LETTERS FROM THE LITTLE FOLK.

Otago Witness, Issue 2914, 19 January 1910, Page 91

LETTERS FROM THE LITTLE FOLK.

! ' . M«tt«:—We write for the benefit of others, not for ourselves. I Reg- >T« letter to contain more than 150 worts. ! Dear Dot,, —I have been thinking all the week that it is a long time since I wrota to the page, but it is better lave than never. I notice by the page there are two from ■ the Port who have joined the band -also— Lighthouse and Bob the Dodger. I might I go°into town for my holidays yet. I was up at the Clutba last Thursday night at a play called “The Fatal Wedding.” It was a good play, and the ball was pretty nearly crowded. I haven’t seen Cooee or Cosy this long time. I am longing to have a talk with them. With love to all the band,— I Y ° U ' rS trU ' y ’ STARLIGHT VIOLET. [You will be wondering what has lie come of your letter, Starlight Violet, but by this time you will have received my private nets of explanation.—DOT.] | Dear Dot, —I am staying at Puketeraki for my holidays just now. I sometimes go fishing round the rocks, but have not caught any fish so far. One day at low tide we are going to the rocks to get mutton-fish shells — large shells which look as if they were lined with mother-of-pearl. It is grand fun bathing in the breakers. I have been in several times. Once when there was a very strong backwash I was knocked right over by tha waves, and I could not get my breath for some time afterwards. I have been for rows on the river. At low tide the river is so shallow that vou could wad-3 across to tha Waikouaiti Beach. On New Year’s EVe we had a display of fireworks. A good many people round had them also. Some of the campers dressed up and paraded the township on New Year’s Day. The parade ended in -a- distribution of lollies to all the children about. I may be going to the blowholes os ! Karitane Peninsula to-day. I have never seen them before. To-morrow I have to gc to the station, which is a mile and a-hali from where we are staying, to meet a chum of mine, who is coming to spend a few davs with me. W-ell. Dot, I will close now 1 with love to all D.L.F., not forgetting yourself.—Yours truly, CR-EAM PUFF. • j [There is no doubt or your having a good time at Puketeraki, Cream Puff. I should think you would never be at a loss for something to do with fishing and boating and bathing.—DOT.] Dear Dot, —This is my first letter to your page. I hope to join your happy hand, of I Little Folk/ I am seven years old, and am ' in the Third Class at school. Christmas is past again. I hung up my stocking, and I got some presents in it. I like when I get up on Christmas morning and see my stocking filled with presents. Did you hang up your stocking when yon were small, Dot?. My father drives a lot of milk to the factory. , Sometimes I go with him for a ride. I was 1 at the Invercargill show, and enjoyed myself very well. I will not write a long letter for my first one, so I will close with best love to you and all the Little Polk.—Yours 'truly, MOTORCAR, j [Yes, Motor Car, I used to hang my stocking up on Christmas Eve. but that was a long time ago, I am afraid. I am, pleased to add you to the big family of Little Folk.— DOT.] Dear Dot.—This is my first letter to yout page. May I become one of your happy band? I am ten years of age, and in the Fifth Standard at school. I have two miles to -walk to school. We are having the holidays now. The mistletoe is out now, and the bush looks very pretty. We have a tarns i pig-eon. It is white with some black on | its neck. As this is my first letter I will close now. —Yours truly, | DULLER GORGE. j [You must tell us something about your 1 part of the country some time, Duller Gorge, i Do you -ever go up the road towards Lyell, 1 or past the great waterwheel at Three Channel Flat? Write again soon. —DOT.] Dear Dot, —This is my first letter to your page, and I hope you will let me join your marry band. I am -eight years old, and I am in the Second Standard. There are about 23 going to our school, and our teacher’s name is Mr E-gan. I have a pet cat.—Yo - . .rr truly, LITTLE TOP'SY [Glad to enrol you, Little Topsy. I he )« you got your badge safely.—DOT.] Dear Dot. —W-e are camping now, ai id having a good time generally. W-e start id down here at twenty past 8 on the- 23rd it December. The trains were crowded, ar ell it was so hot that w-e did not know what to do. To add to our troubles, we found that our .ticker basket had been put into the van, and we did not have time to get it out. We tried to get the basket at Balclutha, but failed. We changed there for a little branch line coming down the Gatlins way. At about 12 I got very hungry, so -at last father managed to get the basket. W-e got out at Houipap-a, and then had a 15-mile drive to Papatowai. It was a very pretty drive, hut w-e were -all too tired to notice it much, j We passed two bullock waggons, and father took -a photo of them. At last we caught sight of the sea. We were at the top of a j high hill, and could look right down on to* j it. Then we lost sight of it again as w-e j went down the hill, but veiy soon we got I on to the beach and trotted along merrily. ■ We got to our camp at -about 6 o’clock, and! wo were -all very tired, -so it was just as- ! well the tents had been put up for us. . j When wo bad had tea we got our beds ready and went to bed. Even then there wa.s no 1 ! rest for the weary travellers, for the most quitoes kept us awake all night, and I had j a -swollen eye in the morning. Next night we rigged tip nets, so we were not disturbed. ■ I wished I bad had 1 a magnifying glass to see the disappointed look on the mosquitoes’ . faces. A few days later w© went up the Maclennan River to hire a- boat. The river

t?as full of snags, and we caught on them several times, hut managed to get off again. The return journey was .much better and easier, for we had some sort of notion where the snags "were. We have had plenty of excursions up and down the Ta-ukupu River, and father and I take turns at steering and rowing, I must step now, Rot, so that this letter can catch the mail. —Yours truly, SUNNY BEAM. [lf you are defying the mosquitoes and sandflies, Sunny Beam, what a grand time you will have at Papatowai. My most vivid recollection of Papatowai, however, is the welcome I got from the sandflies. —DOT.] Dear Dot, —This is my first letter to your page, and I hope you will let join your happy band. I have got a pet cat. We are milking three cows. We have got our Christinas holidays, and we don t go back to school until the 17th of January, -^uxs [Will von tell us how you amuse yourself next" time you write. Lady Moon. i wonder whether you will have some exciting holiday experiences to describe.—DUl.J Dear Dot,—l have just been reading some of D.L.F. letters, and I thought u was about time I wrote again. At the school break-up I received the Fifth Standard writing prize. I have just been reading a letter wntten by Pollv, wlrtch I like very much Some very nice stories which I have- read are ‘“Yo, Ho! for the Spanish Mam! Rule Three of Scout Law," and Y olves to the Rescue.” During the Christmas and New Year week we arranged some very nice picnics with friends to Taieri Mouth, Mount Stewart, .and Akatore Coast. The prize that I got from school' is called Miss Bobbie, Olio of Ethel Turner’s [Pleased to hear from you again, Gipsy Queen. Have you nothing to tell us about Akatore and Taieri Mouth?—DOT.] Dear Dot. —I hope you had a happy Christmas. I had. I got some very nice things from Santa Claus. One was the Chifd s Own Ma.gazine," and I liked reading it. \ve have some friends from Dunedin for the holidays. Yesterday we went to the beach, and had a very nice time wading in the sea. I got two prizes at Sunday school and two cut the day school. My little brother made several attempts to write to you, but did net manage to finish a letter. I have lead one of my school .prizes and one of my Sunday school prizes. With love to Bernccia, Sylvia, Pi-ri-pi, Brete ' Hart, and Lola Yours truly, MOA. [Thank you, Moa; I had a very pleasant Christmas and New Year. X hope your little brother will manage to get that letter finished some time. —Dol.] Dear Dot,—This is my second letter to your page. I will now try .and describe the sluicing claim. The water brought in iron pipes lying along the hillsides, and comes from streams some miles, away. The claim is worked hy a hc-s-e. The white and light • blue stones and the bare cliffs behind reflect the sunlight so brightly that my eyes were quite dazzled. Away under the cliffs men were working, directing streams or water against the rocks and earth. The water coming from the nozzle comes with such force that if you put your hand against it it would break it. One of the miners directed tho water against the cliff, and huge masses of rock and earth came crashing down. The rocks; broken by their fall, were carried hy the stream of water into a wooden channel. As they travelled along they .were broken still smaller by men with picks and hammers. On the bottom, of the wooden channel were strips of ccconnut matting, into which, any pieces of gold sank and were caught. I followed the channel till it .ended at the entrance to a sloping iron pipe, which rose many feet in the air. Here ■ another jet of water from the hills met the slowly-travelling pieces of rock, and struck them with such force that they were driven right up the sloping pipe. Tho great etones could he heard smashing against one another a distance away. As I was sitting on the doorstep to-day a- weasel came to one side of the road close to our house, and there were several skylarks following it.— -Yours truly, WAIPUKURAU. [A good description, Waipupukaka,—DOT.] Dear Dot, —It is a long time since I wrote to you. I suppose you will think I have forgotten you altogether. It has been a wee bit too dry until last Sunday. I was at a picnic to-day in our own township. We Suave finished shearing now. We finished on Christmas Day. It is not long until school opens .again. The time goes so quickly. 1 don’t like going to school. I have about a mile to go to school, and I go by myself. I must stop now, —Yours truly, ROSABELLA. [Holidays always do -pass quicker than w© want them to, Rosabella. I expect it is the holidays that are making you object to the coming of schooldays again. They are Hot so had after all.—DOT.] Dear Dot, —I was pleased to see my first letter in your page. You told me to tell you about the concert. Well, I vjas singing in one song with seven other girls. We were dressed up with nightdresses and nightcaps op. All of us had dolls with us. I was at ■the Invercargill show, and it was splendid to see all the things. There were some girls aiding. A girl from Gore got the prize. Were you ever at the Dunedin show, Dot ? The Mabel School children had a trip to the Bluff. I did not go, so I do not know what it was like. I have my prize now that I got at school. The name of it is “What Eatey Did Next.” I will close now, with iiove to all the Little Folk.—Yours truly, ROSE MARY. [Yes, Rose Mary, I was at last Dunedin show, and saw, all the flue horses and other ■animals. Then there were some pony races fmd jumping..—DOT.] . Dear Dot, —I suppose you and all the B.L. P. will he forgetting they have a comrade called Mary Bell, but she has been rather lazy lately, as she is in Dunedin for a few weeks’ holidays. I intend to get a situation in Dunedin, and spend a few aftonths or perhaps years here, just to see df I like the town. I do not think I shall like it as much as the country; but there is nothing like trying. What do you say, Dot ? I lame to town on the last clay of last year, and, since then I have been enjoying myself very much. It is a treat to see all the lovely articles and fruit in the shops, especially in the evening, when the town is lit up. My brother,- the Ploughman’s Friend, is in town with me just now, •but he is going home again on Tuesday, as fie does- not like town. He says there is .aiothing hero to see; he would rather be at home working amongst the sheep and horses! tWe.l,l, Dot, as news is scarce, I shall close sftdth best love to all D.L.F., not forgetting Sjld Eileen, Love Lies Bleeding 11, Lady into, Quean of the Flowers, and Queen of She Vale.—Yours truly, MARY BELL. i£[l should think there is- no harm in trying itotyn life, Mary Bell, for a while at any fhte. If you h%ve friend's in Dunedin it is jail the -better for you. You. must let me •Snow haw you get on. —DOT.j

Dear Dot,—The Little Folk have again started to write to the page, so I must make a start now, too. We have finished haymaking, and are going to make a start on the oats soon. The weather is rather hot for harvesting, but it has to be done. Wouldn’t you like to be up at Wanafca now, Dot ? You would be able to come out to Mount Barker and watch the .people cutting and stocking. We are having our holidays now. On break-up day our teacher took us up to Ruby Island for a picnic, but I did not go. We haven’t got our prizes yet. I don’t think we are geing to get them till we go 'back to school again. The Cardrona School have not got theirs yet either. Yell, dear Dot, this is all I can find to tell you this time, so I will have to close now, with love to Jenny Geddes, Spring Flower, White Fuchsia, Bob the Dodger, Pinkie Blue, and Jockey ll.—Yours truly, LADY EVELYN. [lt would be very nice at Y/anaka just now, Lady Evelyn, but I am. afraid I won’t be up that way this year.—DOT.] Dear Dot, —It is so long since I last wrote to the page that I hardly know how to start. Christmas and New Year have passed for another year. We had very unpleasant weather, too. It was lovely before Christmas —in fact, we were growling about the heat, —but on Christmas Eve it wa.s a different tale, for it started to rain heavily. I went to Wyndham on Christmas Eve, leaving at 8 o’clock, and arriving home at haf-past I‘2. I got to bed about 1 o’clock, and was up in the morning at 20 minutes to 4, for we were to be at the factory at 7 o’clock. I stayed at home on Christmas Day and Night. On Sunday—well, we bad Christmas dinner, .and at night I went for a bike ride. Not far up the road I met Dynamite out biking with her sister, so we all joined and went for a good ride. I went to the Ferry picnic on Boxing Day, which was very windy. I was also at the regatta at the Bluff. It was a terrible day at the Bluff, windy and raining “old boots,” as they were all saying, but in Invercargill it was a lovely day. I was on the H.M.S. Pioneer. We went through the kitchen, and it has such a big range. There were some men (cooks, I suppose) cutting meat up for stow and so forth. It must be terribly hot in there with the great fire burning all day. There was another boat in, but no. cue was allowed on her, as she was sailing that night. The Theresa Y T ard was sailing out also. Tall Fairy Queen and Buttercups and Daisies went for a ride, but my mate and I waited on the wharf. There was an awful crowd at the Bluff, with all its wind and rain. I never saw a- L.F. all day, and I was on the lookout for them. Better luck next time! I will draw to a doss, hoping Dot, editor, and all the D.L.F. will enjoy the New Year.—Yours truly, HAPPY QUEEN BESS. [lt is l not everyone who has had the opportunity of going over a man-of-war, Queen Bess. That is, at Least, something to remember about your trip to Bluff.— DOT,] Dear Dot, —Here I am out of my shell again to write a few more lines. It seem® to me as if a groat number of the writers are fond of reading. Well, I don't think I can call myself a lover of books, but I have read a few books, the names of them being “The Old Moat Farm,” “Without a Home,” “Meg’s Friend,” "The Coral Island,” and one or two others. I was at a school excursion to the Bluff on the 28th of last month. It was a fine day, hut a strong wind from the north-west was blowing. I went out in the tug, and it was lovely. My two companions and myself came home in a truck, but I didn’t fancy it much; it was too rooky for me. The next picnic I go to you won’t find me in a truck, either going or coming. With love to all the D.L.F.—• Yours truly, RUTH’S DARLING. [No, trucks are not the most comfortable vehicles to travel in, especially if the weather is bad. —DOT.] Dear Dot, —Just a few lines to tell you I was very pleased to see my first letter .in print. Y 7 e held our school sports in the Exhibition Grounds, and they were very good. There were 17 maypoles all going at the same time. It was a- very pretty sight. There was a good display of dumb-bells, clubs, flags, skipping, racing, etc. December 11 was my brother’s birthday, so mother took us three children and two other little friends for a picnic to the Zoo. We arrived there at 11.15 a.m., opened our lunch baskets, get tea made, and had a. good lunch, along with plenty of fruit. After lunch we started to look around. The birds and beasts are too numerous to mention, but I will try and tell you of some of them. One monkey is nearly as big as a mam, and, oh! he does look cunning. There are a great number of monkeys. The eagles are very vicious-look-ing birds. There are all sorts of cockatoos. Some are very good talkers. One cookie is in a cage near the entrance gate, and he asks c.ach person as he comes in for a drink of water .and a piece of bread. The wild animals are very interesting. We watched the lions and tigers being fed. Oh, my! they get very savage when they see the meat. One tiger lay back and snarled for quite a long time. Two lions began to fight ocer their meat, so the attendant had to ■ pull the door between them; then they snarled at each other through the bars. Y T e had a drive round the grounds in the donkey cart, a ride in the little train on the circular railway, also a ride on the great elephant. He is very knowing, and puts up his trunk every now and then for a morsel of something nice. The bears are queer creatures, and it is pitiful to see the polar bear trying to find a cool place. He seems to find the Australian climate rather trying. There are some lovely peacocks, and one pure white one. He looks very uncommon among his beautiful brothers. The snakes are queer creatures. Some were shedding their skins. In one snake house there were a number of frogs jumping about. We had a really interesting day, and after having a good tea and a general look round we left the Zoo at 6 o’clock (closing time), and arrived home again at 7 o’clock. Now, dear Dot, I have a lot more to tell you, but I had better keep it for my “next letter, and I will write sooner next time, so wishing yourself and all the L.F. the compliments of the season, —Yours truly. PRINCESS YAERA. [I wonder how many of our New Zealand Little Folk will be envying you your visit to the Zoo, Princess. Y r e will all be looking tor your next letter anxiously, so please don t keep us waiting very long.—DOT.] Dear Dot, It is a good while since I last wrote to you, and I think it is about time I renewed the correspondence. We are not having very good weather for the Christmas holidays this year, and many of tho visitors who have come to spend their holidays here have gone -away. Boy was at our place at the beginning of the wisck, and we had some fun with him. He is coming back again with my sister, Iris 11, this afternoon, and we will be glad to get him back. I have boen noticing what a number of newcomers have been joining your page during the lastfew months. We are all going to MiddleA

! march to spend our holidays this year, and | I hope we have some fun. AVishing you a--1 happy New Year, —Yours truly, I TIT-BIT. [I hope you have a good time at Middle- ! march, Tit-bit. It will be a change from | Brighton at any rate.—DOT.] Dear Dot, —Just a- few linos to let you ! know I have not forgotten you. AA T e have j got six weeks’ holiday from school, but 1 | am not going away anywhere. On New I Year’s Day we all went up to the Black i Clew. On AYedne-sday we are going to a picnic. AA r e all got prizes at school, and my eiister got an 8s book for first in marks. The name of my prize is “The Old Helmet” ; the name of my sister’s prize is “The Girls’ Own Annual,” and “Goody Goods” is Pretty Doggie’s. No more to say, as news is very scarce. AA r ith love to all the L.F. —Yours truly, PINEAPPLE. [I am wondering what the Black Clew is, Pineapple. Thank you for the little fern leaves. —DOT.] Dear Dot, —It is a long time now since I wrote to the page. AA T e have got holidays ! from school just now. Our teacher is getting j married on the 10th of this month. | AAA© are having very hot weather up here, I and all the turnips are getting withered up. I will close now, with love te all the D.L.F. —Yours truly, GINGER SNAP. [Thank you for the drawing, Ginger Snap. You have made a good attempt.—DOT.] Dear Dot, —I am writing to you after an absence of three, or four months. I have left school now, and' I am glad, but some day I’ll want to go back again when I cannet. The annual district picnic was held on AYednesclay, 29th December. It was wet, and so they did not go where they had ! arranged to. This was a disappointment; i nevertheless I enjoyed myself. There were | races for all the people there, old and young, i I went in for one, and came in third, and I received a prize. My friend, A AViiiie Rose I of Hazelwood, is away for a holiday, and I | miss her very much. I have just finished | reading the series “What K-aty Did,’" “ What I Katy Did at School,” and “AA r hat Katy Did Next.” These books are in the school library. A while ago I was told that Dot’s Sweetheart was a young man living up here, but since then I found out it was a boy | at Hampden. Hurry up and write, Prince i of AAtoles and Indian Queen.. You have only j written once, Prince of AYales. It will scon | be harvest time, and the mills will be going I out. I saw you on Thursday night, Kentish Lass. AA’ere you very angry ? Did you like your game of rounders? I will have to clc.se : now, with love to Prince of AYales, Kentish Las®, AYild Rose, Dolly Gray, and A Bunch of Blue ALolets, —Tours truly, QUEEN OF FLOAVERS. [You may long for the lack of responsibilities of your school days, Queen of Flowers, but I don’t think anyone wants to go back I to former years.—DOT.] Dear Dot, —This is my first letter from I Oamaru, where I now live, and I would I rather live in Qamaru than at Pukeuri JuncI tion, because there .are a large number of i nice girls near us to play with. AA T e live in j Eden street, but we can in five minutes j walk down into Thames street. Our exami- | nation for the Sixth Standard was held on | the 7th December in the " North School, | Oamaru. Along with the rest of the Sixth I Standard I rode from Pukeuri into Oamaru. | Mr Bossence wais the inspector, but I have | net heard the result of the exam. yet. Every- ! thing we had was very difficult, especially j the geometry. I -and the rest of my brothers i get a- lot of things for Christmas. I got a i new white silk bat, a hex of toilet soap, | a bottle of heliotrope scent, a handbag", i colla.r-and-tie ribbon, lollies, and a balk | My brothers got balls, lollies, harmoniums, j toy, rabbits, magic lantern, an engine and i train, a pistol, add lots of other things. I ' got a nice prize at Pukeuri School this year. | It is called “The Pilgrim’s Progress,” and i I get a book for Sunday school, called “The i Ministering Children.” My brothers got the | “Child’s Companion,” “Uncle Rodger,” i “Swiss Family Robinson.” and ‘“Jolly Jumbo j Tales.” I and my mother, and baby went | last Monday to Totara in the train, and it ; was just crowded. I wrote a letter to a i girl in Australia, whose name I received 1 through the AHotoria League. I received I her letter yesterday. I also -sent for addresses to Calcutta, Manchester, and Belfast, j On Christmas Eve my mother and I went i down the street. All the shops were open, i I bought the baby cream dslain cloth, and : made a dress for him, this week. I made i it myself on the machine. I am .still 13 I years old, but I will he 14 on the 29th of i 'April. I am the only girl in our family, j I have six brothers, one older than me. I I used to write to Aunt Hilda, in the CanI terbury Times, but I have not written for j a long time now. My grandmother sent us | a bag full of toys for Christmas. She lives 1 in Dunedin, at Anderson’s Bay. I have not j seen any L.F. in Oamaru yet. I am going to the sports on New Year’s Day. I "have not ridden down this street yet, for it is very steep—but not all the way to Thames street. My bicycle is only a small one. I j have had it a. year now. There ore moving j pictures every night in the Opera House, but I I have not been yet. AVishing you and all ! 'the L.F, a happy New Year,—Yours triibI BABIANA. I [I thought you would like town life, i Babiama. The fact that yen have -a wide ! choice of friends is one of the chief attraei tions. As the only girl in a family you | will have a most important position to fill, j Thank you for your nice Jong letter.— | DOT.] i Dear Dot, —It has been very windy up i here this last two or three- days. AA r e went j to -a picnic to Lake Tek-apo on the 17th . December, and enjoyed ourselves very much. I When we reached there we had 1 lunch, and then went on the bridge to have races and j skipping. I won a shilling for racing and j three shillings for -skipping. There were two j drags full of people. My birthday is on the lith March. I will close now, with love to all the Little Folk, net forgetting vourself.— Yours truly, SCOTTIE. i [You did well that day in prize-monov, bcottie.—DOT.] j Dear Dot, AYe had lovely weather for the i holidays. There are never any sports at Cari drone, as there are not many people. S-o : Christmas comes and goes very quietly. I i have not tried to draw Pixie’s Santo Claus | y®t. I cannot imagine Santa going round : w,th two large moa-s, as they must he very awkward things. I see Flower Girl calls school work the slave trade; I do not mind - going to school, and very seldom -miss a day. 1 am in wig Sixth Stand-ard now, and. think j I will soon be leaving. I would like very j much if -any of the Little Folk living near j the hush would kindly &end me >s ! ome pretty j ferns to plant. I would -pay -postage, and ex- ! change -anything they would 1 like if I should I happen to have it. There were -some- very I nice letters in Old Wliters-’ AV-eek. I think | it is hind of them to -send such nice long letter®. My poor little- g-arden is quite withered up now, as the heat was very great at times this summer. Hoping Dot and all

the Little Folk had a merry Christmas, and wishing them a very happy New Year, Yours truly, GENEVA. [I .am glad to hear from yon again, Geneva. There is no doubt a. ghmp&e at a photograph of one of my_ Little Folk me more in sympathy with her It amyo wishes for Geneva’s name and address i shall be glad to forward it. DUi.j Dear Dot, —It seems such a long time ago since I wrote to the page that 1 feel almost too. ashamed to begin again now. Altnougn I have not written for such a long time, i always take a great pleasure in reading the other Little Folk’s letters. But Cowslip and Primrose 11, what has become of you two. I have not noticed your letters in ins page for such a long time. I am now keeping house for my father and two sisters, and i like it very much. It is a lot different from travelling - round and holiday-making. I can always find plenty of work to do. We have the carpenters here at present, and they .are busy putting up the new buildings. J-t hne, pa will be starting harvesting next week, and we have a lot of crop to cut this year. I am always pleased when the harvest is over, as one is kept busy when they have everything to do. AYe are now living out in tfc.e country, and I find it a little quiet at times. I did not go away for any holidays this year, but my father has promised to take me for a trip to the Forth Island with him when he goes. I cannot think of any more to write just now, so with kindest regards to Clock Winder, Primrose 11, and Cowslip,—Yours truly, CARNATIONS 11. [There is already a “Carnation,” so that your change is unfortunate. I have called you Carnations II in the meantime._ You may change it if you wish. To be chief of a household 0 would keep your days very fully occupied. You will be glad when the harvest is over. —DOT.] Dear Dot,—AYe have been having gales of wind lately, and that, with the heat, does not improve the garden very much. Our currant trees hadn’t much fruit on them this year, but while we were all away on New Year’s Day the birds ate almost all. We had a good" few gooseberries year. I was at the Dip-ton sports on New Year’s Day, and. my word! didn’t it blow; and it rained a little, but it was lovely going home at night. It rained here on Christmas morning, and I think it rained on Christmas Eve, but wo were too busy with a cushion fight to see. Really, Dot, I think cushion fights occur more often in this house than ia* good for the cushions. I know they got a banging around that night, and I think everybody agreed that they got ditto —at least I did. It’s a wonder we didn’t frighten old Santa Claus. We spent a very quiet Christmas Day, as we had no visitors. It was fine in the afternoon, so I went out for a ride; but the trouble was that it wasn’t half long enough. AYe had our school picnic just before Christmas, and it came off not so badly. It ended up with a dance at night, and I think all pijoyed themselves there, because it broke Up early in the morning. I hope it is not too late in the year to wish everyone a happy and prosperous New Year.—Yours truly, A YOUNG STREAMLET. [Cushion fights generally seam to end up with a broken, picture, or vase, or a shower of feather®. Do you manage to evade all accidents, my Young Streamlet?—DOT'.] Dear Dot,—l am just writing a few lines asking you if you received my letter, which I wrote before Christmas. I never see a Witness up here, so i do not know whether it was in the paper or not. I wished to exchange autos, and have not received any yet. I hope you spent a happy Christmas. I am sure I did, although it was raining most of the day. I give here a cure for earache; perhaps some of the L.F. would like to have it: Take a small piece of cotton wool, make a depression in the centre with the finger ; fill with ground pepper, as ’much as will rest on a threepenny bit; then gather into a ball, dip in sweet oil, and insert in the ear, covering the latter with cotton wool. —Yours truly, GEISHA. [You will have -received my note by now. — DOT.] Dear Dot, —I was very glad to see my first letter in the Witness. I got two prizes this year which are called “Leaders of Empires” and “The Boy’s Own Annual.” I was at the Riverton picnic, and I enjoyed myself very much. There are many nice stories in “The Boy’s Own Annual." The ones I read out of it were ' “Camp Followers,” “Bailed Up,” “An Adventure with a Tasmanian Devil,” “An Adventure with Redskin®,” “Tiger-hunting in Mysore,” and “The Arrest of Bumble Bee.” All these are. adventures. —Yours truly, CON COONEY. [The “Boy's Own Annual” still brings the same joy to boys I can see. As we grow older we always think that the old numbers were more interesting, but I suppose the stories to-day are quite as good as they were years ago. Glad to hear from, you again, Con. —DOT.] Dear Dot,—l am afraid it is a long time since I have written to you. I was laid up with influenza for over three weeks, and had a very miserable time. AA 7 e wiere looking forward to »■ jo! 1 - Hine at Christmas, but Daddy got laid. •;> with influenza, so had to , end <.Lristma« n bed. We got a good n - any presents and, cards. On Boxing Day my ! . other am] I we; t to a picnic with some of neigh 'tours, and we bad a nice fine day i premised in ny last letter to tell you more about Farewell Lighthouse. You would hiivi aspen what the tower was like from Mm iiltl© phr.’ i we sent you. From ou>" imu-e •> the house is a drive of about n.i.e , .and • can only drive along whr ■ tide is cut. Sometimes the beach i- v tv : heavy, which makes it h ■ horses. Daddy always pu u we go down, so we can spank atony V ■ there is a fair wind we j-ig '"lg mil, and then we go “eyes out.” i'a-r.-w ell Spit all very fine white sand, wh c;. - still, and is something to h*.- when there is a strong wine * = i- > v>-int A; .he lighthouse there are tin . -s, aim .ach of them lias a nice H : Me I use. with big shelter trees all round. £ .kink it must be a lonely life, and 1 would aiw r be on a farm. The light shows to r I*-.j seconds ; very minute. AH the glass and .mms work kept beautifully cleaned an I polished. Yishing you and all the I HI. Fo'k a happy New Year, and many cf .mm.—Yours trail-, PICKLE. [To’ put a si i. op ;,i i ■ me quite a novel idea, P m. ! ved four postcard of the 1 .rselves. so that you H. . more interesting. I am son - ;" ' !m:u: 1 the unwelcome guest, i; n r ~ A paying you a visit. —DOT.] Dear D , lovely weather, and water : .ny, scarce now. The new school at Wat ’ already erected, and there ■ com •*••• and dance held in it she ’ i,lnk i will go to it. TJre.re was ress ball in the Cymric H V. the 10th of December, rize given j&g

th -5 be°t fancy dressed' lady. It was a. biscuit barrel ’ There was also a prize given for the best fancy-dressed gentleman in the form ot a pipe, and also a prize for the best plamdressed lady. This last prize consisted of two silver teaspoons. I was at the dance, and enjoyed myself immensely, and I think everyone else did. The sawmills round dns way have reopened after the holidays but are not quite settled yet, as some of .ho men seem to he of a roving disposition They just come and have a look at the woik they are asked to do, and if it does no. suit them they arc off by the earliest possible train I did not go anywhere tor ny Onnstmas holidays this year. It has been very quiet here during the holidays, so you can imagine how glad we are to have the nulls working and the men bustling round one© more. °The sawmill hands have a very easytime, and still they say they are hard! worked. The train is only about threequarters of a mile from here, and we hear it at nearly all the stations (if the wind is in our favour) within nine miles of us. i have nevei been as far as Tuatapere in the daylight, so I don’t know what sort of a place it is. Humour says it will be a- very large place in a few years. Hoping you had a happy Christmas and will nave a bright and prosperous New Year. I also wish the same to all Dot’s corresponden^-Yours, [What a. pity the fine weather should bring its attendant evil, scarcity, of water. I am afraid sawmill hands are just as human as all other workers. The change is all ri.gh.. Daphne.—DOT.] AUTOS. AND POST-CARDS. Tit-bit (Miss Hellen Fisher, The Manse. Brighton) wishes to exchange autos, with Little Wonder,'- Lady Isabel 11, Ka-weku, Lady Muriel, Robin Hood, Simon Kenton, Byrn Afon, and any other D.L.F. willing. Sure replies. Geisha (oare Mr J. M‘L©an, Cairnbrae, Rakaia) wishes to exchange autos with any L.F. willing; and if Yisbel, Early Primrose. Mlt. Cook, Little Miss Vanity will send me their addresses I shall forward my auto. Mistletoe II (Nora Miarnane, Browns P. 0., Southland) would like to exchange autos with any D.L.F. willing. NOTICE: ■ The Helmsman. —An important communication awaits you at Feilding Post Office. If you do not intend passing that way better advise P.O. authorities of your Auckland address. Many thanks for swag.— LAVENGRO. D.L.F. AUTOS. Autos sent to Tit Bit, Moa, and Valley Violet. D.L.F. BADGES. Badges sent to Mary L.. Lady Moon, Little Topsy, Valley Violet, and Geneva.