LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLKS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1916, 6 November 1890, Page 39

LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLKS.

Deab Dot, — I am in such trouble about my two cats, and you are always so kind that I feel sure you will help me out of the fix I am in. First, you must know that I have such a beautiful white cat that was always so good and nice that I named it Right ; but now I don't think I did name it right, for lately a miserable, scraggy, wild blaok cat came out of the bush to our houße, and it looked bo thin and hungry that my dear mamma gave me leave to keep it, and so I named it Wrong, and that's how my trouble commenced, for I feel sure now I was not right in calling it Wrong, for Wrong being so wild and strong used to scratch and bite poor old Bight, and mamma Bays it is very wrong for Wrong to triumph over Right ; and then one morning when I went to give them their breakfast I found that Wrong had wrongly left Eight and gone rabbiting, and bo when Wrong had left Right was left ; but then you see, dear Dot, right can't possibly be left, and then I was bo bothered that I' thoußht I would change their names and call Wrong Right and Right Wrong ; but now Uncle Jim teases me by saying that right can never be wrong or wrong right ; and after all, dear Dot, it was '.Right that was wrong and not Wrong that was right ; for poor Wrong that was right was left, and Right that was wrong was not right in leaving her. So aa you seem really the godmother of most of the cats and lambs in New Zealand I thought I would ask you to christen them again for me. Hoping you will not think me wrong in writing.— Yours truly, Wuddy Vtneb, Five Rivera, Southland, October 24. P.S. — I aend you £3 8a 6d, whioh the atation boys and girls have very kindly helped me to colleot.

[Your letter ia certainly funny, and rather mixed ; but since you have done so well for Dr Barnardo'a little folks I will try to put you right. Call your catß Biddie and Pattie. and then it will not matter which iB right or wrong.— Dot.]

Deab Dot,— l live at a place called Hodgehope, which is situated at the foot of a large

bush called the Hokonui, which extends both north-east and west for a good few miles, and there are a lot of birds in it, both native and imported. Those of the native birds that I know are the tuis, paroquets, tomtits, robinß, pigeons, and kakas. Father says there used to be a lot of Maori hens or wekas, but they have all diod out. The most numerous'of the imported birds are the sparrows, which are very destructive on grain crops. There are also large flooks of starlings, which are very useful. — Yours truly, A. M'Donald (aged 12 years). A teaoher writes :—: — Deab Dot,— l have been in the habit of taking my Witness in sohool and allowing tha children to read your column. The custom has proved very beneficial and a great aid to composition (one of our aohool subjects), so much bo that several have voluntarily written letters for you, whioh I herewith enolose. I have offered to forward free to you any letters they might write, so you may confidently expect another baton in a short time. Deab Dot, — I have never seen any letters from thiß district before, bo I thought I would write and tell you a little about the place. Wrey's Bush is a small township situated on the Jacob's river. Most of the people about here are farmers. There are two hotels, two stores, and one blacksmith, We have a pretty large school here. I am in the Sixth Standard. I have two doga. All the oropß about here are looking pretty well. I must now conclude, as I am not much of a letter-writer.— Yours truly, A. T. M. .Wrey'a Bush, Ootober 24. Deab Dot, — I have never written to you before, but I have read some of the stories that you wrote to little folks, and I liked them very much. We live about three and a-balf miles from Annandale, so I attend the Annandale Bobool with my cousin. I am in the Sixth Standard, and hope to pass it before I leave. Mr Braik examined our school last September, and we liked him very much. I have some carrier pigeons which are very useful; they have very keen eyesight, and are very swift ; one has carried a letter from Aahburton.— Yourß truly, Louisa Simpson. Annandale, Ootober 24. Deab Dot, — As this is the first time I have written to you, I will tell you a little about the place we live in. I live about four miles from Wrey'B Bush and about 10 miles from Otautau. Igo to Wrey'a Bußh school, and am in the Fourth Standard. I have only one brother and no sisters. My brother is not going to sohool any more, because he baa got to plough and do a lot of other work. Wa have got eight pet lambs and two dogs. One is a sheep dog, and the other is a water dog. The sheep dog is my father's, and tbe water dog iB mine and my brother's. Father has got a lot of sheep and lambs, but we have lost nine ewes, and we don't know what killed them.— Yours truly, Biohabd James (aged 12J 'years). Wrey's Bush, Ootober 24.

Deab Dot,— This is the firßt time I have written to you. I live at a place oalled Wrey's Bush. I go to Bohool every day, and am in the Third Standard. There are 64 eoholars going to school, and we have got two teachers. Mr Heathcote is head teacher, and Miss Ward pupil teaoher. We like them very muob, aa they do not use the oane much. I have got a pet lamb, for which I want a name. — Yours truly, Alice Pbendergast (aged 10 years). Wrey's Bush, Ootober 24.

[Gall the lamb Topay.— Dot.]

Deab Dot, — I live at a place called Annandale. It is three miles from any school, so I generally ride. lam in the Fourth Standard. Our examination was last month, and all who attended more than half the number of times passed. The school is not far from Jacob's river, bo the big boys often go bathing, especially those who bring their dinner to school. Tbe weather now is very wet, and has been bo for some time past ; it is very cold for the young lambs. I have one brother, but no sisters. This iB my first letter to you.— Yours truly, Geobgb Henbt. Simpson,

Ammndale, October 23.

Deab Dot,— This is the first time of writing to you. We have a pupil teacher ; her name is Miss Ward. I live in a place called Wrey's Bush. Our teaoher's name is Mr Heathcote. I have got three sisters and one brother. I go to school at Wrey's Bush. We have birda in our house, and they talk just like some one talking. Dear Dot, that is all I have got to Bay just now. — Yours truly, Jane Wobthen (aged 11 years 2 months). Wrey'B Bush, October 24. [I have reoeived quite a batch of letters from the little folks at Wrey'a Bush, but as I cannot get Bpaoe for all I have seleoted a few. — Dotl Deab Dot, — It was our examination last week. I am in the Sixth Standard, and I failed. There were 10 in our school failed. It is very stormy weather just now; it's more like winter than summer. I see by the WitneßS that you are making up a subscription list for Dr Barnardo's homeless children ; I am sending you 63 worth of stamps from a family of ci K ht, hoping it will reach in time for the Christmas box. I think I will olose now as it is my bedtime, an wishing you good bye, with love to the little folks.— Yours truly, Mat (aged 13 yeare). Tuapeka West, Ootober 27.

Dear Dot,— Our examination is over, and I passed the [Fourth Standard. Every one in the school paßsed, We were examined by Mr Taylor. I was down at Mr Bell's marriage party at Shag Valley station, and enjoyed myself very much. The woolsbed was decorated with evergreens and ferns. The supper table was very nice, with bunoheß of flowers "on it. There were a lot of people there ; I think there were about 400. My birthday will be on Wednesday; I will be 11 years old. I read the letters in the Witness every week. I read the riddles also, and am able to answer some of them. I have got a flower garden, and some of the flowers are out. The apple trees are in blossom also. I was at the Exhibition last New Year. I thought it a very large place. It was the first time I was in Dnnedin — Yours truly. E

Imily Simpson.

Macraes, Ootober 25.

Deab Dot,— This is the first time I have written to you. Igo to sohool, and am in the Fourth Standard. We get the Witness every week, and I like to read the little folks' letters. Wo are milking 18 cows, and we Bend the milk to the factory. My brothers have got four ferrets, with which we go out hunting rabbite. Dear Dot, I have got six brothers and five sisters. I and my brothers and sisters send 5s in stamps to Dr Barnardo's poorohildren. — Yours truly, Ebnest Tebey (aged 11 years). Gore, October 25.

Dear Dot, — I am goinsr to write you a letter. I am 11 yearn old, and am in tbe Fifth Standard. Igo into town every Saturday for music. There has been a concert down here to raise funds for the prizes. Our cat has got six kittans, three grey ones and three black ones. We have got a little calf without a name ; would you please give me a

name for it. I now send you 5a for Dr Bar- | nardo's children. My brothet gives one halfcrown and I the other. The children will be able to get aomo nice things with the money | the little folks send them. lam going to give you some riddles.— Yours truly, Floba BalsiixE. Sandymount, October 29. Deab Dot,— The weather up here is very bad just now, but it is hoped it will soon clear up. I go to school, and am in the Second Standard. Miss Loudan is my teacher, and I like her very much. She gives us nice cards for marn.B. I have only one oat. Will you please give mo a name for it. — Yours truly, Elizabeth Bebtenshaw (aged 11 years). Upper Waipori, Ootober 29, [CaH the cat Tibbie.— Dot ] Deab Dot, — I have never written to you before, but I have often heard of you and know you from the the children's page in the Witness. We found out from that some of the Bobools in Otago were forwarding contributions to you for the Barnardo Homes, so the pupils in our sohool made up their minds to collect too, and I am glad to inform you that I enclose a post-office order for £2 9j 4d, the amount collected. I hope that the little children will enjoy their Christmas box as well aa we have done collecting it. — Yours truly, Bessie Weight (aged 7 years). Otepopo, Ootober 28.

Dear Dot, — It is some weeks since I last wrote to you. It is a fortnight on Monday since I was at school, as I met with an accident and scalded my leg, and it was very sore. I hope I will be i.ble to get to Bobool soon, as our inspector will Boon be coming. I am getting back with my lessonß. We hav9 had very stormy weather this last week. We bad our fence blown down. We also had to have a very high fir tree tied with ropes to keep it from falling on our house. Since that we had it ohopped down. We are all glad that it is down, as it was in a very dangerous place, On Friday the rain set in, .and it lulled the wind. It rained up till to-day— Sunday. — Yours truly. Maud Eveline T

Thomson.

Clyde, Ootober 26. Dbab Dot,— We have got about 12 milking cows. Sometimes I help my Bisters to milk them. We have got a horse which we call the camel. I have to take ont the milk in the winter mornings, and it is very cold. Dear Dot, what is the price of small boys' gloves in Dunedin. I have two pups. Please give me names for them. — Yours truly, Thomas Butlbb (aged 9J years). Arrow, October 25. [You can get gloves from a couple of shillings upwards. — Call the pups Barney And Jerry. — Dot.] Deab Dot, — My sister Jane and I sent you 5s towards helping the list for Dr Barnardo's poor children, hoping it will reach you in time to send it with the rest. We have been having very cold weather up here for the last week. There is a gentleman up here, and he is going to put a few thousand fish in the Otamete to-morrow. I have not been out fishing for a few day's. There are plenty of fish in the Otamate now, and in one or twe days it will be very good to fish in, and then the river will not be bo high. — Yourß truly, Mandeville, October 27. David Mill.

Dear Dot, — I am an old grey tomcat, but I wasn't always old. I was born in the country, but I don't remember anything about it. I was taken away when I was only a little kitten. I live in Invercagill now. Once when the were moving from one house to another I didn't want to leave the old house, so I ran away, but they caught me and shut me in a room, then put me in a bag and took me away. I didn't like my new home at first, but I like it now. I sit by the fire nearly all day when it is cold weather, and lie out in the sun when it is warm. Unlike other cats, I don't like mice. I have caught some, but I did not eat them. I know a white kitten who won't drink milk. I like milk myself, but different people have different tastes, and bo have oats I Buppose. — Yourß truly, Tom.

Inveroargill, October 29.

Deab Dot, — I am a constant reader of your correspondence, and I like it very muob. I go to school, and am in the Fourth Standard. Our examination is very soon, and I hope to pass it. I have three sisters ; their names are Dot, Daisy, and Maud. We t aye a dog named Vie, nnd she baa two pups ; one is blaok, and the other black-and-white ; would you please give me names for them. We have also a horse called Dumps. My eldest brother has a school up-country, and I was up staying with him for bix weeks during the holidays, and enjoyed myself very much. — Yours truly, Gertbdde E. Rogers (aged 12 years).

Invercargill, Ootober 26.

[Gall the pups Darkie and Baldie, — Dot.]

Dear Dot, — I have read of the poor children in London, and mamma said that I ought to send what money 1 have to help them, and I have only 2s. We are going to Maungatua on Saturday if it is fine. My three sisters were up last weak, and they said it was very nice, but it waß rather rough —Yours truly, Annie Hoddinoff.

Henley, Ootober 29.

LITTLE FOLKS' KIDDLES.

468. By Emma Simpson, Mataura :— What ties two people together, yet onlj touohea one ? 464. By F. 8., Sandymounfc : -When could King John complain of his laundress ? 465. By P. 8.. Sandyaount :— Whether does a doe wear m«et clothes in summer or in winter. 466. By Eva s— Why is a Fifth Standard girl like an omnibus ?

ANSWER TO LAST WEEK'S RIDDLES.

461. By William J. Trlpp, Cardrona : —Writing a letter.

463. By Ida, Oamaru : -By making his coat and waistcoat last to.