar and add beaten egg. iVlix in rest of ingredients, adding a little milk if necessary. Drop in spoonsl'ulou greased tray 2 or 3 inches apart. Bake 20 to 30 minutes in moderate oven. —MERMAID—I mark. (This recipe for Nutties came to hand before the one from Ao-tea-roa). LITERARY CORNER. i (More contributions are required). , Sent by ARNOLD DALEFIELD : i Autumn, of all seasons, brings with it ] the luxury of memory and tears that aro not salt. No modem poet has expressed < this more beautifully than Alice Meynoll in her lines “In Autumn” : i

A STORY. “GREEN-MEADOWS.” (By TETANIA, 12 years.)

The lecture hall of “Green-meadows” was ahum with the merry chatter of many girls, all eager, almost impatient, to hear what the new competition would be. Suddenly the chatter ceased as the headmistress, Miss .Wingate, began to speak. “Your holidays are about to commence, and I want you to write a short account of the most exciting thing you did during them. A prize will be given to the writer of the best paper and you are to pass in your stories the second day after you arrive back from your holidays. The results will be announced a week after the closing date. That is all I havo to say tonight, girls. You may dismiss.” And the school iiled out of tho lecture hall.

“Well, of all the absurd competitions!” exclaimed Irene Hobbs, in disgust. “I, for one do not intend entering for it!” “N’or I!”

“Nor 11” exclaimed Irene’s chums. “I think you are all foolish not to compete. It’s such an easy competition,” said Merle Gibbs, the head-girl of the Unner Fifth.

No one took any notice of her observation, nor did they of Molly Dent when she said that she, for one, intended to enter for the competition. Everybody knew that Molly was going to spend her holidays on a cattle-ranch, where nothing interesting could happen. On sped tho train, over tho pleasant country of Canada. In a corner of ono of the carriages a girl, with a ‘‘Green-meadows” badge on her hat, sat. Alter seven hours the train stopped, the girl alighted, and glanced about her. ’ She caught sight of the tall, familiar figure of hor Uncle Tom. With a glad cry she ran toward him, and, after greeting ono another, they climbed up into a cart filled with fresh hay. “Welly, Molly, my dear, I’m glad to see you,” said Uncle Tom.

“Ah, Uncle, do tell me how Aunty and Black Prince are,” begged Molly; and thus tho ten-mile drivo passed quickly. -Molly Dent’s parents had died, leaving hor in the care of her uncle, Thomas Tims who owned a cattle-ranch in Alberta. He and his wife were very fond of Molly and always welcomed her home at holiday times very warmly. On arriving home, Molly rushed off to find her Aunt, and to pay a visit to her very own horse, Black Prince. After having had something to eat, Molly wended her way to the old “treehouse ” a place whore she had spent many happy hours. From there she watched the golden ball of light sink in the west behind the snow-capped Rockies. “Molly, my girl,” said Uncle Tom, one day, about a week later. “Mrs Bell, our cook, has taken very ill. All my men are away rounding up the cattle, and she needs the doctor badly. Do you think you could ride into Coolibarr and get Dr Mason. I’d go myself but my leg is not better yet, though, really, I don’t think it would hurt

“I’d love to go, Uncle! You’re not to think of riding with that bad leg. The doctor said you were not to.” And Molly ran to her room, donned her riding-habit, and went off to the stables, where she put the bridle and saddle on Black Prince.

In less than ten minutes she was riding off to Cpolibarr.

She delivered tho message to tho doctor and then turned her horse’s head towards home.

Tho leaves are many under my feet, And drift ono way. Their scent of death is w'eary and sweet. A flight of them is in the grey Where sky and forest meet.

As Black Prince ambled along over the rough, hilly country, she became aware of a loud clattering noise behind, and looking back, she saw a runaway horse galloping furiously toward her. The rider, a slip of a

OUR MOTTO : " CHARACTER AMD PERSEVERANCE ”

girl of about eleven years of age, was dinging helplessly to the reins.

In an instant the horse was beside Black Prince, and Molly, springing cut oi the saddle, seized a rein oi the runaway. How she managed to stop its mad career down the slope she did not know. She tied it to a tree, beside her own horse, and then ran to where the rider of the runaway was lying. She had fallen, just as Molly stepped the horse, unable to cling to the reins any longer.

Molly found that the girl’s arm was broken. Being a Guide, she set it as well as she octtid. and placed the sufferer on a eott bed of grass. Then she waited tor Dr Mason, for she knew he would pass before long on his way to see Mrs BeiL

Soon :he sound of hoofs on the stony road was heard, and the doctor, rounding a bend, came into view.

He dismounted, and proceeded to examine the then unconscious girl. “Do you know whose sne is. and where she lives ?” Molly asked. "’She’s a stranger to me.”

“Why, yes, my dear. She’s a Prince’s cousin, come to stay at his ranch in order to regain her health. She has been very ill. It was lucky you stopped her horse —or it would have carried her headlong over that precipice.”. Then he asked profesior.ally: “Where did you learn first-aid, Molly.” She toid him. and he said": “Well I must say you’ve set that arm remarkably well.” A few days later Uncle Tom handed his niece a little packet, saying: "This has just come from the Prince’s ranch.”

Molly hastily unwrapped it, and saw a small box. Inside lay a gold wirstlet watch, with “For a brave girl” engraved on it. It was the ninth day of toe winter term, and the girls of “Greenmeadows were assembled in tne lecture hall to hear the results of tho store competition. Ihe headmistress addressed them saying. “Trie winner of the competition is a very brave girl—Molly Dent!” THE WONDERS OF NIGHT.

It is not for us to analyse the night, its wonders, its mysteries. Vve can only speak of them in rapt admiration and awe. The soft, velvety, black darkness steals over everything. The toundr, characteristic of that corner of the world we live in, die away, and a great silence lies everywhere, only broken occasionally by some denizen oi the night. As the night" advances, tho twinkling iights disappear, one by one, thl only, perhaps, a few gleaming street lights remain, sending their bright beams hither an thither. Up above, tne stars twinkle, and the moon, radiating her soft light, beams benignly on the oieeping world Delow.

How beautiful is a still, calm lake on a moonlit nigbt! Along its surlace is the silvery lustrous sheen or a path ot moonbeams. Lp above, reflected in the water, and surrounded b- her train, as one might cay, of silvery stars, is the cold, paie, ethereal beauty of the gentle moon. 'io my mind, a very beautiful picture is to see the lull moon "hooding the daraness with its beams, half hidden behind a bank oi seemingly greyish-green clouds. To some highly-strung persons the night is full of horror, peopled with nameless things, and they oread its slow, but sure approach. For others, it holds no terrors, and, indeed, they welcome it. \> hat grotesque or imaginative shapes, prosaic and everyday things take on in the darkness ot the night! A bush, a post, those can assume the lorm of a demon, a man or an animal.

T. O’BRIEN (13j years.)

OUR SERIAL. THE RAGAMUFFINS. Soft the mother eea is calling, ■ “Come, my children, come to me.” Forth the lazy ships are crawling, Dawdling idly out to sea. —P. J. Dwyer. CHAPTER 16. BONES.

Sammy Brown beamed upon the four children when he met them tho following Saturday morning. “Ready for great doings to-day, eh?” he asked.

Guessie cried, before any of the others could speak:— "Yes, Ragamuffin Sammy, we’re hoping to find the pirates’ treasure, and March’s got his pocket-torch, and 1 smuggled out tnis piece of rope.” Seeming literally to ooze importance, he produced the same coil of rope that had been March’s downfall. “Y’ou’ll be able to do the climbing with this,” he added, and his black eyes, in his round babyich face, danced with excitement. They started off in the direction of the big cave where Ril had found the sovereign, all talking at once. At length Sammy Brown managed to get a word in edgeways. “What do mum and dad think about it all ?” he asked. Ril stopped dead, opening her eye 3 widely. “Ragamuffin Sammy, we’ve never breathed a word to anyone. Don’t you remember, you warned us that if a hint of the secret leaked out others might get the treasure.” “Well, I’m blest, so I did,” Sammy Brown returned innocently. David gave a little wise oinile. “I expect, Ragamuffin Sammy, if you told the truth, your remark was just a ‘feeler’ to find out if we DO keep the secrets of the Band.” “P’raps so,” Sammy agreed heartily, his

eyes smiling. He and March then began to discuss the clever plot of a mystery story they had both read, as bearing upon tho present case. Ril and David listened, but not so Gussie. He lagged behind, weighed down with the coil of rope. He DID wish his legs wore longer, and that he wasn’t QUITE so fate! He reflected ruefully that these disadvantages were a great drawback. His face was all puckered up, and he breathed heavily through his teeth. He had declined, in the first place, to carry the case containing the luncheon, and David had taken possession of it. “Methinks we approach Aladdin’s Cave,” presently Ril remarked, and then the cave came into view. That day it seemed gloomier and rnoro mysterious than ever. “It’s just the place for the treasure,” Ril said. In spite of herself her voice sank almost to a whisper. March’s pocket-torch proved to be very handy, but although they searched exhaus- I tively, under tho leadership of Sammy Brown, which he had assumed so unobtrusively that the children did not realise it, not a trace of the treasure was discovered. “Well, it’s not here, Ragamuffins,” Sammy said at the end of an hour. He went on cheerfully, his eves on the disappointed fuces of tho children. “I know of at least a dozen caves, some big and some little, where the treasure might be hidden. It’s early days to lose heart.” At this their despondency fled, and once more a babel of young voices filled the cave. _ _ They again inspected the aborigine drawings on tho walls, and then Ril described how David could draw the most wonderful ships on sand. Sammy Brown was very interested, and, producing a couple of sticks of white chalk from his pocket, asked David if he could draw on tho floor of the cavern. David said “Yes,” rather shyly, and, . lying full length on the hard rock, Gussie in a similar attitude beside him, he eet to work. Very soon an old-time galleon rode majestically across a wild sea. There were faulty lines in tho sketch, us Sammy Brown could see, but these did not count—tho galleon was a living thing. Ono could almost hear the creaking of her timbers, the soughing of tho wind in her sails, and the sound of the mighty ocean washing her sides. Sammy did not say much, but it was

apparent that he looked at the Chief Ragamuffin with something in his eyes -ha: was very like rcspecz and admiration, and David experienced a sense of power that was most pleasing. They moved' on to the next cave, which shrank away abruptly into nothing, and j they ail agreed it was a waste of time to look for the treasure there. The third cave was large and airy, and the sun fell in a golden flood tar past the entrance. “The treasure won't be here, I bet,” March said, "not secret enough.” Sammy Brown glanced at him. “That's logic, but the pirates may have chosen a cave each as this, which doesn’t look the part, as it were. I suggest, however, that we have our lunch before we begin to search.”

“And I heartily agree with Ragamuffin Sammy 1” said Gueeie, an expression of satisfaction overspreading his face. "Of course, YOU would 1” Ril cried, digging her fingc-rs into his ribs. tie yelled witii laughter, for Guseie was extremely ticklish.

Sammy produced his own lunch from a pocket, and offered to share it, but the children declined with thanks. Ri! presseu upon him one ct Maria's delicious meat pasties, which ehe had packed specially for Sammy, and Gussio offered h:m a glass of his lemonade. Sammy gratefully accepted it, remarking that search for treasure was thirstv work.

It’s bad for or.e'g digestive organs to toil immediately after food.” Sammy tc'd them, with a twinkle in his eye. and suggested that Ril might sing while they rested.

A puzzled expression flitted across her face, and she said quickly: “How do you know I sing

Sammy Brown looked a trifle confused at this direct question, and hesitated for a few seconds before he replied: “David mentioned you were singing the night the ghost disturbed you.” “Oh,” said Ril, “I had forgotten that'”

She declined to sing, however, saying she had eaten too much lunch, but when Gussie implored her to give his favourite about tho little black coon she complied.

Sammy was very taken with the sweet voice and the song, and remarked, with his jolly laugh, that Gussie was like the little coon.

G i.ssie snorted with indignation at this, and said he “wasn't black, and Ragamuffin Samrnv must be blind.”

David and March promptly nicknamed iim “Coon,” and Gussie threatened them

j with his fists, saying he'd give them a “licking” if they “weren’t careful.” i Ril heard the tears in his voice, and told all three that they ought to be ashamed of themselves for bullying a little boy. Sammy Brown hung his head, and murmured that he was very sorry and would be good in the future. Ril knew he was acting, but Gussie didn’t, and, therefore, was pacified. “Now, Ragamuffins, we will once more proceed to search for the treasure,” Ril said, taking charge. (To be continued.) CRISPIES. What gets wet as it dries ? A towel. Why do short men rise early? Because they cannot lie long.

The teacher had given the class a lecture on courtesy. The following day, while examining the home lessons, his eyes lit on a correct paper. “Jones,” he called to the successful pupils, “I am immensely pleased with you. All your answers are correct, but why have you put quotation marks to them.” “Out of courtesy to father, sir.”

A conjurer, who was giving an entertainment at tho village hall, asked for the assistance of a strange boy from the audience.

After a long appeal a boy stepped up on to the platform. “I have never seen you before in my life have I?’* asked the conjurer. “No father,” replied the boy.

“Say, Jim.” said the friend of the taxidriver, standing in front of the vehicle, “there's a purse lying on the floor of your car.”

The driver looked carefully around and then whispered : “Sometimes when business is bad X put it there and leave the door open. It’s empty, but you’ve no idea, how many people will jump in for a short drive when they see it.” m * * *

The new system of memory training was being taught at a village school, and the teacher was becoming enthusiastic. “For instance,” he said, “supposing you want to remember Bobby Burns. Fix in your mind’s eye a policeman in flames. See—bobby bums.” “Yes,” said a bright pupil, “but how does anyone know it doesn't represent Robert Browning ?’ ’

Two old ladies’ had decided to take a short trip in an aeroplane. They were about to get into the machine when one said to the pilot. “You will bring us back safely, won’t you?” “Oh yes, madam,” was the reply. “I’ve never left anybody up there yet.”

* Uncle (feeling Tcmmy’shead) my boy. I think this bump mil l of' inquisitiveness.’’ looking into Tommy: “It is 1 I Jooeiiig Percy Pepper’s Desk, and th down r 9 * Miss Love: May I have the afternoon Young Sparks has -ly just asked for leave to go to a reading. and now you want the afternoon °.“-j » Miss Love : “Pjease, sir. I’m the bnde. A SPELLING CATCH. Go up to a friend and say . an spell wattle bark in three letters. Naturallv he will say it is impossible. Y'ou will then spell D-O-G.. A TRICK.

A sixpence is placed in a tumbler, is then filled with water. The co J makes a few passes over the tumbler and then slowly draws his hands away, whisttling a tune gently meanwhile. .1° surprise of the audience the coin Siowlj rises in the glass and fall over the e on to the table. . , A It then follows the conjurer s hands until it slips over the edge of the t-ame. The secret of the trick is this: A long, fair hair has been fixed firmly to it *>it a piece of wax. The conjurer hoxds the end of the hair and pulls the coin out ot the glass by it.

ANOTHER TRICK. Place a coin in a saucer half-filled with water. The trick is to remove the com without wetting your fiingers. Screw up a piece of paper into a loose ball, float it j on the water, and set a light to it. Place a glass over it, taking care not to cover the coin. The water will then rise into the g!as«, and the coin can be easily picked up without getting your fingers wet.