THE COGS TELL ALL ABOUT THEIR ANIMAL PETS

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 7299, 28 October 1933, Page 10

THE COGS TELL ALL ABOUT THEIR ANIMAL PETS

Palmerston North. Doar Hub, —The life of the reindeer in Norway is a very interesting one. Tho Laplanders drive their flocks in the snow of the mountains in winter, where the moss-food of the reindeer is to bo found. When the summer approachcs~tlie Laps kill some of the reindeer, pack the meat on tho backs of others and descend to the villages to sell tho meat. The Laps, who dress in reindeer skin, the hairy side of which is turned to the body, travel in light sledges drawn by reindeer. A baby reindeer who had been left behind once strayed into the village where Mother lived. Ho could And no food ou tho flat, and went begging from door to door, sleeping on the doorstop at night. He became the pet of the village. When the winter was over he disappeared and the villagers missed him sadly. We have no pets which I can describe, so I shall quote a most interesting piece I read about the world’s queerest animal: —“Tho great ant-eater, or ant bear, as ho is sometimes called, is one of tho oddest looking animals in the world! He lives in the swamps of Central and South America, and. possesses a huge, hairy tail almost as long as himself, while ho has a snout particularly well adapted for the work of digging into ants’ nests to secure his staple diet. Inside the queer little' mouth at the end of his nose Mr Ant Boar has an amazingly long tongue, capable of reaching out for a foot and a half beyond his lips. This tongue he covers with a stick substance exuded by certain glands around his throat; then he thrusts it into an ants’ nest and laps up the unfortunate ants with extraordinary rapidity.” The story which I am. enclosing is ono which I took from a beautifully illustrated picture book which I have had sinco I was tiny. I used to spell it out, and love it because it really rhymed! Love from your sincere Cog, Rebecca Ann. THE HORSE THAT FOUND ITS FRIEND. An Irish doctor who was devoted to horses had a favourito marc used only for the saddle. In her way, Molly was as much attached to him as lie was to her. One winter night, soon after tho clock had struck twelve, three knocks were hoard at the front door —a very unusual occurrence in that lonely part of tho country. Getting up to find out the cause, the doctor heard a distinct neigh of a horse and, on opening the door, there stood Molly. “What is tho matter, old girl?” he asked. Molly noiglied again, and then turned round and proceeded to go back to her stable, which was nearly two hundred yards away. The doctor followed with a lantern, and found that the doors of her boxstall had been blown wide open, letting in tho wind and the rain. The sagacity of the horse had suggested that in her discomort she should seek the aid of her best friend, and her best friend, having firmly secured tho doors, returned to bod, and heard no more alarms. —Copied by Pollyana.

Colyton Dear Hub, —After much puzzling I have solved the Skilltest. My sister came home for a short holiday this week-end. This morning I found my eat Sooty in a box of old wool. Shc ( had four lovely litttle kittens, three black and one a greyish silver colour. Last Sunday night my sister and 1 went for a walk in the road where we found some lovely white starry clenm tis. It was entwined with ferns and small shrubs, which were growing on the bank. -On Friday while we wero playing a game, my brother espied a hedgehog all curled up in some dry grass. We took him into the porch and he hid in a corner, then we found him and put him on the lawn. When I wake up in the mornings, on looking out of my window, I can see a big tree of Japanese cherry blossom. It looks very pretty towering above the smaller shrubs round it. The other day I thought my bantam was lost. I called her and hunted everywhere. At last I espied her under the private hedge making a nest. Miki Kuchi and Rebecca Ann’s letters are interesting and I miss them when they don’t write. It was very windy here yesterday and a big willow tree was blown over. Our chickens arc getting a lot of feathers now in place of all the fluffy down. As news is scarce I will close. Lots of love from Judy. Are the little kittens’ eyes open yet? T am sure you were pleased t,o find your little bantam was not lost. Kangnvakia. Dear Hub, —Just a few lines to teli you that I haven’t forgotten you. Last Saturday we motored to Levin and came back on the Sunday, and we had a lovely time. I rile my pony (Belt}-) to school now. Wo had three pet lambs, but when we went to feed them the other day wo found one dead and we were all very sorry about it. To-day is rather cold and there was some snow

this morning. Well Hub. as it is bedtime I will now' close. Best regards to you and all my fcllow-Cogs. I remain your loving Cog, Joyce. How sad that your pet lamb should die! Table Flat. Dear Hub, —We have thirteen dear little chickens and my hen is sittingon 17 eggs, and wc sat a bantam on ten bantam eggs. There are three other hens sitting on Black Orpington eggs. If they all hatch out won’t wc have a lot of chicks? We had about an inch and a-half of snow, but it has all gone now. We have done our best with the Skilltest and are sending it in. Well, Hub, I think I will close. Love from Rac. Do' you help to feed the chicks? 1 shall be pleased to hear when your chickens hatch. Table Flat. Dear Hub.—Wo have a little l’oal now, and Dad said it looks all legs. Our old sow has ten little pigs; she had eleven but one died. Our big dog, Mick, loves chasing the hens. He does not harm them, but it seems funny to see him chasing them. He won’t go near our rooster .though; lie stands a ‘few yards away and barks. We have 13 fluffy, dear little black chickens out and Mum sat a bantam on ten bantam eggs to-day. Besides that we have three other hens sitting. Well, Hub, Mum is telling us to hurry as it is past bed-time, so I will close, with love to all my fellow-Cogs and yourself. Mountain Maid. •' Black chicks must be darlings.

Halcombe. Dear Hub, —I am just writing a few lines for the Animal Page. 1 am sending'a small story, but I don’t know whether it will be suitable. I have a very pretty bantam. She is black with a goldish coloured neck and breast. Sho used to lay me a lot of eggs, but now r she is growing older she docs not lay so many. Wo also liavo sonic black bantams. Our pet sheep is a beauty. Wo call her Wooly. Wooly lias a lovely fleece of wool. It will soon be too hot for her, I suppose. The .slice;) is sometimes called Peggy. She loves to bunt my sister, but docs not bunt mo. Our cat, John, is rather a naughty cat, because he is nearly always away, and he fights with other cats. He sometimes comes homo with a lame leg, a swollen eye, or something like that. One day ho came home with a lame leg and was disagreeable for days after. Of course we all had to be kind to him. He is a tabby colour. Bimbo, our dog, is a big dog, and when let loose he tries to jump up and lick our faces. Ho docs it if we do not jump out of the way quickly. Sometimes he puts liis foot up for us to shake hands with. We also liavo some guinea pigs, and they are funny little things. One is white and the other is white and brown. They make a small squeaking noise. We feed them on grass and vegetables. They take a blade of grass and nibble it right to the end. I must say they have very long, white teeth. My fish are swimming round in a very lively way and look very pretty. I think I will close now, with best wishes and love to all the Cogs and yourself, from Ring Dove. I was pleased with your story, Ring Dove. I enjoyed reading about your guinea pigs; it is a long time since I saw any of those funny little animals.

THE STORY OF MY PONY, DINAII AVhen Dinah was small I used to brush her and feed her on chaff and oats. I cover her ou cold nights so that she docs not get cold. I ride her about the paddocks to got the cows. She looks for her chaff and oats morning and night, because she is used to being fed twice a day. Her coat is‘black and shiny now because the cover keeps her coat nice and dry. She has nice, thick shoes to keep the stones from hurting her hoofs when I take her on the road. She is quite a big horse now and she is not so young as she used to be. 1 think I have told you all the news about Dinah now. From Granny Bonnet Palmerston North. Dear Hub, —A friend of ours had a dog that was about 18 years old when it died. It was given to him when it was only a tiny pup. Tip followed him everywhere—always at his heels. The man often declared that lie -would not sell his dog at any price whatever. The two were going for their daily walk when Tip’s death occurred. Tip was rather deaf owing to his old age and he did not hear tho lumbering milk-cart that was coming along. The wheels ran over the dog and he xvas killed. The master buried him. "We have eight now and wo have a fowl sit'ting on 14 eggs. My brother has 20 pigeons and some of them are baby ones. AVhen they are just hatched they are Only a wee yellow ball of fluff. To-day ,when I climbed the hedge to look for a lost ball, I saw a wee sparrow sitting on a nest. I did not touch 'it. I remain your loving Cog, ' Sunlight. • Tip was a very old dog indeed, and ‘his master must have been sad to loose 'him. I am glad you did not disturb tho sparrow. STORY OF MY PET CALF, BETTIE AVhen Bettie was very small I used to feed her every night and morning, ami also I put some meal in with her milk. She became quite used to my feeding her twice a day, and every time she thought it was time for me to feed her, she would call out as much as reminding me. I lead her once a day anti I can catch her easily because she knows she has to bo led. If I am standing in the paddock or by the fence she will bunt me. I brush her twice a day and put her cover on her so that her coat will not get rough and nasty when it rains. Her coat is lovely and shiny because I keep her cover on all the time. I think Bettie is a fine calf now, and I think a lot of her. AVhen she sees any other cows or calves she jumps up on all fours into the air and bellows out. Bettie is getting quite inquisitive now, and into everything she sees she wants to poke her nose. 1 think I have described Bettie enough now because she is not very old yet. From Delphinium

The Ken cl, Dogtoun, Satcrdao Dere Hub, —Don yoo no wun of yor Cogs has made my secreterrv verry sad twodac. Ever sints I fowiul hint redeing the Paje this moorning hesc bene as glum ns glum can be. “W otevers the mater" I sed soon as I seed him. A grate begc tore ran owt of his i and doun .his clicke. Then he held owt the Cog Paje two me and sod "ook wot she ses Fido”. “Hoo sos?” I arsked. “Sumwun corlcd Lavender Moon" lie sed. “Wot. this she sac” I arsked verry nusoold. Tante often Tiddlcywinks criso. “Its a ewestyon.” he solid. I liokd his face. I ciu tell yoo Hub I felt relc sorry fore him. Then he sed “she wonts to no if yoo —that monos mo—find it hard to spcl yor wirds.” 1 started tow larf. “Is that orl?” I sed. |But I never nvu before hou sensitif Tiddlewinks is about his spcling. "That must mono that owr spelings orl rong” he sed and started eri-ing agane. I think wot to sae to cherc him up. But at larst I arsked him to rede me yor arnser two owr leter. f liekd awae his teres and he started to rede. Then orl of a suden owt came his ole smylo jist like sunsliyn orl over his face. “.Tumping grars.hopcrs” lie sod lowdlv. I inmpd up. I dont lvk grarsliopers. “Were” T velpd. But Tiddlcywinks was storing at the pape-er. "Why”, he sod. “.Tumping grarsliopers AND pink betles. ’’ “Wot” T yelpd agane. I, amt never seed a pink bctlo yet. Have yoo ever sene a pink bctlo Hub? “Look” veld Tiddlevwinks. “Shcse spelt “mae” rong. ’ Shosc spelt it “mai” instead of "mae.’ He lnrfd his-larf that makes me larf two. Ely worter thats orl hlbling and splashing, kyndof. Too rlont no hou it chered us up two see yoo condnt spel ither, Huh. Tiddlerwinks hasn’t stopped smvling sints. He ses two send yoo sum kisso but he isn’t j verry good at droring. So yool jist haf *to pretend he put them in. Yor luving dog-Cog, Fido I am glad you told me my mistake, and I shall spell “mac” rightly after this.

Cogland Dearest Hub and Coggies, —Oh me—• oh my—they tells me it’s to bo a Pets’ Page this week, and I simply must writo about my pets. AVell, here goes. As we all had the ’flu and I was chief cook and bottle washer the other week, I had a really marvellous (?) time. My legs wouldn't work and I had funny feelings in my head as old ’flu germs rushed around. There being nobody to help me I thought the pets might do their share, so I set Sammy Snail to wash the dishes, aiul AVillio Worm to dry them . But dear me, they were so slow that after an .hour’s fooling about they had a worse mess than before they started. AVinny, the white butterfly, said she would do the dusting if specifiers, the lien, would pick up the crumbs. All went well as far as Speckles was concerned, but you’d never believe the time I had trying to sec through the dust after AVinny had finished disturbing things with the wings. -Next Bumper, the cat, drank all tho milk as I’d left the jug ou the table instead of putting it in the safe, so that was goodbye to a pudding. Terry ,thc dog, whom I'd sent to the butcher’s for sonic sausages came running in, licking his mouth and looking very pleased with himself until I discovered lie had eaten the mysteries and then, didn’t he feci the stick! AVell, by this time, I was feeling tired, wishing I too could go to bed and not, be the housekeeper, when rap, rap rap came on the door. “Oh dear!” I muttered, and chawlcd out to sec what was diong, and there stood tho boy from over the way. "Please Miki” he said, "we’ve all got the ’flu and could you come over and help us?” “What!” I shouted. “Don’t talk ’flu to me: we’ve all caught it too, and the pets won’t be good and —and—” Hero I felt chokcy and rushed inside intending to put my head up the chimney flue, but being soft-hearted, I went back to the door and told the boy I’d be along soon after I’d cleaned up. Ho seemed quite happy and ran off home, so I set to work with the vacuum cleaner and soon things brightened. But oh! Let’s whisper, we couldn’t find the poker, spoons, soap and goodness knows what until Terry started scratching at the vacuum cleaner, and oh! what a find we had! At the time, housekeeping seemed a terrible nightmare, but. now I see others do it, why, it’s as easy as falling off a log, and the pets never seem to do anything wrong these days. Maybe it’s because I threatened to cage them up, but here they all are, Hub, Sammy AVilly, AVinny, Speckles, Bumper and Terry, waiting to send you and the Cogs their love. I real] must not take up any more room, so cheerio to you all. Mysteriously yours, Miki Kuchi AVhat a task it must have been, housekeeping with tiie help of your pets!

Urnutoi Dear Hub, —I went to town on .Friday and 'had a very good time. My birthday will be tomorrow, but I had my party yesterday. I received some very nice presents. AVc played down in the bush at hide-and-seek and swung on the vines. My brother lion broke the stock of my bi-bi gun some time ago and ho has" not fixed it yet. We are practising a dialogue at school and I am the landlord. Whistling Itufus is in it too. I have found several birds’ nests and it is good fun climbing up the trees after them. Dad has bought four little tan pigs and they are jolly and fat. My calf is getting on fine and she gallops round the paddocks like a racehorse. I hope all the Cogs and yourself arc well and happy. I remain, vonr loving Cog, Cowboy Tom I iopo you have a verry happy birthday, Cowboy Tom. It is great fun acting, don’t you think? Do you know, I can’t bear the thought of anyone ; stealing birds’ eggs. Cheltenham f Dear Hub, —Here I am again writing ' to our Page. I have been spending all , my spare time lately in trying to write an essay for a competition. Do you think I could win the five pounds first prize? We arc milking seven cows now and we have one to come in. Our lambs are growing quite big now and they drink out of a basin and are just- like t calves drinking from a bucket. We have eleven chickens and will have some ducklings in a few days’ time. The gardens are all one mass of spring beauty walking down the river-bed track now. The other day as I was could smell the perfumes of spring all about. Alongside the edge of the river the birds flitted in and out the bushes of golden broom and the yellow-bud ding lupins as the seagulls cried overhead. letting us know there was a storm at sea. Our old swimming pool, as it whirled its waters against the. banks, was shaded by the over-hanging willows, while the proud birches towered above as their silvery loaves swayed in the breeze, and the lambs gambolled in the fields beyond. AYo will soon be into the swimming season again, and won’t that be, fun! Our kitten has a little wee bell round his neck and he loves to ring it. IT he wants to got through the door and no-one opens it for him. he tries to open it himself. Well, Hub. as this is all the news I must say goodnight, with love from Peggv Tt will be worth while trying for the easv prize even if you do not win if. Tf von apply yourself diligently yon should stand as good a chance as anyone. Let me hear the results.

BUFF BANT A.MS, A MAGPIE, AND A SPANIEL Dear Hub, —Just a few lines to help to till up our Animal Page. I have just finished feeding my buff chickens. They are such dears, Hub. Their mother is very proud of them and struts about the paddock. If we go near her she clucks a warning to her babies. Y osterday I had a magpie given to me. Don’t they eat a lot, Hub? He can say "Hullo” and if we whistle to him lie whistles back. On Saturday our cow Ginger had a calf which we call Bunty. I have a little brown spaniel with lovely, long, fluffy ears. He is so frolicksoine and when it is cold I tie a piece of rope around his collar, and we race up and down the paddock. Well Hub, as there is no more news I must say goodbye. With lots of love to you and all the Cogs. Water Sprite How splendid to have a talking magpie! It. must be fun racing along with your ■ spaniel. Kimboiton Dear Hub, —T have a pet lamb named Tom. My bantam has some chickens. I am in Primer II now. Another hen has some more chickens. We have little twin calves this year. The apple trees are all out in blossom. From, Mistress Shirley I love little chickens, don’t you? I • do wish I could see your twin calves.

Feilding Dear Hub,—AVell Hub and Cogs, I have only a cat as a pot and I have already told you a lot about him so I will tell you about some lambs my sister and i had a little while ago. My sister called hers Peggy and I called mine Billy. They followed us everywhere, even on the road when we went for a walk. Usually they would creep up on the verandah, and sleep there. One evening Mother was expecting visitors for x game of cards, and being a littlo extra busy, did not no-ticc the lambs creep in and nestle under the table. AVhilst interested in the game of cards, Mother thought she heard a pant or gasp from under the table, but as Dad usually has “forty winks” now and again, she, thought it was him ; snoring. One of our friends kept brushing her ankle, and Mother wond- . ered, and then suddenly this friend jumped up and gasped, “AA’hat ever is under the tabic?” and with a big shake i and gasp, out walked these two lambs. It was bottle time for them. It appears they had been trying to nibble her shoo and stocking, and she could not make it out at all until Mother explained that they had crept in without her knowing. AVell, dear Hub, we did love those lambs, but they really became a nuisance and, alas, Christmas was drawing near, and the butcher took one and Daddy killed the other, but neither Mother nor sister hor myself would cat it. We all think it is dreadful, to feed them on the bottle, and get to love them, and then kill them to eat. Daddy had to cat it all, so we have had no pet lambs since. Dear Hub, and Cogs, I can’t let our Page be closed without telling vou about a black cow xve once had. AVo called her “Darky”, and when wc first had her, she was as wild as could be. She soon quietened down, however, and it was not very long before she xvould come from the bottom of the paddock, if we called out: “Darky, come on Darky.” Sbe would come running up, and take a piece ot swede out of our hands. If Mother said “Hello Darky!” she would roll her eyes round and say “Moo moo” just as if she were trying to answer. One day Dad decided wc must sell Darky so Darky was sold, and as she xvas driven away down the path Mother said ‘ ‘There goes pll our luck.’ ’ I think Mum must be superstitious, but our “Luck” certainly went. AVell, goodbye, dear Hub, it seems an awful lot or uninteresting scribble this time, but I have done my best. AVith love to you, Mr Printerman and Mr Puzzlcman too. I remain, your loving Cog, Celandine It is very sad when your pet lambs have to be killed, I know'. How you must have missed Darky. AVATER SPRITE’S ROOSTER In her letter last week AVuter Sprite wrote: “I have a lovely little rooster at which everybody laughs because he lias such a very small body, but to make up for this lie has long, thin legs, and when lie walks he lifts them very high.” He must be «. quaint'rooster, don 't you think, Cogs?

BRAVE 808 Bob xvas a great pet and friend of (Don’s. Don was a small boy aged five. ’One day Don’s parents vent to town and left Don home witli his dog. Don played with his dog all the morning, ’but in the afternoon he became discontented and decided to take his net down to the river to fish. Don’s mother had told him never to go up to the deep end of the river for fear ho •should fall in. He played with his net at the shallow end and caught some fish. At last, when he could not sec ,any more fish, he gazed up at the deep •end of the river, and saw' them glistening in the water. Thinking nothing of ■what his mother had said, he rushed up rto the deep end of tho river with his .net and there he caught some fish. AH ■the time Don was catching the fish, his faithful dog, B-ob, had been in the sun, watching him eagerly. Don was just putting his net in for another fish when ■the ground beneath him slipped. Ho fell straight into the river, and cried for help. Hiis clever dog heard Don’s ■ cries and rushed down to him. Bob found Don struggling in tho water and jumped in to rescue him. Ho took hold of Don’s clothes with his teeth, pulled 'him out and took him home safely again. Don’s parents were very proud of the dog, and always remembered his bravo deed. After that he was always called Brave Bob. • Original —Ring Dove.

GYPSY Knngiotu Gypsy is our six-months old Scotch Terrier. She is full of mischief and is always trying to carry ofit something. Cats!—Gyp hates them, chasing them up trees and fences. She loves a game of ball or a good romp and gets quite excited when wc run around with her. If s hc sees a whito"buttcrfly she is after it in an instant —over cabbages, cauliflowers and anything else that happens to be in her way. I am afraid it does the vegetables more harm than good. No bird dares to settle near Gyp., for with one bound she is oil after it. The bird, with a startled spring, flutters away, leaving Gypsy wondering where it lias gone to. The poor fowls have to keep a good watch out for her, as she chases them immediately she sees them. Cows and sheep too, attract Gyp’s attention when wc have her out. JShe chases them all over the fields if we don’t hold her well. Gvpsy’s greatest friend is Captain, our neighbour's pup. To sec them playing together makes everyone laugh. They roll and tumble over each other, first one and then the other on top. Gyp suddenly sits up, cars erect, tail stiff, and Captain begins to dance round him until at last she trots up to Captain and standing on her back legs places her front paws on his shoulder, staying in that position for quite a while. Oh, but they’re a great pair! She loves the-river and is into it the moment she is let out. She looks so comical, with her tail held high and only her head showing above water. She splashes around and simply won’t come out when we call her. While over at our friend’s house, one day, Gypsy decided to have a swim in the creek which is covered with a little green water-weed. When she came out she was covered in this weed, all over her head and body. She was indeed a. i funny sight. J She is a good little watch-dog. 1/ don’t know why, but she simply won’t| allow men to touch her. Whether it J is fright or not, I cannot tell. No end ■ of persuasion on their .part will calm her, she still barks at them. Oh well, I think I have told you enough to give you some idea of the little mischiefmaker, Mistress Gypsy is. 1 Christmas Bells

A CAT FROM PERSIA Tho Pussy Cat lived in a Persian ; town with a Persian lady kind, and . slept on a cushion of silk and down whenever she felt inclined. She was [ only a kitten fond of play; she was . soft and round and fat; she had silky fur all long and grey, and she lay on | a silken mat. But an English middy came by and bought her, ho stroked her beautiful hair, and said: “I will take her across the water, to my people in ' England there.” So she sailed away in , a man-of-war; oh, how the sailors did | pet her! They never had seen such a kitten before, —at any rate, never a better. The middy’s mother was very much pleased. “AVhat a darling thing!’’ was ; her cry. “Remember children, slm ' mustn’t be teased: at first she is sure [ to be shy.” And she played with the . baby from morning to night, and was | cuddled and loved and nursed, though the tabby cat and the black and white | were a little bit jealous at first. But | she didn’t get on so well with Tim, the ' pug that belonged to Aunt Jane: she j Tiffed and fluffed up her tail at him,— and he chased her with might and , main. She xvas dreadfully afraid of ' getting bitten: she thought as she ran i “Oh dear! I really don’t think that a Persian kitten is properly treated | here!" But as she wandered about the house, where all xvas so strange ami nexv, she met ft dear little English mouse. She said in surprise “Who are vou?’’ There he was sitting, as bold as brass, right in front of her nose and answered “Kindly let. me pass! You re a stranger, I suppose?” And as she grew bigger, soon after that, she heard the sparrows call. She began to feel like a hunting cat, so she climbed on the garden wall, and tried to catch them, up in the tree; but she didn’t succeed because they sat on the edge of a spray, you sec, xvcll out of the reach of her claws. The canary escaped from its cage one day, and Fluff, for that was her name, cautiously followed it, mostly in play: she thought she was having a game. But the yellow birdie xvas safe enough; it xvas ever so quick and xvary; and folks came in and scolded Fluff, for hunting their dear canary.' AVhen autumn came, and apples and pears grew ripe, lam sorry to tell she xvent out hunting the little brown hares and the bunny rabbits as xvcll; poaching indeed, a very bad habit for a lady in gray silk fur! But she never captured a single rabbit they xverc much too frisk for her. Ono night in the winter she went ou. late, and lost her xvav in the snow. Poor Fluff! she got in a fearful state, she hated the coldness so. She sat and mewed at a cottage door, till a kind little girl xvent past, xvho knew where she lived, having seen her before, and carried her home at last. Oh! wasn t she glad to be rubbed and dried, and out of the falling snoxx - , and put to sleep by the fender-side, in the cosy fire-light glow! “I xvon’t go hunting again,” she thought, “it isn't exactly nice; I xvill stay at home as a good cat ought, and keep off the rats and mice." And she kept her xvord.- She xvas fond of fun, but knew hoxv a eat should behave, especially xvhen she’s a Persian ono, who is rather sedate and grave. She played with the children with balls of “string: it kept them happy and bxisv, and she let them take her up. in the" swing, though it made her a trifle dizzy. And now she’s forgotten the Persian city, the Persian lady too; she’s very big and ever so pretty, everyone thinks so—xvould you? She has four sweet, kittens xvith long, soft fur, though at present it’s rather rough. Oh! how they frolic and roll and purr xvith their beautiful mother, Fluff! —Copied by Rebecca Ann

Feilding. Dear Hub,—l thought I xvould write ,to the Animal Pago about our pets. ,Of course, wc have the most common lof pets, a cat. His name is Tinker. He [is a black cat with a white spot on his ‘chest and his fur is nice-arid soft. AA’hcn he xvants to come inside and t..e door is shut, bo jumps up and rattles the ‘ door-knob xvith his paxv. AVc also have a dog, xvliose name is Roy. AVc have six sheep and six lambs. One of the sheep is a pet and she has two lambs. Her name is Lamina. A lien of ours has 12 fluffy, yellow chickens. Dad lias -,26 cows and seven calves, but they arc not pets, are they, Hub? I am sending ■in a story about a horse which I found ■in a book. I think I xvill close now. Love from Pollyannn Tinker must be a clever cat. Thank you for the story, my dear.

MIFFI”, MUFFY, AND OTHER PETS Makino Dear Hub,—Once again I pick up my pen to write to you. I am sending in the Skilltcst which took some solving. We have been having _ beautiful weather here. As I am writing this letter, my kitten, MilTy, is playing with a ball, and lie thinks its great fun. He is a nice little kitten. Here comes his brother (Muffy). He wants to join in too. Now he has started. Tip the passage they go, after each other. They fight like anything. When Muffy is sitting on a chair, MilTy gets behind and starts biting his tail. Muffy jumps up and just misses MifTy. Again they start the “wrestling’’ as Dad calls it. They arc lovable pets. I also have a bantam, with ten little bantam chicks. They arc all fluffy, and are lovely to hold. They are two weeks old. We have a lot of ducklings out, now, fawn ones and yellow. They arc lovey littc fellows. Now —here conies my rooster (Sammy) towards me. He does not look the best. I have a number of pets. Have you any, Hub? I love pets. We will be having some little geese out soon. They are lovely when they are small. We have some purple freesias out now. Have you ever seen purple freesias Hub? I always enjoy Powder and Patches’ rhymes. Don’t you, Hub? Mother has the ’flu. Our teacher said if you see the ’flu coming down one street, cross over and go down the other. I think I shall close now with heaps of love to you and Mr Puz., also Mr Printcrman. From your loving Cog, African Daisy I envy your living in the country and having pets. I love the names you have given your kittens. No, I have not seen any purple freesias. , Peep-o’-Day. , Dear Hub, —I hope you are as well as il am at present. We had dear little liPat Maurice down to see us. She is l seven months old. lam sending a hnegativo and snap to be published with /my story. When you have finished with [’•the negative would you kindly send it back. I must close now, with love ■ from Dulcie. Thank ou very much for the story and the snap. They are sweet, and will be printed if possible.

MR PRINTERMAN HAS A DREAM You Cogs who livo nowadays can think yourselves jolly lucky. How would you like to have lived away back in prehistoric times when there weren’t any puppy dogs, Persian kittens or buff bantams for pets, but only sabre-toothed tigers and wooly-haired rhinoccroces, and if you wanted a nice,, cuddly animal to play with, you had to take your club and go and tame an icthyosaur or a cave bear? Well, last night I dreamed I lived in the year umpteen 8.C., and was Mr Printerman in the Stone-Age Cogs’ Page. I was reading a rhyming letter from a Cog, printed on a big slab of granite, and, as far as I remember, it ran like this: — ••Dear Hub, I’ve solved the Skilltest and I hope that it is right, For I’ve puzzled in my cave all day, as long as it was light. Oh, I must tell you of my pet, a darling brontosaur, We keep her in a kennel-cave, and feed Iter with nice straw. For breakfast she cats seven tons, and four more tons for tea. I do wish you could see her, Hub, she sits and begs for me. Her height is 27 feet and she has three big spikes Upon her nose. That’s so that she can jab you if she likes. We have a great big ladder which we place against her sides And right up on her back we climb, and go for lovely rides. One day my little brother thought that he would like to tease Poor Brontv, and he found a stick and jabbed it in her knees. But Bronty wouldn’t stand for that, and very soon saw red, And when wc found young Johny next, she’d bitten off his head! So Daddy fetched his big stone axe, and with all might and main, He gave my pet a spanking, so she won’t do that again! She has five lovely kittens, and they each weight just one ton, And when we want to play with them, we do have lots of fun. Well Hub, I s’pose I’d best close down, as I’ve uo more to tell, So, hoping, you and all the Stone-Age Cogs are very well, —” And just as I was going to read the name, I woke up! But sonic how. I think it was “Powder and Pitchers” or "Pouter and Patches’’ or something like that.

Ridgclands Dear Hub,—Just a line or two to tell you about my pets. I have a pot lamb and live bantam liens and a rooster. They are so quiet that they will feed out of my hand. Two of them, have chicks, one lot is a month old, while the other is nearly a week old. I have also a bantam sitting on eleven pheasant eggs and she has been sitting a week. I received a lovely prize bull’ bantam rooster tonight and I am going to get rid of my other one. I must close now as I must go to bed. With, best love from Chibaibos I enjoyed reading about your pets, Chibaibos. Pheasants arc lovely birds, don’t you think?

Ridgclands Dear llub and fellow Cogs, —I suppose as it is Animal week I bad better tell you about my pets. 1 liava a lamb that Dad bought home on my birthday, so he gave him to me. He is two months old and when we go to feed him, he runs up to the gate as soon as he hears us coming. When I go out he runs after me and wants to come too. I have also a beautiful big black cat. He is nearly two years old and he never touches the chickens. Ho is far too wise to do such a thing, but kills the mice and rats. If he hear 3 anyone at the safe he runs around and lucouws until he gets a piece of ■meat. As it.is bed-time I must, close. With lots of love, from* Peter Puzzelum You must be very fond of your lambs and wise old cat. THE LOST CAT There once lived an old cat called Tommy. It was a big black cat. It was the only pet I had. A:i oul man gave it to me. One morning when I came to feed the cat it was not there. I was so frightened. I went out to look for it. I saw something black on the road. I ran to it but it was only a stick. It started to rain but still I could not find the cat. I did not have my coat on but I did not care. I was going to find my cat. I then saw an old house. 1 crept into it and saw my cat. I quickly took it home, as all the rain came into the old house. When I arrived home I put the cat by the (ire to get warm. I fed it and it soon grew better. It had learned it lesson. it never went away again. Original —Naomi

U mu toi Dear Hub and fellow Cogs,—Cowboy Tom and I were birdsnosfing today and wo found four nests. My calf, Collie, is very strong and cheeky. My black and white cat, Mac, has been away for three months, and wc miss him very much. Peter is making friends . with Pepper, but I think he annoys him by walking through his logs. Wc have four tan pigs, which arc very small. Bob is a happv dog lately because he con drink out of "the pigs’ trough and very cunningly bite them on the nose, and make them squeal, dip’s favourite game is chasing hares. My hen Muff’et. is very quiet, and a week ago she was ducky, so Mum got sonic eggs to sit her, and next day she wasn’t ducky at all. Dear Hub, give my love to Mr Puz. and Mr Printcrman. Love from Whistling Rufus Your ‘‘animal’’ letter is very interesting, Cowboy Tom, but I don’t like to think you take the birds’ nests. Eangiotu Dear Hub,—Jlow arc you? It is my birthday on Sunday, October 2D. I 'will be seven years old. I have done the Skilltest and hope it is right. C have been helping to weed Mother's garden and sow some seeds. Cheerio, Y'our loving Cog, White Heather Isn’t it great fun helping Mother in the garden? Write again soon. Feilding Dear Hub, —I am writing a few lines to accompany the Skilltest which I have partly solved. We have twelve little chicks they are such dear little things, black-and-white. We had quite an exciting time today keeping them in tlicir pen, till father securely mended the hole, so now they have to be content to stay in their pen. I will now close with much love to you and all the family of Cogs, Heather Bell Have you many little chickens?