LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLKS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1987, 24 March 1892, Page 41

LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLKS.

Deae Dot,-^I live in Papanui Inlet. It is harvest time just now, and the men are very busy. We have a good crop of everything this year. I have to go to the field often with lunch. I have a pet dog ; would you please give me a name for him 5 he is very wise and clever. Our cat has three! kittens. We have such a lot of chickens this year, and they are so tame. Have you ever been out torching at night catching flounders ? It is grand fun when there is a lot of us. This is my first letter. May I write again ? — Yours truly, Blanche Willis.

Papanui Inlet, March 4.

[Your first letter is a very nice one, Blanche, and I shall he happy to hear from you at any time. Flounder-fishing by torchlight must be very exciting, and I should like very much to see a party engaged in the sport. On a "dark night they must present a very picturesque appearance. I think Solomon — Sol for short — would be a very appropriate name for your wise dog, don't you ? You might tell us a good deal about Sol in your next letter, as I am sure his pranks will interest all the little folks. — DOT.]

Dear Dot, — I live on the south side of Catlins river, and go to the' Ratanui School. Part of the road is very bad, as it is only an old saw-mill tramway, and in wet weather it is dangerous to walk on, as it is very slippery. We have plenty of mud here in wet weather. On Wednesday a spring-cart belonging to Mr Hill got stuck on the new road, and on Saturday the storekeeper's cart with three horses got stuck, so you can see how bad our roads

must be. The scenery is very pretty. I must stop now, so good-bye, Dot.— Yours truly, Rod. Berney, Ratanui, Catlins River, March 12.

[Though the roads may be bad, think what the name of the place you live in tells — great rata ! What gorgeous blossoms there must have been somewhere in the neighbourhood this year, .and how delighted those who were near enough to see them must have been. Did you see any, Roderick ? If so we should like to know something about what you saw — wouldn't we, little folks ?— Dot.]

Deab Dot, — I am very pleased to write another letter to you. I have three kittens and a dog. I have a cow called CKerry, and she is milking. When I wrote before she was just a calf. lam in the Third Standard at school, and lam 10 years old. We have a calf called Rose, and three cows milking. Please give me a name for the kittens. One is a sandy and white one, and another black and white, and the third sandy and black and white. — Yours truly, Ida Brown.

Otafcara, March 10.

[How would Pepper, Salt, and Mustard do for them? That should make them warm enough, shouldn't it ? — Dor.]

Dear Dot, — I passed the examiuation last year. lam now in the Third Standard, and' my brother Willie passed his standard, and is now in the second. We live on the banks of the Taieri river. We have had a very high flood, and we saw all kinds of things floating down the river. We have a little baby brother. He was born on the 30th of December last. His name is Albert Carl. He is a fat little boy, and very cross.— Yours truly, Louisa Hawkb (aged 9 years and 11 months). Taioma, March 6. Dear Dot, — It is a long time since I wrote to you last. We have had our examination, and I 'passed, and am" in the Fourth Standard now. lam learning music, and can play several tunes. I have four miles to go twice a week to get my music lessons. I was in Queensfcown last night and heard Professor Mason and his troup, who are up here just now, and I enjoyed myself very well. AYe live six miles from a towu. I have a pretty little calf. Her name is Rosy. My little sister wrote a letter to you about how she was nearly drowned. Why did you not publish it ? You sent it back wanting to know if she wrote it herself or not. She wrote every word of it. I have two little kittens. Will you please give me names for them. I hope this letter is not too long. I have no more to tell you just now. — Yours truly,

Robert O'Kane (aged 9 years) Lower Shotovcr, March 17.

[When I tell you, Robert, the reason why I got the editor to send your sister's letter back to see if she wrote it I think you will say I did quite right. There is a very contemptible man or woman in your district who has made a practice of writing letters to Dot, and signing the name of some other young man or woman to them in order to try to make the supposed

writer look foolish. I have not been able to find out the writer yet, but I shall do so some time, and then he will be made to publicly apologise through this column if nothing else is done to him. Meanwhile it is necessary to be cautious in inserting letters, and that was the reason why your sister's letter was sent back to her. Ifc was thought that if she wrote it she would send ib down again, and ifc could then appear. As you wrote your letter on St. Patrick's Day, how would you like to call the kittens Saint and Pat ?— Dot.]

Deah Dot, — It i 3 a long fcirhe since 1 wrote to you. There was a great flood Mere in the Taieri river. We have three dozen hens. I have a little black-and-white dog named Taipo. I lost Taipo for eight weeks and found him on the Taieri Plain. Our harvesting is finished now. I have a pet hawk called Jack, and it will come to me when I call it. My father is working at Barewood reefs. — Yours truly, William John Guv.

Taioma, March '19.