LETTERS CONDENSED.

Otago Witness, Issue 2558, 25 March 1903, Page 69

LETTERS CONDENSED.

Touring Constable knows a girl who has a great number of autos., aud so he has found- out a lot of DJJ.F. "Goldilocks and her sister are coming to stay with us at Easter, and Regina, Idalian, Goldilocks, her sister, and I will have splendid fun. I have a little pony named Sandy, which goes on at a great rate when it is taken out first thing in the morning. Hasn't this been a terrible season for the crops, and other things? Won't, the harvest be late this year! Stole evenings I go for straw, and I yoke my littl« pony in a sledge, and we have great fun." Waihoea. has a. little growl about the weather, but, it- was better at the time of writing. " During this last week the crops hay ripened very quickly. The farmers round about have, started cutting with the binder. The nexfe item on' the programme will bo putting all that stuff into stacks." Gbeen Grass tells me that C.C.M. has been very ill. I am sure C.C.M. will have the sympathy of ail Jho L.F., as she has mine. "I am at .present home from school, and sick. I was going to try ior a prize for attendance this year, but, alas! you see what has befallen me. I, got a beautiful prize last year. I shall tell you all about our school picnio in my next letter. I should like to change autos. with anyother D.L.F. When I was away foi my holidays F. and. I climbed up a large hill and printed our initials there, and then came home. By the time *we got home it was tea time." A (Jlrl of the Woods can paint a little, but is nob learning now. "We have' had very hot weather lately, but there are lots of trees here, so that we can get in the shade of them with a book. We have ? flower garden with a •nicelot of flowers in it. I love flowers, and I suppose you do too. I have been to Dunedin once, but I did not care about it, and although I enjoyed myself, I would not like to live in town, I love to hear the birds Binging in the trees. We have a lot of fowls, and get a good many eggs. The fanners are all busy harvesting now. We !have t, boat, and it is nice to go for a sail dowrt-the river, as it is such a big one. I would not like to go across the sea." Stab knows Valeric and Lady Louisa "Since I wrote to you last I have gon« into the N. High, school, and I am glad to say I like it better than being at home. Our school teacher is Mr Lomos, and I, like him very much. The dredgt. is atill working, and it is so nice to go * on: board" and see- it toiling and. groaning. Dear Sort, have you ever seen a dredge working? I think you would, enjoy it if you saw it." Madave Bernestiek -describes the place in which she lives. "It is very flat and surrounded by bills^ which are pretty high and mostly covered with bush. The chief occupations are farming and working in the woollen factory. There are a good many coal mines, too, for mining is another of our industries. There are three schools and a college for boys here." Margarita -would iike to exchange autos. •with Gipsy Nell, Khaki, golden Horn, S. M. F., and any other D.L.F. "I was away for my holilays and enjoyed myself very muck I was staying with my cousin. Gipsy Nell was staying at the same place as I was, and S. M. F. was staying here foi a day or two while I was away for my holidays. It is harvest time up here, and the farmers are very busy cutting their crops." Queen of .the Isles says the farmers are all taking advantage of the fine weather, and are in a hurry to get their crops in. "One day «n.e of my mates and I went for a ride on our panier to .a friend's place. We started at 10 o'clock in the morning. When we got there it began to blow. We .went down to the river and took off our boots and stockings, and began to paddle about. Aftei a while we went in for tea, and we were soon on our journey home. We arrived home lale chat night." Atjtennai. has a pet hen of which she is very fend. "Our house stands on a side of a hill, and we have not many neighbours." Weeping Ash has a word to say about biothers. "Well, for my part, I don't know what I should do without them. I have three of them-, bo I should kuow, shouldn't I, Dot? We had a picnic here on Chribtmas Day, and I went to it and greatly enjoyed myself. I xacod a little, land wou a shell-box, a shilling, and last, a paltry sixpence. I got on well, did I not. Dot? I see most of the D.L.F. are giving their opinion of their brothers, so I shall follow suit." Audrey has a pet kitten, which is very playful. "My mother, father, siter, and brother bave jusf come home from their holidays. I can ride a bike. My mother also has a bike." Snowdrop HI tells me about the fine weaKiflr. "I tape it will coutinu,. JuLU ike harvest

is finished. We did not get any harvest holidays this year as we expected. 'Father is busy cutting the grass for winter feed for the cows, and I «m busy pickingr up the apples ofi the ground, as the birds are very destructive with them."