LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLKS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1856, 17 June 1887, Page 35

LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLKS.

Pbize Letter Competition. The voting in the competition for a prize for the best letter which appears in this column before July 15, ' commenced with the letters published on April 22, and will finish with thoße to be. published on July 15. Letters received before the 16th June, will appear i n the Witness of , June 24 . OOUPON— No. 9. OTAGO WITNESS LITTLE FOLKS' PRIZE ' LETTEE COMPETITION. Voting for Best. Letter in Witness of June 17. - The Undersigned considers the letter written by the best letter in the Little Folks Column in the Witness of June 17. Signature of voter Address .......4... ••••... Cut this out, fill in the blanks, and send to the Witness Office before Friday, June 24. Little Folks' must nit write on both sides of the narißi". <. • ' 1 ■ * ' '

VOTING-FOE THE BEST LETTEE IN THE LITJDLB FOLKS OF JUNE 3.. Thirteen little folks ba"e voted for the best letter in the Witness of the 3rd June. - For the first time a tie has occurred. Martha - Martin' and B. Strane each receiving four votes. l Both' letters will be included in the number from which the prize letter -will ultimately be selected. . The voting was as follows:—- ' ' Martha Martin... ... ' ... 4 B. Straug ... ... ... 4 KatleßlacWe ... ... r ... 2 Phyllis Buchanan ... •'■... 1 Berths Harris ... ... ... 1 1 Millie Saundors ... „. 1 j The letters selected so far have been :— Willie Dougall ... ... April 22 . Willie Dougall ... • ... April 29 Martha Martin ... ... May 6 Silvia ... ... ' ... May 13 Ettie Lafranchi ... ... May 20 ■ George Stewart ... ... May 27 Martha Martin ... „, June 3 E. Strang ... ' .:. June, 3 ' An impression seemo to prevail that those' who forward letters must not vote, and consequently the number of votes recorded is considerably restricted. This is not so ; all little folks are invited to vote, and those who send letters for publication may enclose their voting papers in the same envelope. Any number of little folks may enclose their coupons in one envelope to save postage. ' , ' . Deau Dot. — I saw two little trout the other day, and I shall try to describe the antics they went through. I was walking along the side of a stream which passes through our farm. The water was very still, and noticing a little bubble on it, I stepped forward within two or three yards. To my great surprise I noticed two trout, about four inches in length, the one pursuing the other round a circle, not more than 24 inches in circumference. It was very amusing to see the last chasing the first, and catching it by the tail, the next moment by the fin above the tail. Then the first would turn round in an instant, and go through the same tactics as the other had done. I have peen very many trout, but I never saw any that sported themselves in the same manner as those two little ones did. Now you .will see by this that these harmless fish ; play among themselves just the same as any other little creature. I have got a very nice fishing rod and waterproof line, with plenty of tackle, so I am going to learn angling next season. It is a very difficult thing to learn ; however, I will try and see if: the fish will rise to some of my flies. The trout here rise very well to the artificial flies, such as the black gnat and brown March. — Yours truly, Willie Scott Caged 11 years and 4 months), Garston, May 27. • ,• Dear Dot, — I have five sisters and . six brothers. lam in the fifth class at school. I expect we will have our winter holidays in about three weeks' time. Two of my sisters, and my little brother are going to Rangitiki to spend their holidays. I am now< going to tell you about a day two of my sisters and I spent at the Kaiwi stream. When we first got down there we a lit a fire to cook our dinner. While it was cooking we took off our boots and . stockings. We then went down the stream a shor^'distance to gather shells. When we came back our dinner was cooked. After we had ate it- we went up the steam to a shelly slip. We got some shells there, but they were very tender, so we were careful with them. We went 'round the corner then, and got some very curious things, which we thought were alive. We took some home with us. . We also got some very pretty spotted shells and stones. We went back and made, the fire up again, and set about cooking our tea. While it was cooking we put on our boots and stockings, for it was getting late. After we had had our tea we turned to go home. We had to go about two and a half • miles before we reached home. ' When we got home it was a little after dark; We asked one of our brothers if the things I spoke of before were alive, and he said they were. 'In winter the Kaiwi stream' is generally very deep, so we do not go down then. In summer it hardly covers our ankles. I will now tell you about my pet cat. He is very pretty, and catches a good many rats and mice. He is grey and black. He , is also very big. He was given to me as a present from my sister Carrie. I haveinever seen him trying ' to catch birds. My eldest brother has a very old dog called Nero! We have had him since he was a pup. He howls every night. He will also shake hands with you if you ask him to. — Yours truly, Alicia Pehry (12 years and 4 months). Lansdown, Brunswick, Wanganui, May 27. • , Dear Dot, — My youngest brother's name is Ernest, and he is eight years old. lam going to tell you about my pets. I have a very pretty pet cat, and I called him Ebony. He was a very nice cat, and I liked Him very much. I had him for a very long while, but at last he ran away. He was black and white, and was a very big cat. Next I had a cat named Topsy. He was a very pretty cat, black all over. , After we had him a long while we gave him away to Mrs Murray, our schoolmaster's wife. Thirdly, I *\ad another very nice cat, and my sister Annie called' him Brownie. We all liked him very much. He was a very playful little cat. After a lime he died, and I was very sorry to loose him. Igo to the Brunswick school, aud I am in the Third Standard. We had our examination on the 31st of March, and I passed the Second Standard. I am voting for Jane Lockett, as I think. her letter is the best.— Yours truly, Laura Perry (aged 10| years).. Lansdown, Brunswick, Wanganui, Sjay 27. Dear Dot, — Since I last wrote to you there was a flood, though not a very big one. Dear Dot, I wish you could be here when the flood comes. It is nice to see the town flooded. There are hills all around our place. When you want to get a view you must go on to the hill, and then you will see the country all flooded. I and my sister arid a lady friend' went up to Cliffton. It is 60 miles from our place. We drove up in our buggy and two horses. We went across the river in a boat. It was lovely. I had a nice play when I got .there. When we were going across the river I put my hand in aud got a nice drink.— Yours truly, , > Gertrude (aged 12 years). Otautau, May 28. Dear Dot, — I am going to tell you about my " two cats. They caught three mice yesterday. — Yours truly, Henry Winter (aged 8 years). Mount Cargill, May 28. Dear Dot, — Last New Year I went for my holidays to Lawrence with my, father. We left home about 9 o'clock in the morning, and drove to the Beaumont, where we stayed for some time, and had our dinner. Some parts of the road between Ormaglade and the Beaumont are very pretty. We drove through ' the bush. There are such nice ferns there. We passed several huts belonging to Chinese. They are such fanny little places. Some of them had only one pane of glass in the window. We left the Beaumont ' about - 2 o'clock ' and reached Lawrence after" 4. The next Monday the friends with whom I was staying drove out to Waitahuna and I went with them, > While I was in Lawrence I saw a train for the first time, I

stayed' about a week in , Lawrence 1 and' .then father came fov mcl On 'our way home"-' we stopped and had our dinner in the bush, near a small creek, where I got some pretty flowers. — Yours truly, Alice 1 Gunn. Ormaglade, May 30. • Dear Dot, — I go to school every day an'l ', j am in the Fourth Standard. On Wednesday 25th May I got. the first prize for home exercise in our class. Dear Dot, I got a large doll. Could youtell me a nice name for.- it ?— Yours truly, • Mary Perbeixe (aged 12 years). • Arrowtown, May 30. < . ■ < 1 ■ Dear Dot,— l am going to tellyou about the place we live in. Some people get their living by farming, and some by digging for ' gold, 'and* we have coalmines here too. Some have elevators to get the gold of the ground. Some people get rough gold, some fine. My father gets very fine < gold. I saw my father quicksilver some fijpe gold on Friday. The first thing , he did, was to put a whole lot of sand in a dish of water, and then some quicksilver among it. The gold is then gathered in, mixed with the quicksilver, and separated afterwards. It made a nice little nugget, weighing 14dwts, There 'is'a new elevator commencing in Speck Gully. • When itbegins to work I will tell you' more about it. — Yours truly, ' ' 1 ' > Isabella Jane Pabfit (aged lOf years). Home Gully, Naseby, May 30. Dsab Dot, — We have a pony — a very pretty little thing, of a beautiful black colour. We call it the " Union Jack." Igo to the Central School, and I am in the Sixth Standard.' ! I also go to learn elocution at Miss O'Rourke's Coldstream Academy. I like it very much. — Yours truly, Thomas Hill (aged I"2J years). Invercargill, May 30. Dear Dot. — I am very fond of dolls, and also of pets. I have four cats, and they are all good-tempered. One of them is a very wi6e,cat. When I or any of my sisters cry it comes and ' strokes its head against us, as if to comfort us, I am in the First Standard, and I like my teacher very much. She is very good to us. — — Yours truly, Nellie Robertson (aged 9| years). P.S. 1 — Shall I write' again ?— [Yes.— Dot.] Oamaru, May 30. Dear Dot,— l am going to tell you about my little dog. Her name is Jeanie. , She sometimes plays with me and my little brother. We put a string round her neck and lead her about. — Yours truly, John S. Wilso» (aged 8 years.) Burntland Farm, Papakaio, May 30. Dear Dot,— Our farm is called Ferncliff; 1 on account of the ferns which grow on the cliffs about our house. There are a great many rocks' and curiosities, the rocks stand from 10ft to 20ft high. There are steep cliffs, also, of limestone, with all kinds of shells, and teeth — mostly sharks. A few days ago my brother James found a large tooth which is supposed to be an alligator's or crocodile's because it is serrated. There is a skeleton of a moa-bird in the museum in Duriedin, found in one of the caves near us. ■ One day when- father was splitting a reck to build a wall (it was a limestone rock), he found the shoulderblades, including the, .'rib of some large animal, in the rock. I.'wiUitell some more next time' I write. — Yours truly, Mary J, Jessop (aged 13 years.) Ferncliff, Ngapara, May 30. Dear Dot, — I am going to tell, you about a soiree that was held oh the 11th' of this month. There were five tables, and after we had had as much as we could eat, four ministers delivered addresses, and Mr Golden read about "Old Mother Hubbard," and kept us laughing all the time he was reading. The choir sang < a few songs. — Yours truly, ■ , Janet Roxburgh (aged 8 years). Ngapara, May 30. ,•>••. Dear Dot,— l have read George Stewart's letter' in the Little Folks' column, and am quite delighted with his suggestion regarding the lifeboat. I think it is a very good idea, and when I read of the open-heartedness of his kind brother and sister m offering to give all they had in their bank I felt as if I could run to my moneybox and take out' every sixpence and send it off > there and then to Dot, and start the fund at once. Start the ball rolling, and I for one will do all I possibly u can and contribute '• my mite from time to time'j until I either see or hear of her being launched.— Yours truly, Willie Dougall. Quarantine Island, May 31. , Dear Dot. — I think you must be a very merry little girl with all these letters, that are sent to you. I read them all, and think them very nice.— Yours truly, Lizzie Beattie (aged 9| years.) Mataura, May 31. ' ' Dear Dot,— l live at Hampden. We have a dog. His name is Stout, and he is very sick. I hope, however, that he will soon be better and be able to yard the sheep in time for their journey to be killed.— Yours truly. Lennea Leferre (aged 7 years). Hampden, May 31. • [This little body has written her name in such a way that it is very difficult to make out. If it is not correct, she had better write it plainer next time. — Dot.] Dear Dot,t-I was very much pleased to see that I got two votes for my last letter. I thank my voters; I wish I knew tbem. I would be so glad if they could take a holiday and come , to see me, and we would have some fine fun in the bush. And, Dear Dot, if you could, spare time, I wish you would come along with them. I hope you will come, I am longing to see you. You are so good and kink to all us little folks. Be sure and put on an old dress, as the bush is a bad place for tearing clothes. I should think you must be tired sometimes, Dot, finding names for all the dogs, kittens, dolls, and rabbits. — Yours truly, : Dot M. Grant (aged 8 years). Oroydon, Gore, May 31. , Dear Dot,— l have a china doll, and it has a pale blue satin dress with white beaded lace on it. It has a low neck and short sleeves, and a long train. I let it slip down stairs and its hand and foot got broken. — Yours truly, Sheila (aged 7 years and 5 months). Invercargill, June 1. Deab Dot,— Mother bought the Witness this week so that I might send a vote. I think.it is very kind of you to ask little folks to vote. I wonder if you have been to Oamaru. Visitors often call . it the White Stone City because the buildings are of Oamaru stone and that is . white. I go to school and have a little more than a mile to walk. I should like to come ' to Duriedin. We have ' some friends , there but no relations in New Zealand. : They are all hi England. I' do not remember my birthplace, being only little more than three years old when we left England. ' The children sing a piece at school called "Our Native Land." I wish . you could hear us sing . it. — Yoxks truly, Bertha Harris (aged 12 years). Jane 1.

' Dbab Dot, — I go to school every day, and lam in the Second Standard. ,, Our teacher has promised us a well-dressed doll for the best attendance. I think I will try for it.'— Yours truly, ', Maby M'Rab (aged 8 years). Nenthorn, June 2. . ' Dsab Dot, — It is getting very cold here now. There is frost every night.- Over on the flat where the creek' runs it is getting frozen all over, and in a few days we will have some fine sliding. Near the town there is a dam made for the purpese of skating on. Last year people used to go nearly 'hvt.p miles 'to sksiie. There has .been no ,snbw yet! When it snows we have grand fan snowballing.; There are some very steep and j high hills roand here: On Easter Monday we had a picnic on one of the hills, called German Hill. It is very steep in some places, and it is hard work to get .to the top, > We found some , fine ferns among .the rocks,' and also moss to 'plant them in. ■ The other night there was a tire on one of the hills and it looked like a volcano. •7- Yours truly, ■' j Maey Poord (aged 10 years). Arrowtown, June 2. ' ' ' ' '