LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLKS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2161, 25 July 1895, Page 49

LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLKS.

Dear Dot, — The last time I wrote to you I Was on a visit to Maheno. I will tell you about my journey home. My aunt and I left Maheno at 8 o'clock on Thursday morning. It was very cold all the way down. We arrived at Dunedin •bout 1 p.m., and called upon some friends who live near the museum. After hav'ng lunch we went to the museum, aud I saw all the birds and animals that I read about in my school books. On the first floor are all the larger animals ; close to the door are tha rhinoceros and the large seals. The art gallery opens out of the first floor room. On the second floor are all the monktys, lizards, snakes, and otber small animals. The top floor is full of birds ; there is a large prize hen and a rooster, and a good few "humm'ng birds. What tiny things they are. I - s wouder wh»t they would be like when, they were Vjasfc hatched. I looked all around for the &a(ipo spider, but I could not see it. Please, ;Dot-, cau you tell me if it is in the museum. On jlhe next day, wTiich was Friday, .my aunt, another lady friend, and myself went to see the 'little tots in the kindergarten. We were a ilittle late. Mis* Wieneke was nob there, but '-ftliss Dale was. Miss Dale told the little children that wo were visitors oome to see them, 'and that they were to try their best in BiDging .their ]a,*b hymn. She af-ked one little girl Go come into the ring and sing the- second verse of '"Jesus loveß me," and any other to come too. _ODe little tot held up her hand and said, ""Please, teacher, I will oome too." Wheu they were gone Miss Dale showed us the tbinga they 'made ; she had a glass casa in the schooh*. om Cfull of things the little children had made for $he exhibition. I enjoyed my vied* to the ■kindergarten very much. I forgot to say thit I B&w the two mummies and the mummy head which Mr Hftllonstein brought to the museom. Faucy, Dot, people being dead 1000 years and to be teon now. On Monday morning we left Dua"cdin. There were school children from Arrowtown in our ouriage. The boys had their pocketi flUfd with ehella they had picked up on St. Clair beach. They seemed to have enj .yed It mast have been a treat for them. We arrived at Milton about 11 a.m. I ,im sorry I have no money of my own just now. I only send my own. The first time I get some I will send the •tamps. I will not forget the little tots in the kindergarten. —Yours truly, Marion G. (aged 10£). Skibo Yam, Glenledi, July 11. [Thank you, Marion, for your extremely interesting Utter. lam glad you saw the liWle pet pic in one of the kiucergArteus. I do nob know whether there is a kutipo in the museum or not, but I should think there must be one somewhere in the cues.— Dor ] Dear Dot, — I read the letter from Minnie F. M&it with much pleasure, and as I am at home with the who^piDg cough, rerbaps what I can tell about my Now Zealand home will interest her. My -home is on the top of a hill ; the setrest town befog Ba'.clutha, on the banks of the River Clutha, the fifth largett in tie world. .We have a splendid view. The town of Miltoo, /amoua for its pottery work* aud flour mill, can ba plainly eeen, alao the coal-mining t jwn of 'Kaitai-gata, and the pretty sheet of wa'.er 'c&Hed Lake Tutkitoto. In the distance can ba peen the Hokonui Mountains, thon the Blue Mountains, and lastly the Lammerlaws, which Jiuve enow on them all the year rouad. On ihe Blue Mountains nearest my home can be 2eeo a lot of bush, and our New Zealand bush ,is very pretty. If you could only si-e a rata in IWoom ! It is so pretty with its lovelj primson "flower*. The goai is al b very pretly in early spring, with its lovely clusters of yellow flowers. The wild convovulus, a long creeping plant, bears a lovely white beU-sb.».ptd flower.- The manuka, a bushy plant, has tiny white Sowars h^ye a very pleasant sta«ll. Then we t»vd a loVoly lot of ferns. I never knew how pretty they were till I paid a visit to the Dan»dic Exhibition in 1890, where the fernery was a treat. Of the birds I csuinot say much, but there are some very pretty paroqu.t', ci loured j ■green with red and yellow he *ds. The wild jrieeoD, which some people count a delicious dish, is a beautiful bird. We have plenty of sparrows and g >ldflaches, which were brought jfco the country. They are very destructive,* and do much damage to the corn. Wild ducks are very plentiful, but a kind called the piradise duck is one of the most beautiful of the wild birds. Rabbits, which are very plentiful, gire employment to numbers in trapping and poisoning them. The part of Otago in which I live is devoted tp grain-growing. Many people dig for gold in different pUces, and a great lot has bacn found en the Olutha banks. Just now the yreather is cold and stormy, but ppriog will soon be here, and I shall have to try to mfcko ' up for my long' spell at home, as I am *fr*id I . .will not. past my examination. Dear Dot, I "" Jbope tbia letter will pot be too long, as it has 4a&eu me ft long time to write it.— Yours I truly, f Saeah Alice Houliston (*ged 10J years). - 1 XNo, Sarah, cot a bit foo long," and it is exttfcm;ly icte - estfr>g. Tha Clutha river U however ecatcly the filth largeit in the world. I ■m fcure Minnie Muir will be very pleased to re*d it in her far-away American home. — Dot.] Deae Dot, — I Eeo in the Witnees a letter from Minoie Moir, Illinois, Ameiica, in which she says she woold like someone to give a description of New Zealand, so I thought I would do so. I live in the south of New Zealand, in Southland, and I will describe it as iWell as I can. I hope tbis letter will not be too long, but I am afraid you will have to print it 'in two parts. New Zealand is a very pretty and ia supposed to grow the most 'Jbeautiful wild ornamental shrubs, trees, aud flowers ever seen. There are a great many forestsin New Zealand, in vrhich there are many varieties of trees. The broadleaf is a beautiful tree, with broad, shining green leaves ; it makes splendid firewood. The ribbon tree is also a pretty tree, with large clusters of small white flowers produced in spring. Another jvery pretty tree is the kowhai, which in the 'spring is a mass of yellow flowers. They grow in bunches, but each flower is about l£in long. "jThe wild fuchsia also grows in the bush, but is not so nice as the fuchsia grown in pots, but it "will grow in gardens if taken care of. The 'ckmntis is a climbing plant which blooms in the spring, and grows ia masses of Urge white flowers, and looks very beautiful. The rata, or ironwood, is a bard kind of timber, and has 'pretty fcarlet flowers about Christmas time. The pudding wood has bunches of pink flowers, and the orange wood has large shining green leaves, which are very fattening for cattle. The New Zealand cabbage tree grows astern very nigh and thick, and throws out large bunches pf long, narrow leaves iv different places, and in Jaoh bunch is a large white flawer. There are &£teAt many pretty ferns growirjg ia the buflU

mountains in the North Island are of volcanic origin. Southland and Westland are the wettott parts of New Zealand, bub the winters are not very severe here. The climate it healthy, but the weather is very unsettled, and we get all sort) of weather in one day. We live on top of a hill, and we h*ve a plantation of fir tree* round the house for shelter. I have two miles and a- half to go to school, but I do not go much iv winter as the roads are fearfully bad. I hope Minnie will write agii», and let us know more about the birds and flower* of her country, and I hope some of the little folks will write and describe the places in which tbey live. — Yours truly, Nellie Scotp. Hokonu', July 11. [There, Minnie, I think you will now know something about New Zealand, thanka to the trouble Sarah «nd Nellie have gone to in replying to you. I hope we shall hear from you again. —Dot.] Dear Dot, — I am a young calf, and my name is Jock. I don't like being shut up, but my master says I can't get loose, because I run away with my mother ; but sometimes I do get loose, and then I give them a rua. It is fun to see them running a'ter me. Some of them have long legs and some short ones, and they get hold of my tail and I kick at them. Then they put their feet in a hole, and over they go heela over head. Then I should like to laugh, but you koow calves c in' t laugh, so I just stick up my tail, kick out my hind l<~g^, and oil I go as hard as I am able, lewing them to pick themselves up the best way they can.— Yours truly, Waikawa, July 14. Jock. [Fine fun you have, Jock, and I have no doubt the little folks on the farm enjoy it quite ai much as you do yourself, though they wouldn't like to come within range of your heels.— Dot.] Dear Dot,— We have been having very bad weather here lately, and echoal has baen stopped for a fortnight owing to the heavy fall of snow. This has been a very unlucky winter for the rabbit jrs, for every time they have laid their poison lib has been covered with snow. We h»ve two mares and two horse foals, and one is mine ; would you please give me a name for it. I am tending you twelve stamps for the Kind* garten Fund. — Yours truly, Robert William Holmes. Nevis, July 15. [ A s it has been so severe a winter how would you like to commemorate it by calling the foal Rough ? Thank you for the stamps.— Dot.] Dear Dot,— We get the Witae3B every week, and I like reading the little folks' letters very much. lam learning music, and my teacher is Miss Gilchriit. Dear Dot, I have a pet cat, and her name is Tibby. She U very playful, and I am very fond of her. We have two cows called Violet and Daisy. We h&ve Wo calves \ please, will you natneji for Wskvre

me a name for her. We will soan be getting our I winter holidays.— Yours truly, Jaset. [It was a very good idea to put tho letter in your sorap book Janet. Call the foal Floss. — Dot.] Dear Dot,— l read the little folks' letters every week, and I like the s l orr very well. I go to school nearly every day, because I have a nice teaoher— Miss Anderson. My little sister his a pretty black and white pup ; please will you give her a name for it. I have three sisters and one brother. lam having my winter holidays. I am Fending you three stamps for the Kindergarten Fund. — Yours truly, Jane Todd (aged 10 year*). St. BatUans, July 15. [Call the pop Juno. Thank you for tue stamps, Jane. — Dor.] Dear Dot, — We get the Witness every week, and I like reading the little folks' letters. I have a little red and white heifer calf ; would you please give me a name for her. — Youra truly, David Stephen. i Tuapeka West, July 6. [Cull the calf Flora, David.— Dot.] Dear Dot, — This morning gave me a splendid chance of having something to write to you about. It all looks so lovely, the trees being all laden with snow, for I livo in the bush. I can see the Hokonui Hills from our house all clad in their white mantle. We have wild strawberries growing in our buvh, and we had ripe ones in June last. I have four sistera and two brothers, also two kittens ; will you please give me names for them. — Yours truly, Minnie Kingston. M&taura, July 12. [Call the kittens Spick and Span, and the next time you write, Minnie, you can tell me all about their antic 3. — Dot.] Dear Dot, — I am going to write and tell you about ourselves. There are four of us, and we are all twins. Norman and Nesta are 16, aud we (Ivor and Iva) are 11. We are both in the Fourth Standard at school. I have a little brown filly, and out of a great many names I have selected four, and none of us can get any further. The names we have selected are Poppy, Pansy, Rosie, and Daisy ; please choose one of them for me, will you. We three—Norman, Ivor, and myself — are all writing to you ; please print all our letters. — Yours tru'y, Iva (aged 11). [I should select either Rosie or Daisy ; suppose we say Daisy.— Dot.] Deab Dot,— l have a brown foalj please give me a name for it. We are saving all the little folks' pages, and are going to get them bound at the end of the year. lam very fond of Iva. I think she is a brick, and I never let them tease her at school. — Yours truly, Ivor (aged 11). £WUat » nice |de> f JJfney a volume of little

bad for tha laat month. We have hid frost and snotr. Dear Dob, have you had any snow in Dunedin ? The snow is very pretty, only it is no very cold. I have one sister and fivo brothers. My sister and I h*ve a doll each; please give us names for them. I am sendiog you some stamps for the Kindergarten Fund.— Yours truly, Elizabeth Muhkay M'Phail. Waikaka Valley, July 17. [Yes, we had a little snow in Danediu a few weoks back, but it soon melted in town, and made everything sloppy and miserable? How would you like Vera and Stella for names ?— Dot.] Deab Dot, — We are having our winter holidays jusb now. I have two pets ; please would you give me ntmes for them. We have five cows. I stay with my sister, as it is too far to walk to school from where my father lives. I am sending tix stamps for the kindergarten children. — Yours truly, Annie Clark, Horse Range, July 15. [What are the pets, Annie P I can scarcely name them without knowing what they are. Thank you for the stamps. — Dot.] D£ar Dot, — I live in Palmerston, and I go to school every day. There are five teachers in j this school — Mr M'Laren (who is our head master), Mr Grant, Mr Cronn, Misi M 'Naught, and Miss Robertson. Miss M 'Naught is my teacher. There are also three pupil teachers — Mr M'Leod, Miss Fraser, and Miss Cameron. I expect to be examined in about eight days, aud I hope I shall pass the Third Standard. I always read the little folks' letters, and I like them very well. We have had bad weather hsre lately. — Yours truly, John Milne. Palmerston, July 15. Dear Dot, — We were once living at Waitahuna Gully, but about three months ago wa moved up here. We have over a mile to go to school, and the roads are very muddy. There are 22 children going to this school. Ifc has been closed lately for six weeks on account of the whooping cough, but we have had very bad weather since it opened, which has kept us from going to school a great deal. lam seven years old, and am in the First Standard at school. I have three brothers and one sister. Two of my brothers are learning music — one the organ and the other the violin. They go 13 miles by train to Lawrence. I have a calf ; will you please give me a name for it. I am Bending you six penny stamps for the Kindergarten Fund. — Yours truly, „ Rena Fuldsbth. Mount Stuart, July 12. [Thank you for the stamps, Rena. How would Sprite do for the calf's name P — Dot.] Deah Dot,— l am a yellow cat, and my name is Tommy. I live in the country. There are a lot of rabbits about here. I live a good deal about the gorse fences, but when it is like rain I come home, so I am called the weather cat. There are a lot of cats here, but I am the ugliest

' and biggest tbief amongst them, so I often geb a good thrashing. lam also Very canning, and when I soe anything nice on the table I rub and purr against my misti'O3B, and then I ge and steal what I waiit, and she doo< not like to hit me. There is a oat here with haidly any tail, and it is a veey long, thin cat with ltgs like a s oik, aud I don t believe it is a cat at all, as ib never gro *s any bigjer. There are some fierce dogs here, but if tbey started at me they would mike a mistake, for they would get a scratching. I am always poor in the summer and fat in the winter. I was in the traps twice, bub my legs were never badly hurt, ai I never pulloJ, but sat still. lam such a brigh 1 ; yellow that I om sometimes called the red cab. The roads are very muddy, and I very nearly bogged the other day when I was orossing one. The weather is very rough just now, and the rivers are in Quod, so I feel ib pretty cold, as I had a fight the other day with a big cat, and he took a lob of my fur off. Doar Dot; when my mistress first got me I was so small that she had to Peed me with a teaspoon, but lam big now. With kind regards from your reader Tommy (aged 3 years). Hokonui, July 4. [WeU, Tommy, as you send me yonr kind regards J suppose I must be civil to you, but from yeur own showing yon are apparently a most disagreeable cat, and I wonder at your mistreps pubtiog up with you. — Dot.] Dear Dot, — I »m going to tell you aboub our midwinter holidays Our school bad a week, and got a half holiday on the Friday we broke up. My sister Annie and I went to W*iUti for our holidays on the Tuesday. Yft) weutin thoexpms, aud reached there in an how.. There were several tunnels. We brought our dog Pat with us tor a change, and we stopped at the Saratoga Hotel. Wben. we got there we - went out rabbictiog, and Pat aad throe other dogs went with us. Thur names ware Liou, Nat, and Prince. Our friend at the hotel also went with us. Her name is Winnie. We saw about 12 rabbits. On Friday we went out, and Pat and Lion caught a rabbit each. Next day (Saturdny) wa went to the cemetery, and while we wero there my fa.tbor was ont rabbiting, and Pat caught two rabbits and Lion one. That uight we went home by the train, and reached Dunedin at 10 minutes p&st 8. I enclose Is in stamps for the kindergarten.— Yours truly, Daisy Hastings (aged 9 years). Clyde street, Dunediu, July 18. [Thank you, Daisy, for your contribution to the fund. You had a pleasant holiday at Waitati, even though it is midwinter, and I have no doubt you <vill look forward < agerly to the next holiday you spend there. — Dot.] Dear Dot, — I have been unwell, so I could not write to you, but I am getting better now. Whooping cough is very bad down here. Wa are having thiee weeks' holidays from school. Dear Dot, I must now tell you about the placa in nhich I live. It is c&lUd the Matin Houio, Buller, and is fcituaotd in the province of Nelson. It ia completely surrounded with trees, and is also a very pretty place. I have one brother. There are only the two of vi and mamma. We have a farm and milk nine cowa. There are lots of very pretty kidney ferns growing here ; would you like some of them in the spring P They always look better at that time of the year. I»m enclo.irg 6d in stamps for the Kindergarten Fuud. 1 have a pretty little blaok and white heifer calf ; would- you please give me a name for it. Hoping you are quite well, with best withef, — I am, yours truly, Mulirl House, Buller, July 16. G. Brandt. [I am glad to hear that you are getting better, aa it in so miserable to be ill. Thank you very much for tbe contribution to the Kindergarten Fund, and for your offer of some fetoa. lam afraid they would not be much gcod when they reached Dunedin after comipg so far as from the Bullur, however. OM the calf Princess. — Dot.] Dbar Dot, — I was just reading the little folia' letters, when I thought I would write to you again. It is over seven years *ince I first wrote to you, aad I was then eight years old. I have written to you twice since weo&mi down here. When I fiisb wrote to you we were living up at the L«ke9. Now, dear Dot, I think you will remember me. I must now sUrb and tell you some neve that perhaps might interest the little folks. In tbe first place I have left school two ye&rs. I was in the Fifth Standard. I - work at home with my mother. The Palmerston school children had a trip to Dunedin, and I went, but I did cot s«e any of the kindergarten schools. I weut to the museum and saw a lot of carious things. There was a service of aong entitled •♦ The Gold Thread " delivered in the Wesleyan Church last Wednesday evening by the children attending the Sunday School. My sister and I were two of the singers, as we attend the Sunday School in the afternoon. I also attend tho Bible class in connection with our own ohuroh (the Presbyterian), and we give &d or Id in ai a collection, and it goes to the foreign misnon funds ; so you will sea we do something with our pennies. lam sending you 3d in stamps for the Kindergarten Fund, and I hope it will succeed. Dear Dot, we have had splendid weather here for the pa«t fortnight, and I hops it will continue, as I see by the papers that a lot of. damage is being done elsewhere. Palmerston is a very healthy little town, and a nice place to live in, bat very quiet. I hope my letter is not teo long, but it is my last, as I think 1' am getting too old to write any more. Good-bye, dear Dot. —Yours truly, Bessie Brown.Palmeraton South, July 20. [I am iorry you think so, Bessie ; but whether you write again or not, I hope you will still take an interest in the Little Folks' Page. —Dot.] Dear Dot, — We are haviDg real winter plenty of frost and snow. Ou May 26 we had a heavy fall of snow — over 2ft on the level. Wn had splendid skating for a fortnight on a big 1 dam, then more snow came and spoilt thejee for skating. Our school is closed for the winter. Our teacher, Mr Clarke, is away to Mandeville for a month. We have trees planted all round the school ground, but the snow broke some of them down. Last summer oui teacher had some very nice flowers in the schoof ground. Every Christmas we have a picnic with all kinds of spotts, and we enjoy ourselves very much. We read the Witness, and I like to read the little folks' letbers. Please give my love to the little folks of the kindergarten. I send you Is in stamps for their fund. — Yours truly, Charles Stephensok. Skippers, July 16. [Thank you, Charle3, for your contribution to the fund. How oold it must have been with the snow so deep. However did you manage to keep warm ? I don't wonder at the teacher ranning away for a month. The riddle you fend has been answered several times in the Witness, so i I am not using it. — Dot.] I Dear Dot, — We are living in Gisborne. It ia a pretty little town, with plenty of beautiful trees and a large sandy beach. We were camped all the summer on the beach by the »ca. The bathing and. playing in the waves was grand ; but we came into town as the weather got colder. We are living in a nice cottage with a large gardon. We had two nice canaries hanging on the verandah, and same one «tOW

and in the paddoctu. The fern tree grows long, rough, brown rooty stems about; 6fb high, and has large, beautiful ferns about sfbiu length and 12ia broad, aad hanging down. The stems were vied for hoaees in the olden days. The niceat flo urer of all grows near rivers ; ifc is called the koromika, and has long, white feathery flowors. The manuka is a kind of Bciub, and grows in patches nvles wide, and is a mass of white. IS grows into a tree. There are many different kinds of flowers growing in the fields, bub cf coarse I cannot name them all. There are a great many birds in this country. The parrot is green, with a red head, and is a good talker when caught and trained young. Starlings, thrashes, mokos, and tuis are good whistlers. The white heron is protected, and the black swan also. The go'dSnch is a good singur, and the Eaglieh lark also. Tha swamp turkey is a blue bird with a long neck and a red head. The native owl, or mopoke, is a funny little bird. The Maori ben is black and yellow, and Ihe penguin cancob fly ; it has such small wings. There are plenty of kakas, pigeons, and grey, teal, and paradise ducks. I have also seen a Mew^ Zealand cuckoo and two white swana. There is an emu in laveroergill. It is a very large bird like an ostrich. There are hundred) of linnets and sp&rrows. They ate very dealruct've to the crops. Oits, wheat, barley, peas, lint, ryegrss', timothy, clover, and cocksfoot are grown in Kt-.w Zealand. Turnipj arc grown for sheep in winter, la the forests thire are wild cattle, sheep, and pigs, there are also ferrets, rabbits (all colours), hares, and a few weasels. There are opossums too, bat not about hero. In the river* there are eels, trout, and flounders, and a bird called the shag e*ats the trout. Thsre are a lot of deer running ahjut the Bine Mountains. Most of the towns in New Zealand have beautiful buildings. The land in its wild state grows tussock*, rushes, flsx (which haa a lob of honey in its flower* in summer), and toitois (tike long yellow feathers). Maoris were numerous in the south in the early days, and we once found a Maori chisel. It is made cf bluestone. There are also Maori ovens. They are round holes in the ground lined with stones. They put a Ore in them atd made the stones very hot, then cleaned out the ashes and put their food into thtm, and covered them up with fl*x matting. The Maoris live chiefly in the North Island now. They sail about the lakes and rivers in canoes made of logs hollowed out. Maori houses are called whares. The meat of the

eight horses and three foals ; please give me a name for one of the foals. It is black with a white face. We keep the store and the post and telegraph oflice. We have had very rough weather lately, and the roads are very muddy just now. Da»r Dob, I enclose you 12 stamps for the Kiuderg&ttan Fund, which 1 ho^e will be a success. — Yours truly, Drummond, Ju'y 15. Flossie Sheaber. [Call the calves Eose and Pansy. Whiteface would be a good name for the foal. Thank you, Flossie, for the stamps.— Dot.] Dear Dor, — I live at Waikawa, which it a very pretty place in the summer, but is very mnddy just now, the roads b ing very dirty. It is very pretty down at Waikawa township. There is the bay in front of the township and the bu-h behind. It is very pretty in summer when the bash flowers a*e out. v The road runs right through the bush, and there are pretty ferns along the side of the road There are a number of high hills covered with bush, and steep gulliei. We have had a lot of snow lately, and the ground is very wet. There are four of us going to school just now — Ihreo brothers and myrolf. There is a lot of manuka and goai about here, and they look very pretty when they are out iv flower. — Youra truly, Waikawa, July I*. May. Dear Dot, — I am a white cat, and mj name is Snowfl&ke. I came 20 miles in (hetr&in. I used to live in Ttipanui bafore I came here My mistress is a little girl, and she is very fond of me. I have grand fan catching rati. lam frightened to go out rabbiting, for my mistress's neighbour is setting poison. I have a friend, a little pup, living with* me, and bei* always chasing me, wbea I ran up a tree. I must stop cow as I am getting hungry.— Yours truly, Waikaka Valley, July 9. Snowfx-Ake. Dear Dot,— Oar school is closed for a fortnight juat now. We have a filly foal ; please will you give me a name for it. I enc'ose six penny stamps for the Kindergarten Fund. — Yours truly, Annie Steel (aged 7£ years). Gleiikenich, July 13. [Call the foal Gipsy. Thank yon, Annie, for the stamp 3. — Dot.] Dear Dot, — I wrote to you befo^o, but it is a long time ago. It was my first letter, no I cut it out of the Witness and put it in my scrap book. I had a birthday party on June 27. Some of my playmates were at it. We had great fun, and when it was time for going home we were all wishing it was juat beginning again. We hivo a little filly foal ; will you please give

folks' tales and letters ! How interesting it will be in after years. A? the filly is to b8 Daisy, I think the other for>.l should bo R >se. —Dot.] Dear Dot, — Iva t .1.1 me ehe wanted me to write, and so I am doiog so. This is the first year we have taken the Witness, and we all like it very much. Iva is a dear little girl, and very pretty too. She will be very disappointed if you don't print all our letters, but it there is only one you cau'fe print let it be mine, not one of the others.' It would be hard for Iva to bear anything without her brother Ivor.— Yours truly, Norman (aged 16). [No, Norman, they shall all appear, aud I hope Iva and Ivor will b<s happy aud will be pleased with the names. — Dot.] Dear Dot, — We h»d a school concert; last week, and it was a success. We have a week's holiday jusb now, as it is such cold weather. My two sisters and I have a doll each ; willyou please give us names for them. I have a lot of coucii.s, aunts, and uncles. I read the little folks' letters in the Witness every week, and I like them very much. — Yours truly, Elizabeth A. Baxter. Naseby, July 12. [Call the dolls Madame, Donna, and Sonora. —Dot.] Dear Dot, — The weather is very cold" up here just now. My two brothers and myself feel it so much driving to school every day. My sister Eileen has not been to school lately, as mamma thinks it rather cold for her, and we shall all be glad when Jack Frost leaves as again. We have such a nice dog named Charley. He always has a game of hide-and-seek with us when we come from school, and is just as full of mischief as he is of fun. I have nob many pets of my own to tell you about, but I would like a nnnie for a black pet Umb and for a young grey horse. He is so wild «?e don't know what to call him. I have also a doll called Ivy. We hive five cows, and their names are Nell, Strawberry, Nancy, Poll, and Snow. Dear Dot, have you ever been for a ek*t<3 on the ice ? We often have a slide on the ponds. I think I mugfc say gcod-bye, and hope to write again. — Yours truly, Lizzie Conlan. Tara Hill, Nijapara, July 13. [No, L : zzie, we don't get any chance of skating on ice in Dunedin, as it never freezes hard enough here. I think Taipo would be a good name for the black lamb, and you might call the horse Spitfire.— Dot.] Dbar Dot,— We have had a fortnight's winter holidays. The weather has bgen very

, oae. of them la*t Tua'day erejiog.-- Wo were *eiy t orry to lose our little pet.— Yourg truly, Gisborne, Jnly7. May Mobhis. [What a Bhame for some one to Bteal your canary, May. How nice the weather must be in GUborne when you can leave the birds out in the middleof winter. We have not been able to do that in Dunedin this winter.— Dot.] Dbar Dot, — Our school is having its winter holidays, and my brother Harold and myself are staying with grandpa and grandma at Fapakaio. My brother Harold has a nice little dog called Boss ; we didn't bring it with us because it would ohaso the two little kitten?. They are such pretty little things, one groy and the other black ; pka3e could you give me pretty j name* for them. Grandma has a nice little j brown calf, and she cMIs it April — Pril for short. The sea hai been very rough in o«maru lately. It came light over the bank. We had a concert at cur Wesley an Sunday School » short time ago, and we eaog a great many pretty songs. I liked "See-saw" best. It is my little Bister Hilda* birthday to-day, and she is three years old.— Yours truly, Alice Familton (aged 8 years). Fapakaio, July 7. Dbab Dot,— l think it is four or five yeara lince I wrote you last. We are hating oar winter holidays now. Miss G>bb is our teacher, and we all like her very much. This year she is teaching fancy work. I have a little brother, and he is very mischievous. Dear Dot, had you ever snch a nu> cbievous brother ? If so, what did you. do with him ? If you would like me to write again I will give you a description of Milton.— Yours truly,. A Schoolgirl. . . Milton, July 17. . > . . Dbar' Dot,— We bad a dear little black pussy called Topsy, but she got poisoned, and died on a Sunday. We were all very sorry about her. Fatber buried her next day. She wn* inch a loving little pussy ; when she came ■in in the morning she would come through to Jxny bedroom, jump up on my bed, and wake me, 'She was beginning to catch mice. Our hone, Norman is out for the winter, and we are going to get him back on the Ist of October. lam ia the Second Standard. We are haviDg a week's holid*y from school, and we are goiug back on Monday. lam eight years and a-balf . — Yours truly, Francis. Dunedin, July 11. [Francis's pussy was a very different little feMow to Red Tommy, whose letter appears above. I hope Mr Tom wiH try to mend his ; wajs by taking an example from this poor little fellow who met such a Bad fate.— Dot ] » J 1 Dbab Dot, — I live in Weefcporfc. I have a ■later, and her name is Madeline Dora I have 'some cousin* living in Duntdin, and I have an jnncle living in the Fiji Islands. I have a dog ; hi* name is Dodger. I am sending three •Umpt for the fund — Yours truly, W. Titcbener (aged 7 years). W«stport, July 15. [Thank you for the stamps for the Kindergarten Fund. — Dot.] ! Dear Dot,— l go to lohool, and have a good distance*to go. I live at Rae's Junction, which is a very hilly place. I like reading the little .folks' ktteis. Dear Dot, wahavea white calf ; ! vroold you mind giving me a name for it. The cext time I write may I send you a pfcee of prose called "The Nursery News." Dear Dot, it •has been dreadful weather uphere lately. — Yours truly, ' ' " Lottie Bab. Rie'e Junction, July 16. [Certainly, Lottie, send the cuttiog from the I>ap< r. I think Snow would be the beat name to select. — Dot.} Dear Dot, — I live at Waimate, which is a Very pretty place. I have three brothers and jfthree%stcrs. Our examination will be held in ±hrec months. We were all very sorry for our Ihead master, who has left us for Germany ; but ,'we have now got one who, I tbiok, is just as igood as the other. I went to Timaru about a month ago, and enjoyed myself very much. We bave had a very hard winter this year. The Bnow is very thick up on the ranges. In the summer time we go down to the Wainona lake, ,whrre there are great numbers of swans and [wild ducks. The Hunter Hitla lie to the west [of Waimate. The highest pe*k is Mount Btadholme.—Yours truly, Alexander M'Taggart (aged 12 years). Waimate, July 19. Dear Dot, — One of my brothers tramped on Clyde's leg, but he did not mean to do ife. There is a swamp turkey about our place. He only comes when it is going to be bad weather. ■ Father is sendiag the cows dry. I milk five cows sometimes at night. We do not milk the cows in the morning now. The mud takes one of my toothers half way up his leggings when he is putting in the cows to get milked. In the other letter that I wrote to you my eldest sister put eight twopenny stamps, but mother says that they, must have stuck to the envelope, and that you did not see. them. I enclose a few rcov. stamps. You are a kind lady to take such trouble to answer the little folks' letters. — Yours truly, Rosetta Marx Smith. . [Thank you very much, Rcsetta, for your kind opinion of me. I should think you ara very glad the cows are net to be milked these cold winter mornings. It is quite enough to do it at night. lam so sorry that the wasVopaper basket got your sister's stamps. As it ebows carelessness on my part, however, it is only right that I should suffer the loss, and not the Kindergarten Fund. I therefore credit you

with 16 stamps in. addition to the nine you to kiudly send now. — Dot.]