LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLKS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2257, 3 June 1897, Page 51

LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLKS.

Dear Dot, —l want to tell you about my trip to Dunedin. I started on Good Friday with aunty and uncle by the 1 o'clock train. It was such a long train — over 20 carriages drawn by two engines. I enjoyed the ride in the train very much. We passed a lob of small stations, and then we came to Timaru by the noa, whero I B&TF the wreck of the Elginshire. The next large station we came to was Oainaru. Ib is a large town, and very hilly. Soon afser we left Oamaru ib began to get dark, and the train jolted about as we came near thetunnels. My aunty and two cousins came to meet us at Porb Chalmers station. I went up to Dunedin nexb day. I thought it waa a nice town, but nob bo pretty as Christchurcb. Aunty took me past the Obago Witnsss office, and I wanted to call and see you, but aunty said you would be too busy to speak to me, so I just looked iv at tho door, but I saw no lady, but a t&ll dark gentlemiia, and I also »a\v some papers drying on a line. My uncle and two aunties left for the Likes on Easter Monday, and stayed nearly a week. I liked staying in Port Chalmers very much. I could sea the steamers sailing into the harbour from auuty's house, and a lot of small boats sailing about. My cousiu and I stayed with a lady in Danedin, and she tcok us to the St. Clair beach, and to the gardens at the North-East Valley. We started for home the following Tuesday, and got to Ashburton at 7. I had a lot more news to tell you, but mother says you would think it too long. I send nome stamps with love irom Lex and I. —Yours truly, Nina Murray Reid (aged 9 years). Ashburton, May 18. [Thank you for your interesting letter, Nina, and also for the stamps. I hope you will write again, and tell us something more about your trip. It would be better going back, as ib would be daylight almost all the way. A trip to the aea coast from Ashburton would be a real good change for you. —Dot.] j Dear Dot, —My birthday came round again j last week, when I was 11 years old, and I got ' some nica presents. I have four brothers and I one sister. My sister and two of my brobbcrs used to write to you. My sister wrote to you about the time of the Queen's jubilee, she sent you a piece of poetry caller] '' The Sovereigns of England," and I am sending it to you again as it is near the Queen's birthday. lam also sending you some scamps. The Sovereigns of Englvxd. I Firil William the Norman, then William his son; Henry- Stephen, and Henry, then Richard and John ; Next Heary the Third, Edwards one, two, and three. And again after Richard three Henrys we sec. Two Edwards, third Richarci, if rightly I guess ; Two Henrys, sixth Edward, Queens Mary and Bess; Then James the Scot, then Charles wliGm they slew; And then followed Cromwell, another Charles too ; King Jamie, of martyred Chaile3 the son, Then William and Mary together icigned on, Till Anne, George Fourth, and fourth William all past, God sent us Victoria, the loved and the last. —Yours truly, Theresa M. Lamb (aged 11 years). \ Dusky, Pomahaka, May 25. I [It is ft long time since the jubilee, Theresa, and I suppose your sisters and brothers are quite big now. I wonder if there in anyone among the readers of the page now who remembers " The' Sovereigns of England " appearing ( before ? Thank you for the stamps. —Dot.] Dear Dot, —lb has beeu very b&d weather up here lately. There was a heavy fall of snow, , and we had grand sdowd&H fights. Aa ib is too i far to go to school I have a governess to teach me. lam iv the Fourth Standard, and I hope ' soon to be in the Fifth. I have four brothers and three sisters, but two brothers and one sister do nob come into school. We have three cows, five cat«, two pigs, five dogs, and- nine j horses. Father has given me a young horse. It i is of a light greyieh, brown colour. Would you please give me a pretty name for it. I enclose two, stampa for the Free Kindergarten. —Yours truly, "thbl Ksib. Allendale, Lee Stream, May 27. [Your horse has apparently a silvery hue in its coat, Bthel, so I think you might call ib Argent. Thank you for the stamps. Dot.] Dear Dot, —l often read the page of the Witness which is printed specially for the children, and I thought I would like to write a letter for ib. I am going to tell you about «. , picnic which I went to. There were threa of my schoolmates, two boyp, and my sister and I at it. We started from our place about 9 o'clock and i arrived at our destination, which was a deep i gully, about 12 o'clock. We then had lunch, and after that proceeded to explore the hill on our right. On this we found several largo rocks, some of which were as iarge as a house. There was also a great deal of fern about. We then went down the hill and had some tea. Then we proceeded home, and on the way we found a rabbit's nest, in which were fire young rabbits without any hair on. Before we reached home j we got covered with bid-n-bids, and we could not get them off very easily. We reached home at last, after having spent a very pleasant day. I think I will bring my letter to a close now, as it is getting too long. —Yours truly, Maggie Dkysdale (aged 12 years). Waitati, May 25. [It has given me especial pleasure to read your letter, Maggie. The writing is excellent, the composition good, and the whole letter has bo neat an appearancs that ib might well be regarded as a model. You had evidently a happy day's outing, though you seem to have had to 'travel a goo" distance. I hope we shall hear more of your fjecursions into Nature's wonderland.—Dot.] Dear Dot,—We get the Witness every week, and I always read the little folks' page, and I think it very nica. I liked the story ! entitled •• Soarleb Poppies." Caplesbon is a ! small mining district 12 miles from Reefton ' (the nearest town), and about 45 • milas from , Westport. A coach runs between here and '

[ Reefton tureo times a week, and sometime* oftener. My father is manager of a quarta mine called the Welcome, which belongs to Mr Ziman. My brother has an English terrier called Flo, and a curly black and white pup that he named Queenie. I have also a kitten, and she and Queenie are very fond of playing together, but sometimes the pup gets rough and catches the kitten by the ear and pulls hei about the room. It has been raining here tor nearly a week, but I think it is going to clear up again, for we had a hard frost last night. The Sunday before last we all went for a drive down the Westport road. We started about 12 o'clock, and we did not get home till 4. The scenery was very pretty, and I enjoyed myselt very much. Dear Dot, as this is" all I have to tell you this time I will conclude with love from your little friend, Mary M. (aged 12 years 3 months). Caplesfcon, May 21. ' [It is rather hard on the kitten to be pulled round the room by the ear, Mary, but I fancy she can protect herself pretty well with her sharp claws and pointed teeth. Probably Queenie gets quite as muoh as she givo3. Yoar letter ie very nicely written, Mary, and I hope we shall hear from you again. — Dor.] Dear Dot,— l like re&ding the little folks' letters. lam 11 year* of age, and we live at Mataurt. The falls on the Mataura River »r« pretty, and in stormy weather they look wildly grand. There is a pretty tall at the mouth iot J the Waimumu Stream, which tuds into the ! river. It is covered all over with native trees i and flax, and also looks very pretty. They am i getbiDg very little milk at tho dairy factory now, and it will soon be closed, but they are kept" so busy at the freezing works with the [ rabbits that it is late at night before they get I home. The owners of oue of the coalpit* are ! cutting a large tunnel, starting from the river > bank, through to his coal pit to carry away the J water from the pit. I went down oue day to ccc it. It was toe dark to go in, but we could hear the water rushing down from where the men were working. I enclose six stamps for the Kindergarten Fund. — Yours truly, Irene Macgeegok. Mataura, May 28. [I am glad to see that you find so much ta 1 interest you in the district in which you live. I Irene. The falls are not only picturesque and i inrerestiug, but they are valuable as well, and will no doubt in time cause Mataura to become a manufacturing town. Next time you write no ; doubb you will be able to tell us something about the paper mills. Thank you for the stamps. — Dor.] I Dear Dot, — 1 live in Cromwell, and as I read the children's letters to Dob I thought X would write to you. I have a sister a year and two months old called Esther, and a brother j two weeks old. We have not a name for i him yet, bub Esther calls him Jack. We have ' snow on the bills near us, and it feels cold in the mornings. I send you a twopenny stamp for the Kin^prgftrten Fund. — Yours truly, j Jankt Bowie (aged 7 years). Cromwell, May 21. [I hope you will have your litfclo brother named next time you write, Janet, but I expect you will have tome difficulty in getting Esther , to adopt bin new name. Thank you for the stamp — Dot.] Dkab Dot, — We hare had some enow this week, and we bad some flue fun making (snowballs. • Wo live at a Tory pretty bush. We bave ] a. nice orchard, and some of the apples are on the trees yet. The train passes close by. — Yours I truly, Johh L. M'Kerchar. j Flenoington, Woodlands, May 22. ■ [Your mother must find auch late apples very useful, John. Do you know the names of the r trees which bnar them ? — Dot.] 1 Dear Dot, —l live &b Kokou s R. and I have to cross the Taieri River to go to school. I used to live at Lower Harbour, where I had such a good sob ool master. He was so kind to us all. His name v/as Mr Laudreth. He used to teach us all so well, and I goi; on fine while I was with him. Dear Dot, I send you six penny stani}.)'* tor the Kindergarten Fund. I will send you more next time. — Yours truly, Eunie Carey (aged 9 years). Kokonga, May 26. [Taank you, Ernie. Mr Landreth will no doubt be pleased to nee that you have not forgotteu him. — Dot.] Dear Dot, — I live in Dnnrobin, which is n great farming district. I have three miles to walk to school, and in winber the roads are very muddy. Dear Dot, please give me a name for a calf. I have a ferret, and on Saturdays I go out rabbiting. — Yours truly, Robert Edie. Dunrobin, May 27. [That is a good walk for you, Robert, but I suppose you have some schoolfellows with you most of ths distance. You will be glad when winter is over, though. Call the calf Flora.— Dot.]