LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLK.
Dear Dot,— -I have not been writing lnteiy, as I did not wish to take up too much of your valuable space. I wish to tender my thanks to Shan, Roby, Cuckoo, and Signa for cards received. I have received others from some of the little folk, but 1 have thanked them privately. Dear Dot, what a grand idea that is of yours about which you were telling Diamond. lam sure all the little folk will be delighted to help. 1 know I shall for one. What nice amusing letters Taffy, secretary Critic Club, writes. It is a wonder some of the girls have not given him a good lecture. And then, talking as they did about 8.0.8.'s letters — the favourite of the page. Oh, dear, I hope when it conies to my turn that they will not be too seveie. Now, Laddie, I think I have found you out at last. Mr J knows yo,i all right. Have you got a badge? 1 have, and I wear it in my Sunday hat. 1 have only seen two other badges, aad that was at seme sports at T on .New Year's Day. Dear Dot, I was at a wedding spree the other night, and I enjoyed myself capitally. It is the first wedding I had ever been to, and I hope it will not be the last. We had all sorts of games, and dancing, and we arrived home in the small hours of the morning. The same day as the party, I had been away to some patriotic sports, and, coming back, I was driving. There were two horses in the drag, and as it was the first, time I had aver driven a horse, I found it occupied my time keeping them straight. I soon got into the way of it, and I thought it was grand fun. The best of it was I nearly ended up by putting the lot of us into the gutter. The driver left me to turn in at the gate, and I very nearly took post and all. Luckily we got through all right, but it was a narrow escape for all that. Dear Dot, as yo i are thinking of printing some more g>hotos for the Easter number, and yoxi invited us to vote for three correspondents, I cast my vote in favour of Shan, Laddie, and Wullie. One of the little folk wondered if I was like a certain girl who, when she washed her face, washed one eye and read with the other, and then washed the other and read with the washed one. Well, I have been thinking over that, and I remember I used to place my book beside the basin, get the towel near at hand, wash my iace, get one eye dry and read with it until the other was dried also. I was then able to use both eyes and read my book properly. Well, Dot, as you said something about the letters being 48 lines long, the lines lo consist of seven words, I think I lyid bettei stop, as there are about 60 lines in thL letter, and more than seven words in e?ch. So I will close, with best love to Dot and to the editor, — Youivs truly,
February 2. P.S.— I wonder; it gpfc gould j?o£Bua#.c the
editor to put his photo in the Easter number, and if he felt shy about it, Dot could put hero in with it. What do you say, little folk? — Z. [Thank you, Ziska for your endeavour to comply with the limit, even if you have exceeded it a little. 1 think the editor would do almost anything within reason for us now, but on my mentioning the photo proposal to him he told me that he did not think the little folk would be particularly interested in his photo, and asked me why I did not put my own in before beginning the new series. I told him I was surprised at his lack of knowledge on the subject, and felt quite convinced that he did not read all our letters through, or he would not have asked me such a question, after the thorough manner in which the subject had been dealt with during the past year. That was all I could get out of him, but I think he will have to give in at the beginning of next year, for on February 8, 1901, the Witness attains its jubilee, and then we shall see the history of the paper fof the past 50 years, and that will scarcely be complete without portraits, will it?— DOT.] Dear Dot, — I have counted out 42 lines on tho paper and do not mean to exceed them, although I have a great deal to say. First, I must thank you for forwarding Fatima's autograph — I sent mine to her — and also for Roby's address — so, Roby, before this letter is in print you will have received a letter from me; and, thiidly, for correcting a word in my last letter. When I said I knew you, Dolly, I was mistaken ; but I know your name, and are you not the girl Dockleaf saw with the yellow and black hatband ? Dunedinite told me your name, PiisciUa. xl know you by sight, and also know whare you live. Dear Dot, my list of foundout.s has gone up to 31; but. of course, I only krow some by name. Your sympathy has not been wasted, Dot, as Dunedinite has been ill with inflammation, but it is sudden, and generally does not last long. I hope you have recovered from whooping cough, Fairlie, and also your two brothers. It will be nice to have a gioup, Dot, so I w'll vote for Dunedinite, 8.0.8., and Shan. Oh, Dot, do you really think 8.0.8. is in love? Because, if he is he will be so engrossed that he will not be able to write I hope his father will keep him hard at work, so that he won't be able to think of su2h a thing as love. What a nice idea about tha cot, Dot, and a3 you say, if we put aside a little eveiy month we should have quite a nice ' sum. I know I vill, and so will the Kittle \ Lady. I have reached my limit, so with love ' to the editor, Dot, and all the little folk,— Yours truly, i ECHO. I Dunedin, February 1. | [In answer to your private question, Echo, I do not think she has, but I am sure she would be delighted to get a letter from you. Thank you, dear, and Ziska also, for your leception of j the Dot's Little Folk's Children's Ward Cot. ! Your remarks are most encouraging, and I feel | sura we shall successfully carry the proposal out when the time comes. — DOT.] Dear Dot, — I suppose we must keep the kettle j boiling, so I thought I might as well write again, in case you had run out of letters. Either a feast or a famine, oh, Dot? Presently, when all the amusement is over, the letters will j slacken off a little, 1 expect. So you would like to be that boy who shot the three Boers, ] would you, 8.0.8. ? Well that, poor little fellow went mad after that, and they had to take : him back to England again. It must havebeen a dreadful shock to him, Dot, and it is not to be wondered at that it preyed on his mind so. Well, our boys who are going with the third contingent left here this morning for drill in Wanganui. I knew five of them very well. In fact, they were more like brothers than anything else. It does seem cruel that they must go. and perhaps we may never see them again ; but they are only doing their duty. You had a peep through the Hillside workshops, had you, Laddie? I wonder if >ou came across m/ cousin in there. He is working to be an engineer, and he will be a full-blown one in a few weeks, when he will be transferred to the Christchuich shops. Shouldn't I like to be in his shoes. " I'm a jolly sailor boy." Huriali' hurrah! I think the Critic Ciub ought to take Jam and Jelly's letter in hand, for I'm sure they need a good talking to, if anyone ever did. What they were so kind as to say about the girl they saw washing was nothing to their credit; but perhaps the poor little dears didn't know any better, therefore they ar? excusable. I say, Harry, you have given one Taranaki girl a photo of yourself ; why not serve us all alike? If I write you a nice letter will you send me one Harry? I would treasure it vp — yes, you have no idea how much. I call that mean, because I always like to have the first say in everything, you know. You'll see that -he doesn't neglect sending me one, won't you, Solomon Slow? Don't be afraid to send it because I have a girl's name. I am a boy, and only adopted a girl's name, don't yju sea. Well, I'll have to pull up here, or Dot will be wishing me to the other end of ths world for this long epistle. Never mind, Dot, if you haven't room for it, just let it remain until you cm find a place for it. If 1 don't stop now, Dot, I neve- will, so au revoir till next time. Love to all the girls and boys, but the most for clear old Dot. The editor doesn't deserve any for getting cross with Dot. — Yours truly, i MAIDEY. ' January 30. ] [I don't think we shall have a famine again foi many a long day, Maidey. The long nights arc coming, and I feel quite sure our pages will bj kept fully supplied during all the winter. Yoa will see, dear, that Jam and Jelly really did not mean it, ond were after all only in fun, though of course it was a kind of fun which is deserving of a reprimand. In answer to youi private Question, Maidev, no, it is exactly what is wanted.— DOT.] Dear Dot, — I have just been out in the garden having some gooseberries. The others are having tea, but I was not hungiy, so I started to write to yoa while I had the spare time. Echo says she kndws 26 of your correspondents. Well, I think everyone who knows any of Dot's correspondents should give their noms de plume. I know 26. They are Ziska, Jessie C, Roby, Pearl, Weka, Cuckoo, Karangamai, "Rora, Gxilder Rose, Diamond, Harry Bert, Mona, Solomon Slow, Jack, 8.0.8., Dicky Donovan, Toby, Cynthia, Shamrock, Old Girl, Cleopatra, Lesetta, Aguinaldo, Tomboy, and Pin. What are Lhe names of the ones you know, Echo. I wish the w?i wovdd end. Fou'of our boys have fallen. I have not been writing for a while. The reason was that we j had too much work, and also there were several new books in the house. They were " Oliver Twist," " Pickwick Papers," " Eugene Aram," " While the Billy Boils, ' " St. Ives," " Stalky and C 0.," " Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes," and besides these we had the Illustrated London News, Pears Annual, and the Witness Annual, so you can see we had plenty of reading. I have read " Oliver Twist," '" Pickwick Papers," " Stalky and C 0.," and the annuals. Weren't those three beautiful pictures that were given with Pears' Annual? We are going to have " Shoeing the Bay Mare " and " A Daughter of Evo" framed. I wanted mother to get " Slimmer Glory " framed also, but she ■wouldn't. She says she doesn't like it. ] tl'ink it comes next to " Shoeing the Bay Mare." I did not care much for " Late for School," which was given with the Illustrated LoLdon News. We aro going to have that framed also. Isn't the Daily Times a good j>aper now?. It is worth twice the ejgne^y
charged for it. The Witness in much nicer now the Illustrations arc with it. It is nesrly ao good as the Australasian now. The patriotic concert down here was a thorough success. They got £d from the concert and the dance, and about £d more has been collected. That is a good little suni for a small place like this. 1 wonder who that girl was whom Pauline saw, anil also who the nice-looking girl is to whom Dockleaf alludes. The Critic Club may do some good if, when criticising the letters, they don't say nasty things. Jessie C. and Tui have not written lor a while. Do hurry up, girls, and write a letter. Well, I think I shall conclude now with love to Evoline, Dockleaf, Lady Clare, and Thelma. — Yours truly, MARGUERITE. P.S, — Can we have three votes re photos every time we write. — M. [Thank you for your encouraging remarks about the papers, Marguerite. I have shewn them to the editor, and he tells me that the present illustrated sheet i 3 only a beginning, and thot in about three months it will be increased to eight pages full of illustrations. I am sure we shall all be glad of that, shall we not? Oh, no, dear, it would be scarcely fair to vote each time you write. I think once will be enough.— DOT.] Dear Dot, — I am told that the Witness has a j)icnic every year. Coiild yois tell us if that is so, and if it is, can any of Dot's contributors go to it? We are now a recognised part of the paper, and I suppose if we are not directly connected with it we indirectly aie, and therefore we have a fair claim to go if we so wish. If you say we ran go, I would like to see as many of the little folk there as can get. We could not hold a picnic of our own, but this would be a good chance to make each other's acquaintance, and find out who is who. We would also find out who Dot is, because I do not suppose she would go without wearing her badge. This would be too bad, and I suppose all those who have got badges would wear them also. Of course, only those in and around Dunedm could go, but these number a good many. What do you think of this suggestion, Dot? Please let us know, and if we can go, tell us when anc 1 where the picnic is to be held, and where we can get tickets. I hope you will give us a hearty welcome, and that a number of us are present. This is not a tray to find you out, Dot . oh, dear, no. — Yours tmly, J. H. [And yet you do not sign your name, J. H. ! However, never mind ; you and all the little folk will be welcome at the picnic, which is to take place on Battiro.iv, 21th ins-t., at Waitati. Tickets may be had at the office any day. — DOT.] Dear Dot, — My dissipation past '' till the next time," 1 again find time to take up my pen. I must thank Harry and Shan for the pretty cards they sent. I got 20 Christmas cards this year— more than I've ever got before. I presume we are all supposed to tell how we spent xhe holidays. On Christmas Day I went to the Sunday school picnic as usual. On New Year's Day I went to £ picnic, and enjoyed myself immensely, end then we had a small dance at night. If I started to go into details the editor . I've found out who you are, Fifi. 1 met your sister J. at B. on Christmas Day. I also met W. B. with his camera (don't-cher-know). He wa« going about taking snapshots all day. I have a good idea who you are, Ella. Aie your initials B. P.? Was that you I saw riding a grey pony at 8., a few Sundays ago, A. O. E.? I'm prot.y sure it «vas. Does your surname begm with M., Guilia? You wanted to know if I lived on the Mosgicl side of Saddle Hill, Laddie. No, I live in the house nearest the top on tha other side. There, 1 have given myself away properly now. Last Monday afternoon my couain and I walked to the top of big Ssddle Hill. We climbed the tre*e on the iop. To gh c you an idea of the tree we climbed, I might," say that my cousin standing on my shoulders could only touch the lowest branch. We didn't intend coining home without climbing it. So we set to work and dragged an old tree over to the one we wished to climb. We managed to gel it piopped up, and it answered our ptirpose very well. I started to climb first,, but before I reached the top of the old stump 1 found myself back on the ground, with a tcsr m the fiont of my stocking big enough to put your head through. After 0 good bit of stiugghng we reached the top of the tallest tree in Saddle Hill biish. We had a splendid view. On one side we could see Dunedin Ilaibour, sad on the other side Lake Waihola. We carved our names o.i the tcp branch, and before coming c'owu we sang " God Save the Queen" and "The Soldiers of the Queen." I have just read three books this year — " Ursula, Vivian, by Annie Swan ; " Belo'v and On Top," by Edward Dyson " ; and • Stalky and Co., 'by Rudyard Kipling. The name of my Sunday school prize was "' Ailsa's Reaping." I think Fiona was the name of the girl who wished to correspond with me. Inn sending you mv_ address, Fiona, and hope lo hear fiom you soon. Two of my little friends aro going to start writing to j'ou, 1 think, Dot. They were here the other day, and I piovided them with pen, ink, and paper to write to you, but they could only get the length of " Dear Dot." 1 hope that they finished their letters when they got home. I vote th.at Con's, Laddic'p, and Boy's photos should bs put in the Easier Witness. Best love to all the little folk, not forgetting vo\u"&ell. — Yours tiuly, ALYS. January 22. [I should not think many people have had such a view us that, Ahs. I suppose you had to chmb the nee to see over the surrounding bu&h. I wouder if your little friends' letters ar3 in this week. If so, I haven't come to them yei,.— DOT.] Dear Dot, — For a long time I have been greatly interested in your page, and have looked foiward eagerly each week for the Witness, so please may J join your band of correspondents * 1 went to " The Belle of New York " last night, but to-night mother and father went to '" The Geisha," so we had a musical evening instead. A whole contingent of my cousins are here at prerent — ten, in fact. They came overland fiom Nelson, and we are having a good time. I am dying with curiosity to know who Shan is and Monica also. Dear Dot, do you think that the letters from Wullie, Babette, Scotch Jean, and Lamb are really genuine? If so, they are all very nice. I think sisters are Al sometimes; but brothers aio A 2 all the time. I am very fond of euchre, and I have greai/ fun playing with my sisters, especially when they are not seniors at the game. I think the letters by Cherryripe and Marguerite, Harry, and 8.0.8. are simply exquisite. With love to the editor and self, — Yours tiuly, WILLIAM TELL. Westpori,, January 22. [So William Tell has left the Helvetian Republic and taken up his abode in W.estpoit! Well, wherever he lives he is welcome to our columns.— DOT.] Dear Dot, — I would like very imich to become one of yom little folk. I know Lit tie Lady. She is ju&t about my size, and seeing" that she writes I thought I would write too. I know Ladysmith %yell. She is a schoolmate of mine. She had a party the other day, and there were over 40 present, I being pmongst them. We are having very nice weather now, for a wonder. I went to the bush not long ago with some of my schoolmates, and we brought hem© aojjie very, nice fyzuj) and shrubs. When
we were ccming home we all sang " Sons of the So* " and " Eule Britannia." We were very patriotic, were we not, Dot? On Wednesday night I was at the Steele-Payne Bellringers' concert, and I liked it very much. Dear Dot, do you think the British will win? I do. I know Echo, Dockleaf, D.0.5., and Ladysmith. Dear Dot, what a number of our Britishers are getting killed, but they will not lose. I did not go anywhere for my holidays, except to town for a week with my cousins, and I enjoyed myself very xnuch. With love to all th«- little folk, not forgetting your own dear self, — Yours truly, MAVOUREEN. [Yes, jMavourncen, you were loyal, but i$ made your outing very enjoyable, did it not? Yes, dear, I have no doubt whatever that we shall win, the only thing I feel sorry about being the dreadful loss of life that even victory will entail.— DOT.] Dear Dot, — I only know 12 of your correspondents, but I think that will do for a stall — will it not, Dot? Echo, you have not answeied my last letter yet, but I am expecting a letter from you every day. Not long ago I wps speaking to a friend of mine, -when I noticed a badge in her hat. I didn't jjay much attention to it at the time, but when she went B%vay I said to myself, " I have seen that badge somewhere before. ' I was puzzling my brain* to know wheie, when I remembered that it was in the Witness pages. 1 found out afterwards that she was a little folk, and, of course, I found oiit her norn de plume too. Priscilla, are your initials A. K. ? If so, I know you well, Didn't you travel through Lawrence the other day, en route for Waipori? D. O. S., your initials are D. J., are they not? You know what we used to call you at school. But, Dot, I "am wandering away from you. We are having delightful weather, and I hope it will last. It, is the first spell of good weather we have had since Christmas. Isn't the war terrible. Dot? What a number of our soldiers are getting killed ; but for all that we shall come off victorious — don't you think so, Dot? The Boers have nothing else to do but lose. Mo&t of the schools have now reopened. Ours will open on Monday, after six weeks' holidays, which were very enjoyable. I was thinking, Dot, that it would be nice (if it could be managed} if the photos of two or three of the little folk could be published in the Witness every two or three months. So as not to cause disagreement we could vote a couple of names and send them in to you; then >ou could publish the names, and, if the little folk were willing, they could send their photos to you. Of course, Dot, this is only my suggestion ; it rests entirely with you and the other little folk. Now, Dot, I call it a shame — fa^cy you not having a holiday, but instead staying at home and pleasing us all by writing such nice bright answers to all the letters. What would the page (or lather pages) be without Dot? The letters still keep pouring in, filling up the pages. We shall need a paper to ourselves soon. I think I shall conclude (as I do not want to be in the editor's black books for the first time) with iove to Dockleaf, Priscilla, Hilda, ar>d the editor, not forgetting your own dear self. — Yours truly, DINAH. Lawrence, February 1. [Why, my dear Dinah, that is exactly what we are doing. I am afraid you have not been reading the letters as attentively as you might. The proposal is to have the first'batch of photos in the Witness in Easter week. The voting is now being done, as you will see from a number of the letters this week. If we' really have to get a paper to ourselves, dear, what should I do? 1 couldn't leave the dear, old Witness, and yet I couldn't attend to both, so ho'v should we manage! If we can induce the editor to still allow us two pages, ,1 think we shall have to content ourselves with that. — DOT.] Dear Dot, — About si;: or seven veais aso T i' fed to live in Hokilika. The climate there is very mild, and it is a much nicer place to live in than Greymouth. Theie are two lovely lakes not far from Hokitika — the Kanieri and the Mahinapua. To the former you go by coach or bicycle, it beivg a very interesting ride, the sceKery being so beautiful, especially when the kumara flowers are out. To the latter you can go by coach aho, but people very seldom go that way, as it is a long drive. The lake is just across the river, and up a small creek, so il is much nicer to go by boat. Would you like some West Coast ferns, Dot? If so, I v/i'l send you some. I hope the war will soon come to an end. 1 think war is such a cruel thirg. Thi-' poor Boer women and children are to ba pitied just as much as the British women and children. They have their feelings just as well as the rest of us. 1 expect most of yoar coirespondems will think I am for the Boers, but lam not: lam a Britisher. I would be veiy sorry to see the former win. I must now ccnclude. — Yours truly, BLOSS. [What you say is perfectly hue, Bloss; it is equally sad for the Boer women and children. The foct of the me a wickedly conspiring to 10b the British of South Africa, and conseqve'itly causing all this fearful slaughter, does not make it any the less sad for their wives and children. The worst of it is they v. ill no doubt blame the British, though it is their own men who are to blame foi allowing themselves to be made tools of by designing Hollaiuiers and other Continental mercseries lik° Dr Leyds and men of his stamp. lam afraid the ferns would not carry all that ditsance, dear, and I do not like dried ferns, they are so unnatural.— DOT.] Dear Dot, — The Girls' High School, which I attei;d, took up to-da}'. Among the new girls I saw only one who wore the badge. I board in town, and I only csnie back from homo last night. I see that Ziska hn& not written for a Io:ig time ; neither has Cooee. Perhaps Zisks is waiting for a cooee before she writes again, po you had better recall her, Cooee. How fortunate Dockleaf was to find out who you were, Dot. It i^ 3. while since Wullie wrote, but perhaps some little Maori lassie has captured his aSections so much that he has no time to spare for Dot and the little folk. I hope he will write again soon, as I like reading his letters very much. Dear Dot, I must close liov, , as a fust letter must not be too long. With Jove to all the little folk, not forgetting yoiu mysterious self, — Yours tiuly, I. M. P. [You will see, dear, that Ziska has written without beiug cooeeci for, and that she gives her reason for net writing foi some time. 1 hopi now you have begun we shall hear from you occasionally. — DOT.] Dear Dot,— l was ai. the Arrow children's picnic on New Year's Day, and I enjoyed myself very much. I have had the influenza, and so have mother, father, ond sister. We were all very ill, but are all right now. Dear Dot, I am sending for a badge, so that I shall remembar about the little folk in after life. lam 4ft BMn in height and 4sl 101b in weight. With love to Dot and all the little folk, — You^s truly, HARRIET M'KIBBIN. Clown Terrace, February 2. [I am glad you are quite better fioin the influenza, Harriet. It seems to be gradually disappearing now, but not before it is time. — DOT.] Dear Dot, — We live close to the river, and I have to cross it to go to school. We are having our holidays now, but we are to start school again next week. I passed the exam., and 1 am iv the Third Standard. I have just re-
covered from the measlen. We have a goo 2 flower garden, and the flowers are very nice, ani we have plenty of apples. A concert in; aid of the patriotic fund was held here about a fortnight ago, and there were a lot of people at it. We are milking six cows at present. — Yours truly, SWEET PEA. Waipiata, February 1. [It must be nice to live close to the rivei', Sweet Pea. Is there a bridge over it where you cross, dear, or do you get over in a boat?-" DOT.] Dear Dot, — I think it must be three years since I last wrote to you, and I can remember that ,my uncle had to help me. I think that a good idea about the photos. Here are tha three names which I shall vote for — Harry, 8.0.8., and Monica. Dear Dot, I have an uncle who works in th^ Times office, and I suppose you know him. He says he knows you, but I don't believe him, because he won't tell us who you are, or what you are like. I will 1 ow close, with lovo to all the little folk, the editor, and yourself, — Yours truly, A LOAF. Kothesay, February 2. [It would be rather hard to identify the unclft of A Loaf, unless his name was Dough, would it not? However, I know Dot's secret is quite safs m his hands, as printers do not tell secrets outside of the office. — DOT.] Dear Dot,— lt is Sunday afternoon, so I thought I would like to write you a letter, because so many -seem t» enjoy writing to the mysterious Dot, as she seems to be. It is glorious weather here at present, and everything^ is looking so fresh a>id green. What n lot of nice letters you are receiving now, Dot. It seems almost like another page altogether from what it was a few years back, when the letters began "'L have a cat ; can you give me a name for it?" and so foUh. The letters now, I think would amuse anyone to read, especially Wullie's. Now, Wullie, are you not an old grey-haired man amusing yourself by writing to the little folk's page, thinking by so doing that you are young once again, as I think most people would like to be when they are getting old? I hope you will not have a fit of indigestion when you lead that, Wullie, because I mean no harm. How is the war in. South Africa affecting you, Dot? Here at present you hear nothing -except, "I wonder how the Boers are faring, and how they relishpci the bayonet charge?" Then another will chime in with, " I hope there are not many British soldiers killed. I see by the Witness that ihe New Zealandera are doing exceedingly well, but it is terrible to think of so many gallant men being kilted, and what suffering and misery it will cause on both sides, though I have very little sympathy with the Boers, "because I think they are a mean, cowardly lot. Still, i think the sooner this war is ended the better it v/ill ba for everyone, including the Boeis themselves, who, I think, will come out second best. Now, dear Dot, as I must not vnte much more for fear of taking up too much of your valuable space, I will conclude by just telling you who I think the mysterious Dot is, and that is one of the men who works in the Witness office, and that same person is Emmeline. Hoping that 1 may write again, and with love to Dot and the little folk — Yours truly, IKE3STE IRIS. [Well, well, Irene Iris, if Wullie is to get a shock, what will Emmeline and Dot get? So we are both not only a man, but one and the same man! Well, I shall begin to think I do not know my own self if this goes on much longer.— DOT.] Dear Dot, — We are having such hot weather. just now. Our school started last Monday, but lam going to stay another week yet. The Tapanui flower show is to take place next week, and lam going home for it. My opinion of Babette is that she is not a French girl at all. That is a very good idea of only allowin? us 400 words. I think it was very mean of the little folk not to have stopped writing, so that you coulci have gone for a holiday. Are j-ou very fond of flowers, Dot? We did not have 0 letter from Wuliie last v.-eek. I have not been for a picnic lately, as it has been too hot. — Tours truly, HOYA. [The hot weather did 3iot -last long, did it, Tloya? We could do with a couple of months of it.-DOT.] Dear Dot, — We are writing to say that wa aro very soiry we made ourselves objectionable, bat we really never meant what we wrote. We v.-ere just feeling a little naughty that day, and ne-ver thought til! jifter the letter was posted that it was not at all a rice thing of us to do. We are tiuly sorry, and hope you will forgive v.s. — From your penitent little folk, JAM AND JELLY, Dunedin, Januaiy 33 . [That is a very proper course to pursue, little ore?, and I am saie the little foik will forget all about the nintler, and meet you with open arms. You will also have learnt the lesson that it is always desirable to weigh you words well before sending a letter to a newspaper, dears. — DOT.] Dear Dot, — It is some time since I last wrote to you. I have been waiting xintil you should get fewer letters, but instead of that you are getting more, and I am afraid I have waited until 1 can wait no longer. I thought everyone would have forgotten mo by this time, but I see one of your correspondents sent her love to me. J gather from something in her letter iliac she lives either iii or near this locality. Anyway. I s>h-\ll be on the lookout for a badge afi-sr this. I quite agree with you in sayingthat if Hany dares to recire for a long time yet ha will never hoar the end of it. Our troops eeem to be giving a uood account of themselves in the Transvaal. It is a pity they are not better fed, isn't it? That seems to be the chief drawback. lam collecting stamps and I have a few Australian ones for exchange, and any of your correspondents may have them if they like. I must stop now, with love to all. — Yours tiuly, IRENE. [There is certainly no 3ign of the letters dnnii.i&hing in numbers, Irene, so that it would not be much pood waiting in expectation of a faliing-oft— DOT.] Dear Dot,— l think the first letter that I wrote to you was rathei long; so I shall not viite at such length again. I think Jean was right in saying the letters wore getting too long. The surfrce of Stewart Island is broken by lowlying lulls, covered Vrith bush, and odd mountains. Rata trees line the coast all round, and look so lovely when they are in full bloom. The majority of the people on the island make their living by fishing. There aie three sawmills oil th.3 island, giving employment to a lot of hands. Then there are three o,- foui boarding houses (but no publichouse) for the accommodation of the tourists. If you are thinking of leaving Dunedin for a holiday you could not do better than go there. When we were up the Fve«hwater River we thought we would have a plum piidding (or duff, as it is called when one. is camping out) to make it look like holidaying. So we drew lots to see who was to make it, and it fell to the sailor He started, and shaped very well all through, till it was made. We had no cloth to put it in, so it was put in the cori.er of a 251b oatmeal bag, and it looked for, all the world like honey in a honey bag hung up to strain. Then we found out that there was nothing to boil it in, only a camp oven and kettle, as those were all the cooking uten-, sila we had. We could not boil it in the ca-tuir
Sven, as we had some fowls roasting in it, so |l had to go into the kettle. When we tried to get it into the kettle it would not go, so we gave ii more bag by tying the bag higher up near •th<? mouth, and then rolled it out rolly-polly iashion,, and put it in end ways. It went in Al that way. Everything went off all right till we thought that it was cooked; then we took it off the fire and tried to get the dufi out; but it had swollen and would not come out. You would hardly believe how it fitted the kettle. I don't know where the watei that boiled it went to. One got hold of the pud-ding-cloth and the other the kettle, and what a mess we got into. We had a tug of war for five minutes, and at last the cloch gave way under the strain, and half of the pudding went . on to the floor, but we saved the other half, and enjoyed it splendidly, and forgot all pbout the roast fowls for a time. Al i:3ght I tried my hand at scones. They lose g:and, but when they got cold they wenl down. I will tell you about Hokonui in the next letter, if you do not think that this is too much nonsense. — JTouis truly, j HA"REV FAREEE. Post Office Creek, February 3. j [Not at all, Harry; your letters are both interesting and amusing, and we shall leek for■wsrd to hearing all about Hokomu. Your first letter was rather long, so I am glad you are ac- • ducing the length.— DOT.] ■Dear Dot, — I did not mean to write, so sooii 1 again, but as I was reading the Witness last night, 1 saw that there was another coirespon- • tlent signing herself Diamond. As she says , sho had the name first, »l apologise ior taking it. ; but I really did not know you had a correspon- i den writing as Diamond. Has she wiittsn be- . fore, Dot? I thiiik the proposal about ths cot is a very good one, Dot, but, of course, with such conditions imposed, there is plenty of time to think about it 7 The three photos I should like to appear first are those of Shan, Echo, and Wullie. Maisie said in her Icttsr thai) she heard that Dunedinite wos ill. That leport is surely not true, as a letter appears irora her in this week's Witress. Isn't it strange about i ,Vida M'Kellar, Dot? If she is not dead, as , was reported, she surely does not see the Wife- | nes3 now, or she would write if only to ease , everyone's anxiety about her. Do aiiy of tha ' little folk correspond with her? Do 3' 1 think Babette is genuine, Dot^? I have my cloubt3. With love from, — Yoms truly, EMEHALD. Waitati, Febiuary 2. j [Yes, Emerald, Echo assures me that Dunj edinite wrs ill, but that she is better now. 1 am sorry that she had a painful time of it, and hope sli3 has quite recovered, lam afraid there is no longer f.ny doubt about Yicia's death, dear.— DOT.] ' I Dear Dot, — I have not scan my second let- . ler in print yet, but I thought if I were going to ; tell you anything about the contingent, I had better write at once. You see, Dot, we c,et the Witness from a friend in Naseby, and it 13 a week old when it reaches us, which makes it awkward sometimes. I was speaking to a giri , the ether day, and found she was a, reader of the little folk's letters, so I asked her to write, i I know one of the little folk, but she is one of , the smaller ones. I have also discovered Jiiss I/udford's address, but I do not think I know' her. lam now on the look out for Shan's little , >viiidow. I wonder if he would be ge.ieroi'& . enough to tell me where it is. Poor Wulhe! j (What an experience' aboard ship ! It is c v i- ' dent he is not used to the ways of the world, j I must no-.v tell you something of the dpparuue < of the contingent. Well, the hordes were put aboard on Fiiday afternoon, and a frisky lot they were. The contingent left the Park at 1 j o'clock on Saturday, to march to the wharf. At . the Basin Reserve- they .were m.et by the visiting j and the city volunteers, and escorted So-vn. On : Jervois Quay a platform had been erected for j the speech-making.. The men formed a line on either. &Ide, ?nd speeches were delivered by the Governor, the Premier, aiid several others. ' 'After that patriotic songs were sut.», the speeches and siuging taking up the bast par'- of an hour. Then they all formed into hue to march to the boat, the Governor first, followed ifcy Mr Seddon and several other people 111 carliages, and then all the volunteers from t;i? country, then the contingent, sncl lastly, the town volunteers. Just beforp they reached the ■wharf gates they stopxsed, $& 1 then all the friends and relatives came up to take a lasL farewell. It was very touching to see the way in which some of the women clung to them, a 3 if they could not let them go. At la-st they got safely aboard, and were escorted outside the heads by a number of the other boats. Wcl—liiigton bore quite a military aspect that day, ■what with the soldiers and the bands and flags, and everybody wearing contingent coloui-3 anci medals. Well, lam sine we all wish them ; Godspeed, and a safe return. I must really ( stop now or Mr Editor will be frowning again and that would indeed be terrible. Yi'ith love to pot and the little folk. — Yours truly, \ CREMONA. i iWellirxgton, January 30. i '[Thank you for your interesting description ' of the Wellington festivities, Cremona. I suppose everyone was meiry except thc^e who weie parting with their desr ones. It must have been a sad day for them. We in Dunedin shall bs going thiough it all at the beginning i of next month.— DOT.] ] Dear Dot, — I thank Shan for the nice card. '; Santa. Claus did come, Dot. He gave Leslie a , cvi and Faucer, and me a mug, both filled with 1 toffee. We get some other nice presents, tec — , ifoocks and balls, aiid money. I have a nice > 'doll and I call her Pauline. I have also a 1 mew kitten, which I call Ziska. Daddy Paid he , ■would get a trap made to catch Santa Ciaus, j because he did not leave anything for him. j ,We showed him the Dame's letter abouu Ler grandfather, so he will hang up his slockmf, next Christmas, and give Santa Cluus another • chance. I was sorry when I read sLcut Chry- j stal H. Ido r.ot like to hear of any-no Lf~ng ill. lam quite better now, dear Lot. Sally 1 "was heie the other day, and she had a badge ! on her hat. I shall close now, with love to dll j the little folk and yourself. I ara not going to •write again until 1 am nine years old. — Yours •truly, MYRTLE. [And I wonder how long that will be, Myrtle? I am very glad indeed to hear that you are well a E ain dear.— DOT.] j Dear Dot, — I had made up my mind r.ot to ■write again, but after I sa-w Taffy's lc-.ter I thought I would write a fey more times. ( I think the Critic Club mean to gst rift 01 a | . few of your new correspondent.-.:, LuC [ give j them full permission to criticise my letters to ; 'their heart?' content. When I rc.ul what they '• Baid about my letter, I felt as if someone weis poiairg cold wate.- down my bsck, and it is 1 not a pleisaiii feeling. One veiy hot d 3 y a friend -came to see me, mid not Hioving \, hat to do to cool herself fche ponitd cold v.i'icr down her b?ck, but she screimed oin, " Oh it's cold!" until i had to stand and laugh at her. 1 think D O.S. i<; quite right about =iib«=cii'iins fov the patiioiic fund, and I for one will help. Jessica "-jnisi be veiy good at miking 11 j ooeiiy. I think the New Zealand contingent jn^-t .BplencliJ. I have only &eon thee h; i ri<;p < 3 in this district. Clave you «old 500 -> or, fjo,' I &ay a v hile ago one lilile folk a'-kir"; v cuid [or warts. I'his is the vay J jro! 1- !of i.ii.v I went to the top of a lull and lied ..s m .ny knots in :> string as I In'l wart's ttP, ibi«.v it over my leit shoulder and nevei lool.r 1 wh va it went. As coon as Hie siimg nvs lot.sn ii;y warts v/arii away, and I have never &ecn them
since. Anyone who wants to try this must have faith in it, and believe that it will cure you. £o Find Out knows who I am. "Well, I kiiow who she is, and I can guess who Cymbeline is. I will slop now. and not take up too much room. With love to Pique and Echo, and success to the Critic Club, — Yours tiuly, BKEN. [Well, Brcn, faith will do a lot in cases of mind trouble and nervous complaints, but I never heard before of its curing warts. It will certainly do no one any harm to try your cure, but I should advise them at the same time to put a piece of washing soda in the pocket, damp it, and rub it on the wart eveiy now and again. —DOT.] Dear Dot, — I got my badge quite safe. Thank you very much for sending it so quickly. It is very pretty. I have r.ot seen any children with them in their hats, but I have not been out since Boxing Day, and there are no little folk living close to mo. The postmaster in the township told my brother-in-law thot we arc the , only ones that get the "Witness i>p here. I'no j idea of Bunedmite's friend sayirg that she i would not write unless Dot gave prizes! 1 think the little folk ought to be glud that Dot is bothered with them at all. Look at the ti cable Dot went to, to gft the plio'os m the Arnual, and then the badges. YVe did laugh when we read Wullie' s letter. It was so amusing. So Devonshiie Dumpling has lefc Dot's pages. Her biolhers ought to have known, T hen they said we were " kids " that their sister was still one of the list. Anyway, it was the first time I was aware that our parents werp sroats. So IFaidcy sayt, the Ncnli Island roads are " splendid." I guess she has never travelled from Mastortor to Castle Point in the wintar time, or up through Alfredon, or she would jiot say they aie splendid. JL suppore Maidey lives in loivn where the streets are all metalled or asphalted. There was a man bogged near Alfiedon. He had just time to BPve himself, but he lost a ho^se, saddle, and bridle. Fancy, Dot, I told you in my last letter I would like to see my brother. To our surprise he cßine here two weeks ago at midnight. Jle had go.ie the v- p roiit, road. My brother-in-law was awr>y, and my sister is very nervous. "When he knocked at the door she called out, "Who's there? ' and he spid, "Come out and see." iiy sister could not make one who it was, because she had forgotten his voice. She thought to frighten him, if it was ?nj-one trying to play a lark on w, so phe calle: out, '• Jf yon don't tell me who you are, and what you want, I will shoot you ! This made me laugh, as I knew she would be too frightened to let off a gun, even if she had hsci one, which she had noi. She got cross with me for laughing, so I said I would go and see who it was. When v/c got outside, there w?a mj eldest broth ei laughing like fun. He wanted to know if phe could shoot. Dear Dot, I gei teamed somethinr rv.'ful about you. My sister says L give thorn Dot and th° little folk 10. breakfast, carrier, tea, and every other chance t can get. I will stor) now, or the editor will have a Jo 'g loco if ir.y letter is too long. He might get too cro;s, pad stop Dot from taking any more Jelteis m. Ho might s«vy, '" Well, they were not content with what 1 gave them; so now they can go without any ax all." But we shall live iv the hope that " might " in this ciso is what some people say, " A very small inject." Wi~h lovp to the editor ariel all the other little folk, and tons of love to Dot, — Youis triVv, \ DAEDY. [You hpcl indeed a. merry time ovrc.- tns pppearance of your brother, Da,rcJy, but I do iiot wendor at your pi=ter's nervousness, for it was a very late hour to cciue, aurl no man iv the house. Next iiime, however, she phonic! threaten to Ist loose the dog. I think that would have more effect than 'he threatened use of che gun. -DOT.] Dear Dot, — I am sorry to see that some of your correspondents have left us. Lining near the Maoris here, I hove noticed some of their habits, and perhaps a few remarks about them would not be unwelcome to the little folk. I went to an athletic sports meeting on New Year's Day, and thc-o weie a good many Maoris there — women, with babies in shawls on their backs, boys in knickers, with black legs, girls wibh dresses which =howecl all the co'oivrs. of th.3 roiiibcw. It is amusing to hear the little ones speaking to one another in their own language. You can't tell a word of vhat they are saying. Some of the Maoris have plenty of money, and their youngsters were well looked after; some could b? seen walking about with bellies of raspberry, tipping them up and slicking away like — I can't think what it vas like. They are very fond of the feathcis of the huia, and men and women who aye fortunate to have them wear them in their hats. I shouVl imagine that very few of the " folk " have seen a huia. Oh, Dot, the huia of the bu.=h is very different to the bird shown on the stamps. J have seen a good many of them, but I believe J they are getting very ecavce now. He is a beauty, with his white-tipped tail, and the long, curved beak of the hen-bird is lovely. In spite of all this, however, I think the tui is a prettier bird, and has the advantage of being a. good singer. The huia cannot sing. lie has just a melancholy few notes, which he repeats oiver and over again. Dear Dot, I now conclude with a '' tongue- tripper " which I think will beat the little foil-- : • — "The Leith police dismisceth us." Repeat three times quickly. — Yours truiv, LEE-TLE BEELIE. [Thanks to LecUe Bcelie, we southerners ! now kno^v more abrut the lima thpn we did before. It would bs haid lndcacl to fine! two nioie delightful birds than the tin and the rncki, would it not? — DOT.J Dear Dot, — I sec that you propose having r group of the little folk's photos in the "Witness at Easter. I toink it is a capital suggestion. | It is rather a difficult task to choose three out of such a lot of gooi correspondents, bu'. these aie the ones I have decided on: Shan, Lamb, ■ a-id_Wullie. T see by this week's "Witness that | F. JU. O. is still in doubt about Wnlho being nenuinc, so I hope she will ba able xo see his } photo in the Witness, to convince her. What ! a lovely desciiplion "Harry gave oi you, Dot. ■ it is just whai I imagine you aie like." By-the-bye, I see that 8.0.8. is reported to bs in ' love, and o;i"the vory bc=t authority, too — thr-t of Dot herself. Never nm.d, J3.0.K, I won't tease you. I shall leave you to the tender mercies of the Critic Club, and the bjokenheaited reproaches of yo"r other girl admirers. j Then there is that oilier lo^'e-sick b->\aia, Ptftsy, S who v.as lvvii'g about his Alys "My. oui/iceri. This is clearly another case for the Critic Club's, attention. Au revoir, Dot. — Vours-j , truly, MOXI. I Febnu-ay 1. j LWhat a peculiar coincidence that Moki'& i letter should follow ii y allusion to the tin and i the Mioki — DOT.J ■ Dear Dot,— Here lam again, ahvnvs tuiv.iny up, as a lot of the w. iters say, like a bid pennj\ You seemed to tii.ii* thai, ray lost letter wjs good enough to pui n, so I hope j oil will lid loom for, this one. '-.o Bookwoi'T di'l not hi c ' iloLra\i '•* Indeed, Lno'uvoim, [ ihmJ: it so 1 mcc that 1 would ci/'r in', ~v'u tliiie vi o," mud and lUhbo ies, o; »vhich theie ;ire plsiity, n" oiily the vi'iilhei were t^ootl. lam cjud jou iii d tt 01 ' 1 -, to hive iiioic xj'io^os ii' the l "itne- J - J , Dot, bedutse pcihf.ps fo :ie o[ my lavomiles lVdy h?pi;?ii to be auiorg Vn^ clo"'o>i. The fire^ ior who'ii _I >o'.c aio Echo, DoiAleji, and D. O. H. I am '■iw iii'-'o :i" > L \ ice ilu.i numbi • that I r hou'd lil.o io vote ioi, Lu r 1 suppose vo roil f <-<oi> at thrcp. IJeii* Dot, I Icm'u school a 'jOO 1 w'piln v __"■>, "-o 1 c C n 'oiiie o." m y - m.icC3 on; o; &r.'i'i?j , ncv, and ,\a->i''t J siiim-isecl l&bi, Sunday to hear almost the first
girl I met say, " I saw your letter." I did lot think she would notice it. Weie you afraid that the page was going to become Scotch altogether, Dot? I thiijk it is nice to have at least one Scotchman among us. But lam forgetting Babette. I hope she is really what she says, for if the is, surely &he vvill become a great favourite. And now this week shows up an Irishman. Whatever kind is there left to come, Dot? I forgot to tell you, Dot, that ]' kept a lisi of descriptions of you, but I have not got them all, as I stopped willing them down for some weeks. What day must the letters be 111 to be in time' I must now stop, or I will be going on and on, wiiting about notl.ing interesting till the limit is passed. \Vith love to Dot and all the little folk,— Yours truly, LANETT.S2. Palmeiston, Febiuary 1. [Well, Lanette, the Little Folk's Page is printed on Monday night, or lather on G'uesday memng. I try to get in the letters that coins to har.cl on FiiJuy, but it is not plways possible, as sometimes! the eduor will not take any alter Friday ii midday. So now little folk whose letters are sometimes heid over will know ihi icason.— -DOT.] Dear Dot,— l do not know how I shall aland thq ter.smg of my horrid brotheis if jou do Jiot let me change my name. The other evening I had just come 111 from reehig a fuend 021 her wr.y home, when I was greeted by ci:es of " Oh, here she is," "HIIUO Pique, or Pig, or whatever you call your-olf, ' and my poor name was initcalled 101 all the ugliest things imaginable-. Ths silly ilims-s did not know how to monounce it, and pt lasTt the r!irtio:iaiy was bionght to tn'eir .vSßistHnce a-.id the pionu'iciatio.i and incaini.g made gciieir.lly known. They all said it w?3 Ii very suitable noia de ijkime, and I •■i ci pried back that I kuev/ that or 1 should not liave'taken it. Then papa, who had i.oi. until then discovered that 1 wrote to you, lead the lettpr c-lcud to a titteri-ig audience, sue! when | he carjc to the little p?ss:'^e rcfeirmg fo himself, he hummed and hawed, and fu.rJly pas'ect it over. Whe-i ShaiVs name was lead theie -.-eie ejaculations of "Oh"' " Ah!" "Indeed!" Mill ■"Shan is the Gaelic for John; I wonder who John is 0 " and when he came to Laddie's name, papa gave me a look of stern disapproval, anci said, " I'll have to imesligatp. Thei. he iead Zi ska's letter, and again came acioss S'lar.'s iraie, which caused him to ask, ""Who the d.ckcio is this Slim that they &m oil in love with"' Here is Ziska raving abcul him too,' v. i.'hieh 1 Isughccl, and ps-auierl a Kiysienous ai'. Ke-a!l>, Dot, 8.0.8. does look as' if he had a moustache— iv our Annual tu.yvay, and the knickers and movstpfhe somehow do not haimonisc. The idea 01 8.0.8. m knickers, nks s.iy common .schoolboy' _^ *^ ] li y> 1 alHav-o piftiued him as a typical E-glnh -. oii'h--not with a vioiiitache, but ceix.unlj r.oi weirin-; kiucl:eibo-.-l:er=. I ho-ird p :,ice little sto:y ot two boya not v S ij clista-o^ly re.atccj .0 loo.'bui 1 won't mention any nums-, at. tiie._ betray o-.e's identity. They -.vete eating vet cotu.-e boys do l.oshmg el&e), when suede lly th- joiuigtr btga:. to choke, or, at ieast, his antic 3 were such as to o-u?e the other boy iiihc* pnxiety,and as the latter haa hc?id thai a thump on ihe b^ok was a very effective lerne-ij, he gave thy ct^er roor little toltow s-"ver.il sounuin^ o'i the back. It us an effects c remedy, but the cfiects differed slightly h° m v -«" l ; t No2 had been leJl to e;q.,ect. and now pcop-c £;et i«pve to choke 111 peace. I?m soriy, Dot, that ycl should hpve iou-id it necessary to speak to us about our granim-ir. J am afraid x_ Have been very careless with mine, and ill the_fucare I shall watch nicie close'y, but I dism-ca pnunmsr more than a:ij-thi:.g vlnle afc s* 1 icol, =0 if I make any mistalces, Doi, you will ::jio,v they were made in ignorancs, not paiek_s3-:oss. Doe= it put the pnnteis to any inconvoniaiic? it" tho punctuation is i.ot coirecf if so, ishc'lf have to keep a griaii-iiar book alv/ays til my side, as I sm ? ver-- i:oor hand at punetralion. Yo.i h.'.-'c fou^d ue out, Zjra. Thp. -vas vtry er<:y, biu a in^le »i-"d told me that nij- cousin gave you a hint. New, confess, cVI she not 9 Conie33ion is good for the &0111, you know.^ Liu 1 : you won't let r. so r.ny fuithe'-, will you,_ Zsira, ior one cannot wnto so freelj' while thinkirg that all one's pprtici'lar friends and acc;iiain•tances will cn+icisc the letter. Dren. yon lazy pill, why Jo you iiot fet.d your address' Don't you know lam wsiti -g innrlient^y ? ify lo.e to you, Bren and Zr.rp. 3Jy bjat love n for vcii, of course, Dot, so ta-fca. — Yours Uuty, PIQUE. [I do roi think your grammav has ever be?n at fault, Pique, and thore sre &evoi"il others whose letters aie always correctly wiltttsn. Ko, dear, it does not matter about the punctuation, for i maik all the stops and ..orrec: them vhen wioiig, so that the printers are not botherel. 1 am glad j-ou still rssisl The temptation to Changs your name, dear. Whe:. those bi others of jours are talking in that absiird way should go and attempt to write a letter themselves, and then tbey would no; say anj'thing to Pique— DOT.] Dear Dot, — I have just finished reading the letter in which j - ou mention pbout putting some of your correspondents' photos in the Witness at Easter. I think it is a very good idea. Well, I should like to sec Marguerite's, Hariy'c, and Blue Ball's photos in. How good of j-ou. Dot, to give up your hohdaj' foi our sakes, bul I hope whci. j-ou do take a holiday at Christmas that jou will take a gocd oie. Is not this war temble, Dot 9 Ido hope it will sco'i cease. There is a cousin of mine away wi*h the Second Coi-iingent. \Vell. Blue Sell. I think I ki.ov, who you are; aie not your initials J. 1'1'B? and, Bubbles, aie not your initials E. M., and ate rot Mount Koy'p initials !i_ H. Xow jcu three- \A\{ have p haid task to fi-id me oijt. V\ r h<;t nice letters Harry find ll .irgncuto v lite The. c are otheia vho write nice lettcj.3 ti'so, bill their names are too minacious to mention ; and, besides, the editor might look s~era at Dot aU tlncugh my feailt m writing such a long letter, and I would xioi have ?:ij' o.ie looking stern at cur Dot if 1 could help it. "But I would se.id my love to tlic editor to pino&tla everything over if it wcie not that I could cletcH a little — just a little — tcxloasy 111 cur Dot's lettei to Cherry ii\>e Whrt "do 3011 say, li'-tlo folk? At the jS!cw Year I \.l? ni 3'riGliron, and I was lcoi--i'ig p bout "to fcej if I could see any person thai v,v I'kr *o bs A'j-b, but 1 could sec no oijo. I will br '13 this c^iistls fo a o'.osc, .is I am afia.cl I am stiaj-mg over tho nn'ik fo will) love to Hany, 8.0.1j., Aiorqii trite. Ijlvc Dell, etc., and not forgetting mv dear Do", — Youis truly, HAIUOPvY. [Oh, Mi' 1 jo:y, deal ' Dot jealous oC the ntiei> I .oii beiii^ _-iiid 10 Vw cditui ' Y. hy. hrv-c-vCi s'loit.d i all th' sjj.'co >,c ha,-o b-'Lit hi 1 .13 lot'jly it j'cii Ii" cl not all a=sisi^cl >iio v. ith yen kn.tl l.ic^aj-'j to tip ecl.toi ' ; JJo jou kiev, dfa^, joii =c!i', ? ".xCj-^'se to 12 littlo io r X — i.e.ily tv o lmet. — DO'i'.] "Dear Dot, — Ja,: a fe.v liuc to let jnu kiiov th.it I a-n l'O 1 , l,oi- g to \j>i) ti-iot'ici L,E[ht ycois belcie 1 w^itt ar,j.ia. 1 like liiy Lac'^o \oiy P3U'-h, and 1 icii it i.i nr hit. I fcu-e .1 goxl many gijN veiling Hum, h\n 1 do ro: In ov ajiy ol th in. F think tho auggcstiou aboid i ! i-^ " J jiM lc Fo'k'i Col " m tlie hospit.il a veiy ■•nccl idci, bu- wh.it a Jorg timo to wait yet l W hrt a giniid Id oi coiicapoinioiils 3011 have no/ . Yen iliusi feel qit'te pioud. ]-)c<ir Dot, r.o lfi'D thaii a c!o..eii ot my fiiends liave found iiio out. Oear J^o 1 , nic jou c[iuto <-uvo theio will be «ii ex-schol.us' iund,_ b3cau».e n the c vasii'i j-oi' eoi'ld mre. J r=ee mo^L cf the lutle fo'k aie ionr 1 of reading; well, so am 1. 1 urn jcß'luig tbc Coys' Own Annual just jiow, .iiul t Inifl it '-4>ry lnto-Csti'ijr. T hovo a '.ndon, 1 w' vo h? 'c fov.'ls ncr.v, u net ] find Ihfm vciy dcotiiictive. As soon as the buJs form the
fowls pick them off, and I find it vorj r discouragmiig. I like the Ciifcic Club very much, and 1 thank them fov then sympathy. I think j'ou have given us a voiy hard task m choosing thrco names out of f-o many ;;ood correspondent'!, but J vote for Dunedimlc, Lamb, and Dockleaf. 1 think I will bung this uninteresting scribble to :i close, as I want to obey your rule, and hoping that you will sell all the badges, 1 remain vith love to Dunedinite, Lamb, Dockk-af, E. 0.13.,. 13., the Editor, and yourself AIIETA. Febiuavy 7. [No, Arctsi, I do not tliii«k there will be an ex-pupils' fancl, what 1 hiiggcsied was that e\'-pupils should lako their contributioi.s to their lato tcachrr ao that they would s-well tlie fund of their old !.c!.ool. You know we all have a, kindly feeling for our school for yais afier v/o have 'eft it, and this would not be doing much to show it, would it' ; After the war is over, and we ha^a all had time to turn round and consider matters, j'O&aibly a beginning might be made with the Children's Cot fund before the I\ r en- Year, if there is a gcT.o.il wish to th?t efloct, but at piesent J am desirou? 01 kecj-my to the original pioposal. — DOl.| Dear Dot, — 1 sec that jou projiose having a rivnibsr of tiie little folk^' photos m the w irnes^ for Easte.- week. I think it is a veiy geed ids, 3 . I suppose the phonos will need to be taken specially th;s time — not Tiom groups that were photographed three or four j-ears p.go. I fi.es we ha\c a Cntic Ciub now, and 1 think it is a very good and original idea, ns well as a .source ot amusement to tho menibeis, for 1 suppose while thej- aie ciiticismg our letters their poor tormented sisters aie getting a rest, and they will be grateful to us for willing letters ior their brothers to comment on. I was quite disappointed at rot #cemg a letter from Taffy this week, but perhaps they have had a " sp.ee," and hr.ye i-ot csol o-, cr t)ie effects of it yet. Thaijk jou, .L2uttons, for jour advice about rcacli.ig TVullie's letters. You '.ecmed quite coneemccl when j'ou begged me to eitti'fibc n little f-cii-denipl ard iciiar.l flow re -'ii-ig them. I cliil iiot mean ihat they mace kip die ir.urhi'ig — it was o-<!y an expression that I ti?ed , bat i rbail not tise it f.gaiii, for perhaps if T do iiuUons might cake anlor do Eo:riejhi:ig el.:s as desycrata But nevfr misid, Bu'to jr-, I am not ungrateful, and if you send me your addiess C sha'l ??nd >ou a big piece of ray b-rthdpy cake, out I shall i,ot soi.-cl it caio of TafCj, because he- li'^ht Le tempted to rjtcal like Taff,< , the Wel'imian. Dear* Dot, &o jou t'lii' 1 : I-5.0.73. is m lo\ r e\ Well, J t'lought his few letteis (for hs has only written a lev fi-co tho bill) weic ' sort of ab-■sent-jn^nded." ia re.;r c.;- too biu i did iiot thmk 10 was that. I thoi'ght t!i"t -oetliaps it \ ant oi fjl-jep after :!'e ball, 'or ins patei might hz liko mme — li» thi/ik-i that if v. s wasis r.iir time dar.ciiig wl.°ii wo oi'ght 10 ba sice} iut, wo can just Co vit'icui it. a^cl B 0.8. might have fell a bit r\xi' .'Her he hp.d bseii to the b?l!. But the-c ha\e been 0 rival thcie, finct that would >iccou'it for hih heavh.es.-i 1 wc.idcr whoie Jessie C. has go.ie to. She ins no. written for Ev long hire; hurry up, Jessie, a.id -,vr-te a nice 10-ig letter. Tell u-^ what you thought of your photo m the Xmas Annual, 11 jci; can t think o p anything else. J thiok it was the best among the girls, and Licky Do.io\ans was best among the boys. So Devonshire Dumpling has left us. I think The Cook must have tui!» <vn apple insrrie of her, and put her in the oven to Lake, and she noisi have chopped Dou-himi; i'ito the fiyir.g pan. 11 ray smmise is ri s ht, what a sad ending the pool- things havp ennic to. "When 3 saw Sololr.o.i iSlgtv's phoio in tec ai.nnal I was very much PFtonished it ih 2 smrrt up-to-date looking little fellow on tho paper befoie me, fcr he wr.s a bit like "•Hs.V I pictured him to be; liitt I shall have to stop r, v/hils row, as Fireflj' is dancing aicuicl kitcuen with one 01 my skirls 0:1 lai-esrl of getting the dinner 1 cidy, so i sv.p'jcse I ?'iall have to go and see to it. (Interval of an hour_aud a-half). We have had dinner now. and I nr.ve f.ot all my york done, co have come bsck to :i:u'°h thi& sc -jiwl which I was tying 10 cio thi= lnornin-,. Soinejo: the- htV.e folk wc-ic saving thoir Bgs, e'c. S'fell. J sn 17. and have -Aiee yerrs yet to coirespo.id, I rm oh <iin in height, and my weight is 7st B"b_, but J do no'-Lnke 7'? in boots or 6's either. 1 know wl-o Eveline is, Dot. She is a nice little Scotch lassie, whose yarerito and bi others and rl-itars In c ■'ioi. very lar iroin 1113. [ know threa snore wri'.e- & besides Jie.', slid that makes four altogether — "hot is, exehiclmg myself, which vcv'cl make five. What a vicious scund your none has got. Huekkberry -burn. Why, whenever 1 see :t ,n print ii, f.uta jme ia iniiifl of a biJ blue cod iisli with the spines along his bi-^k sticking sLraight up, but do uo'_ be offericecl Pt rie, r.s I do ;-,oi .ncan io hurt jour fc slings. I see thai Dunedinite has ssnx i\ tho r.a:i!es of these she Wishes co see in this pa^e, &o 1 will do tho ssmo, Here goes- Taffy, Hucklebeny Finn (I want to s.ee what he "really Icokd like) aiid 3i"^rg\ierite. I must close now, with best washes to the abovementioned, ar.d also to the ed-tor and clear Dot.— jTours trVilj 7 , STELLA. " [Ye-3, Stella, it, will be necessary to ha v 'e new photos or we shall again have poor results, anci of coiuse that cannot be toleraLed. Oil. my, what p lor.g letter j-ou have T?ril:ea, der^r. Hove\er shal' I fa.cc the cdiicr. when oiie letter :s going to t?ke up so much space, and I think J hays fullj- 300 still to look over. Whatever will become of them all ? They certaluly will no: 30 into two page?.— -DOT.]
Dear Dot, — it 1? a good few months since I last V! ote a let;er io you ; but I have been away, and, besnde& (shall I confess it?), lasy. I see that yen are shortening trie letters, so I will write o^ily a short one if I can, but X am afraid it will be a h--.d stuijglc. I'll make a start airy way, so here goes. First of all, 1 niuct tender my ajjologies to Mpiguerite, Ays, and Roby for r.ot answering their letters : but vcu will forget and forgive this time, won't you, "nib 1 ' because lam going to reform and .uiiwer yoar Ictteis m a cLiy or two. I have fceen v ccocl many girls, and r. boy too, v/carnig tlio badge, but haven't spo^on to aiiy save Jjunedi.i.lc ycl. The onei I h.-ve f.cea arc Dnnedmite, £cho, Little Lady, I think D. O. S., and .1 good few moie whoso n.mics I don't kuoiv. J also tew two at the Karitane iete. I have ijEe.i &tcyin^ t'o\v,i at J~'o.td Day for a month, a:;d had girnd iinieo the-e, bat.iug, boating, and goin^ long walk^ find idiciiics. I -wont i'oi a sul in a yacht, too, one diy, and I. w.is jovely. The yn-jlit &efcn.ed scpicely to niovo, it went so steadily. We had to rop dowti into fche cpbia cvciy time <ln; &p;l m, sh'fi'd to tJio other p C>e to imu the boit, but tha' jcklpd to the inn. U.ih..yp]K, the c'oih oi 11k- wp.aher t'ocrcod thit it &"iorJd be 11:1se:'!cd snd na \)u gie.itoi i»r or the t.i:ie we wee down at lucid B,;, Lu^. oil th" v;'io'", it vji Sta.id, ii'id T ctuno hciiif w.tli hond 1 - hue tro=c of ;i full-b'oodcrl M^otj, far poh T cli'"i.i'( ni'nd iiut itiitjli. T tln'ilj the b.nLc !•, \tij p.ctij. (Hid ■'iime 13 iji its iic,litiui pL">cc — luuiiLly 111, har. You weic Kskai-, ii: io a occ io- tiiico 'jit c ir.i:, ro t.iat tuo,e who lua c tho lr.ost voTt. should h've tlicu photos iji tlu Vi'i'.iiC^-'. 1 \ote fcr S.iiin, Echo, aiiJ (Oougiinut . iif,'^ct>lb "Wullie, b"t I've s;ot 01 p boy, so I'll tiy another gu\) 1 1 . O. S. 1 didn't 'like the photos in the Christinas Witness at all. They were so veiy 111d'btir.cl. Mine wms nioic like a mojlccy than the originpl; but I suppose that was moic the fau'b ot the pholoa than of. the opeiatoi-. — 01, at all events, we fchail say so. That is a giand &chcme about the cot m the hospital. Ii we stilted subbcribinn Id a month now, that vill b.^ oxil> 3 b bj' the end of the year. I think 3d a month wouldn't nun my of vs — Id
looks so little. Now, Dot, dear, let it ba 3d a mouthy at the least. That would be 3a a year each, a little better than Is; "don't you think so? My chum and I sometimes take flowers to the children's ward, and they are always so pleased with them. Poor little things, they don't have much pleasure. We visited them about a week ago, and every cot excepting one was occupied, one child being a baby about four years old. Would you mind telling me, Ziska, if you know two girls whose names are L. and M. F n; that is, if jou live in W e? Thanks very much. for the card you sent me, Shan; and j'ou, too, Alys. They were vry pretty. By the way, Diuiedmitc can't possibly be ill, because I saw her ysteiday. Maisie must have made a mistake. Now, Maisie, do you really think tint Echo and Dockleaf know you? Well, I am surprised, and I imagine you must have been having a little smile to yourself as you wrote it in your lettci. Now confess. I am aliaid that all my -oocl resolutions about shortening my letter bavp come to nothing", so, little folk, I must conclude if I don't want a wee scolding from Dot. With love to iloby, Alys, Marguerite, Echo, Dunedinite, and, last but not least, Dot,— Yours tiuly, MONA. ["Of coiupe, Mona, I do not wish to limit the amount to be saved, and 1 shall be only too glad if a lot of my fiiends will put by 3d a month to start the cot fund with. J mentior.&d 3d, thinking you would all bs able to put by that sum. 1 slnll leave it to j-ou individually whether you -out by Id or 3d a month. — DOT.] Dear Dot, — I did not intend writing to you for some little time to come, but when I gob that card fiom Shan I thought it was os little as I coiitcT do to -?i:'p and thank both him anci yoti. Do'. — you, Dot, for your kindness in sendiu'_. i'j en to me. I don't know what to say to you, Shan, for your kindness in sending me th?t veiy pretty card. I have put it carefully sway, and J mean to keep it os a memento — not that I am ever likely to forget the time when I wp& o - ie of Dot's little folk, or strictly speaking Oji-: of Dot's big folk, P3 I don't think I am what you would call little. You sco, Shan, I am keepu.g tight hold of the '' dear this time. T!ip holidays are over now, and the children have all gone back to school. They would not ha\e boon very sorry if the holidays hacf Inetod o little loiiger, but, like all things, they crniict last for e^er. What would T not give to bo back ai. school again. You little folk tha.. aie still a! 'school make the most of jour tune, as your school days cPjii never come again. J afrpn thifk if T could only have my school (.lavs o^-er again how hard I would work. Hcsv dc'r to this heart aie the scenes of my ch.ldhcot!, Whe.i fond recollection recalls them to view — The orc : :aru, the meadow, the dcep-tanglect wild wood,
And eveiy loved spot which my infancy knew. Fancy some of the little folk thinking 8.0.8. is in love. I laugh at the very idea. Why, ii.0.8. is a mere "boy '! No, Dot, our sympathy was not wasted on Dunedinite, as she v.a= a cry ill, but seems to have had a speedy reco\ cry, which I am sure 3on will be pleased to know. So you think you know me, Dunedinite. Well, it has not taken you long to find me out, but I don't nimcl the least little bit who finds me cut. So you have not found out who Fliifi is after all, eh, Dunedinite? I v>a3 at Walter Kirby's concert on Wednesday iiighL and I enjoyed it veiy much. 1 w?.3 sn soiry^it was such 3 wet night, as ha had a very ooor house, bus J nope he got enough money tostart him off on his journey. Were you there. Dockleaf? I looked all round the hall, but * aid no; see any badges. 1 have seen only one or two in town. My sister and I often go up town together, and we alvays look out for badges, and are vejy disappointed if we don'fc h.-ippcn to see any. I have started my music again, aud mean to work hard at it, as 1 am very likc-'y going in for the practical exam. I have parsed both Junior Pass and Honours, and have gone in for both Intermediate Pi-ss and lior.or.rs>, and an? now anxiously waitiii:> the result, which we expect will be out by tho i;cxt mail. lam now v.-oi'lcing xip foe Senior i-'ass. Have you go;ic back to school again, H?ny? I wonder where Con has got to all tho long time. Oh, Con, Ccn, why don't you write? li:stesd of leaving your friends in such a sad plight '> Wilh love, — Yours truly, MAISIE. [So Maisie is one of Dot's big folk now! Well, never lniiicl, dear, your letters are as liiteiesti'ig as ever, and I am sure we are all delighted ili.it i/e shall have you with us for some year 3 yet —DOT.] De-ir Boz, — We have had a great deal of rain. Ihi=! summer, and very little nice weather. J3 0.8. writes very nice letter?. Every Saturday when we get the Wifcneas his are the firs? letters 1 look for. Ycur pages are very interesting, esd I shall be sorry whr-n 8.0.8. and some crJ'ers leave off writing, as [ suppose they will do some day, but I hope there will be others to take their places. With love to yourself and tlu iittlc folk, — Yours truly, STAB.. [J. have no fear about there being plenty to inks the place of departing writers, Stir,"bui; nevertheless we do not want to lose any of oxr- "ood writers, and I hope it will be a lonft time boiore 8.0.8. says good-bje to us.— DOT.J pp.ir Doc— What a lot of new wiiters you h'.ve lately: I enjoy reading all the letters. I see VrulJie has come up north. I should like to niL'e't him; perhaps I might recognise him. if he wore a badge. My sister likes to read the letter?, p'td hopes seme day to write herself to the jitlls folk's page. Dear Dot, I hope you enjoyed your Christinas. We had our annual picnic and sports, and they passed off veijr -"ell. Good msht, Dot. and little folk. Heaps of leve to your o-vn dear self. — Yours truly, EATIE ROBIXSO2T. Manila Heads North. [I cloji't think Wullle has gone quite so far 1101 th, Katie, but if he does I ho»e you manage to see him.— DOT.] Denr Dot, — I am sorry to ■sny that my badge, hrs l^oii arrived yet, but my brother's has come all rig'u. In the Witness of January the 4th I .saw that my badge had been sent away. Do you fii :k anyo.ie would steal it, Dot? Mymother hos a dauk, and fche =..t away on eight cc o '^3, and bionght home ioui dear little duckIH3S-- Sho ii..ikc=j j sjieit -fu=s when they go siwav r ro:n hcv 10 catch flies. lly old teacher seat me a nrc-lv Christmps card.- — Youis tiuly, JOHKXIE Slil. Awatea, Jar.u"iy 20. [T cimnoi undo^Gt i.irt whul ca-\ have bacoma cf t'sc b-'dt.o, Jo'm.iic, b\'t I am sendiiig you anorhci, aau if tho rii-^ one reaches you afterpits you can send 11 Oick. — DOT.] JJc-.ir Dot, — I jiu wiitmg rgpin to thank you jo. the badge, which I receded on Christmas Diiy ?ie.ir joy. I wear it ip the fiont cf my ha. and oi coui-.o ] think a lot o_ my&eli. I knort- ioui o[ jour coiies-poaclents. 1 spent the n-iost 01 my tune pt home, but 1 c-njoyed lho holidays for all that. Our school tcok up on. Oanuaiy 2). I aui in the Foiuth Standard at &l1ico!, and I like it (especially when I can do mv lessons). My Liithclay is this saonth, and my motlior is makir. 1 -** a ca\e r or it. I had t!\ie° friends pt yiii^ "or ten djjs at Christmas time. My mothei is wjitng to my grandniothci' iiiot now. I will have co learn my lesions, do r.iy li.ai, a.icl g;o to bed soon, as it 13 livo minutes to 9 o'clock. I will try &nd lake
up some news to tell yuu next time I write. I must close now, with love to you and all the little folk.— Yours truly, I ROSEBUD (aged 10 years), j February 5. j [With three friends staying with you ten J clays I am sure you must have enjoyed the holidays, Rosebud. After all we can get quite as much enjoyment at home as away fiom it, out of course the change of air is good if we can get away fo^. a while. — DOT.] Dear Dot,— There was a conceit held near here a week ago, and 1 attended it. We had a , echool picnic at Granville. AYe had several games and after that lunch was handed round. . We then had races, and a scramble for lollies, . in which I won threepence. Dear Dot, is 1101 j this is a ternbla war? I know seven men who have gone to the war. I shall be 13 next June, j but it seems only the other day that 1 was j five. Many people think lam 14. Where I j am living is a very pretty place, surrounded j by hills. I saw the Christmas Annual with the photo 3in it, and they looked very nice. I think you are so kind to your correspondents. I think Ziska, Jessie C, and Dicky Donovan > looked the nicest. I know two of them, May Raine and Agnes Connelly. I think I know who you are, 8.0.8. Are your first two initials R. O. ? If so, I think I know you. With love for yourself and the editor, — Yours truly, CAMELLIA. Half ounce, February 3. [I wonder how it came to be called Halfounce, Camellia? Do you know? I suppose someone got half an ounce of gold in the beginning of the diggings — was that it? — DOT.J Dear Dot, — I am always hardest at work at holiday time, so of course 1 did not get away at Christmas. Dear Dot, 3-011 cannot guess what a surprise I got when I read in Pauline's letter that she had been at Stewart Island, ■for, Pauline, you must have passed a very, very short distance from my home. Dear Dot. don't you think it would be a veiy good idea, for all the little folk to stop writing for one week, so as to let you have printed all the letters you have on hand? I must stop now, lor I do not know how much 100 m this letter will take when it is in print. — Yours truly, JENNY. [Well, yes, Jenny, I do, but the difficulty is to fix a time that everyone would know. I expect there are a good many little iolk disappointed at not seeing their letters in print, but a number of them are too old now; and besides, you know, I don't like placing lestnctious on my little friends. If they will only try to make their letters as short as possible perhpps I should be able to get over the difficulty.—DOT.] Dear Dot, — We are milking eight cows, but they are not giving as much milk now as they v, r ere. Our "school has opened again, and things are going on in the old way. I wonder how Wullie is enjoying hi", holidays. I hone he will -soon come home ag^in, and then we' shall know how he got on. Dear Dot, the weather here has been very bad lately, but it is beginning to get a little better now. L enjoyed myself veiy much at our school picnic, and I won two prizes. There v/ps a heavy ' shower of rain, but after that the weather cleared up, and we had a splendid day, so, after all, it wasn't so bad; was it, Dot? The bush is very pretty just nov/, and the birds keep it lively. With best wishes to Dot and the little folk,— Yours truly, FERNROOT. [I am glad it cleared off on your picnic day, Fernroot, for it would have been very miserable had the rain continued all daj-. — DOT.] Dear Dot.- — It is -a long time since I last wrote to you. I have left school, and 1 hope I shall soon go to work. My sister Rachacl has b, doll dressed in a black dress with a magenta vest; will 3 - ou please give her a name for it. lam sending a piece of poetry named THE DAFFODILS. ! I wandesed, lonely ss a cloud j That floats on high, o'er vales and hills, When all at once I saw a crowd, 1 A nost of golden daffodils — I Beside the lake, beneath the trees, ] Fluttering and dancing in the breeze. j The waves beside them danced; but they | Out-did the sparkling waves in glee. ] A poet could not but be gay In such a jocund company. — Yours truly, GERTRUDE JOHNSON." Dunedin, Febiuary 3. [That is very pretty, Gertrude. If the doll's vest had been jellow I should have said call her Daffodil, but as it is magenta, how would it do to omit the - 't" and call her ifagena? — DOI.] Dear Dot, — We are two comrades, and we want to join your little band ol correspondents. At present it is raining hard, and we cannot employ ourselves better than by writing you a few lines. It is good practice, and nice amusement besides. We know one of your correspondents — Cuckoo. Ah, ah, Cuckoo, you didn't know we had our eye on you, did j'ou ? I often see you down this way. - Just think who it was met yon on Monday even ing, and don't mention it for pn3'thi:ig, will you? Isn't this Transvaal war terrible, Dot? We thrnk it vill be a long war before it is finished, and we wish the Bo2rs would surrender. What a lot of lives will be lost, and sttch good men too. Ido like Roby's letters. I think she is such a kind-hearted little girl. She is like 3-011, Dot. Poor Mr Editor must have a great time of it with the letters, I'm sure. When he reads this^ both he and Dot will feel in the humour to "burn this; if so, it doesn't matter — we shall try again. Fondest love to Dot and the editor, and kind regaids to all the rest and Cuckoo. — Ycurs truly, CRISSIE AND ETHEL. [You see, C. and E., that your letter hss not been burnt this time. But what do you think will probably be done with it? Along with bags and bundles of othci letteis and papers, it will be taken to the Leith Valley Paper Mills, and then turned into pulp for making new paper with. So that its usefulness is not finished after the printer has done with it.— DOT.] Dear Dot, — As you have not had many letters from the lighthouses, I should like to know if your little folk would be interested in an account of them? If so, I shall give you a full description in my next. We are now living at Centre Island, where we have been nearly a year. We like the place very well ; indeed, I think it is the nicest place we have been at, except that I have no playmates but my brother, who is three years younger than myself. 1 am not lonery, however, for mother has been my teacher, and has taught me to crochet and sew. There is also a nice beach here, and it is so nice to sit and watch the waves breaking over the sand. Do you like the sea. Dot? I love it, for I have never lived away from it. I suppose some of your little folk never saw the sea. I was amused when I read Wullie's letter about his trip on the sea. It does not play him nasty tricks like it does me. I can never eat much when I am travelling, and a short time ago we had 10 weeks on board a steamer. Now, clear Dot, hoping you Isko me in among your many little fol's I leiu.iiu, with lo.cTfours truly, i r LORA SINCLAIR, Ccjtrc Island Ligli* house. February 3. [Yes, Flora, v,*e shall ail be delighted to get au jiQcopjit pf tiis li^iitlwuseß from you A
as I am sure it will be very intcestiiig. Your mother has taught you well, for you write a really good hand, and also a nice letter. Ten weeks 611 the sea! Why, dear, you should have become quite an " old salt " in that time, and j with such an anpetite that you could eat anything.—DOT.] Dear Dot,— At a picnic hero there were eight badses, and only one of the wearers wrote'to T)ot 1 chummed" up to her, and I like her very much, so I can thank the badge for finding a nice little friend. Dear Dot, I know two of your little folk, Cuckoo and Rhoda. How did you like the picnic, Rhoda? When are you o-oing to wiitelue a long letter, Cuckoo? You were wrong when you said nobody knew you, Cuckoo, for I know you. When is Vs T ulhe going to write agsin? I like his letters very much. Dear Dot, will you forward me his address, as I want to send him a card. I think it veiy mean of some of your little folk saying that Wullie is a grown-up man. I am sure he is a veiy nice boy. I think the editor must be very kind to pass so many letters a week. It will be very nice to have all the little icilks photos in the Witness. With love to Shan, Ziska Cuckoo, Dook'.eaf, your little self, and the editor,-Yours truly, BLACKBIRD _ [If yon send the card to me I shall forward it on to Wullie. Blackbird, and he will acknowledge its receipt in due time. I hope he and We'LTiiaher f1 ° not -^ c c norl ' n s0 muc . u that they stay there altogether. We can't atford to lose him, cr.n we?— DOT.] Dea'- Dot.— l go to the Eyal Bush school, and am in the Fifth Standard. They are going to have a picnic on Friday, the 9th, for the school patriotic fund, and I hope it is a fine dsy. We aie milkiug three cows, and I milk ore night and morning. I have two kittens; would you kindly give me a ns?-.ne for each" of them. I went" to town at New Year for a week's holidays, and I enjoyed myself very much — Yours truly, JOHN BLAKIE (aged 13 years). Eyal Bum], Febiuary 3. [Suppose y° u rall tlie ki t tens Patiiot and Picnic, John.— DOT.] Dear Dot, — As it is a veiy wet afternoon, ard I am not able to go out, I have beca leading the letters to 3011 m the Witness. I had never read them befoie, as wo don't get the Witness at our house, but .-io\v I think I would like to v/iite to you myseli. I have only been here about a month. I used to live in Dunedin. and went to tho Arthur street school, but I am going to live in Southland now with my aunt, and go to the Lime Hills school. School begins on Monday. Mr Shand is the teacher, j pnd I will b? in 'the Fourth Standard. Lime 1 Hills is about 25 miles from Invercargill, and quite near the Oreti liver. With love to all the h'tlle folk and yourself, — Yours truly, GEORGE D. SHAND. Meadow Bank, Febiuary 3. [I hope George will manage to see the Little Folk's pages regularly r.ow, and that v;e shall have him fov a correspondent in future. — DOT.] Dear Doi, — I am sorry that j r ou did not have your piomised holiday. I am suie you deserve it I delayed writing, thinking you would be away enjoying a rest in a quiet corner of the world. I have found out an exceedingly mysterious person — namely, Dicky Douovan. and. I think he is the only one of your correspondents whom I know, although I should be very much pleased to know more. Dicky has lived on a station for 3 T ears, six years being spent with my uncle in the Wairarapa. It is a pity this correspondent should have ceased writing, for his letters were nice ones. Our girls ha/c been very busy preparing for matriculation, and I believe our master is pioud of the results, for out 01 those who went up only one f piled. My prize this year was called " Girls Together." Perhaps 3'ou have read it, little folk, or even Dot herself. I think J shall have to leave school this j'oar. and I am soriy, for I think when a girl leaves school her happiest days are over. However, 1 have plentj' of books, and may still learn. Our ma=ter odvised us to spend half an hour each day on Euclid, Latin, algebra, etc. Fearing to make my letter .too long and uninteresting, I draw this epistle to a close, with love to yourself and all the correspondents. — Yours tmlv, i " HINEMOA. ! Palmorston North, January 27. I [We v/ere all sorry that Dicky had ariived at tho ago when it was necessary for him to retire, Hinemoa. I fancy, however, he still reads our page, and I hope he sees your letter. — DOT.] 1 Dear Dot, — My sister is writing to you, so I thought I would like to write too, and tell you how I spent my holidays. Last Cluiatmas I went to Wellhigtoxi, but this year I stayed at , home to help my mother, who tells mesomei times that p change of work is as good as a lest. I think T like going to school better than doing housework. Dear Dot, I shall tell you how I spent New Year's Day. I went with "my sisters down to our orchard to have a picnic. There was a yie. m the paddock. At first he ! seemed pli-pH 01" us. but afterwards he became \ quite tame. We then went to the pond 1c j cat:h fiogs, and when we came back to get our , hp.ts wo found that the pig had torn them up. i I never knew bafoie that a pig was such a destructive animal. We had to go home vithoaf j our hats, lesolving never to allow piggy to j come to our picnic again. Wishing yourself ' and the little folk a happy New Year. — Your 1 ; ; tiuly, " MYSTEEY. j Painiersiou North, January 27. j [That vas certainly very ungrateful of Mi I Piggy after beir-g well treated. However, it is 1 safe to distrust a pig. A friend of mine used I to say, '" Whenever you meet a pig give him a ! good kick, because he has c-ithei jti3t been up to some mischief, or he is contemplating it." I can't speak from experience, but my friend , knew a good deal about faun animals, so I j suppose he had reason for his view of animated pork.— DOT.] ! Dear Dot,— The Little Folk's Page is getting ! very interesting. The list of your corresponi dents is growing larger, and contains a number of promising young writers. Several per1 fo:is not belonging to your army of corresponj dents whom I know envy the place of some ! of Dot's young folk — such as Ziska, Shan, Lamb, Diamond, Echo, etc., all of whom receive such hearty and welcome words from our young friends of the page. lam sorry to hear that you did not get the holidays you expected to have. I enjoyed my holidays very much, and was exceedingly sorry when they came tc an end. Like most of your young friends, I am fond of reading, my favourite authors being Kingston, Ellis, and Jules Verne. L see that Harry is a bookworm, but if he is like me, I don't think that his favourite books are school books. The war is not progressing very favourably, but I hope the New Zealand boys will have fortune on their side. You seem to despise the idea of going to fight, deal Dot, but I think if I were old enough I should like to enlist as a soldier of the Queen. There is only one way to look at the end of the war, and that is, the Butish must win. I suppose most of your coriespondents will be back at school now, and I hope they will all get prizes in due time. I shall follow Old Boy's advice, and make this letter as short a3 possible, and close by wishing your young friends every success in I journalism — not forgetting yourself. — Yours I truly, j YORATH. i [No, Yorath, I don't despise the idea of ' going tc fight, for it ia, unfortunately, still necessary. I o-clmire ihe pluck of <rar volunteers, .while, regretting the ne'pegsiji^-whjgli induces
them to display their heroism. p.m!, with every- ' on.c else, I wish them succcp"-.. — DOT.] Dear Dot,— We had very br.d weather last month, but we had lovely hot tlpys at Christines, and I sent a &ocd many cards awn /, while 'juch e> lot sent pifctly cards to me, iiKd J wa& • la pleased with tbr-rii. Igo to school, and , am in tlie Four'h Standard. J. am 13 year., of a"-c Otu school had a picnic to Taieri Monti'. We v/cre all in springcarts, and we drove a long way till we got to Henley, where v- bearded the steamer, while some had to go in the boat that was behind the steamer. Avo sailed down the river, and oh, it was loveiy. _ At last we got to the bank, and we ail landecl ' and Had 0111 dinner. I was pietty hungry by ( the time we got to Taieri Mouth. After we j had dinner we all walked up to the beach, j There was loveiy soft sand, aud such a lot took oft" their boots and stockings and had a : good wade. The tide was just coming in, j and the lovely va^es weie po nice. \\ c were , there for a good while. It was soon time to ' °o for tea, then we had a good play, when off the whistle went from the steamcc as a signal | she was going to start back for Benley. Soon , we were landed, and &ot into our cart 3 and j drag, and a lot of othei things, and were Quickly on the road, enjoying ourselves, but, j unfortunately, it got cold and rahiy before we 1 reached home. I enjoyed myseli, although the ra-n was cold, but I did not get very wet. ; lam going to school 0:1 Monday. We have ' three wee pigs and one big one. V> c are going to kill the big one pnd eat him, and won't he be nice 1 lam wearying ror the tßste of his. trotters — they are ?o nice. We have nine cows, milking, and we go to the factory. Out hay is all cut, and one 'stack is put up. I helped to put_ it in heaps. This- is all I have to Fay to-night — I am veiy sleepy. Goodbye. — Youis tru'y, PUSSY. Februaiy 4. ['L'nat w?s a hap t r r day lo: Fussy and her schoolmate?, olthougn it -.vi's a pity the rain came on during the return jGiur.ey. L wonder if the pig's trotters have b*eu sampled yet' — DOl.] Dear Dot, — We hive nine cows milking. We have also four pigs win! pbout 12 chickens. We had a lot more, but they nearly all d;ed through the wet weather. The survivors are all giov.-m<* up nov. YCc have a hen with a broken wing and a broken leg, and she lays her eggs i/i the pothouse, and lovely eggs thoy aie. We went to Taieri Mouth lot a picnic. It was a very nice t/ip. J enjoyed myself very much indeed. It was going down the river in the steamer. When at the beach we waded in the salt water, and it was I let the waves go right over my leet. The drive to Benley was a long way, and when we got into the steamer and went off some of the babies cried veiy much, being frightened by the steamer's whistling. We had a real good time oi it. It was fine. We gathered some shells and seaweed. Y/e got v:ei coming home, but I did not mind that. We boiled some peiiwmklco when we got horns. — Yours tru'y, THE MOUSE (aged 9 years). February i. [That is a good age for a mouse, is it nol? But then this is a two-legged mouse, so it is not very old for that kind. The picnic will be something for Mou'sie to think of for the rest oi the year. — DOT.] Dear Dot, — I send my vote for Eila. Vixen, aud the Little Lady, and I could easily voie for 50 more, only I forget their names. I , v, ouJd like to have voted for 8.0.8. and Shan, but the Old Phil, says the girls should bs i first. Hope 1 t-hail sec their photos 111 iir&t, for there is such an immense number of girls it is almost fix to one. Fondest love to the editor pud yourself. — Yours truly, SOLOMON SLOW. [Shan, Hiriy, and Echo are leading so far, So'omon, so i think it t,^ ill be a mixed gioup fiift, and that will, I think, be moie inleieating. However, we shall see. — DOT.] Dear Dot, — I record my votes in favour of Maidey, Maisie, and Dolly. Ladies should corns first. Love to all. — N 'ours truly, HAEEY. [Do you know, Hariy, the girls themselves do not tliink so, apparently, for they are by no means confining their votes to their own sex— DOT.] Dear Dot — I forgot to send my votes in my last letter — Zisk t \ Signa, Aioha, that will be nine votes from us, ond J hope we vote for the some ones. The Old Phil. Fays we should vote for the girls first. Solomon ond the Old Phi l , won't let me see who they voted for.— Youis tru'y, " 1 BEET. [Bui you didn't, Beit. You see you all voted for diffeient ones.— DOT.] Dear Dot,— You asked us to give some idet whdt we were like, but that voufd be veiy hard to do. We were picked up many years ago by someone who thonght we would be'of some u="e to him. We bcloiig to an old M&oii. who keeps us shut up 111 9 box amongst some other curios. Don't you think that it is hard for two poor old mats to be prisoned 1,1 a box 9 We saw a letter in the Witness fioai Gunshot. Whai, a fancy he had lor Mount Earn&law, but perhaps it was Moiint Aided he was thinking of all the j same. There are tv. o noisy kittens, who l:ceo coming on to our box. We have a gun Co shoot them, but no bullets Will you please ..give us a name for them. We must' say good- ' night, — Yours trul", [ TWO MAORI CURIOS. j Februaiy 6. j j [Why, Cunos, look how you ha'^ c given yourselves away. You say it would be difficult to ■ say what you are like, and yet further on you . say you are mats. We all know what a Maori I mat is like. Call the kittens Mere and Hi 1 Tikei. I suppose you know what they are. — ' DOT.] ; Dear Dot, — The crops are looking fine up here. We shall soon be harvesting. We had ! some very heavy rain on the 7th, and it laid ! some of our crop. Dear Dot, we often go j in the Taieri River, and we catch eels in it, and | we all like thsm very much. We have a big I lagoon and a boat on it, and we often go for ' nice rows. I was at a concert the other night { in aid of the patriotic fund, and I enjoyed myself very much. We have some white top- ' knotted ducks, one ot which laid 1045 eggs in ' the season. I should like very much to corres- I pond with Ziska, if she will forward me her address. I had the pleasure of speaking to Muriel at a picnic ; she was wearing the badge. With best love to Muriel and Ziska, not forgetting your own dear self and the editor — Yours truly, KITTY. February 8. I [Dear me, Kitty, you have made a mistake , somewhere. If not, tell me how many eggs a day that wonderful duck laid, dear. — DOT.] Dear Dot, — I would have written to you before this, but you have lately been getting so many letters that I thought I would wait tmtil the letteis were fewer. That plan of Jean about making the letteis shorter is a very good one, and I hope it will be soon carried out. I The school picnic was held on New Year's Day, ' and I was at it. All the time I kept a good { look out for some of your correspondents wear- ■ ing badges, but I only saw one. I had a good lonk talk with her, but I did not succeed in ■ finding out what she signed herself when she ! I wrote to you. The war does not seem to be fiaisliejl yetj aUliouglx I liear<l it was going to
In over before Christmas. The .Boers vriil bo ] beaten tiuy way, and. I don't see any good in j them fighting when they know they will be ' liealen. Wullie seems to be enjoying his trin ■ to the Noith Island with "Well wisher. I think "Welhvisher is Wullie's schoolmaster. What a lot of iaictures the little folk are drawing of you. You will be feeling sorry that you did not put your photo in the Christmas Annual. I always take a great interest in reading the letters written by Taffy, secretary of the Critic Club, for 1 want to see if their idea of other letters is anything like my own. I will now need to stop, as it is getting ''ather late. TVitii love to yourself, and all the little folk, — Yours truly, TWIN. [Why no. Twin. Tf I had put my portrait in we should not have had all the different pictures of Dot, anrl I am. sine many of them have been very amusing. — DOT.] Dear Dot, — We got a half-holiday this afternoon, as Mr Seddon was supposed to visit the school, but he had not time. The Minister for Education gave us the holiday. I like 8.0.8.'5, Lamb's. Ziska' s, Roby's, Harry's, and Wullie's letters the best. I was down under the jetty on Monday, and I cut my foot and 1 dicl not go to school the next day, as I could not get my shoe on. lam ten years old, and am in the Fourth Standard. The school excm sion is to Wyndham on Wednesday, the lith. There was an excursion train from Matsurs to Colpc Bay to-day, but the tram could not get round the curve over the bridge, and it went back to the station and leit the van. Even then it could not get round, and it went b?ck ogam, and then it went quick over the bridge and goL round. There were over 700 children and their friends in the train. The Eiverton bowling green was opened for play on Wednesday, md a great number -of Invercargill and Biveiton bowlers were playing. The school wa= dismissed at 3 o'clock. The band was playing, and a large ciowii of ladies and children looking on. Ido not think you have got many little folk in Eivcvton, although a lot of in lead the letters, — -Yours truly, GENERAL BOBS. "Riveiton, February 1. [Well, never mind, when General Bobs thinks it worth while writing we make up in importance what we lack in numbers. — DOT.] Dear Dot, — That *s a very good idea oT yours pbout the photos to be published at Easter, and the voting is tha fairest way to decide whose photos ore to go in. The three whose photos I should like to see published are Ziska, Marguerite, and Priscilla. Is it not tcriible about the war, Dot? I think it will be a long time before it is over, as the Boers are hard to beat; but the British are sure to win ill the end. What a lot of coirespondents Marguerite and Ziska have. I am sure they must have a good bit to do answering all their letters. I see that Prisciila has turned up again, pncl Pauline had a letter in not long ago. As you say, Do:, it does seem like old times to have them back again: it is such a long time sif.ee they have written. What a nice prolect that is of yours, Dot, ol having a Dot's Little Folk Cot m the hospital. I'm sure all the little folk will like it, and save up a little to give co it. How the Little Folk's page is progressing. Why, something new is happening eveiy week. There is the Critic Club, then the photos, and there will soon be " The Dot's Little Folk Cot." It was a very good idea of Taffy and the olhei members to form a Critic Ciub. How nice it must have been for the little folk who live in Wellington to be able to see the New Zealand Contingents going away. That was a very nice story of Mr Hammaker's, " The Red Flag, ' and I hope he will write soon again. Whnt a good description ol his visit to Stewart Island Harry Farrcr gave us in his last letter. I don't think the C-itic Club will find anything wrong with it, do you, Dot? I got my badge spfely, and I think it is veiy pretty. I have j not worn it yet, as I am not likely to meet any of Dot's little 'oik about here, i know one of your little folk near here who wears a badge, but she does not know what norn de nlurne 1 go by. After all the little folk's promises, "Dot. you never got your holiday. I should think you would need one after answering nil the little folk's letters for a year, but you will be sure of getting one next Christmas. Echo and the Little Lady top the list for kno-n-iiig the greatest number of little folk. It must be nics for those living in Dunedin to be able to know each other by youi badge, Dot. 1 think they should soon be getting up another little exclusion, and go to the Witness office this time. Surely they could pluck up enough courage to ask to see Dot, if there were three c lour oE them there. There is a Bookworm writing now. I wonder if she can read 'more books in a week than Ziska. I don't ihiol: she can. I am very fond of reading, but the trouble is I can't get enough of books. The authors of the books I like best are Ed-oa Lyall and E. A. Wilson. Dear Dot, I have been forgetting all about how much space this letter will take tip, so I must clo^e with love to Ismene, Roby, Giulia, Cynthia, and 3 our own piecious self, Dot. — Yours tivily, MIXEEVA. [Oh, Minerva, what a sheet of paper! Why, dear, my desk will have to be enlarged if this goes on, and I don't know what the linotype operator will say. Next time write en only half the size, dear.— DOT.] I Dear Dot, — That suggestion of j ours m answer to Diamond as to establishing a cot in the Children's Ward is capital, and so &oon as you can fix a treasurer (ten to one it will fall on the I uoor editor again) I shall be most happy to ; fOlf 01 ward 'uy wee mite, though I'm not little, j But in this instance you might alter your title I from "Dot's Little Folk ' to '" Little' Dot's Folk," then 1 could come in, too ; and any way, , it's s shame to keep a fellow out ]tist because , lv happens to be nearly 6ft. And you " are " I little. Who ever heard of a big fairj'? and you , are a fairy, for who but a fairy could bring so 1 many children from so many paits together, ! and make them all happy. I was in Dunedin ! at Christmas, but didn't see one badge — only every "little folk" I met I said to myself: I " I wonder if he writes to her," or " I wonder j if she knows Dot." I know the man in the I post office docs, for " an absent-minded beg- ! gar " once in writing her a letter just adi dressed it " Dot," but it found her out all right, didn't it, Dot? — [Yes, aud more than once. — Dot.] It was Dot's Cot that set me writing, so wishing it and all such objects God ' speed, I'll bid you good-bye, with love to all your little ones, from I BIG BOY. P.S. — One of your little folk visited our place yesterday. She's not little now, you know; but she told us with a glad twinkle in her eye that they — meaning her circle of friends — were quite wrapped up in the Witness little folk. — B. B. [This Big Boy is such a good fellow, little folk, that we must not hesitate for a moment about including him in our list when the time comes. I do not know him personally, but I have spoken to the editor about him, and he says he knows a good deal about him, and thinks a good deal more. That should be enough, should it not ?— DOT.] And now, little folk, I dare not go on any farther, though there is still quite a big batch of letters. You are all assisting me with the editor, dears, but even I must admit that we are giving him cause for looking harassed. I am afraid to think how much space the letters , will occupy this week. I was told that I really must limit the letters to two pages at the outside. How many columns over will this make this week if the editor does not run his blue pencil through, all thai exceeds the two pages?,
I can only hope for the best, and will conclude Avith Taffy's excellent report of the Critic Club meeting.
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Bibliographic details
Otago Witness, Issue 2398, 15 February 1900, Page 61
Word Count
19,597LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLK. Otago Witness, Issue 2398, 15 February 1900, Page 61
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