LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLKS. Saturday, September 28.

Otago Witness, Issue 2171, 3 October 1895, Page 47

LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLKS. Saturday, September 28.

Dear Dot, — I am an Old Teapot, and lam made of silver. lam a friend of the old kettle that wro'e you not long ago, but it seerrs to have disappeared some time back. I have not seen it for a long time. My mistress does not use me now as I have got a hole in me. I stand np on a high shelf on the top of the cupboard. I must tell you how I came to write to you. The girls in this house put a paper en the shelves with the Little Folks' Page on it. I saw letters from boy*, girls, auimals, and even an old kettle, bo I thought a teapot might write at well. Dear Dot, I think you are very good to take so much trouble with the little folk*' letters. Dear Dot, I came to Now Zealand about 20 years ago in a ship called the City of .Tanjore. I lived in Dunedin for a good many year?, and I have shifted a good deal since. | I nni now living in Glenomaru. I am sending seven stamps for the Kindergarten Fund. I hope it will 6ucced. — Your 6 truly. An Old Teapot. Glenomaru, September 23. [fio the seven etamps were stowed away in the Old Teapot to some purpose, for they a*e going to help the Kindorgirtcn Fund. lam sorry to fchirk the old kettle hss reached his la^t sfca^e ; but his he ? Perhaps we shall hear from him again even yet. — Dot 1 Dear Dot, — I was pleased to see my last letter in print, and ai you do not get many letters from Oam aru I thought I would write again. Our school was examined last week by the inspectors, Mr G-iyen and Mr Fitzgerald, fcut we don't know yet whether we have pa'sed or not, but I think we were all satisfactory, and I don't think many failed. We are having nice spring weather just now, but it is just a little •nicdy. Dear Dot, do you know of anjtbing to stop a dog from e»ting egga. We have a small retriever called Flo, and we can't have an egg \filh her ; she goes to the nests and eais all f>he gets. Papa says he mu?t give her away, but we doa't want to part with her. I have a nice little pup called Spider, and I am teaching it some tricks. I have also a little pet lamb on the farm, and I would like if you could give me a nice name for ifc, as you «eem to always find something suitable. I think my letter will t*ke up rather much of your space, so I will now fay gcod-bye.— Yojrs truly, Kathleen G. Caoney. Oanmu, Septembfi-21. [Oh, no, Kathleen, not too much *pace at | all. lam always pleased to get nice letters. I am nob at ell sure that you can do muoh with the lefcriever unless you can be cruel to him. Ytu could cure him going to the henhouse at all by t\ iog a rat trap open in one of the nests, and leaving an egg or two in as bnib. He will get his nose caught, and never go back again. You want a trap witli a Very weak spring, so that he can pull his nose out, or it wilHiake it off altogether. This is very cruel, of course, and Ido not advise you to try ib. You might fill an egg with mustard, but I dou't think it will have much effect. Call the lanab Flj, as you have a Spider.— Dot.] Dpar Dot,— Our exam, will bo on the last of this month. It has been a hard winter this year. On the station where I ussd to be living two years ago 10,000 sheep have died this winter. That is a gcod lot to lose. Mr Sutton owns the station. Everybody will be glad when spring comes again. There were 3ft of snow »t the door. We live about 10 miles from the foot of the L*mmerlaw Ranges. They were covered with snow about up to a tm.n'B ntck. It was terribly muddy up here this winter, and the mud at the Beaumont took the horse up to the sides. There are a number of dredges working on the Clutha river. Thero is a new one being built ; she will be 95ft long. JBho is going to have two sawa working at the bottom of the river to saw up a lot of trees at the bottom. Her name is to be the Golden Gate. We all hope 6h9 will get plenty of gold. I enclose six stamps for the Kindergarten Fund. —Yours truly, George Croft. Beaumont Station, September 23. [I hope, the does, George. It ttould be *

good thing for us all if everyote of the dreiges was on good gold. It is very sad to think bo many sheep have been lost. Thank you for the stamps. — Dot.] Dear Dot, — I am a Schoolboy attending the Coal Creek School. Coal Creek looks very pretty jusfc now, as the fruit trees are in blossom. I am sending three stamps for the Kindergarten Fund. — Yours truly, A Schoolbot (aged 7^ yeara). [Thank you for the stamps. Is not spring & lovely time of year ? I wish you had told us something about tho different blossoms in the gardens at Coal Creek.— Dot.] Dear Dot,— l hive been reading the little folks' letters for a long timo, and sorao of the letters are very interesting. I live at Pine Bush. I think it is a very nice place in summer. The housa where we live is quite near the bush. Ikere are trees all round it. There a groat many fruit trees here, and it is so pretty to ccc them all out in blossom. There aro also a great many different binds of native treea growh'g in the bush. Some have very pretty flowers. There is a church, fcchcol, blacksmith's shop, and hotel at Pine Bueh. We have about a mile to walk to Bchool. lam fond of school, as our teacher is very kind to us. It is about nine mik s from Piue Bush to Fortrose. I have been twice at Forlrose. Ifc is quits close to the seaaide, and we went do*u to tho beach and had such fun gathering Bhells, wading in the wattr, and rowing in a boat. I must bring my letter to a close now, oo good-bye.— Yours trnly, Maggie Geieve. Pine Bush, September 18. [Fortrose must be a very pleasant change for you, Maggie, aud I do not wonder at your enjoyirg youraelf bo much. I suppose you lcok rorwurd to your visit to it with groat pleasure. —Dot.] ( Deau Dot, — This ia the second time I hate written !o you. I live in lOlso, whic'u ia a very pretty place. I have passed a'l my standards up till now, and lam at present in the Sixth, and I hope I shall pass it also. Yl c have a farm four miles from Kdso, which wo call Fernlea, beCMissit had so m*ny ftrus before f«.ttier began to cultivate it. We have a good few animals, and some of them are great p-ste, espfcinlly our Shttland ponies, which wo caUJeaunie, Paddy, Dot, and Mick. I have only one little sister, whose nama is Daisy, and we are all very fond of her. I often read the children's letters in the Witi£B«, and think them very nice, and I enclose you 6ix stamps for the Kindergarten Fund. — Yours truly, Charles M. G. Dunne r. Kelso, September 23. [Whr\t a fortunate little eistar Daisy mu 9 t be. I only hope you do not spoil her by over kindutss but I do not think you will, for after all children are more spoiled by irregular trentj m cut than by universal kindu.'ss. Thank you for tbc stamps, Charles. — Dor.] Di:ar Dot, — As I saw other little fo'ks write to you I thought I would take courage and write tco. I will first tell you that we have three dogs; tluir names are Rose, Fanny, and Lad. Roße is a terrier, and is a good rabbiter. We luve eight hens and a rooster. The htns i are not laying very well. lam in the Fourth Standard, and am 10 years old. I have one sister and one brother; their names are AKred Donald and Mary Jane. Mary Jane has a. doll ; please give her a name for it.— Yours truly, Sabau Scott. Arthurton, September 23. [They are three very nice names that you have for the dog', Sarah. Itose seems to he your favourite. I think the doll might be called Violet.— Dot.] Dear Dot, — I am a rat and my name is Pat, and a prettier rat you ne'er did see. The cats know I have young rats, so I watch the cats for nij self ai.d the young ones three. Please give j me aanr.B for the little onea. I have no more to say. Please excuss mietakes and writing. — Yours huly, A Kat. [Are you a wild rat or a tame white rat ? If a. wild grey, you really cannot want n&nus for tha little ones, so I suppose you are a pinkeyed white, and you can call them Bab, Dab, and Stab.— Dor ] Dkah Dot, — I am a schoolboy, and I liva at Balclutha, which is a very pretty town on the banks of the Clutha river. We have two cows, named Polly and F*nny. We have also two cats — one Tibbie. The other lost one foot in a trap, and so she walks on three legs. We have not found a name for her ; would you kindly give me one. The Clutha was very high a week ago, but it has gone down again.— Yours truly, John M'Guffog (aged 10£ ye»rs). Balclutha, September 25. [What better name could you havo than Limpy, for sbe raufit Jimp very pitifully when one foot is goue.— Dor.] Dear Dot, — I am going to tell you about the school concert which vim held iv Laverty'a Hall on September 20. Tho liiit of tho programme was opened by Mre Shield*, and songs followed. Tho school children acted a piece which made the audience laugh. Ifc was a farce entitled "Our Three Fla's," and it was Tcry good. A dance followed, which waa kept up till 5 in the morniDg. I enjoyed myself very much.— Yours truly, Feucy Charmer. Hyde, Soptember 27. Dear Dor,— We live about half a mile from school. The mail come 3 here once every week. We have service here once a fortnight, the Rev. Mr Brown being our minister. Our Sunday school in cosed for tho winter. — Youra truly, Annie Manson. Oteramika Gorge, September 26. Dear Dot, — I am sorry I forgob to enclose the stamps, but I am sending them this time. Fluff ia a nice name for my pet cat. lam going to tell you a little about Gore, as that is where my homo if. Gore is a large inland town, situated 99 mi es S.W. of Dunedin. The Mataura river divides it into two : one parb i» called Gore and the other part Esisb Gore. There are two large schools in it, containing nine teachers and about 600 scholars. It contains a flour mill, cheese factory, and many large and beautiful buildings. As Gore is & railway centre, it is a very busy plaae.^ It is aleo a growing town, being situated in the midst of a large agricultural district. The town is lighted up at night by electricity, which gives a muoh brighter light than gas. Gore is a very pleasant place to live in as there are plenty of amusements. Don't you thbk I have written enough for this time ?— Yours truly, Annie Shivas. Seaward Downs, September 27. [You have written a very nice letter, Anuie, and strangers will be able to form a capital idea of Gors from the description you give of it. Thauk you for the stamp3.— Dor.] Dear Dot,— l live in Oteramik& Gorge. I go to school, and I am in the Third Standard. We had our examination on the 291h July. We live about three miles from the railway station. The train comes three times a week to the Gorge— every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. There is to be a magic lantern entertainment this evening.— Yourc truly, John Mansoß. ' GSsramika Gorge, September 26,

Dear Dot,— l live in Otcramika Gorge. It is a very pretty place, with plenty of bush in it, also Borne very pretty shrubs and ferns. I have four brothers and three sisters, and five of us are going to school. We live quite near it. It is situated in a very pretty place at the eide of j the bush. I have one pet lamb ; would you please give me a name for it. I was at & limelight view last night in the school, and there was some very nice scenery shown. We have had very rough weather down here during the pa6t winter.— Yours truly, Mary Frances Morton. Oteramika Gorge, September 27. [Why not call it Mika, which is a very pretty name, and part of the placa you live in.— Dot. l Dear Dot, — I live in Oteramika Gorge, a small place about 20 miles from Invercargill. We— four of us, two brothers and one sister — have two miles and a-half to walk to sohool. The roads were rather muddy in the winter time, but they are getting better now. There is a railway station about half a mile from our place, but the train only comes down three times a week.— Yours truly, Dorothy Niederer (aged 12£ years). Oteramika Gorge, September 25. Dear Dot,— l am a poor old Crutch, and I have come through a lot of rough usage. First of all I was made by a young fellow who got Lib fool cut, and when ho was done with me he gave me to another fellow, who sawed a piece otf me aud gave me to a young girl who had a 1 badly-burnt foot, and when the was done with me she threw me out in the garden, so hera I lie under a curr&nt bush. How would you like to be me, Djt ? I think you are very kind to take so much ttoublo with the little folks' letters. The way I cam a to write to you was : a girl was sitting beside me roiding the little folks' letters out to her6elf, bo I made up my mind to write too. I avn Kcndiug you six stamps for the Kiudcrgarlen Fund. — Yours ttuly, A Took Old Crutch. [Whnt a cheerful old Crutch under this oircumi'tauces. After being thrown away in fluch a manner we could scarcely t-xpect this bit of old wood s\nd lenlh.fr to tike any iuteioit in its nurrcun(Ymgi>, find ye>. it sends six stamps for the Kludargttrfcon Fund. — Dor ] Dear Dot,— We get the Otago Witness nearly every week, and I take great interest in reading tho lettei-3 from the lifctlo folks. We havo a lot of cat?, dogs, and pigs. 1 have a hen and seven chicken*, and I keep her in a box. I have a garden, and I planted a lot of feeds in it this year, but they are not through the ground yet. It is nearly bed timo, so I will h*vc to stop. Good-bye, Do 1 ;. — Yours truly, Matauro, September 22. Jeisib. [You should not keep the hen and ohickensin the box tco long. Tluy are batter out if the gra°s is nob wet, and jou can easily train them to go into a coop for their food. — Dot ] Dear Dot, — I am a big Yellow Cat, and my mistress is very fond of me. I had two b o'hers, but I lost one of them altogether ; I do nob know where he went to. My other brother is still living. He had a lot of misfortunes. He was caught three or four tinien. One time the master came to look at the trnp3 at night with a light, and he saw that my brother was very wild, ! bo he threw stones at him till he was nearly I killed, and then he let him out Doa't you ; think it was too bad, Dot ? — Yours truly, December 22. A Cat. [It was a very cruel way of treating your brother, but then he must have been a most mif-chicvous cat, or be would never have been caught four times in traps, I should think. He would avoid them ever after his last experience. —Dot ] Dear Pot,— l live at the Capbucn, and it h a very pretty place. I live in a lent, and I like it very much. My grandmother is up from Green Island, a«.:d she is staying with me. She brought me a little eister. I have three sisters ; their names are Mary Jane and Dinah Violet, and the biby's name is Fbrcnco. Fiva ; do you think that io a prelfcy name, Do 1 . ? We are having very g<<od weather at the Capburn. I end' s-s three stamps for the Kindergarten I'und.— Yours truly, Frances Fhifine Douglas, Capburn, September 17. [Baby's name is an exceedingly pretty one. Both Florence aud Eva are very nice, and they make a good combination. Thank you for the stamps. — Dot.] De\e Dot,— We have two lambs ; will yon pleass give me names for them. We have also five cows and two horses and a foal. — Yours truly, Mary Ferguson. North Branch, September 17. [Call the lambs Skip and Gyp.— Dot.l Di".\R Dot, — I am going to tell you something about the place I live at. North Branch is a very pretty place. There are a great many willow and poplar trees. We have a very large garden, with a great many kinds of fruit trees in it. We have also a lot of very pretty flowers.— Yours truly, Ln,urc Ferguson. North Branch, Septemb.-r 16 Dear Dot, — I live away up the Maniototo Plain. You can get a good view from the bills about heie. It is a very flat plain and quite surrounded by mountains, which are nearly covered with sno h just now. There is a nice gorge near here, and sometimes I go to it. There are a great many pratty ferns in it, aud there is a creak running through it. Dear Dot, it in getbioglate, so I must eU'p now. I enclose six twept-nny Btatnps towards the Kindfrg&rfeu Fund.— Yours truly, Jane Shaw. Ardmoyle, Gimmfrburn, September 22. [How you must look forward to the d's*pp3aranco of the snow to allow of your going fern gathering once more. Haß the creak any fish in it ? Thank you for the stamps. — Dot.] Dear Dot,— l have been at a concert and magic lantern entertainment in the Dunrobin School, and it was very good. I have three tnlven ; will you please give me names for them. I send four stamps for th». Kindergarten Fund. — Yours truly, John Cullen Edie. [Call the calves Daisy, Cherry, and Tulip.— Dot.]