LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLKS

Otago Witness, Issue 2287, 30 December 1897, Page 52

LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLKS

Dkar Dot, — I am going to tell ycu aboub Stra'.h-Taieri. It is a plaiD. and at the north' there are the two Sieter Hills, at the south the Sutt.n Hills, at the west the Rock and Pillar, and at tbe east the YeJkw Hills. Most of the people in Strath-Taieri are farmers, wbo grow all kind.s of crops There are two ehrpi and one blacksmith's shop and two bootmakers' shops. lam in the TLird Standard. We are going to have a picnic on tbe ]6th December, «n«l we are going to Kokorga. I think it will be a very good picnic. —Yours truly, H. S. Fish eh. Middlemarcb, Debember 8. Dkab Dot, — I do not like living in Middlemarcu. Onr school cbildren are going to have a picnic at Kokonga in a week from now. We are learning a song for it. It will be a nice picnic lam sure. We get fcbc Witness every week, acd I 1 ke reading the little children's letters. It is generaily either very -it in Middiemarch or blowing. When ib is ccH thelt.ck and Piilar Mouurains get all white with fcow. Iv summer-time Igo wa*k< with my little niece up the Mount Stocker River. — "yours truly, E M. E. Thompson. Foulden Hill, Middleware!], December 8 Dear Dot, — I am in tbe Third Standard. We are going to have a picuic ab Kokonga. We will take flags with us, aud we will wave Ihem at Hjde, wbich will tell that we are school children out for a picnic. We w.H soon have our holidays, then I will go oub catching rabbits. — Yuu truly, T. Howe Dear Dot, — I am in the Third Standard We are going to have a picnic on Deceml-.ee 16. I think it will be a good oue. We are making fligs for it. I don't like going to school very much. I live in BLir Tttieri. I like living there. I ustd bo have a wbibe rabbit with pink eyes. We shall toon have our holiday?. — Yours truly, N. Wei ham. Dfar Dot, — I do aiob like living iv Middlem*rcb, because it is always windy. Igo to sthotl, and am in tbe Third Standard. The lessons in it are very hard to learn, and I canto 1 ; do some of the sums — Yours truly, B. Steel. Dear Dot, — Our examination is just over, and I passed. There are buttercups all over the paddocks. It is very Eot just bow, but it blows a little. We will ocon bave our h<li<lays. We are g< ing to have a picnic up a f Kokonga. We are making flags for ib, and I think it v. i ' 1 be very nice. We are learning a song to sinf, and when we get to the station we will wave the fla^s.— Yours truly, Sarah Gibson. [I hope all the little Middltmarcbians er]<yed themselves at their picnic and that everything went off wtl 1 . Middlematch is apparently a very boisterous iJace, bub I think all places have been windy and rough this yeu 1 , so that perhaps ib has been no woree than any*vhere else. — Dor.]

Dear Dot, — Our holidays have arrived at lasr, and I feel somewhat like a fi«h out of its natural" element. Carious feeling for a schoolboy ; but alack I am rather a curious creabure altogether, and must relieve my feelings by a lorjg letter to you. I intend to exj lore the peninsula and find out its beauties. Not being ft-crickeler by N*ture I am excluded from games of that kind. lam advised to study lefs end play more — strange advice from a master to a , scholar, isn't it ? I am going to make a kuid 'of compromise by carrying a boob, note-book, aud pencil to job down interesting items on my exploring expeditions. That can'b be caUed study, as I will only read wbila baking a lesb. I hopß to fall in with some of my mates' on the same qnest, but a great miuy of them have gone to the country, while I await the pater's decision as to where my holidays will bs spent Meanwhile I am like ' Robinson Crusoe, mating solitary rambles, as my brothers are on cricket bent if they are not acting ben little niggers. My chief dtlight and pleasure is a sccial evening, at btab-.d limes, spent with a congenial friend and namesake. We have an enjoyable walk through town, visiting the most interesting places in the world lo me — the book?ellers and tbe athenaeum. I received four prize books this year, and have read them already — but I am like Oliver Twist iv thia respsct, "I'm always asking for more." I have given up study for the fco!id»y lime. How ungrateful some boyß must be to leave school without giving some- explanation, &c, to their masters. Such conduct is cowardly. The masters are tbe boys' bett friend?. I write from experience, having spent eight happy years at schoo), and I am more than ever in love, with it. The masters and mistresses I have been under during that period have bsen gems of tbeir profession. I am still a t cboolboy, and must say thai my school days are as happy as tbe day is long. I place myself under ttieir lawful authority and pull along in bhe siiiaight path of duly. 1 fiod it simple and easy. I hope next year we will all go in tbe leading slriDgs with a will and make strong pulla uutil we reach the goal. We acb like a contrary band of colts — some leading at a breakneck gsllop, some pulling different &ide 3, while others are dragging backwards. What a time the masters must have ! Let any boy imagine what he could or would do with such a contrary band of boys, and then he will act so as to make the masters happy. Punishment ■will then vanish like an unhappy dream. 1 have always been subject to the master's authority. When I break the rulc3 I expect punishment as a matter of conree, taking ib as I would % dote of' bitter medicine, in the hope of its going me good. I have never felt the cane.

and am not anx'iou? to make its acquaintance. Ouce while in the Fifth Standard 1 got three straps on the hand for being lite. Dear Mr Coults was the iuflicter. We are nob any tbe less friends over it, I hope. He asked me bo count the punishments I received after I wont into the Sixth Standard, but they were nil. His nice little paliniugs were the last to date. I shall conclude by wishing a Merry Christmaa and a Happy New Year to all. — Yours truly, December 20. Hatiry. [I hope you had a Merry Christinas and will have a Happy Ne^v Year, Harry. Ycu will no doubt have some interesting things to tell nsin due course about your exi'lc>ration3 on thß Peninsula or wherever yon g:> to. — Dot ~\

Deatc Dot, —We areTwj Schoolgirls writing to you for the first time, but w? hope it will nob be tho last. We live about a mile from school, but as the roads are &ood we do not mind the walk. Wo milk about 50 c;w«, and ssnd the milk to the Seaward Dowus Dairy Fac'ory, where il is made into cheese. Our fchool will close very soon, bub we do nob get away for a holiday in the summer, as there are so many cows to milk. D-ar Do f , did you ever learn to milk? and if so, how did you like it? The we&bher here has fceen very n : c 3 this lasb week, and cur gardens fire looking lovely with a'l tho spriDg flowers. One of us in the Fifth Standard and the other in the Sixth, and as we have a cico teacher we are fond of school. Oar teacher some times tdU us that we are bad writers, but v»e don't think so; do you, Dot? We have each a nice little kitten ; and wouLi you be so kind as to give us nice ehort names for i.heoa We will close now, wishing you a Happy New. Year. — Yuurs truly, Two Schoolgirls (aged 11 aud 13).

Seaward Down.*, December 17.

[No, girl?, I never learncl to milk, bub I have uffcen watched cows being milked, end I found ib very interesting. It would be all right in dry weather, but I should nob.like it tc be a part of my duties in winter time. Ca 1 the kittecs Fuss and Zoo.— Dot ]

Dka.h Dot, — I am a collie dog, aud niy name is Twtefl. I can carry rabbits, and I w*tcb the hoiise both uigbt nud day. I am put on my chain, aud Ido nob like it. lam fond of the gun, and when my master goss out to fhoot rabbits Igo with him. I like to tßke the rabbits home to icy mifU'ess wLeo they are slo 1 -. My mistress gives me a pat and she tells me to go back to nay master. Igo away to my matter, and Bom^fcinifS I have to take another rabbit home. I wi-h you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year I enclose three stamps for the Kindergaitan Fuud. — Yours truly, A Dos. Coal Creek Fiat, Roxburgh, December 16. [Thank you, doggie. Ib is vjry go id of you_ to think of the fund. 'Sou have a fine tioie of it fetching and carrying the rabbits, and I am sure it must re.yard you for the time you are on the chain. — Dot.]

Dear Dot, — If; was Allie who sang " Gentle Eva '* ; Topsj can only purr thtougb. her nose. I played in "The Ten Littls Nigger Boys" at the concert. It was fine fun being a black nigger, but the black washed all off. We had nigger clothes and umbrella;. Ernie was only in tbe exercises, as ho was too small for a nigge r boy. We thought it was fine fun getting blackened. I dou'b know how some black men can always keep black ; my black kept coming off fcill we all gob white again. My fingers are eors. I got a nice attendance prt'za, cilled " Robert Marliii's Lt-stou." I didn't g.-b any for lessons, but my eldest brother got two for lessons, one a 1 ; tbe singing class, and one at the Union Sunday School. — Yours truly, Ber/iwyl. [A. little grease put with the barat cork wjuld have, kept you black longer, Herl, but you would not have got it off so easily. — Dot ] Dear Dot, -Our se'iool broke up on Tuesday, and w<* bad a grand time of it. We had recitations and sorg*. I ie?ited the "Leap for Life." Llotber ould noi; get into our room it was to crowded, fo she misled a treat, for the Fourth St&i dlrd cautains the b-st scholars i-f the Echo.-l — the pluckiest, anyhow. I have changed tuy elder brother's name from "The Hermit" to " The Piiilosrp'ier," far it suits him better. He came to hear me recite, and he fays I wasn't bad at it after all. My last letter must have made tbe li'Ue fc lks laugh. I thought John the Baptist had placed a honey jar full of houey outside, and tbe locusts came ruund and gobsluckin ib and then he killed them and boiled thrui for his dinner ar.d tea. I didn't think of using our Philosopher's Bible dictionary to nad the meanjugs. lam glad I know nbout ib now. I got a certificate from the Sunday School Union and an attendance prize from the day school. Ib is " The S wiss Fatni y Robinson," and ib is a grat-d book. I didn't gut a lesson pt!Z3 at all. The Pbiiosopher gob five this year. Prizes are nobhiug new to him. He got twJ prizes for lessot.s at day school. The Philosopher is goodnatured as lorg as I don't hide his books or blow out the candle. I don't often iease him, as I too often wsnt his help. We had two concerts, and Barb was one of the " Ten Liitle Nigger Boy*," and Erneeb had tha dumbbell exercises He looked like a Dutch doll twisting himself sbout, for he is such a mite. The Philosopher has received a number of iuvib&biocs bub I wish they would invite the Philcsophec's next brother to accompany him. j Tli^y must forget he has five other brothers all left fretting al botna for h : s absence. I read the "Bsd Boy's Diary" las^ week at a chum's house Top-.y is a fine little ruouser now. I saw the grave Pcilosopker putting a very fu ! l letter in his pocket, and I ciughb sight of " Dot" written on the envelope, so I followed hi 3<x ample. A H'iupy New Y^ar to you and all the little folks — Youri truly, Alwyn\

[Thank you, Alwjn ; I return the compliment. Your brother must be a good-natured chap, or I aoi osttain he vror.ld nob dlow you ta take such liberties with him as to dub him Hermit, and theu change his name fci the Philosopher. — Dor ]

KINDERGARTEN FUND. Stamps received : A Dog, Roxbu; gb, 3.

LITTLE POLKS' KIDDLES.

ANSWERS TO LAST WEEK'S REDDLES,

By Reua FuUseth, Mount Stuart :— (I) Wlieu they Lire mended (men dead). (2) Because it is more in soirow than in anger.

Ib often happens tbab the docbor is oub of town when most needed. The two-year-old daughter of J. Y. Schenck, of Caddo*lnd. Ter., was threatened with croup. He write 3 : "My wife insisted that I go for the dosbor at once, but as he was ou^ of town I purchased a bolble of Chamberlgin's Cough Remedy, which relieved bhe child immediately." A bottle of that remedy in the house will often save the expense of a doctor's bill, besides the anxiety always occasioned by serious sickness. When it is given aa soon as the croupy cough appears, it will prevent the attack. 'Ihonsands of mothers always keep it in their homes. For sale by all leading chemistfc