LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLKS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1959, 10 September 1891, Page 37

LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLKS.

Dear Dot,—l am a cat. It is not often that a pussy writes to you, is it 1 Only I saw one letter from a cat called Tom once, so I thought I would write one. I, like Tom, came from the country. I was brought in one night to where I am now. It felt bo strange at first, but I like being here now. My mistress is very kind to me. I have a black-and-grey striped coat, and am a pretty pussy, so thoy all say. I have a brother, but be is still in the country. I have not seen him since I oame to town. His name is Frisky, and mine is Muffle, My mistress makes me jump ever bo high for meat, and I sometimes get kidneys. I like them very much. I stay in the houße at nights, but sometimes I get shut out, and then I stand on my hind legs and rattle the door handle till someone lets me in. I caught a bird yesterday. lam very fond of fun, and I like tearing paper up into small bits. That's a funny triok for a pußsy, isn't it ? But I am oalled a funny oat. I think I will finish now; so good bye.—Yourß truly, Muffie. Invercargill, August 31. [After Muffle has written such a nice letter all about herself I hope her brother will come among the little folks, and tell us what has taken place in the country einca his Bister was taken away,—Dot.] Deae Dot,—l thank you for the names for the canary and the puppy. Juno out his foot the other day, and I tried to tie a bit of rag around the place, but he bit it off. However, it is getting better now. Since I wrote I went to a cantata, and enjoyed myself very much, We have had a dog and poultry show, and I went to it and had a look round. My brother* did not ahow anything; but one of them got some tickets, and be got a prize in the art union. The juvenile Rechabites are going to have an open meeting, at which I am to give a reading. I see Cousin Blanch says the way they catch rabbits in Riverton is by putting netting over the holes, and then put the ferreti in. Up here they put the ferrets in, then shoot the rabbits as they come out. We have two tinning works here where they tin rabbits, fruit, and vegetables. —Yours truly, R O. HuTOHESON. Blenheim, August 29. Deab Dot,—l go to school, and am in the Fourth Standard. Mr Dencker is our teacher. I live on a hill oalled Denniston, I will be II years old on October 5 Our examination is to take place in a fortnight, We have no green fields here to play on—nothing but roots

of trees or bush. We have splendid scenery, and plenty of ferns, however. It is three miles from Denniston to Waimangaroa. — Yours truly, Jane Sneddon. Denniston, October 26. Dear Do?, — I am staying with my aunt in Riverton. I have four sisters and four brothers, who are living at the Bluff just now. I have a pet parrot that can Bay " mother " ; its name is Billy. I have also a dog and a doll. My uncle has a lot of horses and cows. I often go with him to feed the horses and milk the cows. I go for a walk on the beaoh nearly every day. Please Dot, may I write again ? .and will you please give me a name for my doll.— Yours truly, Jessie Walker (aged 10 years). Riverton, August 29. [Yes, write again. Aa you live so near the sea call the doll Mermaid. — Dot.] Deab Dot,— One of my schoolmates and I were out rabbiting to-day, and we caught two rabbits. We had two dogs and a spade each. We have three miles to go to sohool, and Mr Fullarton is our master. I have two sisters and four brothers. My sisters' names are Annie, Laura, and Alice. — Yours truly, John Alexander Dodds. Otama, August 29, Dear Dot,— l live in Ida Valley, and am in the Fourth Standard, I have a pony. Would you please give me a name for it. The farmers are all ploughing at present. There haa been some rain here. There are two schoolmasters in Ida Valley — Mr Rii and Mr Phinn.— Yours truly, P. H. Ida Valley, August 27. [Call the pony Jupiter.— Dot.] Dear Dot,— l do like to read the little peoples' letters. lam staying with some friends at present. They have such a dear little baby boy, who is very fond of me. The flowers are coming out so nicely here after all the hard froata. Dear Dot, lam going to Wellington soon, and if you like I will write and tell you about my visit. A friend of my big Bister's has a dog, and it came to see her. She was cooking, and the dog jumped up on the stove and burnt its toes, and it ran out, and haa not come back since. We all laughed. I have such a nioe doll. Would you please give me a name for it. I have no more pets to tell you about, bo good night, Dot.— Youra truly, Maud M. M'Kenzib, Jed street, Invercargill, August 20. [Yes, I shall be very glad if you will write and tell us all about your visit. As the spring flowers are coming on so nicely in your garden I think you might call the doll Hyacinth, to remind you of them when they are gone. Dot]

Deab Dot,— l have not written to the Little Folks' page for a long time, and aa it is a very dull afternoon I thought I oould not fill in the time better than by writing to you. I have a very bad cough, and it keeps me awake at night. We have not a great many pets now — juat two cats and a pup. The oats' names aw Tjbby and Fred, and the pup's name ia

Tim. They are not very aristocratic names, are they? Our garden is just beginning to look nioe. The weather being bo mild, the spring flowers are all coming out, and it makes us think that summer is very near. — Yours truly, Edith Crofts (aged 12 years), j Riohmond Grove, Invercargill, August 81. Dear Dot,— l like to read the little folks' letters in the paper. We get it on Friday. I go to' the Central Sohool, and am in the high No. I Standard. We go to sohool by tiain, and do not get there till 11 o'clock, as that ia the time the train gets into Inveroargill. Dear Dot, do you think that is late ? May I write to you again '—Yours truly, Luoy Brown (aged 7 years), Mill Road, August 27. [Yes, write again, but next time write on only one side of the paper. Eleven o'clock is very late to get to sohool, but of course it cannot be helped,— Dot.] Dear Dot,— l live at Taiaroa Heads, and am in the Second Standard at school. I have only one pet to tell you about, and it is a cat. I have a doll. I have four sisters and one brother. Their names are Janet, John, Lucy, Sylvy, and Eva. Eva got the scissors run into her eyea and had to go to the doctor. I am living with my aunt just now. Our examination is to oorae off on the Ist September, and I hope I shall paaa. My uncle has a dog ; its name is Don.— Yourß truly, Kathleen Burns (aged 9& years.) Dear Dot, — I have no pets to tell you about except a calf. Will you please give me a name for it. My father ia one of the pilot crew, and so ia my unole, and they have to go out to all the big and little ships that come here. There is a barracks here, and soldiers live in it. This place is well fortified, having five cannons and one breechloader. I go to sohool, and am in the Fourth Standard. Our examination is to come off on the Ist September, and I hope I shall paas. I have four sisters and one brother. —Yours truly, Luoy Burns (aged llf years). Taiaroa Heads, Auguat 31, [Call the calf Daisy.— Dot.] Dear Dot,— l like going to sohool. lam in tba Second Standard. I have not eeon any bumble bees yet. My youngest brother is three years old, Hia name is Robert Kerr, and he has got a nice little white pup ; please could you give me a name for it. — Yours truly, Sarah Milligan. Crookston, August 31. [Call the pup Snow.— Dot.] Dear DOT,— I have a sheep, and its name is Woolly Face. I have also a oat. It is grey, and it comes into my bed in the morning and wakes me.— Yours truly, George Scott. Gimmerburn, September 1. Dear Dot,— l am in the First Standard. I like to go to sohool. Our teacher is Mr M'Millan, and I like him very much. There are five of us going to school. We have a long

way to walk, and we are very tired when we come home. I have a jat black cat ; its nose and feet are white. When I stroke its back it saya "Purr." Its name is Topsy. I am going to write to my grandmother for the first time. She lives in Scotland. — Yours truly, Elizabeth L. Soott. Gimmerburn, September 1, Dear Dot,— l live in Ida Valley. It is a very cold place in winter, but when the spring comes it is very nice to hear the pretty little birds singing their sweet songs in the morning when we' are going to school, I am in the Second Standard. Our teacher's name is Mr Rix, and we like him very much. Please may I write again, Dot ? and I will tell you about some of our peta. — Yours truly, Sarah E. M'Nally (aged 9 years). Ida Valley, August 28. [Of course you may write again.— Dot.] Dear Dot,— We have got a nice new school since I last wrote. Our examination took place last month, and the inspector said we bad the prettiest eobool in Southland. Our teacher (Mr Milne) has pictures hung all roungthe walls, and pretty flowers in the windows. I passed again, bo I am in the Third Standard now. — Yourß truly, S. M. B. (aged 7 years). Wendonside, August 26. Dear Dot,— l go to school, and am in the Third Standard. We live quite close to the bush, and often go up into it. My unole is ploughing just now, We have four cows. Their names are Lady, Sulky, Polly and Rosy. I have a dog named Thos.— Yours truly, Archie Glendinning (aged 11 years). Mokoreta, August 31. LITTLE FOLKS' BIDDIES. 582. By Fred Noone, Ida Valley :- What Is it that is always before you, and yet you never see it ? 533. By Arohe Glendinning, Mokoreta :— What is that whioh Adam never saw, never possessed yet left to each of bis children. ANSWBBS TO LAST WEEK'S EIDDLBS. 530. By Fred Noone, Ida Valley :— (1) Because it makes them wiier. (2) Thanks. 531. By Lizzie M'Parlane, Waimangaroa :— " Pg —pig without an " i."