UTTERS FROM THE LITTLE FOLK.

Otago Witness, Issue 2811, 26 August 1908, Page 83

UTTERS FROM THE LITTLE FOLK.

not for ourselves. Co*No letter to contain more than 450 words. Dear Dot, — Have you ever been to Eotorua? I was there for a holiday some time ago. It is very wonderful, and some of the places I w°ent to see were most beautiful. One day I went to see the Fairy Springs, and I thought they were very lovely. The Green and Blue Lakes are very wonderful, for you stand on a small hill and, looking down on one side, you see beautiful blue water and on the other side green water. I asked our driver why the lakes were green . and blue, and he told me that an Irishwoman just out from the Emerald Isle was washing olothe9 on Mount Tarawera wlhen the eruption occurred, and it blew her into the lake which is now green, and her blue bag fell into the lake, which, is now blue. From the lakes we went on to New Zealand's "buried city," Wairoa. I was not 3ucky enough to see any of the big geysers >pkying, though- I saw a small one", the Prince of Wales's Feather. Please give my love to English Myrtle. — Yours truly, E. M. C. [I lam so glad to* have found out at last who sent me -thoEe unclaimeld stamps, E: M. C. They have been flying in my drawer for mon'tns. I hope you received the badge safely.— DOT.] D&ar Dot, — It is now some time since I last wrote to you, but I have not forgotten the page. We are having a very severe winter this year. There was a little over 2ft of snow,, which has not all melted yet. There hae been such a lot of frost that the snow has become quite solid, and you can walk on top of it. There ■was a, sad accident in our district last Tuesday morning. Am. elderly gentleman and his son were driving to their work when the horse bo<lted. The cart was capsized and the two men were injured. The elder one was cut about the face, and the other wa.9 still unconscious on Friday. We have not heayd- any nior© of the injured men since Friday, but I sincerely hope they will soon recover. What a number of new writers there are, Dot! I notice there are new ones every week. We are just now having our mid-winter holidays. We were to have a fortnight, but owing to the bad weather school has not commenced yet, and instead, of two weeks we have had seven — Yours truly, - E A. M. CSeven weeks would be a good holiday at any time, E. A. M., but to get them when you are expecting only a fortnight is surely a most unusual <piece of Tuck, from a schoolgirl's point of view! I don't know whether youi teacher would look at it in quite the sarnie way; he is probably contemplating gravely all the work he will now have to cram into the shorter period of school. You must all do your best for him. — DOT.] j Dear Dol, — 1 have not written to your : page for a long while. lam glad that spring has com© again; are not you, Dot? The snowdrops and crocuses are in bloom now, and they are very pretty. lam very fond of reading, and have read many in- 1 teresting books. — Yours truly, EMPRESS JOSEPHINE. [Perhaps you will be one of the first to write me a description of som* book you have read, as I suggested last week Did you read what Black Watch said?— DOT.] Dear Dot, — Since I last wrote to the page we have had a great flood, and all the people are very busy putting up new fences. It

has put many of the farmers back with their sowing. For ourselves, we lost jiine cows by - drowning, so -have had_ to stop going to the creamery. The creamery managerwas presented with a marble clock with a silver sihield 1 on it and his name engraved on the silver shield. I was at a play on Monday week, and. I enjoy-ed it very much. I wcas at "Uncle Tom's - Cabin," too, but I did not like it so well. Our school teacher is going to take _ the school children in to Oamaru to see the Oamaiu Mail being printed, and if she has time she is also going to " take us to the Freezing Works. We are going to have a school concert next mon.th, and I hope there 'will be a good turnout. I tflnnk our examination takes place in September,, and I^jjh.an't. be sorry, as I am leaving school next month. This is ail I have to say just now". With • love to Dewdrop and Heath, — Yours truly, ' LADY MINTO. Dear Dot, — Spring is here again, and there seems to be life in everything. The birds are singing, and the flowers and grass are springing up fresh and green ; the farmers are busy ploughing getting ready for t their crops. Some of the spring, flowers are o,ut. We have some crocuses, snowdrops, 'and violets out in our garden, and the cfaffodils will soon be in" bloom. The daffodils grow widd on our farm; they, grow out in the paddocks, and look very pretty- when they are all in flower. 'Do you cars for flowers, Dot? £ think everybody s'oes. I will, close now with best wishes. — Yours truly, .MISS- PICKLES. [It must be like an English landsoaipe, Miss Pickles, with" daffodils growing wild in the fields. I should' like so much to - see it, for I am very fond of flowers. — DOT.] Dear Dot, — The weather is very unsettleddown, here lately. We have been having •one night ,of frost and fKep two or three of rain. •- The roads' are very muddyv" and the sawmill waggon -has made big' .ruts in them. We are milking two »ows just now. We have an old 1 white horse called Dick, and he is fond of playing up and jibbing. We leave him in the stable »t night, and during tihe day when he is turned ouit he hardly ever goes more than two or three chains away. lam 14 years old now; my birthdfty was on, the 14th, and my father gave me a watch and chain. — Yours trir]^ THE BEAVE OLD GRENADIER. Dear Dot, — I saw that my last letter was destroyed, but I hope that will not be the case with this one. Since I wrote last I have moved from my old home, and I am now living in Pembroke. I like it very mfuch. ' When I get to ibe a 'better writer I shall tell you all about it, as it is a very pretty little township. I was out on the lake for a sail last Sunday with a friend. We enjoyed it very much. It was such a lovely day. — Yours teuly, QUEEN OF THE BACK-BLOCKS. Dear Dot, — It is a miserable day to-day, raining andi blowing. I think we shall have snow very soon; it is certainly cold enough foT it now. The primroses and daffodils are coming out, so the garden will soon look very pretty. I think the daffodils very pretty flowers, don't you:, Dot? We have not been at school .for fire weeks now, as we •have no teacher, and' as yet do not know when we are likely to get one. We have one cow milking just now, and are to get another»to-day. I have a correspondent in England, and like corresponding very much. I nave started to collect post-ciaxds- now, but have, only a few yet. I hope to -ge-t some more soon. I have 41 autos now. Womld Romps be kind enough .to send; me her address, as I oannot answer her post' cards till she sends me it. I saw it in the Witness, but lost it again. We put in a few .potatoes some little time lago. The weather has been, so bad) that we have had no chance to do anything to the garden. My brother has a camera, and. he takes our photos sometimes, but as he is away from home era/oping just now we do not see him very often. Wo are just awaiting the result of a photo he took the other day. As he has not been home yet we do not know what it will be like. He took seven of us, all D.L.F. except one, who is too young to write yet. We have an old. ' cow narue& Dot. She is the cow that came in to-day. Sha will rush you if .you go near her, especially when ■she has a calf. With love to Dusky Dinah and N. E. J.,— Yours truly, LITTLE MISS VANITY. Dear Dot, — I am all ''on my own"" to-night with the four little ones, who are now in bed and asleep. All the rest, except the two big boys, who are out just now, are at Valentine's Moving Pictures, which are being shown in the hadl. We have had a heavy fall of snow in Ranfurly, and the . snow is not all away yet, although it is thawing, for it freezes again at night. Five feet of snow fell in Naseby, which is six mites north of this. . There was a photo of Ranfurly 1 in the Witness, and many scenes of Naseby. too. Rough Ridge was also in. It is a town a few miles up the line. It got its name changed lately to O'turehua, a Maori name. There is to be. a baJl here on September 4, and a concert and dance the following week. We are going to leave • Ranfurly coon and go to Dunedin to live, so I maj be able to call -and ccc Dot some day. Two new railway tanks have been built here, and a windmill and a hot-air engine erected to pump water into them. I am fond of Teading, and have read many books. Among them vre "The Burden Bearers," "The Cbrw! Islands," "The Cbannings," "Three Little Maids," "An Australian Lassie." "The Girls of St. Wodes," "Frank Allready's Fortune," "At Duty's Call on Land or Sea," "Oui Annual," "The Girl's Own Annual," and many other small books which were very nice. There were some nice stories in S.S.W., but I did not write »ne, as I was too late in making up my mind. I hope those who owe me letters wall write soon. I wonder what has happened to Tiny Tim, General's Sweetheart, and Veronica? I have not heard from any of them, for a long time — Yours triily, MANIOTOTO. MAIDEN. Dear Dot, — As I have been reading your column in the Otago Witness and am interested in it, I thought I would write to you. too. The wea-ther up here is not very good, but wt have had no snow yet. I was out for a walk yesterday through the bush. You would be surprised if you saw the number of different ferns there. I like to walk through the bush listening to the birds singing and to admire the scenery. Dear Dot, I have left schol now. I was in the Sixth Standard. I think that the Heathfield Dairy Factory will work this year, but if it does not it will be- a grcjois drawback to settlers.— Yours truly, CHASLANDS WRITER. [Do you find any kidney ferns in your bush? Perhaps it is too cold for them. You ought to make a collection of all the different kinds that grow there. — DOT.] Dear Dot, — rSpring seems to have brought us good weather, for we have been enjoying good weatheT since . August 1. Our school concert came off a fortnight ago, and although the night was wet the hall was well

filled, and we had a very enjoyable evening. The school children sang '£veraJ songs, Kowh'ai bai-ng the" leader in all of them. Four school children acted in *\ piece called" "The Monster in the Garden.'* " Two of them were Eileen Alannah andi C. GK B. The physical exercises, in whicK Kawhai, Eileen Alannah, 'and Handy Axudy took part, yere well received. Other songs were sung by the p-own-up people. The orchestra p.layed a very pretty " selection^ After the concert there was a dance, which,' was kept up -till about 3 o'clock " fn , the f morning. In^my last letter I- told you that . the new station* was going to & called "T« Waiwai," but since then it has been change^ to "Mangarua." They are getting a* new? post office built at Mangarua. There is also talk of another store going up in " that! district. . Our late assistant teacher w«g married the other day. and all -the - t*"* girls and boys received a piece _of hi wedding cake. ~ Our teacher told us to pi it under -our pillow at night to see what - we would dream "of. In my last letter |f asked Koromiko to exchange autos with "me, but she could not have seen it published, , as X have not heard from' her. - I am collecting stamps, and have about 6* kin<is7 one "of them being a- £5 stamp. I: would like to exchange stamps with' anyone willing. The editor of % Schoolmates is going to give a prize for the best diary for August, Sop- . tember, and October. I wonder if there are, many L.P. trying for it? Dear Do.t," 7©~Uf asked me if many ,of our native trees losfc - . their leaves ■ in" winter :' the only, juries ,B know of. are .the -fuchsia and the yibbon- . wood. .Well, dear Dot,' l -suppose it is tima "~ I said goo&night; With love to all tha L.F.,' not forgetting ypur own dear' self,-* Z Yours truly, „• DARK-EYED QTJEEIf, - Dear Dot. — This is t the, first time' Ihaya written, so I hope you iyili accept me'aa one of your "Little Folk. I shall be 13 years' old on August .20. ,We "used; Jo live \m ' I 'Oamaru, but moved here about -two months ago. We went ruf. camping every , yean to Waianfc'karua, and wha-t fun I had!- W« shall miss it this year, as it is too far t<» go to camp. I used to have a bathe every* •day in the river, so I learnt to swim. 1J was frightened of going out of my depth, a* first, but I dia.not mind afterwards. Itt has been very cold lately, and one morning the gate was frozen. I like reading vers much, and I think Edward' S. Ellis's bookg are very nice. lam collecting post-ca-rds^ and have 168. I shall ba going to Portt Chalmers so if you will 'accept m« I will write again and tell you about' it.— = Youtb truly, - ' SUNNY BEAM.[Then this very day is your birthday. Sunny Beam, and I am glad I have coma to your letter to-day, so that I can wight you "Many happy returns."- ■ Yes, do write and tell me about youi risit to Port) Chalmers.— DOT.] Dear Dot,— Since I last wiote there has i been "a heavy fall of snow. It did a Job' \ of damage to the tefegraph 'poles. The/ ' f aimers had to dig "their . sheep out ftx-m|-.j under, the snow. -TSIy. . brother and sister^' take a shovel up" a hill and sit on it an<l let ' i it go down. They have, sorde great spills^', sometimes, but do not get hurt. Oun i mother .has been dead three years in De-»x ceniber, but -it seems like five '.or -.six. years.*^--*-Wo all misa her so much.- k Lady's Blusb'V * lives just beside ,us. ,^My sister from, thevJ North Island, is coming homo at Ohristn^ mis; we • shall s be ''glad to We,, her. Withiy _ love to Gooseberry Bvtqh, Welsh Boy, ancK •' Dark-eyed Queen,-r-Yours truly, , AWAY THE TRIP, Dear Dot, — This is- my second letter to t&tf / page. I am 'eight years.-.old. „ I have, two /. T miles to walk to" school. I "am in the Thir4n Primer. I like our teacher very much.- 1 . May I -write again? — Yours truly, , _ , - daddy;s little pet. tYes, certainly you may writ© again/, littltt girl.— DOT.J ' - "Dear Dot, — I -am going to give you am account of- tbe place where I live. I* is in a valley surrounded by - hills. A/ river runs close by the house, and a fishery is just across the river. It is very interest-, ing to go -tihrough the hatching shed and seel all tbe young trout and 1 eggs. There ar« a lot of very largs trout. Just now the» man in charge of the hatchery 'has wire netting traps set down, in the' river to .catch! the trout. He got a very large salmon this year. It was .up Jto the fishery and| put into a pond, aaid while it was in the, big can they " weigihed it. It was 301b in'J weight." Before the caretaker went to bed ifc', ■was safe in the .pond,' -but in the morning|< he was disappointed to find the salmon qutfj on the grass de-ad! The trout always getf^' minced meat, and are fed three times a day. 5 ? They are very greedy "at feeding time. When!,' they are big enough the are • turned^ out into the river, and' if. you go to fishf shortly after they have been turned out youjare sure to catch several. Tliejp are so used} to depending on someone to> fee 3 thern^ thatf f ■ if you throw in your line 'theyjcome for the*, - bait at ones and are caught. We" have go#. - our winter holidays now. I«m going tq another school now, nearer to our place., The way we go is over a hill and then down' another big hill. I only ,tak<f a quart**of an hour, but going to the' other sghooß -, I always took an hour and 10 or 15 .minutes. We- just got our holidays in time, becaiusa it has been snowing and raining for threa days, and the river is in very high, flood., : With love to Evening Stai and White Foot, —Yours truly, , MISS DAISY BELL. . ' [I had never thought, Miss Daisy Bell,until I read your letter, how in some ways I the artificial rearing of trout would render ! them less fit for contending with adverse circumstances than if* they had 1 been afi liberty .all their live?. But it is evidently true that they could not have "Ic-amed the suspicion of "artifioial bait and raw meat which a fcrout must have if h.a lives to a* good old age. But I should think that theAcclimatisation Society probably provides for this by liberating the trout somi& time before* the season opens, so as to give them time to acquire a little cunning and wisdom in. adapting themselves to their new ciroum-, stances. Can you tell me' if this is the case? I was most interested in your letter, and hop-s you wiLI write again. — DOT.] Dear Dot, — Lonely Lassie's work has 4 accumulated to such an extent that she does not know what to do first. I will oertain.ly dress a dol) for some poor little invalid in, one of the hospitals, and I will send iit up to you shortly. Christmas is drawing nearer every day. I am waiting patently foi the D.L.F. .picnic on Boxing' Day. I wasn't a D.L.F. last time, so I . ' did not go. I had Luceda's Laddie here for dinner the other day ; he was Mredf after walking a long way down to church., "* Lonely Lassie wiE be 18 years of age onj January 9, 1909. • Dear Dot, I must now say good-bye jus* now, as it k getting late. With love tc Gaultheria, - Luceda,' - Bobbie Dear, and Beautiful Lassie —Yours truly, LONELY LASSIE. Dear Dot, — This is my first letter to fcht •page. I have often lead the D.L.F. letters, in the Witness, and liked them very much I «m staying with Lonely Lassie for a feA days. I sua 11 years of age. Dew Dot,

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j I hop»^you will make me one of your happy band. I musf; 'close now, as it- is getting late. With love to Lonely Lassie aaid yourself,—Yours truly, "_ ' / BEAUTIFUL LASSIE. {L nave written your name on my roll, dear.— DOTJ Dear Dot, — It is a long tim© since I wrote to you. I liked the stories in S.S.W. very much. I also saw the photo of the L.F. taken in tihe Irwercargil'l G-aordems, but I did' not know anyone. Since I last wrote to you L-irave got e> little baby sister, and loamI o am very proud of her. Did you have much mow? We bad? pone here. Our examination is over, and I passed. Spring has come again, and the flowers are coming I out in. ijoom. — Yours truly, ! ~ FENWIOK LASS. j [Tell me your little sister's name next time you are writing, little one. — DOT.] j Dear ,-Dot, — I am- 11 years' old, and a™ in the Fourth Standard. During the winter I we had awful, weather,, but now the roads ! are lovely again. It is a treat, Dot, to i have nice dry roads. We hope to play Heriofr schoolboys at football orf Saturday. I was. at a neighbour*© place on Saturday, and had a grand tide an a nice grey hack I called Dick. I like being down thisre, beI cause there is "plenty of room to play. With- ! "out our Bond of Hope the nights would be dreary for us boys. We have it once a fortnight; ,it is conducted by our Presbyterian minister $nd -the Mayor of our township. I enjoy the pictures very much ; they i are so clearly shown. Tihe last Friday i night we had gramophone selections, which were <very good. Theye; were? some v 'very good comic pieces, which, made .us laugh heartily. _ We arrived home about 9 p.m., had. supper, and went to bed 1 , very much pleased witE otfir night's .enjoyment .— Yours truly, . ' THE BEACHCOMBER. Dear Dot,— Once- «g»in I eet my foot on the -shore of tbe D.L.F. Bay, and hope to bs with you in a fortnight. I was very pleased to see my sister's and my own letter in tihe S.S.W. ?«ge. We all enjoyed the stories very 'much, <and were sorry when they were finished. Not many of the old writers, wrote this time, did they. Dot? But I hope • they wili all write when Old 1 Writers' Week comes again. I received a letter from Cartaatkm to-day, and one from .Purple Top, Shasta, and Sweetheart also. I cannot answer ©basta's post-card 1 , as she did not put any ftddoress on it, but it did not require an answer either. Yes, Shasta, lam going to try and- write am essay cm "Hope," but I did not see anything until you told me, and I was gleet to hear about it. Dear Dot, nearly ail my D.L.F. correspondents have deserted me. I wrote to seven or eight of them, and have not heard from thiam yet. I do hope they got my post-cards. I wrot© to Sunflower 11, ArdJeighv English Myrtle, Tenerifte, Smoking Flax, Lola, Lady Leash/, and Mother Goose. I have been very lucky with autos. Out of all those I sent away there were only two girls whedid not answer them. I hope if they see this they will hurry .and .write again. We bad one of the D.L.F. up her© to see us. He was Go-ldem Prince. W© had' some great fun •with him. One nigh* we went up to a concert neld in «h&. of *tihe DunedSn Orphanage. If ever I spent an unhappy time I did that time because of tricks that '•nwjre played on 'me that' might. ' I "don't think. I should have 'aiTived home alivehad not Golden Prince been -there. I«»also i&aw th&* Duchess of Sutherland "and In^g there. We are Graving beautiful fine weather up here at present; Jack Frost has been WP here visiting us also,, and seems Id be staying * long feme. The roads are drying- up nicely for cycling. The laat time I was op. « cycle I got a terrible spill; it was at night, and the lamip went out, so 1 ran into" a xn\. and first the bicycle went round! and round;, and then I felt my headr going round. ' I was very pleased to see- -fche D.L.F. group in. tihe last ..Witness, only the faces looked very dark. I will close, now with love to .Relics aaidi her sister,, 'Golden Prince, Purple Top, Duch»S3 of Sutherland, Inez, Carnations, Priacilla Peel, and yourself, andl best wishes to the club. — Yours truly, TONGALA. Dear Doty— l was .pleased to see my letter in the Witness. It is teraibly cold here in (tbe mornings just now. I shall be gladi when the cold weather is over. I saw a photo of D.L.F. in. the Witness ; tihey looked quite happy. There sure not many who write to you from here. I know Georgina, Kitty, and Wild) Duck's Feather. Wie have 12 fowls, and ■&!« getting a few eggs, but will get more later on. I have been nearly mad. with toothache these last few days," anS my little sister is Slaving her turn now. Tihe school examination is on my birthday, August 25. I think lam going to Oamiaru for my Christmas 'holidays. It- is a pretty place. On© of my uncles has a shop, in Oamaru. He has also some lovely birds — loye^birdte, parrots, doves, goldfinches, iand a great many more. He got 'first, second, and third! * prizes at the Oamaru show for .them. My sister and II go to Bible class on Wednesday nights. My father is a great man for draughts; he is always working out problems. The Musonic ball took place in the Town Hall last Friday night. _ We have put beans «nd peas in the garden already. We had. a great flood in Palmexston five weeks ago, and the Shag River did a lot of damage. — Yours truly, MAY QUEEN. Dear Dot,— This is my first letter to your page, and I hope' you will accept me as one of your D.L.F. I was in InvercarglU for a day some time ago. I went chiefly to see my nephew, who is in the hospital, but ! I think he will be out now. I Lave a. nice . black dog. which 1 -call Nap, and I have a nice blue oat called Violet. I feed three I calves night; sand morning; they are getting nice and fat. — Yours truly.. CRONJE. i [Your name also is new inscribed. Piet. I I am glad tkhe calves ar« turning out * j credit to your feeding. — DOT.] Deac Dot, — Spring is h6re once more, and the days at present are lovely, iho-ug-b early in the morning the frosl lies thick on the ground. There is a feeling of spring in the air, th* buds on tree and shrub are rapidly swelling, and in the earctens primroses, violets, snowflakes, and other sweet messengers of spring are showing their dainty faces, while fch-e birds ponr forth strains oi joyous melody. Is not spring a glorious eajjort, Dot, though fickle in the extreme? Her blossoms are so delicate in form, sand, colour, but beautiful, oh! ho beautiful, thougjj they tack the gorgeousness of many of the summer «nd autumn blooms. Btvt hoiv we appreciate their sweetness after tbe months of winter *nd how fond of them nil ws are! Yesterday afternoon was per•f«ot for cycling, and Grey Valley and I wwit for » ride up as far as A'haura, and we aid enjoy it. It was lovely out of doors in the fresh, iiivigcr&ting air. We had a game of hockey up there before we turned homewards and a pleasant time in the field. I h-ave been out cycling a good bit lately, and consider it a fiji. «x6rci-se. One afterttioon. one of ray fiialeis and I went as far

as *h« bridge over tie Griey Eiver, Between, f going to a D.L.F. picnic,, Tmt I Lave never Ngahere and Black"ball, and -woyld nave liked j bad ihe luck to get' to one yej. We are to visit the Blackball townsnip, only -we ' going to get nearly three weeks' holidays had left /home xather late in th« aMernoon.. after the examination. Happy Queen Bess's and had to be back early. The railway | sister was at our place to-night. Witih love between the two townships mentioned is a j to Happy Queen Bess, Queen, ot the South, splendid moniumeni to tie present Govern- j Bridal Lily, Ohloe,- Queensland, Ovid, and meat. It is six years and arhailf since ' Mother Goose. — Youis truly, this railway of three miles or so in length ' A 'PABMER'S MILKMAIIX was started. There^ were no very great diffi- B Dot,— l am going '-to tell you this oultiea to cope wifli, the greatest being the t ' th ti biotiier and ; bridgng of the Grey, but that was com- jh d during "our week of holidays. We got - pleted four years ago It 1S promised to be holiday! the first week in August, and fimshed at tie end of the year (Echo asks . ™ £ time in tih^ ftway V make , "Wkich year?") People do laugh about ™g* ™ o S?time. readhed M— by i the ra,pidity mtOi *hich it is being pushed ; 36^ s a Say afternoon about 5 o'clock, ■ through. When it is finished tf will make ■ not our destination till Sunday. t great difference to the coal-mining con* ™* £> e{erpe d staying all night with our panics. lam looking forward to seeing Auntie in M— instead of splashing thiough a long letter from Jeanme Dear m the page in the ZHlong a country roa%. Jeamnie Dear, 1 wiU you? I had the P W !*° S«* a drive on the Sunday, and so arir^ed' sure of mating the Lquaintance of a Wei- 'a * our f " end 9 8laJ»8 la J» aboU * S^f £^L ' lington old wrier a few weeks ago, Dot. This ' you may be sure th«t we enjoyed our d^er yofng lady, who used to corrljond under • f fter OI H dri^f a ? % ""•. *3* the pen-name of Doreen, spent a? afternoon • to see TJna IrewinMß, and spent * night and evening nere with three otoer young ' %■&■***> * ud < ladies. What with music, songs, and recite" ' D.I/.F. matters. ]*** £ft £ » tions-for Doreen can recite splendidly,- . ™* awa -y in Dunedin, and she, was left in , we' spent a most enjoyable time to- of the house. She also had: to be . gether Well, D»t, I read our fifth annual a f cook. I enjoyed myself ve^ry nrac£ *nd , Special Subject Week with much pleasure, } also =*m joyed the n&» on the traon to and aid thinfc it out- be voted a good success! , fr ° *° 1 ' We /J?* V£3£? Some of the stories were very interesting ; of old- mend% one of <fcbem being Jtose-teaf. j inS,- Tread eaoh and all with interest,. A" o !"**** TO had . ft very -enjoyable weet butlome of -the noms-de-plurae I had looked' ?n? n Saturday morning w* We preparation* forward- to seeing were missing. It would !*« <"» Jotok* l»onwwwf- ,^2!^!?, i£3T be i vexy buay time ior you, dear Dot, but ' *t 3 p.mr, very sorry and glad th*t our hoh- , when- do not your Little Folk keep you ' day Trias ended— glad to get- home-. to see occupied? &uch numbers are continually ' mother, as she USA been having the .house joining our band, and all receive &. hearty j all *o herself for «, week, and must have welcome from you and kindly words. You i &!* very quiet when -my toother and I were are. a good successor to our late Dot, and -away, «s w«^ two are tie youngest of the I «Anire tbe way you jarry on the page, i family. Boysw, my uncle, kas been giving Do so many letters to T©ad and correct ' com« pretty broad .hints abxrafr describing ever .tire you, Dot? I notice that it is i tne pionio at • Wanga,toa Be»cb. some- time mostly the younger members of our band \ ago. As it has been described by an abler • &ai write nowadays-. I do not for a moment \ pen than mine long ere this. I will ondy grudge them, their space, foi are they not I add that I thoroughly enjoyed myself, and equally invited with the ddter L.F. to pen ' hope all the other D.L.P. didlikewise. 1 letters to Dot? But wouild 1 it not be more will close now with love to Blue Kocket, enoouxaging to our Queen if we- older corre- Pond Lily_ Glen, aaid- Una Trewmnon. spaodents aupported her better, chums? Toure *ruly, OI*IVJ!» itU.biJ/. Then rally around-! Now, dear Dot, I must [You tell Boysie, Olive Rose r that instead draw this somewhat rambling letter to a of giving hints about doing things, it would close. In a few months it wi!3 be good- be a good plan if he did his describing nimbye to my days as an active D.L.F. With self, and tell him lam sure we should aH much lov>B to you, Dot> and all my com- enjoy his version of the picnic. I am glad rades,— Yours truly; WEST COASTER. you had such a pleasant little holiday.— [Yours is a cry I often echo, .West DOT.} j Coaster: I "do not want tihe older DX.F. i Dea-r % Dot — It is a good: long time since to forget the page because so many youngea- j to y<)U ao i w ai just write a fewones are mow writing It is a very great lineg noW- T . he carnival that we bad in aid pleasure to me to get letters from correspon- of the p dpe Bao a uniform -fund- turned out dente who were constant writers before ever : v Tlie i ast nigbt it was on was I was Dot at all, kbA it gives me a a t ni ht . Tt€ra W&B suc ,h, a large hme pang when I think they are forget- orO!^ a there s tbat you move for ting^eKr old aJJegiance. Nat to me, West , q^ caxniy^ w . a 9 held in the new Caaster-rfor m this I am. quite impersonal— §* H n rlle wea ther up here this week but to the page itself, tlbe institution. I; , lovely ATe you having good Dear Dot, — This is my first letter to your don't happen to 'have my scales or exercises page, and my friend and 1 I wish to become j -played right s^h* gets angry. The days are members of your band. We don't know of f getting a little longer now, whicih is a good any IXL.^. here, and we think that we : thing. I was at n. 'hockeiy match in Wyndmay bfr the first pembears of our band in j ham the otheT day. Wyn-dham played against this town. I would! like to communicate J Mananui (Gotc). Mananui >wonv they" had with some of your Oamaru D.L.F., as I j fo Ur goals to Wyndhara's two. With love to was born th,ere; but as I have been away Cyck>, Millie, and tall the. other D.L.F., — from there for a number of years I sup- Yours trxily, - E.. -E. W. j pose I would not know «ny of them. I D Dot _ T am writing to you for- the ' also knevr some of your members when I foJnLTWin* that yoS will accept me I left *c place I'did not know Lir noms j %*™£ E?£jg S? ~ tU winto. de plume, but I can remember their names. -£f " avic "»«■ ">"« j t^i,-j«- t* n rr> «^.i>«ftl WeS, dear Dot I have not muoh to toll ft^^K^L&S* wZ\%t<£ S^T^JL^Jt^^JS iffi J»SU exam^on^on t^ie %^ and I some of the fruit tree* a» already in f a ™f . - a 3 Vn«r 9 truly . bloasom.-Youra tauly, AHUEIEI. brothers and three sisters.-Your^trgy^ | [I «m quite pleased' to admit you to d t Mavora; membership of ! our band, and shall also . l^ ds^ if yO u had been working faithgive your friend • lc f m * wfie « he tee - fuliWl the year. I have entered your You are certainly ahead of us If you have F LUUJf . T j o * l - * " ntn t it fruit trees in- blossom; we are still having ' nam * 300 *' "° yOia ale a prOper D-li-F-fairly severe frosts.— DOT.J now.-DOT.] TVo-n+Tt, •+ i t Dear Dot,— This is my first letter to your Little Folks^etters, and I would like to .^ f _^ b^ f D LF . iam e ight years ""J" A yy = U - «. « am T*t yeal9 d> 3^ d J old. I have been going to school for three go to the South School. I came from Eng- ya M xd f 4^ g ti j- h&ve nwer feni^tl^r^^S^S d rr-T e6 ,, br €T?> i9seil a da ? Jam in tke First Standard. Wolli« and PianJae, last Chnstmas. It is jw h t * d bena Thia is all very difEerent here from London,, where w H b t j wxi , te in? _y OMB there are a lot of big shops. We came jn a J J LYNWOOD. big Ship called tie lonic, and we had great ,_J' , . . „ . -fun. My uncle Jim gets the Witness, and .. tYou _ -ace pen and ink very well for a my cousin reads me lome' of your letters, little girl m the First Standard Lynwood. With love to- Dewdrop and yourself, -Yours Certainly you may writeagam; I shall be truly, LONDON DAIS*. S lad to hear from you— DOT-1 j [Yea, Daisy, living here is different from , Dear Dot,-I am »» *bm to tell you living in crowded London ; but I think you "^ . «$° I °] co^f ert> whl x Cb Wa ? h -f will begin to lake the life here, and will °? the 16th July The concert was in aid especially enjoy fite gardens and tbe greater of the Papakaio School funds. The first part opportunities of living out in the open. I ™s taken by the children, and the second hope you will write Part by people from Oamtou. The concert _ , was t opened oy a bandl selection, and was , Dear Dot,— lt is some time sine© I last followed by a comedietta done by five little , wrote to you. I suppose you will target children This little scene amused* many of , that such a p&rson exists. However, I will t t e pe Op i«. The next item on the programme write more frequently. We have had a was^a, recitation by Mas Kitty Elder, which terrible winter here, Dot. How can I de- was very n i ce j y sa ,id. The junior room scribe it! The plain as far as one'-s eye san a ca ,H«d "Little Cherry Blossom." could see was covered with water. In seme [ Th ° Ben i O x room also sang a song called places it was deeper than others, and many , .^jjg <3 unoes » Another interesting part of people had to shift and take up their abede ! tte pro <*ranime was the Highland fling, in other houses. It was great fun to see danced by four Scotch lassies. The second the rescuers rowing about in boats. Alas, par t G f the programme was opened by at the poor animals had no boats! They had to chorus, and was followed by recitations and swim for themselves, with their heads and* gon^s Yours truly, backs just above the water. They took refuge ( ° • PBINCE.SS AKATOEE. on the hillside. The trains stopped running ( „ _ -^_ n _ T past here for a few days on account of the ' Dear Dot,- 1 often read your page, so 1 flood, but they soon started again. The think I wiU write to it. lam 10 years old, first part of dTy land was the road. After ana arm in Standard 111. I am glad it is all the water had disappeared from there , spring again, but it is very cold yet. Vo some of the neighbouring people cut the , you like flowers, Dot? I "taint tney are road in several places so as to let the water lovely. I hope you wiJl let me- be one or run off mo<re quickly. It is not all away ' your happy band. I have only read one yet, but it is running off slowly. My sister book, and that is "The Boy's Watchword • and brother and myself were down at the Ido not like reading very m« c^ •>"* / ■ lake yesterday for a walk. We reached home think I will learn painting. With love to about 4 o'clock, after spending a delightful Waihopai and yourself,— VY ° l H^ n tr^l\ irv , day. I was at a dance in Berwick last week, j ' KlAOr ««uul. and it turned on;t a great success. I wns ' [I beheve you would like readin-g if you in town two weeks ago, and! had sis teeth began with a book about your great name- ( drawn whilst under gas. I never felt any- sake. Could you get "For Freedom's .Sake ? \ thing— only had a pleasant dream. Corning It is a fine-book, about Bruce and Wallace.— home I took the s-bawl off my mouth, and ( DOT.] caught cold. This I did not know until nsxi; £) 6ar Dot Six or eight months have i da.y, and I had then to s^etul some time in c ] aTCSe .j B i nce I last wrote to the dear old bed.— Yours truly, PBI2CCESS ALICE | p a jjj*° are having beautiful weather. . Deai Dot,— As lam alor.e to-night I The Eock and Pillar mountains have still J thought I would write to you The exa- their coating of snow Dear Lady Battersea, mination is to bs iield soon. I shall be I received your welcome auto, and hope you glad when it is over, for I will tbsn know received mine in return. I am looking for- i if I passed or not. I hope to pass, bec-aupe ward to having a good time at Christmas, if I pass I sliall then leave school That Somebody's Comrades is puzzling his brains was a very nice piece of poetry which J"«ia lo think of something to tell you. We iiave Pell RTote. My mother was very sorry to a canary, « goldfinch, toad a thrush. They read in tn e paper about the sad ending of have been having great fun in Naseby lately Jack laiaa-oa. She knew him whsn a boy, with the snow. Last Tuesday was Green going to the Dnnedin High School She ancl Gold's birthday ; he was 19. We are always talked of him being such a splendid going to have x cricketers' concert here footballer The cows are^ very nearly dry next'month. Dear Dot. if a person .vas borai Wo shall finish at the end of the month. I on February 29. would they have to wait i hope- I ckall bs able to get a couple of four years before their birthday came again, holidays then. I have always intended as the 29th only comes once in four years?

Christinas kily is away from' -here now: sfi« has gone -to H*wea. Flat. I hope sWi* toavmg » g 6od\time, -I ihope you am-fvedi home safely on Tiursday, ndgh/t, Phlox Drum™«ndi - I must close now. With, love to .Phlox Drummondi and Christmas " Lily — Yours truly, STICK IN THE-.SNOW! [I believe the birt&day of a Leap Year " i baby is usually celebrated .on the 28ib, of February, as it is on that day that he : completes a certain number ©P years.. It would be hard i£ he were- only allowe^Tone birujojay in four years, wouldn't it? DOT.J " | Dear Dot,— We- are not baying very good I weather just now. The winter holidays are .past now; the days were all wet. We sot an extra day because tihe teacher could not come out from Dunedin. I enjoyed reading the letters for- the Special- Subject Wee? very much. The spring flowers are- coming out in bloom now. Axe not the spring flowers very pretty, Dot? I " have a'good many autos now. I am) going, to close my letter , with love to Irish. Molly, .Essie, and youi- | self) — Yours truly, - r_ I LA' FE-Ef-MAEIE. [ Dear Dot, — This is my first, letter to your I <page. I' hope- you; will let me join your , happy band: I am 11 years old, and in' 1 Standard 111. With love, to all the D.L.F:,—. 1 Yours truly, "■• I - MTTLEi MISS BOBBIE! ! [Yes, you may join, us, dear. Try in your ; next letter to find! sometKing interesting to ~ i tell the' dfch&is Little Folk about.— DOT.] Dear Dot,— l am gfiing to join your-bancl if I .niay. This is my first letter, to "you, andl; I hope yeu- will accept ~me as one- _pi~ your D Jj.F. Ther^i' was . a concert^ here on Friday night." *J>h ere.. were a good few* D.L.F. there. ' I like reading tihe "L:F. "letters. I was going to write before, but S.S.W. - stopped me. . It is very h»rd" to . t.Ki-nir of a. ' norn ,de plume, Dot, beoa.use you have got so many D,L>.F V and tli«y have chosen almost all the names I can. think' of. Our Cook told you that Sweet Seventeen was married. The two bridesmaids were- Our Cook and Butterou"p Grirl. Wheie fcss-Leuore got to? I have not -seen, a letter front iher for a long time. I«m in .the Sixth Standard, and like going to scihool, though most' people don't. I wonder where that dear old 1 / Royal Bi-ue has got to? I must close now, with love to Lenore, Our Cook, Boyal Bluey Buttercup Girl, and vZulu,v Zulu, not forgetting yourself and the editor. — Yours truly, 1 : WAIT A. MOMENT. * i [You forgot to sentt m!e your address, Wait a Moment; but if you will send ii I ebalß inscribe you .as one of my D.LJP. I admit that it must be. difficult to-find^n»w noms de planner ' now ; but y.ou, xt any^rate, have solved the problem successfully. — DOT.J v Dear Dot, — 1 was' at our school concert, and' Malta Vita and I stayed to the dance. It was very' cold coming- home th» next morning. I was very sleepy, but I got over that. Malta Vita was in Dunedin when the flood was on; she. got homie before the washout. We have a graphophone and 70 - ■records. My cousin, BoyaJ Victor, ifoas a, graphophone, too, and m»ny other friends about here have graphophones. We aTe milking one cow now. With- -love, to Our '"Cook. Royal Victor, Red Bangle, MaJta. Vita, /and Manza Nita, — Yours truly, . - H LAUGHING WATER. Dear Dot, — Since last I wrote- to you a . few months have passed, but I have read the page all the time. I liked the stories ■in. S.S.W. ; they were very interesting. I suppose you -heard about the Hood and 1 washout on the railway line. When I was fording home from Dnnedin after aJ short visit, tiie train just missed! it by an hour; so, you see, I very nearly had! io go back. Bjut I would not have oared, because 1, enjoyed" myself so much while I was there. I went to see "The Scaarlet Pimpernel" and a few i other plays. I see two of cur L.F.. have . | tihat name ior their N'.D.P. Do you like dancing, Dot? I have been to two or three concerts, and stayed to the dance afterwards. I like dancing very muoß, so your may guess I enjoyied myseK. I met one L.F. there; her If.D.P. was Tongala. I also know Our Cook, Cruciform, Verbena. Brisk, and a few others. Have you had much snow in Dunedin, Dot? We have not had very much up her© yet"; I hope we do not get any more, as the sheep .are beginning to lamb now, and the snow kills a lot 'of them. I have a pet sheep of my own. When it was a little lamb it got its leg broken, and my mother bound it up, and it grew together -again; then she gave it to me. I called it Nibble, because she was always nibbling at me. I suppose it vmib beoa<use her leg pained her. With love to Manza-' Nita, Laughing Water, Verbena, and TongaJa.—Yours truly, MALTA VITA. [No, l' can't pronounce it, Malta Vita, and 1 it would be too much to ask the pfin'ter to print it. But next time you cwmie to Dunedin you and I will have a try at it together. DOT.'] Deai- Dot, — I am going to write you a few lines to let you know tow things are getting on here. We- have still got snow on. -the . ground, but * lot went j^jvay to-day. Wti h'avc fine days - just now. We are going to . Dunedin to live soon, Dot, and then I ma.y see you. Our stock and furniture sale is on September 10, and we^ will ba going to town on the 11th. My sister, M^niototo Maiden, is helping me to write this letter; but as I'm! not very big I'll say good-bye, with best wishes to all L.F. and yourseli.— Yours truly, _ FLOWERING CURRANII Dear Dot, — As we are very '.ree girls we are writing together. There is snow on the ground yet. It was been lying a month, so it is time it was away. It went away a lot to-day, though. None ot our cows or horses have died as yet. We are feeding tbam now. We go to Waipiata with the cart, but we do not go to Rough Ridge on account oi the snow up that way. We get our meat from town to sell, as we cannot get anj fat stock here. We think this is plenty this time, so we'll close, with, love to all L.F. and yourself.— Yoxirs truly, WILD BLOSSOM 1 and QUEEN OF BEAUTY. Dear Dot,— Please may I join your happy band? We have had a good winter here. I would not like to live at Naseby or Taieri. They mu3t have had an awful time, with snow and -floods. I am 12 years old, and am in the Fourth Standard. My little flowed ', garden is in a nice sheltered corner, and is. quite" fresh and green yet. Tiie frost did not spoil it. Some of. the flowers are wallflowers, pansies, snapdragons. Canterbury . bells, mignonette, and phlox. The 6wo last hawe % few flowers ?n them yiet. — Youxs truly, WHITE FUCHSIAj.io;, [Yes, you may, White Fuchai'a, when-you-send me your nami- and address. Tell >m» all about your plans for your garden for the corning summer. What are. you sowing? -DOT] Deoi Dot, — A ii is About twp monthsrsiu r t >vrote to you I think It about time - I giuhered up wuragc again. Much to wf '

etwpiise,' everybody knew who Wayback w*s i at one©.. ' ot» ■ neighbours surprised- us- very" ■ftubh by giving as * "surprise ' party" & week «go. They came at 9 o'clock in the evening, and we danced and played all kinds of- games till 5 o'clock -next morning. One of the neighbours helped to pass the time with his phonograph:, and! several of\th« j jparty sang. A D.L.I?. qu*rtet (Monie, j Harvest Bell, kittle -Princess, and Pixie) j sang "Poor old Joe" and "Won't you buy my ; pretty flowers?" -"When it was over Pixi« svnd-I'sat by tie fixe till daylight, «s w» thought it, was-n.pt irorfcß while going to *bed ttntiljwerhad milked the cows and 'done other ~ necessary -work. I tried to persuade -.J?ixi« to. milk the cows by magic., but she "■- 6*id that she did not believe in - encouraging 'laziness. I «m losing all faitK in - pixies. -1-liave read most of the books in the list j f3bit was- published in your page a/few weeks j - «go, and liked' them very much. Of the - Jmtnoious _books I have read, I think lenjoyed "most "Tom Swwyer*'"*na "Thio Adventures of Hucklebury Finn," by Mark Twain. We have hud a very mild winier here this year — only on© snowstorm, and that » vexy light one. — Yours truly, ■ . WAYBACK. Dear Dot>— This is my first letter to your page. I hope you will let me join your } -band. I am 11 years old, and I am in the > Third Standard, One of my sisters wxites I to your page.- Tlie- weather is * very fine, J «nd the roads, are dry. ' They have been -' gravelled: We are milking -two cows. We" &ave~ eight Worses ;: "two of tJi&m.-are iacka, .-. and"" all the "others- are".-' draught --hoises.- 1 - Youre trjily,,- - r - - PRINCE RUPERT. [Yes^Prince-Rupert, I «m glad to welcome^ f your highness.— DoT.3 "I ,-bea* Dot,— Thi»; is my first letter to you, »nd I. would like very m!uch. to- join your r " happy band." I am 11 years old, and I am in the Third Standard. I go to the Albury School. We" nad su football match with Cricklewood on Saturday, and ' Albuxy won hy 17 points to. nil. I "scored twiae — 3 points each. time. I nave no pets to tell you about. —Yours truly, PUKAKI. " [That was a famous victory! I suppose you axe very sorry the football season is «o. nearly at an end. 'Are you a cricketer— too?— DOT.] AUTOS. Toxigala., Tapanui, wishes to exchange autos •with any D.L.P. willing.. Little-Miss "Vanity, care Mr <A. Camipbell, "Waikawa Beach, via Forfirose, wisnes to exchange autos with Queen Emily, Boy, Indian - .Chief, Tomahawk, Texas Jack, Queen of May,emd she would be pleased! if Romps would 1 - .send her" her address. BADGES." Badges sent to E. A. M., Empress Josephine, Kf M. C. ' . " WONNIE."Ise Tangles's Wonnie; She says I vos bonnie, An' airst me to div her ye turls Vat muner tant tomb in ye niornin'; -An" I Hot 'em, for Tangles' my dirl. I didn' vant to bovver My daddy ox muvy«r, So dtofc the big'cissus mise'f; » -I <3!ot .'em as «©sy's nuffin, " v . .'Tause dey .didn' been put on tne she'f. •. Ye cisstts vas vicked, . ' £ ' An' tut my , turls trooked, _^ ■ 'N.-nrawer'H be spikie, because On becount .of dose vicbed.,ole cissud r Vent -kut myhjur trooked atross. .• ,Vare! Ise tut 'ficient For Tangles. -My! isn't- . It nice to have her for a dirl, — She'll laf like a dood' 'un and tiss me, When I div- her dis handful of fcurlsl — Blondbl. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. - Tune Rose. — I have written to Harry and -asked him to- send you youx auto, cards. EOSE OF Shabon. — I am. sonry to say that I -did not receive t!lie letter you speak of, enclosing stamps fox v badge. Will you make full inquiries about it ? Perhaps you will find that it was never posted. At any rate, I am quite certain that it never reached me., r Queeh Bee. — I am surprised to hea-r that clovers of 6, 7 end 8 leaves have been "~ laund. I have mever seen then* with so many leaves as that, though I have frequently found 4 and 5 leaved! clovers. Thank you for -writing to tell in© about them; I should' be quite interested to ®cc one with so large a number of leaves, if it is really' no trouble to send one. JJA Ora.— Thank you for the post-card. I was particularly glad to see the words "All's well" in the corner. RIDDLES. 1. Why is bread like the sun?— {White | ITuchsia.) j 2. What is is that is sown in patches and ; yet has no stitches? 3. What is the difference between a thought ' «nd a donkey ?? v — (Kippiehoe.) CLUB REPORTS. Monday, August 24. ■ I have received no reports as yet from either the Dunedin or the Invorcargill Clubs of meetings last week. Our page goes to press on Monday, so that none will now •.ppear this .week. . r " - . DOT.