TINY TOTS' CORNER

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 2314, 5 December 1925, Page 5

TINY TOTS' CORNER

(All Rights Reserved)

The Adventures of Polly, Peter and Wallaby.

THE WENDY HUT. THE ADVENTURES OF Mi. BINKS AND SANDY. (By Wendy) It was Sandy’s birthday, and Sandy was eight years old. Such a birthday. The loveliest presents; a teaparty: crackers, bon-bons, fireworks 1 everything, in fact that makes a birthday party worth having when you’re . eight years old'. j But the best of all the lovely tilings [ that happened on this particular ! birthday was Mr. Bi.nks. Mr. Blnks was a puppy; a funny little scamp of ! a puppy whose four short, wobbly legs 'seemed hardly strong enough to keep him upright. j Mr. Sinks adored his little mistress, and never left her side all that wonderful day. Until —“Time for hod. | Sandy” said Mother at last. “GoodI night dear. heave Mr. Biuks, I’ll Intake his bed up in the kitchen." “Oh-o-o-o. .. but... “Sandy stopped in the middle of her protest at ! being separated from her new pet. iShe stopped because she saw Mr. I Blnks, who had strolled over to the I door, deliberately wink at her. | lie stood the very picture of innocence but —one ey e closed very slowly, and ouo oar went down very slowly, and 'very slowly, with his funny little stump of a tall at a dejected angle, he ambled out of the room. Sandy did not sleep very' well that night. The fireworks had made her feel jumpy, and her eyes saw all sorts of funny coloured lights when she j closed them. At last she snuggled down in her little bed and dozed — dozed, until she was nearly alsleep at last I Suddenly she was wide awake again. Something went scratch, scratch, scratch at the bed post, there was a delightful little yap, and—Mr. Biuks landed triumphantly on the bed beside her. “Husk” This extraordinary puppy was talking just like a human, “Hush — don’t make a sound. Pop out of bed and dress, and follow me.” Too astonished to say a word, Sandy slipped out of bed, put on her little dross and her stockings and shoes, and waited, :“This way,” the strange voice said. “We’re going out to see the Sights of the Magic Land.” Be careful how you g 0....” Mr. Binks led the way out of the room, along the passage, and started to go downstairs. “But. .who —who— what are you?” stammered Sandy feeling her way along in the darkness. "Aren’t you my Puppy, Mr. Binks. “Silence” came the quick reply. “I’m a Magic Dog. I’m not a Puppy, nor a Collie, nor an Airedale, nor a Poodle; I’M a Magic Dog. It you come with me you shall see all the wonders of th e Land of Magic. Oh-.h----h-h who’s (his ?” “This” was something soft and fluffy; there was a purring sound as though Hie kettle on the fire were singing softly. “Oh. It’s you, is it?” said Mr. Binks calmly. “This, my dear, is the Tom Cat,” turning 1o Sandy who was a little behind him. "You darling,” cried Sandy, running forward lo stroke the cat. You darling Tabby pussy. Are you coming with us?” “I’m not a Tabby Pussy,” answered the cat with dignity. , “I’m not a Tabby Cat, nor a Black Cat, nor a Tortoise-shell Cat, nor a Cheshire Cat —l’m a Tom Cat. And I’ll come with you to the Land of Magic—lf only you’ll keep quiet.” aa » n

“The funny little, procession proceeded down the stairs.” « zt tt h n n The funny little procession proceeded down the stairs. The Tom Cat, with his beautiful bushy tail waving like a feather fan, went first. Followed the Magic Dog, with his eye still winking over his shoulder at Sandy, who, toddling along behind, grew more and more mystified. Finally they reached the street. “This way,’’ said Tom Cat, diving down a big hole in the road. "Come along; you’ll be lost if you dawdle,” said Magic Dog sharply to Sandy, as she hung back on the edge. In dived Sandy, hanging on for dear life to Magic Dog’s stump tail. Turning, twisting, running, jumping, they finally entered a long tunnel. Scrambling along after her strange friends. Sandy found herself at last in a wide, open field, with lovely soft green grass all studded with diamond dew. There wore flowers with jewelled centres; and big trees shining gaily under thousands and thousands of , fairy lamps. There was a little brook, singing away at one end, and lots of lovely gold and silver fishes .were

swimming and jumping about in it. Hundreds of birds with the most wonderful plumage she had ever dreamed of were fluttering and flittering here and there, and singing as though their little throats would burst. Happy puppies and kittens played with all sorts of jolly toys—oh! it was a wonderful land! js n « n n n

", . . ‘This, my dear,’ said Tom Cat, ‘is the Land of Magic.’ ’’ n n a ts n n “This, my dear, is the Land of Magic,” said. Tom Cat, and these are the sights of the Beautiful Field. Lead on,” ho said, turning to Magic Dog. Suddenly Sandy spied a little green door, which opened silently for them to go through, and then closed behind them. Here was something different from the Beautiful Field. It was all dark and cold and dismal. There were no trees, no flowers, no pretty birds. It looked so gloomy and sad that Sandy wanted to cry. “Oh! Why have you brought me here?” she said pitifully to Magic Dog. “I like the other place much better. There’s nothing to sec here.” “I’m here,” piped a pathetic little voice, and, turning round, Sandy saw a little yellow canary sitting humped up in a gilded cage. “I’m here; I should have been in the Beautiful Field if you had looked after me. As it is I’m here, and I’m miserable.” “Peter —my pet canary,” gasped Sandy “Oh! why did you fly away the day I left your'cage open? I was so sad when you went.” “You fed me one day, and forgot the next: you gave me fresh sand one week, and forgot the next. When you’ve learned your lesson ... oh! my goodness . . Peter the canary stopped suddenly as a strange procession came slowly and sadly towards them. Headed by a doll with no hair and clothes in rags; followed by a regiment of littletin soldiers; some without legs, others without arms, and all with paint scratched off: the procession included tops and bats and balls, wooden jumping frogs —all ragged and — sr ed, norses, woolly iambs, Teddy bears, and and all looking thoroughly miserable and sorry for themselves. “My beautiful Rosamund,” cried Sandy, stretching out her arms to tho hairless doll. “Oh! I have missed you since I lost you.” “You should have taken care of me when you had me; you should have mended my clothes, and stuck on my hair again. If you had given me a good homo I would never have left you.” “And we,” piped up the regiment of soldiers, “never had a chance. Y r ou trod on us and scratched us, and left us in the coal-scuttle. This isn’t much of a place, but we do know where we’re going to sleep at night . . The bats and balls and tops and toys all clamoured round poor Sandy until she sobbed with shame. “And I,” said Tom Cat suddenly, “am the little tabby kitten you had for your last birthday. I’m grown up now, and I don’t want you any more unless you can remember to leave milk for me, and to make me comfortable on cold nights. I w-as only a baby kitten —and you forgot me and left me outdoors all night w'hen it was snowing , , “Oh! please, please, forgive mo, I’m sorry, so sorry, and I will be good. Yes —I will,” cried Sandy. “If you will come home again, I’ll —I’ll — I’ll never, never forget you again.” “Your home to us ought to be like the Beautiful Field,” said Tom Cat. “We don’t want much. Our gratitude makes everything you do for us seem wonderful and golden. When you smile at us the sun shines: when you fondle us, the flowers and trees and grass appear in our little lives and w r e live in the Land of Magic Things . . “Oh! Forgive me, please, and come home,”, sobbed Sandy, struggling to reach her lost friends. She stretched out her arms further, further, further to gather them all in . . . “Wake up!” said a laughing voice. “Why, Sandy, you’ve slept half the morning away.” Mother stood beside her bed, and there by her side, wagging his stumpy tail and looking at her with adoring eyes, was Mr. Blnks. “Mr. Sinks,” gasped Sandy. “The Magic Dog! Where’s Tom Cat, and Peter, and Rosamund, and the soldiers, and . . . ?” “You’ve been dreaming dear,” said Mother. “Mr. Binks slept in the kitchen all night. He’s very pleased to see you.” “Oh! Mr. Binks. I’ll .never, .never never let it happen to., you.” cried Sandy, hugging the little fellow tightly in her arms. Mother didn’t understand w'hat she meant —but Mr. Binks did! Wendy. (The End.)

THE MAGICAL FISHING-NET. Maisie is only a little girl yet, But she’s earned a magical fishing net That the fairies gave her one summer day When in the meadows she went to play ... You see the fairies had kept an eye On Maisie who played so happily— Making garlands of Daisies white For the littlest ones, who of course ■weren’t quite So clever as Maisie, who’s nearly eight, And can climb the stile and open the gate . . . The fairies had seen how she held the hand Of many a toddler; and how she’d planned Such pretty toy-houses with sticks and stones,

Surrounded with hedges of pine-tree cones ... Such nice little rooms, all trim and neat, And a wildflower garden, oh! ever so sweet! In fact, kind Maisie was always the same, Every time that the fairies came To see if they really should give her yet The gift of the Magical Fishing Net. Well, as I said when I began, She’s earned it now, and she really can Catch such lots of those dear little fish That go by the name of A-Beautiful-wish. She’s practised so often that now, it seems, The fairies are teaching her how to catch dreams. Which means, of course, that when she is grown; She’ll be one of the happiest mortals known . . . For the Happiness Fairies never forget If you’ve earned their Magical Fishing Net!