LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLKS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2008, 18 August 1892, Page 41

LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLKS.

Dear Dot, — I am A Wee Sprat, and I live in Moeraki Bay. I came up here because the big fish used to chase me out in the ocean. The frost fish often chaso me here, but when th<>y come in here they get washed ashore, and men pick them up and take them home aud eat them. I have a. hard time of it. The fishermen get nets and try to catch me, but as yet I have escaped them. I was swimming about one day, and I saw a paper floating on the water, and when I looked at it I saw that it was the little folks.' letters, and I saw that a shrimp had been writing to you, so I thought that I would write to you too. lam getting tired now, so I will stop. Please excuse raj writing, but I have never been to school. — Yours truly, A Wee Sit.at. Port Moeraki, August 8. [For A Wee Sprat who has never been to school the writing is truly marvellous. But how did you do ib, Miss Sprat — with your tail or your fin ? — Dot.] Dear Dot, — I am An Old Concertina. I was bought in a shop nob far from where I live now. My master was very careful of me, but as he had to go to the North Island for his health ho left me behind with the rest of the family. One day I got one of my ribs broken, aud had to be put away. One day one of the boys got hold of me and sewed me together. I was glad wheu ho sorted me, for I am proud of myself, as I was reckoned a very good concertina in the days of my youth and health, and now though I am old and decrepit I am still respected. — Yours truly, An Old Concertina. [How nice to bo still respected in old age, even though with a mended broken rib and in a state of decrepitude. I hope all the little folks will try to do their duty as well as the Old Coucertina, and thus earn respect in their old age. — Dot.] Dear Dot, — I am a little girl, and this is my first letter. I have four brothers and one sister. My sister's name is Elizabeth Amelia. She was named after my aunt and my grandmother. My brothers' names are Fred, Bert ie, Tom, and Hubert, and my own name is Jessie Alison, and I was named after another aunt and grandmother. I go to school, and my teacher is Miss Hanuing, and I like her. So goodbye, Dot. — Yours truly, jESsrE Slaughter (aged 7s> years). Orepuki, August 7. Our Dearest Dot, — We go to the Maxwelltown School, and we are in the Third Standard. Two of our sisters go to school with us aud one brother. Their names are Christian, Honour, and Albert. We have not been able to go to school lately, as the weather has been so wet, and we have three miles to walk. We get the Witness every week, and we read tho little folks' letters. Did you ever hear of animals writing ? just fancy, dear Dot! We have three cats. Their names are Tibby, Tom, aud Topsv. We have two dolls. Their names are Lily and Floss. We have two lambs. Please w.iuld you give us nice names for them if you have any left. We went to the beach to-d;iy, and we enjoyed ourselves very much. There were a lot of onions, bags of flour, and other things from the wreck of the Edith May, which was wrecked a few days ago. Ib is about three miles from here. Dear Dob, I think I must close now, as it is getting late. Dear Dot, tell v* what you think of our letter. May I write again? Goodbje. — Yours truly, Marcarkt Jane, and Louisa Ethel.

Okchu, July 30,

[Youv letter is very nice, but you forget that two of you are willing in one or two places. Wouldn't il hs nice to call the lambs after the vessel that was wrecked — Edith and May ? They are both nice names, and will do very well. — Dor.l

Dkar Dot, — I thank you for naming my cat. The school children had a holiday yesterday bacause it was Arbor Day, and theyweie planting trees in Seymour square. The school boys were planting trees around the school grounds. A bazaar was held in Victoria Hall here on Friday and Saturday last in aid of the new Presbyterian Church, aud it was a great success. Dear Dot, I have a bicycle, which my brother had when he went to college. Dear Dot, we have two steamers that trade from Wellington to Blenheim direct, betides lots of small craft from Port Underwood that bring firewood, fish, and other stuff. The steamers ate the Waihi and Neptune. — Yours truly, R. O. Hutchison (aged 11] years,).

Blenheim, August 5

Dear Dot, — I live two miles an-1 a-half from Wyndham. Igo to school, and am in the Fifth Standard. Sir Rogers is my teacher, and I like him very well. I have three sisters and two brothers. Their names are Annie, Barbara, Bessie, George, and James. I have a calf. Please give me a name for it. Our examination will soon take place, and I hope I shall pass. Dear Dot, I shall wiite you a longer letter next time, and tell you all about the dairy factory. — Yours truly, Jane Cushxie (aged 11 years).

Springfield, August 8.

[Thank you, Jane. I shall be very glad, to hear about the dairy factory. Syncopate the name of the month, and you will get the name Gusfor your calf.— Dot. J

Dear Dot, — I live at Nevis Crossing with one of my married sisters, but I have cotne up to stay with mother for awhile. She likes to have me with her. But how Ido miss my dear father when I come. He has been dead nearly 17 mouths ; but I always think I should see or hear him. It is so sad to lose a dear father. Ia your father living, Dot ? Here is a verse my mother often repeats :—: —

A light is from a household gone, The voice we loved is still, A place is vacant at our hearths The world can never fill. — Yours truly, Annie E

Nevis, August 8. [I am sure the little folks will sympathise with you, Annie, in your sad loss. — Dot.]

Dear Dot,— l have a little grey kitten. Will you please give me a name for it ? I passed the examination. Mr Selby is our teacher, and I like him very well. I have 17 miles to go down and up to school. We have had a week's holiday, but I did not like to stay at home for I like going to school very much. I get tho Witness every week, and I read the little folks' letters, and like them very much. — Yours truly, Nellie Sklwood. Parrawa, August 5. [Call tho kibten Skip:— Dot.] Dear Dot, — I go to school and am in tho Fourth Standard. My teacher is Mr Robertson. We aro milking three cows. We have also three cats. One is called Tiny and the other Tilly. Please will you give me a name for the other ? I have four brothers and one sister. Their names are Arthur, Sydney, Charlie, Lenuie, and Mary. — Yours truly, May Gibson.

Riverton, August 6. [Tiny, Tilly, and Tibbie — yes, call the other one Tibbie, — Dot.] Dear Dot, — I am in the Second Standard, and I am nine years old. Our examination will take place soon, and I hope I shall pass. We have a happy family — a monkey, white rats, a rabbit, and a kitten all in one cago, and two frogs in a glass. — Yours truly, Edwin Geuhie.

Oamaru, August 8. [That is indeed a happy family, bub I am afraid when the kitten gets big she will make short work of the white rats. It must be amusing to watch them, and especially the monkey and the rats. — Dot.]

Dear Dot, — Our examination took place on the 28th of July, and I passed. I am in the Sixth Standard now. Tho pupils in our school passed very successfully. Our sheep began to lamb on Monday. It is very wet up here this year. Is it raiuing iv Dunedin, Dot ? The farmers have very little ploughing done because of the rain. Dear Dot, I will write a discription of Balfour next time if you like ?—? — Yours truly, Patrick J. V. Mulquin (aged 12| years). Longridge, August 6.

[I shall be very glad if you will. No thera has not been much rain in Dunedin, and lately the weather has bsen very fine. — Dot.] Dear Dot, — I am an Old Scotch Thistle. I grew in a (garden adjoining an hotel along with a number of my kin. One day the gardener was making preparations to dig the garden, and of course he cut mo and my friends down, and also threw us over the garden wall, where no doubt I would have remained to wither had not a young larrikin, bent on mischief, spied me. He picked me up, and secretly put mo into one of the servant's beds. There I remained quite cosy till bedtime came. The young girl had no sooner got into bed expecting to have a peaceful night's resb, when lo ! with a cry of alarm, she sprang up, exclaiming, "Who has been putting pinsushions in my ' bed ? " and on searching she found me and threw me out through the window, aud here I am at present. — Yours truly, An Old Thisi'LE. Roxburgh, August 10. Deah Dot,— I have just started school again after being away between three or four mouths. lam now iv the Fourth Standard. Mr Reilly is my teacher, and I like him very well. He sometimes gives me the cane, but I don't mind now. There is no skating in Roxburgh like there used to be last year. I like Roxburgh very much in the summer time, because thera is plenty of fruit, and we also go bathing. Dear Dot we have a nice gnrdeu, with all sorts of fruit growing. I wish, Dot, you would come up in the summer-time, as we have plenty of fruit to give you. My father is working on the Dunedin steam dredge, and has about three miles to walk every day. — Yours truly, Gr.onoE Campbell. Beuger Flat, Roxburgh, August 10. [Thank you for your kind invitation, George. We, of course, get Teviot fruit in Dunedin, but it wauld no doubt be even nicer than ib is if picked from the trees as it was eaten. — Dor.] Dkau Dor, —We get ;hc Witness every week, and I like reading the little, folks' letters. I like the letters written by the animals best. I I go to school every day, and am in the Fifth Standard. I don't like school much, as lam tired of it. My sister told me to ask you if you would be so kind as to t"ll her what day the. 12th June in the year 1877 foil on, and she will be very much obliged. I have a cat, and its name is Topsy. It is black all over I was in Duuediu last year, and I think it is a veronica place. I saw the office where the Witness is printed.— Yours truly, . Mivxii:. Invercargill, August 12. [June 12, 1877, fell on a Tuesday. — Dot.] Dear Dot.— l have a nice little kitten. Its name is Willie Winkie. We had a holiday yesterday, and we had another to-day. It is lovely weather just now. lam going to a concert to night. It is in aid of the English church. All the trees are in bud now, and nearly all the crocuses are out as well as the primroses and violeti, The bens ar? laying

well just now, and we get plenty of eggs. I have a pretty garden of my own, and I like to garden in it myself. — Yours truly, Goblin. Friday, August 5. Dear Dot. — I have a doll with brown hair. Will you please give me a name for it ? I went to a magic lantern entertainment last night, and it was very nice. Wo don't go to school, but are taught at home. I have no pets to tell you about. lam going to a concert to-sight. — Yours truly, Faiuy. [As you are a Fairy and your brother is a Goblin, call the doll Pixie. — Dor.] Dear Dot, — I live in Warepa. We celebrated Arbor Day, and planted over 300 trees. A good many parents aud friends took part, and we enjoyed tho fun of planting tho trees very much. Wo sang " The New Zealand national anthem." It was just like a. picnic. Mr Wilson, our teacher, treated us to tea and cakes. — Yours truly, Aggie (aged 9 yean.) • Dear Dot, — As you have so many letters may I send you a problem out of my book. — Yours truly, Alice Lono. Beaumont road, Lawrence, August 10. AN ARITHMETICAL PROM.EM. I stand on the Leviathan Of all tho steamships built by man. I pace her decks from end to end, Then ask a sailor standing by Her tonnage What is that my friend? Hid quid (at least 1 think he did) He turns, and answers, They begun her To bu a twenty thousand tonner. As 1 was busy ruminating What it might cost to put her freight in, My sailor friend once more begins, " Now if her hold were rilled with pins How many do you think she'd carry?" I pause a moment, then I parry His question by anothci : " Say, How many pins a ton will weigh ? " The sailor knew no more than I did," And so we left it undecided. But as he'd set my thoughts iv motion I sought a draper's shop close by And weigh an ounce of pins, said I. He smiled at such a funny notion, And thought I'd water on the brain ; But being, as drapers are, urbane, He weighed them, while the shopman wondered. I told them once and yet again To be precise. There wore two hundred. Now tell me Tom and Dick and Harry How many pins that ship will carry. Dear Dot, — I live at Otara with my grandmother, my grandfather, and my undo. Father and mother live close by. Mother and I milk seven cows night and morning. Dear Dot, do you have to go out to milk these cold mornings? I think it rather cold. Grandmother has gob a pretty little heifer calf. It is a red and white one. Will you please give me a name for it Good-bye dear Dot. — Yours truly, M. E. Black (aged 14 years). Otara, August 5. [Never mind, the spring is here now, and already the mornings are warmer, and ib is

daylight much sooner. To remind you of the spring I think you mighb call the calf Primrose. —Dor.] Dear Dot, — Thank you for the name you gave me for the calf. lam going to tell you about Arbor Day. Three of the School Committee and Mr Shepard, our teacher, dug the holes for the trees, and the children helped to plant them. Some held the trees upright while the others put some soil around tho roots. A hundred and seventy trees were planted. Macrocarpa and Pinus insignus were the trees. Mr and Mrs Shepard were very kind to us, for they gave us some tea and cakes when we were finished. It was a nioe warm day, and we enjoyed ourselves very much. — Yours truly, Jane B. M'Murtrie. South Hillend, August 8. Dear Dot,— l am an Old Billy, and I have got a hole in my side. Wben I got tho hole in me my mistress stopped it up, but it broke out again, and my mistress put me away till one of her children took me outside, and I am now a play toy for the children, who fill me up with line sand, aud have the pleasure of seeing ib run out again. Sometimes they put a piece of rag in the hole and fill me up with saud and water, and try to build walls with it. — Yours truly, An Old Billy. Roxburgh, August 9.