LETTER-BOX CORNER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19496, 27 November 1926, Page 4 (Supplement)

LETTER-BOX CORNER.

There have been so may nice letters from my youngest pen-friends this week, tluit I am going to fill the column to-day with their letters. As you will see thoy aro ail from boys and girls of twelve and under. Next week, we will give the column to the " over twelves," hut the little folk can write just the same, as sometimes we have to hold the letters over for a week or two, there ere so many. The prize of five shillings goes this week to Dulcie Rigden, Avondale South, age eleven, who has written a very enter taming letter about her Chinese friend. John." There is also a nice letter from Elma, a little girl who has spent the past four years of he. li.v in hosp tal. Ihis brave little girl sent some pretty scrap-books last year for Santa Clans Sleigh, and lias often written t>ie cheery little letters If some of the pen-friends would like to ■write to her, I am sure Elma would love to get their letters. I am glad to see that the boys are beginning to realise what fun it is to write for Letterbox Corner, and I have had a lm; 01 letters from them this Week. That is all for now. Prize next week for the best " over twelve " letter. Don't forget to state your age. Dear Miss Morton.~l am eleven yesrs J old and in standard threo. I would like to join with those who have written tor j Letterbox Corner. One Saturday, m j Letterbox Corner, i read a nice story written by you about an old man frorn the hills. This story reminded me of a ! Chinese friend I had. John, as we called him was a very (una man. tie had a pretty grey cat which was so tlnn that mother offered John a pint of milk for it Seeing me stoop down to caress the cat, he smiled and said, You likee kiftpn? "Yes, niotbei answered jobn went into the house and soon returned with three little mewing kittens. Bundling them into mother's arms down to bis garden, his face lighted up with smiles, leaving my poor mother to do the bent she could with the Every day we took a pint of milk to John for tea cat. But old. John told us that milk was "very tucee in tea. vycbought vegetables froci John and got twice as much goods as the money was worth. One day when we were taking " John" bis milk he askeo us ra. His ' friend was eating rice with chop sticks in the kitchen. It was very interesting watch; ing him •do this, but more interesting it was to see him take out a newspaper written in Chinese letters and read it. At Christmas time "John" invited all his Chinese friends to Christmas dinner After the dinner was over, when we came with the milk, " John " gave us a thick alice of cake each, besides a half-crown bundle _ot rhubarb for sixpence. Next time 1 write I will tell you about the adventures of one of the kittens that " John" gave us.Your loving reader, Dulcie Rigden, Avondale South. Dear His 3 Morton,-Do you remember me? I have been reading the letters m your Letterbox Column. 1 love the letters' and all the stories in the Children's rage. I get quite excited over the " Onc<a upon a time stories. 1 have no pets of my own except my dollies. I have a large family of babies. A lady gent me a loveiy new doll a little while ago. She is as big as a baby. and. says mummy." She is beautifully dressed and I call her Barbara There are some peta here. Scot-tio is a black spaniel dog- He is very knowing and often comes to see me because I give him sweets. Toby is a Russian cat and he loves to get on a motor-car. Sometimes he gets on my bed and plays. There are four wee kitties here, too. /They are so f catty. Well. I will stop now with love.— rom Elma Lee (age 9). Dear Miss Morton,—l Quite enjoy reading the letters from boys and girls, so I thought I would like to write to you. too. I am looking forward to my annual holiday at Christmas. lam going to Port Waikato, as we have a seaside cottage there. It is situated at the mouth of the Waikato River, and about twenty milea from Tuakau Bridge by road. The scenery along the road" is very pretty and interesting. For almost half the distance we travel along the banks of-the Waikato River, whioh looks beautiful with the weeping willows, which afford shel ter for wild duck. Leaving the river we pass a great deal of native bush, with the birds singing and the Maori huts dotted here and there, makes it very picturesque. The port is noted for ita magnificent breakers. When the tide is coming in the waves rise mountains high, and the foam is pure white. It is very pleasant surf bathing near the shore. A few miles from the port, are wonderful caves, similar to Waitomo. I think, in the near future. Port Waikato will be one of the many noted tourist resorts in New Zealand, as there are more people going there every year. lam busy making a raft after school hours, to take down this year, so nm looking forward to a pleasant holiday.—Best. wishes, from your new pen friend. Nelson Woodbridge, Tuakau (age 12). (Glad to welcome you, Kelson. A very nice letter!) Dear Mis Morton,—When I read the children's letters I thought I would like to write 'oo. When I was going to the West Coast beach, last week, I saw a bird in the water and it vyas frozen, and v'e took it home and put it in a box with some straw in it, and it soon got better and fiew away. Now I will have to close my letter.—From John Barker, Waiuku (age 5). Dear Miss Morton,—Last weak Daddy put a clueky hen down, and, just as he was putting her in the nest, she flew at him and pecked him and broke five eggs. Daddy ahvkya writes our names on the shells of the eggs, so that we will know which little ch'ick is ours when they are hatched. Goodbye, that is all I can writ? now.—With love * from Betty Bioletti, Takapuna (age 6). Dear Miss Morton,—l have just finished reading your Santa Clans' Sleigh article, and just as soon as I saw -your little piece (about the poor old lady I prayed for her, and I hope that she may survive her ill n'ess and retain her sight. 1 have been absent from school for a fortnight with 1 tonsilitis. Have you ever had it? 1 hope neither; you nor any pen-friends ever have, nor ever will. My horns is situated near the bush, which is one of our favourite haunts. The bush orchids are coming into their, own now after hiding under the earth tor so long, but the clematis and kowhai are all dying oiit, though we gathered quite a lot while it lasted. Well, Mies Morton. 1 _ have said more than I intended, so f •will close now, with We.—From 11 Bush Orchid," Swanson (age 12). {Ye«, I've had tonsilitis, and I sympathise with you.) Dear Miss Morton,—Aa 1 have always read the letters in Letterbox Corner. I thought I would like to write to you. I think it is a fine idea, and I wish you luck with it. lam eleven years old and I live in the country, and the scenery here ia beautiful. I read the piece in the paper about ■ Christmas stories, and thought I would like to send you one 1 live quite close to the sea and at night we can see the light shining on Tiri Lighthouse. Now I have to go and feed the fowls, so i will close.—With love from Ivy Young. Cape Colville. (1 wish you luck with the Christmas story, Ivy. Don't forget they all have to be original, except jokes and riddlea.) Dear Mis 3 Morton,—l have recently been following up the interesting letters published in. the New Zealand Herald, and I, too, think I would like to become one of your happy pea-friends. Last week to had earthquakes in Morrinsville. It was the first time in my life I had ever experienced earthquakes, so they were something new to me. The first two were very alight and nothing alarming, but the third was the one which did the damage. My only pet is si lersey cow. She is very quiet, and I have had my photo taken wi'.h her. She aiwayti i a ready me to give her daily C cl , m ilk after separating; We also oiiTm v otl]e il c <? wa but they aro not Blown J affectionate friend. Orange c som . Morrinsville {age 12). th^rtori^of^th^wT 1 h3v ? been and thought I i, for some time, |nend». to- bke to join your penPapitoetioe, near tK? u ve f y Sa rge farm in have a jj 00(J l ) 0 !, c u *° Harbour. We Bummot and on fiv«ST » we bnlha in the fun 'Hen H is great Which it i/o ®rtedlf' to btnl the J?**field .abbatoirs W to Westf POny. wkidj ttv lt u &ttl< ' We have is eight, and 1%. tl ' whcce ago c?Mwho had h n ° ol 1 * EJK and some chickat™* ' * train** Wyllie, PttHntu. '• eoodbye.-^f o i m R