A LETTER FROM ONE OF THE BIG FOLKS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1966, 29 October 1891, Page 41

A LETTER FROM ONE OF THE BIG FOLKS.

Dear Dot, — Allow me to congratulate you on the way you have conducted the youths' column in the Qtago Witness. I think there is no paper in the Australasian colonies that can come up to the Witness, particularly in your department ; and your kindness in answering the' questions they put to you induces the obildren to read the Witness. I have followed it up with delight ever sinoe the department waei statted, and am sorry to say I have seen very few. letters from the Lakes; and with your permission I wish to write a few lines concerning pur delightful district. Queenatown is situated on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, and also near high hills and the Remarkable*. It presents a picturesque I view when covered with snow, and tourists from all parts of the world come here in search of .health and scenery. The lake is 50 miles long and from, one to, three and a- half xnileßwide. There, are three good steamers, which belong to one company, on thelakeß, one of them running daily to Kingston to meet the Dunedin andlnvereargilltrains, and one fc&ioe a week to the Head of the Lake. Qaeenstowri has alßo agood water supply; 'whioh'iß conveyed by pipes from a reservoir about a quarter of a mile* from the town. One ef the principal hotels— Eiohardt's-is lit with the electric light. ' Quganstown has also a band, which numbers ■about 25, and I think something oan be said of this band which oan be said of no other one— namely, that the majority of the members are natives of the. town— indeed, they all are with the exception of two or three. They have all •learnt from the same bandmaster, and they are to compete in the coming oontest in Danedin. They have a rotunda in the park, and I think if they had this park in Dunedin they would spare no expense in beautifying it to make another attraction for tourists who visit the place. Hoping that my remarks may be of interest to the little folks, I am. dear Dot,— Yours truly, A Native of the Lakes, ! Queenßtown, potober 19. LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLKS. Dbab Dot,— l did notjpass this time. . I have a pup called Tim. We have a new dog oalled Storm. We have two little brown puppies oalled Midget and Simmi. We have seven ) horses; their names are Blossom, Nugget, Flora, Polly, Fairy, and Random. We are milking four cows, and we have a nice little red calf— his name is Murphy. We have no horses to go to the Oamara Show this year. Our Flora was second as Queen of the Haddoes. A service of song waa held nere on the 16tb. It wound up with a tea. It was all very nice. The cropa are looking very well

round about this district, and there is plenty of grass— very different from last year,-— Yours truly, John M'Naib (aged 8 years and 11 months). Duntroon, Ootober 18, [However do [you remember all the nameß, John ? They are a very nice selection, flora must be a beauty, and I should think you are < very proud of her,— Dot.] Dbab Dot, — I am ,in the Second Standard. I attend the Lawrence High Sohool. Mibb Ralston is my teacher, and our class like her very macjh. We have singing 'lessons every Friday afternoon; which we enjoy very much. I have' had my hair out snort. Mamma -says it ' will grtiw Btronger : when I grow older. TTnole'out it for me.. No -more just now, dear Dot,"as I am a little girl, and don't know how to write a proper letter.— Youra truly, : . Patbioia J. Thompson, Lawrenoe, October 19. [You hare done very well indeed, Patrioia, for a little girl, and wqen you are a little older I am sure you .will be able to write a very nice letter.— Dot.] " i Dbab Dot,— Our examination took plaoe on rthe 16th, and my sister and I passed into the First Standard, My,; oldest brother did not pass, so we, are up with him now. May I write again, Dot?— Yours truly, Robbbt G. M'Naib (aged 6 years and 8 months). Duntroon, Ootober 18. [Yes, certainly.— Dot.] Dbab Dot,— l have passed into the First Standard, and my youngest brother passed also, j My oldest brother did not pass, so we are both I np with him. I have a little black-and-white kitten. ; will you pkaise give 1 me a name for her. I have two dolls— one haa fair hair and black eyes, and the other has brown hair and blue eyes j will you please give me names for them. Oar teaoher, Miss Davis, has been away for a month through ill-health, but she is ba.ck now, and we are all very glad,— Youra truly, " Maboabet D. M'Naib r, . (Bged( B g ed 7 o ye«s and 9 months). Duntroon, Ootober 18. [Gall the dogs Primrose and Violet, and the kitten Tibbie.— Dok] Deab 'Dot,— I did not pass this time, but my Wo brothers passed. We have had a servica of song. It wound up with a tea. The aingiLg was very good, and we all enjoyed it. We have five cows, but they are all nearly j dry.— Yourß truly j John William Stmnger (aged 8 years). DuatrooD, October 18. , Dbab Dot,— Yesterday my brother Dick, my sister Eleanor, an<f I all went fishing. We took another little girl with us, Dora Lisle. We fithed in a river not far from here. Dick caught four trout, and we caught a lot of little minnows in a creak close by. We took lurioh with us, and after ire had eaten it we bad Borne games. Diok Bbiowed us how to make flax oops aba swords. We gathered a lot of pretty ferns. Dora is going to make » fern sorapbook, and

Eleanor is going to make fern oards. There are some pretty places near the river. The i gullies ate covered with fern, Borub, and pretty little white and blue and manve wild flowers. We were a long time in the gullies playing and getting ferns and veronica branches. When we went home we had our arms full of green leaves and ferns. We just looked like treea walking along. We had lotsvof wild flowers too. When we got homo we were very tired, but we had enjoyed ourselves vary much. I wish you bad been there, dear Doi Could you please tell me the meaning of Eleanor, my sifter's name.— Yours truly, Gbaoib R. M. (aged 11 years). [I wish I bad, for you seem to have had a very happy time. Eleanor is an Anglo-Saxon name, and it means " all fruitful."— Dot.] Dhab DO3V-I am in the Fifth Standard at school. MrDaiton ii my teaoher, and I like him very well. I have a oat ; would please give me a name for it. I have five brothers and four sisters ; their names are Will, Charl, I» WF| _?»■*, B arti Sis, Jennie, Ethel, and EHa.--Yours truly, Beatrice Frakb (aged 12 years). [Call the cat Toots. Yes, write again. Dor.) Dhab Dot,— l have a little blaok kitten ; would you please give me a nfoe name for it. Dear Dot, what do you think ol my writing?— Yours truly, SOHOOtoiBB, Lawrence, Ootober 22, [Your writing la vary nice, and gives promise of being a very good hand. Take the answer to. your riddle aa a nama for your kitten. It is appropriate, and will do nicely. —'Dot,] Dbab Dot,— My uncle Robert at Waimate gave me a little blaok pony named Blackte. He Bent it in the train to Dunedin. We have five cowß, and their names are Daisy, Jessie, Jennie, Strawberry, and Raohel. We have four calves, and call them Punch and Judy, Lily and Rosey,. I have three brothers ; their names are Stanley, Oarlj and Eric, Igo to the Sandymount School and, am in the Seoond Standard.— Yours truly, Athoii S. O. Robertson (aged 8 years). Sandymount, Ootober 22, Dbab Dot,— -We had a good rain yesterday. I stopped at home from eobool because it was too wet to go. My mother and sister have gone up to Lawrence to see my grandmother because she is ill. We had two weeks' holidays because the whooping cough was going about. A new milk company is starting and father is thinking of taking his milk to it.— Yourß truly, n A. E. Oabvem,, Ootober 22, Dhab Dot,— l have no pats, but I have a doll with waxen hair. Will you give me a for it. There are two bashes where we live, and out house is situated between two rivers. I like going to school, and am in the Third Standard. Our teaoher is Miss Ross, but she is leaving, and we are all very sorry. The examination will take plaoe next week, and I hope I shall pass. We had a concert here

lately, and I enjoyed it very much. Sball I write again ?— Yours truly, m Maby STEWABTj(aged Hi yeara). Waianakarua, October 21. [A doll with waxen hair I It must have a flaxen f aoe then, I Buppoße, Mary. I think I should call it Miss Waxy. Yes, write again, by all means.— Dot.] . Dear Dot,— l have two brothers and five sisters. I have got a little gun. I am in the First Standard, and am eight years of age. I have two 1 cats; their names are Jeanie andi J™ . oura fcruly » Andbew Stewabt. Waianakarua, Ootober 21. LITTLE FOLKS' RIDDLES 543. By Sahoolgirl, Lawrence :— You name me once and I am famed For deeds of noble daring ; You name me twice and I am found In Savage customs sharing. ANSV7BBS TO LAST WHBK'S EIDDLHB. 640. By Qeorge Desotaler, Inveroargiil :— One leg Is a leg of mutton; two legs a man; three lew a stool ; and four legi a dog. 511. By Thomas Flsvel. Ofcama:— A newspaper.