LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLKS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1905, 25 May 1888, Page 34

LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLKS.

Dear Dot, — I have been reading', •• Harper's Young People." ''My brother James got it as a prize. There are children's letters in it from all , parts of the world — from Holland, India, China, all parts of America, and ■ a lot of other places. They write to a lady called "The Post Mistress.", . Her name is Mrs Sang-, ster, and she puts, her likeness in the book. I am sure the little, folkte woald be pleased if you would put your Ukeness in the Witness. , We have had very fine weather lately, but it was very foggy and wet last week,, though not wet enough' to keep us from school.' Our teacher, Mrs Bone, is teaching us singing. 'Father has had a young horse broken in, and he calls it Ginger. He won't go away anywhere" without another horse with him. James made him go a mile alone, but he reared and jumped about a good deal before he would start away. — Yours truly, . . , Mab? Cleland. Sutherland, Timaru, May 12. Deab Dot; — Not long ago a sham fight was held here. I "went to it, and enjoyed it very much. There were some military sports held in • a paddock afterwards. I started to go to the Palmerston. HighjSobool on the dayzfollowing... I like Mr Grant, my teacher, very much., I am, in the T,hird Standard. I am, going to the story of ' , THK CAT WHICH DIED OF GETEF. A lady in France possessed a oat which exm>

bited great affection for her. She accompanied' her everywhere, and when she sat down italways lay at her feet, From, no other hands' than those' of her mistress would she accept food, nor would she allow anyone else to stroke her. The lady .had some birds, but the cat never touched them. At last the lady fell ill, but nothing could make' ;the' cat go away from her mistress' bedside; and when she died the servants had to>carry the poor cat away by force. But the uexfc morning she was again found in the room of death, mewing sorrowfully.' After the funeral the cat escaped from the house and was at length found lying on the grave of her mistress quite dead. It had died of a broken heart. This is the story, and is a very sorrowful one. The poor cat mast have loved its mistress a great deal.— Yours truly, ■ ' Frank Young (aged 10 years). • Palmerston, May 14. . ■ Deab Dot,— l have two skylarks and one green linnet. They are not very tame, for -I liave not had them very long. I like the green linnet the best, for it is a very nice singer: lam in the Fifth Standard, and I am the only one in it. I do not like going to school, for some of the lessons aro vory hard. I. send you a piece of poetry. The name of it is .1 > lADY CLARE. He laughed a laugh of meirv scorn, j< He turned and kissed her where she stood ; If you are not the heiress born, And I, satd he, the next iti blood ; If you are not the heiress born, And I, said he, the lawful heir, We two, will wed to-morrow morn, And you shall still be Lady Clare. —Yours truly, Annie Botleb (aged 12 years). Bald Hill Flat, April 30. ■ 5 Deab Dot,--I hayo a lob ef ducks, but some of them have died. I have 13 now, 10 of them being ducks. I gave eighteenpence for each of them. Dear Dot, would you like my photo? If" you would, I will send it to you. lam going to have it taken in a brown dress trimmed with brown satin. My mother has a dress the very same. We have a nice garden. I have two Bisters and one brother dead. My brother was 23 years old. My sister's ages are : Ellen, six months ; Mary, five years. — Yours truly, Mary Loonby • (aged 14 years and 1 month). Maharahara, H. 8., April 25. Dear Dot,— Our examination was held on the 2nd of May. We were examined by Mr Hendry, and I passed, and am going to get a watch. We are having two weeks' holidays now. I liked the "Tales of the. German Hearth" very well. Jfc was very wet weather in the harvest time, but ifc is dry now. I will give two riddles. The second means something used by most men — 1. What word of five letters is that whioh by taking away two leaves one ?' ' '" 2. Two thirds of a cross and a circle complete, Two semi-circles and a paragram to meet. A triangle comes next, and on its two feet Two semi-ciroles and a circle complete. — Yours truly, Archie Ashwobth. May 9. Dear Dot, — I go to school every day when it is fine. I have about a mile and a-half to go. The examination took place on May 2nd, and I passed the Fourth Standard. We have two weeks' holidays just now. I like going to «ohool very much better i than staying at home. The answer to Bessie Ryan's riddle is, " Rain." [You are nearly right. Ifc Is, " a flood."— Dot.]. I . will give two riddles — 1. As I was going to Sfc.lves , I met a man with seven wives, TSaoii wife had seven sacks, Each sack had seven cats, Kaon sat had seven kits. Kits, cats, sacks and wives, How many were going to St. Ivea ?, 2. North, south, east, and west, and ail begins with A. , — Yours truly, C. Ashwobth (aged 10 years and 8 months). Malaghans, May 10. Deab Dot,— l am in the Fourth Standard. I . have a get lamb. It's name is Jill. , We have some nice rabbits. One is white, with long curly wool. I have no more pets to tell you about. I, will give the libtle folks some riddles to 'answer — ' ' 1. When is the letter P like my fat aunt going up a hill.' 2. What is the mosb like one-half 'of a' cheese. ■ • . . . • 3. • Why is the letter X like a pig tail. As this is the first time I have written to you it is nofc a very long letter.— Yours truly, J.I.W.C. Jessiefield Cottage, May 12. Dear Dot,— l am going to tell you about my pot cat. Her name is Topsy. She is black. One day my brother George said he was going to dvown her, but he did not do so, and I was very glad he didn't. I have three dolls. Will you please tell me some names for them. We are milking two cows. We have two dogs and three cits. — Yours truly, Alice Geben June 3. (aged 7 years anfl 11 months). , [You should have told me what your dolls are like, so that I could give you appropriate names. Will Addle, Sophie, and Elsie do ? — Dot.] Deab Dot,— lt is a long time eince I wrote you last. I have a cat named Topsy. My mother was afc Mosgiel last week, and she thought it a long journey. Our inspector was up' at the school on Tuesday. I had a peb lamb, but father killed it' about two months ago. lam learning to play the piano ; I like it very much. — Youre truly, Jessie Jane Cotjpeb (aged 10 years and 10 months). Albury, May 13. Deab Dot, — I go to school every day, and am working for the Fourth Standard. There are not many going to school. Igo for Mr DoreV cows every morning. I get Is fid a week, I saved it up and bought a Waterbury watch. I have a filly named Jessie. She is just broken , in, and is very quiet. I have one guinea pig ; it is a wild little thing. My little brother Duncan was in the hospital with a broken leg. bat it is all right again now. They were very kind to him in the hospital. We have a lot of fowls, , geese, and ducks, bub we are getting very, few eggs just now. I always read the letters, and 111 1 would like to know what school Dot went to, and ho# old she is.— Yours truly, Willie Coupes 1 (aged 0 years and 0 months). Albury, May 13. ' Deab Dot, — I write my first letter to you to let you know that we have got three ' dogs. Their names are Rover; Spring, and Rosy.. They allgowith iny brother- Tom rabbiting. — Yours truly, $ ! • Dolly (aged 9 years). Warrington, May 14. < • < / Deab Dot,— l am Hedley*s siater Nelch', and it is my turn to write to you., I am in the Second Standard. I am just eight years and five months,, old. I have to waik.nearijf ! twp. , miles to school. For some days we have had rain, ', and 'the roads werebad^ but a good' kind neigfi-, , ',' bopß^eifya $ray'to tike yd aadabodt : 2o/i6th4r , ;! obildrerito school. WasheiioiJgdod? Maggie,' "* who is a big girl, says she knew all that yon said about the leap year. She made a conun*

dram— that is, one of the guesses that your little friends are sometimes sending to you. I write the answer at the foot of this letter, and if you think it .worth 'putting in some one jnigbfc guess it. — Yours truly, Nblch. Awamoko, May 15. [Maggie's is, '''Why is this year longer than other leap years ? " The answer is a very good ohe^'nd -I hope my little readers will try to find it out. — Dot.] Dkae Dot, — I live in the country*' 'with my aunt and uncles. Our place, ia near the school, and I go every day, and like it. We have got 11 horses and one foal.' ' I ride on the pony sometimes. We^liave ( .gofc six-, .cows ;* also, 12 ducks and three dogs. The dogs' names are Fly, Fanny, and ' Dash.' Fly 'brings ,. the sheep home when they are wanted,— Yours truly, Henrietta Carnie (aged (% years). Longridge, May 15.; ■ ' TJ : Dbaji Dot, —I live at the Pound .Farm near Clyde. ..1 have one mile .and, three-quarters ,to walk to' school. 1 atn in the Fourth Standard, and I have a very good, master., . J have, a nice white honnd, and call hex' Ply. -'Pt'ifce 'her out every fine Saturday, and 1 she catches a rabbit forme. We have a,uice.placejanda very long avenue, with poplars each side' — Yours truly, Bute Williams (aged 11 years). , Clyde,, May, 10. -■> •••;.. * „•• Dear Dot,— There are some alluvial claims and Hornet. quartz mines up here- ;Thos sluicing claims are worked by water. To saVe" the gold they bave to have ripples in the tailrace. This is all I know about sluicing claims. For quartz mines they have machinery to crash the quartz to get the gold out of ib.— Yours truly, ■ '■ ■ ■ Rachel Johnston. Skippers, May 14. • •' •' '