LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLKS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2059, 10 August 1893, Page 45

LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLKS.

Dear Dot,— l am going to give you a description of Rongahere. It is a very hilly country, covered with bush, situated at the foot of the Blue Mountains. There is a school, and we have two roads lately made. There are a lot of creeks running through the bush to the river Molyneux, which flows by us. On the sides of the creeks grow beautiful ferns, mosses, and grasses. Two miles up the river there is a sawmill worked by water. There is also a punt, which has lately been shifted a mile down the river. The road leadiDg to the punt and mill is very pretty, the river being on one side and the bush on ths other. The different kinds of trees in the bush are the birch, the kowhai, j the fuchsia, the broadleaf, the totara, the matai-gauri, and the manuka. The hills are j covered with scrub, and there is no grass. Consequently the cattle have no food except tussocks, and whenever they get the chance they run away up to the mountains, where there is plenty of broadleaf. There they stop until they are brought back. They have bells j attached to their necks. The cattle are very cunning; when they don't want you to find them they hide in the 6crub and keep very quiet, so that their bells will not tinkle. There are such a lot of rabbits here ; they are being poisoned.— Yours truly, Gipsy. Rongahere, July 31. [Thank you, Gipsy, for your interesting description of the district in which you livo. The cattle evidently know what is good for them.— Dot.] Dear Dot,— l am going to tell you something about Middlemarch. The district is a i large plain, broken up into runs and farms, j There are four large stations— viz., Gladbrook, ■ Cottesbrook, Taieri Lake, and Barewood.

for the rabbits, but they look very small. I hope you will print this for me, as some of the men may bring it up in their bags, and I may hear them read it. There is a snowstorm coming on, and I feel very sleepy.— Yours truly, A MouNrAiN Peak. Takatimos, July 30. Dear Dot,— l have three pet lambs, and their names are Hetty, Letty, and Snowy. My two brothers have a calf each ; will you please give them names for them. Dear Dot, since I last wrote to you I have got a little sister, and her name is Dora Adelaide Lillian. When the measles were about we all had them but father and mother and baby, but we are all better now. Dear Dot, lam going to tell you about the ploughing match we had on the 12th inst. It was a lovely day, and there was a lot of people at it. It was held in my grandfather's paddock, and there was a lot of ploughs^ I stay at home on Mondays to mind my little sister, as it is mother's washing day. It has been very wet and cold here lately. My birthday is on the 4th of August, and I shall be 11 years old. Arbor Day is also on the 4th, and we are going to plant trees at the school. My sister's birthday is on the 11th of August, and she will be 13 years old.— Yours truly, Elizabeth D. Johnston. Ferndale, July 31. [Transpose the initials of your own and of baby's name and you will get names for the calves — Lad and Jed. — Dot.] Dear Dot,— l live at a very pretty place | called Fassifern. There is a pretty bush attbe back and a long avenue at the front. There is Buch a pretty cemetery here, and the Blue Mountains at the back. They are very steep, and there are a lot of nice places for picnics on them. Amongst others I like Whisky Gully. It has bush all round it and a lovely stream running through it. There used to be a lot of wild boars on the mountains, but I think they have been hunted to the back. Tapanui is our township, and it is very pretty also. I have never seen any letters from the children about here, and I don't know whether any of them have written to you. Have you ever been at Tapanui, Dot ? Before we came here we used to live in Dunedin, and we went to the Convent School. I like Dunedin very much, but I like Tapanui better. I have never been out of New Zealand in my life, and I never want to go, because I don't like the sea ; do you, dear Dot ? We don'fc go to school here, but learn at home, which I like much better. Aren't dogs, cats, parrots, &c, getting very clever ? They can write, spell, read, and do lots of other thing 3. We got a little baby brother the other day. He is such a dear little fellow. Do you like babies, Dot ? Nearly all the children about here have had the measles, but we have not. I hope we shall escape them, because I think they are not very pleasant. Do you like ferns, Dot P There are a lot in our bush, some very pretty ones too. I had a very nice dog named Boss, but he is gone away, and we have got another named Taipo. We had another little dog named Fanny, but she got choked

while eating a rabbit, so you can tell how small she was. My sister Maggie has a dear little lamb named Milly. The dog named Boss and ° Milly were great friends, and used to sleep together. One night I got' a new lamb, and we put it in with Milly. Boss worried it, but didn't quite kill it, because one of the men coming by, and hearing the row, went ia just in time to save it. It had to be killed, however, for ifc was hurt so badly. Another night he worried Milly. Father put some cold tar on Milly's sore place, and she is getting better. ; Boss got suph a thrashing, but I was sorry for. him, because I liked him, though of course he deserved it,— Yours truly, Chhjssie. Fassifern, Tapanni, July 28. Dear Dot, — I am going to tell you something about the freezing works. It is a very large building, and a good few men* are working- at it. There is some machinery outside which is | used to drive an engine inside. This engine ia the thing that makes the snow, and as the snow passes through some tubes it turns into ioe. This ice goes into the freezing chamber, and when the sheep are put in they get frozen. When they are frozen they become very brittle, and are very easily broken in two. A fatal accident occurred up here a short while ago. While the hands employed at the freezing works and those at the paper mill were having a game of football a Mr Masson was killed through getting a knock on the head. Dear Dot, the next time I write may I tell you about the new paper mill that is going up ?— Yours truly, ■ • . Alexander Collib. Mataura, August 1. '' [Certainly, Alexander, I think the little 1 folks would like to hear all about it.— Dot.] Dear Dot,— l live in Waikoikoi. W<? have eight horses, and I have two cats. \ My brother has got the measles. I have four little bantam hens and one rooster. We have a dog, and its name is Spot. — Yours truly, ' Nellie Lavender (aged 8£ yeaw). August 1. ' , .• ' Dear Dot, — I have four- brothers, and two of them are working, and they are going to buy me a piano. My papa took me to the Water Tower, but it was so high that I could not go up it.— Yours truly, MAirau M. Davidson. Dee street, Invercargill, August 1. Dear Dot,— l ajm a Lantern. Igo out every night with my master to see if there are any rabbits in the traps. I don't know what my master would do without me. My master feeds me on candles, and I do burn a number of them. Once my master took, me into' the kitchen, and the Witness was lying open on the table and I read the little folks' letters, and that is how I came to write to you. But I must say good-bye now, as I think it is time to go to the traps.— Yours truly, An Old Lantern. Middlemarch, July 29. Deam Dot, — Our school has been closed for nearly a week, as our teacher, Mr Meiklejohn, j has left us, having got another school; I hope we get as good a teacher next time, for I liked him very much, and I am sorry he haß left us.' Mr Meiklejohn had a spring cart in which he üßed to go to Feldwick, and he often took some of the pupils with him. I used to like to go to the Feldwick School, for there are big rocks at the school, and a river and a lagoon, and a little island in it, and mountains a few miles off .—Yours truly, Elizabeth Helen M'Call. Eastern Bush, July 24. Dear Dot,— l have a pretty little bantam rooster, and he can fight all the big roosters. His name is Johnnie. I have a little' black kitten ; please will you give me a name for it. I have two sisters and two brothers.— Yours truly, John M'Call. Eastern Bush, July 24. / [Tommy the kitten can keep Johnny the bantam company. — Dot.] Dear Dot, — It is very cold weather just now, and when we go to school on a cold day it is not very nice. Four of us, go to school, and lam in the Fifth Standard. Our examination is to take place in about a month. Most of the people have the measles about here, but we have escaped them as yet. I have a doll with rosy cheeks ; will you please give me a nice name for it. We get the Witness every week, and I like reading the little folks' column. —Yours truly, Jessie W. Mataura, July 30. [Call her Ruby, which is a very nice name.— Dot.] Dear Dot.— Our winter is very cold down here. We have had very hard frost and any amount of snow. lam glad that I live near sohool. — Yonrs truly, Bella Bennett (agedlo£ years). Oreti Plains, July 31. Dear Dot,— l live at a place called Branch Creek. We are having very wet weather just now. We have two horses, named Don and Daisy. We have also a little foal ; would you please give me a name for her. We have a lot of hens, turkeys, and ducks. We have also a lot of cows, but none of them are' milking just now. We have a dog, and her name is 'Belle. She is very useful foxhunting cattle and catching rabbits. — Yours truly, July 25. James Little (aged 13). [Keep up the "D's," and call thp foal Dolly.— Dot.] Dear Dot,— l am a little girl, and I ani writing to you for the first time. Wo have a nice large garden and vinery, and a conservatory, in which some of the flowers are now ( out. In the autumn we have a great many chrysanthemums. They are all colours, bub I like the light yellow ones bost. We have a littjle dog called Peg, and she had four little pups. •' " We gave them all away except one, andwe call him Con. Last year I was in Melbourne staying with my aunt, and I went to school there for three months. Igo to school hero now, but I like Melbourne better tban Dunedin.— Yours truly, Muriel Boyd. Stafford Street, Dunedin. July 30. \ Dear Dor,— There are going to be two concerts up here on August 1, and I hope it will le a fine night. There was a terrible gale of wind here last Tuesday, but it did not do 'much damage. I have two brothers, Frank and Willie. Frank plays in the band, and Willie is arabbiter. Dear Dot, I have a chestnut ,pony ; will you please give me a name for her.-rYours truly, Ted Russell (aged 12 years) . ' Waipori, July 28. [Call her Gipsy.— Dot.] Dear Dot, — I live at Roslyn. We have a fox-terrier deg ; will you please give mo a name for it. I went to the circus when it was here, and I liked it very well. There were all kinds of performing animals/ I read the little 'folks' letters every week, and I think the animal letters are very funny. — Yours truly, Hahold Williams (aged 7 years). July 30. ■• [Call the dog Friok.— Dot.] '. Dear Dot, — I went to the circus when % was here, and I liked it very much. I -liked tho clowns best of all. We tyd the measles^ but I did not like them at all. We were away from school a month, and we walked out to the beach with our dog Fanny, and we rode back in the

There is a salt lake not very far from the township at a place called the Sutton. Have you ever been up to Middlemarch? The scenery along the line is beautiful, the rocks nearly touching the train. There is along range of mountains called the Bock and Pillar, which are covered with snow just now. The ferns that grow up in the mountains are very pretty, and they are also very plentiful. They are, however, difficult to get at.— Yours truly, Middlemaroh, July 29. A Schoolgirl. Dear Dot,— l have two sisters, whose names areDavidenaand Annie. We have three cats —a grey, a yellow, and a black, and their namea are Stanley, Bandy, and.Tipootib. We have two black swans, and they are very tame, but they are getting rather cheeky to my little si6ter. One of them chases her into the house ; would you pleaße give me names for them. I have planted 100 poplars. We planted 600 cuttings last week between [poplars and mUaws. We are having very dry weather. By-and-bye I will let you know how my cuttings are growing.—Yours truly, Hughib M. Cleugh. Gimmerburn, August 1. [You have done good work in planting so manycuttingß. If you keep them well watered you will no doubt have the pleasure of seeing most of them grow.— Call the swans Sable and Chloe. —Dot.] Dear Dot,— lt is very nice to live at Sawyer's Bay. In s the summer there are a great many, picnics down here. There is a large tannery and also a starch factory in Sawyer's Bay. It is not very far to Port Chalmers, and we often go to see the large ships and steamers at the wharves. Sometimes they go up to Dunedin pulled by the little tugs, and we see them passing by here in the channel. We have a little boat of our own, and my brothers often take me for a row in fine weather, but I never go when they are going to fish, became they go out too far in the harbour .—Yours truly, Sawyer's Bay, July 31. Maeu. Dear Dot,— l have a pet canary ; will you please give me a name for it. I have had the measles, and so have all my brothers and sisters. The school has bee"n closed for three weeks.— Yours truly, Alice Freeman, Palmerston, August 1. [Call the Canary Tweed.— Dot.] Dear Dot,— l am a Peak in the Takatimo Mountains, and it is very lonely ap here. We are nearly all covered with snow, and I shall be glad when the spring time comes, and then we shall see the shepherds toiling up us with their dogs and their bags with their food and a blankefc.tor they are camped out three or four nights while they bring the sheep up after shearing them, and fetch them down in the autumn. You would wonder what the sheep find to eat up here, but there are a lot of sweet herbs and native grass, and the sheep come down quite fat. Dear Dot, if you were up here a day you could see Otautau, Winton, Mossburn, and Lake Manapouri, and several other places. I can see the men laying poisoned oats

tram. Fanny jumped upon everybody's lap that came in, so I put her out, and she followed another tram back to the beach. The tram driver whistled for her, but she did not take any notice of him, but went up to granny's and scratched at the door to see if we were there. Aunty Bhowed her a stick, and she walked off home.— Your truly, Feank Williams. Dear Dot, — I live near Waikaka Valley, which is a village between Waikaka township and Gore. There is a church, a blacksmith's shop, and a school in Waikaka Valley. lam a member of the Band of Hope. We have three peacocks and four peahens. The measles are very bad in Gore at present.— Yours truly, July 29. Mabel White. Dbae Dot,— l am a Peacock. I live on a farm near Waikaka Valley. I have a wife and two sons and two daughters. My wife is not nearly so beautiful as I am, because she never gets a pretty tail. I am blue all about the neck and breast ; then I have a magnificent tail, which is about sft long. ,1 am very proud of it. Don't you think it is something to be proud of ? About the beginning of autumn I begin to lose my feathers, and give the boys great fun hunting for them. When I have lost them all I feel ashamed of myself, and keep out of sight. lam boss of the poultry yard, and can fight the gander and turkey cock. I sometimes walk into the house and look at myself in the looking glass. To-day I went in, and seeing my mistress's letter on the table I slipped mine into it. This is all I have to say at present, so good-bye.— Yours truly, Dick the Peacock. Dbab Dot,— l am a Dog. I live in Waikaka Valley. There are two other dogs besides me on the farm. There is also a number of cats, which I do not like. lam four years old. Sometimes I go out with my master to catch rabbits. I like catching little ones, but Ido not like catching big ones, as they are too strong for me, because I am only a little dog. I soon kill rats and mice when I get them. I feel the cold very much in the winter, and when I get a chance I go in beside the fire.— Yours truly, Tiny. Mountjoy, Waikaka Valley, July 31. Dear Dot,— -We live in Queenstown, which is rather dull, but has been livened up lately by a bazaar in aid of Dr Barnardo's homes. The young girls of the town have been busy working for the last three or four months at making fancy and useful articles. The bazaar, which was held in the Town Hall, was a great success, realising £36, of which £5 will be given to a family recently left destitute by fire in our own district. The stalls were presided over by the girls themselves, and looked after by Mrs G. Mackenzie, the head of this good work, to whom much praise is due. • We hope this account will help the elder people, as well as the little folks, to remember the poor, and that they will join with us in aiding the little waifs and strays. If anyone wishes to send a contribution, a message to Mrs G. Mackenzie will be warmily responded to. -.The next evening after the bazaar a social was given by the young girls, who invited many of their friends, and a mo st enjoyable evening was spent, and everyone is hoping it will be repeated, as it is a very pleasant way to pass an evening. Yesterday we saw the first signs of spring returning. It was primroses out in the garden. We are all sorry winter is over, as we have sot had so much skating as we would have liked. Qaeenstown is much livelier in summer than in winter, through the tourists coming to the district. — Yours truly, The Theee Sisters. Qaeenstown, July 29. Dear Dot, — I have a doll, and my brother has a puppy. It is a spaniel ; will you please give us names for them. We have a dog who was born in the same week as I was, so he is nine and a-half years old. Once when my father was working away fiom home he was called away in a hurry from his work. He left his coat and bag thinking to go back, but he could not, and when he went back in the morning he found his coat and bag, and the dog lying beside them. He had been beside them all night, taking care of the things. He very often does things like than. Do you not think that he .is a faithful old dog P Dear Dot, I have had the measles, but I am better now.— Your truly, Bebtha Coombes. Ryal Bush, August 2". [He certainly is a dear old fellow, and you should all be very proud of him. Call the pup Don and the doll Augusta.— Dot.] Dear Dot, — I live at Milburn. Our school is closed through so many being ill with .the measles. I am staying with a friend, and my brother is in Dunedin. lam going to see my school mate, Minnie Olegg, to-morrow.— Yours truly, ' Mina Dobbie (aged six years.) •■ Deah Dot,— l have three dolls. Their names are Violet, Ruby, and Queenie. I often take them for a drive in the pram. I was at a concert on Friday night. The new hall was crowded, and between the concert and dance they took £40.— Yours truly, 1 Muriel Whiting. Roxburgh, July 30. Dear Dot, — It has been very cold here this -winter. It is very seldom I see a letter from Oamaru, but I saw one' last week. I read the little folks' letters every week. We have a pet lamb out at the farm. Its name is Lily, and it won't go away from the cows, and if we go near it the cows will run after us. We have three dogs, named Rover, Bob, and Wag. We have also a little pony called Dolly. She is co quiet. Dear Dot, have you ever been in Oamaru ? I have often been in Dunedin. I almost forgot to ask you a name for my little white kitten.— Yours truly, Kathleen E. Oagney. Oamaru, August 1. [Call the kitten Snowy.— Dot.] Dear Dot,— We are milking four cows, but one of them will soon be dry. I give them turnips every night and morning, and it is a fine contract in cold weather. .We have one pig, and three calves. Dear Dot, have you ever been at Purfckireki? If you ever come don't come in winter, for you will get bogged in the mud. — Yours truly, Robert Tapp. Furekireki, August 1. [I shall certainly take your advice, Robert. It is easy enough to find mud in Dunedin without giving to Purekireki to get bogged in "it.— Dot.] Dear- Dot, — I have had the measles lately, but lam better how. I am in the First Standard. The examination takes place very soon, and I want to pass. My little pet dog Gyp died the other day, and I was very sorry. I have two cats ; please will you give me names for them. — Yours truly, Nellie Jeffs. Palmerston, July 31. [Call the cats Tibby and Mouser.— Dot.] Dkab Dot. — We have had lots of amusements here lately. The Kennedy Company have beeu here forawedkor two. They were unfortunate in having bad weather ; and Ruby had the measlec The Catholics had a social. It was a great success. ' We Presbyterians had a bazaar, which did well. There was a poultry show, but my brothers did not show anything. Our school is to have a holiday on August £, as it is Arbor Day. Measles are about, and a few of

my chums have got them, but I have escaped so far.— Yours truly, R. 0. Hutcheson. Blenheim, July 31. Dear Dot,— l have a little baby Bister, and she is very cross. I have three sisters and three brothers. lam the eldest of the family. Dear Dot, will you please tell mother how to make marmalade. I went to a magic lantern the other night ; they were showing scenes of New Zealand. I thought it was very good. I i am nine years old.— Yours truly, August 2. Ada Sabah Todd. [See Home Interests.— Dot.] L. M. L. and Birdie.— You have omitted to send your names with your letters. LITTLE FOLKS' BIDDLEB. 695. By Bessie, Roslyn :— What is that which sickens everybody but those who swallow it ? 696. By Muriel Whiting, Roxburgh j-What is that which a woman looks for and never wishes to find ? 697. By E. Ormond, Roxburgh :— A lady went over London bridge, and she had water above her, water beneath her, and water on both sides of her. 698. By Gipsy, Rongahere :— What is the oldest piece of furniture in the world? 699. By Bella Bennett, Oreti Plains:— You throw a thing up white and it comes down yellow. ANSWERS TO LAST WEEK'S RIDDLES. 689. By Lizzie Barker, Bluff :— (1) His foot ; (2) about half an hour. 690. By Emerald, Roxburgh :— (1) As it is made up you spoil it ; (2) because he has got to scrape for a living : (3) because it is a little yeller. 691. By Lizzie Bertinshaw, Waipori :— Because he steels (steals) picks. 692. By Jennie Meston, Maungatua :— Gooseberry. 693. By A. W. B. :— Because she can't look through it. 634. By Willie Alexander :-(l) A tanner; (2) OlOU;(3)theletterM. — It is stated that 70 per cent, of the people of Ceylon live by agriculture.