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Otago Witness, Issue 2528, 27 August 1902, Page 69

some time in October or November, I think. It did last time. How the years go by, don't they. Dot? It just seems the other week that tile inspector bopped in on us quite suddenly one Friday mofning." Bncvra Dyes, -was not allowed to go to see the . Coronation celebrations in consequence of ' the_ .rain. "There have been some terrible ■ 'floods up here, btit we are having beautifully fine- -weather now." " Skipper ha 3 eight sisters and two brothers, "so you see I am pretty well off. We have a pet cat and a dog. JThe cat's name is Tommy and the dog's Tiny. The dog is a good rabbiter and the cat a good mouser." Lady Jake Seymottb was in town in June. "I have been down to the Ocean Beach, but it isn't so pretty as Port Molyneux Bay. My sister and I learn music, but I don't care much for it; and we also have a pony and a sidesaddle. My brother is a very good rider, and lie rides for the cows." Tokia. enjoyed herself very well among her iriends on Coronation Day. "I live on a farm, •nd have plenty of horses to Tide and drive. I do not know what the other little folk will say when they see my letter intruding on your page, although I expect it will go through the horrible mincing machine ; but as lam a now chum I must put up with that. I hope to "write a better and longer letter next time." ' Glass Bottle had better try some other method of "narking" his brothers. Spelling every second word wrongly is poor fun. WILFUL I/ASS!!; asks if Red Cross ever received her auto., as W. L. has not received B. 'C.'a in return yet. She* would like some little iolk to supply her with the words of "The Luggage van ahead," "I'll be all smiles to-night," and another song, beginning "Fare ye well, ye maids of Australia." Address — "Wilful Lassie, Hayward's Point, Ratanui." Martha, the Milkman's Daughter, would like to exchange autos with any other D.L.P. "We went down to Sandy Beach. It ie such a long way from where we are staying. It is "Very hot out that way." Soap, Starch, and Candles would like to exchange auto 3 with Brockly Jack and Tadpole. "I am of the same opinion as Easter about < ping-pong. There is a. ping-pong table and set in the hall dining room up here. I think it •was a mean thing of th« girl to take Parson Seth's and Lady of the Forest's a-utos." 'Hearty Lassie would like Harry Love's and A. S. O. H. G.s autographs, as they appear to know her. "I have not described this place to you, so I shall do so now. It has a good deal of coast-line, but up harbours. There are no trains or railways. If one happens to see anything it is a dray or a waggon of flax. But although there are no railways, etc., there is a. school, church, and factory. The latter, however, ' has gone bung ' for two or three years." Otago tells me it is nine months nine© he last wrote to our page. "The Coronation is a thing of the past now. It was a very bad day ■up here. Things were very quiet —in "fact, there was no stir on a>t all, just a bit of a flare-up for the kids in the hall. Dear Dot, we are busy fcluicing in out claim now, since the frost has gone out of the ground." Peabl Hokeydew tells me they have a pingpong set at her school, and she likes playing, or watching others play. "I went to Oamaru at Coronation time, where I enjoyed myself very much." Britannia would like to exchange autos ■with Dr Jim and Diamond Kirg. "I spent , a most glorious day at Coronation. There •were such a lot of D.L.F. in town, but I did not speak to them all, as I was in the procession. The illuminations at night were something lovely, especially the post office and a few other public buildings-. We received lead medals end souvenir carda at school as mementos. I have read a good few books lately, amongst them being ' Hurly-Burly ' and 4 Xobly Planned.' " Silver Queen knows Dowager Empress and Lady Roberts. "It rained up here on Coronalion Day and made all things miserable. I ' live with my grandmother, and have done so for the last three years. One of my brothers ■went away to Kelson about a month ago, and ■we miss him very much. It is a blessing the •war is over and ali the contingents are back again. The trees are all beginning to bud, Which shows that summer is not far away." Queen of the Flowers would hko to exchange autoa with any D.L.F. who are willing. "Have you played ping-pong, Dot? We have a set and like it very much. My uncle has ju&t been having a laugh at us for being frightened at a moupe. H-e often tells' us he knows who you are, but I don't think he does. Our examination is in about a fortnight, so . I hop* I shall pass." i Betsy sent me her address, but neglected to enclose her name. "I did not see many DJLi.F. on Coronation Day, and I only got one auto^'and that waa Mischief a. She has not written to me yet, and I have been expecting a letter every night." Toots knows Trilby very well. "I should ' not like to get up eariy and look for fish as •he did, would you? We have had very pleasant weather lately, and I hope it will keep up. The last time I wrote I waa not at school, and tc~d»y I have not'beeu to school either. I told you before that our teacher •was going away, and the girls and boys got seme money to get him a present. His social is to take place to-morrow night, and I think it will be-* success." Boots thinks ping-pong a ridiculous game, and never intends to learn it. "We are having beautiful weather here just now, and I suppose the farmers will soon be storting to sow their sed again. A farmer's life is a very busy one. No sooner haa he finished one tbmg than he has to start another. I know a good many troopers who went with the Tenth Contingent. Fa-tima's brother went with it and also another young fellow whose people live near Fatima's. I saw them go away, and although I only knew the one I should 60 nuMb oxn liked to liave kept bath id Jkeai

from going. I have been busy lately trying to shoe a horse. " I have got an old shoe, but tor the life of me I cannot get the horse to stand till I get it nailed on. I'm afraid I should make a poor olacJreiruth." Mountain Lily wishes to find her way into our page, but her first letter only merits a very short notice in the condensed column. She knows a good many. D.L.F. and promises to tell us about a recent drive she had when next she writes. Arsenal "hopes this will not come in contact with the v?heat grinder," but as he only tells us that it has been a mild winter and that ping-pong is a favourite game where he lives, I cannot see any help for it. Lucky Bell has found out some other D.L.F. She heard Temta reciting at a presentation at Akatore during her holiday. "Spring has come and summer weather, but we need dry weather after so much wet. We have had very little snow this year, so we had no snow-balling. I like winter because it is healthier than warm sultry weather, although the sun is also good, but we must take what we get and be contented." Maid of Malabar sees a great many girls at school with D.L.F. badges in their hats. "I have a bike and it ;s; s lovely to have a spin in the calm summer nights. I do not ride very far away from honre because I have my lessons to learn for the school. I am waiting patiently for Christmas to come, because we get six weeks' holidays and then I intend to go over to the coast. I have a little brother .named Alex, but he is only three, and is not old enough to go to school yet." Boy.— l am not quite sure whether your letter ! was intended for publication or for my own private reading, but I fancy the latter, so I am only putting in portion of it, as you will see. It is not the small number who have read "that grand old masterpiece," as you term "Alice in Wonderlr-nd," that surprises me, but the utter lack of appreciation of it on the part of the greater number of those who have done so. It is quite the exception to find any D.L.F. who has read it speak in enthusiastic terms of the book, much less quote any of the marvellously humorous passages which abound in every page, while the number who contemptuously dismiss it as "a fairy tale!" is simply surprising. No Boy, I am afraid the library proposal is not practicable, but I have not entirely dismissed it from my mind, and may some day adopt a modification of it. You will see that llatanui-ite makes a proposal on somewhat different lines. LITTLE FOLK'S RIDDLES. By Lena.— What is that which smells most when you go into a garden'/ ANSWER TO LAST WEEK'S RIDDLE. By Airdale. — A bad .husband. LITTLE FOLK'S BADGES. Badges have been vent as follows- — M. Brown, A. Shipman, E. Wright, E. MoTeton (2), M. R White, C. Philp, A. Maatai, L. A. Kitto, "Otago," Violet Martin, J. U. Dyson, C. Martin (2). OAMARU COT FUND. Previously acknowledged £19 4 8 Uobt. Martin .. „ 0 1 0 'i olden Fern .„ „ .. 0 1 0 Tomato r » „ „„ .. 0 10 £19 7 8