LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLKS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1812, 13 August 1886, Page 35

LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLKS.

Deab Dot, — The boy I am going to tell you about did a very cruel thing one day. He caught a sparrow and tied its' legs atd wings so that it could not get away, and then collected some dry leaves and chips and lit a fire with them, then he put the bird on. alive and roasted it. He said it was only a sparrow and it did not matter because they were a nuisance. Another little boy came up, and when he saw the sparrow burning, beat the boy who did it as well as he could, but he was only a little fellow and could not hit very hard, then he sat down beside the burnt sparrow and cried because it had been hurt, and the boys in the street laughed at him and called him a coward.— Yours truly, Ernest.

Dear Ernest, — The coward was not the little boy who cried because the sparrow was burnt, but the boy who did the cruel, deed. The boys who cannot bear to see defenceless creatures suffer, and are ready always to protect them and avenge their cause, are the boys who are most likely to grow into brave, kind men, for

" The bravest and the tenderest,

The loving are the daring." Now a great many boys think it very manly and fine to stick pins through spiders and flies, but if I had anything to do with a boy who was so cowardly and cruel — for it is cowardly to hurt, without a just reason, anything too small to defend itself — I should, be inclined to do what I saw a wise father do one day, whenhe caught his son with apiece of cardboard, to which he had pinned several spiders and flies, simply for the pleasure of watching their contortions of agony, and that was to take a needle and insert it some distance into the boy's flesh, just to show him a little how it felt. I remember also hearing of another gentleman, a gentleman who had much to do with the government of New Zealand, who, when he caught his son amusing himself by stoning a brood of pretty little chicks, ordered him to undress, and collecting a number of small stones, threw them at the boy until he cried for mercy. " I am kinder than you were," the gentleman said, " for when you cry I desist, but when the chicks cried you had no mercy, but laughed when they fell wounded or dead." Both these fathers were loving indulgent fathers, who overlooked any amount of simple mischief in .their sons, but wisely punished for acts of cruelty. — Yours, Dot. Dbak Dot, — As this was my cousin's birthday, we had a long ramble over the hills gathering ferns and moss. When we came back we played at keeping house till tea was ready. After tea we played games till it was time for us to return home, and as the Witness had just come in we spent the rest of the evening reading " Little Folks." You must excuse this, as it is my first letter, but I hope to write a better one next time. — Yours truly, Maria Johnson (aged 11 years). Hyde, July 31.

Dear Dot, — The other day my sisters and I were walking along, and up came a whole lot of dogs after a rabbit. We were Borry for the poor thing, it ran so fast and looked so frightened ; and we wero hoping the dogs would not catch it, when all at once it popped into a hole and the dogs lost it. I always read " Our Little Folks," and long for the Witness as much as father and mother. — Yours truly, JOHNNT. August 2. Dear Mama and Johnny,— Am glad that you like the Children's Corner. Your account of playing houses, Maria, reminds me of a story about some little girls who were very fond — like most girls — of the same game, and when "Little Glad Heart" is finished I will tell it. It is a story for boys as well, and will be called "The Boy Bully"; so, young gentlemen, you need not begin to say indignantly — " A tale about playing houses, indeed I " — Yours truly, Dot. August 4. [" Dot's " reply to " Herbert " was accidentally omitted from the issue in which it should have appeared. As " Herbert " will probably think with us "better late than never," we subjoin it : — ] DearHeebebt, — What fine fun you had — you and your schoolmate— with the dogs Nigger and Pompey hunting rabbits in the snow. It must be very pleasant to be a boy, healthy, and strong, and happy. Your letter no doubt would interest many children, as I know children are very fond, to hear of each other's pleasures, especially little children who are not robust enough to take part in such sports. — Yours truly, Dot.