OUR RING TO-NIGHT

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12394, 13 March 1926, Page 16

OUR RING TO-NIGHT

Peggy Leakey, Konini.—A lot of blackberries yesterday and the toothache to-day. . . I hope it’s . blaokberries/iagain to-morrow! I will loveto get the picture of the ducks. Couldn’t they, and the grown-up rab•.bit too, have - fitted into a ‘‘pet” story for the competition?. I expect n big sister’s work keeps you busy. Did you have a good time here ? Nancye Nathan, Linton street, Palmerston North.—Good, surprise. ' things are always nicer, aren’t they ? ’Specially things that are waiting whep you get home. Your spelling is very good, little one, and- I like the neatness of everything you send. Charlie Keey, Roseneath—Yes, of course ■ we ! want to know you» We didn’t • know a ’Charlie and an Essie, were hiding behind an Eileen and an lan . . . what a jolly family you are I We will certainly find a mushroom stool somewhere . : . even if we . have ‘to go and buy l it from the Goblin who keeps a second-hand shop in. the Wood ! Birthdays at Christmas do mean a long'time without a party,

don’t they? Claudia ’ Browne, Apn crescent, Lyall Bay.—Yea,- you are a ducky wee person in that: way, Olaudia-mine. v . I wonder what would happen if you . had only yourself?’ “When Blackie Went to Bowls’’ is rather long . - almost it would make two, stopping after the howls, you know . , . hut we’ll put.it in some time by itself-. A good way is to, write your story f straight ■ through, and then read. it, cutting out with your pencil all the hits (even ends of sentences and odd words) that don’t really matter;-. . • so that your whole story iB made up of words and phrases_and sentences that help in some wav, that can’t be “done without.” Then you will’And that it is full of pictures, andyou’ll really y love to read it. LooU well to see it’your story is complete ' . . . if it “balances.” You may not ■ know yet just what I mean by that. But perhaps- you will when J say that lota of grown-up stories should end" long before they do.. Make it end’ after the biggest and best parts have -been told . even if there “really-and-truly”- is some more,, GO ... but I’m talking far too much myself, aren’t I? . - Lucy Arthur, PorirUa.—Lacy, ‘we’re-so glad vou’re 'coming; One competition came too late, but the “pet” story’s in time- Now that you’ve told us - -about Billie you must tell us about ' yourself. You’ve lots of little playmates here waiting to know you. Irene Purdy.—You don’t tell us where you come from, little nihe-years. You’re just a small fairy strayed into our : Ringl Well, stray again . . we’d like ’ yon to join in our fun. We’re glad to "hear about Sweep, hut the Mermaid came too late. Dick; Rickard Martin, Weston road, Christchurch.—Dick, I’m afraid you must post competitions a wee bit

earlier than that,, if you want them to get here in time. And of course /you do. Tell us some news in your, next letter. Not many people come across the! sea to our Ring. Dorothy Maslen, Taranaki street, city. —Good, 'Dorothy .. .. . you’ve made it into a splendid little verse. I can tell that you climbed right into the picture to’ write it, and played in the grass .there,'high above the sea. Six tots now! You must have to step carefully for fear:of one of the ' soft balls getting under your feet! Does mpther ever feel tempted to wish they were in. a cage like the two white pigeons, I wonder?. ' Bill Hutchehon, The Grove, Lower Hutt.—You did catch the goose ; . . and .wasn’t she a beauty 1 O, hut you’re the luckiest thing to have an ’ orchard .... so very few of us have. ' That’s good, to get the garden nice. They need doing just mow, don’t they . everything seems suddenly to have turned raggedy. ; i Mollie Winter. Okehu, Maxwelltown.— What fun it must have been, the -. day your pony went -to school. And it was very wise of the master to make it - a lesson ■on ponies. Little nine-years, you write a good letter full of lots-of news, and presently the spelling will catch up, I expect I love words likm> “luagh” and “sevenott,” hilt I’m not just quite v sure what they mean. Silly of me, isn’t it? ' , Audrey Buoumgren, ICaiwarra.—“A few- blackberries and a great many scratches” sounds just the right sort, of picnic 1-The poetry is a very good try, Audrey. All those things . . homework and music and things . . . seem to take just as much -time as one can give them, don’t they?