LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLKS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2295, 24 February 1898, Page 51

LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLKS.

Dear Dot, — I wribe bo tell you how I spent my holidays. I went to a friend's for the harvest, and enjoyed myself very much. I had a, nice fat heifer, bub she died a few days ago. Father found her in a mud hole, where she must have been for three or four weeks. She was too far gone to live when pulled out. The mud here is very sticky. I like the little folks' letters, and I fchiuk Veda M'Kellac writes very interesting letters. D?ar Dob, I will be 13 nexb month, aud I am sfb Bin high, and nob very thin either. Wo have some good pie naelona this year, but i'> waa boo dry for bhe rock and ivaber melons. There has been a lo!; of hob we&thor hero lately. We had a nice leb of rain a few weeks ago, and ib did & gLvab deal of good to the grass. I have nob beon ruueh at school — about two years. I used bo teach Myself. I lea rood the alphabet from my brothers, and then learned to spell little woids and to write them. I am iv tks Fourth Stsui'

dard. I think I have told you all the news at present. — Yours truly, Christina Mowat. Cheviot, February 9, 1898. [You must be a perfect; giantess, Christina, if you are sft Sin high aad are only 13 years old. The death of your calf must Lave been a great loss to you. You write a nice letter, although you have bad so many dib&d vantages to contend with. — Dot.] Dear Dot, — I- have jiisb passed iuto the Fourth Standard, and I fiad it pretty hard. For a few months my two brothers and I were staying in a hut, going to school in the township, as the school was too f*r away. Father has got 1800 sheep and 1878 acres. The farms about here are mostly big. They are sinking an artesian well ab the factory, and are down over <K)Ofb. They are going to drive it 600 ft i£ they don'fc get water. Every summer my brothers and 1 go fishing dowu afc the Eurunui River, and we catch big eels. There is a lob of hilly laud on Cheviot and a lob of lovoly plains. We go for a game in the manuka scrub. Father has five mar6B and one horse. We are in the creek every day, and can all swim exeapt bhe smallest of us, who is four. There are seven brobhers and two sisters in our family. I can jump head firsb oft' a high bank into a deep hole and go to the bottom. There is only one other boy living near enough to play wibh us. The creek we swim in is called the River Gower on the map of New Zealand. — Yours bruly, Willie Mowat. Cheviot, February 10, 1898. [You are very clever to ba able to swim and dive so well, Willie. These accomplishments may euab'e you to save lite some day. — Dot.] Dear Dot, — I have never written to you before, though I have often wished to do so. When I come horns from school I have nob much time, as I have my lessons to learn for next day. I have to walk three and a-iialf miles to school. I ani in bhe Third Standard. Dear Dot, please give my libble sister Mary a nice name for a whibe and grey rabbib, and also give me a name for a black duck. — Yours truly, Leo Sbream, February I*. Annie Deans. [You have a long journey, Annie. I hope you will fiad fciaiu to write to me eoraebiines. ] Call your duck Darky, and your sister had bebtercall her rabbib Spob. — Dot.] Dkak Dot, — The weather is very web, and I have nob bren able bo go to school, as I live four miles from ib. lam 10 years eld, and am in the Secoml Standard. Dear Dot, I have a pretty little white kitten, and I have tied a bell and blue ribbon round ibs neck. Please, Dob, give me a name for the kibfcen. I have three brobhera and five sisters. — Yours bruly, Lizzie Smith. [You have a very long walk to school, Lizzie, and no wonder you sbay ab home in web weather. Call your kitten Snow. — Dot.] Deak Dot, — I have a new doll, and I would like you to give me a nice name foi- it. The ladies ai; Hill's Creek picnic seat it to me, and I thank th(-m very much for being ho kind Sanba Claus senb me a doll ; her name is Queen Dido, bufc I have given ifc to my baby brother, but he is very cruel to her. I still get a ride on Bluey, and I can hold on myself. Sometimes Igo bo the battery and sea the stampers workiag. There is also a cradle working, and water ruahiug, aud a wheel going round vecy quickly. Thfafe is such a noise you cannot hoar anyone speak. Dear Dob, did Sanba Claus send you anything ? 1 am going bo stay awake till ho cotnes nexb time and tell him to pub somebhing in the baby's stocking ; he forgot him lasb time. lam sendiDg tour stamps for bhe libble boys aad girls. Goodbye, dear Dob. — Yours truly, Rough Ridge, February 11. Fkeda Pertjy. [Ifc was very kind of bhe ladies bo eend you a nice doll, Freda. You must bell your brother nob bo be cruel or Santa will certainly forget hioa nexb year. Santa Claus remembered ms thia year. Thank you for the stamps. Call your doll Queen Esther.— Dot.]