LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLK.
Dear Dot, — What a splendid idea that ia about the Little Folk's Cot. It is something worth saving up for; and I am sure none of the little folk will object to so good a proposal. I didn't get to the Witness office when I was in town. It rained nearly all the time I w,b there, which kept me from goingto a great many places I should like to have Seen. I was at the Floral fete, and enjoyed it very much. I only saw four badges all the ti?ne I <vas in town. One was worn by a pretty girl v-it'i Jong Thrown hair, who wore a dark — black, I think — sac costume ond white sailor hat. J \\n- ttan ling on Caversham statibn when the .South express came in on the 13th Januaiy, and I noticed that a hay in the train, v»-ore a badse iv
the front of his cap. I have just ijecr. lia^i : r.g another look at the Chrisimas annual, at d I am wondering if that ;s; s J3.0.3. v/ii<> is Ji .cling la one of tho photos. I have just discovered him and Ella. I wonder why Lamb does not send her address? There is surely scmetAin;: tht matter with her. So Viven was told that i)ot is the editor's mother. "Well, I was told that Dot is the editor! I said to the gentleman who told me that he was only trying to pay his own. sex a compliment, for a man couldn't write so sensibly as Dot does ; and oh ! if you had seen the look he gave me! Our school went to Dunedin for the annual excursion to-day, and it is pouring its hardest. "What a beautiful time they'll be having. Yvonne has gone, and she [ promised to watch for D. L. F's. She's g''t her own on. I hope Duni Dum won't leave of writing, for he writes very nice letters. Sc you are frightoned of mice and spiders, Dot? I can understand girls when they are frightened of spiders; but I really don't know why they are frightened of mice. "What are your reasons, Dot ? That is a very nice idea, about the photos m tho Witness at Easter. 1 would like to see Shan, Marguerite, and Doekleaf. I must ask you to excuse the writing and mistakes, please, Dot.— Yours truly, KOA. [My reasons for being frightened of mice, Koa? Why, I never thought it necessary to think the matter out. A mouse simply makes one creep the same as a spider does, and that has seemed quite enough. They look harmless enough, but — oh, they are mice. So Dot is not only the editor's mother, but also the editor! Well, I hope my little fueuds who started keeping a list are not neglecting their duty; but aie taking note of every fresh picture of poor Dot. Indeed, there have been so many since the list was started that I think the ingenuity of fathers, brothers, uncles, and male friends must now be pretty well exhausted, so that perhaps it is "time to publish the list. Will my collecting friends please take the hint and send in their lists 9 — DOT.] Dear Dot, — I set out on a journey this morning, and before I got half way home again it rained and thundered, so I had to stay all night at my mate's place. I know who Florence is. I do not live very far from her. I also know who Rimbecco is ; but Ido not think Rimbecco knows me. Dear Dot, would you like to live in a bush ? I like living in this bush in summer, bill I cannot say I like it in winter. There is a very pretty beach, about three miles from our place. There are sports held on the Tahakopa Beach, every year on New Year's Day. I saw Kimbeceo at the sports. Her brother was playing in the band. — Yours truly, February 6. BENNETT. [I daresay living in a bush is a bit gloomy in winter, dear, but then you know there is always the beautiful spring and the golden autumn to look forward to, and if we had not some of the bitters of life the sweets would be insipid, you know.— DOT.] Dear Dot, — My companion, Lady Smith, has persuaded me to join your band of correspondents. Ido not know many of your correspondents; but I have aai idea that I know D.O.S. We get the Witness regularly every week, and I read the letters with great interest. Dad seems to take nearly as much interest in them as I do, and he often reads Wee Wullie's letters, which we all enjoy very much, as it is very seldom we hear dad speaking Scotch, though he often gives a Scotch reading at the concerts which are held here. I am very much taken with your badge. Lady Smith received one from you, and of course 1" must have one,,too. With love to D.0.5. , Echo, and last, but not least, to Dot, — Yours truly, JASMINE. [I have ho doubt Jasmine will soon get to know more correspondents now she has started writing. I fancy there are several she should know if she could only penetrate their noms de plume.— DOT.] Dear Dot, — I should very much like to become one of your correspondents. I have for a long time taken a great interest in your page, or rather pages, I should have said. What a long time it is since Lamb wrote. The schoolmistress must have frightened her out of writing. I should so like to get a letter fiom Harry. He writes very nice letters to the page. I tfcmk they are the best of the boys' letters. Where has The Cook gone to? He must have been offended, and so has retired early. It is very hard to know who is the best writer amongst the girls, there are so many who wiite good lottars. Little Lady seems to be as lively as a cricket; and always looking out for some one to tease. As legards the photographs for the Witness, L am unable to decide which I would like best ; so I think I shall close my eyes and write them down — Priscilla, Harry, and 8.0.8. Now they are done". Do you not think, Dot, we could have Taffy and the Critic Club's photos in at some time? I am sure it would be interesting to many to know what our criticisers are like. Etera-is the most mischievous little monkey I ever saw. She is never so delighted as when she is up to mischief. Ruta has the toothache, but she is going to write, for all that. Madcap Eileen was a tavourite of mine, and 1 was sorry when she left. Dear Wullio, you do not really believe tho Maoris are tatooed to show they are married, do you? Tatooing is a very old custom among the Maoris. They think it is lovely ; but we had an educated Maori at our house, and she thought it was very ugly. She was the daughter of a Maori chicf 1 , and hsd her chin tatooed. Dear Dot, I am sorry this letter has stretched out so, but I promise, if you allow me to write again, it shall not happen next time. Good-bye, with love to Harry, Ziska, Marguerite, and yourself, dear Dot. — Yours truly, DAME DQRDEN. Christchurch, February 5. [A capital proposal, Dame Durden; but I wonder if Taffy and his friends will agree? I should be only too delighted to gel the group, and it would be amusing to see the attempts that would be made to pick out the various members of the club. Let you write agttm, dear? Yes, I should say so; and I am sure your letters will bd looked forward to. I am glad the Maori lady disliked the tatooing, for it is a great disfigurement to many a pretty Maori girl in the North.— DOT.] Dear Dot, — I went, awa-y during the holidays to Prebbleton, and I enjoyed myself very much. We used to bring the cows home to be milked, and we played with the pig? — which were clean ones. Dear Marguerite, you did not guess my noni de plume right — Etora. means Ethel in the Maori language. Thank you, Sabina, for sending your love to me. The three little folk's photographs 1 should like in the Y/itness are — Lamb, Bertie, and 8.0.8. Dear Dot, this war seams to be getting worse and worse. Two contingenta have leri New Zealand, and the third will soon be leaving. I knew Captain Smith, who wont in the second contingent, and several others who are going in this one. The men in camp at the Addington show grounds are drilled every afternoon at Hagley Park. The contingent men are only known by their jerseys, as they have not got their uniforms yet. I will close with love to the editor, the Critic Club, all ihe little folk, and Dot.— Yours truly, Christchurch February 4. ETERA. [I am glad you enjoyed your holidays, Etera. No doubt yoti are woiking at school all the better for it. Did you really play with those clean pigefi dear?— DOT.] Dear Dot, — I think it such a shnme you did not have your holiday after all. You shonld ins>ibt on tho little folk giving you one next Christmas. Judging by the pictuies in the Y/itness, the floial leto in Dunedin was better than the one here. I \ote for Hairy. Solomon Slow and Maiguerite having their photographs in tho Witness. It i& very hard
to chose from so many writers, but I suppose there will be more than one batch. Next time I write the third contingent will have sailed for South Africa, and I shall tell you all about the send-off. I went out iv the country for the first part of my holidays, and when I came back I went to my aunt's place, down Ferry road. Since writing the above, I have been away from home again, but as I have now returned I will finish my letter. It has been decided to hold the demonstration at the send-off of the third contingent at Hagley Park, which is quite close tc our house. I am going to the library now, so I will conclude with love to Dot and all the little folk, — Yours truly, RUTA. Christchurch, February 4. [The great day will have come and gone ere you see your letter in print, and I hope it will have been fine and bright, and thus enabled everyone to get out and witness what will perhaps be the sight of>a lifetime. DOT.] Dear Dot, — Our holidays are over now, and we are back to school again. I did not go anywhere for my holidays, but I was at the sports on Christinas Day. A concert mss held here on Januaiy 12, m aid of the patriotic fund, and a children's social the next night. I di'l not go lo the conceit, but I went Lo ihe social, and enjoyed myself very much. We got the Christmas Annual, and I think Jes&ie C., Ziska, Dicky Donovan, and Harry are the most distinct in the group. What a lot of letters you are getting now— there are new ones every week. I received my badge all light and I am wearing it in my hat. I have seen two or three girls with badges on. We are busy thinning turnips just now, and the harvest will soon be coming on. Isn't the war lerrible! I wonder when it is going to stop. With love lo all the little folk, not forgetting yourself, — Yours tiuly, MARTHA CRANSTOUN. Edendale, February 8. [I am sure we shall all be glad to see the end of the war, Martha, but there is scarcely any sign of that yet. The wicked Boer officials should feel very unhappy when they think of all the life that is being sacrificed on both sides as a con&equence of their misguided action.—DOT.] Dear Dot, — I suppose you will be sorry to hear that I did not receive the badge. I saw by the Witness that it was posted, and I inquired at the post office, but I was disappointed to find it had never come to Milton. But it won't do to fill my leter full of "badge," although I am much concerned about it. Ah, I have found you out, Heatherbell. I suppose you will soon find me out. There is going to be a floral fete here on Wednesday. Dear Dot, have you ever seen work done by the Empress Needle? I was at a Sundayschool picnic and I won a prize for running. The school I go to is only a few minutes' walk from the railway which is being constructed to the Fortification coal mine. I shall have to stop now, as I am going to " Cousin Sleep." So good-bye to all, not forgetting yourself, Dot. — Yours truly, " * REDSTART. February 9. [I do not understand where the badge can have gone astray, dear, but I have no dou*bt tbere mtiat have been some mistake m the address. If so, it will come back to the Witness office, so I send you another. Should the first one reach you after all, you can return it to me.— DOT.] Dear Dot, — After your kind wishes in answer to my last letter, I have made up my mind to alter my decision, so I. send in my " ultimatum," which is to the effect that I shall continue to write to you as long as I can do so, and as long as you will have me in your columns. The word " ultimatum " reminds me of a few remarks which I wish to make. Captain says in his letter that the Boer officers order their men to fire on ambulances, etc., and to use the white flag. Now, without wishing to be at all disagreeable, I must say that I think Captain's remarks are quite unfounded, because if he had read in the papers the other day, he woiild have seen a letter by one of our own correspondents, in which he explains the ambulance affair, and concludes v/itli the opinion that the Boers are (in the majority of cases) just as civilised in warfare as we are. Captain will probably know that eveiy Boer is considered an officer in the Boer army, so that the orders are given by Gei.eral Joubert or one of the other generals; so that any act of treachery is done individually and without orders from a superior officer. Some of your correspondents might gather from my remarks, Dot, that I fjivouv the Boers, and want them to win. Well, I would rather be hanged than see the British beaten. But Ido think (and I have no doubt that you will agree with me, Dot) that it is unfair to kick a man when he is down. Many of the Boers who desire peace fight only because they would otherwise be shoo as traitors to their country. The Critic Club find my riddle a puzzler, or else they didn't notice it. The answer is "An auctioneer, because he can knock down anything. I was very pleased to see your letter in, E. H. G. I thought you were too bashful to put your initials. I know E. H. G. very well, Dot. Well, I don't think you need have any fear of me, Dot, althoxigh my name is not a very pleasant one, though, like books, you can't always judge a person by his norn de x^rime. I conclude with the following two verses copied from one of your coirespondent's letters, but with a few alteration s : — To flourish round niy native bower, And blossom near my cot, I cultivate a little flower, In a letter to Dea* Dot. Though oceans may between us roar, And distance -be our lot, Although we part to meet no more, I won't forgot Dear Dot. — Yours truly, DUM DUM. February 10. rDum Dum is quite a pleasant fellow, notwithstanding his Unpromising name, aud I think we shall all be glad he has determined to remain with us after all. No one will think "the worse of him for desiring to give the Boers fair play. The British can afford to do that with all their foes, and although our people make mistakes now and again, no one can say that they don't treat their fallen foes with consideration. They, of course, condemn tho abuse of the white flag, but the whole of the Boers should not be judged by the actions of a few miscreants. — -DOT.] Dear Dot, — I see Jeisie C. has turned up again; and just fancy her wanting you to believe that she was ugly, when we. can all bear witness to the fact that she is " strikingly beautiful." Judging from her photo, I don't think she is a bit ugly. I quite fell in love with her. I pm going to a surprise paity on Thursday evening, and my sister and I aie going to sing — at least, we aie going to try. It is the fiist time I have ever promised to sing before anybody; and oh, dear, iv ia the last. If 1 could sing it would be all right ; but I can't. It ■uus just for mischief that I said J would, and they intend to keep me to my word. Just fancy, Dot, it is Valentine's Day to-moirow, and I had fovgotten all about it, until it wa.s too late to =end for any valentines. Have you ever received any, Dot I lemeniber my sister sending one to a young lady acquaintance, and when she got it, she stnted some kind of a danee — 1 don't know what it was called. Oh, my! wasn't sl.e aniiry. But ske never iouud. out who sent
it, or there would have been a declaration of war there and then. Dear Dot, I have been getting " found out " as well as the other correspondents. It is nothing but, " You're Ziska, are you not ? " or " I know you, Ziska ; I saw your photo in the Witness," and so on. Sometimes I pretend to be very innocent; but at others I hear all they have to say and then I say " Yes "to their question. One person asked me if I wrote to the paper, and I said " No," and it has weighed on my conscience ever since. So now when I am asked I say " Yes." lam so glad Solomon Slow is not going to change his name, as the letters would not seem so nice if he did. I was thinking whether I should change my norn de plume or not; but I coxild not bring myself to part with my name. Hoping this letter is not too long, I will close, with love to Dot and special love to the editor, and remain always, — Yours truly, ZISKA.. P.S. "Dot's likenesses" have amounted to over 30 in number. I will forward the list neit time I write. 2. February 13. [Oh, Ziska dear, you even contemplating a change of uom de plume ! Why, even the bare thought of it comes as a shock to me, and I am sure the little folk of all ages will simply Yip astounded that such a thing was thought of for a moment. However, wiser counsel prevailed, fco we have nothing to regret. You got Blackbird's address, did you not? So there are 30 descriptions of Dot, Ziska. Wulhe has sent me a group of pictures of a number of supposed Dots, but they don't quite come up to that number.—DOT.] Dear Dot, — Instead of writing you a letter I send you what I consider a very nice piece of poetry. Will you please print it in the little folk's page? — Yours truly, JOHNNY HOENEK WHERE DO YOU LIVE? I ki:cw a rain, and his name was Homer, Who used to live at Grumble Coiner; Grumble Corner in Cross-Patch Town, And he never was seen without a frown. He grumbled at this; he grumbled at that; He giowled at the dog; he growled at the cat; He grumbled at morning; he grumbled at night ; To grumble and growl was his chief delight. He grumbled so much at his wife, that she Began to grumble as well as he ; And all their children, wherever they went, .Reflected their parents' discontent. If the sky was dark, and betokened rain, Then IVLr Homer was sure to complain; And if there was not a cloud about, He'd grumble because of a threatened drought. His meals were never to suit his taste; He grumbled at having^lo eat in haste; The biead was poor, or the meat was. tough, Or else ho hadn't had half enough. No matter how hard his wife might try To please her husband, with scornful eye He'd look around, and then, with a scowl At something or other, begin to growl. One day as I loitered along the street, My old acquaintance I chanced to meet, Whose face was without a look of care, And the ugly frown that he used to wear. " I may be mistaken, perhaps," I said, As, after saluting, I turned my head, ■" But it is, and it isn't Mr Homer, Who lived for so long at Grumble Corner." I met him next day; and I met him again, In melting ■weather, in pouring rain ; When stocks were up, and when stocks were down, But ia smile had j'omehow replaced the frown. It puzzled, me much; and so one day I seized his hand m a friendly way, An,' l said, "Mr Homer, I'd like to know What can have happened to change you so!" Ho laughed a laugh that was good to hear, For it told of a conscience calm and clear, And he said, with none of the old-time drawl, "Why, I changed my residence, that is all;" "Changed your residence?" '"Yes," said Homer, " It wasn't healthy at Grumble Corner, And so I moved, 'twas a change complete, Ancl yon' ll find me now on Thanksgiving street." Now, every day, as I move along, The streets are filled with a busy throng. I watch each face, and can always tell Where men and women and children dwell ; And many a discontented mourner Is spending his days at Grumble Corner, Sour and sad, whom I long to entreat To take a house on Thanksgiving street! Dear Dot, — I am very grateful to you for the beautiful badge you sent me. I am going to get a pin put in it, and it will do for a brooch. At present I have it in my hat. The other evening one of my companions came to see me-. I was showing her the badge, and she is quite taken up with it. I am persuading her to write to you, and I think she will. We are having terribly cold weather here. It is not a bit like summer. Our school reopened last Monday. What with lessons and music, I have no time for play. I was at a piciiic last Wednesday. I never enjoyed myself so well before. I went in for a race and came second. I- wish I had come first, for I would have got five shillings. I returned about 8, very tired. I have a fearful cold, and I blame going tovtho picnic for it. I think I shall draw my letter to a close, as 1 am very tired after being in school all clay. I shall say good-bj-e, with love to Jasmine and your dear self. — Yours truly, February 10. . LADY SMITH. [It is .satisfactciy that so exalted a personage as Lady Smith speaks so approvingly of her badge, little folk, is it not? But was it not somewhat undignified in a titled lady to be running in a race? — DOT.] Dear Dot, — It is a long time since you heard fiom mo; but 1 am still taking the seme interest iii your page. I know eight correspondents, and I have found out the editor's name. I see Cynthia was saying Marguerite was fughtened of spiders. Well, you aie no worse thpn I am, Marguerite. One day two friends and I were sitting by a gov«e hedge reading a book, when one of thuu startled us by saying, " Look, Viola, at the big spider on your dress! ' I looked, and there, on my sleeve, was a great big velvet spider. " Take it away! " I screamed. The spider was soon taken ofi, and I can tell you I felt very much lehevecl. Two boys happened to be passing, and witnessed the little scene, and one of them said, " Just like girls to be frightened at nothing." At this we all laughed. Now, Dimples, have you gone to Blanket Bay? If you have I shall have to come along and give you a good shaking. Clementine, you aro another person who needs a good shaking. Hurry up, and give an account of yourself, and you will oblige me very much. I vote for liiuibecco, Dimples, and Shan. I see Jessie C. had turned up at last. 13 Elsie C. your sister ? Tell me the next time you vrite. How long have you been li\ing^at Catlins, Rimbecco? Please tell me when you write. I think all the correspondents who aie not going to write to Emmeline should leveal their names when leaving the page. I have a suggestion to make to you, Dot. 1 have made up my mind to only writ© once a in.on.tli. To make up 'for this i
have a number of descriptions of walks, diiYtt',etc., and, if you like, I would send gome of thci.i to you with my letters. Of course I won't "3tnd them without your leave. With love to Bubbles, Maisie, and yourself. — Y*urs truly, VIOLA. [I shall -be very please indeed to get tho descriptions ofthe drives, etc., but you must not be disappointed if tlfey have to wait some little time before they appear. — DOT.] Dear Dot, — Such a grand idea struck me thie men: ing, aud I tnought I would write at oi'.se ond see what you thought about it. I thought it would be splendid if we (the little folk) cculd raise enough money to buy a hese for the war. I know you thought it would be taking the money away from the schools if we started a patriotic fund, lmt I hope the suggestion I am about to make meet with j out approval. Well, Dot, I thought if all th.i little folk were to deny themselves something they wanted, and sent the amount of lvor.ey to you, we should soon have e:icvgh to buy a horse. What made me think of denying ourselves was that I had saved 10s fo buy an article I wantr% and I thought it would be a good idea to do without it, and send the 10s to you. That would make a start, wouldn't it, Dot? Of course, I will keep on saving for it. One thing thy? tovvn correspondents could deny themselves would be tram fares. Eveiy time they wanted to take the tram they could walk instead, and send the tram fare to you for the "D. L. F. horse." Kemember, 1 intend to practise what I preach, so, Doi,, dear, please don't sr.y " No. ' You know, Dot, it wouldn't interfeie with the schools or anything else. Just think of it, little folk, the " D. L. F. horse." — Yours in haste, ALYS. February 12. P.S.— liona wiote to me, but foigot to send her full name and address. Dear Fiona, please write again, and send me your full name, and oblige.— ALYS. [Your proposal f-hows your kindness of hear., and generosity. Alj's. There is, however, so little time that it seems to me scarce'}- r;oss'ble to do anything in the matter. Yo'i would see that Taffy, in last week's is3iie," proposed that we should subsciibe foi a horae, but that I replied that I thought there vas scarcely time. There is a week less now, aud £25 is a big sum for our little fo;k to subscribe iv the course of two or three weeks. l^o, dear, I think we should be content with our school subscriptions to the patriotic fund, and be looking forward to commencing the binj Xoroject of the Hospital Cot at tho beginning of next year.— DOT.] Dear Dot, — As Christmas and New Year are over I am going to try to tell you how I spent them. We always spend Christma 3 very quietly here, almost like a Sunday. I was u,o on Christmas morning bright and early at 4 o'clock. You may rest assiued it was not to work, though. To tell the truth, I waa sericuslv thinking about some strawberries, but, like my usual luck, the birds had been there first. I went back to bed again a sadder, but wiser, girl, and slept for over two hours. My father thought I was out eating strawberries all that time (so he said). After dinner T wont for a walk up a neighbouring hill with a book under my arm. It was very windy, but J soon found a nice sheltered place in th 6 bush, where I sat down to read. From my seat I had a splendid view of the river for a good few miles, and I could also see all the houses that were to be seen round about. I arrived home in time for tea, after having had an exceptionally good time with a dry book. On New Year's Day I went to the sports at a small village a few miles distant, and had a real good time. There was a Union Jack m thj centre of the pleasure grounds. "I just saw one stranger with a badge on, and my mate (a little folk) and I, of course, were not long in finding out her noni de plume and making her acquaintance, and, oh, Dot, she is such a nice girl. I just thought of our dear, patient Dot at the time going to all the trouble she did over our badges. Had it not been for the badge we should likely never have spoken to her. I was at a picnic tho day after New Year. It was awfully windy, so windy that I lost all my hairpins except one. I could not lun the risk of losing it too, so I had to get the young lady who wa? with me to tie my hair back with a piece o/ UiEsook-grass (you may laugh, I don't mind); Of course, I made use of the hairpin again when we reached the end of our journey ot four miles. I arrived home just before dark, after having had a splendid time. How very sad that story of Mr Hamraaker's was — all the more so for being true. I feel so sorry for pcor Mr and Mrs Hammaker, and I hope that pven such teriible sorrow as theirs must be will heal up in time. Ec tho photos, my names are Shan, Con, and Ismene. I see you do not want long letters now, dear Dot, so I will cut mine short at once With love to all the little folk, our nice patient editor, and the printers, not forgetting a big share for our Dot, — Yours truly, PHCEBE. [I hope Wullie does not draw a picture of you, Phoabe, with yoiir bonny brown hair tied up with a wisp of tiissock. I am glad you enjoyed yourself so well during the holiday, time, but I wish you had been "more successful in your search for the stiawberries. iTorJ deserved success foi getting up so early. DOT.] Dear Dot, — I wrote two letters to you a long time ago, but since then I have come lo the North Island to live. I like living in the North Island all right, and going to school up here. I have about a mile to walk to school e\ery morning. Theie are only about 50 at the school here. I have only been in tho North Island about six months, so I do not kucw much about it yet. Our school h?s jutt opened after the Christmas holidays, but I have not been to pchoo! since it opened. Dear Dot, there is to be a school picnic here in nbout three weeks, and I shall write again and let you know all about it. Have you got many badges left, Dot? I suppose you hay« sold nearly all of them. The letters are much better now than they weie when I used tt, ■vvnte before. With love to the little folk and yourself,-j-Tours truly," NELLIE. Mangamahoe, Februaiy 7. [I am glpd you t do not intend to forget ut in your northern liome, Nellie, and hope you will send us an interesting letter about youi picnic. J have very few of the; 500 badges left, dear, and I am seriously thinking of what is to be done in the course of a few days when they are all gone. Ido not think I can get 100 more at a price which wiil enable them to be sold at a shilling, and I should not care about taking the responsibility of ordering another 500. However, I shall talk the matter over with the editor, and see if he can make any suggestion.— DOT.] Dear Dot, — Averil (not Alvera, as Jessie C. thought) votes for the photos of Echo, Shan, and Wiillie (she does not want a turnio for tho latter, however), and I should like those of Shan, Laddie, and Maidey. I wonder if Sally would envy me any more if she was capsized out of a buggy like I? My word, if the British were beaten, we should -be in-' a rather awkward position, should we TK>V*Dot? I wm at a patriotic meeting on Saturday night, and the hall was packed by a very enthusiastic audience. About 27 young men in our district have volunteered for service in South Africa, but only 10 will be accepted. Fanc\ 8.0.8. falling in love! I thought he was above that
■by the way he talked about girls. Dear Dot sometimes words get awfully jumbled up, don'l they? A few weeks ago I asked my sistei to put her ej - es out of her mouth, and out time a mate of mine going to a Mrs Black's foi xnilk, got confused, and stammered out, "* Please Mrs Milk, will you give me the black?" lam sure eveiyone will be verj sorry to hear of Vida M'Kellar's death. Papa xised to know her father. I have been corresponding with Minnie Muir, of Odell, in the United States. I suppose 3 - ou remember hex -'-She has written to you, but it is a long while ago. Dot. I think I will now conclude, as yon wish us to write ehori; letters. With best love to yourself and the editor, — Youis truly, THELMA. February 10. tYou will have seen, Thelma, that 8.0.8. indignantly denies having fallen in love at all, and ungallantly says that there are far more 'important things to think of than that just now. 1 suppose we must believe him, and I cannot help admitting that his last letter has a lighter ring abotit it. However, perhaps that only indicates that he is recovering from the attack. Could 3'ou not induce Minnie to write us a letter fiom her American home, clear?— DOT.] Dear Dot, — A few weeks ago Jim and I went into the Longwood Range to take some food ,to the men on the race, and on our way up the dogs got after a big pig about a chain off the track, not far from an old hut, which iad some long bolts 111 it. 1 got one of the ibolts, and Jim had a, tomahawk, so we went to where the pig was, and when we were looking for it, it ran after one oi the dogs. The dog went close past Jim, and the pig stood about 2ft off him. Jim lifted \\p the fcomaihawk, ancr-cut it in the side, which made the .pig jump and run away, and that was the last we saw of it. Dear Do., you must excuse this writing, as my brothers are teasing me all the time. I will now say good-bye, with love to all ihe little folk, not forgetting yourself. — Yours truly, $' "WILLIAM PANKHURoT. [I hope the pig actual^' was a wild one, William, and not o.ie escaped from a neighbouring farm. It is a pity you did not strike it in a vital part, instead of merely giving it a gash in the side. However, it was a trying position to be in, and he did well to stand his ground, even though he was armed with a tomahawk.— DOT.] Dear Dot, — I have seen three badges about liere, and I think they are veiy nice. I see Jessie C. has turned up again, and so have Ziska and 8.0.8. Dear Dot, I think it is a good idea about the Little Folk's Cot in the Children's Ward of the hospital, and I am sure you would soon gather £50 if all the little folk gave something. How I laughed when I read 'Patsy's letter! I should like to have seen him {holding up the wire for Alys to ciawl xinder. I suppose eVer3*one will be teasing Alys now. I see 7/011 are going to have some of the little iolk's pbotos in the Witness at Easter, so I vote for Shan, Lamb, and Dunedinite. I hope the Critic Club will not be too hard on my letter, as I am rather a "t>pt- chum " at writing. With love to Alys, Lamb, Dockleaf, Silver Bell, and 3'ourself — Yours truly, SUNFLOWER. '[I am sure the club will not be hard on any beginner, Sunflower. Indeed, their cViticism takes the form of very good advice in all cases. Yqu will see that Wullie has a dislike to the tiame Taffy ; but if WellwisHer will read to him pu Maurier's novel. " Trilby,"' or take him to Eec the pla3', he wil' change his opinion, and think oi Taffy as the best natured man imaginable.—DOT.] Dear Dot, — Well, here goes. How often I have started to write to 3-011, and have vaHten a few lines, and then torn the letter up and pronounced it not good enough to be printed. .Westport is not a very nice place to live in, as Jthe weatlier is so changeable. It is bitterly cold 40-day, and we have r.ot had many nice warm days this summer yet. Last Sunday several of us went over the Buller river in a boat to rob wild bees' hives. When we find a hive we light b, fire at the trunk of the tree, and put damp ■wood and grass on it so as to make it smoke. .The bees do not like the smoke, so they all escape. Then we climb the tiee and rob the hive. It is such nice honey. We always preserve it for the winter. I have only seen one badge on a hat y^et. It was worn by iWalter Titchener. He just returned from a trip to-day, he having been up in Wellington. I •wonder if he saw Shan there. I should like to iknow Shan's name, as he said in one of his letters he had visited Westport. As this is my first letter, I will not make it long, because I know the editor gets annoyed at us taking up so much space. I vote that 8.0.8.'5, Shan's, and Dockleaf's photos be put in the Otago Witness at Easter. I shall now say "au revoir, ' •with love to Dot and the little folk. — Youis truly, Westport, February 9. POM POM. [What a capital trip that must be up the Buller after wild bees' honey, Pom Pom. lam sure 3'ou must enjoy 3'ourselves immensely if you escape without stings. I wonder if you xeally have cold weather in Westport? Come down south, Pom Pom, and see i£ yoti do not reburn home better pleased with your own climate. —DOT.] Dear Dot, — I have never been to Dunedin yet, l)ut I hope to go before very long, and while I am there I may meet seine of the little folk, especially if they wear their badges. I thmk it is a good idea to .have a badge, so that we myy become acquainted with one another. I vim disappointed with the little folk's photos, and I tfiink that Miss Ludford's, Jessie C.'s, and D. Donovan's came out the best. I think ie would be as well to make the length of the letters 400 •words. I know the names of severa l of ihe little folk — Jessie C, Roby, auel Dr Jim, but only one of them knows me, and she will not g.uess who I am under my 110111 de »lume. J c &sic C. lives not very far from heie, and I am certain I have seen her somewhere; but I cannot remember where it was. Romp says thry are trying to get up a Good Templars' Lodge. •Well, Romp, 1 hope 3 r ou succeed, as we have a G. T. Lodge here, and I am a member oi it J)um Dum seems to be a bit of a lad, and if I had beard him say good-bye to l£r Kiu«»r, I should have had a good laugh. I have found out who Civis is, but I do not know wjio j'ou are, Dot. I only w,ish T did. Would C. C. M. 3;iadl3" send me her autograph? Paddy, from Ophir, does not think he has had enouyii holidays; but I think hi.-;- mother will say he has had too many — don't j T ou, Dot? I pity Harry's father having to carry all the parcels, and vhat v,-ith bagpipes and tin whistles, they must have had a grand performance. I should like to write toj Roby. I see Pauline hits written a:am, go she has not deserted us after all. Priso.il 'a has not wntten for a long time. Thelma vent to Clinton the same day as I left it, as I left on the Frida3 r , and the fire took x'lace ,\t nnr},t. I should havo liked to have seen her. With lo\ c to all the little folk and yourself. — Youis tiuly, EVAXGEL. [Fancy Evangel finding out who Civis is' "Wiry, she knows more thpn I do, and [ think ehe might have let me into the knoiv. Yes, dear, I should say that P. from O's, mother was quite content with the length of time the vivacious Paddy had been at home and was glad to see him on the way to school once more. — DOT.] Dear Dot, — I like reading very much, and all the books I get I read. We had an excursion to the Bluff, and I looked about for 4 badge* but I did not see one. Babette must
, I be a funny girl, but I think she should b fc able to write English aftei being in the colon; three 3 - ears. I have a cousin m Dunedin, am : she might know who you are, Dot, but I an r ( not going to a&k her — I am going to try tc , : find out for myself. I only know one of you ■ ' conespondents, which is not much to speal • of bc.=ide the number of con espondents Zisk: l knows. Dear Dot, the bush around hen looks pretty in summer, when all the wilt s flowers are out m bloom. So Vida M'Kellar i; really dead. I think she must have beei i a nice girl; she wrote such beautiful letters ; With^ love to Echo, Harry, Ladd-ie, r^J no forgetting your own dear sell, Dot, — i'our ; tiul3', DAFFODIL. [Yes, Daffodil, the pretty convolvulus, tin veronica, and the manuka certainly make 1 charming picture, and how few of use towr people see them. The road between Waitat and the Upper Junction, neur Dunedm, wa 1 particularly lovely a week or two back. — DOT/ DEDICATED TO DOT. Dot, oh ! think me net untrue, Few there arc 1 love like you ; And the more your woith I know, So my love doth .stronger grow. Do not think that 1 would grieve you, .Nor till twenty will I leave you. Dear Dot, — I would be the essence of ingratitude if I ever foigot the dear friend and consoler of childhood's happy years. But, really, the kttois hnve come in so last and furious lately that I thought I could retire without being missed, but I bow to 3-0111- decision. Ah, well! I have to many questions Ito answer. Shan, your letter was a bright opening to our page last week. Poor old Captain! Work as well at your lessons as at 3'our play and they will become labours of love to you. 1 miss my beloved masters, but lam not done with study yet. Dear Dolly, I remember the iun they had over my old photo. Anyhow, the fellows have been successful in their exams. lam quite proud 01 you, boys, and I will doi a stand-up collar on Saturday to commemorate the occasion. Dear Marguerite, you are as nearly related to me as either Moua or Doughnut. My relatives are nearly all of the male persuasion. Ah! yo\i j cannot hear my sighs over that misfortune. j Dear Roy, I shall bs delighted to hear your I rendering of the term '" hard case, as the true I meaning puzzles me. Many thanks, Maidey, for your kind memento. I will tieasure it with the card you sent me. The cow that chased mo did not know a calf when she saw j one. Was that intended for a compliment, Maidey? Dear Maisie, I would have enjoyed a game of cricket such as you have described. Another exam, on the tapis, Dolly. Denr Punch, I wear the badge on my coat; tell Dun. to look there and not on my hat Dear Jessie and Agnes, you must have mistaken nry identity, as 1 never have been in Edinburgh, C?3iada, or London, where your relations live, and therefore I could not be popular over there lam a Dunedinite — ahem, beg pardon, Dun^dinite— l mean lam a Maori, having been born on this fair isle. Thank you, Millicent and Queen Bess, for your votes, and also Marguerite and all the rest who have so kindly sent their votes on my behalf. Really, I grew so conceited with your kindness that I lan all the way to the London Portrait Rooms to get a photo, for Dot, and the photographer j was' so sorry he could not give me one as the I negative had been accidentally smashed. He laid the blame on the boy (boys are so handy sometimes). But the real case is this. The I negative smashed through my effort to look pleasant and admire the nicely trimmed moustache of the good-looking photographer while an open book lay so temptingly near. This isn't a fairy tale for the occasion, little folk 1 . Dear Dot, don't you think it ought to be ladies first. Oh, by the bye, gills, I think as I am sisterlesa I'll get taken in a gioup of girls, so as to throw that reproach off. What do you think, girls? 8.0.8., I fancy, is a sislerless boy also. Are you all right now, old fellow? If lam hard pressed, Dot, I'll surrender and send in a photo, but I hope the majority of the votes will fall on the girls. Dear Dot, I have taken Patsy's advice, and " cendinsed," but I'm afraid it's on the long sidi yet. It was with great 1 egret I heard that our dear little correspondent, Vida M'Kellar' s death had been confirmed. She is gone but not forgotten, Never let her memory fade. I unite with you all in sympathy and love.— lours truly, HARRY. [Well, we are all thankful to learn from Harry's opening verse and the following sentence that he intends to remain true to our page I have sometimes thought that now that Harry has entered the battle of life he might possibly hand .his seniority over to Solomon Slow, but 1 am glad to learn that old Sol. is still to remain lieutenant, although I have no dcubt ho would have made a creditable cai> tarn. —DOT.] Dear Dot,— As lam very generous, I did not like to leave Solomon Slow all by himself, so I scalded my foot, too. We ought to become friends now— what do you say, Sol ? 1 have had my badge put on a gold pin, so I can put it in any hat I like. Is not the war getting terrible, Dot? Our schoolteacher, Mr Tubman, has volunteered to go -with the fourth contingent as a lough rider, and we shall miss him, because he was a veiy indulgent teacher. I don't always find, when I put in a stitch, that it makes "' ahem,'' biit 1 find you want a good many stitches, Harry, tlowever, as you aio a boy and sisteiless, you didn't know perhaps. I have found out that you live in Dunedm, Shamrock, so instead of corresponding with me, will you send mo your auto s raph? Our list has gone up pretty high. We know 35 correspondents. It is such fun when Echo and I go up town. We look at eveiy giiTs hat to see if it has a badge in. One afternoon we saw a bo3 r with a High School cap on and D.L.F. on his coat— X mean the badge, Dot. We passed him three times, first with Dockleaf; then she met her father, and they went in the opposite direction ; then Echo and I passed him twice. It v/as the second last Tuesday in Januaiy the day I scalded my foot. I vote for Shamrock, Solomon Slow, ?:id Taffy, sec. of the Critic Club. "Echo w<mts to know if 3-ou are " Tafr3', the Welshman," Taffffy ? I think I shall biing this letter to an end, or I may be encroachng on too much of Dot's precious space. "What do you say. Dot; is my letter too long? Hoping there will be no words to correct, and with heaps of love to Solomon Slow and Dot and the editor, — Yours truly, LITTLE LADY. Dunedin, Februaiy 13 . P.S. — I am sorry to hear Vida M'Kellar is dead. Is it quite true, Dot 9 — L. L. [T am afraid there can 110 longer be an3 r doubt about it, dear. It is very .sad, and we have all tried not to believe it s-o lon;|. I tan forry you scalded youi Toot, Little L 11.13 , but I hope it is all light n^,.tin now. — DOT.] Dear Dot, — Bring a constant reader 01 the , Otago Witness, and seeing that several of 13-our1 3- our wnters would like to sec a descripj tion of ihe depart uic of the contingent, I take the libpity to wi'ite a blicf one. Kalurda3 T , 1 Januaiy 20, dawned a. fine morning. At an eaily hour the men wcio astir, getting their things lea'ly. Many people vintc:' thp camp in the momiii!> to tjpt a last f/lnupsc ot the men. At about 1 o'clock the line of joule between t'ne j^aik sui'l the \\h;u[ l-ccimc lined with spe'tpj tois. Flags weie to be Been on e\ciy side, and j in many places inscriptions were stretched fiom one side of Ike road to the other. At about 1,30
c the men left the camp. They were greeted all y along the streets with cheering-. The procession il was, about half a mile 111 length. All the local, n as well as several visiting volunteer corps were 0 pre 'enl, as well as some half dozen bands, r Arrived at Cuba Street Extension, the con* k tmgent was lined up in front of the band roa tunda, from which the speeches weie made. Ope posite this was a platform on which thousands :1 oi children were located, under the baton s of Mr Maughan Barnett, sang ' God save the 1 Queen," " Soldiers of the Queen," and " Auld lang syne "at siutable intervals. At about 2.30 t Lord Uanfurly and pa.-tj arnved. Speeches s were then made by the Go\ernoi, the Piemier, and the Mayor. Bishop Walhs mounted the plaifoiin and offered up a short pra3'er for the c safety of the men. The singing of " Auld lang j syne " terminated the foimal leave-taking of the a men. Owing to the well-made arrangements, l the public were not allowed on the wharves, 5 the men being allowed a few minutes for the last j "Oood-bjc" to their relatives and friends. The sight was indeed a sad one. Mothers cJasped in their arms their sons, sisters their brothers, girls their swectm hoaits, and, indeed, some had to be forcibly le1 moved. It was very hard to expect the men to ' keep their spa'its up when all this was going on, and many coat sleeves were passed across 1 wet e3 - es. The men, at the order, embarked on . the Waiwera., a procession of boats was I ioimed, and the troopship moved off amidst ( lounds of appjpuse and the strains of patriotic l airs and ""The girl 1 leit behind me." The , steamers left the Waiwera at the heads, and returned to the wharf, leaving the troops to go ; on their waj' alone. The auangenients were so ; -.veil carried out that theie were no accidents, [ though the crowd was so great. — Yours tiuly, ; Wellington, February 10. KAZOO. ! [It must indeed have been a sight never to i ba forgotten, Kazoo. It is sad to think thft all these fine young men should be called neon to I risk their lives, and it is our duty to do all we • can for them and lor those they have left be- : hind them.— DOT.] ; Dear Dot, — I am going to tell you how I spent my Christmas. I did not go anywhere on I Christinas Day, but I went to a picnic on the 24th Januaiy, and I enjoyed it vei3' much. Dear Dot, T think I know Find Out. 1 wonder if she . knows me. 1 am of the same opinion that as she. about your holiday. I saw a letter fiom Kent, in England, in the Witness, and I felt great interest m it, as I was born in a lovely place called Malmaynes Hall, 111 the Hundred of Hoo, 1 wonder if a/13'one among the little folk has ever heard of it? I ha''i: often heaid my parents talk about it, and I often think what a lovely place it must be New Zealand is vei^ beautiful, but 1 don't think it has the quantity of bcdtitiftil wild flowers and fnut that there is in England. 1 was very pleased with the harries yen gave me for the kittens. They are little monkeys for climbing the apple trees snd knocking the apples off. Our school has opened agpm. We are having beautiful weather just now. Dear Dot, I saw b3' the Witness that two of my cousins have badges, Daisy H. and Aithtu King. lam glad to sec that 8.0.8. has joined us again. Hari3" writes very nice letters, and I think the little folk's page has irnpioved veiy much lately. With kind legards to Dot and all the little folk. — Yours truly, KITTY CLOVER. . Wyndham, January 29. fl do not suppose manj' of the little folk have heard of Kitty Clover's birthplace, as they are mostly natives of Maoriland. However, as Kent is spoken of as the garden of England, I ca:i quite imagine your parents dwelling on all its beauties.— DOT.] Dear Dot, — I think the D. L. F.s Hospital Cot scheme, which you have suggested, is a verygood idea, and though it is a larger undertaking than the page has ever had yefc, still we should be quite a-b'e and willing to rise to the occasion and soon ra'ie the required amount. lam only sorry it will not st^it sooner; but it will b3 a splendid way for the page to commence the new centtuy. I think it would be a good idea for you to explain the details and some of the benefits of the scheme, and it will make us more eager to help. And so 8.0.8. is m love. Well, dear fellow.'you have my fullest sympathy, for though I have never been afflicted myself, I have heard that this trouble is not unlike toothache, and I know what that is like ; but if you follow the lines of the following lecipe I am sure you will soon get "' out of love " : — A Cure for Love. I Take 12 ounces of dislike, ons pound of rcsoj lution, two grains of common sense, two o-u.ices oi experience, a large sprig cl thyme, and three quarts of cooling water of consolation. Sot over a gentle fire of love, sweeten with the sugar of forgetfulnes-s, and sk:m with the spoon of melancholy. When cool, cork it in the bottom of your heait and take it in small doses when the spells come on. 1 It is a very difficult matter to know who to choose for the Easter group, for there are so , many good writers whose photos I should like ' to see, but as 1 must name only three, I will say B'uebell, Cuckoo, and Echo. I am glad that j'ou have decided to limit the length 01 our letters, for it will give everyone a chance to get their letters m, and besides, it will help to teach us to condense our news, and make our letters more presentable. And now I shall close with best of love to all the little folk and yourself, best wishes lor the welfaio oi' our contmge:its, and hoping that our dear old ti on bled editor (who, by the way, doesn't seem to be such a bad fellow as editors are made- out to-be) will have a very prosperous year.— Youis truly, BOY - I [I shall certainly follow your advice, Boy, 'and give some paiticulars of the children's ward at the hospital and .the cots it contains bsfore commencing collecting for the fund. It would I not be light to start collecting without lotting 1 eveiyoue sec what they aie actually oubsaibiug for. " Poor 8.0.8., I am afraid I have clone linu an injustice, as you will 110 doubt have seen that he has much more important business on hand than falling in love. I believe after all ho was dcen in the consideration oi a scheme to trans fer "himself and Moses to South Africa, and really waj not in love at all. — DOT.] Dear Dot,— T think you have a great faiicy for cats and kittens, for you mostly have ~;ome_- - thing like thru- at the head of the little folk's pa<>e° I was rather surprised when I was in Imercargill to find that 1 had to pay 3d when I wonted to get on the platform to see a tram coming 111. 1 suppose they charge to keep bajk the crowd. There is a passenger tram liom Winton to Hodgchope ncv, and it passes Hckomu. There is a station theie ncv/, so t havo 1 r,t lo ii'le or wj Ik like I used to have to do 'Hokonui is si tinted cast of Wi'itou, _or between Gore and Winton. It i& a fanning clis-t:ict. 'Lhnie is no township now — not since the coal mine was, shut down. There used to be a brick kiln, too but it is stopped now. There lfa p school, however, and it wti; ibis sclfoo 1 that'-l attciided. Vampire and I ', used to be schoolmates. We had three miles la walk, ai:d we we;c no\er better pleased Ih.ni when it used to bo raining in the mommy We spent most of our Sa'airdsy-i m and about the coal mine, and it was all right to got a ucle down the mmc in a coal trolly, and ■3->o the colaers at v 01k and hear the blasting. The oollierj cairy their lamps fastened on to their caps. The lamp is a little thing like a toy teapot. It is fLled with rendered l il- tlov, with a cotton wick and a hook to fpsteu to- their cap 1 -. Thp cclhcis- don't look o\ei clean when the-y come out oi the mmo, with coal dust and tallow all over their faces. We 1 usej to gj?em"l the- greater j?arfc of Sundays in
I bathing and fishing in the Lora River. There 1 is any amount of game, such as wild cattle, , pigs, kakas, and pigeons, m the bush along the : loot of the Hokonui hills. So you see it is a nice place to spend a week or two. I noticed in the second letter that I wrote that I signed it Farren, instead of Parrer. I will tell you about . Berwick m the next letter. — ; Yours truly, 1 HARRY FARRER. i Pest Office Creek, Februaiy 10. ■ LYes, Harry. I do like the picture of a cat 1 or a kitten — don't you 9 I think there is nothing 1 in the animal woild makes a more interesting picture Than a cat, though we have, of course, ; far more interesting animals in leahty. Your : experiences at Hokonui afe very interesting. It seems a great pity thai the mine should be : permanently shut down, and thus a number of men thrown out of work. — DOT.] ■ Dear Dot, — As I sit here wilting I can healths Salvation Army drums booming round the . corner, and they make me t'liuk of the war. I hear they are proposing to send a fourth contingent to Soath Africa, but I think th&3" ought not to. I think when the third contingent gees they will have quite enough men fiom a small video like New Zealand. I was at a corce.t last night, and it was good. One gentleman gave a recitation depicting a Scotch bookseller and an old lady who had ccme to buy a Bible. The Scot first showed th^ old dame a 22s 6a Bible, and then he kept coming down uutil he got to a sixpenny one, but after examining each one she aiked, '" Have ye no ony cheaper?" so in despair the Scot said, " O, Lord come doon and sell thins am wark, for I'm fair ber.U" Of course, the concert finished with '• Soldicis of the Queen ' and " God Save the Queen." This place was very noisy last night ?fter the laces. Two light- fingered gentry were locked up this morning lor helping themselves to the contents of a lady's purse. Someone informed me t/hat they had been told for certain that Dot was only th«> editor, but I will not believe that until I have to. I think you are a fair, gentle, young lady, but I mean to find you oul some day. Will you please tell me on what date and what mouth Good Friday is this year, Dot, and if we are now m the twentieth century, because someone told me it would not be the twentieth century until next yen-. 1 ilnuk it is a luce idea about establishing a cot in the hospital, and 1 mean to help. Kow, dear Dot, with love to Harry, Millicent, the editor, aurl yourself, I will say " ?u revoir. — Yours tru'y, QUEEN BESS." Balclutha, February 10. [Thank >ou for your eo'ifide I ce m Do., I Queen Bess. I have yo~ used now to beini, someone quite different to what Dot really is that it does not trouble me a bit. We* aie still 111 the nineteenth century, deai, but the twentieth will begin on January ], 1901. Grod Friday this year lalls on Apiil 15.— DOT.] Dear Dot, — As [ have not seen any letters from the laud of mosquitoes and mud 111 your psge, 1 resolved to write ai:d tell you a jittle of bush life. We live here in the vc^y hesrt of the bush. In summer it is plepsant indeed, but m winter— well, the less caici about it the belter. The busli about i« very pietty— a little way m you can find any quantity of beautiful lerns, /10m the tall, graceful tree fern down to the dainty maiden >tair and crepe. A little while ago everythir.^, was white with the lawyer flower, while now nearly every tree is bright with the beautiful =carlet mistletoe. \ cry little of the white is to be seen about here. It .seems a teriible shame the way the bush is being burnt and cut down. Great numbers of the tiees have been felled, and then just left to rot, and as there is httlo or no planting done, I- am afraid the district will* yet be sorry for it. The river, too, is r?ry pretty and there is I.o thing I like better than "to go for a row in the cool of the evening. The other night a number of us ivent foi° a tun, but as the tide was veiy lov wo did nc yo far Coming back we van two or three J t.rn(L on snags lying in the m-er, and had quite an exciting time getting off agair.. On one m particular we thought we would have to camp till the tide rose, bat, after an enomiciu rm«iirt of pushing and pulling we managed to slide the boat off. The only drawb?ck m going f or a row j s t nat tncn yon fj,]|" a pj. e y to the all prevailing mosquito. "Beth was coikplaining about a harmless little spider, but if she were only to see the hus,e beet'es and feel the mosquitoes that exist here, she mi~ht think that there were woise -tilings than spiders m the world. We found an elephant beetle (js it is called) inside to-da3', and'ym would have smiled to see the cautious way we sho-s elled it up, and solemnly ciematpd it. As our rj.^es are limited, I will now close, with love to" Dot, — fours tiuly, ,T, T . MISTLETOE. Houipapa, February 7. [You have written us an extremely interesting letter, Mistletoe. You have evidently a keen love for Nature's beauties, and your picture of the natural features of the district "is charmingly drawn. Do you know,dcar,l urn quite anxious to see the scarlet mistletoe, of which I hear so much, and have never yet seen. is r exi time you write could you enclose a soecimen flower in your letter? — DOT.] Dear Dot,— l see Diamond asked if Cynthia and I lived St P _C , and if the uunsil of our surname was & . Well, I may t?ll Diamond that we do not live at P C— (I suppose she means Port Chalmers), and that the initials of our surname is not K. So you pic mistaken, Diamond. I tee Jp^sie C. hasa. letter m this, week. About tune, wasn't it, httl<> folk In her letter she says that she is not as nice looking as the photo. 1.1 the Annual makes her out to be. Well, I got a photo, fiom her last Wednesday night. "She is standing alongside of her bike (I suppose it is hers") and looks veiy nice. In this photo., she 13 very nice-looking, so I think she must be helling fibs about herself Don't j-ou thmk so, Dot ? Taffy was saying how hoirid it would be to have been born on the 29th February, because you would only be able to have one birth day to evoiyone else's four, and sometimes, as is the case this year, not so often as that. Here is, a little story that I read in a paper about a year ago. A certain Je.T~:ed man, who wa-j oxceecfiiigly fond of children, had a little friend who was born on the 29th Febiuary. Well, one day while the gentleman was at this little gnl's place, she began to lament that she could only have one birthday 111 four yeais, and thii that yeir not being leap year, she could have none. Of couiso he sympathised with her, but sh^ you'd noi. be comfoited, so at last ho said, "Well, if I were to give you my birthday, would j-ou accept it?" At this the little lady chipped her hards, and said "That would be grand. But," continued she, "you would want it 3 our' elf." The gentleman said he was too old lor buthdays, so lie made out a will bequeathing his birthday to her. The little lady was so delighted, and declared that he was the nicest man she ki.ew, " exoei^t papa." 1 was glacl to see a letter from Shan. Tie writes nice pieces, but do \-ou know. Doi, 1 thought lie was .about 19 I dicuded to ask him how much longer he had to stay, for fear he might even be '20. You can imagine how glad 1 las to spe he was only 15. Isn't it givnd that he can stay so much longer' I wish would write. Do, pipage, clear Shan, get her to write a letter or two. Thank you, Shan, for voting for me, but 1 don't waut to go m. I hope the little lolk won't vote for me. Thank 3"ou also, Cora, and any otlie v s who have so honoured me. AYe have Andromeda in pur midst now. We will goon be
! having Alison and Sir Malcolm from the story , 111 the Times. Patsy':, letter was very good, i Alys has at least one admirer. So Yida. > M'Kellar is dead after all. Ism soriy. All - the time the correspondents were talking abou6 ; , her she was dead. Isn't it sad? I see Dial mond has written again, and a very nice letter - it was. Her sister sent me down a beautiful bimeh of flowers the other day by her brother. "Whon I saw him with the flowers I felt I cculd have hugged him— just for the sake of the ; flowers, you know. Another little friend ; bi ought, me down a great bunch also — such ; pietty flowers they were. So you see we have , plenty of flowers now. My letter is lengthening, so I will conclude with love to Shan, . Cora, Verita, and Thelk.i, Punch, Dunedmite, . La Belle, and Millicent, — Yours truly, MARGUERITE. [I think Jessie has a veiy nice face, Marguerite, and I .am sure ever\one who saw it ! in the Annual will agree with me; Ah, Marguerite, you are exceeding the number of names • to mention — was it not fixed at four? DOT."! ; Dear Dot,— Here I am again, still in the land of the living. You are making good niles in thf little folk's page .about letteis being not too lon^, and no slang to be used. I was : pleased to see a letter fiom Sol m last week's paper. I read his letter to my little brother, and not long after I saw him with a stick and six bottles trying to see what tune he could bung out of them. I cai> assure you I did laugh. Well, Dot, -I have been away- for my holidays, and enjoyed them very much. A holiday goes all right now" and then. What do you think, Dot? I can ride a bike at last, and had great fun learning, just coming a cropper now and again, but there would have been no fun without them. Dear Dot, lam not a bit Burpwea to hear that 8.0.8. is in love. I aid not notice anything amiss in his last letter—l UiousrHt it just us good as the others — and all I ca/. &ay 13 he wstill boss of the show. What a splendid affair the floral fete must have neni, Dot. I should have liked very much to have seen it, but that is the worst of us poor chaps, cramped up among the hills— we hardly ever see anything worth seeing. Dear me, Dot, what a hard task you have set before us to pick oui only three of the little folk If; should^ have been six. But, never mind, here t;oe= -B 0.8., Sol, Marw'jente. I remain, with, love- to thp Clitic Club, Sunshine, and all the little folk, and best love to yourself. — Yours truly, ROXBURGHITE. nVell. Roxburghite, perhaps the number j miyin have been made a little more, but I tiir-nghl three would at least ensure a selec-t.o-i of thj? very first favourites.— DOT.] I Bear Dot,— Here lam once again, but I feel ; uouhtiu whether or not you will be pleased to j see my handwrmng again so soon, as you aie re- • ceivmg such hoots of excellent letters from betI ter co-espondents. Thank you veiy much for that piettily designed badge, which 1 recived quite safe and sound When Hyacinth received heis, the postman asked the lady she was staying with if he ehouid get out of his cart and heip to cairy that large parcel into the house. Don'fc you think ho was veiy obliging, Doi,? I think I was 10 years old when 1 wrote my first letter to 3 on, so I have been one of your Tittle writers for seven years now. Some time ago, after an introduction, I was asked what my first name was. Whea I replied, my querist said, " Oh, you're the girl who used to have long letters in -tne Little Folk's Page a year or two ago.' Fancy him reading the ' Kids' page," as xnosfc boysterm it l I see some of the girls are accusng Hariy of being a wee bit conceited, and 3 on say you suppose the editor will soon be conceited, too. Well, just the other day I v/as told that 8.0.8. thought a very great deal of kiznself, and I suppose that is just another way of saying people are conceited. A little while ago a young lady asked Violet if she had ever heard 8.0.8. When Violet replied '• Yes," she said, " I am going to take my little cou3in A. N. T. back to Fairlie to see him." I -wonder if A. N. T. has seen the boy she dreamed about yet? I know your name now, A. N. T. Perhaps it is thinking of that charming young lf.dy whom 8.0.8. was introduced to 111 the Witness effice that makes him rather absent-minded lately when he sits down to write to " Dear Dot/ Has your sister got the little lamb yet which, she named r.fter me, Laddie? I got one about the same time as you told us about your sister's : but she :s very mischievous now, so she has to bs kept tethered. Your last letter was very interesting, Laddie. Dear Dot, I don'fc thmk it is very nice of F-L.O. to write abcufc \» ullie 111 the way she did in her last letter, and I hope none of the little folk will follow hei example. How nicely you have arranged everything about the next group of photos, Dot. I will vote for Con, Laddie, and Boy. The faces I like best in the Annual are those of Solomon. Slow, Harry, Steve. Dicky Donovan, Ziska and her sisters, and Ismene. Dear Dot, I can't tell you how kind J think 3'ou are to go to so much tiouble in correcting o~ar letters, and I for one will try to benefit by your kindness. Mother piid I went for such a in'ce drive last evening, and I drove almost all the way home. The evening and roads weie just grand for driving. Well, dear Dot, 1 think I shall diaw to a, close 1:0 >v, as I see you want us all to make our letteis as short as possible. I am rather tired to-iught, too , so good-night, dea-r Dot and little fo ] k; with very best love to all, I remain, — I'oiirs tru'y, MAY. P.S. — I will tell you what I think about tha eot for the little children next time. — M. [It seems more nece=s?.ry thaa ever to make the letters short, does it not, Maj'? I get quite 'a fright some mornings -when the editor hands me the batch that has come over night. And i£ you could only see the serious look with which, they are handed over to me aometiir.LS! (Between you and me, I can hardly help laughing _myself; but I wait till I get to my own room before doing so).— DOT.] Dear Dot, — I think it is a capital idea about the photos, and 1 propose 8.0.8., Boy, and Ziska. Jean's proposal about the length of the letters is very good, and I shall keep mine within bounds ; but I think 8.0.8. should write as long letters as lie likes — don't you think so, Dot? I do not think J.ini and Jelly will become very great friends 11 that is the way they arc goinr; to v/iite. Dour Dot;, you often ray yon cannot see why Jealousy signed herself that name; now, Dot, it is not because she is jealous, far fiom it, little folk, I have known Jealousy for si lo.ig time, and we hsive become more intimately acquainted with ench other lately, and I have never 3mo»vn her 3-et to s!>ow the least sign o£ bein ; lealous on ray occasion ; so, little folk, altho'iijh Jealousy is Jop lousy by name. she is not .1 cu'ous by nature. Dca^ Dot, the farmers aie beginning to reap — n tiiis ti^n that autumn is * coming on. i hope Wulhe will enjoy himself and arrive safely home after a long and happy holiday. Where did you go, dear Dot, on NewYear's Day'> I, with some more friends, went 10 the Maori Kaik, and I enjoyed myself very much. We went in the Rhmi. I wonder if any I uioi-o of the little folk were there? It was a. J beautiful da}', and the sen was quite calm. Dear I Do', did you watch the old year out and the.new i one in? I was up till half-past 1 on Monday morniiip, then up again at half-past 7. On December 28 F, with some more, went to Lawyer's Head for a picnic, and I do not think I evei cnjo3<M m3'splf so much before. As the dry tws lather v.-cc, not fo many came as intended to. What a capital idea of Dot about the children's cot! Is it not, little^ folk? lamsure we cotild easily gather £50. We are having \ery wot weather lately up here. Dot. Well, dear Dot, as I wanr to keep this epistle within bounds, I close with my very best love and ■wishes is Jealousy Qwtkiftt B;Qr§^H(*rey.| L and
especially your own dear self, and the editor. — Yours truly, * HYACINTH. [I am so glad to hear your good opinion of Jealousy, Hyacinth ; but it just bears out what I thought of our little friend myself, and that was the reason I was so surprised at her selection of a norn de plume. lam very glad you look so favourably on the little folk's cot, dear. When I give all particulars about the Children's Ward in the hospital, as I shall do later on, I think all my little friends will look upon the proposal equally favourably, and such a response will be made that thwe will soon be a permanent record the good-heartedness of all jny little friends.— DOT.] Dear Dot,— l know two of your correspondents; but I have not noticed any letters from them for a long time. They are Annie and Nina. I fancy I know who Roxburghite is, also, but I may be wrong ; but I shall watch his letters closely, and see if I can't find a clue to confirm my suspicions; so beware, Roxburghite! What ari assortment of names the nome de plum of the little folk make! JSo one need want a name for anything long. Just turn in the Witness to the Little Folk s Page, and he will get plenty to pick from. I think my I think my favourite writers are /.iska, Marguerite, Echo, 8.0.8., Wulhe, Solomon Slow, and Harry. I have a calf called after you, Solomon Slow 1 hope you are not offended as that. .1 do-i t think, 8.0.8., your letters are nearly so good as they used to be— what is the matter ? I would very much like to know Zi&ka, but as she lives in Canterbury, I suppose I shall have to give tuat hope up. 'I think I shall have to finisa my letter, as I see there is a rule against writing :ong ones, and it would never do to break the rule at my first letter, would it, Dot? So good-bye at present.— Yours truly, PTJELLA. February 10. £You are right, Puella, about the variety of names in our page. You might well wond-.r where they all conic fiom. I think some aay j shall print the list of all of them, just xo let everyone see how many correspondents we have. I am not quite sure that I have a full list, but what I have will occupy a good deal of space. — DOT.] Dear Dot, — We got six weeks' holidays at Chri&lnias, but they are all over now. I got two prizes at school, one for sewing and -another one. Our Sunday School picnic took place on the Wednesday before Christmas, ana 1 got the hrst prize in my class. I enjoyed the picnic very well. The name of my sewing prize is "' Girls, New and Old, by L. T. Meade. The name o. my other one is, " The White Dova of Aniritzar, by Eliza. F. Pollard; and my Sur.-'lay School one is " The Path of the Pilgrim. I must suop now, with love to all the little folk and yourself. —Yours truly, HjLDA. [You were fortunate to get such n t P rlze J> Hilda. I am sure you must have enjoyed reading them, Jear. — DOT.] Dear Dot,— l 'know two of your coiresponcleivts, but I have not noticed any letters iroro them lately. What a shame you did not get your holidays at Christmas, but you will have to make up for it at Eastei— don't you think so little folk? Like Ziski', lam very fond ot reading. I have just finished reading a book called " Sons of Freedom," by Fred. Wisnaw, and ] liked it very much. I think my lavcurite writers are Ziska, Solomon Slow, Marguerite, Cynthia, and 8.0.8. What is the mater with you, 8.0.8.,— your letters are not so good as they used to bs? J think you must have heart disease. The photos in the Christmas Annual were a little dull. Jessie C, I think, was the best. I see s~ou have made a rule that the letters arc not to be ?o long, and I think it is only fair, so that Dot can have a chance to get all the letters in. I think it is a good idea,, about the voting. I vote for Old Boy, Marguerite, and Laddie. As my letter is lengthening, I will conclude with love to yourself and the editor.— Yours truly, LADY FOIITSSCUE. [Here is another aristocrat ;oining our little band — Lady Fortescue. I wonder v.here her estates are, and whether she is veiy wealthy —not that it matter 3if she has no estates and no wealth. She will be just as welcome without either.— DOT.] Dear Bot, — Don't you think this is a very cruel war, as there is such a lot of men getting killed. Blind River, wheie we live, is a setifement, situated 18 miles south of Mailborough. lam very fond of reading the little folk's letters. Dear pot, lam very sorry yon did not take your holiday at Christmas, as you well deserved it. On Boxing Day mother and two of my brothers and^l went to the Seddor.town sports, and I enjoyed myself very much. With love to Lamb, Little Lady, Ella, Kitty, Heath, Alys, May, and not forgetting your own dear self,— Yours tru'y, TRILBY. Blind River, February 8. [I did not know ihe Premier had a town called after him, Trilby. I think it would be better if the " town were dropped, and it meiely called Seddon. I fancy we hive a Trilby already, dear, and if so you will have to take another norn de plume. — DOT.] Dear Dot, — I have been reading the litcle folk's letters, and a3 I see so many by those I know I thought I would write also. Firsi of all, I must tell you whom I know. Among Lhem are Mary Ann Forsyth, C. C. M., Queechy, Cooee. Bijoii, R. S. H., Jessie C, and s-oaie more I can'u remember just now. Oh, I forgot. Fifi. I v-onder if Bijou knows the French for the name she writes over. Dear Dot, there are some big words that I can't &£jell, and my uncle and aunt tell me to put " Jerusalem, ' and the little folk will know what I mean. I wonder if Tot is going to keep up her correspondence io you. Have you many badges left? I will be sending for one on pay day. Pay day doesn't come very often with me. Uncle and aunt are makinp; fun of my writing to you, Dot, and won't help me in the least. I musCii't say anything about them, however, as I want a stamp from them. If I give them cheek they will make me wait a month for it. lam afraid to put anything in my letter about uncle in case he wants to read it before I post it. I haven't been at school for some time now. With love to you, Dot, and all the little folk, — Yours truly, P. O. P. (aged 91 years). [No, P. O. P., there are very few badges left, ani unless I can get 100 more at the some price that the others -cost, anyone who sends for one after this week ny£l not be able to get it. I have not seen the man who made them yet, but I cannot take the risk of ordering another 500.— DOT.] Dear Dot, — Here lam onco more. It seems quite an age since I last wrote. Dear Dot, I know 21 of your correspondents I think that a very good idea of yours about the little folk's cot and I think most of the little folk will agree with you, Dot. Are you good at swallowing pills, Dot? I'm not. I ha-ve often tried to swallow one, bu'c I can never manage it. If I happen to say anything about pills when my sisters are about, they say, " Oh, she couldn't take a pill." Tlip other day 1 was clearing away the dinner dishes, when I happened to see what I thought waJ a lolhe, so, of course, 1 put it in my mouth and bit it, bat it didn't slop there long Instead of a lollie, as I tnought, it was nothing more or less than a pill. I shudder eveiy "time I think of it — such a ho.-ribie taste. Since I last wiote I have had a budge given to mo, and I have sewn it in my best hat. Any time lam going to spoj ts or concerts I put on my hat with the D. L. F. badge on it. J have not seen anjr oilier foadjjes wo this way yet, but I in.-
■ tend to keep my eyes open. That was a very good piece of poetry Harry had in last week's ! letter. Was it one of your own com- ; position, Harry. Diamond thinks Dockleaf a lucky girl for finding out who Dot is. I don't want to find out who you are, Dot, until I leave your pages, as the mystery adds a charm to Dot's page. It is ever so much better because we don't know your name, or haven't had a tiny peep at you. But, of couise, opinions differ. I think you are a very nice little lady. I say little, because you would not sign yourself Dot unless you were small, and we all know that Dot means small. Dear me, I wish I could write such interesting letters as 8.0.8. and Wullie* I say, 8.0.8., are you going up to Lyttelton to see the third contingent off? I daresay there will be an awful crowd there. What do you think of Patsy's letter, Alys? Dear Dot, I hope the little folk will adopt your plan as regards the-lenglh of their letters in the future. Now, 8.0.8., if what Dot says about you is true, it is only fair that' you describe the girl who has been lucky enough to win your affection. What do you say, little folk? I vote for Shan, 8.0.8., and Laddie's photos. X mmt now bring my letter to a close, with love to all the little folk, not forgetting Dot herself. — Your, truly, PEARL. Februaiy 5. [You will have seen fVom 8.0.8.'s last letter, Pearl that I ivas quite mastaken about his being in love. It Is thoughts of the war and the consideiation of how he is to take a part in it that have been troubling him. — DOT.] Bear Dot, — We had a picnic on the Ist Febluary, and I enjoyed myself veiy much. We had to drive four miles to go to the picnic. We got six weeks' holiday. I did not go anywhere this year for my holidays. I now know six of your letter writer". I think the best of your correspondent? are Zifcka, Jessica, Jessie C., D. O. S., Dunedinite, and M. H. K. I 'know Trixie, but I do not think she knows me. Since I began this letter the mountains have been covered with snow. Owing to the heavy rain the river is very high. Dear Dot, I am 12 yeais old, and I am m the Sixth Standard at school. I am sending you a riddle for the little folk : What is that that a your.g lady !coks for but never wishes to find? \Vith I to all the hftle folk, not forgetting yotuself, — Yours truly, MURIEL. February 9. [Fancy the hills being covered with snow in the middle of summer. I think the clerk of the weether has behaved very badly indeed this summer. We should surely have a mild winter to make up for it. — DOT.] Dear Dot, — I must not forget to thank Shan and DunedinHo for those nice caids, and you, too, Dot, for forwarding them on to me. On December 22 the school broke up, all the children receiving beautiful prizes. In the afternoon the parents held a tea party in the school. Mr M'Lean (from Dunedin) was present with his pipes. It is very strange, Dot. that he was the first piper to play on the Rimu Block, and also that it was at the first picnic on Rimu that he played. Throughout the afternoon Mr M'Lean played a few of the Gordon Highlanders' tunes in a very masterlike manner. He made many a one think of " Scotia's blue mountains wild." I think the pipes sound splendid in the bush on a calm, still night. S',\ eet founds the ancient pibroch, O'er mountain, loch, and glade; And the sweetest of all music : I'll a pipes at Kahuika played. We are going to have a farewell social tomorrow night (Thursday). Our schoolmaster has received piomotioii. He is going to the Union street school in Dunedin. I went to Port Molyneux for my holidays, and enjoyed myself immensely. I think the beach there is just delightful. Ah, Coo-ec, I know who you are! I saw your sister. C. C. M., I have also found you out. i'ou were pointed out to me at Glenomaru. Dear Dot, do you think it right for two different correspondents to sign the one name? I don't. I noticed a letter appear m December's Witness signed Tot, fiom Rimu. Now, 1 know that writer. Again, last v.-ec-k I saw a letter signed Tot, but from a different perso.i altogether. Please Dot, I wish to know if this is proper? With much love to the readers and writers of your page and vourself — Yours truly, RIMBECCO. Rimu Valley, February 15. [No, Rimbecco, I certainly do not think it light for one correspondent to take another's j signature, and I am sure when Tot Number 2 sees your letter she will select another signature. You know thore are so many signatures that it is quite impossible for anyone tcr remember them all.— DOT.] Dear Dot, — I think it is a very good idea •about some oi your correspondents' photos being put in the Vvitness at Easter. The ones I should most like to ses are those of Wullie, Lamb, and Shun. I also think the letters should be reduced, and the words limited to eight, in each liie We live on a farm in, the Taieri, which is a very pretty place m .saimmer. We have a very pretty garden, in which roses are the most conspicuous flowers. The only pets I have are a kitten and a pigeon. Ziska ha? not written for a long time. I hope she has not resigned. With love to Ziska, 8.0.8., Alys, and Jessie C, yourself, and Mr Editor — Yours trulyj L'ALINE. February 12. [No, Laline, Ziska has not resigned, and I am pleased to say that there is no fear of her doing so yet a while. — DOT.] Dear Dot, — I like the letters of Shan and Dockleaf very much ; but when we come to consider it, all the little folk's letters aro nice Now for voting: I vote for Shan, Cooee, and Roby. I know nine of your little folk, Dot, Old Girl and Roby being among them, and if I keep my eyes open I shall probably soon know more. I intended going for a picnic to-day, but was disappointed, the weather being bad; but if the weaher is not good I am going to a tea party on Friday. I ana not going to eat any breakfast or dinner that day, so that I may be well prepared for the tea party — eh, Dot? lam not greedy, but I like a lot. It is very wet to-day, and for the last three days we have had most miserable weather. Cuckoo says when she writes again she is going to x>ut in great hlg words instead of a lot of little ones, didn't yovi, Cuckoo, the last time I savr you? With love to Cocee, 8.0.8., Harry, and Dot— Yours truly, ANN BOLEYN. [So one of Henry VIII' s unfortunate queens has joined our band. I hope she will have a haiypier life than the original of the name. — DOT.] Dear Dot, — Here am I, back again — like the bad weather, you will say. But I should not i have written you so soon, only that I wish to vote for those whose photo I should like to see. Well, Dot, there aro so many that it is really hard to say. Had there been only a dozen to judge from it would have been better. I am not greedy, but would like to see a lot. There are Priscilla, Trixie, Coo-oe, Dunedinite, Shan, Echo, Sabma, Margueiite, Roby, Boy, and Dockleaf, and which among them to pick I cannot sajr. Well, I shall toss up. Here it i"d: Boy, 1; Dockleaf, 2; and Roby, 3. I do hope I shall see Iheir photos. Well, Dot, I \-. ould sooner see your own little telf than all of us put together. You should li!\ve been included. The .eliotos that ctuae out ia the
Annual were not at all plain, were they, Dot? Jessie C. was very good, but it was the only satisfactory one. Ziska and 8.0.8. were very indistinct, so was Hariy. Never mind, it is to be hoped the next lot will be better. I know it wasn't dear Dot's fault. Love to Boy, Sabina, Old Girl, and Shan, and accept the same, dear Dot. — Yours truly, CUCKOO. [Now, Cuckoo, the Critic Club have voted private talk among writers bad form, and I certainly agree with Taffy and the other members in this respect. Your little messages to Dockleaf and Old Girl are very private talk, and are of no interest to any of the other writers, so I omit them. Send a post card to each instead of addressing them through our page.— DOT.] Dear Dot, — Our now correspondent, Cigarette, brought us bad news. I was so sorry to hear that there could be no longer any doubt about tho repoited death of dear Viaa. Her long silence is now accounted for. I do .wish the war was over. One of my biothers went away with the second contingent. A few weeks ago 1 was running down my brothers; but it is very different when anything like this occurs. i would give the world if he was back again. My dear Ciulia, I have no* yet succeeded m my desire to find you out, but would you coireapond with me ? Do please, GiuHa. I see, Dot, that jou are going to try and have a group of photos in the Witness at Easter. I vote for Boy, Giulia, and Wullie. Ido believe you were | coirect in saying that 8.0.8. was m iove. Confers, now, 13.0.8., wa* not that the reason you did not like to give us a description of your favourite partner's dress at the b=iH? i see that Marigold made reference to the launching of the Makarora. I, too, went to sec her launched. But they had a little trouble trying to get her oil. It was late before they got her launched, and 1 hpd to go home before that Irne. 1 went outside about an hour after I had left the boat, and ms greatly suipnscct to see Lei", bearing a very swan-like appearance, on the lake. I was so disappointed at iioi seeing her launched. However, 1 retained a calm marner, although 1 felt rather rebellious. I hope I have no!, written too much, Dot. However I shall send love to the editor, Bubbles, Boy, Giulia, and Wullie, not forgetting your dear self. — Yours truly, BLUEBELL. Pembroke, February 16. [I am so sorry that you missed the launch, Bluebell, as of course such an event may i.ot occur for a very long time -iguin. However, you were quite right m trying to be as cheerful as you could under the circuni3tancas. — DOT.] Dear Dot, — Fiona said in her last letter that my initials were C. B. R. Well, she was mistaken, for they are A. C. I know who you are, Fiona ; your initials are M. C. The last time I wrote to you, Dot, I did not know any of your correspondents; but now 1 know 12 of ihem. Dear Dot, I see you have decided to have photos in the Witness at Easter. The three I should most like to see are Wullie, Shan, and Maiguerite. I see some of the little folk think 8.0.8. does not write such nice letters as he used to; but I think they are just as good. With love to all the little folk, not forgetting yourself.— Yours truly, CYMBELINE. Wyndham, February 15. [I am glad you think 8.0.8. is quite up to his old form, Cymbeline. — DOT.] Dear Dot, — I think I know some of your correspondents, but not 25. Priscilla and Cecily aro among the number, at least I think they are. Now, Priscilla, next time you write will you tell me if you go to church at South Dunedin, and were ai< church on Sunday, 4th Februaiy, m a Leghorn hat and blue costume. But_ now I am wandering away from Dot. When I began to write I had no intention of doing so. I have a' few amusing incidents 1 shall tell 3'ou next time I write, about my holidays. I promised my aunt when I came away from the country that I would write to you, and that I would have Lilac for my norn de plume; but since then 1 have altered the name, and I am taking the name I sign. The place I was staying at up the country wa& Goodv/ood, and it was a nice place. I must say au revoir for the present, with love. —Yours truly, GLEN. February 12. [We shall look forward to your account of your holiday experiences, Glen. You must have enjoyed your trip to Goodwood, dear. — DOT.] Dear Dot,— l have kept ray promise, and given you a holiday from my letters. I must thank Shan for sending me a card. Now, Dot, 1 do not think 8.0.8. is in love, but woriying over ways and means to get to the war. Surely the Government will accept 8.0.8. and Moses, and the least the little folk can do is to get up subscriptions at once, and send him away x'roperly equipped. But seiiously, Dot, now that everybody is getting up subscriptions, do you not think the little folk could help? You know a lot of your correspondents have left school (especially the country ones). It seems everybody is wanted to help, and I am sure your littlo folk would do their share. How would it do if you got collecting cards (I do not suppose they would cost a great deal), and sent them round to your correspondents ? If each one collected what they could, we might raise quite a creditable sure — perhaps get a horse called D. L. F., or help to send a, nurs%; or even send some comforts for the poor wounded soldiers. I shall want to see what you say, and will do my best to help, as we shall have to hurry up. It will certainly cause you a great deal of tiouble; but the little folk will have to shorten their letters until all the subscriptions are in. I think it a very good idea about the photos, so I will vote for Old Boy, Shan, and Con. 8.0.8., my father, like your own, believes that hard work (like forking up sheaves) is good for developing the muscles of girls as well as boys. Oh, Taffy, if you are as sweet as the piece I am eating, you must certainly be very sweet. Well, Dot, I shall draw to a close, or else I am afraid j-ou, as well -as the editor, will be frowning. Dear Dot, how would it do for the little folk all to write a letter of three pages? I will conclude with love to all the little folk, the editor, and your own dear self, that is only three. Au revoir. — Yours truly, OLD GIRL. February 9. [No, Old Girl, I shall not frown at your letter, whatever the editor may do at all the letters together. The three page limit would do very well if everyone wrote on letter paper ; but then, you know, a great numbei write on other paper, and even foolscap, and half a page of foolscap contains as much as three pages of note paper. You will have seen, dear, that the horse project has already been proposed, and that I do not think it possible at this late time of the day.— DOT.] Dear Dot,— What a patiiotic fever is going on now. Who ever would have thought that we were to have a fourth contingent? What an awful thing war is. Don't you think so, Dot? My vote for the Easter photographs will be Wullie, Lamb, and Ziska. I have been looking forward lo a letter from Wullie for some time, ao I did not see his two last letters. 8.0.8. should get a few small boys and practice the plan that he thinks would raise money. At the floral fet 1 saw three girls with badges. I wonder who they were. 1 have been trying to find out some of the little folk's names, and so far I have succeeded to some extent, for 1 know two of the little folk by name. I hope I shall be able to find some ono who is a friend of mine, and then we can . I won't say what we can do, but we shall do it. With love to all the little folk aifd ytuusclf, — Yours tiuly, BOOKWORM. CWell tli&t is ratkei tantalising, Bookworm.
How are v,-e to know what it is when you have done it?— DOT.] Dear Dot, — I enjoyed my holidays very much, although I did not go anywhere to spend them. I am looking forward to a visit to Southland. I know the names of a few of your correspondents. I like 8.0.8.'5, Ziska's, and Hairy's letters the best. I think the badges ars very nice. I met a little girl with one on her hat one day. I wonder if any ot the little folk like riding lam learning to ride, and I like it very much. With love to all the little folk and yourself, — Yours truly, t EMERALD. j February 13. [I hope you will soon get your trip to Southland, Emerald, and that you will enjoy it | really well.— DOT.] ' Dear Dot, — Some of your correspondents' letters are very interesting, especially 8.0.8.'s and Ziska's. Patsy's letter was very amusing, Dot; don'i you think so? This place is getting to be a great dredging district. There is a dredge working and two almost finished. It is a lovely day to-dny, but we have been having very wet weather lately. What a shame you did not get a holidr-y, Dot. I had my holidays at home tin? Christnns, but I am stil" looking forward to a trip somewhere. J was out for a walk yesterday, and I saw one of your little folk. I knew her by the badge oa her hat. Our flower show is to be held soon, and I hope it will be fine weather, which will make it a success. With love to yourself and all the little folk, — Yours truly, CLEMENTINE. February 13. [I wonder vhat district it Is, for Clementine neither feiicts me her propar name nor the name of the dl°jrict, both of which omissions ar3 against the lule. — DOT.J Deal Dot, — Whenever the Witness comes in at night 1 always look for Dot's letters first. I always think you must have a lot of patience to lead and answer all the questions that are asked. I think the badges aie very pretty and I have seen seveipl wearing them about here. I saw one boy (perhaps I should say young man) with a badge op in the train one day, and another ciay I saw another boy with a >*dge on, and I think it was Laddie. Did yo'i have on a white straw hat when you were in Dunedin, and the badge in front? lam almost sure it was you I passed in the street one day. I wonder if you will find out who I am. Laddie? I have also seeii a girl wearing the badge. I like Ziska's, Shan's, and Wulhe's letters about the best, but I thir^k they are all very nice and I enjoy reading them' very much. Dear Dot, 1 often try to rid- a bike, and it iz the best fun out trying to ride. 1 often got "spills, ' but 1 can ride all right now. I don't oftea get out on one, as I have not one of my own. With best wishes to yourself, and love to the editor, — Yours truly, .DARKEY. [Then I suppose the fuu has ceased now that you get no more spillf, Darkey, but can ride tlu bike all right °— DOT.]" Dear Dot, — 1 received the badges and am very pleased with them. I have one mmy hat, and the other I gave to my friend. My brother knows the letters on the badge and what they stand lor. One of his mates asked him what it was, but he only told him the letters, and, of course, if he reads the Witness he will soon find out. I made my brother promise not to teU, but as he is only a boy I couldn't expect anything else. The bakers' picnic is on Wednesday, but 1 don't think we are going. lam getting my teeth stopped, Dot, and I have bsen running to Dunedin almost every day for about a week, and they are not finished yet. My little brother has a soie foot. We think he must have sprained it, as there is no mark on >it lam very fond of reading, and at the break-up I got a free ticket to 1 the Athenaeum, so you will see I can get books whenever I like. With heaps of lave to the editor, Dot, and all the little folk, — Yours truly, i A LOAF. [Fancy A Loaf having teeth stopped. I should have thought they would have been too soft for a dentist to do much with them, but perhaps that is why she has had to go so often. —DOT.] i Dear Dot, — I think this is the third time that I have started to write to your page, but somehow my letters never got finished. I hope you will allow me to become one of your correspoi dents, as I take a great interest in your page, and am glad to see that every week it is increasing. My favourite writers are Shan, Lamb, and Harry I love reading, and have read nearly all Annie Swan's books, and have just begun " The Silence of Dean Maitland." Have you ever read it, Dot? I believe it is very good. My favourile book is '" Yeolonde." If Ziska has not read it she should get it. I am sure she would like it. The third contingent leave "Christchurch this week. " Sons of ' New Zealand " — I do hope they will return uninjured, but of course we cannot expect all to return. With fond love to Dot and all her 1 band, — Yours truly,' j n MAWERA. j [Indeed, I hope they will, Mawera, but of I course they cannot go to such a dreadful war as ' this is without running a serious risk. — DOT.] i Dear Dot, — Since I last wrote to yov there has been a social in aid of the patriotic fund, and it was a great success. The next night they ' had a dance for the children, and it lasted from j 5 to 9 o'clock, so you see we have been having ! plenty of dissipation lately. There is great ' excitement over the war here jxist now. There | are two or three men in Clyde who have offered ' their services, and there is to be a social for j them. There is a dredge working just opposite ' Clyde, p,nd another is being built. I do i not think that the dredges are doing so well ■ just now, as the river is so high. We are having very rough weather just now. There was a showei of hail to-day, and the hailstones were as large as peas, and we had to be kept in , half-an-hour longer at school on account of the j storm. The inspector (Mr Fitzgerald) was | lound on a surprise visit last week, and we like • him very much. My youngest brother went ' for a. trip to Dunedin, and came back Queenstown way. The scenery is very beautiful up there, I believe. My sister, older than myself, _ went to Dunedin last week, to St. Hilda's College, and I am. sure she will like it. Everything is looking nice and green up here, but fruit is very scaree — something very unusual for this part of the country. I suppose the late fro.st is the cause of it. With love to all the littlo ' folk, not forgetting your own dear self, — Yours truly, DOREEN. Clyde, February 9. I [With a hailstorm in the middle of summer you must have almost thought the seasons were being reversed, Doreen. However, the weather has been extraordinary everywhere this year. — DOT.] Dear Dot, — I am just going to write a short letter-lhis time, so as to give some of your other correspondents a chance. I thought when 1 wiote my last letter it was short, but it was considerably longer in print. You asked our opinions le the cot in the hospital. Well, mine is that I fully approve of the idea, and will give it my hearty support. Fifty pounds is a large sum of money for the little folk to raise, but as you have given them plenty of time until the cot is established, no doubt the sum will be foithcomiag. Now. about the photos. I j noticed Shan's plan, and, thinking it a good ' one, I adopted iit, and it has worked io my entire satisfaction. So, thereioie, zny_ vole is Shan,
Ziska, and Dunedinite. ?'o, Dunedinite, it I would not be me you noticed that vet Saturi day in a traincar. I was only in Dnnedin ono Saturday — that was the 6fch, the day of the ' patriotic sports, which I attended. I did not happen to be in a tram at all that day, becauso I had my bike with me. I wish, and I think everyone else will bear with me in wishing, that this terrible war would come to mi end. It ia a great sacrifice of life and time ant' money. There is a small boy up here who says the two head men should meet and have it out with their fists — a most primil.ve method, and when it becomes practicable it will mean the saving of thousands of lives. An uncle of mine near Dur.eclm was at Wellington with some more volunteers to see the second contingent depart t for the seat of war. On the road home, while j at Christchurch, he volunteered for the rough ' riders, but as he had no references of character the committee would not accept him. Each man hpd to furnish two references. Of course, he was in unifoim, but tha-l was not sufficient. I know several of ihe rough riders well. A young fellow went fiom this district, but I don't know whether lie has been accepted or not. But I will have to close with best regaids to all the little folk, including, of course, yourself and the editor, — Yours truly, I LADDIE. ' P.S. — I hope I have not written too much this time. — L. [Thank you, Laddie, fo.- your hearty support of the cot proposal I -am sure when the matte/ is propsrly put before my little friends it | will be approved on all hands. I wonder if : your uncle is trying his luck with the fourth , contingent?— DOT.] Dear Dot, — I like reading your little folk's ' letters very mush. I have a badge, and I think it is very nice. I have six brothers, and; they are great teases. They want to know what " D. L. F." stands for, hut I will not tell them, so they say it is '' Darling Little Freddie " to toiment me. Isn't this war terrible? There is one young man going from" here with the Fourth Contingent to the Transvaal. I have a biothei in the City Guards. I like reading books very much. My favourite authors aie Ethel Turner and Annie Swan. AVith We to all the little folk, and yourself, not forgetting the editor — Yours truly, LASSIE. Ravensbourne, February 13. [That, is a novel explanation of the mono* gram, Lassie, and if it pleases your brothers you don't need to care, dear. — DOT.] Dear Dot, — We got the Christmas Annual, and I liked the photos very much. During tha holidays I went for a week to the country to slay with my aunt, and I enjoyed myself very much with my two cousins. Our school took up on tho 23th of January, and we have settled down to school life again. I see you are going- to have a few of tho little folk's photos ( in the Witness at Easter, and the three I shall I vote for are Lamb, 8.0.8., and Cynthia. With, love to the editor, yourself, and all the little folk, — Yours truly, I CLEMATIS. I [I am glad you enjoyed your holiday with: your cousins, Clematis, and hope you have made up 3'our mind to work hard at school while you are fresh and invigorated after it.— DOT.] Dear Dot; — This is the other piece of poetrj I promised to send you. — Yours truly, . ALYS • THE SONG OF THE UITLANDER. ; The tramp of Great Britain's cohorts .' Has awakened our British pride, And we, who have borne the burden, Who have suffered and well-nigh died, j Through long years of shame and bondage, Now raise once more our eyes To the freeman's flag that blazes, Like a metjor in the skies. For the thunder of our batteries Is the echo of our sighs. The taunts and the brutal, covert sneers At our Queen and our native land, That for nineteen years have galled us, Shall be paid for hand to hand; And the bearded Boer shall learn at last What is meant by the pent-up ire Of a free born race insulted, And trampled in the mire. The deep roaring of the batteries Is the outbreak of our ire. We desire no peace convention, No concessions, " by grace of Paul," But claim our right — our birthright To stand equal with one and all. Equal in Senate and market, And equal in speech, deed, and thought, Equal to rule ihe land we made, The land we have saved and bought. And the thunder of the batteries 13 the echo of each one's thought. The tramp of the armed battalions Has sent through tho land a thrill, And stirred the hearts of Britons Who mourn for dead comrades still. Rise! silent brigade on Mount Prospect, Wako! dead on Majuba Height! Britain is roused to her duty, She rises in armoared might. And the thunder of her batteries Shall win for her dead their right. Our comrades throughout the ages "Who fought and fell in vain, i Shall rise on the day of battle, j And parade in state again. The air shall bo charged with voices, Othor than those who toil, For the earth has called out vainly For the blood that is in its soil. Blood shed for an Empire willing To allow her brave sons to lie; In graves dishonoured and nameless, While foDmen ride proudly by, Jeering the honour of England, And jeering the silent braves, Whose spirits are numbered with us Though '.hoy rest in their lonely graves God grant in hour of trial, That our swords may cleave the way To peace with honour untarnished That will blot for all time away The memory, torturing and bitter, Of the time when our flag was soiled And the progress of England's Empira In this land beyond foes was foiled! The tramp of the armed battalions Has sexit through the land a thrill; It has stirred the hearts of the living, And the dead on Majuba Hill. —J. F. INGRAM," Eosie. — The Critic Club have very property condemned correspondents writing on sut« jects that the rest of the writers do no{ know the ins and outs of, and I quite agreij that it is very bad form. We do not kno\tf anything about the letter signed Arthur, andf I am quite sure it is not Harry's, for h£ never hesitates to sign anything he writes. You write quite nicely enough, dear, to deal with a subject that we aro all interested in',, and I hope you will do so shortly. I can
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Otago Witness, Issue 2399, 22 February 1900, Page 61
Word Count
20,040LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLK. Otago Witness, Issue 2399, 22 February 1900, Page 61
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