LETTERS FROM THE LITTLE FOLK. Motto:—Wo write for the benefit of others, not for ourselves.

Otago Witness, Issue 2808, 8 January 1908, Page 83

LETTERS FROM THE LITTLE FOLK. Motto: — Wo write for the benefit of others, not for ourselves.

CT*No letter to contain more than 450 words. Dear Dot, — I am having musio lessons now. Our examination was a* few days ago, and I am glad to say that I passed into the Fifth Standard. I was at the "Wyndham,. Show with Sweetbriar 11, and it was very good. Our school is nearly full " of D.1r.1?., ■and they are all playmates of mine. Our garden is looking very nice; all the loses are out. My sister used to write to you a long time ago ; her name was Verone. We are. milking 44 oows, and they are giving a. lot of milk. Birds' eggs' are very plentiful this year. — Yours truly, BUTTERCUPS AND DAISIES.

Dear Dot,— There was an excursion to Eivertcn from Hedgehope, and I was there. We had i fine day, and! enjoyed ourselves fery muc&* 1 had tvo pi three iailg o«.

r * the oil launches. We left Hedgehope at i 7.10 a.m., and arrived at Riverton at 10.30 ; a.m. The train left for home again at 4.15 s p.m., and we were back at Hedgehope at i 7 p.m. The farmers about here have all I their oats in, and' some have their turnips in. ■ Most of the people about here are away . to the Invercargill show to-day, and there are only mother and I at home. Some of s the farmers about here have finished shear- ' ing, and we shall soon start to shear. The i Hedgehope River, which winds about through . this district, has its banks covered with i scrub and trees. It looks very pretty, and its i water is so clear that you can see the t trout swimming about in it. I was out for i a drive round the district this morning, and when I came back I started to do some • gardening. Dear Dot, this afternoon I ' thought I would write you a letter, and would Ike to become one of your Little Folk if I you would let me. — Yours truly, I SAWYER. , [Certainly I will allow you, Sawyer; this • is a very good letter for an introductory one. I think those, trout must b© having i a very good time in the water to-day; it i is so hot that a river is the best place to > be in.— DOT.] ■ I Dear Dot, — This is the first letter I have ' | written to you, but I would like to become 'i a D.L.F. I am te-n years old, and I am 'in the Fourth Standard. There' are 30 children in my school, and we have fine fun. ' This place is not very far from Invercargill, and the roads are generally very good, so we often drive there on a Saturday. This place is very pretty ; there is bush nearly all round it. We can see the Hokonui Hills in the distance. Sometimes we go into the t bush and get some pretty ferns. We have a. J>oac of f«rns in tb.« school, QillCl they . look very pretty. We had a concert last i month, and some of the school children took • part in it. "We have a few hens, and they : are laying very well. We got over 200 eggs i last month, and we put over 100 in the • waterglass, so that we may have some next • winter when the fowls are not laying. I > am very fond of reading, and I have read a l good few books, amongst them " The Swiss ; Family Robinson," "Sail Ho!" and "Uncle ', Tom's Cabin," and now I am reading "Robini son Crusoe." Have you read any of those books, i DotY Our Christmas holidays are to be in . a, week, and I hope I shall get a prize. , We had very good prizes last year, and , also some lollies divided among us. We had I six weeks holidays last year, and we en- : joyed them very much. — Yours truly, BILLY BUTTON. 1 [I have read "The Swiss Family Robinson" ■ and "Uncle Tom's Cabin," Billy Button, and 1 I think they are both splendid books for boys. • Which do you like best? I suppose you ' would like to be cast on a desert island and ' have all the adventures the Robinson family I had.— DOT.] i Dear Dot, — When it is dry the big girls i play at tennis and the little girls play at r rounders. We have grand fun some days. I The weather has been -very fine, but the ■ other day it rained. The rain was much ; needed, as the ground was v 'very dry. , Everything is looking so nice "and fresh since 1 the rain. Since I last wrote my youngest . sister has started going to school. She went > the week she was five. My sister has a pet i lamb. It eats grass and flowers. Its name ; is Benjamin. My brother is very busy sowi' ing turnip seed in the garden, while my father > and two of my brothers are away at our . other farm shearing sheep. We have a little- • kitten which bites our baby's toes and I fingers. The baby throws the kitten about, 1 and 1 then creeps after it. — Yours truly, > BLUE RIBBON. ', Dear, Dot, — How time flies! My birth- \ day will be here before I see this letter in print — if I ever do. Why, it does , not seem long since my last birthday. Dear . Dot, I have discovered another of your | enormous band, and I find her a capital mate. Hurry up and write to Dot, O. K. I \ am looking forward to seeing your letter.' , We are having lovely weather. Most of the j farmers up this way have started shearing. r They are having nice, dry,' but very windy, [ weather. The gardens were looking very dry ( and parched, but a shower of rain which • fell last week freshened them up splendidly, : and the gardeners are very busy keeping [ down the weeds. The rhubarb is ready for . making, and mother has made jam, and is mak- . ing more. The flower gardens are at their best at ; present with their numerous kinds of flowers. ; The forget-me-nots and picotees are very nice. ' I have a Christmas lily in the middle of I mine this year, and round' the Christmas lily t is a border of sweetwilliami and stock. A • while «go I sowed some anemone, but it did t not grow. I wish it had grown, as I am > very fond of it. Do you like house plants, i Dot? If you do, and have not any, I will > send you a slip of two. Mother -has some i nice geraniums, and an ivy geranium with i nearly 40 blooms on it. Won't it be pretty ; .when they all come out? The colour of it i is heliotrope. I have a double bright red • geranium and another onej but it has not bloomed yet, and I do not know the colour ■ of it. Dear Dot, have you any auto, cards ■ in? With love to Nemesia, Violet Daisy, ' Marjory, Happy Ike, and you, O. K., — Yours ■ truly, A TELESCOPE. \ ' [You are ' wondering what colour \ your . geraniums will turn outj- Telescope. I am ', wondering the very same thing about my ] carnations. I have some that I do not yet . know the colour of. I wonder which of us i will find out first? You ought to, I think. 1 It is Harry wlio keeps the auto, cards; you get them from him.— DOT.] ; Dear Dot, — I suppose you thought I was never going to write to you again. The other day I went to the Huntly sports, and my cousin won a race, and I won the sisters race. , We all went foi a picnic the other day, and ' ' had a bathe for the first time this summer. We took our lunch and afternoon tea, and were not back till quite late. Why doesn't 1 T.O.T. call himself Tot? I wish you would ask him. Dot? My cousins were coming down ; to-day, but it rained so they could not. I ! saw a picture of a D.L.F. picnic in the Wit- ! ness, and I wish I could go to one; perhaps ' I shall be able to some day. Some friends of ours have just had their house burnt down, and they saved hardly anything. It was. silly of me not lo send my whole name last time, for I could have got my badge before. Wishing you a happy New Year. — Yours truly, BRER RABBIT. Dear Dot, — As I write these few lines the rain is falling softly on the grass, which was just bf-ginning to look yellow; but now ' everything as far as the eye can see looks fresh and) green again. "Laddie," my uncle's 1 cattle dog, is in good spirits this morning; •— here he comes bounding up the verandah. He bids me good morning by jumping and 1 barking around me, and then away he goes. ' i The birds all seem very happy, too; the • small birds are singing sweetly in the ' orchard, and among the wattle and gum trees 1 on the river banks are the parrots, magpies. ' | jackasses, and numerous other birds. Some ■ of the farmers have cut their crops, and others will soon be ready to cut theirs. I " was at * cricket match at Marysville a forti night ago. Buxton and Marysville were play- . ing, end Buxton won by 37 runs. There was i another cricket match at NariDethong- yesterd day, but I did not go to it. A «irous passed

{ through here last weefr. Tkvro were 70 horses, ponies, mules, and donkeys with it. They , camped down at the river all night, and there were 58 of the horses, etc., in one of our paddocks. Some of them were very quiet, and I could catch them. There was a school concert here on Friday week, and it was very good. After the concert was over prizes were given to the children,' eiid | every child got a. prize. The strawberries i and currants are ripening now. "We did not get any of our cherries this year. The birds knocked them all off the trees before they were quite ripe. The roses have been blooming for a long time, and are now almost . done. The Christmas lilies are now out in flower; it is a pity they do not lasfi till Christmas, because they are so beautiful. My father killed a snake on our verandah the other day; it was just going in the door when it was seen. There are a lot of pretty wild flowers about here, and! I often go out gathering them. People from New South "Wales are bringing a lot of sheep over here to get grass for them, as they have not got enough to feed them over there this year. Dear Dot, I must close now, as my ponies are waiting for me to feed them'. — Yours truly, , INEZ. [I see you had it excessively hot in Melbourne »t Christmas, Inez. Did the heat wave affect you, too? We found) Dunedin quite hot enough, but we ar thankful for the delightful weathe* we have had for our holidays.— DOT.] Dear Dot, — Have- you any flowers -out? We have a great many sweet peas. What a lot of L.F. tbere ar© writing 'now! • There are a great many new ones in every week. I am collecting post-cards, and have a, good tt'any, some of vhieh I got from, the I>J?_. I saw by the last Witness that som« Maori girls had started to write to the page. ■ Their words seem very funny to us. I think I know the answer to Rosy Cheek's riddle — A pair of tongs. Is that right?— Yours truly, SCARLET RUNNER. Dear Dot, — I have been head cook for a year now, as my mother died six years ago, and my elder sister has Been in the hospital for -a year. But I think my sister will soon be horn© again, and I can tell you I shan't be sorry, as it is rather hardi work cooking and washing for six men. I have no other-^sister but the one that is in the hospital. I am very lonely sometimes. I was only seven years old when my dear mother died, and my sister was only -12. Well, dear" Dot, the place looks very nice now, as everything is fresn and green, and all the roses are out. We have white, red, pink, and moss roses; I like the red roses the best. We have had a few nice showers of rain to-day, -and all the farmers are very glad, as it is just • what the crops wanted. Everything seems. to brighten up after a shower of pain, end! to look fresh and green. There was concert and dance held here about a week ago, and it was a great success. Do you like aiding. Dot? I do, and I often go for a/ride on Sunday afternoons. Dear Dot, it must be very tiresome having to re»dl so many letters as you get in a week. I am reading a nice book called "Sheila"; it is written by one of my favourite authors, ' Annie S. S^wan. I also like the books by Nat Gould. Some of those I have read are "Hilla and Dales," "King of the Ranges," "A Rank Outsider,',' "Seeing Him, Through." and "The Famous Match/" Dear Dot, heve you had influenza? I have had) two ■attacks of it, and I oan tell you I didn't like it a. bit.— Yours- truly, - . J ' HONEYCOMB. [You have done very well, Honeycomb, to manage a house so young, and 'I am quite j proud to think 1 " «rh"at a. capable little girl you are. I hope your sister will be _ quite well soon and able to come home again, so that the two of you can share the housekeeping.—DOT.] Dear Dot, — Please may I become one of your Little Folk? Having often, read the letters in the Witness, I. thought I would lijke to write too. I am 12 'years old, and am in the Fifth Standard 1 . Our examination is to-day and to-morrow, so the next time I write I shall be able to tell you how I got on with-it. I have a little pet dog—* fox terrier, called Toddy. I suppose you will think Toddy a funny name fdr a dog, but I like it, and I think it suita her, for 1 sometimes call her Toddles. Dear Dot, I ■will tell you more about her and myself next time I write, so godd'-bye just now.— Youra truly, - POPPET 11. [I like both Toddy and Toddles cc names for a dog, Poppet, and I shall be ijlad to hear more about your little Toddles next time you writ* to me. You ar«, accepted now as one of my D.L.F.— DOT.] Deo* Dot,— Although I am not a. D.L.F. ' I am anxious to become one. 1 I know 9, few members already — Sweetheart, Mascotte's Pupil", and Somebody's Sailor Boy. Sweetheart is at present staying with us, and has been the means of drawing my attention to your page. I hope I shall derive much pleasure from my connection "with it. - Trusting you will accept me aa one of your band, — Youra truly, ' SWEETHEART'S CHUM. [You may certainly become one of my band, Sweetheart's Chum, and I hope that you will derive much pleasure andi pTont from your connection with it. — DOT.] Dear Dot,— May I join your happy band? I have not written to you before. lam nine and a-half years old, and in Standard 111. We are having a lot of rain; how ia it down your way? I live in a place surrounded by hills. On one of the hills is a monument in memory of Sir John M'Kenzie. One of the hills is only 1000 ft high, but when I climbed it I thought I had done something great. Our crop is in ear. We are milking 12 cows and feeding four calves. Ia "Ethe" the answer to your riddle, Mat?— Yours truly, I/EX. [Yes ' you may .also become * member of our band, Lex.— DOT.] Dear Dot,— This is my first letter to your page, and I hope you will accept me as one of your band. It has been very dry weather in' Central Otago this season, but we had a good rain the other day, and it_ has made the crops andl grass grow. My sister and I have a little pony, with which we drive to school, a distance of three and a-half miles. — Yours, truly, SNOW GRASS. [Another little newcomer, who is also very welcome. Who drives the pony, Snow Grass? Can you?— DOT.] Dear Dot, — I was very pleased io se« my first letter printed in the Witness. We are going to have holidays and prizes soon, and a school pienio at the beach. We get crayondrawing at school, and I like it. My brother writes to you now. I wonder how many Little Folk -write to you? There must be an awful lot. I am in the First Standard now.-Youxs truly teß [There are more Little Folk than I oan count writing to me, White Wizard; but, since you are a wizard, perhaps you oan tell without counting. The crayon drawing must be very interesting. Have you done brushwork, too?— DOT.] Deai Dot,— l am a wee girl four years old. I have got three pusaiea. _ I tfamped my head to-d-ay. I go to school, *ad «to&« funny men

on nty slate. I have got a wee baby sister. — i Yours truly, OLIVE PRIMROSE.

[Poor wee girlie that bumped her head!' Were you bravo enough not to cry? It is such hard work to keep the tears away when* one gets a big bump, isn't it? — DOT.]

Dear Dot, — This is my first letter to you. I go to school, and I am in the Fourth Stan-' dard. I shall soon bell years old^ The White Wizard is my brother .and Una Trewinnon is my sister. I like riding on horseback. My sister likes the bicycle best, but I don't, just because I can't ride a bicycle. What do you? think of my norn de plume? We shall soon, be shearing at our place. We had a pet lamb, -but -it died. We -have a pet chicken. Its mother' nearly killed * it, so we keep iti for la pet. One day the cat came in, and the> chicken ran after it and pecked its leg. I know one of Olive Rose's brothers. Now, I think this letter is long enough for a, > begicrer. — Yours truly, .

LATOUR D'AUVERGNE.

[Ycur noml d& plume is> French;, l wonder what made you choose it. That was a very intiepid- chicken, to go running .after the cat and pecking her leg. I "think it must have" been the audacity of ignorance, don't you?— *■ DOT.]* .- *

Dear Dot, — I have-not written to your paga before, Imt I have at last made up my mind to send you a letter; that is, if you will let me' -join -your merry band. It is very. windy, lately. We had a ,few -thunder-showeis the other day, but this wind has dried everything -up ■ again. Our" crop is looking very* well, because 'it v is sown^ in at swamp. We drive a distance of * about three miles and a,half to _ school every morning, and we have *o fee '»* ,-sclrool -«,* hstlf-pa-St 3 o'olOOfe. ~W"B' are milking taree cows just now. We also feed > seven pet lambs,- whose names araCLummy, "i Larrie, Dandie,- Billie, Topsy, Jessie, and Jim. We live in Central Otago. lam in the Sixth Standard. Our examination was in November, and I passed my standard. There are about 20 children going "toour school. We have got our shearing done, and we had fine weather- nearly all the time. We have- somewhere between 1600 andt 1700 sheep. I have a little pony that X. drive in "a little gig.— Yours truly, NEW ZEALAND MAIDEN. [You also aie . welcome to the page, littla^--nuaiden, and I ahall " hope to have many » letter from -you now that you are one ofDot's' Little Folk.— DOT.]

Dear Dot,— l am - going to tell you aboutfa- very sad accident which took place here «t Messrs Ward Bros.' flaxmall, the victim being) Edward Burnside. • Edward was. on tb# lefthand sida of the ,, machine ' feeding it, ancj. his brother,. Fred was on the right. WhiMsfi engaged in this work, Ted's left hand andi. arm were suddenly drawn into the machine, and a-a the guards gave >ay his head antibody followed. - He must hvre been kille<3instantaneously. Ted was a native of Auckland. He was a very nice fellow, and boarded with as fox a long time. I often mentioned hia name 'in my past' letters. The flaxmill is closed down at the present time, ancs things are very quiet. I was going to gotto 'Dunedin for my holidays, but I am nou going now. One of my brothers went to' Dunedin in the afternoon train which leff/ Lawrence at 3 o'clock. The weather hera has "been very warm for the lest six >r seven; days.- The crops are -looking very well aboufthere at the present time. There wa& a con-., cert a-nd .d!»ncV held here on the 6th December, 1907. Dear Dot, I am^going fo thaiLawrence District High School after- tho •holidays are' over. I shall have a. walk oft three)-miles to it. The school which I havefleft is not very far from the house. Thexei are * number of D.L.F.^ about here. Myl garden looks- very pretty at present;" I have** a_ number of very pretty roses in it. Myj sister Lizzie went to my grandmother's- mi Gore for her ' holidays. One of *my * cousins, is here just now._ I like reading the p.L.F* Pages,, and I get very interested in th«letters. I read some very nice stories in) Schoolmates, and I ani very sorry that we/ will not get any more Two of my -brothers' are working" in the North Island. They didi. not coma home- this Christmas. My sisten and her two children were coming "up, bufi they qould not get away. I think they will' come in a fortnight's time. There are raced in Lawrence on the 18th and 19th of January* I have still got my lamb and 1 the two calverf, 1 and am milking the two cows, Polly anxt. Lady. — Yours- truly,

A JAPANESE MILKMAID, Dear Dot, — As my sister is writing tojfnight, I thought I would do so too. I know a good few L.F. now from, about here. Somcu of them h«ve just started to '.write to the( page. We have been having very broken! weather here lately, and the shearers havo(been stopped with their work owing to th«j( sheep being wet. We have not 'started outf shearing yet, for we are waiting- for othetf shearers to ' finish. We are only going tolhave three men besides- oui owrl_ .eight. Wet ■shall have them) over Christinas if they ■weather clears up. I do not think I shall! be here next week, as I am, going awayj for the' Christmas holidays. When I com* back I shall write and tell you about it. 1 sold 20 dozen birds' eggs end .heads to-day,* but the money is to . be divided among the(' three of us. We have- ft very large planta-< tion, and there is no reason why we shouldf not get plenty of eggs. Last year " I felß from a high tree, and was stunned for a. while, but not otherwise hurt. Our teacher) had his matriculation examination early in! December, and we had a fortnight's holiday^ There was only a week between the two holi-'-days, so -that we are well off for holidays.' During these holidays 'we had! two of ourf little mates staying with us for a- while, anot we had some fine fun. My cousin, is comingr down to spend his holidays here; -but I shalll not be liere to see him. Mi the fortnight'^ holidays I had to ride round the sheep {of keep them from getting cast. They need| to be looked after in wet- weather as well asf in fine, fpr when the fleeces get wet theyf begin to itch, and the sheep start to roll* and can't get up again. If they are lying! over a day they die, "because they struggle* to get up and then' get tired. Sometimes iff it was very wet I did not go. My grey-and-; whiter pussy has three little grey kittens 1 ,; Another tortoiseshell has six ugly yelloW ones, but they are all wild, *nd won't leti you catch them. This is- bad weather for( sowing turnips, and * lot of the farmer^ have stopped working. — Yours truly, A JAPANESE DUCHESS. ■

[I am anxious to know whether your sister} got her badge safely, Duchess. It was kepi; in the office for her for, I think, two weeks f but as -she did not call. I had it posted to her.— DOT.]

Dear Dot, — A few weeka -ago 1 went for & trip up the Wanganui -River, and I am goingto tell you a" little about it. We left Wanganui at 7 a.m. on a Thursday, end were on" the water all day, not reaching Pipiriki until 5 o'clock the same day. The boat stopped a/ number of times to pick up passengers and: -leave provisions and mails. On Friday morning the> steamer left «t 5 o'clock to got further up, and again we spent a whole day on the v river. / It is very interesting going 1 over ' the rapids. Cables - are used to helpgull the boat along, and «s«n then only very,

- slow progress Tbo rrxca^Eei. Mjke -sise2i«ry 559 ' ' magnificent, and ~tne river winds "in "and" oni; all the time, adding to the beauty. The part ., called the '■Drop- Scene .was • pointed out to . ii», also the waterfalls' anil the oaves. These ] ,'- 'three 'Bret quite to one -another. W/e ' ie&ched the Houseboat at about 5 o'clock, end stayed there v -until about- 11 o'clock next » morning. The irrip dojwn the river does .not take 'so long, and everything looks 'ctuitei j 'different. We spent -a whole day 'in Pipiriki, and, then Teturned to Wanganui on the Monday, thus ending a most en.jovabWnolid&y. — ! Yours truly, ■ , GBKECHESN. -II am sure that must have been a delight* fill trip ; ~l< have made it myself, and know j -how beautiful it is. Please do not write on " both .sides of the paper, GrTetchen.— DOTJ Xtear Dot,-^-We have had holidays lately at' our schoof. I am going to get an ■.attendance certificate if I go -to .school all thisi ' week. I he-ve two miles and a-half to walk to school. We have some lovely , flowers out at present. I did not see any D.L.F. at | Gore -show, except^ those that.l^Jcnew. There , •were a great many people at the, show. I . ■was on the "Ocean Wave* ,' there) but 'not; at Invercargill show, I s*w one man , at. the_ Invercargill- ~ show- with a D.LJ?. j .badge in his cap. I went in for a Sunday ' school examination a while ago, ■ but I do| j not know how I got -on at it.— Yours truly, I ■• A WHITE VIOLET, j < Dear Dot,— You will be wondering if I have forgotten you. .Maizie Bees goes to school ' with, aie; she is in Standard V. T see A Farmer's Milkmaidi does' not know that I I lave changeS my name from Greenleaf to ! .Bridal Lily. My little brother is away to { the hospital to undergo an operation. • He is ;' only eight years old. My cousin is staying', •wiSh us until mother comes home. I know • Billy; she used to go to school with me. j 1 i >W* have four -weeks for our Christmas . noli- . days. We -have four cows in, and 'one calf, I >Hch I claim. We have also two pet lambs; one is a big onp 3 and the other is small and ~_ ' won't, arink milk. With love to Billy, , A 'Farmer's iiilkmaid', Chloe. and' Maizie 1 (Bees,— Yours truly, BRIDAL X.ILY. 1 Dear Dot, — I' have been '«. long time ins ■" i writing, but I nave had no for you. > - 3 have been -at home from school for a fort- j night, as we broke up on Monday tweek. I j can waiting patiently for Monday to come, { "ieoauee I am going aw,a.y to Warrington for a month or six weeks for my holidays. My , father bought a house -fiiere, and it hadi only two Moms, but dada got two more 100 ms , and a verandah addecLio it, and we heve aj quarter of an acre ,and a nice garden mi ! . _ aront._ It 's situated on. the rise exactly! opposite the station, and is painted white) < "writls light green facings end «> red roof. We hive called it "Haeremai." It is so close ±o the station" that you can Bit on the I yerandah and speak to the people on the train. There is one tiling I want to ask; IfoTj, Dot: that is if the D.L.F. have a '«»uge of description l . — Yours truly. ] LETXH. I '[Indeed they have, I»eit3i: it seems quite ' strasge that you not know of our little .silver badge. If you want one, and sen&tale Is 6d in stamps, I shall iorward one / to you.— DOT.] v j '* Dear Dot,— The weather jere has been very dry up till the last few days; jt broke •witii a thunderstorm, .and it Iwib 'rained ever since. I ant working et a. sawmill jusf ; Vw, and I like it very well, although it is - teayy work. Ursula hae * just -.got clear of file influenza, and EoclereoE-an naa taken it' for the second 'time, The cantata "David the Shepherd Boy" was given neie some time •go, a-nd as the night was oalm and moonight the. hall >s packed* to the door. The Cluiha shots 1 wae «n fii« -61ir pf iPeeember, J and there was * =good crowd «t it. Aboiit the : ai4dle of the show it mined, is tuumA, andi j

eexrl ~£lio people lr\e^i^-n^ £o±- &. place ~<y£ -slj-eHiex A3 "Ursula 'has told you all .about. ,litile. W.K.G7* dsath, I don't" -neeS to say anything about that. — Yours truly, ? ■ • ' . B. T. S. Dear i>ot, — The crgps ai^e looking very ■well just now. Thfe fruit is coming on too. Most of the" Cherries anil ' strawberries are ripe; I think there is going to "be. a gooct harvest of fruit" this year. Our school is closed 'just -now, and there is going to be <a school picnic. The birds are not so thicTc this year, and there are not so many eggs. ■There are a good many young- rabbits about just -now, and it is great fun chasing them. You know, ihey are -very cheeky, and do not seem to be afraid -of anybody, and aTe caught in that way ■sometimes.— Yours truly, BABBIT HtnflTEß. Dear I>oi, — It is a good while since I last wrote to you, so to-night after I lad finished' my lessons I thought I would), pen you a few lines. All the crops about' here are looking -nice and" green* owing to the .rains w« have been having lately. Swamp Hen was at our place th© other day, and we had a fine time. I am collecting post-cards, anil have about 350. I have a garden of my own, -and it is looking very pretty just now, because most of the rosep aie out. ' Do you like roses. Dot?. I think they are about* the nicest flowers you can get." I will close now, with lovei to Swamp Hen, Millie, and Mora, not forgetting yourself. — Yours truly, IONA. Dear Dot, — It is a long time since I last wrote to 'you, so to-night after I had finished my work I thought I wouldi write you a few lines. "W« axe having very ' wet weather ; for several days it has been raining now. There is to be a school excursion tin January <■ to Moeraki or Shag Point. I think I 'shall go if it is a good day. All the. school ' children are! looking forward to the holidays now. I don't think I shall be going s-way for my holidays this year. Swamp Hen wate 'at our place on Saturday, and -we had a lovely time. lona and Swamp Hen went forv a ride. They both got on, one old horse, and went galloping round the streets. W-e were afraid lona would fall off, but she didnH. What a. number of new writers are in evsryweek! Don't you get tired of reading all the letters. Dot? None of the "W D.L.F. have written for a long time. I was srpeaking to Another Primrose a few days ago. She was staying at Flag Swamp for a few weeks. " I collect postcards, aoid I have two or three "hundred. With love to Swamp Hen, Another Primrose, Violet Leaf, and Mora, — Yours truly, ALVEBA. Dear Dot, — We have had two N days > rain •without a stop* and the sheep are Very wet, and we can't shear. We shan't be shearing again till next Thursday, and I hav.e \got nothing to do till then, so. I am having a good .time. J! sent you a letter from Alexandra about a. week ago, Hut I did not see it in the Witness -of December 18; I suppose that was on account pf O.W.W. I have read the.. D.L.F. Page right through this" morning, and it -was very interesting. There are some very able writers writing for O.W."W. T"have read, both Witnesses containing Old 'Writers' letters. I get the Witness «vexy week to see how the D.L.P. Page is getting ' on, and, as far as I can see, it is getting every -week. I wish to thank all 4he Ga;ma-ru and Alexandra D.L.F. who made me .welcome to their parts of the countiy; I am very sorry I cannot get up to Gaaoaru on New Year's Day, as I promised come of the D.Tj.F-, bat my work -won't let me. If it ob -fine on Kew Year's Day we -shall be busy shearing. With best wishes to all far a happy New Year,— -Yours truly, NED DE VINE.. Dear Dot, — I want to the Inverca-rgill summer show, and although it was not a very

nice day, I enjoyed myself fairly well. I think Queen Bess and myself will be going 1 up to our cousin's place in Gore after Christmas. My birthday was on New Year's Day, and I was 11. We have some lovely roses out in the garden just now. Our Echool excursion "is to be to the Bluff, and! I hope it will be fine, but it seldom' is. The crops are all looking very well in this district. — Yours truly,

MELBOUBNE.

[A birthday to begin the year with seems to me a very nice idea, Melbourne. Do you like having it then?— DOT] Dear Dot, — My two sisters write to your column, and I thought I should like to write also if you will have me »s a member. We had our school concert on Thursday. I' got first prize in my .standard, which is the Fourth. We had our picnic on Friday, and I won two or three races, and I enjoyed myself very much. On Sunday we shall have our prize-giving for the English Sunday school.—^Yours truly,

MISS FBEDDIE.

[You have forgotten to send me any address, Miss Freddie, so that I oannot yet enter yeu in my book as one of my DXi.F. But I shall ba glad to do so when you let me have your address. — DOT.]

Dear Dot, — Just oner more letter before Christmas, and afterwards I will then write and tell you all about my Christmas holidays. I w.as at the Wyndhami show, and I met one L.F. ; I forget her norn de plume. She was with me nearly all day. I also «aw one riding in the show ring; she got either a, first or a second prize. I wonder what has happened to Vivian I; she has never answered my letter, and) it is a long time since I saw one in the page from her. Hurry up, Vivien I, and don't be -so slow, or look out for yourself th© next time I see you. How is Pretty Joe getting on? You wilt know who I am, but it does not matter. — Yours- truly,

HAPPY QUEEN BESS,

Dear Dot, — I was very pleased to see my letter in the Witness. I passed in our examination, and I am now in the ' Third Standard. We have 22 pet lambs now, and we feed them from a bottle. It has been raining two two days, and we have had to stay inside. We- have four little kittens, and they are such playful little things. We have sold fifteen Hundred birds' eggs this year. We -were going to our school picnic on Wednesday, but we did not go because it began to Tain. We had a concert at home last night, and 1 we had singing and danqing. and at 11 o'clock we had supper and -went to bed. I collect post-cards, but I have not got many yet. I /hope to have more before long.— Yours truly, LASOA.

Dear Dot, — -"^Sfe are shearing- to-day, and we are kept very busy. Our nolidays started! to-day; we are getting a- fortnight. Our examination is over, and I am in" the Fifth Standard. I am only 11 years old. We have 20 chickens. I was at the Gore show, and it was a very pleasant day. I was on the "Ocean Wave" three times. Our garden is red with roses; we have roses everywhere. TVe are having "very bad weather, but it is a good day to-day. We have three dogs. We had a magic lantern at our school on Tuesday night, and I liked it -very much. We have one lamb to rfeed now; we weaned two because they would not take milk, and only ate the cabbages. My 'brother -got a wee hare, and we only Itad it a day when it fallowed us -CTerywiere. OnA niglii Tie iold. me -to feedl it, and I forgot to, and next morning it was dead. — Yours truly,

, BUTTEBFLY 11.

[I am so sorry you forgot to feed your little pet, dearj very young things, wnether young animals or children, have to be fed so regularly and carefully if they are to grow up healthy. How sad you must hove felt when you knew your forgetfulness was the cause of its .death! — DOT.]

' Dear Dot, — My cousins are staying with us just now. I am> going to Dunedin tomorrow with my sister, and we might stay a little over a week. We have our school holidays now. The school broke up last Friday for six weeks. We all got prizes at 'the break-up, and mine is » book named "Finding Her Place." It is written by Howe Benning, and is. such a nice book. We had a school concert here last Wednes3ay, and it was a. wet night; but all the wme the hall vras crowded- The «nnual| Sunday school social wias held last Friday evening. I was there, any enjoyed myself very much. — Yours truly, KITTY.

Dear Dot, — Our school broke up on the 20th of last month, and our school master is going to the Bluff for his Christmas and New Year holidays. ' Our examination will be held about the sth of March, 1 think. At -the last examination we had we all passed. I am in the Fifth Standard now. My grandfather has shorn his sheep. We found some very"- small pearls in a shellfish we found on the rocks. I have been to the Biuff for a trip, and I enjoyed myself very much -when we were over there. \My grandmother and I - went and my grandmother's nephew. — Yours truly, KAHUI,

Dear Dot, — This is my first letter to you ; may I become one of your. Little Folk? I read the letters in the Witness evfery week, and I like them very much. I go to school, and am in the Second Standard. I have about three miles to walk. I know a few D.L.F. already. — Yours truly,

FOG GBASS

[Then you will not feel a stVanger, will you, Fog Grass, if you begin by knowing a few D.L.F.? I hope you will like being one yourself, and will write me a letter whenever anything interesting happens. — DOT.]

Dear Dot, — Since I last wrote to the page we Itave come to Winchmore to live. It is vary lonely, and I do not get out much. We are six miles out of town. I have not any pets yet, but I am going to try andi get a few. We have a cow, , and I have to milk her, but I do not mmdi that, as I like milking. I have a dog, 'and vhe i» blind. We have also a hack, which I have to "feed. She is very quiet. We have only had her about three months, and I have not had the courage to^ide her yet- I have a nice side-saddle and habit. I have not been on a horse for four months. I used to 'ride •a, lot when we lived in Fairlie. I had a horse of my own, but we had to sell him. JPairJie is a -nice place in summer", and is not co lonely *s this place. Iri summer I UEed to watch the motor cars leave their sheds eveTy other morning for Mount Cook. The nisotor cars have the mail contract for two years, and aro much quicker than the coa«h. There used to be a. good few D.L.F. in Fflirlie Creek,' bnt they have nearly all left the district. I used to know Mount Cook Lily, Gpiaha, and a number of others, but I foyget •^hejr names. I would be very glad to .exchange autos with any D.L.F. With love to Lamp Glass and all the D.L.F. that used 1 to live on Ashwick Flat, — Yours

:mmebman.

[I think one always feels strange and! lonely just at first in a new place, but you will soon get over that. Write to the page frequently, and get a few D.L.F. correspondents, «.nd you will soon forget that you ever felt lonely. I am so surprised that

you do not ride; yon must begin again. — it fa such a great pleasure. — DOT.]

Dear Dot, — I am up at Lander, at my aister's place, and am enjoying myself ve^ry mucn. Lately I have not been able to devote my time to the reading of the D.L.F. Page, but I still take an interest in. it. Wishing all the L.F. and yourself a happy New Year, and with love to I.E.T. and Lizzie's Sister, — ITEHMROSE 111.

Yours truly,

Dear Dot, — We went to Brighton for" a! holiday, and we stayed a week. We drove out, and when nearly there my brother looked back and saw «. trap with three ladies In it. They were at a bridge, and the horse would not go over; ' it backed the trap into the river, and my father and my aunt went back to help -them. They got a. good! duoking, but got out all right. We have two more black kittens. I have not received any autos yet, but hope to get them soon. I send my love to Lady Olive. I wrote some time ago, but the fire was my post office, because the letter was so badly written. I am saving up 'to buy a Shetland pony. — Youxs truly, MABBLE.

[Brighton is a gtvand place v for a holiday, isn't it, Marble? I """am sure you must have enjoyed yours very much. Have you a moneybox for the money you are saving? And how much does a Shetland pony cost? — DOT.] • Dear Dot, — Twelve months have vassed since I last wrote to the page. Since I have com© up to the North Island to live with my sister. We live on the Omaranui Station, and- it -is nine or -10 miles out of Hastings. I will try and give you a description of this place. The house is situated on a flat, and all around there are hills. At one time the place where 'the house is was a swamp, and' all around there are drains running over the ground. They have to be looked at twice every diay to see if any of the sheep have -fallen into them. There are a great number of poplars and willow trees around. The willows are planted chiefly for shade for the sheep and cattle in the summer. On this station there are over 200 hens and about 100 turkeys. When I have- finished my work I have fine times looking for eggs, but I never get very many, as the nests are away out among the rushes and hay. We are having very hot weather just now. It is much hotter here than in the South Island. — Yours truly,

w VIOLA,

Dear Dot, — It is a long time since I wrote you, but I have begun at last. We are having very hot weathe*" just now ; the thermometer is at 85deg. We are milking two cows now, celled Bosie and Cherry. There are only four D.L.P. about here. I know them all, f6r we live pretty near each other. I am in the Third Class 'at school,-and ~1 am nine and a-half years old. I was at the Arrow show, and was on the merry-go-rbund such a lot of times. We have only two horses now, as one * died just ' a short time ago.— Yours truly, STUFFY.

Deax Dot, — The place where I live is surrounded by hills, the Takitimo Mountains' occupying the north-east. Among the writers to your page that I know .ate Pixie, Ardleigh, and Waiau, none of whom, I think, have been writing long. Pixie was once a schoolmate of mine, but she left over three months ago. It has "been very hot these last two days, but through the, week there was a little rain. My two sisters and I have a pony, on which we used to % ride for -the cows. Our school las closed for five -weeks. My sisters and I Jiave a small flower garden, some of the flowers- of which are out in' blossom. I am learning music, and, can play a few tunes.— Yours truly, MONTE.

[You will .be another little iiew member, then, deer, and 1,.- hope you will like being a D.L.F.— DOTJ

Dear Dot, — Although I have for some time read the letters in your page, I have never written to it before; but as a few of my friends write, I thought I should like- to do the same. I Jive in a district about 40 miles from Otautau, and about the same distance from Lakes Te Ana-u and Manapouri. Sometimes tourists go past here on their^ way to v the lakes T have mentioned. The scenery around here is very beautiful, and the Takitimo Mountains attract the notice of nearly every person who comes here. The W.aiau Biver and its tributary, the W-airaki, are both near here ; the first-mentioned is to the west and tie second is to the! east end; part" of it to the south of where I live. There are a great many hills about iieTe, and some of them ate over twelve hundred feet above sea level. Paradise, teal, andi grey ducks are often seen here, and swamp hens live nea-r the swamps and creekß. I go to a household school that has only three pupils, my two sisters and myself making up that number. There used to be six scholars, but three left a. short time ago. The school is closed 1 for five weeks' holidays. I know only a few of your writers, amongst whom are Ardleigh, Pixie, and "Wai*u. Pijrie was once one of my schoolmates. Monte, who is mv sister, has al3o started to write to you.-Yours truly, HABVEST BELL. [Writing to us will give you occupation for your leisure hours, dear. 'Will you tell us something about the birds you see around you? I know the -wild duck are very plentiful in your district. — DOT.]

AUTOS AND POST-CABDS,

Hex (A. Wright, Bushey Eoad, Palmerston S.) wishes to exchange post-cards with Mat and Pansy Blossom. . „, „ The White Wizard, Waronui ScnooJ,' Milton, would like to exchange autos with Bret Harte, Old Pine Log, and any others willing. , , _„,' Latour d'Auvergne, Waronui School, Milton, would like to exchange autos with Piripi, Blue Eocket, Young Deerfoot, and any others willing. A Japanese Duchess, Wairikiki Station, Mataura, would like to exchange autos with any D.L.F. willing. Alvera, care Mr A. Murray, Waikouam, would like to exchange post-cards with any D.L.F. willing. Coloured preferred. Sure and prompt replies:lona, care Mr A. Murray, Waikouaiti, would like to exchange autos with any Flag Swamp D.L.F. Viola (Bose Minty, care Mr C. Carr, Omaraaui, Fernhill P. 0.) would like to -exchange autos with any D.L.F. willing. Zimmerman," care Mass L. Fiefleld, Est street, Ashburton, would like to exchange autos and post-cards with any D-L.F. willing, and ■ asks also for the words of the song, "" But give to me the good old times of fifty years ago." « Kitty, The Cieamery, Palmerston, Otago, would like to exchange autos with any D.L.F. willing, and begs to be reminded if she has failed to send any that she owes.

ANSWEES TO COBBESPONDENTS,

BtTONSiDB.— You have sent only a shilling for your badge; the cost is Is 6d. Wul you let me know if you still wish to have one, and if so, enclose the' remaining six stamps? •Stamps, please; it is not allowed to send coin in letters, and the P.O. authorities inflict a fine on " the re-

ceiver of a letter containing loose -coin. W. H. G-. — You have unfortunately forgottea to **&& your norn 4« pl«H|* along

with your request for a badlge, so tha€ I &o ' not know if you aro entitltfcii to ' -w«ar on«. 'Will you let me know, please? Then I will send you a. badge at once on finding that you really are a D.L.FNEW YEAR CARDS. Again this week -I have to acknowledge the receipt of many kindly greetings, in the shape of New Tear cards and post-cards', from numbers of Little Polk. Cards from ~ the following have reached roe since last weekj and I want, in return for their kind wishes, to wish them also- a Very happy New Year: — Mifanwy Mr and Mrs Young Angharad 1 I/ady Osburg* Emerald; Grandpa's Sweetie Vidocq Daddy's Gem Edievale Gipsy Queen E. H. B. Angelesea Crimson Eambler Queen Maud. —DOT. D.L.F. BADGES. Badges sent to Brown Bess, Nelly Hard) Case. /