THE WENDY HUT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 11 August 1928, Page 10

THE WENDY HUT

COUNTING CABBAGES

There was once a young man, called Peter, who applied at the King’s palace for work. The only vacant post was that of cabbage counter, and this post was offered to Peter. “What shall I have to do?” he asked. “Why, count cabbages,” replied the Hardener. “I can do that!” laughed Peter. “I’ll give you a trial,” grumbled the gardener, “but as/I’ve lmd 147 cabbagecounters who were no good, I’m -not so sure about it.” Next morning Peter was taken to a huge field of cabbages. Now it is all very well to count a few cabbages, but when there are hundreds and hundreds it is quite a different matter. When Peter got to the middle of the field it was dinner time, and when he had eaten his bread and cheese he could not remember which row of cabbages he had counted last. So he had to begin again, and night came before he had finished.

The following' morning he found the stick which he had set up as a mark, and continued counting; but lie found that the field went on round a wood, and there were hundreds and hundreds more cabbages. At mid-day the princess walked in the wood, and she was so beautiful that poor Peter left off counting cabbages to look at her: tWn when be

wanted to continue, be could not remember whether lie bad counted the yellow cabbage with the slug in it or not'! All his work had to be started again because lie had glanced at the lovely princess!

“And what's tho use of counting silly cabbages?” be thought, crossly as he walker] back to the stick.

The next day, when Peter had almost got to the end of the cabbages, a bare sprang up in front of him, and nut him off his count. Without a word, Peter turned, walked to the palace, and asked to see the King. “Your Maipstv.” be said. “T have failed. For three davs T have wasted mv time trying to count cabbasres. and now you must look out for vour 149th counter!”

With a cry of joy, the Kiner stepped down from his throne and kissed Peter. “You are the man I want!” he cried. “The other cab,bagc-counters took my money, hut if they were one cabbage out, or-a hundred, they did not think it mattered. If you are honest in countin';' cabbages-, you are honest in all things, and you shall be my son, Peter, for I have none.” I am sure you can guess the end of this story. OUR PUZZLE CORNER See what you can make of the queerlooking words given below, children. The consonants are there all right, but the vowels are missing. In the places where the vowels should be I have' put little crosses, and all you have to do is to Jill in the correct vowels and make names of various animals. Each word will form an animal’s name if you put the right vowels in the right places: 1. HXRSX. 2. GXXT. 3. BXXR. 4. LXXN. 5. TXGXR. 6. CXMXL. 7. GXRXFFX. S. LXXPXRD. 9. XDXPHXNT. 10. BXFFXIiX. 11. RHXNXCXRXS. 12. JXGXXR. 1 will tell you the answers next week. —Billildns. WHAT’S WRONG WITH THE PICTURE? What’s wrong with the picture, children? Our artist, as von sec, has made a number of mistakes in drawing it. He did it on purpose, of course, just to test your ability to observe things! Sec how many you can find! Study the picture very carefully and make a list of all the mistakes you cam find. When you go to school on Monday you will find it great .fun comparing your list with those of your friends to see who has found the .most. Keep the lists., until next- Saturday and I will tell you all the mistakes that are in - the picture. Remember, ■ the : work should he vour very own, quite unaided by anyone.—Wendy.- -

WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT?

TRIADS OF A PU'M PURRING POG

I’ll) a plum-pudding dog—made of plush. White, you know,; with black tfpob qll over me, umJ a very good pair of beautiful bulgy eyes. Peculiar, tilings happen (0 nip. For instance, 1 am obliged to go to hwl because the clock says it is time for Patsy to go. it may be time for Patsy, hub it- isn’t time for me, and Pater won’t, go without me. I’m carried upstairs by my cars and poked intp bed beside Patsy, who cats biscuits ami lets the crumbs drop in niv eyes! If I manage to wiggle out of the bed before Patsv is asleep, she howls, and somebody conies and pokes me in again.

“I’m carried upstairs by ray ears.”

But when Patsy’s asleep, she kicks me out—that’s the funny part of it. Plumpudding clogs don’t sleep, you know; they have many other important things to do at night. Once I was lost for three days. It was in a most peculiar place called a park, and the only thing I didn’t like about it was the rain. It’s the. sky crying for the sun, you know, and it makes my coat run; it’s as silly as children crying for the moon. But a squirrel saw me and carried me to lijs hole in a tree where it was quite dry, and we had a chat. He thought it was most peculiar because I didn’t eat, and I thought it was most peculiar because he did. Eating’s ridiculous. It’s waste of time getting food, eating it, and clearing up. after it: if people didn’t; eat ■ they could wear out gently as I -do.; When, it ..was..dry I dropped out of the squirrel’s house into Patsy’s lap.; , ‘‘Ohmyclarlingplumpuddingdogsfound” she cried, just like that! When I’m worn out I’m going to—there’s no moro space so I can’t tell you my secret! THEODORA’S MEMORY “It isn’t my fault,” said Theodora. “I’m awfully sorry, Jane,- but I forgot to give you Auntie’s message, and —” But Jane had gone. She rushed out of the house, wondering if she would be in time to meet her Aunt—otherwise she would lose a lovely drive in the country., Theodora began to sing, “You can’t help it if you forget, things,” she thought. “Now I’m really going to work hard all the afternoon.”

She turned to her books and took up the geography. They were having a little exam, at ( scliool, and Theodora wanted to he first. But she was always forgetting that the days were passing and she had not looked over the term’s lessons.

She opened the geography, and then she screwed up her eyes and looked harder at it. A- little shiver ran through her. She put down the geography and opened the- history. This time she rubbed her eyes, well, and her heart began to, beat quickly.

One after, another she. opened her hooks, but there was nothing whatever upon the pages! “Where’s ‘The boy stood on the burning deck’?” cried Theodora. “I’ve got to learn it!” “It isn’t my . fault Theodora,” murmured the poetry book. “I’ve forgotten it. I’m awfully sorry, but you can’t help it when you forget things.” “Can’t help it indeed! 1 ’ cried Theodora. “Of, course you can! You ought to.remember —it’s your duty to remember—it’s very unkind , of you not. to try to remember, ancl I’m the one who suffers. How aiu I going to learn all those dates of battles, and the mountains of China, if the books have forgotten them?”

“I’m sure, I. donjt -know,” said the geography. *!Yoiii mustn’t blame us. You' forgot to post those letters yesterday, and you said it "was not vour .fault.” “You always forget everything, and you always say it isn’t your , fault,” laughed the history. .: • “Anyway, we’ve all forgotten: everything now, but it’s not our faulty and it’s mo ' good saying another,’ word about it,” cried the arithmetic, I and it: began singing: “OnoC two, button my : shoe.” “Doctor Foster went to Gloucester!”

chimed in the geography. “They don’t even care,” nobbed Theodora, and nlie awoke to find the tears running down her face. “I’ve been asleep,” she thought. “How awful it would be if everyone forgot everything! .! must keep a reel of cotton in my pocket und tie bits round my fingers to help me to remember in future.”

FAIRY HOUSEMAIDS In little aprons, blue and white, The fairy housemaids work all night. They clean each tiny toadstool house, And every maid’s a wee brown mouse!

Some mice are goblin nursemaids too, They have an awful lot to do They bath the baby elves, it’s said, Then tuck them cosy into bed.

“Fairy Housemaids” “And every maid’s a wee blown mouse!”

They take them walking.when it’s fine; And hang their pinnies on the line. They wash their faces, darn their

socks; The suppers cook, aud mend wee frocks.

And so, next time a mouse you see, Pray watch her very carefully. For oh! Perhaps that tiny thing May clean the home of Fairy King!

TINK’S CROSS-WORD PUZZLE^

Last week’s picture was supposed to represent a fish—did you discover its name? Here is the solution, by which you' will see that the fish was a Ejkate. ACROSS \ I. Ocean. (Sea).

а. Disorderly crowd. (Mob), 5. British Dominion (abb). (S.A.), б. Fronoun. (She). 8. To a higher position. (Up). 10. Turkish officer. (Aga), 12. Twißted. _ (Wry), 13. To be deprived of. (Lose). 15. Dispatched. (Sent), 10. Name of the fish. (Skate), 18. Preposition. (To), 20. English cathedral city. (Ely). 21. Thus. (So), 22. Girl’s name. (Eva). 24. Possess. (Own). 25. Wild beasts’ lairs. (Dens). 27. Flower. (Iris), 28. Consume. (Eat), DOWN 1. Made into puddings. (Sago). 2. Because. (As). 3. Pronoun. (Me). 4. Small stream. (Burn). 5. Greeted with a gesture. (Saluted). 7. Pronoun. (He). 9. Serpents. (Pythons.) 11. Animal. (Ass).

12. Tiny. (Wee). 14. Lengthen. (Eke). 15. Animal pen. • (Sty). 17. Everything. (All). 19. Above. (Over). 21. Move in water. (Swim). 29. Indclinite article. (An). 24. Conjunction. (Or). 20. Compass point. (SE). 27. The thing. (It). This picture represents the name of a famous battle; also a river in Ireland. Can you tell ‘mo what it is? The name is hidden in the puzzle. ■ Clues: ’ ■ ACROSS • ■ « 1. Nicest. 3. Leave out. 5. Away. 7. Role or perch. 10. The girl. 12. Hut. 14. Monkeys. 15. i Hidden name.. 17. Waits upon. 19. Part of verb ‘to be.’ 22. Think. T 24. Diminish in brilliance. 25. Upon. 20. Before. 27. Road (abbreviated). DOWN ' 1. Break. 2. Preposition. 3. Another preposition. 4. Lock of hair. 0. Twelve inches (abb) . 8. Exclamation. 9. That which is owing. 10. Hastened. 11. The boy. 13. Spot. 14. Girl’s name. 10. Tree. 17. End of prayer. 15. Transgressions. 19. Fuss. 21. Collection. 23. Pronoun. " “ " 24. You and I. ” r "'