HAPPY COGS

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 55, 6 March 1937, Page 16 (Supplement)

HAPPY COGS

NATURE Hukanui. Dear Hub, Isn't this old world wonderful, And the way time flies along When you're young and full of life And your heart signs ••youth's” gay songs. And when the weather's summery It makes you still more gay And every “blue'' you ever owned Seems simply to fly away. I've noticed lots this morning, The clear blue 6f the sky, The deep pink of geraniums, On the wall, as I passed by; The coolness of the green grass, A daisy smiled at me, The darling pussies that we have, Just purred for P. and P. Our dog brought me the paper, The way he’s learn 't to do, I love our “Sam” sc very much, Oh Hub, so you would too! His eyes are twinkling always His coat has & nice shine. And then I also noticed How the tiny birds were singing, How the wings of the butterflies Shone brightly, they were winging Among the stately garden flocks The roses sweet and fair The gladioli stately—bright, The pansies everywhere. The whispering breeze that passed me by ' Was warm and as it kissed The dandelions and daisies I felt that I had missed So many outdoor Around me every day, The things that the Creator, Made to brighten each life's way. But now I must tell you, How gay I've been again, Dawing on the lawn, Hub, And it really didn’t rain! I went on the merry-go-round, So many times that 1 Felt after I had got off, I was still flying round so high. But I enjoyed the dancing And the “tango” learnt to do, Ohl Hub, it'e quite the nicest dance And most fascinating, too. My feet were aching slightly As I danced such a lot, But then a timely ice cream Made me forget that I was hot. The weather hasn’t been suitable, For tennis, Hub, at all, I'm afraid in my next ladder match I’m due for a fall. We've hardly had a match, Hub, This year and now say I, The time for playing tennis Is quickly stealing by. I must thank the Coglets Who wrote in praise of me, I thank the two last Saturday Most sincerely. I see this page is filling I sure must end this rhyme And send the fondest wishes And love, until next time. I write to this happy family Who are so kind to me, Again with bestest wishes I sign it P. and P. I'm sad to hear one Cog that wrote Was ill in hospital. P. and P. sends kind regards And hopes you soon are well. Powder and Patches. Oh dear little Powder and Patches, Yon intrigue us so much with your rhymes, The Uncles and Aunts all in batches Are pestering us too with their lines. GLAD SCHOOL IS STARTED Pohangina. Dear Hub, —I had some lovely gifts for the 3rd. Our tomatoes are ripe now. I am glad school has started. Pink Sugar. That's the spirit, Pink Sugar. How nice to have your own ripe tomatoes. CURIOSITY GOES TO HIGH SCHOOL Halcombe. Dear Hub,—lt is a long time since I last wTOte to the Page. I am starting high School this week for the first time. lam quite excited. The weather has been awful the last few days. I hope we can get some sunshine now. Curiosity. Welcome back Curiosity, 1 do hope you like being a High School girl

TREAT FOR FOWDER AND PATCHES The Ranch, Canada. Dear Hub, —It is rather wet outside so the only thing I can do is write. Our friend “Cowboy Tom” doesn't seem to think I could shoot him if he stood right in front of him. I have seen thin fellows like that before; but I can shoot them all right. I am sure the cowboys and myself would be delighted to see Cowboy Tom and Powder and Patches. They would have a swell time. The whole ranch would be at their service I would enlarge the aerodrome and the racecourse and would have racing cars made for them and I would also have a special swimming and boating pool made for them. Can you imagine Powder and Patches reclining on a comfortable hammock on the deck of my biggest launch while Cowboy Tom with the dreamy eyes stands by holding her hand? The Sheriff and twenty of his men were here yesterday looking for “Scarface” the leader of the worst gang of bank robbers this town has known; but he had to leave here disappointed. Wo had been warned of his approach and Scarface and his followers spent quite an enjoyable day in a cave near by. They have now left and have promised to send me the results of their next two hold-ups. If Pora Pom wants to learn to ride a horse she could let me knew her name and address and I would call at her home some time with a horse. I am sure I would make an excellent teacher. "Whisky Bill. Dear! dear! Whisky Bill, where did you learn to become a sharp-shooter?

FUN AT THE BEACH Pongaroa. Dear Hub, —I have not written for a long time but I will try and write more often now. We had a cousin from Kumeroa staying with us in the holidays. We went to Kumeroa one weekend and she came back with us and we had such a lovely time. Dad took us to the coast one day, we put on our bathing togs as soon as we got there and never dressed again until we were coming home. Hub, our poor shoulders they did get sun burnt and were sore for days after. We saw them loading the wool on to the boat with the bullocks. I’ll try and tell you about it next time I write. I wonder if one of the Cogs about 11 years old would write to me as I would like a pen-friend. Hine O Te Ra. I can follow you on your holiday, Hine O Te Ra, because I know Kumeroa and the Akiteo beach also. Don't you love those dear old bullocks and isn't it fun watching the loading of wool! THE LAST SONG To the Sun, Who has shone All day, To the Moon, Who has gone Away, To the milk-white, Silk-white, Lily-white Star, A fond good-night, Wherever you are! —James Guthrie in “The Wild Garden.''

IOP2ITY-POPS AND TIM THE

TINKER Someone liked this story and wanted to share it with the Cogs. Robin Redbreast flew through tho cold wintry night, and settled on a branch of the tallest pine tree that stood on the hill. “Good-day to you, Robin,” said tho Pine. “Where do you come from?” “From the cottage at the end of the lane,” said Robin Redbreast. "I can always get a good meal there.” “What is the little girl who lives in the cottage doing now that the Christmas holidays have begun ” asked the Pine again. “She is sitting in the kitchen knitting herself a golden muffler to go with her golden coat,” said Robin Redbreast. “But I noticed that there was no smoko coming out of the chimney.' ’ “No smoke means no coal,” said the Pine. ‘ ‘We must do something about it, Robin.” “Yes,” agreed Robin, “that is just what I was thinking. I will fly back at once and sing the little girl a song.” When the Fire Went Out. Hoppity-Pops was quite alone that wintry day because her mother had gone & clean tho schoolhouse and might not be back until tea time. Click-click went her knitting pins; the muffler was nearly done and HoppityPops was feeling very excited. Tomorrow she would be able to wear it, and how lovely it would look with her golden coat.

It was just at that moment that Tim the Tinker came down the lane with his sack on his back and his thin coat flapping. He spent his time tramping tho countryside, and when he came back ho always managed to pass that way. Hoppity-Pops waved her hand and Tim the Tinker waved his, and paused by the gate while she opened the kitchen door. “Good-day, Mr. Tinker,” said Hop pity-Pops. “Would you like to come in and sec the muffler I am knitting?” Tim Jthe Tinker shuffled up the garden path and blew into his' hands and stamped his feet as he stood in tha doorway. “It's mighty cold,” he said. Iloppity-Pops glanced at tho emptyhearth. “I'm afraid the fire's gone out,” she said. Tim guessed that there was no coal in the shed. He sat down in the wooden armchair and stretched his legs, first one and then the other; and while he was stretching them Hoppity-Pops kitted away with her back to him so that he should not see. The Last Row. “Wait a moment and then it will be done,” she said. “I'm on the very last row! ” So Tim the Tinker waited with his eyes on the hearth, and found himself wondering how it was that robins could sing so cheerfully when the air was cold as ice. “Now!” said Hoppity-Pops, and held up the muffler before him. ”My, but it's fine,” said Tim the Tinker. “I'd best not touch it, though, my hands is that grubby.” Suddenly, with hardly a thought. Hoppity-Pops put it round his neck, “It's for you,” she said. Tim looked at her in astonishment, but she nodded her head vigorously. “Yes it is—for you, from me!” she announced, clasping her hands together. “Well, I'm blowed,” said Tim, because he couldn't think of anything else to say; and there they stood looking at each other, and then looking at the floor, and feeling a little awkward, until Tim caught up his sack and shuffled to the door. “I'd best be off,” he said. “And I’m very much obliged.' And then he wap gone. The knitting needles still lay on the kitchen table with the little ball of golden wool that was left over. Hop-pity-Pops looked at them, and then she crossed to the window and listened to the robin singing with all his might on the fence. There were still a few crumbs lying at the bottom of the bin, so she opened the window and threw them onto the path. And then she gathered the needles and the little ball of wool together and put them into the dresser drawer. What the Wind Blew Down. Meanwhile, Tim the Tinker had reached the village street and was | glancing at himself in all the windows he came to. Never in his life had ho possessed such a beautiful, soft, woolly muffler. His step, which was generally a shuffle, had developed into a stride, and he felt happy and warm all over. When he reached the stone bridge he paused to look at his reflection in tho river and was so satisfied that he whistled all the way up the hill, and was still whistling when he reached the door of his hut. There were a number of good, dry branches lying about on the ground. “It must have been blowing pretty hard up here,” he said to himself. “I’ll empty my sack and collect them—there’s nothing like pine wood for n lire. ” And then ho suddenly stood still. “For a fire,” he repeated slowly. “Why, yes to be 3ure, for a lire!” Into his hut went Tim the Tinker, and out again with a hatchet, and before half an hour had gone by, his sack was as full as it would hold of pine logs all ready to be put on the hearth. Up the Lane Again. It was a long way down the hill, and through the village, and along the lane,

SBXLLTEST WINNERS

There were several correct solutions to the crossword puzzle sent in, Mae Stevens, Dorra McDonald, Connie George, Freda Guard and Audrey Watson sharing the prize. WELCOME TO CURLY TOP Palmerston North. Dear Hub, —Thank you very much for the Cog badge. I am in Std 3 at school. I tried this week's Skilltest but I could not get all the words right. If I cannot have Dimples for my pen name, please may I have Curly Top? Curly Top. Very well Curly Top you may be. You must try, try again my dear.

LITTLE THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW SHIP'3 BELLS Time is told on board ship by the pealing of a bell, which is rung every half hour according to a recognised arrangement. On shipboard the day is divided into “watches" of four hours each, and during each of these watches the bell is rung eight times, beginning at one Dell at the end of the first half hour to eight bells at the end of the watch. Thus, for the forenoon watch, as it is called, lasting from 8 a-m. to mid-day, the bells are rung as follows:—8.30 a.m., 1 bell; 9a.m., 2 bells; 9.30 a.m., 3 bells; 10 a.m., 4 bells; 10.30 a.m., 5 bells; 11 a.m., 0 bells; 11.30 a.m., 7

but Tim the Tinker was so excited that he nearly trotted beneath his load. As he approached the little house, however, he went more slowly, and then more slowly still, and then very cautiously on tiptoe. He opened the gate without a sound, and piled up the logs so quietly by the kitchen door that no one could have heard him. And then, with his empty sack over his shoulder, he tiptoes down the path and through the gate again.

It was nearly dark when HoppityPop’& mother came home, and at first she could not think what the big heap by the door could be. But when the lamplight fell on it she gave a little gasp of surprise. ‘ ‘Hoppity-Pops!" she cried, “look what w© have hero!"

Hoppity-Pops came running to the door, and the moment she saw the logs she guessed who must have put them thero. But she didn’t say anything, because it was such a lovely secret

SCHOOL JUBILEE THIS MONTI

Halcombe. Dear Hub, —Thank you for the prize money I received during the week. I w r as so surprised to see I had won it. Mother thought I was joking when I told her. I did the Skilltest last week but forgot to post it in time. Anyway it was not right. We have our school jubilee this month, won’t it be fun? Our pullets arc laying now. Laddie. I can imagine the excitement when you read that you are a winner. You will have to tell us all about the gay jubilee doings.

bells; 12 mid-day, 8 bells. The bells are then rung again in the same order during the next watch, from midday to 4 p.m., called the afternoon watch, startling with 1 bell at 12.30 p.m. and so so, and similarly during each of the other four-hour watches. An exception is made during the two “dog-watches," which are only 2 hours long, and last from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. (the first dog-watch) and from C p.m. to 8 p.m. (the second dog-watch). In each of these short watches there are only four bells, 1,2, 3 and 4, or sometimes 1,2, 3, and 8. The names of the other watches on shipboard are:—First watch, 8 p.m. tc mid-night, middle watch, midnight to 4 a.m., and th© morning watch, 4 a.m. to 8 a.m.

So that was how they came to sit down to tea together with a beautiful warm fire blazing and spluttering on the hearth. “I didn’t leave the garden until I saw smoko curling from the chimney," said Robin, as he settled down for the night. “Splendid, splendid," said tho Pine. “Good night, Robin I" “Good night, Pine!" said Robin. “Good night, everybody!" said Tim the Tinker. RANGITIRA AGAIN "Whakarongo. Dear Hub, —I have been reading the Cogs’ Page and it reminded me that J had not written for a long time. 1 have enjoyed my holiday very much. .1 will be in Std 2 when I go back to school. In the holidays Mummy made me an Indian suit and a feather head dress and bought me a revolver that,

BLUEBELL TELLS US ABOUT AUCKLAND Ashhurst. Dear Hub, —Here I am again after quite a long spell. I have done quite a lot of things since last I wrote. I had three weeks’ holiday in Auckland and have only been home a fortnight. Although I hardly slept in the train, I iiked the journey both ways very much Lots of people dread it, don’t they? J was staying out at Bayswater, an 3 spent a lot of time at Milford beach. One Sunday afternoon my friend and 1 went out there, and there was such a crowd, we could hardly find sitting room. I went for a swim in the tepid baths, and enjoyed it, although I think T like the sea better. It seems so funny to come back and swim in fresh water again. I saw the Wanganella came in, and we went over it, and the Niagara, and the Oronsay. They are all so beautiful iu the different rooms. The music-room has a lovely big grand piano. The writing-room even has a I type-writer. As soon as the Wanganella I came in several ladies went on board with beautiful big bunches of flowers, and put them all through the different j sitting and dining rooms. I was hoping to be able to see tho Awatea and the Monterey, but they weren’t coming in until the end of February or thereabouts. We visited the museum and the Winter Gardens. The museum was very interesting, but we did not have time to spend as long as we would have liked. The Winter Gardens are beautiful. The water lilies on the pond are all colours and make a very pretty show. Hub, we were really energetic enough to climb to the top of Mt. Eden. The view all round is wonderful, but I thinlc that on a very clear day it would be even better. The crater seems such a long way down to the bottom, too. I believe some children have slides down it, it is so steep. Tho bottom just looks like, a l.ob from the top, but it is just rock. The Civic Theatre is a lovely big building. We went to see “Anthony Adverse” and “Dimples” there. After “Dimples’/ we went upstairs and had a look down at the cabaret. The stars in the ceiling weren’t alight, but the ceiling itself is a. beautiful blue, just the samii as the sky. The Embassy Theatre is very like our State Theatre. Well, Hub, the hour grows late and I must go to bed. Bluebell.

WHERE IS STRATOSPHERE? There is a good deal of talk theso days about tho Stratosphere, but how many people have any clear idea as to where it is or what it is? As you may know, the temperature of the air gradually gets lower and lower the higher one rises from the earth, until a point is reached where the fall stops abruptly. Above that point lies the Stratosphere, a region where the temperature changes slowly in a horizontal direction, and remains almost the same in a vertical direction. Tho height at which the Stratosphere begins is about six miles above the earth’s surface, but it is a little higher in regions near the equator owing to the fact that the atmosphere is hotter iu those parts. Because the air, is much less dense in the Stratosphere, it is thought that aeroplanes should be able to travel much faster, there being less resistance from the air. Twelve and a half miles is the greatest height yet attained in the Stratosphere by observers in a balloon, and a height of nearly 9i miles has been attained in an airplane. This was the record of 49,967 feet set up by Squadron Leader F. R. D. Swain of the Royal Air Force Experimental Station at Farmborougli, England, last year. Artificial breathing with the aid of exygen cylinders has to be resorted to in the Stratosphere, and special clothing has to be worn as a protection against the extreme cold.

PETER PUZZLEUM WANTS AN ALBUM Feilding. Dear Hub, —I am glad we go back to school tomorroh, as too many holidays no good, are they? I wonder if any Cog has an album of famous airmen (you get them in vallet). I would give 6d to any Cog for an album, as I havo nearly all the snaps and cannot get one. The weather is very changeable, isn’t it? reter Puzzleum. I knew you would all be glad to return to school. I hope you get your album Peter. shoots loud caps off. Well, Hub, I must dose. Rangitira. It was nice to find a letter from you Rangitira and to learn that you have been promoted. Be careful that revolver won’t you?

ONLY TIRED HAS A BIRTHDAY Bunnythorpe. Dear Hub, —I had my birthday called over the air to-night. We have a radio now and it is a tall one too. One of our cats has a sore leg and his head is on one side and I hope he soon get better again. Hub, I havo no more to say. Only Tired. What an exciting thing to hear over the airl I do hope poor puss soon recovers. HIME LIKES SCI-OOL Pongaroa. Dear Hub, —We had a lovely holiday but I was glad to go back to school again. We went to Pahiatua for our holidays. The auntie we stayed with has twins. They are fifteen months old, and they are a boy and girl. Auntie I came and stayed with us for a whilo j when we came home and we had such fun trying to teach tho twins to walk. TUme. Twins are fascinating and I caa imagine you did your best to spoil them, Hime. DADDY’S SWEETHEART VOTES FOR SCHOOL Bunnythorpe. Dear Hub, —We go into Palmerston North to school now. Although wo have been in town several times since Christmas 1 have not had time to visit you. Every night 1 will have homowork now. I have just started to prepare for a music examiuatiou. I was glad when school started and mum said it would bo a treat to get us away to school. Maureen was nearly iu tears when we went back to school, because she wanted to go too. Well, Hub, 1 suppose 1 shall have to go to bed. Daddy’s Sweetheart.

That is promotion, Daddy’s Sweetheart, and you will havo Jots of lessons now. I am sorry you have not had time nay us a visit yet.

LETTER PROM CARNATION Halcombe. Dear Hub, —I suppose you have almost forgotten me. I have not wrxtteu beforo because I have been in tho hospital with dyptheria. I am in Std 5 this year, Hub. Aren’t there a lot of Cogs now. There has not been much swimming this year, has there? I wont away for a fortnight during the holidays. 1 went as far as Masterton. We were intending to go to Wellington but we did not go on account of tho epidemic. Wc have a little kitten about two months old. 1 have had quite a Jot of letters from my pen-friend, Dorothy Mildren. I have been writing to her for about six months now. 1 think I wHI close now. Love to you and all the Cogs. Carnation. Poor dear! I am sorry you have been on the sick list. Don’t let it occur again. It was good to receive a letter from you once more Carnation. PATSY NEVER-GROW-UP IS PROMOTED Feildiog. Dear Hub, —I went to Napier for a littlo over a fortnight for a lovely holiday. We were very near the sea an i I was in swimming fairly frequently. Only once I went to the baths, the rest of tho time 1 swam in the sea. My auntie bad a little terrier called Jack, lie delighted in running after ears. Several years ago he was run over by & car and sustained a broken leg wln?h resulted in a permanent limp. 1 always called him “lloppy." After I came back from that beautiful city I went to Foxton beach for a week. Altogether I enjoyed myself immensely. I go up to High School on Monday.* Well I mn»t close now, Hub. Pasty Never Grow Up. What a lovely holiday you had Put*?, T would love to have joined in tho swims and romps with “Jack." Good luck for High School.