LETTERS FROM THE LITTLE FOLK.

Otago Witness, Issue 2894, 1 September 1909, Page 83

LETTERS FROM THE LITTLE FOLK.

Mott»:— We write for tbe benefit of others, not for ourselre?. " " Of Xi letter to confirm' more* than "450 words. Dear Dot, — I liked the stories in Special Subject Week, and found them very interesting. lam no good at writing stories; but '1 think- 1 c»o do better 1 art ,& letter.- We are having beautiful weather just now. The people down here are all talking »bou* the airship or German spies. I Beard someone say^ that there is a German cruiser somewhere about New Zealand. If she got into some of these coastal towns I don't think there would be rrany buildings left, if she started to put some- shells into them. We generally see the lights at night. I have another little neice now — she was born on July 31. ' The bachelors of Mimihau held their annual ball on July 23, and there were about 80 couples in the grand march. Ths spinsters of Edendfile. Brydcne. and Ota Creek held theirs on ihe 3(tth, «r>d a. social on tbe 18th of August in the Public Hal! at Mimihau. I was going to make this a long letter, but I can't think of any more to say. —Yours truly, . SNOW IE. [The retiring age is twenty, Snowie — DOT.] I Dear Dot,— What is it that draws us all j with irresistible force to write to you. &mi \ take an interest in your page? I think it must be because cur good Queen Dot takes a loving interest in all her subjects, even the very youngest, and lends a, sympathetic ear to all our troubles. What a glorious winter we have had! I do hope the Maoris are right in prophesying an early summer. I think spring is the best season of the year with all the leaves and buds and flowers "coming on. How I love watching the plants thrust their green heads one by one above the cold earth, and revelling day by day in the sunshine. I think they 7 put us all to shame, teaching us lessons in patience, love. and goodwill — ay, and many other le c sons too many to name. Strange though it may seem to some people, I like *he win'er better thsn the summer. I like t'J be cut in the fcUusliine. to feel the gentle breeze blowing, ai*d to see everything looking bright and happy , but I had far rather a frosty morning than a scotching sun. There you have tbe key to ihe mystery. I can't stand j the beset. 'Ihe farmers are all busy plough-

ing just now, preparatory to sowing the crops, so that we have a brown world, bare of vegetation except such fields as aTe reserved for grazing purposes, but ere long it will again assume its natural green, and surely we ian put up with a little bareness of aspect, when we remember the luxuriant greenness that will surely 'ollow. What excitement there is about this airship that is supposed to be hovering over us, now in hiding in the Blue Mountains, or some other such, place, and again appearing with all lights on board to startle the poor people down below, the driver of the mysterious car watching The bustle and the rare show That occupy mankind below, Secure and at his ease. ! On the night that it was reported to have been seen here one lady declared that she had been awakened out of her sleep by the I noise of the , engines. As • for myself, I j have neither seen nor heard it, much _as I would like to; but I suppose we will "soon be seeing fleets of airships flying over our heads. There will have to be a, law made then forbidding the people in -the cars to throw anything overboard or to fall over ! themselves, as it would be very unpleasant for those below to have things falling on their heads ox- down thY chimneys- at all times. " It would scarcely be fair ; would | it? There was a big wedding "here last [■week, "the contracting parties - being Mr J. M'Keazieand Miss I. Williamson; .There \ were^Hter 20& guests at thV. dance, but I cansaof^ttescribe it, as F was not thexe. -"With best**rishes to •11,— Yours truly, * CHBYSAigBpeMUM. [I [ piotirre the ooofs mate on- tbe throwing his washing-up -water ' ■ovetbaa-'sd, and his—potato peelings. Wo, it*"wirl not be nice for those who get them on a new hat and a new suit of clothes. Pleased to welcome you to our band. — DOT.] Dear Dot, — This is my first letter to your page, and I hope you will accept me as one of your little folk. I like reading the D.L.F. letters very much. lam 15 years and five months old. I • wish Star of Bethlehem, Flag Lily, and English Laddie would hurry up and write, as I have not seen a letter from them for a long time. I have read a good many books lately. I think I have written a long enough letter this time.— Yours truly, LUPIN TKBE-. [As soon as you" see you have been accepted as one of our little folk, you will begin to think of something interesting to I tell me and the little folk next time you write. That should be the way. eh. Lupin? —DOT.] Dear Dot, — It is a long time since I wrote a letter to you, so I thought I would send you a line and. let you know how I am getting on. , Well, my teacher says I am lazy in school, so I suppose it must be true. Anyhow, I gained second, prize and one first, also first-class certificate for attendance, last year: lam trying to. get ■another this year. Kind regards to Dot and the little folk.— Yours truly, HARALD KAARFAGER. [We are more inclined to believe ourselves, Harald, than our teachers, are we .not ? Yet it is strange that as we ,grow older we often find out tha' -they were right and we were wtong.— DOT.] Dear Dot, — It is two years since I wrote you a letter, so I think it is- lime to write another, I an? getting .on very well at school, and have got -two more fits* class certificates. Last year. I , got three prizes and a. silver medaL iinnww in -the Fourth Standard,, so I have not -very- much -time to write, as we have home work to do every night. When. I come home fron? school I help to plant scads in the garden; to-day we planted potatoes and beans ; ■ to-morrow we will be planting other seeds if the weather is fine. We have had plenty of mud in Moeraki this last six weeks, so I am looking forward for the fine weather. The fishing has been very fair this winter so far, and has made up a little for the bad times the fishermen had during the summer months. Kind regards to Dot and the little folks. — Yours truly, J DANNABROG. | [I am glad to he»T from you' again, but why -such a long absence from our page DOT.] Dear Dot, — I am getting my brother to write my letter, as I am under orders from | the doctor not to use my eyes for 12 months. i I hare to stop away from school foi that ! period. Ido not like being away, as I ani very fond of my books. The weather has been very cold. I have not Leen able to i go about much,* but when the fine weather j comes I .am going 1 to have a merry time with my two little sisters on the beach. I have taught rhem their alphabet, to spell and count, since I have been home. One j will be going to school goon. I will be in. town to the docU>r at the end of the year for my glasses. I hope I will have } time- to c*lfc at the Witness Office io see ; .yon. I did not haver-- iiriie to call wherr B was' in town to get my eyes tested as our stay -was very 'short. I got two first prizes and a, first class ceitifipate last year. I will not gst any— at -all this-' year. Icm buey just how, helping to" dig and plant the garden". To-dey we planted potatoes, and if it is fine to-morrow we will ba planting other seeds. Kind regards to Dot and all the little folk.— Yours truly. TORDENSJOLD. [That is good. Tordensjold. We can generally find some way of working for others when we can't work for ourselves. — DOT.] Dear Dot, — It is a very long time since I • last wrote to you, and I am quite sure you have forgotten me. We have just had r a, fortnight's holidays from school on account of the measles. We are getting the school gardens done up. and when the spring flotfers come oxit they will look very preity. I did not go to school to-day because there wa3 a very heavy snow storm. Our pet monkey got loose, and it was very amusing to see her climbing up the walls of the* house. But she was always in mischief, and we had to catch her and tie her up. — Yours truly, LADY ANNIE. Dear Dot, — I have just driven my father to the station, and, as the ranges all round are covered with snow the wind is very keen, making the journey anything bu'o pleasant- I must tell you abou* some adventure* we bad lately. A few days ago Estrella came over to see if I ;ould go for a ride with her; but as my horse had a shoe off I coiiidn't go. We then decided to go for a walk, and. after tying the horee in the stable, we set off for the river bank with my sister. There is a plantation there, and we went into it. A desire possessed us to climb a -tree, and we were soon swinging on cne. We were not long on it when my brothers came along with Hawkeye. The' latter started swinging on tfie part I was on, and it broke; but though I fell a g*od distance I was not hurt. We had: had quite enough of that enjoyment for one day, co we went to see a bridge that is being built not far from here. ' After inspecting that, w» decided to oome home through the

paddock, but a big black bullock evidently had a great desire to get a closer view of us.' We didn't wait to meet him, however, but scrambled through the nearest fence. We can't agree yet as to who was the first through it. Estrella got caught in it, and I think she got the biggest fright. That was the end of that adventure, but, when* we got within sight of home we were surprised to see Estrella's- horse galloping) round one of the ploughed paddocks with the saddle on and one stirrup missing. After catching the horse, and searching unsuccessfully for the stirrup, we went borne, and there we found the stable door knocked down, and the missing stirrup lying beside it. We were not a little bit thankful; but we decided to ride the horses in future, as we don't seem to be quite safe off them. Well, dear Dot, aB it i» getting late, I must bring) this letter to a 'close. With kind regard: to Kowhai 11, Curly, Adelina, Erin-go-Bragh, and Barney O'Hae* not forgetting yourself, from— Yours truly,- ' MAURADE. [That was an exciting outing, Maurade. It is wonderful how quickly -we can get through the nearest fence when something is after vs — DOT.] Dear Dot, — I once more take up my pen to write another letter. I was pleased to see-'M*y last one' in your column. We arehaving rough weather here just now, there was about four inches of snow on th« ground, yestetday, and we had fine fnn snowballing. We have a. "pure white cat. and it is a very jgood ihoueer. lam sena. ing. a post card io Kukupa. lam fond ol reading, and have just finished an interesting- book., called "Jacfc ; " I shall closa now, as it 1 '«■ near bed-time. — Yours truly, s WARSIGJT. £Do' you. mortage to -keep your cat clean; Warsign ? White cats " seem to be especially lazy with regard to their toilet.— DO"f .]| Dear Dot, — It is about a year since I wroia to you, so I think I will. begin again. We have had two teachers since 'I first wrote) to you. I am home- from school to-day with « cold- I have got, <a hen sitting on 13 eggs. Our hens are not laying much now, co we do not fell many. I think I will- stop now. — Youis truly, BANDJO. Dear Dot; — Please tell, me when there are enough L.F. to get a picnic up. There arete: 1..F. here n0w,,.. We have 18 fowls. B was at the claim the other day, and had 1 grand fun watching the falls coming in the mine. I raw the airship one night, or what I took to be one. I like reading books- lam reading, a book" called the "Children" Merrow," by Cousin Kate. W« have been getting very dirty weather lately. I like reading the letters to the page. Ithink it is a treat to see a good letter. I do not think we will have a school concern this year. The grass is beginning to spring up again now. I. will be glad to »cc th» flowers, blooming, for- the- summer is coming on. Ido not know many L.F., but 1 hopa to know some soon. Sometimes we hava grand fun .up Bu&hy Creek catching crayfish. Nearly a1!a 1 ! my mates are L.F. now— The Fireman, Star of Brunswick, The Cornet, and Gold Dust are all my mates. The Fireman and The Cornet do not live far from us. lam going to eet some rabbit traps soon. , I have caught two ferrets, but I gave- them away .to, a. friend of mine-We-are building a- tool shed/ and it is a good one. The two oldest girls make tea as school in the winter.— Yours truly, COLONIAL BOY. [I should thrnk that ten were .enough to get up a picnic, Colonial Boy. I shall b» glad to hear of your success •in urianfrinr one.— DOT.J Deao; Dot, — Last time I wrote to you I called myself Carnation, but another girl had that name bsfore me, so I am taking the name of the place where I used to livt My mother used to write to Dot when "she . was a little- girl, but she signed her own name. My brother Scented Rose is writing to you to-day. A while ago thero was a- lot of waxeyes and fan tails here, but there are not so many now. The waxeyes came and picked at the hams hanging in the porch by the kitchen -window. A fantail came inside and eat on the dining room door, and then flew on to a picture.-^ Yours truly, „. WILLOWMEAD. Dear Dot, — It is a long time since J wroia to you. We had a big fall of snow yesterday. The snow was four inches _and a-half deep. I made a snow m«f but I had no time to finish his- head. We havo a week's holiday just now. The starlings come in flocks to our plantation in the autuntn. and stay all the winteT." The starlings come about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, and they make such a noise in the trees that people say it sounds like falling water and strangers ask: "Where is the waterfall?" We- have a. little -lamb— it is an. early lamb, and ii is cold weather for it just now. The Blue Mountains are not far . fr&ni our- home, but I have not seen tb« airship yet— Yours ' CToly," " " ' - , " SCEJTTED ROSI-. ' £There are many D.L.F. who will.be envying you" yotir "fall" '<rf snow, Scented Rose; but I',do hope thai" we, h*v«- no more here.— • DOT.] * " Dear Dot,-— As S.S. Week is over, and tbe page has got back to its old form, I think it is qnite safe to write to you again. The sandmartins and dotterels are signs that we have spring with us again. And what a beautiful spring it is. Warm and bright and beautifully calm; and the oldest residents say that many years have passed over their heads since there was one such as this. I think one notices the difference more in the country than if one were in town; at least I should imagine so. The larks begin to sing once again, and one ' can watch all Nature bursting forth in al) her splendour. Soon again the- yellows ot the spring flowers will blend together the flaming yellow of the laburnam, the kowhai, and a hundred other different flowers and tree 3 making, indeed, «■ lovely picture. - Everybody is talking of the airship up here. We saw a light up here one night, but do not think that it. was connected in any way with the would-be airship. Two of ray brothers and a few more of us were standing outside looking for (but not expecting to see) the wonderful lights, when suddenly we saw something resembling a star, and .did not appear to be moving at all, when suddenly it floated over the mountain, and" was lost to sight. Some attributed it to tbe atmospheric light which has been seen, in different parts of the Dominion. I jEave . been doing a, good deal of horse-riding aince I last wrote to you, as- the roads nave been much too heavy for cycling, and, anyway, I much prefer to ride a horee, as you have only to steer it, but with a bike you musfi sit very , even, hold on to the - handles, put on. a brake, and keep pedalling and a-Vto- ' gether is a. very warm pastime on * hot day. And besides, you have * very good and faithful companion in a horse, which is more than, one can- say' of a bicycle, especially when ..one has the misfortune to get a puncture. For » short time my brother was riding from our place to M School. which, is a distance of 12 miles. He rode

{ in in the morning, a&d out again at night, I making the total distance of 24 mi'es duxI ing the day. That was a long •way, -was jit not, Dot? But he is nearer the school j I now, and is very glad. Well, Dot, I really j i must bring his to a close, as I bave nearly I : written that limited number — 450, which, I .by the- way, few D.L.F. try to break. I ' think NemesiaV idea of having a " garden , week' is a very good one, and I second' the ; motion. There, I have exceeded the 450 t words, and deserve a scolding from Dot. j ' Kind regards to all L.F., — Yours truly, j ANICE. | ! [I have not quite made up mj mind with regard to Nemesia's suggestion- We shall , see next week. Thank you for the kind ' private note you sent. — DOT.] I } Dear Dot,— The last time I 'wrote there ! . were oilier D.X».F. . signing themselves Rain- j j bow -too. Well, dear Dot, to say« the • other R-ainbows the bother of changing their N.D.P- I will change mine to "J. B." , Christmas will soon be with us again, and I hope to go for a holiday. We will have j -jiine cows milking goon, and I wii: have j to milk three. lam 11- yews old, and j am in the fourth Standard »t school. There is going to be a school concert on the 3rd of September, and I am looking forward to a very happy night. * I went to the D.L.F. annual social at Invercargiil, and enjoyed myself very much. — Yours truly, J. a. [Are you looking forward to Christmas so soon, J. B-? Don't you.- think it makes', time go; too quickly when we are always I looking forward to something better uwthe] future.— DOT.) - j Bear Dot/t-Just a short note to our page ' while I have^,^.. few, spare moments. W* are getting very cold an* wet weather, up here just bow — that is for spring time. It is more ' like winter now than it was " in winvei time. We are Very gay hecre, what with, balls, concerts, and companies coming round. We are having a grand Caledonian concert and dance on Wednesday, the 16th of this month It is supposed to be a great affair — ip fact, it is printed on the bill heads that, all the leading elocutionists, entertainers, and singers in HawWa Bay are to be present at "our" little concert, and also -that the Pipe Band is to be there (horrid things! I say), and that th« pipers will play and dance some Highland dances We .had a benedicts' ball last • month. It was plain and fancy, and there ! were sonia very pretty fancy dre&ses amongst j the ladies' dresses, but the gentlemen did I not seem to -take on with it. My sister and ' I both went as Japanese, and my brother { went as a stockman. My sister is just learning to dance and is getting very fona > of it. If we want her to do anything for us now. it is- always the same thingf "You teaoh me to waltz before the next dance." and I *ill do it for ydu. I think: iiv is ' a good ide*, do you not, Dot? I ! think Special Subject Week was very good ujhis year. Some of the stories were very j interesting. I did not think I could write j one -good enough, so did not attempt it I think I like Old Writers' Wesk best, because J nearly a.ll of the old writers do write such ! interesting letters. You have a lot of little folk now, Dot, all over the country far a-nd near, but all the same I sunpose they -take as much interest in Dot's page as we do in this country — I mean those jin England and "Australia. I have several- : D.L.F. correspondents now, and" I always ] look forward to getting their letters J I wonder if there are any L.P. who are ill or , ailing I could get the address of. I would like to get the address of someone whom I t could help a little by writing a bright oheery letter to. pan you help me, Dot? Hurry up, - Corra Linn, and write to me— Yours truly, PEGGY SAVILLE ! [The matter you ask me of is just a little ddicate. I intended to cross your mvii*- I tion out, and -answer you privately, but I think it would ba batter to leave your very , kind desire in print, so that any who would .; like to correspond with you might make a request to me for your address. lam sure there are numbers whose lives are a little .rocky, *nd who would appreciate greatlj a cheerful and enooui aging correspondence with you, Peggy. Sunshine is a glorious ' thing to give away, because we get more ! of it the more we give it a-way. Anyone who would .like to correspond with you will know how to get your address. — DOT.] Dear Dot,— Winter has gone and spring is here, but I think we had finer weather in winter than we are having now. All the farmers abcut here are now busy ploughing I and getting in {heir crops. I am sorry • Special Subject Week is over, ss I enjoyed reading the stories very much. I started" to } write a story to S.S.W., but it ended in ! the fire, bui next time I will have a bigger try. The D.L.F. social turned out a great success, although it was a wet night, and I enjoyed myself immensely, but I was verj tired and sleepy the next morning, when I had to get up and catch the first train to Henley. There is soing ta be a concert and jdance *t Waihola. (which is not very far away from here) on the 27th, and I think lam going. There is also going to be a bachelors' ball on -the 10th, so Henley is not so quiet after all. We are having very bad weather here lately. It was snowing here yesterday, and to-day it is blowing and raining like " cats and "dogs." Well, -Dot, I think I will bring this" letter to a close with kind regards to Dove II and R. E. W.— Yours truly, PLUM BLOSSOM. Dear Dot. — It is a long time since I last wrote to your column. We have had good weather all through winter. Winter is past now, and spring has come. Ido not like winter, because there is so much mud about. Our winter holidays are over, and we have started school again. I have not seen the airship down here yet. I read some of your stories in the Little Folk's Column, and I iike them very much. I must close now with love to Dot and all the little folk,— Yours truly. JACKY JINGLES. [In Catliiis you must look forward to the 1 summer more even than we do in the town —DOT.] Dear Dot, — I suppose you will excuse me for a long absence, as I have been on the sick list for some time. I still have to take medicine' ihat has got a bitter taste, and I think that " the cure is as bad as diseasa." I have just come n from a snow-fight. The snow is about two inob.es ' deep, -and this ' is the second day it has been here. We had two days' snow here several ■weeks- age, but it was a bit deeper then, what we h*ve now. Not long ago I was at a moving picture- show, and saw the pictures -of the noted fighters, "Tommy" Burns and " Bill" Squires, training, and having their American fight, in which the former won in one round. Another con- ■ cert was held in Glenham some weeks ego, and after a very enjoyable night's outing we returned home at half-past two. I will give you a list of a few books I have read :—" Martin Rattler," "The Boy Hun ters of Kentucky," " The Last War Trail, " " The Daughter of the Chieftain," " Wolf j Ear the Indian," "Blazing Arrow," "The

Great Cattle Trail," "The G-reen Mountain Boye," " Baffs Eanche," " Astray in the Forest," "Twice Jjost," "Australian Advenj turera," " The Gorilla Hunters," " The Swiss j Family Robinson," "Australian Stories," I " The Wonder Child." •'Robinson Crusoe," I '' Shifting Winds," " Percy Vere, ' ' ''Seven I/ittle Australians, " Terry the Troop Horse," "Three Boys on the Tramp, ' "Dick Dean's Adventures," ''The Lost River," and " The Crew of the Water Wagtail, besides numerous others All of these | books are very adventurous, and the authors i of most of them are Ellis, Ballantyne, Kingston, and Turner. There is going to be a boxing competition in this district soon, and 1 have a brother who is going to box- We have had a Games Club here every Wednes- ! day for most of the winter, and two of my I brothers and I go to it, where we have fine fun singing, playing games, and doing tricks. The supposed airship has been seen about here, and the light I saw once ap* peared to be moving and then go out, and i also saw tie reflection round it. There is a field of withered fern near here, and the owner has given us permission to burn it, .and we have fine fun lighting fires. We play hockey at bciiool, with sticks out of the bush, because <-ur football has bur&t. We have 14 cows milking just now, and two are newly calved. The number of children ' at our school ie 33. The farmers about [ here are cutting their gorse hedges and ; tilling ■ their land, -«nd some have planted 1 their , potatoes. — Yours truly, i THE SCOTCH LAD. | [If any boy wairte *' good list of books of adventure, he' will' find it in your letter. — DOT.} . " v , Dear. Dot,— Mqthar ,*nd I left Auckland | by the 8 p.-m.^.trai^yind travelled all night. The carriages were warmed by steam pipes, so wo did not feel .the intense cold of thia frosty night- In the early morning the train passed quite close to Mount Ruapehu, I which being covered with snow glistened in sunlight — a. most beautiful sight. Soon | afterwords w« got a splendid view of Mount Ngauruhoe, the volcano in action, throwing out clouds of st«am and dust. When we arrived at Palmerston North we sxayed -a night with some friends, and next day we boarded a train which took us through the M&nawatu Gorge A fine new traffic | bridge had just ' besa opened by the Gover- ; nor, and it wil* be of great use to. the gubli travelling through the gorge by road. We arrived home at Fea-thersion in the evening, after a £rand holiday trip.Yours truly, j WATER-OF-LEITH. I Dear Dot, — I -am now sitting down to 'write to you. - I am sending my lelter in with my sister's. My uncle is staying at our place for the winter; he ploughs and my father fences the paddock. We will have to go to school . to-morrow, and ■ J don't like it. I have to ride. I like rid- ■ ing, but riding four miles is too far. Hay« you ever been at Lake Wanaka? It is a very pretty place- The autumn-sown crops are looking nice and green just now. Thereare only a few lambs as .yet. I have ■ a nice tortoiseshell. cat that follows me like a dog. She oatches a lot of mice in the shed. — Yours truly, MOUNT BARKER ROSE [Yes, I. have stayed at Pembroke for a day c-r two, and been up to Pigeon Island. It was beautiful weather, and I saw Wanaka at its best.— DOT.] Dear Dot,— l have got « dear little kitten, called Rosie,"f.he is a grey and black and white kitten, "her breast, paws, and face are whiie. I ' have also -got four their names are Rachel, Ann, Charlotte, and Leta. I suppost you will think that I am getting too old for dolls, but they are nice to play with sometimes, don't you think so? I All the , autumn crops are looking very nice. It is very pretty to see the green m the paddocks. I don't suppa&e that there are any crops at Dunedin. I like when the | mill oomes round to thresh the wheat. I like to watch the mill working. It was snowing very hard to-day, but it is clearing up now. It was raining very hard on j Saturday and Sunday, especially on Satur- ; day. My uncle was staying down at our j place for two nights, but he had to go home to-day, as my auntie is away to the hospital with my cousin. &he is very bad. I have got another uncle staying with U3, he works at the coal pit, but he is going to stay at our place for the winter, as they cannot work at the pit till the winder is I over. He helps my father to plough, but he could not plough to-day, as Jt was too snowy. I will have to stop now, with love to Wbj-te Fuchsia, The Star of Cardrona, and Young ! Cyclist. — Yours truly, j ' LADY EVELYN. [T suppose you have not a great deal to amuse you in your part of the world, Lady Evelyn, «nd a little game with your dolls even at your age is still matter of interest.—DOT.] Dear Dot,— lt is a long .time since I wrote to you. Two months ago . I got kicked by a horse, and hurt my leg. I was in bod three weeks, and r»2d a numba-r of books, some of which are, " The Monitor of Megson's," by Robert Leishton ; -Rivals and Chums," by Kent Garr; "Blazing Arrow," Red Jacket," "Lost in Saroa/ 1 by E S. Ellis, and last year's Cbaiterbci-. Last Christmas I got the "Boys of the Empire." We had a snow storm yesterday, and 1 made a snow man. I will close now, with love to Aorangi. Shepherd Lad, an.i Gabriel Grub.— Yours truly. ROBIN HOOD. [I trust the leg is sound and solid once more, Robin Hood.— DOT.] Dear Dot,— Well, Dot, I hardly know what to say now I have started. I saw a letter from Tea Rose ir the Witness,, also cne from Tartan and A Bunch of Blue Violets. I will write to you soon, Chum. I got a very nice letter from Longwood Blossom socne time ago, aad also one from HazcldeJl. I will write to you soon agair Hazeldell! Sortie of my cousins, and lso lny' uncle and my aunt, have s-een those mysterious lights floating about in the sky, but I have not. . I wonder what thej are? There was a fa!] of snow on the 16th inst. It was not a very big one, though. I have been up here three months, and I have not met any L.F. since I came to Frarkton. I think they must be very shy. I met two when I was coining up here— The HeJmsman and A Little Highland Lassie. I hrve never seen a lettei fror A Littl Highland Lassie since I mcl her; I wonder if she ie ever going to come out of her shell and write a few lines to Dot. I had a walk up to the top of Mount Grand View some time ago, with one of my cousins. One gets a good view from up there. There is a new bridge being put up over the Shotover River now. I read almost all the stories in the S.S. Week) and I thought them Texy good. I would like, if I could, to writ© a story to the S.S. Week, but I hardly know hoar tc start one.. I would very much like to get to one of the L.F. Club 9. I think it would be very nice indeed. I wish, Dot, I could write a paper for one of them, but I suppose «£ I did the members

would think I had a good cheek ; -wouldn't j enough to be present at the Invercargiil they? Dear Dot, do you like- looking at i D.L.F. social this year, and last week I-, a rake or any pool of nice cleax water when j was at a social evening at Shasta's. Needthe sun 3hines on it? There is a little , less to say, I enjoyed myself very much. I lake on my uncle's farm, and I think it j think Shasta is to be complimented for looks very pretty whep the sun shines on ' the> delightful evemrgs which have been it a certain way. The water sparkles so. j. spent in Her house. I will now try io I think that it would be a very good idea tell you something ah out Tisbury. At one to have a page for the younger L.F., «s one- time it w;s dense bush with a few houses of the Little Folk said. I have been thinking here and there in it. Gradually, as the that a l&t more of the I*F. may be abl« to years went by, the sawmillets and woodwrite stories to that than to the S.S. Week, ■ cutters cleared the bush away, and now as a lot of them will know a little about there are only patches of green bush left, flowers, and some of tHero may even have Just across the road from us is the school, small gardens of their own. Perhaps they ' which about 150 pupils attend. • There art may -takt even more interest in writing "a four teachers, and the head mistress has small story to that than to the S.S. Week. — been teaching there about 19 years. OpYours truly, posite the school is the only store, -where LOVE LIE® BLEEDING. the post office and telephone are kept. There [I am sure the clubs would be glad- to is also a brick-kiln, where the tricks are receive a paper irom you. That is what made. In the dinner hour at school w« they are- appealing for— more papers from often make our way tnere, and it is very country members.— DOT.] ' interesting to watch the bricks being made. _ . m , „ , , _ Behind the school is a clump of bush ,Dear D»t,_The time has come when I; Xc, d uring the winter weather, We. girts " must say farewell to your page- Although boU t h bm * and make tea> for ourse i VM . not a regular correspondent, I took a great w have J t fun ro<lkmg the fire, and runinterest in reading the Little Folk's letters, ni ftbou^ aad x mugt we have a i most also the > accounts _af the Literary and De- \ £ Hme as if we were havillg . bating Club s. meetings. The D.L.F. Page. icn % The --veather has been anythingis a rill increasing, many new writers takang £ fc plea3ant lately> bllt we" cannot complain, the plac 3 s of the -etir«l -ones. It is some w P e bave bad such a drj( winteT . j^t six °r seven years ago since I penned my Satulda y we h^ a 'afigbt ' shower .of sno#; firsi letter to the page. I used to write , and week it h* s been raining everyday, very regularly then-m iact, nearlj every Swee tbrlar «ad -F intend gouf-to town - week; but this last year or two I have lost and x .^^ w will - hay «, & the idea of writmg a good ietter. How 1 1 ihe , feu Mit is XMt fi4 we »tlter | or biking, come to scrawl these few lines, I dp. not; x in ihe g^ stan^a-rd now^^ud'will know. However. I have managed, so I must !■ be leaving at Christmas. I am-vety }J7 £*? PfK 1 ' T?T ?* f ! ly -Tj rhe . Special -Subject i that 1« m leaving, »s I like school A Tale of tbe- Early Days jn J^ew Zealana" very J much . t lhink j yTOU n i ike to start was, I think, a_g*«rt success The subject and J go ov6r nll the standards ag*in, "I <• appeakng-aa it, did to the different tastes of muß t now- bri*i» this letter to * close,, Mib> the writers, was a very good one. Our ]ove to tne °D.L.F. and yourself,— Tours httle town is very quiet just now, but it will trul . BLaCK-EYED SUSAN, soon be astir again. The winter, which the _ _ _, . . . „, . „ calendar informs us is over, has been a Dear Dot.— This is my first letter to the very fine one. We have experienced very P a S«- 1 an J nine years old. I know a little frost, and not more than the average. ! tot of Dot's Little Folk at our school W. supply of rain for the season. The most i have a white horse, and her nsme is Dolly, important thing here lately has been the I al »d we have 25 hens. We will be milking mysterious "airship." The "ship" is Eaid ', «* «"»• lam 8°"8 to m V k two °° ws to have been seen on several occasions by all ™sM and morning.— \oura _ t l u Jy'_ T . T __ and sundry; but so far I h-aven't been so - - TIDDLEWINKS. , fortunate. However, we must, wait for the [Two cows night and morning is quite scientific solution. Wei!, dear • Dot and ! a big undertaking for a boy of nine-, eh, chums, I must close my letter and bid you ; Tiddiewinks? Write again soon. — DOT.] all farewell.— Yours truly, ' Dear Dot,— l wa3 delighted to see- my NEWBURY [J. V. Barnett, Queenstown, letter in print. -It appeared just as I was 11th August, 1909.] giving up all hopes- I ..thought perhaps [So the dividing line is reached, Newbury. it might have been destroyed, as it was seiut Well, we must all send you our good wishes at a forbidden" time. . Somehow I must _ for your future life, and don't forget to turn have' mißsed your warning. The sea is lookup on Old. Writers' Week. Good luck to ing lovely to-day. IV is so beautifully calm, you! — DOT.] • " j There- are several tr-awle'rs out' just in front «ptijiiili pony—Youm truly, ___ b.u? the second is. reserved. It must have Wiiiiis njiia.j.ii. been rath€r d i sa .ppoiriting for those Natives Dear .Dot, — I am ait work now, and have who went to America, the jEact of their not been for 10 months. . . lamin a general ! being , able to land. I expect they anircnmqnger'B office, and. like the work very ' ticipaled having a good time. The musi- \ much. I .havfc another fiaencl, who -I got I'-cal and .'elocutionary comjpe^rtuona started to- join you* page; his N.D.P.' is Tart. "He t in Napier yesterday.. Two. oj my Hastings says he likes reading, the 'letters from, the! friends are competing. I wish them luck. Little Folk," as- he learns -to" write letters, I hase lately., read .a book entitled "Purple himself. > The' "weather' dowti Ihis'way is i Depth's," by Lionel Pilkingion- " Ii is based something fearful. " It's wind, hail, and! on New Zealand bush life; and has a> snow, and - nearly all the time it is rain- [ touch of pathoft. which jiiakea it morf .ining. I have not much to write this time, [ teresting. I * wonde,r if any of' the L.F. but I thmk I could scrape up some fresh ■ have read it2_ , I£ not, ,*nd -^they «ver new& for "my next- letter.- With love to' all I happen to oome. acroaa it, I advice ■the D.L.F. arid Tart, not forgetting your- them to "do so. Wath kind regards to all self,— Yours truly, • WAIHOPAI. D.L.F- and youraelf,— Yours truly, [I hope you will like your work, Waihopai, • . THE GAY HUSSAR, and get c:i well.— DOT.] . [I have not heard of " Purple Depths," Dear Dot,-I wrote a letter to you once ! ay . H . utß «; x o lß^",*' Pilkin &t<>n » New before which did not appear in the Witness, i z^» ! « nd writer?— DOT.] I like reading the D.L.F. letters, and would f D ear Dot,— This is the first letter I have like to join your Little Folk if you will let ' written to you, and I hope you will accept me. I have a little white pony that I ride me aa one of your band Igo to school, to school on, he is very good at opening ' and am j u the Fourth Standard. We had gates. Igo to Apanma School, which is O ur examination about a week ago and all about two miles from my home. I know j the children passed- We are having very several D.L.F. Qbout here.— Yours truly, bad weather up here just now, and the roads PAPER BOY. are very muddy and wet. Dear Dot, I [Perhaps you did not keep looking for your , have 40 little pigs to look after just now, ktter long enough, Paper Boy, last time. 'soI am kept pretty busy. I know * few We will make sure of it this time at all L.F. about here. " Stockman goes to the events.— DOT.] same school as I do. I think I have written Dear Dot,-I have never written to you be- enough as this i« my firat letter I win fore, and I hope you will accept me as write a longer one next time. With kindest one of your Land. We are having very ££"?» VallV all Me F °\rX^S^?'^ rough weather this last three day*, and we ! Yoars iruly ' WONDERFUL. had great fun snowballing. I have read ! [What a most interesting family to 'feed, a great many books, and some of them are ! Wonderful. The originality of your name is "Frank Weather-all," " Tom," "Melbourne- " good.— DOT.] House," and "Westward Ho." There are i Dear Dot,— The weather down here has a good many D.L.F. about here. ■ There j been very rough. The first .week -of spring are a good many scholars going to our - was lovely. It was snowing on Tuesday ; school, and we have two teachers. lam in I go t very wet coming from- school. I went the Sixth Standard. J have not very far down to the Invercargiil Poultry Show. I to go to school. We are milking two cows, I caw a hen with four legs, also laughing and one of them calved lately. # I was in | jackaoses, peacocks, vhjte mice, frogsf-phea-the bush on Saturday, and I got some san-ts, guinea pigs; only > one French poodle, supplejacks. I must fetop now, as it is but such a dear little thing.— Yours truly, ■ getting late.— Yours tiuly, j . NELSON'S VICTORY. AMYAS LEIGH. _ . „. -„.,.. T j ri\.- a~ v* v a j *• -j.l- ' Dear Dot, — Since last writing to you, Lady "wttw^ Hn y Amy *fr tUa M Wl^' Ma^ret and her people Save, left ihia- ■ 1 They are going to InverCargilL tor a while, Dear Dot, — It is a long time since I last and I will miss them very much, as I vrcta to you, but I have at last made always saw some of them, but the best of v ; > my mind to write again. I have not friends must part. I have just finished s«en the airship., but some of the people! writing to Airlie, ' and thought I would about here say they have. One day we ' write to you when I had the time. The had great fun snowballing one another. I residents of this place gave Lady Margaret's have read a great many "books, but the ones father and mother a social, and presented I like best are. "The Cbannings," "The th&ji with a marble clock and % silver .tea- - Witch's Head," "Dakota Girl," " Hl3 Heart's ', pot. I was waiting at the tables, and had Queen," -and the El«ie Books. It will be a! as good a time as the guests, I . think. year next month since I wrote last. I', There was a dance after, and I think that, know a few D-L.F. about h#re. ' The things ! was the best part of it. I wish Lord at -school I like doing best are sewing , Ronald and Marjory would' hurry up and and brush drawing. Ido not like going ' answer my post-cards : I sesat two to Lord to school much, except vhen it is wet. On Roiald and he never answered either. Don't wet days we get out earlier, and EcmetjmeS j you think, D=4, that they should dot aens\ we put tea*.« round the fire.- I dften" read •' past-cards \iiitir 'they Tutve answered the the Littl Folk's letters, 'b'tit the ones I ; ones anyone elee sends. Dear Dot. there is like reading best are the Little, a ' church Soiree about seven mile*' from Folk I know. I think I have written a here- on Tuesday night, and I might go to long enough ktter, so I will now close, as i it. — Yours truly, ' MUTAit is bed*uti* -Yours tiuly rTb(JE6 who bj . v 6 off&ndedo Muta will me MISCHILA OUS SCHOOLGIRL. your letter and recogniee" their neglect.Uam glad you have turned up again, Mis- DOT ] chie-.cus Schoolgirl.— DOT.] t>' t^* t' '„- ' i* — I Dear Dc 4, — As I was looking over last Dear Dot, — After an .absence of some week's paper I noticed the N.D.P.. Lieu tenmonths I again sit down to write you a ?nt Shackleton, and I would like to know few lines. I suppose you will -have for- • who he is. I .wonder if he will be »b brave . gotten there is such a person as Black- as Shackleton. L. don't expect he .will. .1 eyed Susan. Although- 1 have been a silent j know Lady Margaret personally, an 4 she is member, I haven't forgotten the page, and i a real--"hard shot." She is staying at our whenever I see- the Witness, the first thing ' place for a holiday at present. What's I do, is to turn to Dot's Page, and look j wrong with you, May Flower? Have you. over the letters. It is not often that I see gone to sleep? If not, hurry up and write. letters from the Tisbury L.F. I hope when | It is a long time since I last wrote; but the/ see this letter, some «f them will | I suppose you would not miss me, as 1 never follow my example, and writs too, just to take up much room in your page. I have let Dot ccc they still take an interest in ! rot read many books, but what I have read .' D.L.F. affairs. I wor.der what has become were very good. News is scarce down of Star of Bethlehem, Flag Lily, and Eglan- here.-Youre truly, STOOKMAN. tine. Dear comrades, I have often looked [Though you may take up little room, for a le-Wer froir you, but I have not seen I want you to be> sure to claim ihat section: one for « long time. I was fortunate when you can. Your little piece of alanf

"hard shot" — is something I hare not heard before.— DOT.] Dear Dot. — I am at th<3 Bluff now, but I am going home on Tuesday My sister > shifted to Bluff last Wednesday, and we I got here all right. I was down a* the j •wharf on ' Sunday, and saw some very big ships and s'.eamere. A very big steamer, J named the Kuraara, came in' on Saturday. ' The Ehips c-~tue in on Monday, and go out at sight. Thsre are five steamers expected ■' in to-morrow. I like the Bluff very well. ] We are milking six cows and' there are , som« more coming in. The factory, will soon . b© starting again; then there will be some more hard work- We have a horse and cart of our own now. We have 17 pigs at home, 11 of them being young ones. Th© new school trail scon.be built.— Yours truly, KING HAROLD. [There is sompthing fascinating abcut the Dig eteimera. King Ha-rolcL I uonder_ if you would like io go down, into the engine iooms.— gOT.] Dear Dot. — The weather has been very | rough here the last few dsys, and the roads ( •re very muddy. The railway will soon be ( opened, -to the reads will soon be dry, and j dusty cgaia. All the drays which were j carting , stoK ; on .the railway have been | paid off." " l There are * gocd number of i D.L.P. about here whom, I - know, but they j .hajre not Jbiee" r wrijjirg lately- _ The busy' season "of IKb year will soon be here again, for all the, cows «ie coming: in. ■ All the I cattle are -looking fine, for they are iust cut j of ■ tHe" bush . The horses- about here axe in" better condition this y^ar than last. The farmers s»?e ■ preparing ,lbV ground, for their crops, and some have started' .to sow their gtftin. , >The winter " has been . very mild, so all tne stock are looking fine. Th© days ar© getting a little longer now. and it is daylight jibout 7 o'clock in the morning till about 6 at nigh-t.— Yours truly, CABBAGETREE JACK. Dear Dot, — The spring flowers fire looking their, best -just now. The kowhai and all the wild flowers in the bush are out in blossom. lam going aw«y to look for some ferns "because I know of a place where there are some nice ones in the bush. There are » gieat number of little lambs on tbc farms round about v«, and it is very nice io see them frolicking about. I was in Maheno to-day, and enjoying" myself ver? much.' We hava got * little ,pup, and it is always up to some mischief. lam a real bookworm/ and lam usually in a corner reading. I ■will name' eoms of th* bcoks I have read: "Lilii-n," "Daisy," "The Wide, Wide World," "Uncl© Tom's Cabin," " The Houfe that Jack Built," "Out cf Cabbage Court," and many others. I will Dame some more some other time if I re» «aiber. 1 ssve postcards, and have got about 100. Our echool examination will be coming off nest month, a-nd I hopo I pass. I know a great number of D.L.F. about here. When I started to write at first 3 did not know very many. Wrth love to Leonard Lily and Lcnks of LoVj.— Yours tiuly, v WILD ROSE. Dear Dot,— W« are having very disagree- j able weather, and our roads ar© something I terrible. On the wain road there are such } great ruts that when the o*rt - wheels get into them you think that they will never come out. We are milking a few cows at present, but we are expec-tragfto be milking more shortly. Have you ever seen a wild duck, Dot? I hava one, and have bed him for three years., I have been told that it 5s a wonder. I have kept him so long," but he is quite ta,rrw, and does- sot seem disposed to flyjaway. I "notice by the IkF.-. letters that many of the Little Folk name books which they hare read. What a j numbar of people must xead the same books, «s in many if the letters you &cc that the persons have almost precisely ilie game ! books. I will give you some of mine. My I favourite is ' "Beulah," then come " The j Ayers of Studleigb," "A Victory Won, ' "Th© Faith of . Hilary Lovel," /'Golden Gwendolyn," and '."The Girl's -Empire," -I see one of the' boy L.F. does not like love stories. Well, you know, Dot, that there is a type of book that if you read ona you read -the lot. There is generally a bad man in. it, and the heroine's father owes something to thi£ u-.&n. Of course, the wiciced man wants the heroine to be his, and if the father refuses to give hei, the wicked man will tell the lale to the world, and then all ihe family would 'be disgraced. Penally something happens to th© bad> man, and the girl marries the man of hex choice, and lives i ht-ppily . ever *fter. I am. very fond of j music and singing. I play the piano fromi I ear. and often pass the night hours by playing and singing. My favourite song is "Dublin Bay.'' I think it is such a lovely Httle song. Do you like it, Dot? My favourite piece of poetry is " The Daffodils." - Oh, I" mustn't forget that "airship," Dot! Do you kn<y* I waited outside for about an hour for four or five nights, but without seeing .that -vKca-ierful airship which some people ia this djp-trict mud others - said.' they saw. We heard so many stories about it, and about it being teen in this district, that we were "fair on edge' (*« the' saying goes) to see it. .and then-, to think that, our castle ehould ' tumble" to* the ground. T think "Where lhe Bell-bird' Chimes" is so very interesting. My" mother's lilies. ,»re begin- j ning to peep through the ground. In the | summer time you should sea our garden, Dot! It does look lovely. One girl up here said she thought she had "stepped into fairyland" 'when she entered the garden, so that was a nice compliment to it, wasn't it? My mother also goes in for cactus plants, and she has such a variety. She has an ice-plant, which when in bloom has little t icicles hanging from it. I. have never seen i the bloom yet, as my 'mother just lately got , it, but it must look pretty. I don't care ' for cactus plants. I like something that blooms * lot, and my favourite is the rose. I do love rose's- Have you a favourite flowe'i*, Djot ? . My mother ' says "she likes carnations best. ' and then the- looks' at some other flowers, and bays that this one comes : next, and then this one and th.it. un!<il I j think sh<s has every flower on record Many j people have a liking for every flower, and I think my mother is like that. Well, dear Dot, I will draw to a fuli stop. With best love to all the D.L.F. chums of mine and yourself, — Yours truly, GENERAL'S SWEETHEART. [Do you mean to say that your wild duck has rot his wing clipped? I suppose he takes a fly round, though. ''Yes. I like . "Dublin Bay," General's Sweetheart. No, it is difficult _to say which flower one likes. best,- though I think I would say with you, "I do love roses."— DOT.] Dear Dot, — The school I go to was examined last week. I do not know whether I have passed or failed, for I have not been back to school since I have htd. a' •touch of the measles, and I do not lik© ■ stopping in bed at all. When I looked out of the kitchen door last night I got a surprise to be sure. The passage was full of ladies, and then a lot of men came into the dining room. When mother came rut 1 asked her what it meant, and she seid it was a surprise party. When I went into

the dining Toom everybo3y was playing I cards, and this went on till about 10 o'clock, i About a quarter past 10 sonic of the ladies ' got supper ready. After supper some of ! the people sang songs, and other cleared | away the supper things. Some of the men , j carried the piano to the dodr of an empty I j room, ar.-d lit a- lamp that was in there, and ! prepared for » dance. My sister and myself ' were sent to bed, but we did not sleep; ' much, for the dancers were ii> the room* , ■ next to our bedroom. The people left ' about 1 o'clock thi3 morning. We have I had a large verandah and a room put on to the house and two rooms made larger. I do not know «ny D.L-F just now, and I do n-ot think there are any up this way. On© ' of my schoolmates has gone to Melbourne for three weeks, and I hope she will have a good time, I will stop now. as ' I have no more news. With love to all D.IiJF. and yourself,—Yours truly, POKE BONNET. [That must have been a surprise, indeed, for you. Poke Bonnet. You must have thought they were bushrangers. — DOT.] }' Deaf Dot,— This is my first leiter to the I psge., and I hope you will receive me as i cn-o cf your L.P- I have read a few books, j and lam fond of reading. I kn<n\ a few j L.F. .We have, a* dog called Rough and j.a b~-»ck ca*. called Tommy. We have been J having very bad weather lately. The airi. ship caused a great deal of excitement, didn't } it? Oh, well. T will stop jiow, hoping to i see my letter in grint. Love to all the { ILittle Polk, yourself, and the- editor. — Yours truly, ' ' LADY CHRISTABEL. * [I am pleased to make the .acquaintance of Tommy aud Bough, as well a3 Lady Chrislabel. Write again scon.— DOT.J Dear Dot, — This in my. first letter to your paga- lam in the Third Standard. W© play football at school, but the ball burst. We have a new teacher." There .Las been snow on the ground the !ast few days. I am glad it is near the Christmas holidays. I like reading the Witness and books. I will tell you a few of the_.bo^ks J have read; " Twelve Little Brothers." " Blazing Arrow," and a few others. The weather rnta getting fine, but the snow made- it as bad as ever. The creeks aT© in flood, and the paddocks are full of water. lem getting tired and sleepy, so I think 1 will bring my % letter to a close. With love to all the L.F., not forgetting yourself,— Yours truly, t/OCHINVAR. [Perhaps you have too much snow, to be interested in it when it come*. Do" you play, snowballing, my Young Lochinvar? Pleased to add you to my list.— DOT.] Dear Dot, — It is a lon^f time since 1 last wrote to you. There is snow on the ground and we are having vary rough weather. I am at home to-day, »nd so I have a good chance to write to you. lam in the Sixth Standard, and ar> going to leave soon. I have to milk two cows and feed them with turnips. It is no' very nj.ce. on the frosty or wet n-ornings. I have two miles to ! walk, to school, and it if all right or the . frosty mornings. I have a brother and * ', pist-si writing to your page. I know *" I few of the^D.L.P. writing to your page. I j have not ee«n Robin Hood's letter in the Witness for a long time. — Yours truly, ECLIPSE. Det.r Dot t—lt — I now sit . down to writ© to you to tell you tow I am getting on. -I was at Sunday School to-day wiih three of my brothers and one of my sisters. It has_ . been a lovely day. to-day. La*t night there was a big fire in. Watertan. It was .an oat . stack, so the farmer „ would have . lost a. -. lot of grain: I : wrote to two" ot my ~D.lt.Ji . mates this afternoon. Mj sister Sally j Harnar is writing to same of her D.L.F. mates. It was ' snowing here last week. J My sister. Biddy Malone. will be home next • Sunday if it is not raining. My j brother Sam vorks at Greensireel. He j has got 20 mil as to ride home. My younger brothers ■ are learning their leseons for school. I think -th? - examination will- .he commg off soon, so they will have to , kafn their lessons if they want to pass. I have .got 95 post-cards in mj post-card album. I have got a bad cold » There was a little baby christened in our church to-day. — Yours truly, MOLLY MALONE. Dear Dot. — When I last wrote to y»u I was living in Chrifitchurch. Since then we have shifted to Waimatuku on to a farm. I find it very different going to school here. We have three miles to walk now instead of going a few yards. We are milking just I three cows at present, but intend to milk } ft'bout 14 in the summer time. We are busy | ploughing th« ground up to cut in the crops, which will be mostly of oats. W© have a great many sheep and : very good sheep dog named Lad, and if we say " Speak up. Lad " he barks as loud as he can. We have ■ fine apple orchard, and also a fine garden. Well, dear Dot. I think I have j given you all the news at present. I will | close now, with kind regards to all Little sjFolk^rYowT* tanly , DIjQKY BIRD. £You must find *» great chunge, Dicky Bud, after li£e in town. And the , apple orchard won't be the thing of least interest in the cutumn.— DOT.] Dear Dot, — It is a long time since I last wrote to you. I am 12 year? old, and am jin the Fourth Standard. I have two miles Ito go to school. We have one cow milking. We had two weeks holidays for wittier. We are putting in our garden seeds now. I have three dogs and two cat?. We had a fall of snow here about a foot deep. There fxe a lot of out fowls laying. W< had a good lot of hay this winter for the cattle. Rabbits are beginning to get scarce about here now since the poisoning began. Wo ! have had a good winter this jear. We are going to dig up a. piece of new ground to I put in seine potatoes. There is a lot of grass about bore- this year for the cattle. ■ I have a guinea pig and a black*" labbit.— Yours truly, LORD KITCHENER. De«.r Dot, — We have shifted now. We have got s new teacher now whose name, is Mr : Johnston. We are making a garden at ! school. We h*ve ieen having a {bit of snow I the last two days. I like reading the D.L.F. letters. I like our new teacher very well. — Yours truly, BLACK BILLY. Dear Dot. — This is my first letter to the. page, and I hope you will accept me as one of your happy band. 'lhe place where I live is called Forest Vale, and it is four miles from Waimahaka. The bush around our place is very pretty in the summer time. II heve six sisters and two brothers, one of whom is working in Dnnedin. I have only , one pet cat, and her name is Fluff. She is nine yerra old. I think I will close now. "With love to Shepherd's Lily and yourself, — Yours truly, QUEEN OF THE BUSH. ■ [Do you ever meet any fairies in your bush, Queen of the Bush? Don't you think it is tin*© we had them in New Zealand? .1 am glad to hear from you. — DOT.] Dear Dot, — It seems ages since I last wrote to the psge, but better late than never. Have we not had a splendid winter this year? Only one fall of snow, which will do a lot of good. We had about four ' and a-hal-f inches about h-ere, and it seemed to be m general fall »11 over, 'but it did not

T lie- long — only about 40 hours. The only | things startling down this way are airships. ' It was very common about here for two or three weeks. The majority of people seem to think it is a hoax, but I am in a , position to contradict that, for I have seen I it on two occasions — only a few chains both times. I must say that the owner and in1 ventor deserve gre-a-t praise for the way it ' is capable of travelling against strong winds, etc. It travelled with an up and down motion, like a bird or wings, and it made a. few quick journeys about here. On one occasion it -travelled about 15 miles in as many minutes. It was seen by •sbout eight or nine persons that night, and was carrying two lights — one. like the headlight of a lailway engine, ain<? the otner ve-ry much resembled a cycle lamp. Well, Dct, the last time I wrote I promised to describe a bush ricnic I -was at. Well, we nil left for the bush, * distance of -about 12 miles, at 9 o'clock, and arrived fhere about d'nnrr time. After lunch most of the' party started off up the bush -to Fee the waterfalls and gather ferns, etc. Being a warm day, everybody en-ored the wallr amongst the trees and scenery. 1 had my camera with me, and took a few snapshots. I thought they would m«ke splendid photographs, but ; hsd a bit of bud luck, for oniy on« of them turned out anythin-g worth spw-king about. There were seven or eight D.LiF. present, bo it was fair for so small a psxty of p'cnickere. Tie sky got cloudy about 3 o'clock, *nd it besan, -to.- Tain' with a vengeance at 4v W« air««t out for home abotir§j«?!f.-pa.=t 4 in a miper&'bile Vain, wlhicbj^jcade. a few of us think that picnicking wag -"riot the gacne- thai it is cracked vm to sbe. r Axiy£ttev. everybody arriyed home safe, witfi a" gord clay's outing to' their credit * "W«ll. Inky Fingers, I think you should send "tnat ppostt t card you promised, -for I have been waiting for it for a long time now. "How do, you like your new home? ""I suppose it is ahead of this place. — Yours truly THE SPIELER. [I am gl»d that at last I have a corres■Dondent who has really F©en ths airship. When it pomes out of its hiding again vcu must send me word as soon as you ses it. — DOT.] AUTOS AND POST-CARDS. Stockman (Wm. Salton, Scott's Gap P. 0.) would like to exchange posi-caTds with Lieutenant Shacklcton and any North Island D.L.F. willing. - General's Sweetheart (Adelaide E. Allen, Chloris Pass, Tahatika, Ouaka) would like very much to exchange auios with Texas Jack. Zitella, Bonnie-- Jean, A Telescope, Scribbler, at>? Anice. • Kumarn (care of T. St*wart^ Bluff) • dshas to exchange autos and~ post-cards with any D.L.F. willing. The Nidding Nod (Mary XPPbee. <:are of Post Office, St. Bathans) wishes to exchange posrt-cards with Shasta, The Helmsman, Lavengro. Vidocq, anc l Bert. Longwood Blossom (M. A. Martin, care of Mrs Jas. Black. Mores Mill. H 3 keia P. 0., Longwood) would like to exchange autos and post-cards with Giwv Queen, Wild Fuchsra. Vinca Rosa, A Mischievous Schoolgirl, Wild Roses. Convolvulus, Boy, Longwood La^-sis^, Tea Rose, and Sunbeam 11. Sure replies. Plum Blossom (Charlotte Parsons, care of "Mr D. Parsons, P.O. Hen!ey) wishes to exchange post-oards with Texas Jack, Indian Chief, Kia. Ora, Cornish, and any other D.L.F. willing.. Lady Evelyn (care of Mr F. Hancos, Mount Barker, Pembrok-s) would like to exchange post-cimls with White Fuchsia. The Star, 'of Cardrona, Young Cyclist, and any D.L.F. willing. ''" D.L.F. AUTOS. Autos sent to Helen.