LETTERS FROM THE LITTLE FOLK. Motto.—We write for the benefit of others, -got

Otago Witness, Issue 2516, 4 June 1902, Page 67

LETTERS FROM THE LITTLE FOLK. Motto. — We write for the benefit of others, -got

for ourselves. Dear Dot, — I have found out who Puzzy is. ■She lives about three miles fioin here, and 13 a great friend of mine. She wrote once before, but everybody found her out, so she did not write again. I saw Nut's photo in the Witness last week. It is just horrible weather here just now. It is so cold and stormy that I have not been at school for two days. There are a good manj deaths here just now, one of them being my grandfather. He was a pretty old man, being 71 years of age. My grandmother is older than that, being 74 years. Dear Dot, I am an auntie to .two children, and I am only 12 years old. Although I have read many books, I have never come across that famous one, "Alice in Wonderland." I should very much like to read it,^ because I like ail kinds of books about ghosts and fanies and funny big beasts — they ar-j so exciting. Our teacher at school often tells us stories about books like "The Arabian Night*." Dear Dot, do you like riding horses ? 1 am very fo;id of it, only I am sorry to say I cannot ride very well; but I supposo I must learn. With 'ove to all the little folk, not forgetting jourself and the editor,— Yours tiuly, JESS AMY. [You will soon learn to ride, Je e sauiy, if you only persevere. — DOT.] Dear Dot,— l am going to tell you about a drive Robin a and three friends and myself had lately. Well, as wo had 30 nules to go, we had to start pretty early, so wo left our friend's place about 10 o'clock on Monday morning, and pioceeded on our jomniy. When we had gone about throe milea we met a Chinaman swaggei, and as we were all girls, wo were pretty timid, but, to our great joy, he passed without taking any notice of as. Nothing worth telling you happened antil we were about half way to my aunt's, when our driver neaily capsized us out of the buggy. We arrived at R. about 4 o'clock 111 the after- | noon, feeling pretty tiied and hungry. We had our tea, and retired to bed ear'.y. iSext morning my fricnda went to C, and stayed for about a week, and then went home, but as I did not go home with them, I cannot tell you what happened. I know 11 D.L.F., but liavc no au'cs". I .=ec Hariy is a sistcrless boy. "Well, I am ju«t tin opposite, as I am a brotherlc=s girl. I was very sorry to °cc Daisy Priiniosc'.; farewell letter, as I ccusideitd her one of the best writers of the page. 1 am going to Dunedin after v.iiitev, and I slidl be on the lookr.ut for badges. My s:atai (who is also a D.L.F.^ is away for a. year' j lr.liday. She has bee.: in Dunedin a good few times, and know? ore or two Du.irdin L.F. I have never been m town, although I am If years old. Will Coa'=cuttle plca=e exchas.ccc- autos with m". With lo', c to Dot and the eduoi, — Youis truly. ROSALIND. [I hope ycu will hava fi<-,c weather v.hfi you visit town, Koialaid, and then you will be sb'.e to get about and sea t'nrigs. Your first visit should be full of mteiest to >cv- DOT.J Dear Dot,— lt n Sur.cl-v nioni! '-. and. I havo jUit come 111 fiom fl-mcb ; ivtijonc is quiet, 20 I thought I you'd write to ;cu until diiuiu 114114, It fifremi imu eulc£ 1 -Udt \>iQve«

but I don't think it is so very long after all. Where have my L.F. correspondents gone to? Rima, Areta, and Esca all owe me letters. I shall answer yours soon, Lois; so don't think I've forgotten you. The days seem to fly so quickly, and I don't have much time for writing, what with the practices nearly every night for our "minuet" for the Fire Brigade ball, and one tiling and another. The ball is to be held on Wednesday week, and eight girls are going to do the dance. We are to be dressed Grecian style, so it will be our own fault if we don't look very sweet and pretty. I have just been reading the Critic Club's Past letter, and I am pleased to see they are doing more criticising than they used to. I am glad to see Harry has not quite forgotten us. I did not think a town boy was ever shy. I know "they are not here; it would be quite a pleasure to meet one of that kind, as I rather like shy boys. Our annual High School reunion, social, and dance will be held Boon, and then for fun. I always enjoy a nice quiet dance more than any rowdy ball. Just fancy, I got a prize at Sunday school — I never was so surprised in my life — for the the- most marks ; it was a very nice book. Just now lam making a study of Dickens's books, and reading "Barnaby Budge." I took a month to read "The Pickwick Papers" properly, and I natter myself I could tell you most of the contents. There are such a lot of different characters to think about in Dickens's books. I -was talking to a young man who detests Dickens's books, because he thinks they are dry, and I told him I thought thay were beyond his mental powers. What kind of state is Dunedin in just now? We read in the papers that you have been having dreadful weather, but I think you ruut have sent it all up here. For the last week it ha 3 been thundering and hailing and raining, and although it has cleared a little now, there is a cold southern wind blowing. If 1 can, I am going to get my photo taken in fancy dress, and if it turns out well I shall send you one for a group — that is, if you think I won't frighten the rest. All the coming week, commencing to-day, there are to be evangelistic services by the Rev. Mr Lyall. We have never heard him before, so I hope it keeps fine for the people to get in to see him. A L.F. correspondent recently said she knows me; I fancy she said she lives at P. N., near O. Will she kindly send me her auto., and I'll send mine in return, as I can't think who she can be. Has your sister told you about one of your wiiters, Dot? I shall be going down that way soon, and I'm going to look up your sistsr, and I hope she will be in. I must get ready for church, so I don't think I shall write any more just now — a good thing, you'll say. Hurry up, Rinia, and write a nice long letter. Yes, Dot, that is the latest paying up here, but we have such a lot of sayings, the one soon dies out. Fondest love to your deal self and the editor. Au revoir, but not good-bye.— Yours. truly, A. M. W.

[So Dot has a sister up north now. Well, I am pleased to know that I am not in the sanie boat as Harry, but I hope said sister will not disown me when A. M. W. looks her up. I shall be pleased to heai the le'sult of the consultation.— DOT.]

Deal Dot,— My last letter met with a ternblp fate, didn't it? Well, like most people, I shall try my beat to write a more sensible on© this time. Winter is in full swing now, and I lon't envy those who have to be up hours before daylight these mornings. I am looking forward to the skating time when we get the frosty mornings. We haven't had a visit fiom "Mr" Snow yet, but have had Jack Frost with us. Last winter I made a big snowball, but my brother came and smashed it down. The same day mj other brother stuffed a handful of snow (oh, it makes me shiver to think of it) down my neck because I lan away with his boots, and made him come out with only his stockings on. The -winter nights tlm year are being spent by most people at pingpong, and a wonderful game it is. I see, Dot, that many of >our senior writers have left the page through having reached the retiring age. 1 tvas very sorry to see Daisy Primrose's letter resigning from the page, as we all took great interest in her descriptive letters about Menzres and othei places. I wish her god-speed and a happy voyage to England. Some D.L.F. girls are discussing "Alice in Wonderland," Jnd they also name the books they have read. I have not read "Alice in Wonderland" ; indeed, I have only read two books right through, and others hero and there, so, you see, I don't read murh. One of the books I have read is entitled 'In tht Roar of the Sea," and a very good book it seems to me. I have also read parts of "Uncle Tom's Cabin," and I thought it a very good book. Dear Dot, befoie closing I should like to know if we are to do away with slang phrases, such a3 "ha-id case, etc. I should like to hear what the L.F. actually think the meaning is. The explanation given of it has, in my opinion, been wide of the mark. What is the use of people using such words when their meaning is unknown to them? As used by D.L.F., it leally indicates one who is full of fun, lively, and ready with an answer. If this is admitted, where does the slang come in 1 ' Is it vuka. to be full of fun Is it vulgai to be witty? Is it vulgar to be clever at repartee 9 So, you see, I've given my idea, of the term "hard case," and I hope some other D.L.F. will Rive theirs. I should like Jessie to exchange autos. with mo.— Yours truly, REGGIE.

[That is really the first explanation of the term "hard case,' as u«ed by D.L.P., that has been given, and it seems to me that it gives, a very different version to what is usually understood by the term outside of our page. 1 think among ' grown ups ' it us usually applied to undesirable individuals, such as sharpers 01 people who live by their wits, and 1 therefore could never quite understand it when us?d by D.L.F. However, if Reggie's explanation is the correct one. there is certainly no harm in it as used by D.L.F. — DOT.]

Dear Dot,— l am a pooi wee pussy. The colour of ni> fur is black and white, and my name is Trilby. One day when I awoke from a long s»leep I heard my little mistress* calling: me, md on jumping up saw her currying to me a nice paucer of cream. One night 1 wa3 veiy hungry, and went over to an old whare where lots of mice and rats lived. I ran at a big rat and caught it by the back of the neck, and killed and ate it. I had a good supper that night, and went home und fell asleep. Some nights my little mistress plays with nic, and I try to bite her. Once my little niibtrcss'e morhei had a fish all clean and ready to cook, and I went in&ide while her back was turned and took it away under the house and started to eat it, wher a big, ugly girl came and took i* from me. One day I went to a house to see some of my friend". We had great sport trying to catch sparrows. One of my friends caught one, nnd bhe gave us v\[ a little bit. Once, befoie that, I v.ent o\ei the hills and hurt m> foot, bu+ it i^> bc-Uef new. I think this is all the ncv.s I tare just now. With love to all the little ioik and vcurs»lf,~-Youv<; truly, " TRILBY, THE PUSSY CAT.

[Drar m». what atrocious taste Trilby display- 1 A nice supper in the shape of a horrid big r.U' U^h' it m-aVcs me shiver The cic°ui. jf cnuise, is dolicioua, but ran fish jnd law lat— ng'i'— DOT.]

Don Out,— l notice Will o" the Wisp lias had uiiothci lettei in. He told you about other people's mishaps, but not about his own. so I shall do the latter for him. He and. iila ffi&Le. JL. «£&■ bindia*. Ahe^vea be*

hind tho scythe, when tlie follow -who was using the scythe sat down to have a spell, and H., wanting to show -his skill, got hold of it, and, by accident, cut a big hole in Will o' the Wisp's leg. They sent him home to be doctored up. I must say the poor fellow leaked bad ; but he was not long in getting up his spirits, and the poor cat 3 had 'to pay for it. They 3oon found out that someone had taken possession oi their place beside the fire. The little folk's letters are discussed and pulled to piecet by the boys about here, who meet at a snug little cottage lo discuss the events of the week, nnd I'll bet if that place could speak it could tell a few tall yarns. D.L.F. Civis can well afford to sympathise with Daisy Primrose, for it's not sc long since he was in the same box himself. How do you like Edendale, Anna and Mira Gitana? 'Ah, it takes us Taieri girls and boys to find you out. We are pretty well always wide awake. I got an auto, sent to me some time ago. Now, little folk, what is a fellow to do with it? I have racked my brains inside out, and can't get a use for it. I hope some of you will enlighten me. Dot, I would send you my love, but as eveiyone else does that, I shall stiike out a course of my own, and merely say an rcv-oL:. — Yours truly, SCAPEGRACE. [Thrt is right, Scapegrace, I admire originality. I should certainly like to be present — unknown, of cours~ — in that nice little cottage when our page is under discussion. — DOT.] Deai Dot, — You will see by this letter that the "breach is healed." Some of the little folk will not know what this means, but you ■will, Dot. Three of us have received our badge?, and there is another of the group sending for one in this letter. We have had veiy cold weather up here lately. We saw by last week's Witness that there are other little folk writing from here. Their noms de plume are Tussock and Salt, and wo have a ve.-y fair idea who they are. We are going for our proposed walk up the hills on Saturday, and in om next letter we shall tell you all about it. We are starting to get the monthly paper, Schoolmates, at our school. Dear Dot, we have seen the editor's photo in the Witness, and we think it is your turn to put yours in now Don't you think so, little folk? We have received the autos of Cloti!.'.a and Casino j Girl. We have sent ours n return. We should like the autos of Dewdrop, Mignonette, Harry, i and Boy. There is a sluicing claim near ths I school, and the nozzle is often turned on us. i With love to Clotilda and Casino Gul,— Yours t:alv SEVEN YOUNG NEW ZEALANDERS. [I thought it tras generally understood that i Dot was to be excused putting her photo in till her retiring age is reached. Of course, I don't pretend that that is the usual 20, you know, oi someone would be asking me how I could have been in chaige for more years than I care to think about, and vet be so joung.— DOT.] j Dear Dot, — I saw by one of last week's lett?rs that Dr Jim and Redcap weie intending to volimteei for South Africa. If they do, we shall have quite a contingent of D.L.F. out there. I should very much like to have seen the Ninth Contingent depart, but I was no worse off than those who had friends going and could not get to see them off, so I need not grumble. 1 see that Maid of Orleans has resigned from the page; she must have started to write when the D.L.F. letters first started, as she says she has writter foi 10 years. I quite agree with Dougal in saying that you must be a woman, Dot, because a man would not have the patience tc bother with all those letters. What sort of weather are you having in Dunedin, Dot"' We are having very miserable weather' up here — very trying indeed foi the farmers, who have their crops out yet. As most little folk tell you the books they have read, I think I shall do so too. I have read ' Doris Cheyne," " Uncle Tom's Cabin," "Beulah," "Cassie," and ' l'he Heart of Midlothian. I am very fond of reading, and could read all night when I get properly in- ! tereated. I fancy I heai the editor say when [ he reads this letter, "What a bother the D.L.F. are!" 30 I shall stop, with love to all the L.F. aud the sditor, not forgetting yourself, Dot. — Ynurs truly, ERICA. [Ten years! No, our page is a good deal older than that, Erica. Indeed, I think it must bo 1G years old now — quite patriarchal, j it, it not?— DOT.] Dear Dot,— Will you accept me as one of your many correspondents, for I have read your page for a few years. We are milking 26 cows and feeding one calf. We have 15 horses, six of them being unbroken — two hacks and foui draughts. I have never failed at ! any of the school examinations, and I am in ; the Fourth Standard. Deai Dot, did you like going to school when you were like us nippers? I don't, and I don't think there ie one at our school who does like it. There are 24 pupils going to our school, and out of the 24 five of them write to you, or are going to write. There is one flaxmill in this district that is working at present, and there is another, one being built. Our teacher is getting up a lesidence, but it is not a very large one. I am always meeting with some accident or other. About a year ago I rode a draught horse for the cows, and when I gathered the cows up and proceeded on my way home, my horse stumbled and fell over on his head. Ho tiampled on my sidp and arm, which were very painful for a lew weeks afterwards. — Your 3 tralv. CAPTAIN STARLIGHT. [You were fortunate in getting off so well, Captain S. Surely you are not right about all the pupils disliking school. If so, could you not induce the teacher to get up a rounders club, or even a ping-pong club, tc get you interested in school? Probably he only needs to be asked. Half an hour's play at dinner time or after school hours would liven up thing* for you.— DOT.] Deai Dot, — It is such a long time since I wrote last that I suppose you will have forgotten there is such a person as Lyddite. Wo have been having horrible weather here lately, and I think everybody is longing for a fine day again. Wo had a little snow on Sunday— not half enough for my fancy, but plenty for nearly everybody else. I think I was told yesterday we should not have any more^ enow this yeai. I noticed a group of the Enfield little folk in the Witness a fortnight ago, ard I thought it was very good. We have a good lot of little folk up our way, but we have never managed a group yet. I have been getting a. lot ot teasing about writing to Dot lately, but 1 tako "t in good part always, as I have -found out it pays best to be goodhumoured over it. Nearly everybody knows my norn dc plume now, I think. I have been learning to play ping-pong lately, and, to tell you the truth, I think it a very silly game. I don't see how it ever became so popular. However, all people don't think the same, I sup- j pote. Dem Dot, could you give me a cure for chilblains? A friend of mine has them, and she would like very much to have a cure for them. I see they aie going to have a great time in town this year again at the Winter show. I did not get down last year, and I don't think I shall get down this time either. My number of autos is increasing slowly but surely. I have only about 20 yet, but better that ihan none at all. Jean has, I think, over 50 now. The L.F. will- be having a meeting j.hi» zfiut Aeaur at 'iha time sA the Kins'*

[ Coronation, I suppes*. Th»y sceir. (o fcs^y I had a good time lsst yrnr. I was at a benefic concert a short time ago, and enjoyed myselS I very much. One of my mates (a D.L.F.) war i uu at ifaheno foi her holidays at Easter, and) I she xold me she saw many D.L.F., but she did' not speak to any of them. Dear C. C. M., have you forgotten me altogether? I Jbaven'fl had a letter from you for ages, fend it « your ti'.rc tc write too, you know. I suppose you have -been expecting a letter from me -for a long time, Lochuagar, but I have been away| . from home, and hßve never found time to write yet. When I go home again I shall write, however. Thank yon very much for autos. Dear Dot, whenever I meet Princess in the; street she turns her head away, and never lets j on she sees me. I don't remember ever doing anything to offend her, and should like her Ito tell me what she means. With love t(j C. C M., Lochnagar, and Dot,— Yours aruly, LYDDITE. [I am sure we had. not forgotten you, LycT* dite, although it is so long since you wrote. Do you know, I don't think ping-pong sol silly a game as you think, deax. If it is properly played, it is very interesting, and on « cold night the exercise warms one up amazingly. Try it with a good player, and I fancy, you will change your opinion of it.— DOT.] Dear Dot, — I have- been a .constant readen of your page for nearly five years, but 1 could! never summon up enough courage to write to you before. I shall try to describe the district that I live in. It is in a valley surrounded! by hills. There is a small river running, in the, front of our farm, and a one mns arthe back of it. Most of the people '_ here are farmers. There i-3 a great dea l of bush about here, which is 'very pretty in summer, especially when tha . xata and kowhai are in bloom. There is a fac- . tory, a flaxmiU, and a school in this district: We milk for a factory. I milk six cows nigh'j • and morning, but I do not care for milking; , very much. ' Some of the litle folk were saying that the town girls 1 are frightened of cows, but I know some country girls who are frightened of them too. Ido not know many of th» - little folk, and I want to find out some mere. I have never read "Alice in Wonderland," buf I have read a good many other books, among them being "Our Bessie," "Little Women and Little Wives, "Andersyde, and . others too numerous to mention. lam very fond of read- - ing My favourite book is "Robbery Under Arms.' Dear Dot, do yov Jdke riding? X 1 do. I have not had a good ride for over a year now, although I suppose it is my own is-vAi, for there are plenty of horses to ride. With love to nl' the little folk and yourself,--* Yours truly, [If there were not so many horsfcs, Beth', probably you would go riding ofter.er. VT* always long for something that is no! caai.y, ' attainable.-DOT.] Dear Dot,— ln his notes a correspondent said that Invercargill is the lowest town in th« Pacific. It certainly is the most southerly city in the world. It is all a flat, which makes it the more easy for traffic. Invercargill ia connected by rail with Bluff, Dunedin, and Kingston. The streets run at right angies to each other. The main streets are two chains wide, and the others are all half that widtn. The majority of the streets in Invercargill aro named after* the rivers in Scotland. Cars run along the main thoroughfare, and 'buses p^ . in almost every, direction. It has reserves .all! round, as well as some ' beautiful parks. . Its gardens are beautifully laid out, and 1 dare say would be a credit to some of the , larger cities. The Puni Creek, which is aboui: 12ft wide, no doubt adds tc the beauty of.-Mis-place. We have also a bowling green, yihexi . , many a stiff tournament has. been played. ,f, f Tua^ station, which is of wood, is one storey nigh, and has a platform about 600 ft long, .irom there you can see the Chief Post Office, wiili^ its clock tower about 90ft high. Immediately in front of the Post Office- is Victoria square, on which there is a rotunda, the centre oi a!fi demonstrations. Invercargill has five firstclass hotels, and numerous others as secondajIt has five banks, among which there are sorn* fine buildings. There are four schools within. its boundaries, among them being the Boya' and Girls' High Schools, which I think are the" D.L.F. centre of Invercargill. That notable landmark, the Tower, from which the city is supplied with water, is 100 ft high, and stands' on the highest part of Invercargili. From the balcony >f the Towei you can get an excellent view of the outlying country. Taking it all round, Invercargill has some very substantial buildings, and a visitor said that somt of the chi*f cities would be proud to own seme of them. There, I think I have dom almost as much as I can do as regards tht describing of Invcrcargill ; but T think somi of the older correspondents could give a better idea of this southern city. I have not gone into any detail whatever — just simply touched on tho places of interest; and indeed I have ■missed out several, such as the wharf, roller flour mills, the hospi' . and several others ; i therefore I propost that our promising Hyperion give as a full detail of this city in some of her future letters. But detailed fully it would take over a column.— Yours truly, CLUARAN. [I think you have given us a very good ide* of the general characteristics oi our most southern city, Cluaran, and I should not wonder if quite a number of more northern D.L.F. will want to spend their next Christmas holidays in paying it a visit, after reading your letter.— DOT.] Deai Dot,— We are having very stormy weather up here just now; the wind is something awfu! —it is blowing everything away. I must tell you about a holiday I had a month age. I went to my auntie's place, which is about 87 miles away. I started from home at 10 minutes to 8 in the morning, and landed nt my destination about dinner tim? — a very good time, too. After dinner by auntie went for &- ride on hei horse, and when she came home she askec? me to have a ride. I was a little frightened at first, but after I was on for a while it was not so bad, and she told me to ride foi the cows, which weie iv anothet paddock. When they were nearly home J could not get the horse to go any further, so I had to get off and lead it. When I went home I told auntie that it would not go, because it was more like a mule than a horse. Sho laughed at me, and said I would not make a good farmer's wife. Dear Dot, I hope you won't laugh at me. With fond love to Gipsy_ Poll, yourself, the editor, and all the D.L.F. — ' Yours truly, LADY ROSEABELLE. [Well, I think you did verj well foi a first attempt, Roseabelle, and if the poor horse did * get tired it was not your fault. — DOT.] Deai Dot, — We lately took a trip to a little place called St. Bathans, and we enjoyed our* selves very much. We left home on Saturday afternoon, and arrived there all safe, seeing some very remarkable views on our roaa^ There is a great deal of gold-getting going; on up there, the water-pipes leading all round] the hills, with great races. It is a beautiful sight to set the water coming gushing out o* the nozzle of the pipes and rooting the grouncj up. After we had looked at this till our eyes* got sore, we went to a play that happened tf.i be on that night, and there enjoyed ourselves. The houses there are principally made of sur.. dried bricks and sods. We left late on Sunday' and it took us a -while coming horu*. De_y