LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLKS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2260, 24 June 1897, Page 51

LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLKS.

Dear Dot, — Winter ha 3 come round agaiD, but instead of- bringing ice and snow it is pleasant sunshine. We have had only one fall of snow and hardly any ice as yefe. We have had no rain for some time, and everything is withered. I milk two cows every morning. Their names are Buttercup and Lily. They are both very quiefc. Will you please give me names for two steer calves and a cat. The cat is very good, and he cafcohes lots of mice and rate, i like II Eight Yeara' Travel in Australia " very much. Ib is a very interesting story. Dear Dofc, do you like readiDg ? I am very fond of it. I have read a great many bookp, amongst; them beiDg "Marian and Her Pupils," " That; Other Person," "Willy Reilly," " Carlowrie," and I am now reading " Queechy." They are all , very nice books. ■ I have a flower garden of my I owr>, bub there are not many flowera oub in ifc. | All the harvesting is done a long time ago, ar.d the farmei'3 are ploughing their land again ready for another crop. My brothers are away t on the mountains now, and I Lope they will j soon b,3 homo again. Dear Dot, I think I have said enough for this time. lam sending you a i piece of poetry and some riddles. The postry is entitled f PRACTISING. ! Ten little troublesome fingers, Ten little finger nails Pattering on the piano, Scattering over the scales ; ; Clickiug and clacking and clattering, Each in the other o&e's way ; ; What, trying and sighing and crying To teich lHtle children to play. To play ? I call ifc working When ten little fingers like mine Are bumping and clumping and thumping, • And never will fall into line. They fumble and tumble and stumble, They dance and they skip and they hop, And just when the music is gayest They come to an obstinate stop. Do you think that mamma's pretty fingers That sparkle and dauce oo the key?, , While the music is rippling below them, AVeie ever so clumsy as these ? I would work, I would patiently practise — How patiently— day niter day, If I thought that my practise and patience Would end in such beautiful play. Good-bye, desr Dot, with love from your ! litdle friend, Rosie A M'CANNf'aged 13ycareand8 months). Mnerewhenmi. June 10. [A very pret!y little piece of poetry, RoMe, and one which I hope other little girls will ponder over. Ifc was only by practice and the hardest ] of hard work tbab mamma's fingers attained their prcfic : cncy, a»d I hope Ill's will induce many a littie girl to persevere aud determine fco overcome all difficulties. Why not; call the j calves and tbe c^t after the three books — I " Car'owrie," " Queechy," and "Willie R.-.ly.'— Dot] Dear Dot, — I am going to tell you how I spent the Queen's Birthday. A few of my schoolmates and myself went up to KeUey's Bush We started away about halt-past 9 o'clock, and reached the bush about 11. When we got fco it we went into the bush and followed* the river up till we came to a small waterfall. The wattr looks very pretty falliog over a large rock, and then runs iafco the river. There is a larger waterfall further up, bat vre did not go to it, as the days are tco short. After we had gathered a few ferns and berries and had a few games wa started for our friend's home, where we were kindly invited to tea ; aud after bidding them good-bye we reached home after spendiug a happy day. lam sendiog you three stamps for tho Kindergarten Fund. — Yours truly, Jfssie Patterson (aged 11 years). Wairaate, June 14-. [You were fortunate in getting a fine day for your expedition, Jessie, for the Queen's Birth1 day is laiher late fco "go through the buoh. I hope we Bha.ll hear from you aboun any future holiday you may have. Thabk you for the stamps. — Dot.] Dear Dot.t— I came onfc to New Zealand from England about two years ago, and I am going to give you a short description of my life on the bauks of the Tweed. I lived afc a village called Norharn, and my schoolmates and I someiimc3 went up to the old caafcle, under the wells of which Edward I, John Baliol, ar;d Roberfcyßcuoe nip h to decide which of the latter two was fco be Kmg of Scotlaud, aud was also " the scene of many other historical events. The castle stand* on a bill overlooking the Tweed, which ia one of tbe finest salmon rivers in the United Kingdom. While living in this district I had many opportunities of seeing some famous places, among which were Berwick and its fine bridge. Cheviot Hills, F o'dden Field, and I Tw-'zel Bridge, over which the Scots crossed on ! the ere of the balfcle of Fiodden. Afc another ' time I hope to be able to send you a letter ] about my voyage to New Zealand. — Yours truly, Johs Li li co (aped 10 years). Morton Mains, Invercargill, June 13. [I shall be very glad to hear from you again, j John. Ifc is very satisfactory for you fco nave seen so many historical spots prior to your coming out fco the colony, and I am sure the remembrance of them will remain with you all through your life. — Dor.] Dear Dot, — My little si9ter and I are sending you a small parcel by post for (he kinderI garfcen. It isfche first work we have tried to do > for a bazaar, so we hope it will bo sold. We all wish the bazaar euccees, for the sake of the little children and the kind ladies who teach them. I hope we will gefc to town, as we are having two days' holidays from school. Dear Dofc, my little sister is askiDg if you would jjlease give her a name for her big do'l. It is dres3ed as a bride. ' Hoping you are quite well. — Yours truly, Janet and Isa Grant. Berwick, June 17. [And very pretty work ifc is. There is a sweefc little pair of bootees, a dear little pair of ■- mittens, a pretty little pinny, and a bookmark with '* Love" worked, on ifc. Thank you, Janet ! and Isa, very much indeed ; I hopa you will see : the result of your labour of love in the stall when you are goiDg round looking afc all the pretty things on sale. I think you lind better cill the doll Quesnie. — Dot ] Dhar Dot, — I *m an Old Door. I swing baekwaids and forwards nearly all day long, and I ztt very tired sometimes. You cauuot

wonder therefore that my hinges creak very much afc times. The lifcblo children like to hear me creaking, aud they come and awing me to aud fro, but the old folks come and oil me if they are not too lazy. The handle and front parb of me are all over fingermarks with opening and shutting me. — Yours truly, June 15. A Yellow Door. j [Poor, dirty, old Yellow Door, I hope you ! feel relievod now that you have got your little j troubles ventilated. Who knows but what some of the li&fclo folks about the house will oleau and polish you up when they see this in print, and oil your hinges so carefully that ifc will be a. pleasuus to you to opsn and shut. — Dot.] Dear Dot,— On Friday I went to the Hillend concert, which was held in Mr R. King's barn. The barn was decorated with rough ferns, chrysanthemums, aud variegated holly in a. very artistic design, the ferns being in the shape of fans. The concert was opened in a humorou3 speech by Mr Brown, chairman of the Hillend School Committee, who gave his address amidst cheers and laughter from the auidenee. The singiDg aud reciting were very good indeed, and we passed a very happy evening. After the I concerS a most enjoyable dance was held ; and j altogether a most enjoyable night was spent. — Yours truly, Sarah Alice Houliston. Stony, Creek, June 15. [My little friend sent a full account of all the song.3 sung, &c, bat of course this is of no interest I to little iolks who were not; present, so I have I omitted it. — Dor.] Dear Dot, — Cold winter is here again with. ! frost and snow, bufc I Tike the long evenings be- • cause I am busy knitting wool tquares for a mat j However, spring will soon be here again, with j birds singir.g everywhere. I always read tho ; little folks' letters. I like Ida M'Kollar'a letters | very much ; they are so interesting. I should like to see the place she lives in, bufc I would nob like to live there. Dsar Dob, I have a big black and grey and white cab ; please I want a name for him. — Yours truly, Jane Farhow (age 11-£ years). Waihola, June 14-. [Ifc is very good to be busy, Jane, and I think you must take a geeat interest in your work when you find tho long night 3of winter so pleasant. 1 think we shall all be glad when spring comes and the days lengthen, bufc winter is by uo means without its attractions. Call the cat Jubilee. — Dot.]. Dear Dot, — I am learniDg to read, bufc I liko dressing doll 3. I have a doll all dressed in red, trimmed with white ; please give me a name for ifc. — Yours truly, Agn*s B. Dickson (aged 6 years). Waihola, June 14-, [Aa you are only learning to read, Agnes, I suppose your mother vvrobe the letter for you, or wes it a sister ? Ido not wonder at your being interested in dressing dolls, p-nd I am sure ! the one you have in red, trimmed with white, musfc be very pretby. Call her Victoria Jubilee. —Dot.] Dear Dot, — I am a little Rabbit. I am as black as a pofc, aud have grey eyes. I have a little Jjole in the ground which. l live in, and I have three young- ones. They are always running in and out of the hole, and I am frightened . they will get shot. I was caught; in a trap the other day, and I could hardfy get out, bufc I got away at lasfc. — Yours truly, i Owak*, June 15. A Black Rabbit. ! | [lb is fortunate that the majority of rabbils ; | do no)-, like this one, know the danger they are ' always running, or I am afraid their live 3 would be very miserable. I wonder if this family is still safe ? — Dot."] \ Dear Dot,— l live at Tuapeka Mouth. I have two little dogs, one of which is called Tiny, but I should like you to give me a name for the other one. 1 send you four stamps for the Kindergarten Fund — Yours truly, Emma Hames (aged 9 A years). Tuapeka Mouth, Juue 14-. [Call the other dog Tip. Thank you for the } stamjs, Emma. — Dot.] Dear Dot, — I send you 15 stamps for the kindergarten. I bope they will have a fine time on the 21f>t. — Yours truly, June 14-. Maggie. [Thank you, Maggie, both for the stamps and your good wishes. — Dot.] j Dear Dot, — I liva at a place called Ermedale, and I have to walk six miles to Gummie's Bush School. My sister Jeaoie wrote you a > letter before, nDd this is my first one fco you. tWe have a htfcls sable collie dog pup. fily i father says ifc is & purebred one from th 9 kennel {of Mr Philp, of Tioiaru. He is yellow, with a , white spot on the back of bis neck, and the „ point of tha fcs.il is white ; pleafe give me a , name for him. lam sending you three stamps 5 for tho Kindergarten Fund. — Youra truly, Catherink Campbell (aged 10£ year*). Ermedale, June 11. [Call your pretty pup Diamond, Catherine. Thank you fon the stamps. — Dot.] I Dhar Dot, — F.-.ther fcakes the Witness now, j and I tb.ougb.fc I would write you a letter and I let you know whan aorfc of a placj wo live in. . Wheu father cs.me up here fir&fc ifc was all bu»h, hub now ib is nearly all chopped down and in . grass. I was born up here, and so was my j youngest sister. I have six sisbers and two '■ brothers. Father always looks for the Cromwell ! news, for he was there for seven yeara, and two of my brothers and one of my sisters were born there. We milk 29 cow?, and father takes the milk to the factory ; bufc we are only milking , four cows vow. We have six horses, one of ' which is 25 years old, and another one, which I ride to school, is a pony. Mount. Bgmonb looks beautiful with its winter coat of snow. We can always see ifc from our back door. In summer tourists go \ip ifc, bufc I have not; been iup yefc. If this letter will do, I will write 1 more next time. — Yours truly, I Philip Amcoue (aged 11 years). I Ngiire, Taranaki, June 9. i [Yes, Philip, ifc will d© very well indeed, and I shall be glad to hear from you afc any time. Egmonfc must look very grand at present, bufc I suppose a cold breeze blows from it when covered with snow. — Dot.] ■ Dear Dot, — I go to school, and am in the I Third Standard. The roads about here are j very dry for the time of the year. This is all ' the newa I have at present. — Yours truly, ( Tommies. [It is very little to say, Tommie, for of course we all take it for granted fchafcyou go to school, to that it is no uss telling us that. — Dot.] \ Dear Dot, — I am in the Second Standard afc ] school, and I think ll.e sums are very hard to do sometimes. I don't like these frcstjr mornings ; they are much too cold. Wouldn't ib be nice if j we had warm sunny days all the year round ? Wbafc do you fcbiuk of my writing, Do"; ? I have a grey and white kitten ; would you kindly give me a name for it ? — Yours truly, Mabel Bush, Juae 14. Alice Ogilvie. \ [I am afraid you will find all the lessons ! : harder as you get into the higher standard?, i Alic. Tbe only way to learn is to bravely meet and overcome difficulties. Yes, it would indeed be pleasant if the weather were always warm and ounny, but then we should not appreciate

the bright days so much if we had no gloomy and chilly onea to contrast with them. Call the kitten Jubilee. — Dot."] i Deak> Dot, — There was such a big fire here '• on Sunday. Three large shops were burnb down, and the bookseller's shop windows across the road were all cracked. The people could nob pub the fire out for ever so long, because the water was turned off at the reservoir, and | they had to send to a town called Fremantlc, 12 miles away, for their fire brigada. Did you ever hear of such a thing ? Daddy bought me two such dear little canaries, bufc as they are very young they do not siDg yefc, bufc I hope in time they will. Would you like me to send you some pressed wild flowers wheu they oomo out ? — Youi'3 truly, Rina Dillon Bell (aged 9 years). Mount Btreet, Perth, W.A., April 29. [It was indeed bad management, Rina, hut j then, you know, we can all be wise after the event. I am always sorry to hear of a fire, because it is such a waste and such & los 3to the country. I hope your canaries will prove good fingers ; they j (•hould do so where there is so much sun- ; shine as in Perth, for they cau have no excuse for being low-spirited. Thank you very much, dear, for your offer of the pressed wild flowers ; j yes, I should like to see some Australian wild j flowers. — Dot ] Dear Dot, — My school chum and I thought we would write to you, and send our letters together. #We are going: to get our holidays tomorrow. The school children arc to hava a concert for the Record Raign. I am in the Fifth Standard, and my teacher is Mr Valentine. I like him very much. A great number of children go to our school. I have a doll ; will you please give me a name for it. I am jusfc goiug to write a small letter. I must say goodbye now. — Yours truly, Daisy Bell Bilc'ufcha, June 17. (aged 13 years). [Your own name, Daisy, is the nicest name there is fora doll, but when there is a real Daisy Bell, of course it would scarcely do to call tho doll that also. Suppose, however, we call it Rosie Bell. How will that do ?— Dot.] Dear Dot, — My mate and I thought we would write to you to give us tomething to do. lam not goieg away for the Record Roign. We are going to have a bonfire on Record Reigu day. lam in the Fifth Standard, and Mr Valentine is my teacher. We are to have our examination in three months, and I am dreading it coming. My sister is jusfc making .some clothes for her doll. She has reminded me to ask you to give her a name for her doll, aud please would you give me a name for a parrot. — Yours truly, 'Jessie Geay (r-god 12 years). Balelufcha, Jane 17. [I bope you will not find the examination so dreadfully trying after all, Jessie. Very often an ordeal we have to face appears a mountain to us, when in raahty we find it only a molehill. Call the doll Regina, and the parrot; , Recordia. — Dot.]