LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLKS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2355, 13 April 1899, Page 57

LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLKS.

Dear Dot,— l saw some letters from my old friend and schoolmate, Cooee, in you most delightful paper, so I thought you might let me write too. We used to live on a farm at Port Molyneux, and our house was such v pretty grey stone one with scarlet geraniums and pink roses growing up to the eaves outside. Dear Dot, I don't suppose you have ever been in Kaitangata. It is a very pretty little place in fine weather, and you can get a good view of the country from the hills at the back of the town. The measles are going round just now, so wo are having a fortnight of "measles" holidays, for which I am rathei sorry, as I am very fond of school. Our English lesson at school just now' is one of Shakespeare's plays called " The Merchant of Venice." Some parts of it are very amusing, but it was anything but funny for poor Antonio. However, all is well that ends well. What a nice letter Nannie wrote. I shall look forward to hear more about the pet lamb?. We used to have one but he got ! too mischievous, and poor lammie had to be killed. Dear Dot, I think boys are dreadful plagues unless they are kept at a lespectable distance. I have tw< brothers, so I know all about them. They never know when they are appreciated, so 8.0.8. needn't I give any warning to tho girls. The girls at our school are starting a Rounders Olub, which has got the length of our having our names written in a book, giving a penny (dear knows who to), and wearing badges which the boys snatch on every possible occasion. I am very fond of reading, and I think some boys' stories are as nice us girls'. I am very fond of music, too, and am getting lessons on the piano. One night a candle was left burning on our organ, and a spark fell on to the keys and set them off in a flare. Father happened to come into the parlour in time, so we had a narrow escape of being burned to death. I am afraid this letter is too long for a new chum, but you needn't bother putting it in the paper if there is no room. With best wishes from BETH. Kaitangata, April 3. i [Plenty of room, Beth and any amount for I other letters from you. The keys of the organ ! must have been of celluloid or they would not have caught fire so easily. It was a narrow escape, and it was very fortunate that your father happened to be on the spot. — DOT. | Dear Dot, — I road tho little folks' letters •very week and Jiko them very much, so I thought I would writ© to you. 8.0.8.'s letters are very interesting as well as funny. ! I would liko to see him jumping over the | hedges on Moses with a top bat, Eton coat, and kid- glove?. He would' shine better at ! that than washing up greasy "dishes. 8.0.8. thinks that girls are meant for nothing only to wait on their brothers. I am sure if the boys would not tear and dirty their clothes to much the girls would have a better time of it. Dear Dos, what do you think of tho Old Age Pension? If I was only old enough I should apply for one, then if I could drop across 8.0.8. he could have his baccy and I could havo my tea. Dear Dot, I like the idea of tho little folks' photos appearing in thr Witness Christinas Annual. It will make it very interesting especially if yours should appear too. 1 am sure we will all be veiy pleased to see it. I must now draw to a close as this is my first letter. With love to ! you and all the little folks,— * Yours tiuly, MAGGIE. April 3. [I do not think much of the Old Age Pen- ' ?ion, 'Maggio. It seems to me only another i form of charitable aid, and the majority of '■ people who get it are certainly not deserving ! of it. I am glad you liko the photo idea, j and I trust you will not forget to send yours ] in good time. — DOT.] Dear Dol, — It is a long time since I last wrote to you. I remember the farmers wero j just beginning to plough and harrow their i ground ready for sowing ; and the crops have ' been sown and reaped and led in since 1 then — tho time passes so quickly when one is busy. We got the last of our oats led in to-day. They are for chaff. Wo had the . threshing mill last week, and as soon as they } got away from our place they had an acci- | dent. Pnrt of the machinery got broken j through some of the men letting a tiny sheet i go in the mill, so they had to stop Work for two days. There are 12 men with the mill. We had 16 for dinner. Have you ever seen a threshing mill at work, Dot? I like to see j one working. Such a row they make, and j the euginedrivei is so black. The weather has been very hot and dry, and the farmers are getting short of water, as all the tanks are aboat dry. Ours has been dry for a few weeks, and we have to sledge water ■ from a spring foi it is too far to I carry it. By all appearances the far- ■ mers are going to have a good crop J of turnips. I saw in last week's paper a J boy's lettei ir> which he speaks about Jessie C. j killing a sheep. He should remember that it takes a lot of different people to make ! i», world. Dear Dot, we get a paper called Hie Mataura Ensign, and there in a page for the young folks in it, and they write to J Uncle Phil. There are not so many letters j to Uncle Phil a? you get, but there may i be some day. He is giving prizes for the I.« ht I essay or letter which he receives. Now I , have to close as it i' getting late. Hoping j you will enjoy your Easter holidays, and with j love to all the little folke, not forgetting yourself, — Yours truly, STARLIGHT. April 3. [It was a pity about the threshing mill, Starlight, and I am sure the men who caused it must have been very sorry for their carelessness when they saw what the result was. Easier is over, but I think all enjoyed them- ! selves this year the weather was so delightful, j I hope you w'll not leavo it so long before j writing again.— DOT.] Dear Dot, — As some of your correspondents have been asking for me I think it is time I let them know I am still in the land of the living. Letter-writing seems to be at a discount at present in your column. I expected some wonderful descriptions of Christmas holidays, but was sadly disappointed. 8.0.8. seems to have hac' a lively time camping out. Some weeks ago he was asking about rabbits. I have not seen any anawors to his

letter yet. I, too, am somewhat interested in the rabbit question and have made some | inquiries. There are very few rabbits in Hawko's Bay, and the people are determined to keep them down. The" rabbiters are paid by the day, and in some parts at least a dozen rabbits a week is reckoned a fairly good? catch. However all places are not like Hawke's Bay. In some parts of Otago thrf rabbits are very numerous. I will try to giva' 8.0.8. some idea of the attention they ard receiving from the export agents, together with the trappers. The trappers get 4£rJ per pair at the railway station, where there " are receiving agents who examine tho rabbits, and reject the small ones and any thafl are considered unfit for export. As the sea-." son advances they advance in price until, j about the end of September, they reach 7cf 'or 8d per pair. Weather permitting, a good trapper will, in some places, catch from 500 to 700 per week. You will understand this number is not caught by lying under a flax j bush reading a shilling shocker, but is attained j by real hard work. I know one young nian ; who works about 150 traps, and shifts then* j every day with the assistance of a horso and sledge. After setting his traps the trapper .goes to his hut or tent; after tea he takes his lantern and visits his traps. This takes him till about 11 o'clock, when he goes homo to bed. At 5 o'clock next morning he again looks at his traps, and gets his rabbits ready j to send off by one of the many carts running lin the interest of the exporters. I understand j as many as 20,000 to 40,000 rabbits are; re- ! ceived at some of the railway stations weekly. I Dear Dot, I think I have written quite enough about rabbits. Perhaps some of. tha . little folks will find this letter rather dry. 1 I see Dicky Donovan has fcpen asking foi me. It was very kind of him, I am sure, and I shall forgive his rude romarks about girls. I think he will find it is better to be , friendly with the girls, for try as they will , boys cannot manage without them. 8.0.8. , was very kind to wain the girls of the sorrow ■ in store for them if they were wanting in j kindness to their brothers. Don't you think, . Dol, that the same argument applies to tho • brothers, who I think are just as much in need of warning as their sisterß. — Yours trul/ s } DEVONSHIRE DUMPLING. { [Most certainly, Dumpling ; indeed, I think with much greater force, for who has noy 1 seen a teasing brother making his sistor's life , a misery? Youi description of the rabbiter's ; life is very interesting, and will, I am sure, bo i both new and entertaining to mffny readers. — • , DOT.] Dear Dot, — I've been a long time writing, .haven't I? Well, "better lnte than never," as tho saying goes. Easter holidays are pussed now, so is All Fools' Day." 1 wonder how many were made fools last Saturday? Anyway I wasn't, for I knew it wao the "Sirst of April." Did they make you . •a " fool," Dol? There have been a goodf ! many people down Eince Good Friday, but they all seemed to disappear as fast ac they ; come. The shooting season is on just now, '. and there have been a, good many sportsmen , down here. Some fellows from town and I other places are enjoying themselves ju3t ' new ; but I hope they will carry away whatever they shoot. For instance, I heard that i there were some town fellows and other,fel- { lows who came down hero for shooting, and j went 'up to the swamp, shooting ducks', : rabr> j bits, etc., and whatever they shot . they* left | lying about. I consider that mean, for if I they didn't want them they shouldn't" have j shot them, but might have left them .for the '. sportsmen who would take them home for use. \ Are you fond of pigeons. Dot? I am. I I hope 8.0.8. will shoot a lot of birds, etc. — pigs included — (if there are any to shoot in 1 his part of the Back Blocks) as well as onjoy i hin.&elf. I haven't seen the last two or three , Witnesses, so I don't know what tho littla folks are doing with themselves nowadays. I hope they are all in good health and spirits. In my last letter, if you remember, Dot, I mentioned some wrecks. Well, I 6ent you the names also. But I'm sorry to say one of the names was wrong. I've got " Lord Her- , old " instead of "Lloyd's Herald." You see, this is how I made the mistake : The persons I asked the name of couldn't pronounce it well. I thought he said " Lord Harold," and I asked him again, but though this didn't ; satisfy me, I didn't want to ask him again or i he might have thought I was rude or mquisi- .' tivc. So I put down "Lord Harold." I < hope I shall not make another mistake. i Thanks to the ladies who showed me my aiis- ! take. The last few days have been very hot — just like real Rummer weather. It is very hot, too, | Jhis evening. Dear Dot, I keep a diary just ; to amuse myself. It is very dark to-night, | but I can see a light out at sea. It is a [ pte&mer. A steamer camo right in yesterday. 111 was the Hinemoa. Our under lighthouse keeper has left, and another one is to com© in his place. I I hope the parson — I beg your pardon, I I ntehnt the clergyman — did ' riot 'make a misI take, Harry, and take you for the bridegroom ; instead of the "best boy I really must -beg my pardon again, Harry, I meant "-"best man Did you look sober, and all - that ? Did you put a straight face on, Harry?: I ! hope you won't think me an impudent thing j for asking you so many questions. You boys say that we girls are " inquisitive things." At least tome boys do. I think Ziska's suggestion is very nice mj deed, and I hope, Dot, you'll succeed in'carj rying it out. I'm sorry to say that I can't | fa\our you with my j>hoto, for I've never i been taken by myself. Do not, dear Dot, I think I'm going to draw myself out of it at | tho last, but I would send you one now if I ! had one — I mean a photo. So you and Zioka j will have to leave me out at present What i i-5 your favourite song, Dot? Well, I can hardly say which is mine. I like " Our sailors on the sea," " Balaclava," and " Robin Adair." I like the latter best. Some say it is too sad a tune But it is all tho same to me. " The wearin' o' tho green " seems to be Mr Seddon's favourite. I like " Flowers of the forest " too. Why do some of tha Irish people dislike hearing the " Wearin' o' the green sung? It has a grand tune to it. I've just finished reading " Uncle Tom's Cabin.'' It is a very sad book. What a good thing people aren't now allowed to keep slaves in America or other places, Dot. How the pcor negroes must have suffered in those " slavery days." Now I think I've made up for not writing before, though after reading my letter over I think it looks rather dry. But, Dot, I've nothing else to say. And I hope I've not written too much. I must say good-night, for I wish to retire, as it is getting very late. With love to Harry, Trixie, 8.0.8. and yourself and little folks,— Yours truly, COO-EE. April 4. [Your letter is anything but dry, Coo-ec— • it is most interesting. I suppose it must have been an Orangeman who objected to the song "The wearin' o' the green," but even if this is so it was very foolish of him. It is a nice tune, and tho words are very pathetic. It seoins a pity that people should take oft'enc* at zsngs, but 1 Biippote it is unavoidable*

Many people take offence if "Boyne water were sung, yet the tune is a very pretty one. With reference to your mistake about the Lloyd's Herald Coo-ec, it is a good thing for anyone to hay© their mistakes pointed out to them, an it ensures greater caution afterwards, I can quite understand Your not wishing to trouble your informant £ third time.— DOT.] Dear Dot, — It i 8 raining up here. Romafrua is Bold, and I think that we shall be leaving. I came to Romania when I was five months old; I am 11 on Jury 29. I have passed my Second Standard, and am now in the Third. There are 10 going to our school — four girls and six boys. I went up to Oamaru for my New Y«ar's holidays, and I enjoyed myself very much. I went up in the quick train, and I can tell you it did go. I went to the sports the second day, and to the fireworks at night. The next day 1 strolled through the gardens, and they were very pretty, all kinds of flowers Blooming in them. I had a pretty little white kitten with pink eyes, but a dog got hold of it and killed it. 1 have two little kittens, one white and grey, the other grey; would you please give me xiames for them. — Your 3 truly, NORMAN GIBSON. Romania, April 7. [Your holiday was certainly very enjoyable, Norman, and I am cure you must have gone back to school ecger for work after having such a pleasant time. Call tho kittens Budge *nd Toddy.— DOT.] Dear Dot,— l read the Witness ©very week and I like rending the Little Folks' letters. I am in the Third Standard and Ilka echool-yery much. I have two sisters, Alice and""Mary, who also go to school. Mary has a little grey and white kitten ; please will you give her a name for it. I must stop as it is getting late.— Yours truly, HighclifT, April 8. FAERY. [As your own name is Fairy, call the kitten Titania, who was wife of Oberon, King of the Fairies.— DOT.]