LETTERBOX CORNER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19720, 20 August 1927, Page 4 (Supplement)

LETTERBOX CORNER.

Dear Boys and Girls: — No doubt many of you will remember the deiiglitfui letter which our little American friend, Juno Swanson, wrote tome months ago. Last mail I teccived another interesting letter from her, which I am sure you will like to read to-day. The first prize letter, from Monica, is also unusually interesting, especially as so many oi you have been visiting San Francisco lately on the Magic Carpet! No more for to-day, as I know you ■will want to get to the letters! Your friend, / E.K.M. A SAN FRANCISCAN HOLIDAY. Dear Miss Morton,.—l have been very interested in your articles about San r rau--cisoo. as I have been there, too. We went in 1922 and, of course, visited Chinatown and- Mount Tamalpais. While we were in 'Frisco we visited Oakland and the only thing I remember was some lemon pie I had at a cafeteria. One. day we went out to the Exhibition Buildings, somewhere along the harbour. The main building, which was built in 1915, was of wood and rather like a Grecian temple, except that it had a large dome in the middle around which was a frieze of Grecian figures. This lovely building stood on the edse of a lake on which grew water lilies and bulirushes. If believe it wa= partly- decayed and the building was pulled down later. In another part was an Art Gallery with a tearoom. the walls of which were covered with old tapestries. I wpnder if yon went to the Pig and Whistle" Restaurant, Miss Morton? Around the walls were little pigs blowing whistles picked out in electric lights. I think I only " wanted an egg sandwich and the waitress brought me a .fried egg between two huge pieces of ■'bread! I ate this dainty sandwich with a knife and fork! Other places I remember were Hotel St. Francis, " The City of Paris." the •" Emporium," Golden Gate Park, Seal Rocks. Cliff House, the little Japanese shops, and the picture shows that were open on Sunday as well, and the awful Sunday papers! Later we went down to Los Angeles and saw the old Spanish missions, Hollywood, San Pedro. and Catilina Island. I don't think I will ever forget the negro waitress and porters of the train either.—Your Moving pen-friend. Monica Acheson Parnell (age 14). (I remember all the 6tores you mention very well, Monica. When. I was in San Francisco, one of the favourite restaurants was " Charlie's Fly-Trap." and I also remember the "Pig and Wh'stle."' What an interesting trip you must have had!) A LOVELY LAKE. I will take this opportunity of describing to you and the readers ox our page, beautiful Lake Rotorua. This stretch of water is almost circular in shape, and is surrounded for the most part by denselywooded nills running almost parallel with its shores. Right in the middle of the lake, towering tall and 6ombre to a height of 650 ft. stands Mokoia Island, which is of great importance to the Maoris. "It has a .wonderful history. Miss Morton, but I will not go into details in this letter. Unless one has seen our lake when a north-easter is blowing, one cannot imagine the scene presented. Great white-capped waves rush toward the shore. Launches, heave and strain at their cables as if attempting to break free. How dismal is everything, with the distant hills and Mokoia blinded from view, while an awfully black sky may be Ee.a overhead. Some say that at this time the lake represents an angry, stormtossed sea. But what a glorious picture it is on calm moonlight nights! If we walk along the wharf, the gentle lapping of the water like sweet music comes to our ears. The. surtace of the lake gently rises_ and falls, while the moon, the Queen of the Sky, smiles upon the earth below. Right across the water, lies a track of great brilliancy, making a scene of indescribable beauty.—Your sincere friend, Catherine Bell, Rotorua tage 13).

OUR AMERICAN PEN-FRIEND, Dear Miss Morton,—l am so glad you liked \he letter I wrote to you and that you put mj letter in your paper. I have already received and answered lovely letters from two of your little Pen-friends. On Saturday my prize book arrived and what a happy surprise it was! I will read it while on mj vacation. We are going to drive to 'a pretty lake over 300 miles north. - We leave here in the morning and get therf in the afternoon. We spent our vacation at this same lake last summer. My grandma and grandpa from New Zealand were here and they told me lot 3 about your pretty country. I want to thank you ever and ever so much for my lovely book. I know it- will bring me lots of pleasure on my vacation and I will be able to make a book report on ; " when I return to school in September. Since my last letter we had a very sad thing happen. My dear little doggie, Qtieenie Girl, was run over and killed by an automobile, right in front of our house. We are having some nice, summer days now. not too hot, and I often plav out until eight o'clock in the evening. —Thanking you again for my beautiful hook, and with lots of love. Your little friend, June Swanson. Detroit, Michigan. FROZEN FLOWERS This time. Miss Morton. I am going to tell you about one of the frosty mornings we had here. When we got to school our teacher would not let us write until our hands were warm. At playtime we came out and the ground was still covered with ice or else wet and slushy. We had a bright fire in school which a boy kept burning. When school" was over I went straight home for the air was keen and cold. I knew then that we were going to have another cold morning. That night I got a eaucei full o£ water and put some delicate blue periwinkles in it and put it out ' on the verandah. When I woke up next morning the water was all frozen and the periwinkles looked a pretty sight as they lay stiff in the ice.—Now I will close with Sriuch love from your loving peu-friend. Mapine Haywajd, Rotorua (age S). BLUE BOY AND BESS. I have two pet 3 a dog and a horse. The dog's name is Bess, and her father won the Great International "Sheep-dog Trial. She is two years old and is going to be like her father. She is black, and write, with brown spots above her eyebrows. My pony, whose name is Blue Boy, is a very fine pony. He is iron-grey in colour, but in summer he goes a dark blue. Blue Boy is very fresh and he bucks so 1 am not allowed to ride him very much. He is four-years-old but will soon be five. Everybody thinks he is a 'hunter, but he is not. I am 11 years of age and am in Std. IV., but hope to be in Std. Vl.,next year.—l will close now, with love from your new pen-friend, Joan Robinson, Puriri. THE MAIL-BAG. Eva Edwards. —That was a delightful trip r.p the river, Eva, and I hope you will have many more when summer comes. Edith Lloyd.—l was pleased to get your letter, Edith, and hope you will writ© again. It wasn't your name in the Jumble Roll 'Call, because you haven't joined the pen-friends' circle yet.. Mary Yonge —I had a lot of letters about the Winter Show, so could not use yours, although I enjoyed reading, it. Avico Hose.'—So sorry to hear you had been ill.' Avice, and h»pe you are quite Well again now Jean Danes.—That waa a nice little verse about Santa, Jeari. but it is a bit early for tho old gentleman yet! Joyce Powell.—You must have looked very Ca-y in ■ that satin and silver f rock, Joyce. You and" your brother and sister must have been half the concert! Ruby Monteith.—Letters to London must be good fun, Ruby, but I don't think wo ever played it when I went to school. Beth Battley.—The puzzle was rather bard, Beth. It took me quite a long time to. work it out myself! Douglas Harwood.-fWell. you didn't do fio badly 'in your first competition, did you, Douglas., I hope you will try again. Wallace Atkin.—Yon have written on both sides of the paper, Wallace, and that is tho nee thing we never ex "use! Otherwise I enjoyed reading your letter. Jack Budge.—l. didn't enjoy reading how you killed all those rabbits, although I know they are a pest. But I don't like to hear of any poor little creatures being chased and torn by dogs and then shot by little nine-year-old boys. I wool-d much rather read some more about your pu?B who came back-after (wo years, and remembered •his old chair!