LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLKS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1933, 7 December 1888, Page 35

LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLKS.

Dear Dot,— Our oats are all through the ground and are looking very well. Our potatoes are not all in yet, neither arethe turnips. We have six cows milking. Christmas is coming on, and we shall soon have our holidays, and I am very glad, because then we get to town. My cousins are going to spend their holidays with us. | Hera is a story for the little folks. ! IN THE HARVEST FIELD.

Mrs Ounhffe (Johnnies grandmother) was a dear old lady, whose face, though full of wrinkles, was very kind. She wore a cap with a broad white frill, which always looked quite clean, as if she was wearing it for the first time since it had been washed. The children liked to tit with her in the porch of the farmhouse door, the scent of the roses and clematis breathing upon them, while she told them about her young days. Her father was a farmer, her husband was a farmer, and then her son Johnnie m & farmer ; bo that grannie all her life had lived among cows f sheep, and piga, and fowls, and dearly she loved • them all, she said. One harvest time 6he remembers going down with her father just before bed-time to help the gleaners.

"Pickup all the ears you can find, Jennie," Mid her father. . , " I will help you, my little woman," said' a imartly dressed lady- who was walking through the field. She wore a blue satin skirt,, and blue eilk mittens on her pretty white hands. She laughed and chattered as she helped Orannie to fill her pinafore, and told her father she thought ehe would come and help really some day.". But I don't think she ever did," said Grannie. — Yours truly, ■' Janet.

November 26.

1 Dear Dot,-— I live at Heuley. I have three 1 brothers and nine sisters, and four of them are married. One lives at Invercargill, another Qlenomaru, another at Melbourne, and the other at Henley. Don't you think there is a lot of us ? We are milking cows for the Henley company.'. This is a very nice place to live in in Jummer, but not in the winter, as we are subject to floods. We had a flood last August, and had to leave our home in boats, and go to the hills. Wo have no school here, but a kind lady— Mrs # Hodinet — teaches us two hours every day. I have' got a little puppy, would you be kind enough to give me a name for it.— Ydurs truly, Maeetta Robson (aged 10 yearn). Henley, November 22. [How would you like, Carlo ?— Dot.] Deaq Dot, — It is snowing here to-day, and the ground is all white. We have eight young ferrets. We have a lot of young ducks, and two clucks sitting. I went out and caught seven ttbbits. We caught a starling in the chimney, bat we let it go. I don't go to school as it is too far to ride by myself. Mother teaches us Md reads all your letters to us. Good night, Dot.— Yours truly, - Georgb Welch. Lee Flat Station. Deae Dot, — I live at the township called Kskaramea. As I have seen a lot of letters in |D 6 Otago Witness I thought I would write a few lines. Our examination has just taken Place, and I passed Standard 11. We will soon mvq our holidays. I have a very pretty tortoisewell kitten, and would you please give a nice Dime for it. My greatest friends at school are Constance Brown,, Ettie Hawken, and Clara Wiristie.— Yours truly, Annie M. Burke (aged 11J years). Kakaramea, Patea County, November 18. [Torty is a good namefor a tortoise-shell cat. ' Dear Dot, — I am going to write about the Wings that are on the Blue. Spur. I have two tots and one kitten. Will you please give me a {^c for the kitten. The Blue Spur is a very Jealfchy place. I am in the Third Standard. H7H 7 teacher is Miss Ralston. It is just about a ttonth from our holidays now. I was born on Jto Blue Spur. lam going to St. Clair on the r lB holidays. There are only two claims workjj? on the Blue Spur; their names are the North of Ireland claim and the Consolidated 101n pany.— Yours truly,

Bella Neill.

flue Spur, November 23. [Sow would Tibby do ?— Dot.] Oexr Dot,— 'We have been having very ™?8a weather during the last week. It was [j^mg so hard that I could not go to school JWB morning. A birthday party was held at Mr Friday last, and my sister and I JJo present. We arrived safely at Kelso J° ut 7 o'clock. There were a great many j*°ple a t the party. The dancing and games *te m a i ar g e hall. Eatables were served by .m & of the young ladies and gentlemen. A Be »»y vote Qf thanks was given to Mr and Mrs

Dunnett for their kindness to the'young people) who thoroughly enjoyed' themselves; '"-At about 2 o'clock the party broke up, and everyone went away well pleased with their night's enjoyment. ; Our school examination took place on Friday last, and I passed the Third Standard. All of the pupils passed except five. We were examined by Inspector Petrie.— Yours truly, November 26. Duncan Ross. Dear Dot, — This is my first letter to you, but we read all the letters from the little folks. 1 am going to tell you about my little sister. i She has nice fair hair. It curls at the back, but they turn in round her neck." ', Would you please tell me how to make them stick out. — Yours truly, Maggie. i [I am sure they must be verynice.as they are I without making them "stick out."— -001.] • : Dear Dot,— l thought that I might send a letter to you as all the other little folks have done. I think that it is very kind of you to keep up the children's column. I will be 14 on the 4th December. I. have gathered 18 dozen , smallbirds' eggs, counting sparrows and linnets together. We have got five cats. I have got one which I call Cheeky. I called her that because she follows me wherever I go. We have four cows and six calves — namely, Nancy, Bqsey, Lilly, Beauty, arid Jean, Clover,' Strawberry, Violet, Joey, and Dan. We have noi; got many flowers in the garden. We Kad a greyhound called Darkey, but he broke his peck running after a rabbit, and we were all very sorry for him., We have two sheep dogs' called Lottie and Flora. Flora had five pups, but they all died. We have an almanac with Balmoral Castle on it, and down below the castle is the Prince Consort and the Queen and all their family. There are two pipers and four men holding torches. I must J conclude now.— Yours truly,

Janb Wilson.

Ohatton, November 12.