THE CHILDREN’S HOUR

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1798, 22 August 1906, Page 13

THE CHILDREN’S HOUR

(Conducted by “Unolb Robbkt.”) ' "B*twe*a the dark and the daylight, When the night is beginning to lower. Cornea a pause in the day’s occupations That is known as the Children’s Hour." Any of our juvenile readers, under sixteen years of age, may become members of the Guild of “The Children’©. Hour," by promising that in ail they do they shall seek to be guided by the following, simple rules: First—That we were created to enjoy life and help each other. Second—That whatever hinders any one from enjoying life is wrong and wicked. Third—That it is our duty to try and remove all such hindrances. All who agree with the above rules, and are willing to get othera to subscribe to them should send in their names and addressee for insertion in the Guild “Big Book." * 22nd Aug., 1906.

My Dear Nieoeo and Nephews,—We all know from reading in our school books and newspapers, etc. that many noble men, in all countries and every age, have given up their comfortable homes, and a life of ease and pleasure, to follow a lifo of hardship and danger, many even losing their lives that they might add something to the sum ojF human experience and knowledge. Love of excitement is one cause, but probably a desire to stand well in the eyes of their fellows is the stronger motive power of such noble men. But what would make u dog give up its comfortable home to' follow a life of suffering? I have just heard the story of a collie that left a luxurious mansion and took up its quarters with the fire brigade at Brook Green, Hammersmith (London). Every time the alarm bell sounded “Prince” galloped after the engine to the fire, returning with the men when their work was done. Love of excitement led to its death, for it was during a race of this kind that it was run over and killed. There comes to my mind another curious instance of canine attachment. In a North of England town a bull-terrier used to leave home every night and accompany the first policeman it met. staying with him on his beat, and going home with the milk in the morning. The strango thing was that it was almost always silent, never offered to assist the officer in arresting an offender, and did not care for one constable more than another. Seemingly it was the uniform, and not the wearer, that seized its fancy. Side by side with these examples of likes, might be quoted cases of singular dislikes —dogs that cannot stand policemen or postmen at any price. It would appear as if in this respect dogs were as unaccountable as many human beings are. * * * CAN YOU ANSWER-? Father liad finished his oupper and picked up the daily paper, when. Willie, who is a living question mark, commenced in a drawling monotone, showing that he was thinking, and that something heavy was weighing on his mind : “Papa, oh! papa.” "Well, what is it, son ?” father anBwered. “Do you make whalebone out .of whales?” “Yes, son,” said father, glad for once that, he could answer Willie’s question. “Then do they make sealing-wax out of seals?” Father did not think the question worthy of reply. “Papa, are the people of Greece greasers?” ■ No answer. “Then I reckon the people of Cork are corkers.” The paper was particularly interesting. Son was silent for nearly five minutes, and then said: “I read in a book to-day that man was a flower. Does that make me a sunflower?” Willie was discouraged to. think that his questions should go unanswered, and then turned to Ins' mother, and asked her the following question: “Mamma, do squaws wear war whoops?” - Father was getting tired of these questions, and turned to Willie, and said/ <r William, it is time to go to bed.” Willie started, but at the room-door turned and asked, innocently: “Is my little trundle-bed a boycott?”

A MOTHER’S SON©. Twinkle no more, Ok! dear little eyes, Sleep for the blinds are drawn ; There won’t be a bird in the far-away skies, Till you open again at dawn. And to the nest They love the best Each tui and lark has gone. Trouble no more, O ! little rose lips With etories too big to tell; There isn’t a word however it trips That mother won’t know right'well— There isn’t a sound . She cannot surround a t With meanings that love will spell.

Stretch out no more, O! sweet little

hands, - Tb make the whole world your own— There’s plenty of time for such great demands When you to a man have grown— When you are a man With your own great plan, And mother is left alone. * * a THE BEES, A DOLL, AND A RABBIT. A lady who kept bees one day put into the hive a rag doll and a cloth “rabbit,” to learn what the bees would do. She opened the hive about three weeks later, and found they liad nibbled almost all the clothes from the doll, and had even attacked the stockings. What they had failed to take off and carry out hung in delicate fibres and shreds, apparently ready to be removed. Did they expect to dispose of the entire doll in that way ?

The rabbit was slightly soiled, hut not smeared or nibbled. The bees had, however, utilised it as a support for a comb, which they had attached in the most astonishing manner —to one ear and to the tip of one fore foot. The whole thing was grotesque, or, as the expression goes, “They had put an 'elephant’s ear’ on the rabbit!” The cloth of which the rabbit was made was different from that of the doll. Did the bees find it more difficult or impossible to nibble this? Did they know that it was unnecessary to seal it in, as would have been necessary with a small animal liable to decay ? and since they must endure the intruder’® presence, did they determine to make it useful as payment for the valuable room that it occupied? * * # DADDIE’S SEE-SAW. “Dadclie, wliat is that for?” called Johnnie, as Daddie passed the window with a long wooden plank on his shoulder. “Come and see,” said Daddie; and Johnnie and Reggie both ran out into the garden. Their father carried the plank 'into the yard, and, fetching his big toSi-box, began to saw the large log in two pieces. “Guess what this is going to be,” he said..

“A see-saw! Oh! Daddie, is it for us?” cried the little hoys. “Yes, but it won’t be ready till tomorrow, so be careful that you do nob touch it.”

But when the afternoon came, Reggie said, “Let’s go and see how it looks,” and. they went into the yard together. “Why, there’s only the plank here now and Daddie’s tool-box. Oh ! I can"c wait for to-morrow. Shall we try and make one ourselves? Dad won’t mind.” They put the plank across the box and got on.

“Why, it’s lovely!” cried Reggie. “No, it isn’t, though. Oh! Oh!” The plank was slipping off the box, and Reggie fell right forward in Johnnie’s face, and they both rolled over together. When they got up, Johnnie’s face was scratched and bleeding, and Reggie had cut his knee. And Daddie, when lie came home that night, said he would not now finish the see-saw for a whole week, as they had not done as he told them.