LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLKS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1897, 12 June 1890, Page 39

LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLKS.

Dear Dot, — My mother and I were for a trip to England, and I enjoyed myself very much. We were away 10 monthß. I was very sick going to England. It was nice to Bee the icebergs ; some were like castles and some like houses. I saw one break in two. It was a very pretty sight. I liked to be on the Roa very much. London is a very large place, but Hike New Zealand better. I would like to tell you a lot about the Old Country if the little folks would like to hear it. — Yourß truly, Katie Beattib (aged 13 years). Cambrians, May 19. [Yes, I am Bure they would, and I hope we ehali hear from you often.— Dot.] Deae Dot,— We have a oat, which had been away two years and came back as tame as when he went away. Do you not think it vary Btrange his coming back so tame ? He goes out hunting every day. We are having very rough weather out here. I am in the Third Standard. We have a mile to go to school. Please, dear Dot, may I write a story for the little folks called " The Butterflies Wooing ?" — Yours truly. Major (aged 9 years). [It was certainly a strange proceeding of his catship altogether. He must have been with kind people or he would never have remained bo tame all that time. I shall be glad to get the tale.— Dot.] Deab Dot,— We live at Thorabury. The Jacobs river flows past here, and there is a long bridge across it. When there is a lot of rain there are big floods, but they cannot come to our house because it is on a hill. I have had a bad cold, so I have not been at school lately, I am in the First Standard, and I like my teacher. We have two pups called Rover and Darky. When they were young they used to run away with our boots, and tear up everything they could get. We have a cat called Jennie Nettles. She is called after a cat about which there was a story in fche papers, — Yours truly, I Maby Robbie (aged 7 years). Thornbury, May 31. Dear Dot,— l have a lovely cream pony, a cockatoo, and a mouse. I want you to give me a suitable name for each. I went to the Exhibition and thought it splendid. Did you go ? I live in a very pretty place among the hills.— Yours truly, EtoiSK (aged 12 years 11 months), [A creatn pony, a cockatoo, sad a mouse ! There's a ttio to name. How would you like to take the national emblems and call them Rose, Shamrock, and Thistle. You can make a rosette and fasten it to the pony's bridle, a bunch of shamrocks to go round the cockatoo's neck, if he will allow it to stay there, and a thistle on a collar round the mouse's neck. Where have you got the mouse, however, and what do you do with it ? Perhaps it is like

some tame white rata with pink eyes that I was shown the other day, There was a father and a mother rat and a partly grown-up family and a very young family. They are kept in a room all by themselves, and on broad shelves on one side of it are two or three little boxes for them to sleep in and make their nests in. There is a pathway up from shelf to ahelf, and the older ones know what their owners tell them to do, and do it at once. The two old rats come when he calls them, and if he tells them to Bend the first family up to the top Bhelves they do ao at once. They never go out of the room, though the door is nearly always open, and they do not snake holes in the wall like ordi- ' nary rats. Of course they are given plenty of food, and are treated aa pets,— Dot.] Deab Dot,— l have a very pretty grey cat. Will you please give me a name for it. We have a white calf. Please give me a name for ifc also. We live close to tha beach. There are a great number of rocks on the beach. — i Yours truly, Alice K. [Oall the calf Lily and, the cat Cora,— Dot.] Deab Dot,— l go to school, and am in the Infant Reader, I like my teacher very much. My brother has a pet lamb. Will you please give me a name for it. I have two dolls. Their names are Charlotte and Violet, I have never written to you before. — Yours truly, Louisa Maud Aixcook. Waikouaiti, May 31 [Oall the lamb Ohloa.— Dot.] Dear Dot,— l am going to write you a few linea about my pets, I have got a dog ; its name is Phoebe. I have got a little kitten j its name is Topsy. I have got a dear little brother ; his name ia Walter.— Yourß truly, Ohables Stewart Smaiil (aged 8 years). Tomahawk, May 2G. Dear Dot, — I have three pretty little kittens ; two are grey and the other is black and white. We have beeß, and it is very nice to see them out on a fine day. I do not live very far from the beach. Ifc is a very pretty beach in the summer time. Igo to echool. We have two teachers. I have a little aiater, She is a dear little thing. — Voura truly, J. A. (aged 9J yeare). Dear Dot, — We live 30 milea from a railway station and 25 from a school. The leaves are now very nearly all off the trees. Nearly every drive or ride we go we can nee Mount Cook, and very big and white he looks. The Waitaki river is about 12 miles away from here, and we can see the Tekapo, Pukaki, and Ohau, the three rivers which form the Waitaki. I have a garden with no flowers out in it, but I have a lot in summer. I learn music. We killed a bullock last Saturday, and ifc is the biggeßt one papa had. I am reading Harper's Young People, and there is auch a lot of reading in it, and I have a lot of other books. We have a new dog called Jack He is black, and vnry good at catching rabbita. We are going up to Christchurch in July for a month, and I think I shall like it very much. — Yours truly, James W. Gbant. Gray's Hills, June 1. [I trust you will write and tell us all about your trip to the Oity of the Plains. You will see lots of things to interest you in the museum, and the gardens, and on the river, and I am sure the little folks would like you to tell us all about them. — Dot.] LITTLE FOLKS' RIDDLES. 393. By AHce K. -.—Four lega on one side and two on the other. 394. By L. M. A. t— What cook never crows 1 395. By Bloise :— We travel much yet prisoners are, And close confined to boot. ' We with the swiftest horse keep pace, Yet always go on foot. 396. By J. W. :— What smells moat when you go into a chemist's shop ? ANSWERS TO LAST WEEK'S RIDDLES. 391. By Laura Danvers, Awatea :— Hot bread makes the butter fly. 392. By J. J. H., Ngapara i— Andrew was the name of the scholar.