LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLKS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1917, 17 August 1888, Page 34

LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLKS.

Dear Dot, — I read this story in one of my French books, and as I thought some of the children who write to you would like to read it, I translated it into English. If you think it is good enough would you print it ? This is the story : — A WELL-PLANNED THICK. A very, very long time ago there was a lord who was angry with the inhabitants of a village, and required of them the half of their harvest for two years. "What part will you haye — that which is above the soil, or that which is in the earth ? " some peasants asked him. " That which is above bhe soil," answered the> lord. Then the inhabitants of the village sowed onions, carrots, turnips, &c, and the lord had nothing but the leaves. The next year they asked him again which he would have, and he asked for the harvest that would be in the earth. The cunning peasants then sowed only wheat, barley, and oats, and the lord's share consisted only of the simple roots. The lord found the trick very well carried out, and he could not help laughing at it, and so he forgave the peasants. Would you like me to send some more stories ? There are some more nice ones in my book. — Yours truly, Jean (aged 10 years). Brooksdale, Tapanuij August 8. [Yes, I am sure the little folks would like stories of this kind. — Dot.] Dear Dot, — As I have not seen many letters from the little folks of Roxburgh, I though*; I would write and tell you what sort of a placo il is. The chief street is Scotland street Thu River Olutha, runs past ilio town ami thorn is a nice bridge across ifc. Tilt-re is a greaf •!.■:»! <>f gold mining soing ou tiear the town, but in is chiefly on the east »i:ln of the. rivor About four miles from the town i.i Co.il crook. 1- i< a beautiful place when the fruit trees are all in blossom, an.l af tor you pass the fruit gardens you come to the coal pits, which is, oi" course 1 , a black looking place. — Yours truly, Roxburgh, August 6. Annie Coop. Dear Dot, — I am going to tell you a story about a sagacious dog. A gentlemau was driving home accompanied by his brother and their dog. When they got home the gentlemen missed a parcel which they had put in the carriage, and which muse have dropped out. They found that their dog was also missing. They returned and found the parcel with the dog safely guarding it. — Yours truly, Janet (aged 10 years). Livings bone, July 28. Dear Dot, — During my Christmas holidays I went on a trip to Christchurch and Wellington. Wellington is not a very nice place, as it is so windy. I went to the Lower Hutt, where there are some very pretty gardens. Cbristchurch is a very pretty place, with a rivr-r called the Avon. I had a ride ou a donkey at bhe baths at Sumner. I likpd my trip with my aunties very much. The steamer is ve-y nice when .you mv not ».<■>> -sick. There were some nice b.-ibios tb.ib I lilu'rt to nurse. My lifclle baby .-isler caa talk nicely now. We have two pure white kittens. — Yours truly, A. L. Neale (aged 9 years). Carey's Bay, Port Chalmers, August 6. Dear Dot, — I will tell you a story about a Frenchman who defended a castle against an army of Anstriaus. The castle was at the top of a narrow path, which would only allow two men to p ; ass up at once. He heard they were coming, and he hastened to warn the garrison, but he found they had fled and left all their muskets and ammunition, so he refolvcd to defend it himself. He barred the door and loaded the guns, and about midnight he heard the Austrians coming, and overheard the commander telling them to get into double file and march up. Then he fired two shots, and the officer made his army stop till morning, but in the morning when they tried again he fired with such accuracy that he kept them back for the day, and when a man was sent up to ask the garrison to surrender, he said they would surrender at sunrise next morning if they would let them get free with all their guns and ammunition, for he knew the French army would do what they wanted and the castle would be no good to the Austrians, so they said they said they would let them go. Next morning they were surprised to see a man without any followers come out, laden with muskets, and an officer asked him where were the garrison. He replied, "I am the garrison ! " — " You ! "—"" — " Yes, sir, I had the honour of defending it." So the officer sent all his guns after him. Dear Dot, I was at Cromwell, and if you would like to hear about the road going down I will teJl you. We play battle at school, and there is one side against another ; and we shoot each other with bows and arrows. We have three dogs— Dash, Boss, and Tiny. Dash and Tiny hunt rabbits. Tiny goes into the holes and Dash sits on the top till the rabbits come out, when he catches them.— Yours truly, Archie Ashworth. Miller's Flat, near Arthur's Point, August 1. [Yes, Archie, I should like to hear about the road to Cromwell — all about the bridge over the Kawarau, and anything else of interest that you saw on your journey down. — Dot.] Dear Dot, — I am staying with my aunt in Glenomaru just now, and go to school here. We have a mile to travel. Mr M'Lelland is our teacher. I like him very well. I have five sisters and one brother in Dunedin ; two of my sisters go to school. The roads in the country are very muddy compared with those of Dunedin. I like the country very well for a change. I think I shall stay till the New Year. We are staying near the bosh, and I like to gather ferns on a fine day. — Yours truly, Baebaha Ross (aged 12 years). Glenomaru, August 8. Dear Dot, — I am going to tell you about a great landslip which has occurred up here. It has buried one party's claim and tools up, and they cannot work in it anymore 1 . My father is a miner, ami I go down and Fee him working on Saturdays. I have got n pure white cat; will you please give me a name for it. — Yours truly, Livingstone. Samuel. [Blanche is the most appropriate name for a white cat, as it means white. — Dot.J Dear Dot, — There are a great many ponds on our way to school, and as it is freezing very hard just now they are covered with ice. A concert was held here on the 29th of June, and there was a man who made dolls speak. The dolls' names were Johnnie Trotter, Mother Gum, and Timothy. They were all very ugly. Johnnie Trotter saidinany funny things, and when Mother

Gum began to sing he interrupted her. Mother Gum said she kept a school and had six pupils, and Johnnie Trotter said, "Rather say 16." Mother Gum said he could nofc.say his alphabet, and he said he could, so the man asked him to say it, and he could not say it. The man asked him what his father fed the donkey on, and be said cabbage leaves, and the man asked him what else, and he said sometimes nothing; when asked again, he said hay. Then he was told that that was the first letter. Then he was asked what flies about the garden and sucks up the honey, and he said grasshoppers, and be was told that it was wrong ; when asked again he said torn cats, and again he was told he was wrong, and he was asked again, and ; ha said bee, which he was told was the second j letter. He was then asked tho third. He did I not know; and the man asked what sailors go for a row on, and he said water, and was asked what else, and he said oceans, and when asked what else he said sea. Then he was asked the first three letters, and he said cabbage leaves, grasshoppers, and ocean. One time he said his mate and he were going for a drink, and he took some beer and put a dead mouse into it, and then gave it to his mate. After his mate had drunk ifhe asked how did he like it, and his mate said fine, only it must have been near the bottom of the keg, for he felt some hops going down. Another time he said that he sent his mate, George, home to cook the supper, and when he himself went home he found a lot of boiling water on the floor, and he asked George how it came there, and George said that the kettle had capsized and spilt, and he could not boil it again,gso he thought he would fry sausages, and the pan caught fire, and he caught hold of the pan and swung it round and round, when one sausage flew under the sofa and one onto the face of the clock, and one stuck on the wall —Yours truly, Clara Ashworth. Miller's Flat. Dear Dot,— l have a pretty brown curly dog. Its came is Brownie. Christina Hassing gave it to me before she went away to Heddon Bush. My sister Nelly has a kitten named Torty, and it and Brownie are always playing together. A blue pigeon flew into our barn and we put it in a cage. We let it out afterwards, and it never flies away. I feed it every day with oats. It sits in the cowshed and never flies away all the time my sister Jessio is milking the cow. Dear Dot, would jou please give me a name for it. We have a lot of flowers. We have six sorts of fuchsias, eight sorts of geraniums, and two Christmas lilies. — Yours truly, Polly Scott (aged 6£ years). [I think Cheep is a nice name for a pigeon, the name being derived from the Latin word pipire, meaning to peep or cheep.— Dot.] Dear Dot,— We used to live about two miles from Port Chalmers, but we have left the old place and are now living close to the new cemetery, which is ouly a short distance from the Port. It is a very pretty place, and we have a splendid view of the harbour. We can see a long way outside the heads. When we got up in the morning wo always go to the door to see if there are any steamers coming. — Yours truly Alice Yeoman (aged 10 years). Dear Dot,— We have a tortoiseshell cat and we call her Bell. She catches mice, rats, and birds. We have alse a little pup. Please will you give me a nice name for it.— Yours truly, Bethia Brown (aged 10 years). Kaitangata. [How would Frolic do ? < I am sure you must have lots of fun with a playful puppy, so I think that name wouH be approprialc. — Dot.] Dear Dor,— The Si,wburu, where I live, is a very pretty place in summer. There are some pretty flower gardens, and there is a church and a school. Igo to both. There is a hotel and a store here too. My eldest brother is in Dunedin just now. When I write again I will te.U you how he liked ib. It is the first time any of us have beeu there. — Yours truly, Lizzik Dyke (aged 8 years and 10 months). Patearoa, August 6. Dear Dot, — This is my birthday. I have lived with my uncle and aunt siuce I was three years old. I have six sisters. My eldest sister, Bedelia, has been in Invercargill and has passed her examination as a pupil teacher in the public school. My uucle keeps the Arrow flour mill. We have a peacock and two peahens. We call the peacock Jacob and the peahen Lady Gay. Will you please give me a name for the young' one. There are a number of trout in the mill dam. lam sorry there is no ice to allow us to skate. We have some pretty flowers in summer and plenty of fruit, I live a mile from Arrowtown,; and go to school every day. Miss Richie is our teacher, and she is very Kind to us. The hills all around are covered with snow. Yours truly, Eugenic M'Donnell (aged 10 years). Arrowtown, August 4. [Pavonidte is the scientific name of the pea fowl. How would it do to call the young one Pavo? You may be interested to learn that when a peahen becomes very old she sometimes assumea the plumage of the peacock. Pea fowls with white plumage are not uufrequeutly seen in which the i^-e-like bpots of the tail aro but faintly indicated ; and pied peacocks, having the deep blue of the breast and neck contrasted with pure white, are sometimes to be saen — Dot.] Dear Dot,— l have a dear little kitten of my own, and ib plays tricks upon us. We have a Fiji parrot that can talk to u.^, and say "Well' and other words, and we sometimes let him out, and he bifces us and catches our hair. Ho talks Fiji, and we cannot understand him. The bird is green, and he has a pretty tail ; he is very fond of us. — Yours truly, Maia Stout (aged 10 years). Dunedin, August 8. Dear Dot, — I told you in my last letter that I used go out fishing sometimes ; and now I will tell you tho way we do it. We start from the jetty in a small whale bodb, from with three to five men in her. One man steers while the others pull. When we get about a mile down the river we come to the bar, where there are heavy breakers. It is very dangerous crossing unless it is a very calm day, because sometimes a breaker will rise up suddenly, and you have to keep the boat's head straight on to the sea or you might get capsized. About two years ago there was a very serious boat accident on the bar, and four young men lost their lives, because it was very rough. The first time I went out fishing we were just crossing tho bar when a large breaker rose up all at once and broke right over the four man pulling, and some of it touched me where I was steering. When you are over the bar it is about a mile further to the fishing ground. After wegeb there the firstthing to do is to drop anchor, and then get the fishing lines and hooks ready. The hooks differ in size, a good bib. The sorb used for the grop?r aro very large, far larger than an eel hook; whila the cod hook is smaller. The bait that B used is a bit of fresh meat or fish. There ere many different- kinds of fish which we catchsuch as, groper, shark, blue cod, red cod, and ling. You can always tell when there is a fish on the line, because yoa can feel ifc tugging The groper has to be clubbed before you can pull it in the boat, for it is such a big fish. Sometimes, wa get a boat load of fish, and a&

other times we don't get one. When we return home again we must come when- the tide is in pretty far, or el c the bur will bo very rough. Once we get to the jrffcfcy again we take the ii h out of the boat and clean and scrape the scales off them. What are not uaed fresh are either salted or smoked. — Yours truly, Fhed Joseph. Taieri Mouth, August 6. Deab Dot, — I am going to tell you aboub our little pigs. When we went to fed the pigs one morning there were eight little ones, but next morning there were only six. We thiuk they died from cold aud the rate afce them. There was one little wee one, aad father said we might take it home. We call him Eeni.°, and he is getting on fine. — Yours truly, David A. Lamr (aged 9 years). Dkab Dot, — We have five canaries and one parrot. One of the canaries is 11 years oH aad has only oue leg, but he hops about his cage ' very well. The parrot cannot talk yet ; he only says " Pretty cocky." — Yours truly, ' i Mary Bauson (aged 11 years). Rockyside, August 6. Dkar Dot, — There are aboub 140 children attending our school. I have a violin, which I aai very fond of. I can play a good mauy tunes, and I have a kind friend who is teaching me to play it. I have a pet paroquet. Please give me a name for it. — Yours truly, FnANK Ga\\rv (aged 11 years). Clifton. [Cail the paroquet Joey. — Dor.] Dear Dot, — I have a tortoiseshell cat ; will you kindly give me a name for it ? There was a concert here a few weeks ago, at which the school children sang some songs. I have bee;i to Dunedin five times. I like to go on a visit, but I don't think I would like to stay there always. The last time I was there was when the football match England v. Otago was being played, and I went to see the match. — Yours truly, Beix C. [ How would you like Terrapin for a name ? It is rather long, perhaps, but ifc it the name of a species of torfcoJso and is therefore appropriate. Dot.] Dear Dot, — We Lave two cats ; one is striped like a tiger, the other is yellow aad white. My little baby sister is very fond of them. She is very bad with chilblains, and the cat is the only thing that pleases her — Yours truly, Hugh Hjsnky Watson (aged 8 years and 9 months). August 5. Drau Dot,— l like to read the little folks' letters. Some of them are very nice. I don't know how you can be troubled with so many letters every week. I think you must be tired with them sometimes. lam staying with my grandmother and grandfather. My mother is a widow, and has eight of a family ; and my oldest sister has got a stocking machine, and she is getting plenty of work to do just now. The examination was held at Waikouaitilast Mod Jay, and my sister passed ; she is in the Fifth Standard now. I have five sisters and two brothers. My eldest brother is up-country, staying with my Uncle Robert. Igo to the Flag S^amp school, and I like it very well. Two of my sisters and one of my brothers go to Waikouaiti school. Graudmotherhas threecats, and they are all torfcoiseshells, and two of them will come and sit up like monkeys aud hold out their piws to get something when we are at our breakfast. We have just got two cows milk-rig now, but they don't give very much milk. — Yours truly, Jussiw Sutherland (aged 9 yeais aad G months). Feruie Kuowe, Fißg Swamp. [I do nob mmd the trouble, as I take as greatan interest in tho liLfcle folk'/ letters as the wribf r.s do. What Ido mind, however, is that I can't; find room for all the letters that come at present, and I am afraid there are many dissatisfied little folks who are disappointed at uot seeing their letters in print. All I can do is to pub in what I thiuk the beat ones, and if those whose letters do not appear will try again possibly their next letters may be considered among the bebb ones. — Dot.] Dear Dot,— We are having very wet and cold weather. My sister has a cit colled Topsy ; its paws are all white. I go to school regularly, and am in the Fifth Standard. I got; a first prize medal last year, and am trying again this year. We had a month's holiday nob long ago on account of the measles going about. We did not geb them, because we had them aboub six years ago, except my youngest brother, Harold, who is four years old. I have two brothers and three sisters. Their names are Eva, Bertie, Curissy, Ivy, and Harold. My sister Eva is learning dressmaking, and Bertie helps father at home. A Maori chief named Titokowaru died a fortnight ago at Okaiawa. He was very old, auil the Maoris held a great tanyi over him. A large number came from the Waikato, but they wero too late to see him buried. Ib was reported that they would take him up again because they ware not satisfied with the way he was buried. They had a great feast for a few days afterwards. Thoir food was mostly bread, potatoes, beef, and pork. Tho Maori butcher sat on the top of a whare and out the beef. The butcher boy cut a hole iv the bottom of a sack to pufc his head through, and one at each side for his arms. He wore ib as an apron to distinguish himself from the others. There are not many flower 3 out vow in our garden. Those out are mostly camellias and violets. The hyacinths will soon be out. I have a doll which Sauta Claus pufc into my stocking last Christmas, aud I have not dressed ifc properly yefc. Ifc 13 a very pretty doll Ifc has fair hair and eyes, and pink cheeks, and please, Dot, if you have any names left will you give me one for her. Chrissy had a doll like mine called Minnie, and she lefb ifc on a chair one night and Bertie came in and not noticing ib sat down on ifc and smashed it to pieces. — Yours truly, Bella Rowe (aged 12 years). Normanby, Taranaki, August 6. [That was uniorfcunafce for Chrissy, bufc I hope Bertie will save up his pocket, money and buy her a new one. Ifc is the least he can do, I think. How nice ifc must be to live where camellias bloom in the open air ! I am sure lobs of Otago little folks will envy you when they read about it. Don'c you think Camellia would be a nice name for the doll, wifch Cama for short.— Dot.] Deas Dot, — I am not at school to-day, as I have a cold, and mother says I must sbay afc home till I get well. I am in the First Class now, and I have to do sump, read, write, spell, sew, sing, and learn poetry. I am making a piuafore for myself. Ib takes me a long timp, because I am binding ifc with turkey-red. We have threa cows and two calves. One of the cows, Polly, had a little calf last night. The wives 1 names are Lilly aai Nelly. Lily is very Quiet-, and follows us all over the paddock. We have three horse?, and two of them are called Charlie and Tibbie. W« olay rounders at school n .°w. I took a ball and bat, and when oue of the PWs was playing with ifc it fell inU the tank, 8»d we can't get ie out because the tai.k id full "water. I always read the little folks' letters before I go to bed, and I like fcht m very much. — Yours truly, Ivy G. Rowe (aged 8 years). (lormauby, Taranaki, August 6.