LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLKS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2004, 21 July 1892, Page 40

LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLKS.

Deau Dot, — I am a Concertina. I thought as an Accordion and a Fiddle from Fortrosc have been writing to you, I would make an attempt also. I fancy I have heard my mistress say I came from Germany. I think German instruments are generally the best ; but really I forget where I came from. I must have been very young when I was in Germany, because I'm not very old now, although I look very aged. I have had. a very hard life. The first thing I remember is going round in a traveller's curt. I had travelled about a good lot, aud had got nearly to Otara. Several people had had a look at me, bub none of them would buy me. I don't know why. One day we met a gentleman on the road. The traveller stopped and had a chat with him, aud he said, "I suppose you have no concertinas with you ? " The traveller replied, " Yes, I have one I will let you have for 12s 6d." " Oh, well, I suppose it is worth the money. I will take it." You cannot imagine what a relief it was to me, for I had been in the cart for some considerable length of time. He took me home, put me on his kneo, pulled me nearly in two, and scratched my teeth. How I laughed when he tried to play " The girl I left behind me." He did the same every evening for -a fortnight, but he could nob manage it. I just used to laugh at him, for he had no ear for music. At last he said he would give me up, and so he did, to a young lady who had an ear for music, aud she could play in less than a week. Ono evening, I am sorry to say, she took me to a dance. A gentleman gob hold of me and played a polka mazurka, then he gave me to his little brother, who let me fall,. and I have been very ill ever since. I hope I shall soon recover. — Your truly, Concertina. Fortrose, July 13. Dear Dear, — I am a Doll. I live with my friends and have a lively time of it. I have six sisters. Their names are Lily, Daisy, Pansy, Primrose, Violet, and Rosy. Don't you think they are pretty names, Dot ? My mistress is very kind to me. She is makiug me a bonnet of blue silk.' I hope she will be finished next week, as she is going to have her birthday party, aud lam goiug to it. Dear Dot, I have a lot of pretty dresses. I have a beautiful dress of blue silk, trimmed with white lace. I have also a lovely cream nun's veiling dress trimmed with cream ribbons. I have a lovely necklace of beads, which I think a great deal of. lam going to wear a pink nun's veiling trimmed with pink ribbons at my mistress' party. — Yours truly, Vkalt.o. Seacliff, July <k Dear Dot, — I am a little monkey, my name is Jacko. I was born at Calcutta, where I had a kind mother. One day when I was strolling about I was caught by some white people, who put me in a big ship which took metoDuuedin. My mistress here is very kind to me and feeds me well. One day when she was out I broke my chain and got into the next yard and stole , all the nuts off the tree. Do you not think I was naughty ? but I am older now, and have gob more sense. I have a little fat kitten. Please give me a name for it ? — Yours truly, Old Jacko (aged 10 years.) Dunedin, July 12. [Old Jacko with a little fat kitten ! lam sure he might have told us where he gob the kitten, and how it becomes his. He may call the kitten Taipo. — Dot.] Dear Dot, — Having read the little folks letters for some time past, and now having my midwinter holidays I have determined to write to you. A fe, w weeks ago we went up to Woodhaugh to see the curling, not knowing at the time that it had been abolished, but we did nob have our waljc for nothing for we stayed and had some slides on the ice. We have a pink and grey parrot, but he does not talk. I have a little magpie. Would you please give me a name for it ? ! Please, Dot, could you give me a. good recipe for making " rocks " ? — Yours truly, , Veronica. Dunedin; July 12. [You will fijnd a recipe in Home Interests. Call the magpie Curly, and it will remind you of your skating. — Dot.] Dkar Dot, — I like to hear the little folks' letters being read, so I thought I would write to you. Igo to the Kaiwera School, and am in the Second Standard. I have two sisters and ono brother. My eldest sister Agnes is eight years old, and my younger sister Mary is live years, while my little brother Robert is two and a half years oUI. My eldest sister is in the Second Primer. We have five hordes. Their names are Bill, Kate, Violet, Bessie, and Jack. We have also three foals. Their names are Polly, Venus, and Punch. I have three ferrets. Their names are Joe, Jennie, and Scoby. I have three dogs — Fly, Fan, and Toby. I have to tie them up because they are always chasiug the hens and ducks. We have a big white and black Brahma rooster. His name is Jock. It is very fro&ty in the mornings though it is nice and warm during the rest of the day. — Yours truly, William Young (aged 11 years.) Kaiwera, Pukerau, July 11. Dear Dot, — We have not many pets, but we have a cat each. My sister's cat's name is Tibby. She is six and a-half years of age. My cat's name is Cloots. He is like a little dog. He follows me all over the house, aud he prefers cake and paste to meat. My little brother's cat's name is Chitty, but wo do nob like ib. Please, Dot, give me a pretty name for ib. Ib is very fat, and he likes it very much. — Yours truly, Gentle Breeze. Dunedin, July 13. [Gentle Breeze is hard to please. I think Chitty is a very good name. She might change it "to Toots, which would pair with Cloots. — Dot.] Duar Dot. — I live at Macraes, and it is very cold up here now. I go to school and am in the First Standard. I have not far to go. My teacher is Miss Dippie, and I like her very well. Our examination will be held soon, and I hope I shall pass. There are not many children going to this sohool. I have a little pony called

illiam Aitkkn,

Possum. Don't you think it has a nice name. I have a calf called Billy, who eats all the cabbages in the garden. I have also a little black-and-white kitten called Beauty. I sometimes read the little folks' letters, and I like them very much. Does it ever snow in Dunedin. It is snowing here just now. We have got a fortnighb's holiday's from school just now. — Yours truly, Edwakd Spain (aged 9^ years.) Macraes, July 13. Dear Dot,— l 'go to school and am in the First Standard. My little brother Jim goes with mo. We have 10 miles to go. It is sometimes wet and we cannot go. I have six brothers and three sisters. — Yours truly, Jessie Hendkhson. Keithlebuin, July 9. Dear Dot, — This is a rocky place, and it is called the Roaring Meg. I have live brothers, and there names are William, Donald, John, George, and Alexander, and four sisters— Jane, Margaret, Elizabeth, and Jessie. — Yours truly, Jambs Henderson. Roaring Meg, July 9. Dear Dot,— l go to school. lam nine years old. I have only one sister. Her name is Anabella Morris. I have a doll, and if you have any names left yon might give me one for my doll. This is all I have to say at present. —Yours truly, Marion Blackxev. Edendale, July 8. [As you live at Edendale I think Eva would be an appropriate name for the doll.— Dor.] Dear Dot,— l am 10 years of age, and I livo at Wendou Valley. Igo to school, and am in the Second Standard. Mr M'Clure is my teacher, and I like him very much. I have three sisters and six brothers. I have a cat. Please will you give me a name for it. — Yours truly, William Aitkkn. Wendon Valley, July 9. [Call the cat Don. — Dot.] Dkar Dot,— l am in Naseby for a week's holiday. I live at Ewebnrn, and lam in the Second Standard at school. Miss M'Gregor is my teacher, and I like her very much. I have two brothers and one sister. Their names are Kate, John, and Hughie. Wo have a lot of cows and calves. Dear Dot, will you please give me names for two of the calves. Ono is red and the other white. I have not been ab school for a month. I had a bad cold, it is getting better now, and I hope to bo able to go next week. We have three dogs— Rough, Glen, and Jimmy. Jimmy is a good little rabbiter. Ho goes into the holes ami brings them out. One day we lost him. He got stuck in a rabbit hole, and we had to dig him out. Is ho nob a funny little dog ? A black and white cat came to our place one day with only three legs, and now it is the best cat we have got. My birthday was on the 11th of March. I was 10 yeais old. I have a nice doll. It is dressed in piuk. —Yours truly, Sauah Kisahnky. Naseby, July 11. [Poor puss ! I suppose she got caught in a trap and lost her missing leg. However, she seems to have fallen into good hands. Jimmy is certainly a useful little dog. Call the calves Rose and Lily. — Dot.] Dear Dot, — I am in the Fourth Standard at school. I have about a mile to walk, and it is very cold on frosty mornings. My teacher is Mr Pilling, and I like him Tcry much. Thero are about 70 scholars going to school. We had two weeks holiday lately, and I had grand fun picking up poisoned rabbits. I have live sisters and one brother; four of us go to school. I have a little grey and white kitten. Please would you give me a name for her. We have two pups, their names are Carlo and Darkey. We are milking one cow. Her name is Snowy. — Yours truly, Ivy Bowdkn (aged 12 years). July 8. [As the cow's name is Snowy I think Frosty would do for the kitten.— Dor.] Dear Dot,— l live four miles out of Wyndhara, and I go to the Mimihau School. lam in the Fourth Standard. My teacher is Mr Rogers, and I like him very well. I have n little calf. Please give me a name for ib. Dear Dot, I have five sisters and three brothers. Their names are Mary, Hugh, Flora, Eliza, Maggie, Annie, John, and Gilbert.— Yours truly, Isabella M'Kay (aged 12 years). Rosebank, Wyndham, July 8. [Call the calf Cherry.— Dot.] Dear Dot, — I am going to tell you all about the soiree and service of song. There were about 300 persons present. The soiree was held first. There were five long tables with cakes, tarts, oranges, and almost everything you could mention. The soiree commenced at half-past six, and was over at half-past seven. Then they oloared the tables away, and the service of song commenced. It was entitled, " Nothing to Nobody." . My three brothers were singing. I thought Mra Nichols was the best singer. Miss Grubb played a beautiful piece on the violin, also a drawing room piece on the piano. The Rev. Mr Blathwayte did the reading part. — Yours truly, Nellib De Clifford. Maheno, July 13. Dear Dot, — I go to school, and am in the First Standard. Our teacher is Miss Morgau, and I like her very well. We have a dog named Ruff. Wo have three cows and a calf, their names aro Spot, Nanny, and Lassie. The calf's name is Rosy. We have a bluok-and-white cat. Please give me a name for it. — Yours truly, WALTF.it Smahi (aged 8 years). Gordon, July 8. [As you live in Gordon call the cab General, and you will always be reminded of a great man. — Dor.] Dear Dot,— We have had a concert and ball in the Seaolift" Lunatic Asylum. It was very good. People from all parts of the country went to it. Our school has a week's holiday. Mr Blathwayte is my teacher, and I like him very much. My sewing mistress is very good too. Igo to Puketeraki School, and am in the Fourth Standard. I have half a mile to walk to school. I have got a model of a ship, and please woulcfryou give me a name for it. I have also two pretty little kittens, and would you please give me names for them also. 1 got them from a lady lately. I have one sister and two brothers— namely, Besfiie, Jack, and Tom.— Yours truly, Mella Cuilcott. Seaclilf, July 4. [Call the ship the Flying Dutchman and the kittens Frisk and Skip.— Dor.] Dear Dot, — I am] A Little Pup, and as I have heard that many different kinds of animals write to you, I thought you would not mind letting a little puppy write a letber to you also, I have a fine, glossy black coat, and I I live in a nice little kenuel with some straw to lie on. One day a man came to my master, and asked if I could go and livo with him. I was not very sorry to leave my home, because my master would not let me run out of my kennel. The strange man took me to a very nice house, not very far from the sea. When we got to the house two little girls and a boy came running out to meet their father, and they began kissing and hugging him. I thought that the man had forgotten me, but

Gordon, July 8,

soon afterwards he said to one of the little girls, "Lily, my dear, as you have been tho best child since I've been away, I have brought you a present." " What is it ? " exclaimed all the children in a breath. Then the man took me out of my kennel and gave me to the little girl called Lily. She was so pleased with me, and told me she was going to be my mistress. Lily, my little mistress, was very fond of me, and she called me Glossy. Harry, Lily's brother, was not at all kind to me, for one day when we were down at the beach he threw me into the sea to try and make me swim. I was awfully frightened, because I thought I was going to be drowned, but Harry came in after me, and then took me home. There was a little black kitten that lived in the same house. It was such a dear little thing. This kitten's name was Dolly, and we used to have grand times, but one day Harry found the kitten lying dead on the ground. I was very sorry to hear of the fate of poor kilty, because she was my greatest playmate. One day Lily and her brother and sister took me to a haystack, and while we were romping I fell off and was seriously hurt. Lily took me home, and her father doctored me up, and I soon got well again. After a good while the family iv which I lived went across the sea for a holiday, and Lily left me with a friend named Mabel. She is a nice little mistress, and we havo grand times. lam very happy now, but I am waiting patiently till Lily, my little mistress, returns home again. Good-bye, dear Dot. — Yours truly, Glosst. Waimate, July 13. [These are changes to have taken place in the life of a pup, and a pup with such a nice name too. What a pretty coat he must have for Lily to havo christened him Glossy ! lam sure wo shall all be impatient to hear of Lily's home-coming, though I expect Mabel will be sorry to part with Glossy, and I hope he will often go to see her to show that he has not forgotten her kiudness to him. — Dot.] Dear Dot, — I am a Mouse, and I live in th« Waimate Public School. I will tell you how I came to be there. I was first living in a haystack which was just opposite the school, and it was taken away, and the school children caught me and my relations. Some of us were taken into school, and I myself was let go in school, and I now remain there. Some of the children are wasteful, and so I eat their dinners when they go home, so you need not thiuk I starve, dear Dot. I frightened some of the girls when I first came here. Please excuse my writing, as I can't write as well as some of the pupils in this school. — Yours truly, A Mouse. Waimate Public School, July 13. [As if anyoue would expect a mouse, even though it does live in a school, to write as well as a girl ! However, this mouse has written very nicely, and I believe she asks to be excused simply to get a compliment on her writing. — Dor.] Dear Dot, — What a lot of animals write to you. I have no pets to tell you about this time. I have three sisters and two brothers. Their names are Jeannie, Mary, Annie, Peter, and James. One day when my brother Peter went for coals to the coal pit, my pup followed him, and ho lost it. Its name was Sancho. I was very sorry, for it never came back again. Dear Dot, is it very wet weather down your way just now, it is up here. It is very hard frost up here at nights. I think the ice will soon bear. Dear Dot, do you like frost ? Good-bye, Dot. — Yours truly, Elizabeth Black (aged llf years). Edencreek. Gimmerburn, July 13. [No, I cannot say that I do, but as it does good to the ground by breaking it up, and allowing plants and corn to grow better, I am not sorry to see plenty of it in winter. — Dot.] Dear Dot, — We are having very bad weather just now. It is very muddy going to school. The river was pretty high last week with the snow melting on the mountains ; but it is down again now. There used to be a lot of wild ducks flying about here, but I don't see many now. — Yours truly, Annie Black (aged 8 years). Edencreek, Gimmerburn, July 13. Dear Dot, — I am a Dog, and my name is Floss. I have plenty of work to do. I have to work sheep and cattle all day long. lam fond of catching rabbits. One day I was scratching at a rabbit hole and my foot got caught in a trap which was set by some boys to catch the rabbit. Dear Dot, don't you think it was very .cruel of the boys ? My master is very kind to me. He feeds me every morning. Please excuse my writing and spelling after my long day's work, — Yours truly, Floss. Otautau, July 8. [Floss is evidently a very hard-working and deserving dog, but I can scarcely see why a hard day's work should effect her spelling, can you ? As a matter of fact it did not, for there was not a single word misspelt in her letter. —Dor.] Dear Dot, — I live at Stewart Islaud. lam only a little boy, but I am going to try to tell you about my little kitten. His name is Spark. I gavo him that name because he had such sparkling eyes. When we hold up our arms he jumps over. It is very cold now, and I am very sorry because I cannot have bare feet. Please, dear Dot, could you tell me how much money I would have to save to buy a gun and a drum— not a real gun, just a play one. — Yours truly, George Swain (aged 7£ years). Halfmoon Bay, July 7. [No, George, I cannot, for not being a boy I have never bought either a play gun or a drum. I should thiuk, howevtr, that about 4s would buy the both. — Dor.] Dear Dor, — I have no pets, but I have a yellow tomcat. He is wild, and he won't let you touch him. We had a cat that we called the " pigcat," but she is dead now. She used to sleep in the pig-stye on the top of the pigs. In muddy weather when the pigs were out from thestye she would waib until the pigs were going up to the stye and then would jump on one's back and let it carry her through the mud. We are only milking one cow now, aud my brother milks it night and morning. I have two dolls. Will you please gives me names for them. — Yours truly, Jas-i: Miller (aged 8 years). Wrey's Bush, July 12. [The "pigcat" knew where she would be warm evidently. To make friends even with the pigs is better than being so grumpy as the yellow cat. Call the dolls Ruby aud Violet. — Dor.] Dkak Dor, — I think our examination will be soon, aud I hope I shall pass into the Sixth Standard. I have not got any pets. I had a cat, but a dog killed it. We are only milking one cow, and I have to milk her every night aud morning. We are having very bad weather about here. Most of the farmers are ploughing now. A bridge is being built a few miles from where I live across the Jacob's* river.— Yours truly, W. Miller (aged 11 years). Wrey's Bush, July 12. Dear Dot, — I go to school and am iv the First Standard. I was seven years old yesterday, and I got a nice present from my mother. (

O imaru, July 1

Dear Dot, — We have threo cows. Their names are Bella, Phcebe, and Darkey. We have also a lot of hens. There are a lot of sparrows about Oamaru. lam in the Third Standard at school. Miss Casey is my teacher, and I like her very much. I have a pretty cat. Will you please give me a name for it. We are having our winter holidays now, so I have plenty of time to write to you. — Yours truly, Maggie Maxwell. O imaru, July 1. [Call the cat Beauty. — Dot.] Dear Dor, — Last time I wrote from Dunedin, but this time from Hawera. There are no trams here like there are in Dunedin. It was very cold when we started from Dunedin, but it got warmer as we got nearer the north. At Port Chalmers I saw a real diver from on board the steamer. He went down to get a rope off the propeller. The first week here was fine, but the second week was very wet. I have a lot of marbles. Last week I went to a tea party, and a little boy showed us a magic lantern. My brother and myself are to have a pony as soon as my father can get one. I have two brothers — one named Eric and the other, a baby, called Frederick William, and a sister called Alice Helen. Dot, would you kindly let me write again ? That's all the news. Dear Dot, good-bye. — Yours truly, Stanley Hutchison (aged 9^ years). Hawera, July 12. [Yes, of course, Stanley, I hope you will have lots to tell us about the sunny north. — Dot."] Dear Dot, — I am going to tell you about my going to school. I was staying at my sister's place down at Cape Egmont, and I had six miles to go to school, but I did not walk. I went with the other lightkeeper's boys in their trap. I was just three weeks at Warea School •when I stopped going, but I went to Pungareku School. It was just three miles from the lighthouse where I stayed. Pungarehu School opened after I was at the Warea School. Mr Alford was our teacher. He was at Warea School, and then he came to Pungarehu. He j is a very kind teacher, and I liked him very much. Dear Dot, I was at school a year, but I was never at school before, and I was in the Second Standard. Do you think I got on well ? My father and mother came down to Cape Egmont and brought me and my sister Flora home. Dear ' Dot, I am back at Tiri Tiri Lighthouse again. It is much quieter than Cape Egmont was ; but steamers often come down. The weather has beezi so cold here lately. Is it very cold down iv Dunedin ? I expect it is. I have a nice paroquet, and my sister Flora has such a pretty pair of cloves. The Government steamer Hinemoa came here with our stores on the 18th of June. She stayed about an hour and then went away. It is a rough day to-day. It i 3 blowing very hard. Dear Dot, I must say good-bye now. — Yours truly, Margaret Agnes Simpson. Tiri Tiri Lighthouse, July 1. [You have got on very well indeed, Margaret. Yes, it is cold in Dimedin in winter. — Dor.] I

Tui. Speckle is blue and mottled with black spots. The one with no name has as many lives as a cat. A hawk ate a hole in its crop, and we did not think it could live, but it is all right now. Another time it got its foot broken and could not walk. — Yours truly, Annie Wade. Blackstone Hill, July 4. [The pigeon is a tough morsel. Had I not told your brother to call it Weka I almost think I should have told you to name it Toughie. — Dot.] Dear Dot, — A bazaar was held in one of the schools in our locality not long ago, so I thought I would write and tell you about it. The admittance was a penny. The articles were all made by the scholars. They had three fancy stalls and one of refreshments. There were three waiters at the refreshment stalls and two to each of the others. When I came to the first stall I saw that the waiters were busy. Tho stalls were arranged with great taste, displaying considerable care on the part of tha girls. They had such a variety of things that I can only give you a small list of them. Dolls, bootees, and cradles, hats, dresses, cloaks, small ornaments, and pictures, small scent-bags, aud a great many other things too numerous to mention. All the refreshments, cakes, and lollies were made by the girls. As there was a large number present, we spent a very pleasant time. — Yours truly, Mary H. Carnie (aged 12^ years). Dunediu, July 12. Dear Dot,— What do you think I am ? Well I am sure you can't guess, so I shall tell you. lam an Almanac. lam hanging up iv a lady's house in Seacliff. She has huu^ me up over the mantelpiece, so I am afraid I shall soon be covered with smoke and dirt. Dear Dot, there is such a pretty picture on me. It is two pretty little girls sitting on a nice couch, and, oh, they do look comfortable. I will tell you how they are dressed. First, they have on blue bodices with such a pretty lace collar. Then they have on white skirts all covered with lace and nice ■ stuff. They have blue stockings and dear little shoes, and there is a beautiful wreath of roses and ferns all around them. And I can tell you, Dot, that lam very proud of my face. When j people come into the room they look at me and j say, " Oh, my, what a pretty picture ! Where > did you get it ? " Dear Dot, may I write to ,' you again and tell you what becomes of me ?—? — i Yours truly, A Pretty Almanac (aged 2£ years). Seacliff, July 9. [Of course you may, Miss Almanac. I wish you had been in a frame, so that you should not get all smoked and spoilt;. — Dot.] j Dear Dot, — It is snowing, and as I havo j three miles to go to school, I could not go today. lam in the First Standard, and I do hope I shall pass when the time comes. I got a prize at school last year. 1 have two dolls, and their names are Ruby and Ruth. My little brother has a little d >j. Please will you give me a name for him. — Yourd truly, Emily (aged 7 year*;). {

ness. Mr Ponlteney Bigelow, a contributor to the Speaker, asked him if the inventor I who has brought tho telephone so near to perfection ojuld not do something for his own hearing. "Easily, if the drum was sound," was his answer. "When I was a boy," he continued, " I sold peanuts and newspapers on the railway trains. One day a baggage poiter lifted me from the ground by my ears; the membranes snapped, and that is how I became deaf." The late Mr Conington, Professor of Latin in the Univerfity of Oxford, was noted for his prodigious memory. At a very early age it began to show itself. When he was a child of four, or thereabouts, be was sleeping one right in the same room with a relative, .when, at the dead of night, his voice was to be heard crying out in the darkness from his little cot in the cr-rner : " Uncle ! uncle 1 I know the Begat?." Uncle : " The what ? Go to sleep, my bo\ , you nro dreaming." Child :" I know the Begats. Listen ! " And he began, " Abraham begt-t Isaac, and 1.-aac begat Jaccb, and Jacob begat Judah," and so on to the end, some 42 generations, without a mistnk<?. Mr John W. Mackay, the Californian millionaire, is a young-looking and well-pre-serve 1 gentleman of GO, who is sensible enough to take life easily, to eat aud drink moderately ar.rt avoid fuss and bother. Mr Gaorgo Livef-ey, says Figaro, has voluntarily adopted tho eight hours system at the Ilotherhilhe gasworks. Ttiis is thy man who was ca'le \ every hateful jcatno under I he sun because he defended the rights of his company. Granville Wood, a coloured resident of New York, is iho first of his race to attain I prominence as an electrician. His new .method of supf/ivin^ electrical energy to cars has been tiied at C'iney Island, and the experiment was a success. In his system j thero are no exposed v/ius. j Dr Gating, the ,41111 maker, resides in j Hartford, Coan., is 72 yctrs of age, but, like ■ Eric^-feCD, tho older he grows the move in- ; tere&t bs take 3in inventions. His hair and j beard are white, but the doctor himself is an interesting example of the vigour and spri^htliness of a hale old age. Genera} d'Andlau, once a well-known figure of gay Paris, died iv poverty at Cayenne, in French Guinea, a few weeks ago. I The General, U will be remembered, was iuj volvfj'l iv a scandal which brought about the disgrace and fall of M. Wilson, sou-in-l'-iw of President Grevy. He was condemned to five years' imprisonment, to the loss of his title as Senator, and cf his rights as a citizen. He had wandered about the world from place to place sinco then until death overtook him.

It is a writing desk. This is the first time I have used it. Dear Dot, I was away at Catlins tuunel for a trip, and I enjoyed myself very well. I shall write to you again and tell you what I saw there. — Yours truly, Johnny Hawke. Taioma, July 11. Dear Dot, — I am a Porjloise. I live in the sea, where I enjoy myself all the clay with my mates. We have fine fun jumping through the waves. Sometimes a whole lot of us get together, and just as a wave rises up we dart through it. It is such glorious fun. In the summer time when the sea is warm we come quite close in to the laud to watch the people bathing. "We are very much amused to see how afraid the people are of such harmless animals as we are. One day my mate and I were swimming along and two men harpooned my mate. Dear Dot, I don't think I w<ll write any more, as I am so down-hearted. — Yours truly, A Porpoise, Taieri Beach, July 14. [Poor old Porpoise. You are evidently of an affectionate disposition, and I canuot wonder at your being down-hearted at the sad death of your mate. However, try to cheer up, and remember that there are as good fish in the sea as there have been taken out of it, so you will probably soon get another mate. — Dot. Dear Dot,— l am a Pretty Little Canary. I live in a nice little cage. lam all yellow except my topknot, which is green. Sometimes my mistress lets me out of my cage, and I fly round the room. One day I got a great fright. I flew down on to the sofa, and a yellow cat jumped at me. My mistress just caught me in time. I was very frightened for a good while after that, but I have got over my fright now. I live on seeds. I am a good singer, and my mistress is very kind to me. Will you please give me a name ? — Yours truly, A Yellow Canahy. Taieri Beach, July 14. [As you are a good singer and a pretty bird I think Patti will be a very good name for you. — Dot.] Dear Dot, — I am a Doll. I came from Dunedin to Invercargill, where I now live. My mistress is sometimes very unkind to me. One day she got a piece of wood and broke all my face with it. My name is Tottie. I wear a white dress trimmed with red, and a red bonnet. One day my mistress got a wet rag and tried to wash my face with it, but she made it very dirty instead of cleaning it. I thiuk it is very cruel to use me so. I know another nice doll. Her name is" Bridget. Her mistress is very kind to her. I must now say good-bye, for my mistress is just coming to get me. — Yours truly, Tottie. Invercargill, July 9. [Poor Tottie, with such usage I am afraid you must present a very sorry appearance. Perhaps if your little mistress reads this letter she will turn over a new leaf and treat you as kindly as Bridget's mistress does her. — Dot.]

Dear Dot, — I go to school and am in the Fourth Standard. I like reading the little folks' letters very well, for some of them are very interesting. My father has a big farm and a lot of sheep and horses. I like horses very well, and ride sometimes. I also like working with sheep. Dear Dot, I have a lot of sisters and one brother. I have never been in Dunedin, but I would like to go down. I have never been in a train yet. We have a good big orchard. Father has been pruning the small trees. We have a lot of apple trees, some plums and cherry trees, and a few pear trees. — Yours truly, Mary (aged 12j years). Fairfield, Chatton, July 10. Dear Dot, — We have just got our winter holidays. The roads are very muddy just now. I have a lot of cousins in Liverpool. Daisy sent Annie and I each a chiffon tie as a Christmas present. Mine was a white one, and Aiinie's was pink. Wo have two little tabby kittens. I have a doll. Will you please give me a nice name for it ? I have a nice little cousin, her name is Bessie. We have four pigeons. Three of their names are Huia, Tui, and Speckle. The other one has no name. Speckle is the prettiest one. I have a book called "The Little Folks' Picture Gallery." I think I like reading the animals' letters best. In front of our house there are a lot of rocks. It is so nice to gather ferns and mosses. One afternoon my brother and sister and I went down the side of the rocks. We found a starling's nest in a rock. It had six eggs in it, so we each had two, When we got home we were tired. We have two pines ; one is a big one, and the other is a small one. We had a lot of pretty everlastings this year. We have three dogs and three cats. — Yours truly, May M. Wade (aged 10 years). Blackstone Hill, July 12. [Call the doll Queenic, and as two of the pigeons are called after native birds tho other might be called Weka. — Dot.] Dear Dot, — I am having my holidays, and so I am going to write a letter to you for the Little Folks' column. We have had very little skating this winter. The skates we use are made of steel, and they are very easily rusted. We keep them bright and clean by drying them as soon as we are finished with them. There is a curling dam near our house, but it has never been used. It is in a gully where the sun cannot get. The rocks near our houses are very high and steep. One Sunday we were there, and fouud a rock lizard. Its eyes were as bright as gold, and its body was covered with dark spots. We had not a very good look at it, as it ran into the rocks. Sometimes we find pretty ferns among the rocks, and press them. On a high rock we fouud a nest of kittens. Some of them were very pretty. A long way down the rocks wild pigeons are found. My brothers have four of them, which they brought from the rocks and reared when quite young. One of them has no name, but the other three's names are speckle, Huia, and

[Ruby, Ruth, and Rover— yes, I think Rover is the very name for him. — Dot.] Letters i-rom Berwick.— ln future I shall insert no letters from this neighbourhood unless they are countersigned by the school teacher. The reason of this is that there is a cowardly individual in the locality who has on two occasions endeavoured to hurt the feelings of respectable residents by sending children's letters purporting to havo been written by them. Steps are being taken to find out who the miscreant is, and in the event of these proving successful, punishment in some form will follow. — Dot. LITTLE FOLKS' RIDDLES. GOO. — By Veronica :—l.: — 1. You cannot do my first at noon, and should you take too much of my second you would want my whole. 2. My first denotes a company, my second shuns a company, my third rouses a company, my whole puzzles a company. 601.— 8y Old Kettle, Roxburgh :— l. Igoup a hill and down a hill, and yet I never move. What am 11 2. Make these six strokes 1 1 1 1 1 1 nine by adding five strokes to them. 602.— 8y Robort Hazlett, South Hillend :— Down in the meadow thero stands Pat, With a led petticoat and a black hat, A stone in his middle and a bush at his back. You'll think of forty things before you'll think of PERSONAL NOTES. ♦ i . The Queen is really one of the keenest judge 3of a picture in the country. This good judgment was also shared by the late Prince Consort. They purchased pictures together with rare tact, and to-day the works Her Majesty bought in those early married days are worth many, many thousands more than was originally given for them. Some 40 years or so ago Dr William Cooke, a well-known Methodist divine, sought to interest the late Mr John Whitworth in a young man who came to him to study for the ministry, but was too poor to buy even the needful books. Mr Whitworth gave him L2O for the purpose. The name of tho young m^n was William Booth. He is now the " General " of the Salvation Army. Mr Wilson Noble, M.P. for Hastings, will look forward to the result of the impending general election with a good 'deal of personal interest. His father, Mr John Noble, who made more than a million of money in the varnish trade, left his son L6OOO a year so long as he retains his suat in the House of Common?. If Mr Noble does not secure a seat in the House, his father's will directs that L2OOO is to be deducted from his income for every year he continues au outsider. It is a saddening commentary on the limits of human invention that Mr Kdison, who has done so much to make inaudible sounds audible, is afflicted with an incurable deaf-