LETTERS FROM THE LITTLE FOLK.

Otago Witness, Issue 2861, 13 January 1909, Page 83

LETTERS FROM THE LITTLE FOLK.

I Mono:— We write for the benefit of others, cot | lor oursebes. jfc^"Ko letter to contain more than 450 words. D-ear Dot, — I am sending you a piece of ! a creeper. Can you teli me the us me of it? I have asked several pecple, hut no one seems to know. It grows on an old-fashioned house not far frcm where I live, and looks very pretty. I had a piece with flowers and berries together; the newer is like a white star, but I saw that no more letters were to be sent in at the time, so it withered away. I went, to a picnic on Christmas Dav, and enjoyed myt=elf very much ; I hope all" tl.e D.L.F. did the same. We have a little fcal, birt it i<* not well just now; it is such a pet, ard I hope it soon gets Lstter. "Wisning you and all the Little Foil: a happy Xew Year.— Yours truly. XELSOX'S VICTORY. [I am al-nost certain that it is a contoneaster, but should have liked to see the flower, to be quite fure. Does it grow in a very heavy and compact mass? The cotoneasxer doet.— DOT.] Dear Dot,— Christmas has passed, and we are in the midst of our Christmas holidays. At the close of the school the teacher gave all the children prizes. Mine is called "The Jubilee Haii." and my brother's is "The World oi Ice " They are both very mteroatin^ books. Our examination was in September. Everybodj passed. ar.d lam now in the Fifth Standard. The Sixth Staud«rd had to go to Arrowtow'n to ba examined. I stalled t\io letter? since the last one that you received, but they got no further than the hre. Our school picn'Y v.i'l be he'd on the 30th of this month. There is always a dauce after ifc, and I think I am going to it. The weather up here is very warm. Most of the crops will be \ery poor this year. It was raining on Christnras Day. Wishing all the Little Folk aud yourself a hai^py A'ew Year, — Yours irnly, BLACK JACK. Dear Dot, — Christmas has come and gone, and 'n two or three days we Ehall^ be into the year 1909. I think this last year has gore by "so quickly. I can hardly realise that we are- co near the end. Dsar Dot, I received' my auto, cards safely, and thank you very much far them We are busy picking fruit for jam, and I have been all the afternoon cleaning black curranis Tier you like fruit Dot 9 I am very fond of it. Are there any D.L F. in Timaru. Dot ? I have n aver seen a badge. I was at the Sunday school picnio not very long ago. and had a splendid time. I am/ gc"ncr to the Bible clsss end choir picnic on New Yew's Day. Weie you anywhere on Christmas Day. Dot? I was not I have not seen a letter in the pag-e from, Carn-ation for a long time Love to all LF. and vours«lf, — Yours truly, JUKE EOSE. Dear Dot — It is a long time since I have written to your page, but I have not forgotten you I was at the Eiverfon rejotta. and enjoyed it very much. It rained in the afterl ODii for a little while. There were a great many people there. The flower gardens me lii-ce just now We hare got our school holidays now; we have five weeks and a-half We are milking two cows i:ow. I have a kitten. I wifh. yen and all the DLF a liappy Ivew Year. Ws have got a dear little foal, and tLe mother is very proud of it I have four little ducks. With love 10 Ethel Turner, — Yours truly, DAISY TURXER. [You ask for ante card=, dear, but you have forgotten to cci.d the stamps for thsni, they are 3d far 25.] Dear Dot, — I got some card- this Christinas It was thundering to-day, and I went to Sunday school, and got wet lam eight year's o'.d now. I am gojxg ever to Maere- i

whenua for my holidays, to stay wnn mj aunt. I got two prizes this year, one at Sunday school and one at day school. I have a flower garden, and a lot of flowers out.— Yours truly, LETTY. Dear Dot-, — Sania. Claus visited us this year. We have our holidays form school now. I am going to the Surday"_sch.ooi picnic on New iTear's Day. It is raining now very heavily. I was up at grandmother's on Christmas Day.— Yours truly, RUBY. Dear Dot. — As I have taken a great interest in the D.L.F. Page I would like to bsrome one of your band. I have just come from Ashburton tci Napier, and from what I have seen of Napier I shall like it very much. Napier is very hilly and bushy; it differs very much from Ashburton. which is flat, and has no bush anywhere. I go to the Napier Main School, and am in the Sixth Standard. I hope you will let me write again next month. Hoping ycu had amerr> Christmas and a happy New Year, — Yours truly, BELLEYUE. [Ye 9, you may write again, Bellsvue. I, too, think ycu will like Napier bettor thrn Ashburlon, because of its hills and mere varied scenery, and its beautiful gardens. I think you will see a number of flowers therethat you have r.ot seen before; have you learnt ye J u what the bougainvillea is. — DOT.] Dear Dot. — I was very pleased to see my letter in print. I have not yet msde the acquaintance of any D.L.F. in Napier, but en* boy has sent ma a post-card. I saw a D.L.F. this afternoon when T was in town, but I did not like to sp2*ak to him ; but I suppose I will get to kr.ow him som/ day. I nursa-girl now on Milton road, and, like it very wall. My address is care MrsTapson. Miltcn road, Napier. • The baby is only three months old, and is a little girL I like girls, better than boys, because the boys are always so cro3s. I am enjoying myself so much here, and am having a. grand time. I go to church every Sunday morning, and to Sunday school in the afternoon. Our Sunday school picnic is tomorrcw, and I hope it will be fine. It is to bo held at Farndon Park. With best love to all the Napier D.L.F. and yourself, and wishing you all a happy New Year — Yours tru'y, OLIVE DENT. [I reem to be getting quite a numerous band in Napier, Olive; I sent several badges up there this week, so you are likely to see more if you look out for them. I am so glad you seem happy in your new home. — DOT.] Dear Dot, — We have been having very wet weather here lately. We are milking 20 cows just now, ard s«nd the milk to the. factory. Christmas is over now. I have four brothers. We have two pigs. I was down at lhe Bluff on the 30ih of November, and I enjoyed myself very much. I know a few of your D.L.F., including Ivanlioe Mistlotca 11, Clematis 11. White Heather, Vinca, Ro&ea, Highland Lassie, and a few more; but I don't think they know j me. We have finished shearing 1 . We have- only three weeks' holiday. I am 11 years old, and I have passed into the Fifth Standard. There are ahout 40 or 50 goir.g |to our school. Miss Cameron is our teacher, and' she is very nice. We had six little ducks, but some of them died during the wet. weather. I won a prize at school for third bast attendance at North Fores-t Hill. With love to you and all my D.L.F. correspondents, — Yours trulr, WILD ROSES. Dear Dot — I suppose you will be wondering where I am 1 and why I am not -vriting. Well, I Lavo und two rides on the engine since I last wrote. Down here lately theie. was a narrow escape from an accident : it happened that when the driver, stoker, and the cleaner were turning the engine a boy was near. As the engine was going oo stop poing round the boy jumped on the turntable and got his leg caught, and had to get it sewn. The morning after, he went to the hospital, and now he is back again and nearly better. When I wrote last I was away rear the end of t.he South Island, and now I am 19 miles from you. at a. place railed Outram, having my holidays. — Y.oura truly, YOUNG- ENGINEER. [Then you an 1 not very far away just at piesent, Young Engineer; I may even have )ou in to see me- one of these days, perhaps. But I have no engines here to amuse you with, unless you would like to see- the engines that drive all the printing machinery. Would you scorn stationary engines after Locomotives, I wonder? — DOT.] Dear Dot, — I suppose you will be thinking I have forgotten you all together, but I have turned up again like the swallow in spring We had a terrible thunderstorm here on Saturday evening, which did a great deal of damage to some of the crop?. It was her-viest about our tiisti ct. I was at a school excursion on the 29th nit . to Colac Bay. If was a miserable morning when we left home, but when we got theie it turned out a very nice day. I went on to the wharf for a while and watched seme of the people fishing. Then I went round the beach, and found some very pretty shells. We then want through the bush, and got some beautiful ferns and supplejacks, afterwards going back to the train with the fern-s ; thence came jack to the vrhar again, where I met Fome of my friends. About half an hour afterwards the train left for home. We arrived home *bout half-past 6, after spending a very enjoyable holiday. With love to Trix and yourself, — Yours tru'y, . I NO NAME. Dear Dot, — We have been having very unsettled 1 weather lately. If it clears up in the morniiig it is likely to be raining in the afternoon again. Mother, Grey Valley, Blue Violat, and I were in town on the 21st, at the dentist's. Blue Violet didn't got her teeth finished, and has to go again. It was a fine da}- though we weic prepaied for rain. The train was crowded, and people could net get seats A great number went overland that morning. Blue Violet and I went to the Town Hall and had a look at. the Witness, but there found Botn&body bad! been mean enough to steal the one we wanted specially to sea. We went into the Children's Park to have a look at the water lilies; they ar-e such large ones, and very pretty. There is a large number cf tadpoles in the pond, and they looked such funny little things, I thought. I had never seen any before. About a week before wo ! went to tc.wn our cat Dinah came home, after having be-en some months away. She I was very timid at firot. but soon became ! quite fr'endly. S<he had kittens away somej where, and my brother said that she had' ! come home to see how she would be treated ' before bringing them with her. Grey Valley j was in the garden, and few something black 1 running up a tree, and thought it znusi be Diii-ah and the kitlans. They were very | wild, and when we tried to catch them we got bitten and scratched. She had four, ; I the ugh Grey Val'ey dtd not ccc the fourth J one then. The mother brought them all j into the washhouse one night, and it wa3 j cjnuEing uo go there for a while, for as ( 1 soon as we came wjthin s'ght, there would ' I be a great soutnle^ and we would see them 1 . { scattering in all direction,',, and hidipg them* ]

ecives. ii w-o laid hands en them they would, spit and fizz and use then: teeth and claws. We have on-iy kept one of them, which we called Sambo ; we have already three other kittens and eight full-grown cats. The other kittens belonged to Baby. We thought that they must be dead, as she did not leave the pja-ce much. She brought the fir6t one home on the night of the election, and the next one was in the washhousa the nest morning 1 , and father found the other one coming up the road all wet and muddy. They were not quite as wild' as Dinah's ones, and West Coaster thought they looked rough. Our crimson rambler is a pretty sight to see at present. I will new close, with love to all the D.L.F. and yourself. — Yours truly, WATER LILY. [You have a large family of cats and kittens to look after. Water Lily. I think it was very intelligent of Dinah to come back tci see what treatment she received Before venturing to bring her kittens. Have you) . ever thought how memory is developed in some animals? — in dogs perhaps more than [ cats. See how Dinah remembered her old I home, and found her way back to it after months of absence! — DOT.] Dear Dob, — I saw Te Aomararua's letter in the Witness, and I could not guess whepn it was from. I thought that Ahuriri was the friend he was talking ahout. and I was right. When I saw Ahuriri I asked him if he knew who T*-0 Aomarama was, and. Dot, you can imagine my surprise when I found it was onoth'er of my mates. Te has made a mistake in saying that Ahuriri has only one medal. He has worn four, and; a silver watch and chain. I am just _as far off being abl-e to swim as I was when I first began to writ* to the page, but it is not Ahuriri's fault; it is all my own for not going down with him to be taught. We are having some nice weather here now, but it has bsen very hot. I am no friend of the hot weather, and like the cold far better ; it is not very easy to keep cool on a hot day. but you can easily get warm on a cold one. I had a good time on Boxing Day. I went out to Farndon Park, a nice little place about seven miles from Napier. The Napier City Band held their annual spcrts there, and I had a very good time. I went in for the Three-legged Race, and also the Sack and Egg and Spoon Kaces, but as I had to run against men, I had no chance. AH the same, Dot, I was quite satisfied. I went to Cooper's Pictures in the evening, and finished up a splendid day. I know Ahuriri and Te had 9. good time. I believe Te had Tather an exciting- experience, but I suppose he will tell you all about it. Last night I went to MacMshon' B, Pictures, and saw the Burns-Squires fight, and thoroughly enjoyed myself. You did not let me know, Dot, whether you received my photo, or not. I have not got a. badge yet. &o Ahuriri, Te. and myself have decided to sand and get one each. Well, dear Dot, I had better close now. with kindest regards' to yourself and all L.F. — Yours truly, CONNECTICUT. [I d'd get the photo, quite safely, Connecticut, and am keeping 1 it to see whether it can be reproduced for the next group. I wish you would take up swimming, and try to learn; it is one of those things that onef is always glad to be able to do, and I think every boy ought to learn. Nexi time you write I hope you will be able to say that you can swim, at any rate a few strokes. Will you try?— DOT.] Dear Dot, — As some of the D.L.F. are beginning to awake from their slumbers, I think I may as well do ea too. It is months since- I last wrote, but I hope you will forgive me for being so neglectful. I think Connecticut told you all there is to be told about the election and its results. I had to work from 6 o'clock election night until 3.30 a.m. the following morning. Well, doar Dot, I am not sorry Christmas has passed. We had 1 veiy miserab'e weather here during Christmas week ; it was raining here on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but on Boxing Day the weather was glorious at 9 o'clock ! in the morning: there wasn't a' cloud in the j sky. I went toi Petane, seven miles distance from Napier, with some of my chums, and we spent a most enjoyable day. returning home at 7 p.m.. feeling very weary after our day's outing. I have been to Wellington for a holiday, and it only rained once during my stay there. I visited most of the rising^ suburbs, and I also paid a visit to the Botanical Gardens and Newtown Park. I havo n.ot much more to tell, but I may state that no swimming sports have been held here yet. I think Connecticut does not feel inclined to be taught swimming, as he has not yet come down for a dip. I have persuaded another of my friends to write to the page : his norn de plume is Te Aomarama. I dcl not know he had written until to-day, when Connecticut said to me, "George, there must be a friend cf yours writing to the page, for he states in his letter that a D.L.F. friend of his had won a medal for swimming ; so I conclude that friend must be you." I guessed at once who had written that letter, and no one w«s more surprised than Connecticut when he discovered that it was one of his chums who works with us both. I saw by last week's issue that a Blenheim correspondent is now residing in Napier: I suppose efie would find Napier a trifle slow at -first, but will soon become> accustomed to the place. Now, dear Dot, before closing this letter I wish you and! all members of our band the compliments of the season.— Yours truly. AHURIRI. [I suppose you will be having your swimming sports before you write to me again. Ahuriri. I just want to wieh you "'much luok in them before they occur. Please write and tell me about them.— DOT.] Dear Dot,— Since I last write to you I find that I know another D.L.F. — Connecticut. I was very surprised to learn that he is a writer to the page. Ahuriri, Connecticut, and myself all work at the electric telegraph office. On Boxing Day I went j w-th a picnic party to Tongoio, a pretty spot j among the hills, about 18 miles from Napier. ' We left town about half-past 8 in a large drag with five heavy horees. Theie were about 30 people in the party, and they were very merry. We had a very pleasant drive over the Western Spit as far as Petane. which is about seven miles from the j>l&ce we started from. We gave the horses a bit of a spell here, and we also got out to give our leg's a stretch. About a mile and a-xudf past Petane we turned to the right and forded a sma.ll river which just came up to the bottom of the drag. Three of our man were cycling ; two of them waded across With their cycles, but just <vs they came to ih& other side they got into a deep hole v.-here the water came up above the waist, and they got very wet. So the third, profiting by their experience, got on the step of the drag and carried his cycle across. For about three miles after the river we weat along a small plain between, the sea and the ; hill 3. Ail the way across the plain we met | Maoris going to Petane, either riding on i horse-ba,ck cr driving. After going across f this plain we came to a small hill over which | we had to walk. Wlien we got over ■ hill we came to the washout, which is right on the sea-shore. It is one long stretch of [ fthingly beach, over which it ii impossible

to build a proper road. We rode along 1 the wa«li-out until we came to what looks like 1 a small piece of a bill thrown or> to the beach. The side facing the sea is quite perpendicular, and the other side has a steep, grassy slope to the bsaeh. "We could; not ride any further than this, as there "was no road over the shingle, and the drag sank nearly up to the axle even when it was empty. After walking about a quarter of a mile, we came upon the cyclists having- a, spell. We all got into the drag again, as the road was <a bit more solid. 'When we i came to the end of" the washout we turned? { into the country, and here the roads became ! very bad, and the cyclists had to walk most of the way. As we' got further into the country the sceneTy became very pretty, but the roads did not. We saw some very nice fields of oats, and by one Maori house t we passed there w*f a beautiful field of | maize. A little way past this we turned! I into a stretch of road which was covered! • with mud about 6in thick. After going about I a quarter of a mile in the mud we saw a : Maori's house with an orchard full of cherry, trees covered with beautiful red cherries. So we bargained with the owner, and got a billyful for 6d, and they were the worst cherries I have eyer tasted. When we were { about 100 yards past the cherries, our front wiheel on the left-hand side suddenly sank to the axis in mud. We had two horses in the shafts and three leading, and when the wheel got bogged the driver urged the horses on. and the wheel was nearly out when th« swingletree on which the three leaders wer« pulling broke with * loud crack, and th« noise frightening them, they bolted down' the road at a fine pelt, with the driver andj a couple of boys, chasing them. We gof out of the drag and started taking the provisions out to carry them tp Tcngoio, but on« of the men proposed that some of us should, try and get the drag out of the rut. So on« man mounted th-e driver's set. and about six of us got on one side end did our best to lift the wheel out of the rut. while the two remaining horses pulled. After about four attempts we got it out, and, putting the provisions in again, we followed the others. About a mile and a-hali along the road wa came uipon the horses and men in a small hollow by the side of the road. The harness was all cut to pieoes, «"nd one of the horsea had a, flesh wound in the chest ; the other two were Unharmed, and only a bit frightened. The driver patched up the harness aa beat he could, and put two horsee in, buS he was afraid to work the one which, waa 'hurt. We then walked to a good cam ping ' place at - Tongoio, which was about a. milddistant, and, taking the horses out of the har« ness, we boiled the billy and had dinner.' Aftar dinner a lot of us went to see th« Tongoio Falls, which are supposed to be the best about here. They locked very pretty, and had plenty $>f water in them, after tth«( heavy rain we had the day before. They ax« in a deep valle\ in the middle of soma beautiful bush. Everything was lovely and! green that day after the rain. The only\ things that were not very lovely wera the' roads, which were the worst I have eeeni jn the North Island. When we got back to' camp we found that a man who was driving' into Petane had been asker to order ano'dieihorse and harness, and' it was expected verysoon. While we were having taa the hois* arrived, led by a man driving «. trap. Directly after tea. most of us started to walk along the road a little way until the drag caughi; U3 up, but I and one or two others had! gone over two mi!es before it reached us. By this time the roads were nearly dry, which was better for us, but worse for the men who wjere cycling, as the roads were very rutty and it was hard to keep from skidding. Tie evening was nice and" cool for walking, as it wa« nearly 6 o'clock when, we left Tongoio. The drive into Napier waa beautiful, and we arrived in town at about five or ten .minutes past 9, after having spent ! a very enjoyable day. "I mus-u not write much j more, as I have written far too much already. | I am afraid it will be a good whilo before I can give you an account of tfie opening of the baths, as they are only juet started. Wishing you and all the L.F. a, happy New Year,— Yours truly, TE AOMARAMA. [This is a very good account of your picnic, Te Aomarama, and I am glad to publish it in full. Itv seems to have been, one of those picnics where the unexpected 1 lend» zest to 'the occasion. You could hardly know that you would be. shouldering youa drag out of the mud during the. day, die* you? I shall be glad to hear from you again at any time.— DOT.] Dear Dot, — We, hav< our holidays now. Christmas is over, and my sister and brother and I hung up our stockings, and we got them full of presents. I read all the Old! Writers' letters in the Witness. There were only eight children at our school who got prizes; I did not get one. I went to tha iiiverton regatta the day after Christmas, i and I would have enjoyed myself very much, J if there had not been such a crowd. Th« , Christmas lilies are nearly ou-t now; I think they should be called New Year lilies, for it is always this time when they are out. The eweet peas and Canterbury beHs are out now, and they are both very pretty flowers. We bav c very many colours of sweet peas, and? pink, white, and blue Canterbury bells. B thought I would have a good deal of news 1 to tell you to-night, but I find I have not mtfeh. All the bush -flowers are over bow, and the bush, does not look so pretty. Which would! you rather live in. Dot— the town or the country? 1 think I would rather live in th« country, for it is far healthier, but I like going to the town for holidays. I would not like to have to do so much reading as you do. Do you get tired of reading? I suppose you get tired of mine, as my letters «r& notf very interesting. I saw no D.L.F. at River<on that I knew. I have sent a letter to Longwocd Blossom. With love, — Yours truly, MISTLETOE 11. [The question of town life versus country life is an oft-debated one. Mistletoe, and! there are, naturally, advantages and disadvantages on both sides. At present I likei to be whore most people ar.a, but I think that when I urn old I shall go and have some quiet, happy years in the country to finish; up -mill.— DOT.] Dear Dot, — This is the second time I have wiitlen to your page. Our cousins are sta# ing up at our place just now, and we arqt going to Portobello on Saturday.— Your* truly, POLICEMAN. Dear Dot, — I waa so glad to see mj lettei in the Witness and to be one of your LittU Folk. As you have one White Violet already; I think that I -will call myself Wairaki Vic-' let, as we live near the Wairaki River' Santa Claus brought me a lot of nice things:! my stocking was full, and I had a, parcel) too. Mt-y, my pet lamb, is growing big; She used to be a regular mischief, and chasa the hens and wee chickens round and round the hut, and they all cheeped as loud aaf they could. Puppy Grey was even worse" than May, as he used' to catch the chicks and kill them. Puppy BLack need to eat a! lot of eggs too. Topsy, one of our horses, kjeked Puppy Grey's leg and' broke it becau.Be he was barking at her. His leg got better soon, and fee can kiU chicks again, so we keep him chained up. The perennial larkspurs are in. flower now, and they do look lovely. Our dahlias got blackened by frost in the middle of December. X have

. I been to Suncla> .school a few times .since I wrote to you; I wish it was not so far away, and then I could go evsry Sunday. All the girls at the Sastem Bus-h School have a garden each. I would like to go to school. Dear Dot did you ever sea any bid-a-bids? 'X'liey have -a. kind, of burr, slucl they stick to your stockings and denes. They stick to the iambs and to the dogs too. The dogs do look funny pulling the bid-a-bids off them- , selves with their teeth. Gocd-bye now, dear Dot, with love from— YoUX3 truly, TYAIBAKI VIOLET. LDear little Violet. I have lived most of the years of my life in New Zealand, so y«.\ may be very sure that I know by now what bid-a-bids are ! And I have spent many a half horn trying to take them off my clothes, though I hay« never tried to do it as the dogs do. Still, I would rath-er have bid-a-bids than snakes in the grass — wouldn't you?— DOT.] Dear Dot, — I have only written on-ce before to >our page, and that was a few weeks ago, so I suppose I am a new writer. One or two w&eka after my first letter I was reading a letter in which the writer said that the old ores were all dropping out and new ones were coming in. It was also mentioned that our lettsrs were short and uninteresting. The writer dees not se«m to be in favour of the beginners, but I suppose she had once to begin herself. Well, I suppose I might a 9 well teLl you something interesting now. On our 'breakup day we li-ad several speeches, songs, and recitations. In one sp-eech attention was directed to the record in the way J of attendance, and the Keast Family was j particularly mentioned. The youngest girl, Jessie, is in the same- class as I am at school, so I have saved the photo from the* Witne&3. We are now spending our holiday in the country in Otago Central. "We are &U living in my uaefe'g house, which is near my grandparent's place. I have been at grandpa's all day, and I am going to stay for the night. I have 19 birds' eggs, and I am trying to get 100 to sell for Is 6d. I have been down to Waipiata, where my aunt lives, and to Kyeburn for the mail. As I have no more news I will close, with love to all the Little Folk and yourself. — Yours truly. CHRYSTALLETTE. [Yes, Chrystallette, we all began as young writers, and I have no doubt that our first letters must have eeemed uninteresting to some of the big writers of our day. But I am quite sure that ths writer of the letter you mention did not wish to discourage young writers — quite the contrary. All that she wanted was to urge some of those older correspondents of ours, who are so apt to drop off, to continue writing to the page. I, too, do not like a see them dropping their connection with us; but I want every writer, young as well as old. to know that each letter that comes in has its own interest for rue, and that I give it a welcome in my heart when I read it, even though I have not the time to write a foot-note to each.— DOT.] Dear Dot,— May I join your band? I take a great interest in the page. I have often thought of writing to you, but have not done so until now. Ido not know any D L.F. about here. — Yours truly, A LITTLE "MOTHER. [Certainly you may, dear. And next time you write I want you to tell me to whom you play the part of "little mother." Is it to your dolls, or real children? Tell me all about them.— DOT.] Dear Dot, — Have you ever seen a morepork's nest? I found one about a fortnight ago. It wa3 in the fork of a red pine tree. The outside of the nest was made chiefly of dried moss, while the inside was lined with feathers and some fluffy kind of stuff. There were two little moreporks in the nest. We live quite near the bush, and I often go up for a little white, especially when the brambles are ripe and the bush flowers are in bloom. I think they ore ho pretty. Have ycu ever been to the Catlins Blowhole, Dot? We were there for a picnic once, and we enjoyed it immensely. There is such a lot of pretty scenery about the Blowhole. My school friend's N.D.P. is Crape Fern. We are both in Standard VI. I am very fond of leading, and my favourite authors are E. P. Rce, W. H. G. Kingston, Annie Gray, Mrs Craik, and E. Everett Green. Wishing all the Little Folk and yourself a very bright and happy New Year, — Yours truly, DOUBLE DAHLIA. [No, I have never been lucky enough to see either the morepork itself, or its neat, Double Dahha, though I have listened to its curious cry. Did you watch the two young birds grow? And have they left the nest now?— DOT.] Dear Dot, — It is with pleasure that I sit down and write a. few lines, to the dear old j page. We are having very changeable weather just now, and a lot of the people tell me they don't think much of Dunedin. I must tell you about the holidays : on Christmas Day I stayed at home, and on Boxing Day we went for a picnic to Sawyers' Bay. When wo arrived there we had dinner, and then played games f~r a while; then we had a scramble about the bush, but as we got back to have afternoon tea the rain camo down and spoilt the rest of the day. So w.s made- for the station, and after waiting for about two hours for the train we found that we had to get into the guard's van. But we- finally reached home about 7.30, very dirty, tired, and hungry. Dear Dot, I am getting my two mates to join us; they ar& both going to get a badge whsn they write their first letters. — Yours txu'v NIGHTINGALE. Dear Dot. — I am very sorry to say that I am too far away to go to any of the picnics , but I hope the time will come when we shall have enough Little Folk in our district here to get up a picnic. I know of two or three who are just thinking if they will write to- the page or not. The weather hers is very windy. Moat of the horse-work is done about here now. I think this is all at pr^&snt With love to Find Out and all the other Little Folk and yourself — Yours truly, CANDLESTICK Dear Dot, — Have you managed to survive your Christmas dinnar and the N«w Year gaieties ? I suppose you had a j -lly time in town on New Year's Eve; but out heie in the country you would hardly know it was holiday season at all. On New Year's Day I went to Brighton, but the weather was so stormy that I didn't enjoy myself as well as I wcu.d have done if it had lys«n fine. My sisteT went to Middlemarch, to the sports there, and as she intends slaying: for a couple of week 3 I will have plenty of work to do. This morning, after I had finished milking, I came m to get the breakfast ready, and when I was cutting some bread the knife slipped, and I made a deep cut in my left hand They say that you can't ride a horse until you have fallen off a few times, and I atappose you cannot ccok until you have met with a few accidents We ai-a having dreadful weather here lately. Sometimes it is raining, sometimes blowing, and you don't i "know wlj.a.fc to expect next. The school picnic j was held at Wocdside about a fortnight ago, j and we had a lovely day. When, we were chinbiiig about the rocks I slipped down be- | Ween two of them, and got my feet and imy skirt vfei. However, they soon dried in.

ihe gun, and didn't keep me from enjoying myself. At the' break-up at the school my brothers got two books — "The Explorations of Fridtjof Nansen," by J. A. Bain ; and "The Rival Crusoes," by W. H. G. Kingston. I have read both of them, and they are -<rerry interesting, ©specially trie former. Xx, is about Dr Nansen's explorations m the Arctic regions, and there is a photo, of him and his wife on ski. They are dressed as they ware when travelling in the snow, and she looks so queer in her strange costume. Well, dear Dot, as it is getting late I must bring this letter to a close With be«t wishes for a happy New Year. — Yours truly, MATJRADE. [It- would be very nice for you now, Maurade. if you could get Nansen's book "Farthest North," and read t.he explorer's own account of his travels. It is a rather large work, in two volumes ; but perhaps you could borrow it, if you know anyone who has it.— DOT.] Dear Dct. — This is my fust letter to ycu. I go to the Invercargill School, and I ara in the Third Standard. We live cose to the estuary, and I often go exit swimming and boating. We have our Christmas holidays now, and I ani spending- my holidays with a friend in the country, who asked me to write. — Yours truly, " HAL. [I hope you will write again, Hal, when you go back home; perhaps you will then become a constant correspondent. — DOT.] Dear Dot,-^The Christmas and New Year holidays are nearly all at a close now. I was at the Gore show, and' I met a few D.L.F. Did you go to the picnic en New Year' 9 Day, Fes? The gooseberries-, cur- ' rants, and cherries are' all ripe now. I do not like picking therr for jam. All the grass is burnt up for want of rain. I am going to the school excursion to Lake Wakatipu, and nest time I write I will tell you all about it. — Yours truly, SCOTCH THISTLE. Dear Dot, — We have a pet kitten and a dog. W-e have lost our blue cat. There are a let of flowers coming out in the garden. We are milking two cows, and I am in the Third Standard at school. I like reading the D.L.F. letters in the Witness. With love to Violet and Mountain Lily, — Your 3 truly, STRAWBERRY LEAF. Dear Dot, — It is blowing hers to-day. We have had bad weather all the holidays. My aunt, uncle, and cousins are staying -with us. Auntie and uncle are going to Queenstown for about a week, and my cousins are staying here till they rettirn. I got several Christmas cards; did you get any, Dot? My mother's garden is looking very pretty just now. especially the roses and sweet pea-s. Wishing you the compliments of the season—Yours- truly, SCEPTRE. Dear Dot, — I am writing to ask you if I may join, your D.L.F. Page. My sister is going to join the page also, and I hope you will receive us. We are having very changeable weather just now, but I enjoyed noy holidays very much. I went for a picnic on New Year's Day to Evansdale. It was a lovely day when I started, but it came o-n very wet before I got home. Nightingale is my mate, and we have great times. I am sending the stamps for a badge, and hope you will get them all right. This is all the news- 1 have just now. Hoping you will have me for one of your band, — Yours truly, MAYFLOWER. ' [Yes, Mayflower, you may join us. lam sending you a badge, and hope y-cix will get it safely— DOT.] AUTOS AND POST-CARDS. Nightingale (Bina Barnes, 61 High street, Roslyn) would like to exchange post-cards or auto 9 with any D.L.F. willing. Please address to Bina Barnes, not " Nightingale." Sceptre,- care Mr A. F. Taylor, Railway Hotel, Mandeville South, wishes to exchange autos with any D.L.F. willing. Lady .Isabel Garlyle, care Mr T. Crane. Edendale. wishes to exchange post-cards with Happy Queen Bess, Garton Oats, Harry, Mock Orange, and any other L.F. willing. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. The Prixcess of Thule. — Thank you for all your good' wishes, dear. I shall look forv.iuiid to that letter telling me all about your new home. I am very much in sympathy with you in your present task of trying to conso^ and comfort your gi-ief-stricken friend, and hope that your presence and your friendship have been aLle to help her a little. Heather Lassie. — I am so ..pleased to have tho photo of your new home, and +hink it surprisingly gocd for your little crniera I can pick out Sonny Boy quite well. When am I to hear from the others. 1 am alway9 so glad to get a letter from eny of you. Tecumseh. — I am so very sorry to have missed you when you called. Did you come in the afterncon? Ihe best time to find me in is between 11 and 1 in the morning. If you have not gone back home yet, perhaps you could come iv some morning and see me, and tell me about your holiday, end the books you have been reading lately. Aw atkre.— Thank you, dear, for the pretty little card and your good wishes, and most of all for the beautiful vewe you io-ok the tro-üble to copy in fcr me : I liked it "»o much.