LETTERS FROM THE LITTLE FOLK.

Otago Witness, Issue 2674, 14 June 1905, Page 73

LETTERS FROM THE LITTLE FOLK.

Motto — We write foi the benefit of ttheis, not foi 0111 selves T)p,ii Dul, -I am sii'l shiyniE; ,U Ore Ti •>» Point, ucui Im«.r..i.<iiU 1 at pio^eut. r i 'is

threshing mill was here on Wednesday, ancl tlueshed on-s stick, and the oats are carted m luvercargill is becoming a large pL'ce, and a number of new buildings are in cour=© ol erection. The ninst notable among these aie the Catholic ba-ilica and +he Municipal' Theatre. Skating if. in full swing again this winter. I was thoie one night, and found it a good pastime. I \.as up at Dtmedin for a holiday in Ea&tci time, and 1 saw the Witness Office. I watched round to .=ec Dot, Hit it was 111 vain, as ?he wa= no doubt bnsilv :ii< gag-ed m leading the little foil-'s letters at th<? time. It wa3 a somewhat tno-ome louine. and I was very pleas-ed to loach my de°tm - tion. Last Sunday I went for a ride to Win ton. I left Invercargill about 10 o'clock, and' arrived at Win ton in time to to a fiiend's hou.=e for dinner. I rode th«_ie 0,1 my bicycle, and I had a. glorious time, but I was veiy lonely by myself. I had a companion with, me when I "left, but he began to get 'iivd 1 , so he got off his bicycle to ha<-e a rest j^d I went on by myself. When I arrhed T received a pleasant welcome, and ptpyrJ for two or three hours before setting out en my return journey. With love to o'iPina, ihe editor, yourself, and all the D.L.F., — Tours truly. " HAZELDEAX.

Dear Dot, — I am !?o:ng to tell you hew I spent my Easter holidays. Wei!, I was confined indoors with a broken arm, so jou see it was not a very pleasant Easter for me. I was skipping vith Pine Tres. Piece ot Dough, Juanita, and Tommy Dodd on the Tuesday before Good Friday when the accident occurred. lam all right now. as I sot the splints off about a fortnight ago. Lady of the Lea used to be a great friend of mine, hut she left Hie place she was stepping at, ?iul I have never heard of her since. Perhaps she does not remember our cloys of friendship : but I do. We were at a picnic en oue occr-ion,. and she asked me to write to you, so I have to thank her for my entering into D.L.F.-dom. I am very fond of books, and my favourite author is Martha Finlej. I envy the L.F. who can attend the meetings of the D.L.F. Literary and Debating Society. What fun they) must have with their picnics and social^. We have had very frosty weather lately, but it is raining to-night. 1 extend my greatest sym* pathy to Little Flirt's relatives and fnend3. With lov« to all, — Yours truly.

PHLOX DRUMMOXDT.

Dear Dt>t, — It is a long time since I last' wrote to the DjL.F. Page, but I do not think I sha.ll be so long in writing next time. Wev are having vary hard hosts here at present, and the weather has been very changeable — one day snow, another dAy rain, etc. It may be of interest to tell you about our Easter sports. It was n very wet morning up to about 11 o'clock, when it cleared up for a» v/hile. Tho sports started about 12 o'clock. There was a good crowd of people gathered together — reckoned at about 1100, which is considered very fair for a small town like this. The bicycle laces were got through in good l time, but some of the riders had some very hard luck. Three of them came down, one on top of the other, and one unfortunate uder had his bicvele bioken to pieces. There ".'ere two laces still to come off when the rain came down in torrents, and it was amusing to see the women running in all dnections to get shelter tor their infants. At about 5 o'clock an adjournment was made from tho ground' for tea. At hair-past 7 the band marched up tho street and played a few tunes in front of the Town Hall, and at half-paat 8 the concert began, and was kept up to abottt ]] o'clock. After an interval of about an hour the dance commenced, and it was kept up till about 3 in the morning. Our local sergeant of police, Mr Rodgers, was given a send-off in Mr Pitches's private dining room recently on the occasion of his leaving the district. Therer Wa3 a good attendance, and several peoplfl spoke, while some of those present contributed

songs. Mr Amoietty sang two or three very enjojable songs, to the delight of all present. The sergeant was presented with a \mrse of sovereigns ?s a token of the goodwill of the people of the district. Proceedings were brought to a close at about a-quarter to 10, when one and all wished him a safe journey. Our local stock inspector, Mr Taylor, left here last Saturday, having been promoted to Gore. Dredging is going on steadily about Clyde. Two more dredges have started, one of them being called the Woe Macgregor. I noticed a very interesting letter in last week's Witness from Indian Chief. Several people who read it thought it one of the best letters ever printed in the D.L.F. Page. It has been a great rabbiting season this year. There are men rabbiting in all parts of the country. The factory has been open for the past three months, but it closed yesterday until next season. On June 3 a sporting carnival was held in Alexandra, two dragloads going from here to attend it — one from each hotel. It snowed in the morning up to about 10 o'clock, and then it turned out a lovely day. The carnival started about half-past 10 in the morning. There were football teams from all parts of the country, two teams going from our little township. Both the Alexandra teams — Seniors and Juniors — won the matches. It was all over at about half-past 4, when, with some of my friends, I left the ground and went down for tea. When we got down to the hotel the waitress told us that tea would not be ready for half an hour, so we had time to go upstairs and change our clothes, and by that time tea v/as ready. After tea we went up to the sitting room, where we had singing and , dancing and all sorts of games and amusements. At about half-past 6 our trap was outside- the hotel waiting for iis. We left Alexandra for horn 3 about a quarter to 7, and arrived home in three-quarters of an hour, all safe »nd sound. I am afraid this will be a very hard winter on stock, especially the poor sheep which are away up in the high lofty mountains. A great amount of coursing is going on up here this year. People go out in the morning, and come home at break of day with about 15 to 20 hares, and that is not bad for a day's coursing. With love to Tomato, Coronation, Mike, Nipper, the editor, and yourself, — Yours truly,

CLYDEITE,

[Surely Clydeite does not mean that the coursing is kept up all night, as well as all day. I fancy "daybreak" must be a mistake for "nightfall."— DOT.]

Dear Dot, — Winter has passed and come again since the last time I penned theae two words. From this you will see that I am not a frequent writer, but since I have left it so long I ought to have something to say. The harvest has been very late up hero this year, but I think it has been the seme nearly everywhere. I was very sorry to see that Awkward Ned had resigned. In this district there is a singing class held in the schoolhouse ev-ery Wednesday, and also a quadrille assembly on Friday nights. Mr C. H. Plant is conductor of the singing class, and I am one of the members. At Christmas time some of my brothers and sisters and some friends and myself went to the other side of the Blue Mountains. My eldest brother drove us to the foot in a. waggon. It was bumpy, but we enjoyed the drive better for that. It is the third time I have been to the other side. My mother and one of my younger sisters were away to Dunedin for a holiday. They were away three weeks, and the day after they came home we got the threshing mill. During the latter part of the Chiistmas holidays I went to Dunedin for a holiday. I went away on the 19th of January, and came home on the 9th of February. Among some of the places that I visited were the Botanical Gardens, the Woodhaugh Gardens, the Dunedin reservoir, and the Northern Cemetery. One night a friend, a cousin, and I went for a row on Lake Logan. There we had a very enjoyable time, staying in the boat from about 6 in the evening till about 9 p.m. During my holiday I did not see any L.F., but I saw the Witness Office. I went down to HighclifE by the coach, but I did not like the drive much because the roads were so dusty. The second day I was there my cousins took me to see Larnach's Castle, but the castle being closed we decided to go to the beach. We followed the road from the castle and landed on the beach road. I had no idea where I was, and my elder cousin was not very sure of the way. We followed the road along for miles, wishing there were not so many windings in and out. We thought we would never come to the right place, and ray younger cousin kept saying, "We're going the wrong 1 way." After many miles' walk we came to the proper place, but we still had the worst part of the journey to walk — a high, steep hill to climb. The very look of it made us tired. Before we reached the top we had a feed of wild goose- . berries. When -we got home we had tea and ' went to bed. A few days afterwards my elder . cousin went to the beach again, but did not walk so far. We walked to Russell's ' jetty, and took the steamer back to town. I did not stay in town long after that, and I , was very sorry to ld*ve, as I was enjoying myself splendidly About a week after I came home a picnic was held at the school. I was present, and spent a very pleasant day. Ailie and Leonora, what are you thinking; about? Are you never going to write again? Abotit a fortnight ago I went to see Ivy Dorcen, and spent a nice afternoon. Dear i Dot, I_ asked to exchange autos with Iviline ' through you, but I have not received hers yet, j though it is over a year since I sent mine, j I received a letter from a D.L.F. asking me to j exchange autos with her, biit through my carelessness it was in the fire before I had read it properly. Felia I think the name wa>s. ' If she sends hers again I shall send mine immediately. With love to Amisel, Leonora, Ivy Doieen, Ailie, Lena, yourself, and the editor, — Yours truly, WINIFRED.

Dear Dot, — We are having awful weather here just now, as there has been snow on the ground since Saturday morning. We did not get a holiday from school on Empire Day, but we are getting the sth of June instead. The children were dismissed from school on Empire Day about half-past 2, and as it was a fine day eight of us agreed to climb to the top of a hill close by. We started off, and were soon jumping over fences and climbing the hills till we reached the top. As one of ua had brought a basket of apples we all had an apple, and then began to look about us. The country looked very pretty, being divided into squares and separated by green hedges. We could see Tuakitoto Lake, part of Waihola, and part of Kaitangata, and we could also see the sea dashing its white waves on the coa&t. After roaming about for a while we came in sight of a hut, and on going up to it we found it belonged to an old man living up among the hills. We had a look round, and then returned to the moupd, and as it was beginning to get dusk we thoiight we had better start for home. We did not take long to run down the hills, and when we were about halfway home we went down in among the bush to decorate our hats. We gathered ferns and other plants, and soon were on our way home again. We arrived home after having spent a most enjoyable day, and hoping to go back again soon. — Yours truly, THE GAIETY GIRL.

Dear Dol, — It is now over two yeaas since I last wrote to you, and I thought it was about time to write again, for if I left it much I would be sending in my farejvell

letter. I am nearly 18 now, sc I have only two more yeai? to wiite to the paste, and I think I skill make the best oi my time. It is about nine years since I first wrote to you, and I lemember asking you for a name for my cat, and the funny part of it was I didn't have a cat at all, bat it helped to fill up my letter (I don't mean that the cat did). My poor cockatoo, whom I used to tell you about, is dead now. He died just a few weeks ago, and I miss him so very much. "We have been residing in Dunedin now for over a. twelvemonth, but I can't say -that I like it— l would far sooner live in the country. I am longing to go back, but I am afraid there is little hope of my ever being able to do so. I might, however, be able to go up for a holiday at Christinas if lam lucky. We D.L.F. are becoming quite important people nowadays, what with our clubs, picnics, and socials. I was at our social last year, and, needless to say, 1 enjoyed it very much. I am sorry I shall not be able to be present at the group, but I think and hope I am going to the social. I attend the Debating Club whenever I can, but I have never taken an active part in any of the debates yet. I make up for it, though, with laughing and talking. AYe have had a lot of visitors at the club lately. The* other week we had a visit from Alys, an old favourite writer of mine. There were not many at the club that nigttt, as most of the members we^re away reheaising for the social, but we spent a very pleasant evening nevertheless. I heard that a D.L.F, considered us unsociable at the chib, alleging thai we formed into cliques, and had no time for strangers. It is the first time I have heard, that assertion made, and I think the D.L.F. in question is far from being right. I see we have still another critic in the page in the person of Quago. I think I know who you are, Quago, and I consider four criticisms are very good. I enjoy reading them very much, and I have a good laugh at them, as I do at everything. I wish the winter was over, as that season here is so miserable, being too wet for my fancy. "We have had some very sharp weather lately, and it is so cold getting tip in the mornings, and I am loathe to get out of bed. Still, I've got to, and that's all about it. It's an awful pity, isn't it, Dot? Lady Federal is back in Australia again. They are living in Perth now. I thought when they went Home the second time that they wouldn't come out again, but she says they like Australia best. I have not heard from her for a while now. She said she was going to write to yoii again, so I daresay I shall sec a letter from her in the page soon. Dear Dot, do you ever hear from Te Kopua or Rosa Bonheur now? They have never written to me since I left Sydney. Sometimes I don't .see the Witness regularly, and I thought that they might hafe written to you and I had not seen their letters. With kind regards, to the Cromwell and Airowtown L.F., and wishing one and all success and happiness, — Yours trul

OCTAVA.

[No, Octava, I have not heard from Te Kopua or Rosa Bonheur for a very long time. Possibly your reminder may induce them to write; — if they see it.— DOT.]

Dear Dot,— We are having very disagreeable weather just now. I pity poor Pudding in Hugo and Higo's letter. I should like 'very much to give a certain person I know a dose of the sour yeaet in the same form as they gave it to poor Pudding. It was just a little worse than what my brother did to me the other night : he poured a dish of water down my back just as I was going to wash. I can tell you, Dot, it was pretty hard having to change every stitch of clothing. Little J. O. must think a great deal of herself when ohe suggests I would break the glass. She should look very hard in the glass herself, and then possibly she would refrain from writing in that manner. There is an old proverb, "Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones." To-day my sister went out to biing in a bucket, when she slipped, and down she fell m all the mud and water. In some of the L.F. letters they talk about having teasing brothers, and I think girls who possess such brothers should exercise very great patience, for by keeping your temper many a drive you can get them to take you, and many a message they will deliver for you. No doubt they often say some most provoking things, that make us feel a>3 if we could give them a good punching if we were able to. All the same, I would not like to be a brotherless girl. Why, about a fortnight ago one of my brothers took me for a drive to Waituna — that is about three miles out of Waimate. When we .lrilved in Waimate we took the horse out of the gig, and were having a look round the town, when, to our surprise, we met our eldest brother and his wife, so we yoked up again and went on out to Waituna, where we spent a very pleasant evening. The nest day was SunJv), •so we started for home about half-past 3, and arrived home at 6 o'clock, nearly frozen lo lh^ seat. Of course it would take up too much space to tell all we did lip there, -o T si al 1 leave that alone. After I had got my brother dome tea he went out, and about halt an '-c r afterwards he came back with two other boys, and as father and mother were out and the rest of the family had gone early to bed, the four of us had a fine time. So that ended my outing for a while. To my freal <h« appointment I had to miss the dance the other night, as it rained very heavily. We have artother heifer in to-day, so that means some work for the cow-spankers to-night "to bleak her in. Lady Stair and Maiden Bell had very good accounts in about the Easter Monday fun, but the latter made a mistake when she said Little J. O. was with us. Did Lady Stair send you one of our. photos? She said she would. A young Highlander, who is not long out from the Highlands of Scotl-.iiJ, is going to take my sister and I for a row on the aea when he comes down country, and I hope that won't be long. I shall close by telling you about my little brother: The other night he was lying flat out in front of the fire, and when he was asked why he was lying there he said that his lungs had moved out of their place, and that he was trying to squash a flea. With love to all L.F., not forgetting yourself and the editor, — Yours truly,

ST. MONICA.

Dear Dot, — I see by the Witness that some one has taken the norn de plume of Little Nell. I do not know who had it first, but if I had it first I would like the other Little Nell to change her norn de plume. The mornings and evenings are getting very cold. I do not like getting up in the cold mornings. Blue Violet and her sister, Water Lily, are just driving heme from school. I would not like to be them, driving up to school in the winter mornings. There are two teachers in our school, and there are about 75 pupils. Bustei Brown went away this morning to Westport for a year. I hope she will enjoy her holiday. On Saturday Joan d'Arc, Bill Bailey, Jeannie Dear, and myself went for some berries up the tramline. As we were coming home we pas&ed an old man's hut, and he showed us a lot of gold that he was washing. With love to Blue Violet, Ivy Green, Ahuriri, and all the other D.L.F., not forgetting yourself and the editor, — Yours truly, LITTLE NELL.

Dear Dot,— On June 3 there was a football tournament here, and there were a good many teams playing — namely, Cromwell, Clyde, Coal Creek, Roxburgh, Bannockburn, Ophir, Cambrians, and Alexandra. Alexandra won both the medals and the caps. I met one of the D.L.F. yesterday at the tournament. When I got up this morning I looked out upon a white world.. Generally after a suowslprm it

freezes very hard, and then I have a ;ol y tims at skating. The school will veiy likely close for a fortnight for the winter holidays, ancl then I .shall be on the ice fioni daylight till dark playinj; hockey. With love to all the D.L.F. and yourself,— Yours truly. Dear Do),— Since T last wrote my mate has gone to Dunedin. It is easily known winter is here by the snow that is lying on the ground and by the hard frosts that we have been expeiiencmo lately. It is great fun snowballing other people, but we ourselves do not like getting hit with the cold sjiow. We have a nice organ in the school, and my sister plays in the chuich. It is a great improvement to the singmg r both in the church and school. We have singing piactice here every Thursday night, also a Bible class, with Mr Adams (our minister) as leader, but owing to the long distances the people have tc walk we hold it the same night as singing practice, >so we cannot take as long to it as we would like. I was down, at an anniversary church social about a fortnight or three weeks ago, and I enjoyed myself very much. During the evening many interesting addresses were given, and some very nice anthems were sung by the choir, also four or five solos by some ladies and gentlemen. The church was very nicely decorated, and as it was a lovely night people came from every part of the district, and the church was crowded. Tea and refreshments were handed round, and after the singing of "God be with you till we meet again" and the benediction had been pronounced by Mr Millar, one and all parted for home. The drive horn© was just lovely, but it was a little cold. I suppose you noticed by the papers that Mr Seddon, the Premier, has been travelling through Otago. He passed through here on Tuesday, accompanied by six other gentlemen. They drove in a coach with four horses, which, were owned and driven by Mr Hugh Craig, of Lawrence. He visited the school, but I shall not tell you about it, as Manx G-kl will give a full description of the affair. I had the pleasure of being introduced to the Premier. I think this is all the news about Rae'a Junction now, except that the white enowflakes are falling fast and thickly. With love to Sunflower, Ede, Hilda, Our Cook, Madame M-elba, and all the D.L.F. , not forgetting yourself and the- - ever- patient editor, — Yours

Dear Dot, — Since last I wrote to you we are in the middle of winter again, with its hard frost and snow. When T woke the other morning I was surprised to heai my sister say it was snowing. I was pleivsed to hear it, for I have such tun, and also we don't go U school because we have such a long way to go. We have the quarrymen who are gravelling the Edievale road boarding with us, and wo have grand fun playing euchre in the kitchen of a night. I went to the Bluff with Sunshine. We had to leave very early in the morning to catch the Edievale train, which leaves at 7 a.m. When we reached the Bluff it was dinner time. We had some lunch in a hotel, and then we had a good look round. 'By the time we had done all this it was time to get ready to come home. We only knew one D.L.F., and that was Anthea. When we landed at Edievale we had a drive of six miles before us. By the time we reached home we were very tired, but happy with our day's outing. 1 had another trip about a month ago. It was to Dunedin. I was to stay three weeks, but "Spring-heel Jack" was prying about the streets, and I was frightened of him. Beofre I left I went to hear Nellie Stewart, who was acting in the Princess Theatre. "Pretty Peggy" was the piece I saw, and I thought it was very nice. I want to know when Mr Ma.ssey is coming to visit us? I. suppose you heard that Mr Seddon, the Premier, was travelling through Otago, and he called here last Tuesday, coming to our school, which we had very prettily decorated in honour of the occasion. We also hoisted out flag. After we had sung to hini and the other gentleman whom he brought into the school with him, he gave us a holiday, and then he drove to the M.H.R.'s for lunch. I had acousin married on May 3at Roxburgh. I was not at the wedding, but I heard she had five bridesmaids dressed in white silk, and that she herself was also dressed in white silk. The presents from the bridegroom to the bridesmaids were gold bangles. Before closing my letter, Dot, I woiild like you to come this way for a holiday. With love to Anthea, Gipsy Queen, and all the other D.L.F., not forgetting yourself, — Yours truly,

MANX GIRL.

[I have no doubt I should spend a very pleasant time if it were summer, Manx Girl, but I think I had better wait till the railway reaches Rae's Junction. — DOT.]

Dear Dot, — I saw by Princess Myrtle's last letter that she had been in Invercargill seven weeks, and had never seen a little folk. Now, Dot, it is quite different here, for there is not a week passes but what I see someone, though I do not always have the time to speak. We are having very cold weather just now, and to-day it is snowing, but we must expect bad weather in the winter, so I suppose I had better stop grumbling. I am thinking about coming down to the social, and if I go Princess Myrtle is coming from Invercargill, and she will come with me. There was a ball up here last week, but I did not go to it, as I would have had six miles to walk home, so I thought I was better at home in blanket bay. My sister's baby has not been keeping well again, and my mother was called up the other night to go to him as he was not well, but he is getting a bit better now. I see diphtheria and scarlet fever are raging down Invercargill way, and I hope they will not come here, as we have enough troubles without them. With love to Princess Myrtle, Princess Mallory, Areta, Tintacks, Vidocq, and all the other little folk, and not forgetting your own dear self and the editor, — Yours truly,

FAIRY QUEEN.

[I really do not know what the linotype operators will say to paper 18in wide, Fairy Queen. It will certainly inconvenience them ; so next time you write you must be content with lines not half the length of those this letter contains. — DOT.]

Dear Dot, — I live up north, about 52 miles from Dunedin. At Easter I went to Dunedin, and enjoyed myself ve-ry mucli. lly lather and brother are going down to the winter show. We have two cows milking just now. My cat Queenie has the end of her tail taken off, as she had it caught in the door. (Last week I went to a social and dance in, Hampden, and enjoyed myself very much. We arrived home at 4 in the morning, but it was a very cold drive. The bad weather has sefc in now, and it has been snowing all day. We have a lighthouse in our district, and ifc is very enjoyable to go and spend a day looking through it. Visitors come from all parts of the country to sea our beautiful gorge. If) i 3 about two miles from our place. Our last school picnic was spent there, and it was a> very pleasant one. We had the usual games and races, then, after we were all tired out, we drove home in traps. The attendance at our school ie not large, there only being 17 pupils. With love to all the little folk, thfl editor, and yourself, — Yours truly,

KIA OEA.

Dear Dot, — Since I lpst wrote the weather's broke, the snow is falling fast ; the winter's with us now again, and summer has gone past. Thick is the snow, and cold winds blow, and everything looks white; the little flowers have died away, the little birds are quiet. I seldom

bear their song so queer, in the trees they Used, to sing, and the humming of the little bee has ceased from on its wing. But still there's pleasure, for at our leisure we can •write a line to Dot; we can also read D.L.F. tales, or enjoy our old friend "Cot. ' Or let us be like Dolly D., and draw the snowclad hills, the great Niagara Biver, and tho winding little tills; and jog along, like a happy throng, till summer comes around, and everything is joyous and gay, and the sun's bright rays abound I'll now conclude, for it is rude to write too long a letter. . With love to one and all D.L.F., not forgetting yourself and the editor, —Yours truly, LOVE IN A MIST II

Dear Dot,-The other day my sister was going over to Niagara Lassie'.g place, when the hcrse reared, and threw her off. She has been an bed for a week, and is .not up yet, so I have been chief cook and bottle-washer ever since. It has been snowing hard here to-day, and^l hope it will continue, for I want to have a real good time snowballing. Since last ■n 1 - 5i gog o. have mad e the acquaintance of ±srmdle. She is such a- nice girl. One night "^ three young mem carrying nine pups, »nd they told me they were s kittens, and I ouita believed them, so I went home and told my sister I had seen such nice little kittens, and she said they told her they were going tip for pups, and she did make fun of me. Wo went "up anil took one home, and it runs •bout the place as if it were one of ourselves, but if you touch it it goes after you, and bites, and won't ■ leave you alone. One day another girl and I wer».t down to Waikawa, and going 'down we met JTansy. I had to get a tooth out, an.d coming away the doctor told me not to open, my mouth, and to keep the cloth well up 6ver" my face. I did so part of the way, btffc I ji'ad such a lively companion with mej<-a.nd A&'^as making- such fun, that ■ I was'forcod-ta uncover my face and share it. Well, Dot, I think I have down- enough chattering, so" I_shall stop. With love to all the L.F., Dot," and the editor,— Yours truly, ; , CHATTERBOX. Dear Dot,— Once again I sit down to write • few lines to the dear old .page. This time, "Dot, I am going to give you a very uhort acccmiit of a journey to Alexandra -with a football team. The week before the football tdurnardent was to take place I got a day or two off ,to go with th? footballers. At last ih-e.nighh hezore xre were to ststjrt came, and yith a monih's pay in my pocket I started for home, to ~ho ready t& go with the trap in the morning. I got I 'to bed that night before 11 o'clock, and &s good luck would have it J I happened to wake at 2 o'clock,- and by halfpast £ I was ready for my journey to Alexandra. Before 3 we were -going at a rapid pace through the town of Eoxburgh, singing the well-known old song, "On the ball." After a cold drive through the falling snow we arrived ftt Bald Hill Flat at 7 o'clock, where we 6towed away a substantial breakfast. At 8 vre were on our way to, Alexandra, and arrived ' -there at about 10 o'clock, and in less than 20 minutes "after out- destination was reached we - prepared", 'ourselves .to meet our opponents; but w« were beaten, the Alexandra boys winning the football caps. After a short dinner I > proceeded, to look round the town, and I found it a charming little place, the houses as a rule being very pretty and substantially built. As r was passing up the main street's D:L,F. gave me an invitation to .tea,, which I am very pleased to say I was able to accept, «nd the kindness- 1 received at the hands of Mr and \Mrs Dewar will never, be forgotten, as long as I -can 'remember, my "first visit to Alex- - andta. - But the' time for us-to.stisrt for home came,* and I had. to -say good-bye-4© Alexandra and my kind- friends, whom, I _wa& aorry to - leave, and -we started for home through' 2in or 3ur-qfvsnow. ,. I think it is" about time I drew

this- scribble to a close, as I know it will -> make- the -editor take- to his bed for a. -week if I goon writing; so I shall say good-bye for a month or two. With lev* to the editor and yourself, and especially to that L.F. who so kindly invited me into tea, although she would not tell me her norn de plume, — Yours truly,

TEVIOTITE,

Dear Dot, — I like toys and pets better than anything I can get. My toys include a doll, of which I take the greatest care — jtist as much as if it were a baby. To-day I have been taking its dirty clothes off and putting clean ones on, and it looked just like a little queer. I put it to bed every night, and take it<up in the morning. I have also another toy — a little black poodle — and a few others, to describe

which would make my letter too lone. It is very cold up here just now, and as the s'uow is" lying on the ground it is very miserable ;

but for all that I like the cold better than the heat. I forgot to tell you what living pets I have. They are a. cat and a- rabbit. I like Darky's letters very much, and always enjoy reading them. With love to all the D.L.F., not forgetting yourself and the editor, — Yours truly, PANSY LEA.

Dear Dot, — It started snowing yesterday, and I don't think it will stop in a hurry. It is a long time since I wrote to you, as I cannot find anything to tell you, because it is that lonely up, here. I. suppose there will be. a crowd down 'at the Dunedin winter show this year, but it does not trouble me, as I cannot get. I ,b.ave only been away from home for a .holiday once, and I think that will have to do me for, a while. I have the toothache something fearful at present, and I only wish, you could tell me a cure 'for it. I suppose the only safe cure is to get your teeth, out, but if. I were to go to get them out I could not tell the dentist which ones to pull, as they are nearly all sore. I hope there are basket parties here this year, because it will not be quite so lonely. Nearly all the D.L.F. •wear their badges on their dresses, but I cannot take mine off my hat, s.s it is broken. I am still going to school, but I am leaving next year. We will soon be able to skate and elide to our hearts' content. I cannot skate yet, but I must staxt and learn this year, as it is far better skating than sliding. With love, to Skylark, Lady la. Touche, . and all tke Test of the D.L.F., not forgetting your dear eelf and the editor,— Yours truly,

LADY DE LORIS. [Sometimes a little ball of breadcrumbs well peppered put into the "tooth will give temporary relief, Lady de Loris, but stopping or extracting are the only permanent cures. The dentist -would soon find which are the. offenders.—DOT.] Dear Dot,— lt has been snowing here to-day, and it is very cold. We are having great fun snowballing at school. It is drawing near the examination now, and I hope I shall pass, as if so it will finish my school days. I have a nice red-and-white calf, and I have great tjvork keeping it in out of the snow. I shut 3 it- in this morning, and it jumped out. Melba's horse died last week, and she "; is- very sorry. It got kicked by another horse, ■ ftnd it was bad for about a month. It got .. .very thin, and could not get up. I am doing fancywork just now, and I like it very welltvThe flakmills are nearly all stopped now, as „ ,the roads are awfully muddyf The factory, ifcoo, has closed down for this season. With ■eve to all the L.F. and yourself, — Tours truly, LATEST FAD.

Dear Dot, — I have made up my mind to unite for "Special Subject Week," so I am busy gathering my senses together for the occasion. We are having lively times up here -just npw. The frost is so hard that the creeks •re thick enough lo skate on. The other day I was trying to skate when tli» ice broke, and

I fell in the creek. I can tell you, Dot, it was no joke on a cold morning, although the others thought it was, and all laughed at me. If you ever skate, Dot, I hope you won't begin till the ice is quite ready, for there is no fun in having a cold bath such as I had on a sharp frosty morning. I have seen Pretoria lately, and I do not think he is keeping a.s well as might be wished. I think he has a hard life, dear Dot, and all those who are able to enjoy life and get about should sympathise witb those who are afflicted in any way. I have sosn the proofs of our group, and I think it turned out very well; and I am sure it should, for it took the photographer loiig enough "to arrange us., and we must have sorely tried his patience. Ho took out o-rie glass and put in another. Lady Stair asked him if he were afraid We would break the glass, aad he said he was a little bit sTnxious, and thought he 'would puT in a thicker one. My opinion is that Waitaki Princess came out the best. While I am writing this, Dot, it is snowing hard, and my fingers a-re nearly cramped with the cold. Yesterday afternoon it was so cold that we could net go out anywhere, go I determined to have a bit of fun. I wanted a ride on the pony, so went away to look for it. We found it a gqpd way up the load, and when we caught it they wanted me to get on an d ride home again, but I did not fancy riding bare-backed. When we got home we put the saddle on, and then I got on while -a little boy held the pony's head. He let go before I had one leg in the stirrup. In trying to put my foot in the stirrup the pony got frightened, and jerked, and the saddle, which iwas not on right, swung round, and I was thrown to the ground, with one foot caught in. the stirrup. I can tell you, Dot, it was 110 little noise I made in falling, and one of the young fellows said- he came out to see what the bang was, and wouldn't believe, it .was my -weight falling to the ground. We then backed -the pony up to the gate, while I s?ct on again. By this time the pony was a bit fiaghtened, ' and reared, and would not go. One" of -the boys hit it with a piece o-f wire, and it jumped right ut>. I could feel- the saddle sliding again, and I found I had my leg vcaudit in the stirrup, and could not lump off. All I could do was to sing out, "I'm falling; I'm falling. Oh! somebody corns *quick, for J'rn falling." My -word, the boys &s>cl_a ejood joke over it when I was rcleas&d. Ne-aclless to say, I was not willing' to get on to-day. I am going to a bazaar next week, and I hope to meet a few D.L.F. there. With love to yourself, the editor, and all the little folk,— Yours truly,

MAIDEN BELL,