PATER'S CHATS WITH THE BOYS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2649, 21 December 1904, Page 86

PATER'S CHATS WITH THE BOYS.

A NATURE NOTE.

"Dear Pater, — In one of your notes in last week's Witness ypu mentioned about the English oak keeping the last year's leaves on until they are pushed off by the following year's buds, which takes place in Australia ; and you wish to know if anyone has noticed the same in this country — at least, that's how I understand your note. I thought everyone knew that they stay on. If anyone A akes the troable to go to Wetherstones in the winter time — where there are several oak trees about 30ft high — or as late as August or September, or even later, I think, he will see last year's brown leaves on the- trees. The leaves remain on the trees till the buds of the following year push them off. One would think that the transformation took place in one night, it takes place so quickly ; and in some time of the year — I forget what month — the acorns are lying under the trees as thick as hailstones. There is one thing that always surprises me, and which I cannot understand. It's this : Fruit trees, poplars, willows, and other deciduous trees are in flower and leaf a month or six weeks before the oak trees. — D. M., South Dunedin."

There is, of course, a public school at Wetherstones, so I wonder will some schoolboy keep his weather-eye open and let me know as the year wears away when the buds and leaves of (a) fruit trees — specifying them, (b) willows, (c) any other trees, deciduous, lie might determine to watch, and (d) the oak, burst forth? JSTote, too, when the last Jeaf disappears and when the acorns drop. The same observations, or others suggested, might be made in other localities also. If any of my young readers are keeping Nature calendars, I should like to have a copy.

Last week a gentleman sent me an interesting account of birthmarks in a litter — is that the word? — of young rabbits, but I have mislaid it. I shall be obliged if that gentleman will write me another note upon thy* subject. I have searched high and low, and cannot make out where they are, unless, like the squirrel and the acorns, I have put the note in some safe place for future use, md have forgotten where.

A MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU. Before tLe next issue of the Witness appears another Christinas will have gone, so I wish all my readers the compliments of the season My youngest renders will, I suppose, be on the look-out for , Santa Claus, though folk are getting so wise nowadays that pleasant, old-fashioned fictions are treated with haughty disdain — more's the pity. However, if you haven't found out yet who Santa Claua is, don't try to, for he is easily scared, as Aye grow older. Don't be disappointed if yoti don't get what you want. This reminds me that I cut a fairy tale out of a paper some time ago, thinking it might come" in handy some day. Here it is, and, after reading it, perhaps you may be content with what you can get. You will be the happier if you are. —If We Knew What We wanted': A Fairy

Tale.—

Once npon a time there was a little girl who wished <*o ardently that a good fairy would 1 appear to her that at length a good fairy came.

"My child," said the visitor, '"I am prepared to g've you whatever you wish " "How nice!" exclaimed the little girl. "Provided your choice meets with my approval."'

" I, — I think I'd like to have a lot of candy," said the littl& girl, — "as much candy as 1 could cat, without getting sick." She spoke the last thiraa words doubtfully, jucTg-

ing from the fairy's expression that some objection was to be expected. "But tiiat would never do." said the fairy. *"I once knew a. little boy who hadi so much candy that, ho could not cat any dinner, — and there, was huckleberry pie for dessert, — just think of it, he couldn't eat any huckleberry pie ! He didn't mind ifc, afc the time : but he was awfully sorry after the pie was ail gone. And then, my dear, I find that even our fairyland confectioners can't make any candy that is really good for the teeth. It is the sweet tooth, you know, that goes to ihe dentist. Try again." "Well, then," said the little girl, who had troubles of her own, "I wish I could always know vny lessons without studying them, and! spall all tho 'big words ri^ht and do all the hard sums." "I'm afraid that wouldn't do," said' the fairy : "you'd become indolent and you'd have too high an opinion of yourself. You'd be so smart, that you'd forget thafc you were not entitled to any credit for beinj smart,— just like many smart people I know." "Well, I'd like to have the nicest clothes of anybody in this neighbourhood." " But what would the other little girl 3 think of me? Why, they'd never forgive me." "Well, if I can't have the nicest clothes for myself, I'd like to have a lot of dolls with the nicest clothes that dolls over had."

"Same objection, my dear. Consider tho feelings of the other little girls."

'" Oh, well, then, I'd just like to be grown-up. I wish I were old enough to be a debutante."

"Ah, my dear, I could not allow you to miss all the good 1 times you'll have between now and then. If I should make you a> debutante, I have no doubt you would en"joy it just now, but what would you think of me 10 c<r 15 years from now when you would consider that, but for me, you would be so much, younger? Really, I should be afraid to look you in the face again." " Well, then, I don't know what to wish." " I was afraid you wouldn't, my dear. That's the trouble with children and grown folks as well, — they don't know what to wish. If they did, the good fairies and other folks who want to help them would have a very easy time." The fairy then vanished. — William M'Kenna."

By way of relaxation, read the two following exceipts, and then a selected piece on "Santa Claus's Helpers. ' Please, all of you, help Santa Cflaus to make someone happy. If not a child, some old body in danger of being forgotten. A few pence in seme little necessary of life or some little dainty will work wonders.

—He Put Him Off All Right.—

" Now, see here, porter," said he. briskly, "I want you to put me off at Syracuse. You. know we get in there about 6 o'clock in the morning, and I may oversleep myself. But it is important that I should " get out. Here's a five-dollar gold piece. Now, I may wake up hard. Don't minds if I kick. Pay no attention if I'm ugly. I want you to put me off the- train no matter how hard I figdit. Understand?"

" Yes, sah," answered, the sturdy Nubian. "It shall be did, sah!" The next morning the coin-giver was awakened by a stentorian voice calling: "Rochester !"

"Rochester 1" he exclaimed, sitting up. "Where's that porter?" Hastily slipping on his trousers, he went in search of the negro, and found him in the porter's closet, huddled up, with his head in. a bandage, his clothes torn, and his arm in a sling. " Well," says the drummer, "you are a sight. Why didn't you put me off at Syracuse?"

"Wha-at!" gaspedl the porter, jumping up, as his eyes bulged' from his head. "Was you de geznman dat giv me a five-dollar gold piece?" "Of course I was, you idiot !" "Well, den, befoah de Lawd, who was dat gemman I put off at Syracuse?"

— Willies Dream of Papa. — Willie (very seriously) : "Papa, I had a strange dream this morning." "Papa: "Indeed 1 ! What was it?"

Willie: "I dreamed, papa, that I died and! went to Heaven; and -when St. Peter met me at the gate, instead of showing me- the way to the- golden street, as I expected, he took me out into a large field, and' in the middle of the field there was a ladder reaching away up into the sky and out of sight. Then St. Peter told me that Heaven was at the top, and that in order to get there I must vake the. big piece, of chalk he gave me and> slowly climb the ladder, writing on each rung some sin I hadi committed."

Papa (laying down his paper) : "And did you finally reach Heaven, my son?" Willie: "No, papa, for just as I was rrymg to think of something to write on the second rung I looked up and saw you coming down." Papa: -'And whafc was I coming down for .'

Willie: "That's what I asked you, and ch'V ' mS yy ° U W6re comin §" * or mat&

— Santa Claus' s Helpers.— W w°L hel £ S okl Saa ? a; Claus > do y°" suppose, When he goes his rounds late at ni°ht? bomeone who looks from the sky overhead" Ihe shining moon and the stais all bright. llie stars are awake, when Old Santa Ciaus

comes; And they twinkle and twinkle their eyes; lney laugh with Santa Claus, merry and long, As they think of the children's surprise, liiey peep through the windows, where ail are in bed, Then whisper in Santa Claris' ear : "A. dear little girl is asleep in this room, Be sure to leave something in here." They roce with the reindeer, and climb on the sleigh, "While Santa Claus chuckles with glee. I really believe they consider themselves Almost as important as tie. So the stars at glad Christmas time help When you are all quite fast asleep ; That's why they twinkle and laugh so at you— They have Santa Claus' secrets to keep.

— Maud L. Betts.