Dots Little Folk

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21989, 26 June 1933, Page 13

Dots Little Folk

Inaugurated Jury 16,1886, by th.e OTAGO WITNESS

Doy invites short letters from her young Mends throughout the Dominion on matters of Interest to themselves. New members must encloss their name and address. These will not be published, and are for registration purposes only. Little Folk should write on one side of the paper only, and In Ink. and should address their letters. "Dot, care of Editor, Otago Dall DoT i ’g le Llttle Folk’s Badge, with pin, for use as a brooch, Is obtainable on application to Dot. Pi Ice 2s 6d, In stamps or postal notes.

THE WEEK'S POEM. Here Is a poem about wild ducks, children. It Is written In a halting fashion in order to give an impression of movement and change, but runs smoothly it you read it aloud and try to feel It as being smooth. X think you will like it. DQT * * » WILD DUCK SONG. Once upon a time I saw a great horde ' ■ Of wild ducks flying Like the lightning of the Lord; I saw wild ducks flying; I heard their wings beat . With a noise like the pistons Of an engine running sweet;, With a sound like brooding thunder With a swift, sure thrum, With a throb like singing pulse beats Or a strong, rolled drum. I saw them flying • . ~ . Without swerve to left or right. Their necks stretched straight And their bellies flashed white; A hundred, a thousand. In a great dark swarm TUI the sky was streaked and smoky As before a storm. 1 remember the place ; A wide, shallow lake Gleamed in the sunlight Like the cast skin of a snake. There were lily pads as brown As an old felt hat, And tangled sedgy grasses. The shores were low and flat. , More and more they came, And their wings beat a tune As wild as any saga. As weird as any rune. Scrawled with ancient magic. And then they had swept on. The empty sky gulped them. ' They were utterly gone. And there followed such a stillness You could hear your heart, stop. Or a dry reed bend. Or a single leaf drop. —Thomas Caldecot Chubb. WEAVERS OF WORDS. You have probably seen a flight such as this one woven Into such a clever pattern by James Joyce, my Little Folk, and will know how well the description has been made. Bead it aloud as I have asked you to read the Week’s Poem. Then you will gain the full beauty of it. DOT « « * THE FLIGHT. What birds were they? He stood on the steps of the library to look at them. They flew round and round the jutting shoulder of a house The air of the evening made clear their flight, their dark, darting; quivering bodies flying clearly against the sky as. against a limp-hung cloth of smoky blue. He watched their flight; bird after bird; a dark flash, a swerve, a, flutter of wings. He tried to count them before all their darting, quivering bodies passed; six, ten, eleven; and wondered were they odd or even in number. Twelve, thirteen; for two came wheeling down from the upper sky. They were flying high and low, but ever round and round In straight and curving lines, and ever circling from left to right, circling about a temple of air. He listened to the cries; like a squeak of mice behind the wainscot; a shrill, twofold note; But the notes were long and shrill and whirring; unlike the cry of vermin, and trilled as the flying beaks clove the air. Their cry was shrill and clear and falling like threads of silken light unwound from whirring spools. The dark, frail, quivering bodies wheeling and fluttering and swerving round an airy temple of the eky smoothed his. eyes. . . . They came back with shrill cries over the Jutting shoulder of the house, flying darkly against the fading air. ..What birds were they? Ha thought’ that they: must be swallows which had come back from the south. They were birds ever going and coming, building an everlasting home under the eaves of men’s houses, and ever leaving the homes they had built, to wander.— James Joyce. TO ALL. Dear Little Folk,—You are all fond of birds, I know, but are any of you as - fond of them as the woman I am going to describe to you? She has, an orchard in town, and every year leaves several apples on her trees. Why? A visit to her orchard on a cold day will soon tell you. The place Is full of birds. They cry “ Thank you," “ Thank you,” and fly about In the most grateful fashion; and then they eat the apples which have been left hanging there. They know that the fruit Is Intended for them and that they are welcome. Is not that a charming action for the woman to make?—Your loving

LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLK.

ll*tto.—W* writ* for th* benefit *f others, not for ourselves. - Dear Dot, —I enjoyed my term holidays Tery much, but I did not go away.- Countess Carina and Inquisitive Paul are my playmates. Would you please give me a name for my doll? I am reading a book called "Snuffles for Short." Have you read it? The trees are all bare here now, and the climate is very cold. At school we are playing basket ball. My sister is going to write to you. I was pleased to see my first letter in print. As this is all, I will close. FRANCES MARY (Wakarl). [Call your doll Desiree, Frances Mary. I have not read that book. What name Is "Snuffles” short for? —DOT.] ¥ ¥ * Dear Dot, —I must first tell you about our cat. He was 15 years old, and we arb not sure what happened to him, but he seemed as though he had been run over by, a car, as ho was so ill. He did not eat for a week, and when he started to get about he was very shaky, so he had to be destroyed. One day when we were all away mum asked one of our neighbours If he would take him away for us. Two or three days passed, and we began to wonder where he was; then we were told what had happened to him. A kind friend gave us a pure black kitten. Hs is such a lovely cat, and, as we have had many arguments about what to call him, I am going to ask you to give him a name, please. I suppose you remember that I am a calf breeder. Well, two of my calves are milking, and I also have two this year, although they were'not In the show, as our school had not sufficient entries. My sister, Toodies, Is working now She has the knitting craze like many more of your Little Folk, but when that is finished she may find time to write to you. As your space is scarce, I must conclude, with best wishes to all your family. MASTER PUNCH (Otago). [I think It was right of you to have the cld cat destroyed when he was In such pain, Master Punch. Call the new one Comfort, because he came when you needed him most.—DOT.] ¥ ¥ * Dear Dot, —May I Join your happy band of Little Folk, please? My friend has asked me to Join your band of merrymakers, so I have managed to pen a few words at last. We are having wet weather here Just now. I do not like the rain at milking time, as It makes the cows wot, and all the water runs on to my arms and makes me very uncomfortable. 1 will close, with heaps of love to your own dear self and all the Little F ° lk " TAIERI BLOSSOM (Momona). [Certainly you may Join, Taierl Blossom Milking under such conditions must indeed he unpleasant.—DOT.] ♦ * * Dear Dot,—-I wrote to you some time ago, but you did not publish my letter. I hope you will publish this one. I have a wee puppy, which we call Rover. He is such a dear wee thing. His mother is dead, so we feed him by a'bottle. As letters - have to be abort, I will close, with love to all. JOAN OP ORLEANS (Ophir). [lt you wrote to me your letter was certainly printed, Joan of Orleans, although It might have been a week or two after you sent It to me. All letters are printed.— *>° T - ] * * Dear Dot, —How are you? We are having tad weather. Will you give me a name for my kitten, please? As it is nearly bed time, I will say “ Good night,” and close. With Jove to all, and a little verse: “Oh you must grow, Little winds that blow.” S My birthday la on Sunday, June 18. GIRL OP THE SNOWS (Naseby).* I* [I an well, thank you. Girl of the Snows. ' Call the kitten Cute. Did you make up that little verse yourself?—DOT.]

Dear Dot, —Since I last wrote to you we have had a heavy fall of snow. There were about 14 inches in the town, and it was much deeper In the country. It did- not last long, however The basket ball season has started again, but I cannot play on account of having a weak ankle. Football has also started again. There was a seven-a-slde turnament here on June 3, and our school boys won the cup,* I have sat for my first typing examinations, and I hope to pass. Do you ever have chilblains? I have them very badly every winter. Can you give roe a cure for them? I have not had a letter from Rhodeslaaa for a .while now, but it Is her turn to write. Well, I will close, with love to all the Little Folk and your own dear self. LADy AL ,i CB (Arrowtown) [The best cure for chilblains is healthy blood made by the eating of food rich in vitamins, Lady Alice,- and ‘exercise, so that your body Is always warm without having to be warmed at a fire.—DOT.] Dear Dot, —We have been having wet weather here lately. The snow Is well down on the hills, and It has been raining hard. I have been knitting socks for my brother lately, but 1 am now working a duchess set, one I had given to me nearly two years ago. so it is about time I worked it. The cows are going down In their milk. We are milking only six in the morning and four at night. I have had chilblains this winter, and at times they were very annoying. • I bought a bottle of liquid mixed at a chemist 8, and it does them some good. I suppose there are some Little Folk who do not see the page now, but I am lucky. My cousin, a Dot’s Little Folk, has it sent to her, and she pases it on to me. Well, I must close now, with best love to ail the Little Folk and your own dear self, BROWN TROUT (Mossburn). [You will be glad to see the set completed, Brown Trout. Do plenty of exercise, and try not to warm yourself at the fire, and your chilblains will go away.—DOT.] . v '., « * . " ; * ■ Dear Dot, —The other day we played Clarksville at basket ball, and they won, as they have very tall girls, and we have only short girls. During the holidays I went to Culverden for the day, and I had a good time. I also went to the Kalapoi Pines Beach, where I stayed 10 days. We used to get up in the morning before anyone else was about, and go out along the beach. There are some people who live at the beach, and they have aviaries, which have almost every Australian bird, and some Chinese golden pheasants. They have cockatoos and kooka-burras, besides several tiny, tiny birds. While we were there the wind was so strong that it uprooted several trees. On the day after we came home we went to Tlmaru, where we had a Jolly time. In the afternoon I went to the top of a lighthouse, which stands at the back of the harbour master’s house. I took a photograph of the lighthouse, and another of a big cargo vessel, which was named Dalmore. We reached home about 11 p.m. a Just before we came home we went dowrf to Lyttelton and watched the Maori, which is one of the ferry boats, go out of the harbour, and it looked beautiful, as it was lit up with coloured lights. As you have not much space, I will close, with best wishes. ' ' . STORMY- SUNSET (Ashley). (How delighted you must have been with all those birds* Stormy Sunset! X wish I had seen them. You would also enjoy seeing the ships.—DOTJ *« # - Dear ifot,—Here is an article which I discovered in a magazine on the art of penfriendship. 1 pass it on in the hope that it may prove helpful to Little Folk who wish to be entertaining pen-friends: One of the difficulties in conducting a pen-friend-ship is to discover what to write about, for letter writing is an art. What, then, should one write about? If you have a gift of humour it is easy to " string ’’ off laughable letters all about nothing, sheer farce. Farce done well is fascinating, as well as popular. ’ This mode Is. extremely useful at times when your correspondent is of the opposite sex and one wishes to avoid family talk. If you have been fortunate enough to travel, and your correspondent has not, tell little bits about your roamings. Share your experiences of countries, customs, and, people you have met. It will not be put down as -* swank.” Discuss people m tue public eye—it needn’t be politics. Tell a new story relating, to their lives.. Review topical events, the things happening every day under our noses, but really feview them. Don’t be banal. The thing is to strike a new interest, not to your own, but to your pen-friend’s ear. Next, don t start sending papers, snaps, etc., to your friend without first arranging What exchanges are to. be made. Especially does this apply It you are not the person advertising. You have only to'send one specimen of each article; the advertiser probably has to provide dozens. At that rate It would become too expensive to keep up. It la not necessary in your first letter to give a recital of your life and family affairs. That come later. If you must write about your home, then tell of the ordinary happenings with a humorous twist. The most ordinary, "un-newsy-things can be attractively dressed In the right words Above all, make every subject on which you touch definite, and complete in Its own small way. LITTLE ESKIMO (Green Island).

[This should be of help to all Little Folk, Little Eskimo. Thank you very much for it and for the footnote to your letter. —DOT.)

Dear Dot.—We are really In winter now, aren’t we? Such cold frosty mornings they are! It is not very pleasant getting up In the mornings. We have had rain, too. I do not like the winter months, do you? There are ho leaves on any of the trees, ana all the flowers are gone. It Is very dreary. It is splendid to have a cosy fire to sit at during these cold evenings, as they are so long. I enjoy a good game of cards. DC you like playing cards? We had a euchre party about a fortnight ago. and I won nine games. Football is in full swing again. There was a tournament in Ttmaru on the King’s Birthday, and Temuka’s fifth and fourth grades and the seniors won. We have started to play basket ball now, and our team is equal top of the competition. Well, I will have to close now, as this is all tne news I have. ATTRA (Temuka). [Yes, we are in winter now, Attra, but personally, 1 like winter. I do not like playing cards, however. I hope you win the competition. —DOT.] ¥¥ ¥ / Dear Dot,—During the holidays we were staying In at our grannie’s. We were given- an old gas stove to cook in. We used to kindle a fire inside and cook in pots or on slides on top. The first time we cooked we did it in the pots, cooking silver beet two potatoes, and a chop. ine nre went out twice, but the food was cooked in the end, and we tasted a bit and it was fairly eatable. On the second day we cooked, we did the same things, only we had a sausage instead of a chop. We ate it all this time, as it was cleaner. The third day we cooked we had soup, potatoes, silver beet, carrots, and stewed apples. V e were also given a dinner service to put the things in Do not think we cooked large numbers of’ things. We did only about six of everything, except potatoes. Much love to the Little Folk and yourself. FLOWERING CHERRY (Totara). [What a marvellous time you had, Flowering Cherry! I am sure that no holiday could have been better than yours that time. —DOT.] if ¥ S Dear Dot,—We have had very bad weather lately—rain, hall, and wind. Since I last wrote to you we have another Hu e baby sister, and she can give us a smile now. Her name Is Alice Mary. She Is Just three months old. Mum lets mo nurse her sometimes. We have a new teacher at school now. Our other teacher left us at Christmas time, and we were sorry to lose her We gave her a send-off. She recehed a gold armlet from the children and a wristlet watch from the parents and friends. They have been trying to close-our school, but the people do not want it closed. I received a special prize for neatness last year—a string of beads—and I also won a big book for being fi rst in Standard 1, so this year I am trying hard to be first in Standard 11. Love to ail the Little Folk and your own dear self. MAVIS’S SISTER (Hinahina). [Next time you nurse Alice Mary give her a little kiss for me, Mavis s Sister. Why do they want to close your school? You won two good prizes, I see.—DOT.] ¥ * * Dear Dot.— My two pet rabbits were killed recently. Mum and I went to Burnside by bus from Owaka. We were in Dunedin three days. The day we were not in town I was with two little girls. One Thursday mum and I went by bus to Karitane, and stayed till Monday morning. I played with a number of girls at the beach. On the Saturday four of us children went for a picnic to a beach and picked up butterfly shells and toe nails. On the Monday we went to Clarendon, and stayed from Monday till Friday, then came home. It was bad weather while I was away. I have a bad cold Just now. Love to all. MATTIE NELLIE BLY (Owaka Valley). [I am sorry to hear about the rabbits, Mattie Nellie Bly. I suppose that the “ toe nails ’’ you picked up were really shells. Yours wa* a happy holiday.—DOT.]

Dear Dot, —1 have been reading some of the Little Folk’s letters, and have enjoyed them ever so much. We had a holiday from school, but as it was very muddy we could not go out to play. • We have tour cows milking, and also own a little pig, which Is fed on milk and apples. My brother has a bantam rooster. Would you please give us a name for it? I will close now, with love to all the Little Folk and your own dear self. SAUCY NANCVB LEE (Island Block). ■ [I am glad that you like the letters, Saucy Nancye Lee. What better food than milk and apples could anyone desire? Call the rooster Hotspur.—DOT.] # # # Dear Dot,—l would like to Join your happy band of Little Folk. I am In Standard 111, and am 9 years old. I live at Tauraroa, about 114 miles from Auckland. For my pets I have a cat called Tiger, and two little guinea pigs. I have a little baby sister and two . grown up sisters, but no brothers. My mother used to write to your page. Her name was Dutch Girl. My auntie and uncle also wrote. Their names were Billo and A Heart of Gold. I was down in Dunedin in January of this year with my mother and baby sister, and enjoyed myself very much. We went to see my grandfather and .ny grandmother. Well, I hope you will,let me become a member of the Dot’s Little Folk page. Best love to Dot and all the Little Folk. DUTCH BOY (Tauraroa). [I am pleased to welcome you, Dutch Boy. Are Tiger and the guinea pigs friends? You would enjoy seeing your grandparents in Dunedin.—DOT.] * # * Dear Dot, —Is it raining at your place? We are having our fair share of bad weather and cannot go outside to play. For sewing at school I am making a doll’s blanket. ! have been knitting a scarf for my brother. Wo have a baby pig. and it Is black and white. I will close now. with love to all the Little Folk and your own dear self. JIMSIE (Island Block). [lt was not raining when your letter arrived, thank you, Jlmsle. The blanket w.ll be useful in this cold weather. What a pet the piggy must be. —DOT.] * V Dear Dot,—l have a kitten, and its name is White Slippers, because it has four white feet. We are having very cold weather up here. I made my doll a pink dress and scarf. I made the dress In pineapple stitch. Love to all MITTENS THE MOUSE (Ranfurly). [I like White Slippers’ name. Mittens the Mouse. The doll’s dress must he charming. Did you knit the scarf? —DOT.] V V v Dear Dot, —May I Join your happy band? lam nine years old, and In Standard 11. I have a little baby sister, who Is seven weeks old. She Is a dear wee pet, and we love her very much. I have five sisters and no brothers. We have a wireless lesson every Wednesday, and we do enjoy it. There is a clear river near our place, and we have good times in It In the summer time. The little wax-eyes are very plentiful now that winter is here. They are pretty little grey and gteen birds, with white rings round their eyes. They are very tame. Now I will close, with love to all the Little Polk and yourself HEDGESPARROW (Waianakarua). [Certainly you may Join, Hedgesparrow. The little wax-eyes look to you for food in the cold weather. What is the name of your baby pet?—DOT.] V 9 * Dear Dot, —I will pick up my pen and write after a long spell. There have been slight earthquake shocks up this way, and I do B not like them.’ I went to Tlmaru one day in the holidays, and enjoyed myself very much. I have seven bantam chickens, five of which are roosters. Would you please give me names for the two pullets. I have not been at school recently, I have not been well. I am reading a book about Helen Keller. Have you read about her? 1 will close now, with love to all the Little Folk and your own dear self. BONNIE HIELAN MAGGIE (North Otago). [Call the two pullets Kind Emma and Gentle Ada, Bonnie Hielan Maggie. Yes, I have read about Helen Keller. Are you better now?—DOT.] & fr V .

Dear Dot.— May I join your band of Little Folk? I shall be eight years old on August 29. I am In Standard I at school. I like playing football. I am waiting for the snow, so that I can make a snowman and throw snowballs at other children. Do you like the winter? Love to all the Little Folk and yourself. A YOUNG NED KELLY (Taierl). PYou are welcome,, A Young Ned Kelly. I see that the snow Wlll.not he wasted, as far as you are concerned. I like all the seasons.—DOT.] y ¥ Dear Dot, —Our little page is. I think, a grand thing, yet even,grander than we may dream, for to quote a philospher, How sacred and beautiful a thing Is the mind of a child.” The sweet little thoughts and fancies, so beautiful in their simplicity, denote the flow of blissful'thought artlessly unsophisticated. We. therefore, who are privileged to study these etchings from childhood s realm should feel like those who go abroad in the early, morn to gather the choicest of the wild flowers, still wet with the night dew, to .garner all tlielr freshness and perfume Into the cool a^ bOU, [ l . o L^ e mind before the sun has risen to-wilt them. Thus, Dot, artless as It may_ appear, how appropriate Is our motto .We write for the benefit of others, not for ourselves l lt we write for the , benefit of others, sure > the effort arises from a /to others to brighten up some forlorn hearth,'to cheer up some lonely road. What spark in our nature prompts us to do these things? I think it is a natural affinity, a great compassionate chain, holding all human souls together,' a desire earnestly to help others, which arises at ' an Impressionable age. and continues on through life. The reflection of . a love deeper and more sacnficlng than we could ever comprehend. Every little act of thoughtfulness proclaims It. The very sight of sorrow or pain sets into oulvering life this noble chord, and the glorious compassionate Truth flashes upon us that, despite our achtevoraents we stand humble and equal in the eyes of the Master Therefore is it not much grander for us to unite, to smother our individuality, and humble ourselves with the level herd, cast in our lots, and work out our frail destinies together, to strive for the same good, the same goal and the one Master? Let us march on through the dimming years to a civilisation as near as we may ever approaea to the ideal. We In our tiny-circle are carrying part of His great plan forward. In our small way we are uniting pur energies together In a noble effort to help others, to instil the spirit of co-operation among nations. Though it is yet but the seed, who knows how or where It may develop, where the winds of fate shall toss it, and what good shall rise .from It? We may never know, but we are cogs of the machine that help to carry It forward, so that in the years to come, when we are dust, the air will still be charged with It and .stranger hands will be writing: ** We write for the benefit of others, not for ourselves.” Love to your own dear self and all the Little Folk. MURMUR OF WATERS (Dunedin)

[Yours is an unusual letter, Murmur of Waters. You look upon our page with more serious eyes than most, and lay upon us a responsibility of which we are only dimly aware. —DOT.] ¥ ¥ * Dear Dot,—Have you space on your Little Folk page to enlist one more member. I enjoy reading the Little Folk’s letters, especially the ones from Milton, as I know some of the Folk that write from here. The weather does not seem to have taken up at all. There was snow on some of the hills the other morning. This is the time we need gum boots, not only for the wet weather, but for the mud. I had my seventeenth birthday some months ago, and now help mother on the farm. We like to see the overseas Little Folk’s letters In the paper too. Thank you very much If you allow roy name to be added to your list of Little Folk. Love to all. PROM GHENT TO AIX (Milton). [Certainly I have space for you, From Ghent to Aix. Gum boots are a boon in wet weather. Your mother will be glad of your help on the farm. —DOT.] ¥ ¥ * Dear Dot, —I was pleased to see my last letter In print. I am nine years old, and 1 have four brothers bigger than myself. One Is at the Waltakl Boys’ High School now, and another one has Just left. I have two sisters, and one of them is a year and a-ha!f old. Love to al! the Little Folk. BLACK ARROW (Becks). [Do your brothers play with you when they are at home. Black Arrow? I suppose you sometimes nurse the sister who is a year and a-half old.—DOT.] ¥ ¥ ¥• Dear Dot, —May I Join your happy band 'of Little Folk? I am 10 years old and in Standard 111. There are only 10 children going to our school. I walk a half a mile to and from school every day. We are having very changeable weather. I did not feel the earthquake. Did you feel it? Well, I shall close now, leaving room for other Little Folk to write. PETER PAN’S PLAYMATE (North Otago). [You are welcome, Peter Pan’s Playmate, but I have had to alter your name. No. I did not feel tho earthquake.—DOT.] ¥ ¥ Dear Dot, —1 hope you and your Little Folk are all well. We had about three inches of snow a little while ago, but It Is nearly all away now. At present I am reading a book called Elsie at Home,* tho author being -Martha Finley. Have you read It? There was to be a concert and dance held here recently, and I went to it. We had a wild pig, which we called Captain Cook, but he is killed now. There are many people about here looking for gold. I will close now, as It Is time I was going to school. Love to all the Little Folk and vour own dear self. DEWDROP ON THE ROSE (Macrae’s Flat). [I think we are all well, thank you, Dewdrop on the Rose. I do not remember reading •’ Elsie at Home.” Have you ever looked for gold?—DOT.]

Dear Dot, —May I join your happy band of Little Polk? I am 11 years old, and In Standard IV. We have a little foal. Could you give it a name, please? Wo have all of our apples pulled, and the apple trees look bare, as we are coming into the middle of winter. There is an aerodrome not very far oft our place. We can see the machines stunt flying. Well, I shall have to close now, leaving space for other Little Folk’s letters. THOMAS THUMBLING (North Otago). [You are welcome, Thmas Thumbllng, but I have had to alter your name. Would you like to fly? Call the foal Guinea. —DOT.] 9 * * Dear Dot, —I am going to tell you about a party I ..went to recently. I went to Hillgrove in the train, and had an enjoyable journey. On Saturday the party was held and the little girl, whose name was June, received many delightful presents. We played games, and had a delicious tea. When we had finished our tea we went Into the dining ro om to hear “ Big Brother Bill ” call June’s name over the air. I was sorry when 1 had to go home and back to school again. We have a Busy Beee hive here now, and I am working for it. We have four basket ball teams, and 1 am in the C team. As it is time to go to bed, I will close, with love to all the Little Folk and your self. WENDY ONE (Palmerston). .[That must have been a delightful party, Wendy One. No wonder you did not want to return to school! Have you ever had your name called over the air?—DOT.] * * * Dear Dot, —This week I think I will tell you a little bit about our Guide Company It is not a very large company, but we are gradually growing, and hope to be a big company soon. The company Is made up of three patrols. Kingfishers, Robips. and Swallows, which consist of about seven Guides each. Knots and signalling are two things we indulge in, and they are qulto simple when one gets into the way of them The Morse code which we use in signalling, is very tricky, and it takes some learning to keep it in one’s brain. Knots, too, are tricky affairs, especially when one has to learn to tie the bowline round one’s waist with one hand. However we manage to struggle through them all right. Then we have ambulance -work and stretcher drill. We have all kinds of games, and then to finish up we have a community sing-song around the fire, and then dismissal. Any girl who is not a Girl Guide misses a great deal of fun. Is not the weather getting colder? Some mornings I feel like staying in my warm bed. Love to all. BIG FLAPPER (Oamaru). [I have been greatly interested in your, description, Big Flapper, and hope that your company grows and prospers. The Girl Guide ideals are very high ones.—DOT.] V -Y V Dear Dot, —Please may I join your happy band of Little Folk? The weather we are having would drive one mad. We are milking nine cows in the morning and two at night. We feed them on hay night and morning, and that means more work to do. My brother has been working at the freezer all the year, and he came home the othei day. I am 17 years old, and I help my mother at home. As this is my first letter, ' will close. p BLONDIB BLUB EYES (Balclutha). [Welcome to Blondie Blue Eyes, whose name I had to alter. Surely the weather is not so dangerous as you say! How the cows must love their hay !•—DOT.) * # V Dear Dot, —I go to the Girls’ High School in Oamaru, and I like it very much. I have written to Prairie Joy in Canada, and sent her the Dot’s Little Folk page with her letter In it. Most of the farmers have their wheat sown now The weather is very wet, and will stop the farmers who are only preparing the ground for their crops. We have two little black kittens.' Could you give me a name for them, please? I felt the earthquake the other Tuesday morning. Did you feel It? Well, I must close now, hoping you are well. PERIWINKLE PETER (North Otago). [Prairie Joy will be glad to receive your letter. Periwinkle Peter. No, I did not feel the earthquake. Call the kittens Elfin and Pixie.—DOT.] A- fIA

Dear Dot, —Have you a corner left for another intending member? If so, I should very much like to become one of your happy family. X am at present slaying with relatives, who receive the Otago Dally Times dally, and I have become very much interested in your band. In future 1 shall procure the Otago Daily Times. I must close now, Dot, so as not to take up too much space in your already well filled page. Love to all. SUNNY SOUTHLAND (Gore) [Yes, I have a corner for you, Sunny Southland. I am pleased to know that the Otago Dally Times gives you so much pleasure. —DOT.] 5J5 4* Dear Dot, —May I join your happy band? I am 14 years old, and in Form 111. I have three brothers and four sisters. Two of my brothers have loft school. We had about a foot of snow at the beginning of winter. One Saturday our school football .team won a cup. I will close, with love to all the Little Folk and your own dear self. YANKEE DOODLE (Arrowtown). , [Certainly you may Join, Yankee Doodle. Do you like snow? I suppose you were playing in the team.—DOT.] , OLD WRITERS* NOTES. ivanhoe (Mr M. fi. Ramsay, 114 Barn street, Invercargill), Is endeavouring to compile a register ol past and present Old Wrltere in connection with the jublle* In 1936 He would be pleased to hear from those willing to supply names, 'addresses and noma do plume, and, where possible, year Of first writing to Dot. Acknowledgments will be made periodically in this column. OUR NEW MEMBERS Dot extends a special welcome to tne following Little Folk who have written to the page for the first time this week:— Smiling Coon, Irish Patch, Detective Lloyd of Scotland Yard, Darling Dolly Daydream, Violet Grey, the Belle of New York, Brian Boru, Sunshine Kiss, Queen Wllhelmina, Princess of Fairyland, Fairy’s Daughter, Humpty Dumpty's Double, Sweetheart of the Mountains, Moonlight Fairy, Raggy Lug the Rabbit, and Lily of the Vale. MANY HAPPY RETURNS. Dot wishes many happy returns of the day to — Detective Lloyd of Scotland Yard, who was 11 on June 20. Smiling Coon, who was 11 on June 25. Humpty Dumpty’s Double, who was 8 on June 25. Shining Waters, who is 13 to-day. Late Blossom, who will be 12 on Wednesday. Cackling Jane, who will be 11 on Thursday. Grandad’s Little Topsy, whose birthday will be on Sunday. NOTES Bessie Blue Byes.—Your letter was written In such faint pencil that I could not read It. You must write in ink, dear, for that is a rule of the page. DOT. Y Y V The Mountain Maid. —The new name you want is also taken. I have called you Sunshine Susie’s Sister, however. Will that do? DOT. -V- Y Lila Lee (Stirling).—You have omitted to send your private name. Do so, and I shall be pleased to enrol you as a Little Folk. DOT. Y -Y- Y Jeanne d’Arc. —The address you ask for is Joy Thompson, Strongfield, Saskatchewan, Canada. DOT. LITTLE FOLK’S LETTER BOX As the Little Polk inserting the following requests do not know the addresses of the companions with whom they wish to correspond, it is necessary that those companions should send the first letter.—DOT. } >Y Y Y Aorere (Nancy Brown, Kakanui, via Oamaru) would like to correspond with Cackling Jane. Y. Y Y Sunshine Alice (Alice Robertson, Pukehikl) wishes to correspond with Prairie Joy. Y Y Y Radiant Rio Rita (Evelyn Armitage. R.D. Lauder) wishes to correspond with any Little Folk in Australia between the ages of 14 and 16. or any other Little Polk. Y Y Y Princess of the Waterlilies (Joyce Robertson. Pukehlki) wishes to correspond with Dad's Jean, Good Queen Charlotte, and any oversea folk from the ages of 10 to 13. Y Y Y White Clover (May March, Kaka Point) wishes Red Clover to write to her. rfi Y Y' El Monte (Ella M. Barclay, Itchen street, Oamaru) would like to correspond with High School Little Folk Interested In modern topics, and aged from 14 to 16. Y Y Y Princess San Pedro (Betty Barclay, Itchen street, Oamaru) would like some correspondents between the ages of 12 and 14 interested In general topics, and would also like A Young New Zealander and Charlie’s Boy Blue to. write to her. Y Y V Sleepy Byes (Morwyn Carson, Ranfurly) would like to correspond with Nan Knockabout and any Little Folk from overseas. * * * The Lily of the Vale (Margaret Keegan, Patearoa Hotel, Patearoa) wishes to correspond with Roaming in the Gloaming and any other Little Folk about the age of 12 or 14.