LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLKS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2103, 14 June 1894, Page 45

LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLKS.

Dear Dot, — I have never written to you before, but as my companion and I went to bog the waterworks the other night I thought I would just write and tell you about our visit. Mr Richardson, the contractor for pumping the water, very kindly explained all about the pump to us. The water tank stands on a tower 30ft high, and is capable of holding 4000 gal. The water required to supply the township varies from 8000 gal to 10,000 gal weekly, according to the weather. The pump j is worked by steam power, and the engine is a four horse-power, but the pump does not require more than one to drive it, and can pump 2000 gal per hour. The water soaks through the sand from the Taieri river, and is of splendid quality for domestic purposes. Mr Richardson says he does not mind pumping water for people to use, but it makes him very cross when it is wasted, as it often ia. The waterworks were builfc about three years ago, and they are of great benefit to the township. — Yours truly, Oufcram, June 5. Bessie. [Thank you for your description of the waterworks, Bessie. I shall be glad to hear from you again. — Dot.] Dear Dot, — Gibbston, where I live, is a rather lonely place, although we do not feel it so, for I have five brothers and three sisters, and we make plenty of fun of our own. My father is storekeeper, and there is always someone about. We get the Witness every week, and we like the Little Folks' page. We have two cows, and thtir names are Daisy and Rosy. We go to schoc 1 , and our teacher 6Mr Walsh. I am in the Sixth Standard. It is very cold up here just now. My brothet Tom had a very bad cut or. his kfb foot, made by a chaffcutter. It is nearly all right now, and he can ran about as well as ever again. Dear Dot, could jou give me a cure for chilblains P — Yours truly, Mary Allan Kinross. Gibbston, June 3. [You do not say whether the chilblains are on your hands or your feefc, Mary. If on your hands soak them in very hot water until they are almoit parboiled night and morning, and dry them thoroughly. Do not put your hands in cold water, and keep thtm as warm as possible. If on the feet the best plan is to burn them out at the fire. It is very painful, but better stand that for a while than run the risk of the chilblains breaking. — Dor.] Dear Dot, — I am a Little Mouse, and I live in Hampden. I have taken up my aboda under tbe floor of a very prtat.y house. My husband, my six young onea, and myself all live here, aud we generally have a very pleasant time, except when we cannot get much food, and then it is anything but nice to have six little young ones crying all day long for food which I cannot give them and a husband too weak to go out and hunt for it. I have had many

holes. One day I was sleeping in some tussocks, and I heard a rabbit make a noise. I made a dart at the rabbit, but it got away, and I ran after it and went into the wrong hole, where there was a trap. I began to scrape, and my leg was caught iv the trap. It was sore for a long time, but now it is quite well again, though I walk lame. Dear Dob, I must stop now as my leg is jgetting sore. — Yours truly, Rover. Gibbston, June 3 Dear Dot, — I live at Akatore. We have two cows milking, and we have six horsts. The nice raba flower grows up here. We have had web weather during the pagt week. There is a place here called Big Bush, and a nice brook |runs through it, called Taurus brook. Dear Dot, I will write again and tell you all about Akatore. — Yours truly, Akatore, June 6. A Schoolgirl. Dear Dot, — I read the little folks' letters every week, and I like them very much. I am in the Third Standard at school. We have two weeks' holiday as our school is getting painted. We have a lob of hens and one big rooster, which is very pretty. We have also four turkeys and some ducks. It is very nice to wade in the river or to go to the bush and have a picnic. Ifc is very wet weather jusfc now. In summer time people come up the river fishing for trout. I have a heifer calf ; please will you give me a name for it. — Yours truly, Waikaia, June 7. Katie M'Kenzie. [As your sister's pup is to be called Rikki-tikki, I think you had better call the calf Nag. — Dot.] Dear Dot, — We have two miles and a-half to walk to school. A river runs past our house Two miles aDd a-half from our place is Waikaia. We live. near a bush, and it looks very pretty in the summer time. 1 have two sisters and four brothers. Please give me a name for a pup. — Yours truly, Isabella M'Kenzie. Waikaia, June 7. [I think Bikki-tikki would be a novel name for him, don't you ?— Dot.]