LETTERS PROM LITTLE FOLKS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1898, 19 June 1890, Page 39

LETTERS PROM LITTLE FOLKS.

Dbab Dot,— l spent all the harvest time up at Longridgo with my uncle and aunt. I liked staying up there very much, as they were very kind to me. Auntie taught me to do such a lot of pretty things — feather stitching, how to knit stockings, and how to print my name in Roman letters. Uncle was down at Invercargill, and he bought me euoh a pretty scrap book, and some scraps also. After I came home auntie gave me a nice doll. Mother says I am too big for dolls, but I am very fond of them. lam going to make clothes for it next week. I can't think of a name for it ; would you please tell me one. It has yellow hair and blue eyes. I have been away from school for about three months, but I think I shall be going back soon. lam in the Fifth Standard. My brother Campbell goes with me; he is in the Second. I nave one sister and three brothers. We live near the Mataura river, about two miles from Gore. It is not a very pretty river as it is nearly always muddy, but this last summer it was quite shallow and clear, About two miles behind our place there are the Hokonui Hills, the sides of which are covered with bush, but the tops are bare and sharp. We have never been to the top yet, but when we do go I shall write and tell you what is to be seen from them. I always read the little folks' letters.— Yours truly Maggie Fkanoe (aged 11 years).

Gore, June 7. [Thank you, Maggie, foi- your extremely interesting letter, and I hope you will not forget to write and tell the little folks all about the Hokonuis. It must be very nice to have such a kind unole and aunt, and I am sure the little

folks would like to be taught useful and ornamental work like you during your late visit to them, Ido not think you are a bit too big for a doll, especially as you intend to dress her yourself. lam sure the little folks would like to hear how you succeed if you can spare the time from your lessons to write and tell us. How would you like Rosamond as a name for her ?— Dot.]

Dear Dot,— l read the little folks' letters every week, and I think they are very nice. My sister and I had influenza, and my brother and my mother had la grippe. My sister and I learn music, but she is further on with it than I am. We have two bird?, a dog, a cat, and a lot of fowls. We have a large and nice house, and large piece of ground. We went to see " Little Lord Fauntleroy " on Monday, and I thought it waa very nice. My sister goes to sohool, and is in the Fifth Standard, but I do not go now, beoause I Buffer from headache. I (was in the Fourth Standard when I left. I miss my schoolmates very much, and I am very lonely ; but I get through somehow. Dear Dot, do you think the little folks would like a story, beoause if you do I will write one for them. — Yours truly, B. F. Peabob (aged 11 years). Fox road, South Dunedin, May 27. [Yes, I am sure they would, so we shall be on the look out for it. — Dot.]

Dear Dot, — Our place is eight miles from towuand four miles from the school, but we oan't go to school, aa we would have to start too early, and would get home too late. This is a very pretty place. There are a great many acres of bush, with ferns growing nearly everywhere. Most of the bush grows on a hill. I think there are a good many wild pigs up the gully, I but haven't seen any yet, aB I have only been here about six weeks. I have seeu plenty of places where they have been rooting up the ground. There are also a lot of wild cats and kittens about. Some of them come about the house. One night one came down one of the chimneys. I am housekeeping for my father and brother. My other brothers and sisters have not come here yet, as the new house is not quite ready. JDear Dot, would you like me to Bend a story ? If so shall it be a long or short one ?— Yours truly, Fannie.

Pleasant Valley, Geraldine, June 9.

[Your new home has certainly a nice name. You will no doubt like it better than Otago in winter, aa it will not be bo Gold as further Bouth. I hope we shall hear from you now and again, aa you will find plenty to write about ( when you see more of it in Rummer. I think the short story will be best in the first plase.— Dot,]

Dear Dot, — I have been reading the little folks' letters for some time, and my mamma told me that I should write to you. I live in a small village called Mosßburn, the present terminus of the Lnmsden and Mararoa railway. The train comes to it twice a week, on Mondays and Saturdays. Igo to school, and am in the Second Standard. I have one sister and five brothers, Dear Dot, I have a blaok-and-white kitten ; will you please give me a name for it. — Yours truly, Christina L. Dobs (aged 10 years). MoHsburn, June 11. [Oall the kitten Juno.— Dot.] LETTERS FBOM SAMOA.

Underthis heading the Leeds Mercury publishes in its children's column the following interesting letters from Samoa : —

Public Sohool, Apia, Samoa, February 24, 1890. To the Editor of the Children's Column,— Dear Sir : — I enclose three letters from children attending the above school. The boys espeoially would like to know how their work oompares with that of English children. H. Ooe has had the advantage of sohool for about five years. M. Betham has only attended a little over three years, and barely knew biß letters on enrolment, having lived on an island where there was no English sohool. ' Then, again, they only hear English in school, and hear and taflfc Sauioan when out of it.— l reremain, &0., J. Bell. Prinoipal Teaoher.

Dear Mr Editor,— When some of my olaßs mates wrote last June I had not the chance of writing then, but do so now. The Samoans have itnany superstitions. I will tell you two about fowls. They say that if a rooster crows once after sunset that someone is going to die, and if they do not kill it at once they are sure that one of their relations will die. Then, if a lot of roosters crow together, they say that a big ship is coming. The natives here are of a light brown oolour, and our teacher says that he never saw anywhere lazier people than the Samoans. They sleep all day long, just wake up to eat or smoke, and then lie down again. They are polite and hospitable to foreigners, and will take them into their houses and make a bowl of kaya and give it to them ; also " a sului (" a native oigarette) to smoke while the kava is getting ready t — Yours truly, E. Henry Ooe (aged 12 years).

Dear Mr Editor,— We had our sohool feast on the 16th of January last. We invited the children of the German school to join us, whioh they did. We had dinner about 5 p.m. We bad meat, sausages, sandwiches, oakes, pies, puddings, pineapples, and many other things. We played about outside until dark, and then came into the schoolroom and played what our teacher called parlour games. We bad snapdragon, forfeits, &o. While resting, about 9 o'clock, big plum puddings were brought into the room blazing. Then we finished our pleasant day by sinking hymns and somzs; and more games. — Yours truly, Monty Betham.

Dear Mr Editor, — It ia nearly a year since I wrote laßt, so I thought I would write again. There have been two Japanese men-of war here in Samoa, and papa took the school children on board one of them. The officers were very nice gentlemen, but they Bpoke very little English. The girls in our school made an autograph counterpane ; it is of white calico, with Turkey-red pieces felled on in pattern. It is made by hand, and there are 240,000 stitohes in it. The fringe is also knitted by hand. We have got 100 autographs. Each gentleman gave a contribution, and with the money we bad a Christmas treat for the children. After the dinner the lamps were lit. We bad parlour games, which was something new to these children. I wish you could have heard the roars of laughter when we had the game called "King and Queen," which I suppose the " Children of the Cclutnn " know. Snap dragon they could not make out at all. The people in Samoa have got a very bad custom of plucking the breast of a little parrot. They do not like them for anything else but for their pretty red feathers. They keep them shut up in a cage all the time. They pluck them two or three times a year. It takes three women to pluck it ; ona has to hold its legs, another has to hold ita head, and the other to pluck it. They do not want the feathers for anything else but to deoorate themselves in dances. I think they are very cruel to hurt the birds as they do. Sir Thomas G. Esmonds has been to Samoa, and he visited our school. He is a very nice gentleman, and be says he is going to read the Column. This is why we are writing this time. We find that our letters have been copied into other newspapers, We. b.ava

seen them in the Auckland Weekly News, and a letter we have just got from Gibraltar tells ub that they were also in a Manchester paper. My papa has got a lot of scrap books, in which he has cuttings out of the Leeds Mercury and the Weekly Supplement, .which make veryjnioe reading.— Yours truly, Raoheli G. Bbll.

A. M. P., Cambrians.— Call the oat Tibby and the foal St. David. The latter name I give you because St. David is the patron saint of the Cambrians or Welsh, — Dot.

LITTLE FOLKS' RIDDLES» 397. By J. W. :— What pen ought never to be used in writing? 398. By Alice X. :— When ia a sailor not a sailor ?

ANSWBE3 TO LAST WBBK'S KIDDLKS. 393. By Alloe X. :— A lady on horseback. 394. By L. M. A. :— The weathercock. 395. By Eloise ;— A pair of spurs. 896. By J. W. :-Your nose.