LETTERS FROM THE LITTLE FOLK.

Otago Witness, Issue 2978, 12 April 1911, Page 79

LETTERS FROM THE LITTLE FOLK.

Motto:-We write for tlie benefit of others, cot

for ourselves. letter to contain more than 450 woria. Dear Dot—lf I did not write to you often tefore, I am making up for it now I will row continue my story. A short time before Jack went back to Eton *h« question of Alison's education was brought up. Alison had up till now- been taught by•a governess, but this personage had latelyjprt married, so Alison v;as kit without a governess. Her mother wanted her to get another governess, but Alison insisted upon going to school. At last she had her way and a boarding school was chosen. Jack left tor school a few days before Alison so sue went to the railway station to see him off. He gave her a great many hints and not a few suggestions as to how she was to behave at school. As she promised to toUow all his directions, Jack left in a contented frame of mind, for, although he was or ever teasing her, he thought a great deal of her. In a few days Alison left home to begin her new life at the boarding school. Her toacher was very kind to her, and introduced her to her future companions. After the introduction was over Miss Burford left the young people to themselves. Alison fe„ very shy when left alone with her new companions, but a girl came up and invited her to sit down in th<» armchair—the seat of honour. Gratefully Alison sat down; but the other girls, who were not by any means fond of this particular girl resented her action. One girl, who was in the centre of the grouo, and seemed to be entertaining the other girls, exclaimed, "Now, isn t that like "Esme Stuart!" Esme flushed hotly, and bit her lips to prevent the angry retor u which rose to Ihem. The speaker was going to continue her .speech, when another girl interrupted and asked her to give Alison an introduction 10 them all. They all came forward for inspection as the speaker (Georgie by name) called them. At the same time she gave Alison an account of their hobbies and matters that concerned them:. Georgie then asked each girl in turn to give an account of her home life. When this important programme was over the bell rang for tea. In the general scrimmage Alison found Esme at her side. "We always go down to tea two and two," she explained. But here came an interruption, and Alison was held firmly on the other side. Georgie objected to Alison going down to tea with Esme, saying that Miss Burford had left Alison in her charge. Well, Dot, I think I will close now. Love to all the L.F. — Yours truly, VIOLETTE,

Dear Dot,—We have got rain at last, and I am sure the farmers will be very thankful, because everything was dried up. Lady of the Nile was up to play with me last Saturday. I will tell the L.F. a story. TheTe was once a little girl who was always asking her mother to let her play with her little friends, and her mother used to tell her that she would have to help to work, because her father was dead. So the little girl used to sit down and weep. But after a time the little girl liked helping her mother, and when her little friends asked her to play she would say that she had no time. After a while the girl's mother fell ill So the little girl sold all the best clothes she had to buy food. After a week or two the little girl's mother became worse and died. There was a very rich lady living near the little girl, and this lady had noticed how kind the little girl had been to her mother. So now that the little girl was an orphan, this lady took her and treated her as though she were her own daughter. Lily of the Dell is in Eiverton just now. Nearly all the farmers have finished harvesting. It will not ba ✓long till winter is with ns again. I wish I had left school, for I do not like going. I think I will give the Little Folk a few riddles: —(1) "On a hill there stood a mill, and in the mill there was a cup, and in the cup there was a drop which no one can do without." (2) "Up a hill and down a hill, still it never moves." —Yours truly, WHITE ROSE. [And I think, White'Rose, that when you have left school you will wish you were back again; I have heard of such things Indeed, not very long ago I heard of one girl who left school and put her hair up, and then felt so homesick for her old school that she took her hair down and went back to it again! I suppose vou will smile at that, but it is true.—DOT.] Dear Dot, —This is my firßt letter to your page, and I hope you will let me join your happy band.. I like reading the D.L.F. letters very much. I am going to tell you about a picnio which was held last Saturday. Some of my mates and I went to a very nice gully called Edinburgh Gully. We started from .home about half-past 11, and got there about 1 o'clock. When we got there we boiled th& billy, but we did not Bucceed in getting it to boil, as it fell over into the fire. W© tried again, and we succeeded this time. We enjoyed our dinner very much after our long walk. After dinner •w© had a good look round, and we got a lot of plants and ferns. We also had a wade in

the clear sandy creek. Coming home—we all had long skirts—every now and again we would slip or trip and fall into the race which wo were following. We all enjoyed ourselves very well, returning home very tired indeed. With love to all the DL.F. and yoarse]f,—Yours truly, J THE RATA GIRL, j [You should have all the outings of that , kind that you can just now, Rata Girl, tor tha winter is coming upon us pretty last, and the bush will be much too wet and cold for wandering in then. So make the most of your time.—DOT.] Dear Dot,—l should like very much to become one of your little band. Some of my schoolmates write to the page. I got a doll in my stocking, and a lot of sweets and some bananas, too. I am eight years old, and am in the Second Standard. One of my little' playmates went to another district this year, and I miss her very much, as she has been my mate ever since I went to school. It is very wet to-day, but we , -have been having good fun, as it is Aprils j Fool Day, and we have been trying to make April fools of each other. Have you been had yet, Dot?—Yours truly, TT „ TTmcI SOUTHERN LIGHTS. I [Strange to say, I was not made an April fool of this year. Usually I fall a very easy victim; but I console myself by thinking that it is the trusting, unsuspicious people who are made April fools, because they . believe what they are told. And I believe I would rather be trusting than suspicious, even if it does cause me to be an April fool one day in the year. I shall be glad to have you for one of my D.L.F., Southern Lights.—DOT.] Dear Dot,—As it is some time since I last wrote to you, and as I am at home just now with earache, I thought I would write you a few lines. We had a splendid holiday at Brighton, being nearly always on the beach, either bathing or wading. I passed my examination at school, and am now in Standard V. If the weather is fine tomorrow May Blossom and I intend going out to the Orphanage. Here is a story for the L.P.; it is called "A Dreadful Possibility." A lady was telling hex little boy, before he went to bed, how God had caused a deep sleep to come over Adam, and while he slept took a rib out of his side, made : Eve, and gave her to him as his wife. '■ During the night she heard him crying, j and when asked what was wrong he wailed j out, "Oh, mother! I've such a pain in my ' side; I'm afraid I'm going to have a. wife." . Can any of the L.P. guess these? With I the letters transposed they make the name of a toy: —Tom H. Fuming (humming-top); Rab C. Ticket (cricket bat); Loue S. Holds (doll's house); Lints White (tin whistle); Popet G. (peg-top); I. Tek (kite).—Yours truly, AN OAK LEAF, j 1 [These puzzles are called anagrams, Oak I Leaf. There are one or two interesting J ones known, but I can remember only the one or Florence Nightingale's name, which it singularly appropriate. Its letters make , the words "Flit on. cheering angel." You ought to try to make one out of your own name.—DOT.] j I Dear Dot,—Just at present a nor'-wester is blowin?, and everything looks parched arid dry. I did not go anywhere this Christmas, as my sisters, Mount Cook "Lily and Queen Bna, both went to the North Island, and we could not all go away at the same time. On New Year's Day I went in to Timaru to the sports, and had a very enjoyable time. I only saw one L.F. while there, and that was Armchair. Not far from here there is a large field with clumps of blackberries growing all over the gorse, and this year the berries are larger than they have ever been before. I have picked over twenty pounds of them this year. Our school garden is still looking beautiful, and we got two prizes at. the Timaru show —first for a ' collection of flowers and first for roses. My father has been very ill, and we had to have a relieving teacher for some time; but he is quite right again now. The roads are very dusty just now, and as, the farmers ' are all carting their grain to the stations the drays have made' deep ruts on the soft parts of the road, making it difficult for cyclists to keep their balance. With love to Armchair and -yourself,—Yours truly, i -DACRE. I

[I am so pleased to hear of your school ■winning two prizes at the Tim&ru show, Dacre; that was excellent. Where- were the boys with their vegetables? Perhaps they had a share in the cultivation of the flowers. I am afraid there will be still worse times in store for the cyclists when all that dust is turned into mud. —DOT.] Tear Dot,—Thank you for putting my letter in the D.L.F. Page. We have got a name for the baby; we are going to call her Theodora. My brother goes out trapping with another boy, and one morning he caught seven rabbits. He has been trapping a .week now. They have got 15 traps, but I don't know how many rabbits they have caught; I will tell you in my next letter, for Fred has not counted them. We have got a lot of walnuts, and they are getting ripe. - We have a grand view of the station, for we live near it. We have had a very dry summer in Otautau, which we have enjoyed, and recently we had 24 hours' steady rain, which we enjoyed, too. I must close now, with love to all D.L.F. and yourself.—Yours truly,

LITTLE SNOWDROP. I [I am so glad you found a name for the baby—and such a beautiful nam©, too! It means "Gift of God." I think she will like having that name when she is old enough , to understand it.—DOT.] ' Dear Dot, —I take a great interest in the Little Folk's Page. Some of the letters ar® very interesting. The weather has been very dry here lately, 'but it is raining tonight; it will'do a great deal of good. Th& turnips and potatoes are getting blighted. The rabbits are very thick about here now. The rabbiters have started work, but the ground is very dry- My two- brothers are i trapping, but the lea is so dry that they have to take papers to put en the tongue of the trap. Love to D.L.F. and yourself.—* Yours truly, PEANUT. | [I do not quite understand about the effect of the dry weather on the rabbit traps, and why you put paper on the tongues of the traps; but perhaps you will tell me more fully in your next letter. Remember, we people in town are very ignorant of most , country matters!—DOT.] I Dear Dot, —This is my first letter to your page. I often read the letters of the Little Folk, and I thought I would like to write, too. I am l 15 years of age, and left school i when I was 14. I live on the Steward Settlement. There are four children—three boys and one girl. Jackie, the baby, is six months old. Mr Seyb has a large farm. There are horses, sheep, and cattle on it. We have a hen in a coop with.eight dear little white chickens and four brown ones. I ' should like to be known as Lucy Gray, if that name has not been taken. "With love to all the Little Folk and yourself,—Yours truly, LUCY GRAY. 1 [I should like to hear more about the

«6tewa-rcl Sett Lenient, Lucy Gray, if, as I gather from your letter, it is a country borne for little children. I have not heard about it before. And when you write again, will you write on one side of the paper only?' That is a rule, of the page. Tear the paper in two, if yon like to, begin with, and then write on only one side of each of those sheets. The printers are never expected to turn over; did you know that? — DOT.] ■

Dear Dot,—This is my first letter to your page. We live on the Steward Settlement, and I go to Papakaio School, in the train. I am eight years old, and am in the Firm Standard. I have three little brothers Bobbie, Morgan, and Jackie, the baby 1 should like to be known as Heather Belllll, if that name is not already taken. With love to all the Little Folk and yourself,— Yours truly, HEATHER BELL 11. [I have already one Heather Bell in my band, so I have called you Heather Bell 11. DOT.]

Dear Dot—We are having very windy weather just now. It rained a good while, and it is pleasant to see pools of water lying on the road. I have a pair of guineapigs and a little grey rabbit. I am writing a true story this time. Down by the sea lived Ben, the fisherman, with his wile Hetty and little son called Dandelion, ihey were very happy together, but one day great trouble came to them. Hetty had watched the fleet of white wings out Of the bay, thinking how pretty they looked, and Dandelion clapped his hands, saying as he always did, "Daddy's tumin' soon. But daddy did not come soon that time, tor a great storm arose, and when some ot the boats came in at nightfall Ben's was not amongst them. All night the storm raged, and when morning came Ben's boat lay emptv and broken on the shore. The people tried" to comfort poor Hetty, but she would not be comforted; her heart seemed broken. Dandelion thought his father was waiting for a new boat, so he gathered together all his toy boats, of which he had many, as they were his favourite playthings. He was not allowed to play on the beach except at low tide, but he went down and launched his boats. They sailed away, and none came back, and Dandelion was much disappointed. But one spring day something unexpected happened. The bouse was as tidy as ever, and Betty sat thinking of the happy'time when she and Ben should meet aaain. Dandelion sat at her side making a sail. Neither heard the step come softly over the sand, nor saw. an eager brown face peer in at the door; neither knew that Ben was watching them: all the time Dandelion saw him first, for as he pulled away at the big needle he suddenly toppled over and shouted, "Daddy's tummm'!'' I will finish next time. With love to all the D.L.F. and yourself—Yours truly, SAILOR BOY.

[I suppose Ben must have been rescued by a passing boat, and taken away to some other part of the world before he could return to Hetty and little Dandelion. You will write again soon, Sailor Boy, won t you?—DOT.]

Dear Dot—Thank you for telling me about getting the dressing for the garden. We have not got a garden dug up here yet. I always like writing to the page, and am so sorry when sometimes the Wumaa gets lost in the pest, .and then I can t lead the letters. It has got lost twice this year. Since I last wrote to you we have had our school picnic, and it was splendid. A week or two before it Miss Ross asked _ns all to bring bright coloured! bits of material, and we had to make woo tiny bags to hold two -or throe lollies in each. It was very nice making the bags, but it. was. just lovely filling them. That was fun. While we were filling them Cream. Rose and White Clematis were stitching them to an old coat. At the picnic a young man put the ooat on, and we had such fun trying to catch him and to get as many bags to.we could. There were several races, 'and I got a very nice post-card album with red covers. I am going to save it for my D.L.F. post-cards; won't it be nice? I also got a lovely large book as a prize for arithmetic, geography, and history. It is called "life's Daily Ministry." I had been attending the school tor only two months Mother says that it is writing to you and my D.L.F. friends that has'helped me with my lessons. One day wbs.ni I was riding to school I met the mill going along, and Topsy got a fright and went round and round. Somebody had to lead her past. When I was coming home at-night they had left the mill on the road, and! Topsy wouldn't go past it, and one of the scholars led her past. After that I had to go to school another road, but en Sunday father drove her past it, and she went past after that. One day one of the girls at achool" "was going to tease me and go away on Topsy, and while I was putting, on my coat she tried to get on Topsy. Topay tried to kick her, and then gave her a good bite on the back. Since then she has given me two bites, and very sore ones too. Do you know, Dot, that I have not done any baking since I began going to school. Whan it was my birthday I had my pick of cakes, and I chose your rainbow cake; I like it the best of a,n.y cakes.. I have just got letters from. Heather Lassie and Little Princess. So. you did not get my auto-card, Little Prinioess; I sent it months ago, but I will, send another. Dear Dot, isn't it funny that Heather Lassie remembers that I -signed my first letter White Violet? As you had another White Violet you let me pick another name. Heather Lassie wrote such a. nice long letter, and she says that she often sees you, and that you are sokind to her. She sent me the names of six D.L.F. who wish to exchange autoa with me. I must close now. With love to all my D.L.F. friends, and such a. lot for you.—Yours truly, WAIRAKI VIOLET.

[I tliink that was a splendid idea for the picnic, to have the young man with the little lollie bags all over his coat for you to cliasa. When we were little we used to have " scrambles "; I think we must have looked -like a lot of little ohickc.no darting hither and thither after wheat, but I know we used to think them the best past of the picnics. It is just extremely naughty of Topay to go biting her little mistress; what are you going to do to break her of such & bad habit? I hope she will not continue to bite you.—DOT.] Dear Dot, —It is about four months sinoe I last wrote to the page, and yet I promised to write oftener in the future! I saw a letter from Sandstone in last week's Witness. She amd I sieem to be the only D.L.F. in this corner who aare not asleep. Lonely Violet has not written for ages. Wiake up, chum, and write soon. I have not 'Seen her for about three months now, although she lives' only about two miles from our pla'-e. My sister Eldergowaii .is working in Dunedin now. She is vu tailoress, and lias been working in town about two months. She and one of my brothers went for a. trip round the North Island. They were away about a fortnight altogether, but my sister stayed in Dunedin. I have not seen her eince she oame back, but she is coming home for a week at Easter. My married sister was

staying at ecr place for -about two months, j but she is .away now, >a.ud we miss liar very much after being used to her for so , long. I -am going to drive up and see her I ■at Easter. My little nephew is staying here to go to school. He has been here a year now. I have left .school a year now too. It does not seem half that time, though I did not go anywhere much at Christians. There was a picnic about eight miks from our place on Christmas Day, but I did not go, as it was not a very nice day. I was at the Balfour sports on Boxing Day, but it was. very hot and windy. There has been so much wind here lately, but it has been nice audi cairn these lost few days. The country .around here was terribly dry until last Thursday, when it begun to rain. It rained for about three days, .and it did a. lot of good .and filled our tanks, which were nearly empty. I pitied the people _ who had the mill in the wet weather, as it is, impossible to thresh. Some people here have had the mill for over a, week. There is plenty of work to do when the mill is at one's place. We have not had it yet, but it might be in this week. Wo shall not have it long,—about five hours. We gen- • orally have it about a. day and a-half other years, but this year wo have not such a big harvest. I like the harvest best of all the seasons. I did not have to " crow" much this year. They did not need me, .as i there were only small stacks. When is the Dunedin winter show this year, Dot ? I don't think I shall be at it this year. I have never been at it yet, but I might some day. I should like to be at the D.L.F. eocial too. I suppose Eldergowan will be going. There is always a good muster of D.L.F. who gather up for it. I very seldom see any D.L.F. about here. Of course, there are only one or two with badges. I lost two, and I don't think I will get another. There is an L.F. about a" mile and a-half from our place. I met her one day I was out riding. I .asked her if she was a D.L.F., and she said she was, but she did not tell me her N.D.P. She has not been here long, —about a year. I used to go for long ridos on the horse after the cow®, but I always get stiff when I ride, so I don't ride much now. One day when I was out riding for tine cows I came to what we call the cross roads, and the horse did not want to go any further. He started to " jib,"—that is, refused _to move a step. I struck him with the whip to make him go, and he turned round suddenly when I was not expecting it, and of course I fell off. I was not hurt, but I got a bit of a fright. The horse, of course, made for home without me. I was about three miles from home on a lonely road, and it, was nearly dark too. It was not a very nice prospect, was it, Dot? I did my best to catch him, but ho was too cunning for me. After a little whila I I came to a paddock of oats. I went in ] and pulled .some up, and coaxed him with it. He soon let me catch him when he saw the oats. It was quite da.rk when I got home, without the cows. I shall be 16 this month; only four years to write to the page, but I can write a lot of letters in that time, can't I? On my birthday there is going to be a tennis concert and dance, and I might be going. I still learn music. I go on Thursdays now instead of Fridays. We are not having a concert this year. We have not missed a concert yet since the. school opened, and everybody will miss it too. Do you go in for :surf bathing, Dot? it must be lovely to bathe in the surf. I suppose it will be getting too cold for surf bathing now. I was very sorry to hear of Bkmdel's death. He will be missed in the D.L.F. page by all the Little Folk. With love to A Lonely Violet, Momohaki, and Sandstone, not forgetting yourself —YoUra truly, A VICE. [I want to know what " crowing" is, Avice, in connection with the haystacks; I'd© not know. Is it like clapping the crows in the Old Country—frightening the birds away? Show Day k, I believe, the 2nd of June. It was a good thing you thought of tho handful of oats to entice your horse back to you; a horsi? is generally very cunning after escaping like that, and will not be enticed back at any cost. It is because you ride' so little that you get stiff when you do ride; _ if you rode regularly you would not feel it. I hope you have a very happy birthday; will you write and tell me about it ?—DOT.]

Dear Dot,—We shall soon be having wintar, and it.will be cold when I am going to school in the morning. I libs when it is frosty, because the roads are hard to walk on. At school wo are playing "ti°-" just now, and when winter comes on we will be playing football. It is a warni game for a cold day.—Yours truly, MAGPIE. [Yes, football is a splendid winter game. •Have you a properly formed football team, with backs and halves and forwards, or do you just kick the ball about for practice? If you have a team, tell me where vou play.—DOT.] Dear Dot,—This is my first letter to your page, and I hope you will receive me as one of your happy band. We have two tame white rabbits, and they have pink eyes. lam in Standard 11, and am 10 years old. We have 19 cows milking this year. I was at Invercargill, Bluff, Winton, and Colac, and I had a very good holiday. Dear Dot, we have a foal, and it has no mother, so we feed it on milk. Its name is Lucky, and it is five months old. Orange Blossom is my playmate at school. I go to the Orepuki School. Dolly Dimple made a fool of me on the Ist of April. I was in bed, and Dolly Dimple came in and said to me, "Toby has little pups." I hopped out of bed and ran to see if Toby had pups, and when I got there Dolly Dimple said, "You April fool!"—Yours truly, LUCKY PLUM. [Dolly Dimple knew, I suppose, that you would not 'think of it being April Fools' Day till you were up and dressed, so she was determined to be in good time to take advantage of you. I think I should have believed her, too!—DOT.] Dear Dot, —This is my first letter to your page, and I hope it will interest you. I am 12 years old, and shall be 13 on June 2. I am in the Fifth Standard. I live at Oamaru, and there is not a very nice beach for picnics, because it is too shingly; but around the rocks, when the tide is out, is a very nice place for a picnic. We have got the dredge back again from Dunedin. The men who work for the Harbour Board have made three pontoons; two are for carrying mud and the other one is for carrying the machinery. There were two fires this morning. One was up in Avon street; it bioke out about 3 o'clock, and the house was burnt to the ground. The other one broke out about 10.15 a.m.; it was not much of a fire, for it was put out with a few buckets of water. —Yours truly, BRITANNIA. [lt sounds as if you prefer the fires that make the biggest blaze and do most damage, Britannia. I suppose they are more exciting for the lcAjker-on, but the owner would hardly feel the same way about it, would he?— DOT.] Dear Dot, —This is my first letter to your page j I hope you will let me join your

happy band. I pin 11 years old, and in the Fourth Standard at school. I have read a good few book?.; the names of them arc: "Yarns on the Beach," "Lady Betty's Twins," 'The Miff-Miffs," "Wee Doggie," "Light on the Lily," "Cameron's Kelp," and a great many more of which I cannot remember the names. We have a library at our school. There were some pictures here the other day, and they are coming again on Tuesday, and then there- are more coining in a week or two. I will close with som< riddles:—(l) "When is a cow not a cow?' (2) "Why is a greyhound like an old man's bald head?" (3) "When is a pig th 4 heaviest?" I will give the answers next time I write. With love to all the L.F. and yourself,—Yours truly, LITTLE GREY MOUSE, [I have written your name in my book, Little Grey Mouse, and you are one of roy D.L.F. now. I was quite pleased to find that your name cams on the bottom line oi the page: guess why. I just thought, "Well, that is the very sort of corner for a little grey mouse—a quiet little place, from which she can easily escape if she is disturbed, by just running over the foot of the page."— ■ DOT.] Dear Dot, —I received my badge safely, and was pleased with it. Star of Duntroon has one, too. We have had oonia splendid rain this last week, but I think" it is all over, as the sun is shining. Tilings are all looking green again now. I have some sweet-pea seed planted, and this rain will make them grow. We shall soon have winter on us again; the evenings are getting long now, and the days shorter. I have a great many fine post-cards now. I watf very disappointed when I saw my othet letter in print, as it was all muddled up, and I could not make it out at all. I hope this one will be better. Nearly all the potatoes about here have got the blight; I don't think ours are very bad, but they are bad enough. I always read the letters from the Little Folk. Do you like reading, Dot? I do, but I do not read as much as Star of Duntroon does; if I read one book a week I do very well. With loves to Brown Weka, Star of Duntroon, Lily of the Valley, Milkmaid, and Sw&etbriar, — Yours truly, ANNIE'S MATE,

[I am sorry to hear about the fate of your last letter; evidently something peculiar must have happened in the printing. But I think you will find that this one is all right.—DOT.] Dear Dot, —We have moved from our old home sine© I last wrote. We now live al the very foot of the hills, where there ii plenty of bush and a rive.r in which therd are a great many trout. We are milking six cows, and are feeding seven pigs. Thera ar'e only 40 children going to school up here. I have climbed a good many of the hills near, but some day I am going to (he very back to see the Southern Alps. The ferns here are of all varieties, but I have not found' a fairy fern yet. It has been raining up here to-day, and things will look greener. I shall now_ close with a riddle. "Why is the ocean like a plum cake?"—* Yours truly, LITTLE FAIRY FERN. [I should like to see which is the fern: that you call "fairy fern"; so perhaps some day if you find some you will press a piece for me and send it to me, will you ? I think you must be very happy in your new home; it sounds delightful to have that river full of trout, and the beautiful bush eo near.— DOT]

Dear Dot, —I hope you have not quite forgotten me. The bush here is very beautiful, and in summer I think it will be even more so. The ferns are very nice, but they are beginning to die. Wild gooseberries grow in plenty in tire bush. In the river fish live in plenty. We still have the same distance to walk to school. I am 10 year 3 old, and am in the Third Standard. Wo live 13 miles out of Waimate and nine miles from Makikihi. There are 40 children in the Hunter School. We are milking six cows. There is a steep cliff near the house. We have heaps of wood; all we need (o do is to go down the bush and bring it up. My brother takes the wood over to Mr Jackson.—Yours truly, FEATHERFOOT. [I am glad to hear that you like the bush so much; I hope you will write again and tell me more about it. Have yoii had any rata or mistletoe ? You guessed. Kawarau's riddle correctlj-.—DOT.] Dear Dot, —I hope you will allow mete become a member of your happy band. I have taken a great interest in the D.L.F. Page ever since I was old enough to read the letters. I know a few D.L.F. round here. I am staying at a place quite close to Killarney, Glenhamite, and Rosamund. Christmas is past now, and almost forgotten; I did not go away anywhere for my holidays. I was at the Mataura Island picnic on Boxing Day, and the dance at night, and Killarney and I went to the Bluff regatta together, and we were just about "bluffed" before we left. We left Glenham Station about S o'clock in ihe morning, and did not get back till about 9 o'clock at night, so we had a good long day, and we enjoyed it thoroughly. I was at a dance at Glenham about a week ago, and was speaking to Bonnie Bell; she was the only D.L.F. there that I knew. Rosamund was at v the concert, but she did not stay for the dance. We have about 50 cows, but we have a milking machine; I think it is greatly preferable to the hand. Have you ever seen it working? I will write a" longer letter next time. With kind regards to Killarney, Glenhamite, Rosamund, Bonnie Bell, and yourself,—Yours truly, KILLARNEY'S MATE.

• [The price of the badges is eighteenpence, Kiilarney's Mate. I am most pleased to have you for one of my D.L.F., seeing that you have been a reader of the page so long. You will not feel at all a stranger among vis. I shall be very glad to hear from yo\» again—DOT.]

Dear Dot, —The rain has brought the gras< on, and all the other seeds. Have you evel been on a farm ? If you have, did you eve* notice the potato and the turnip blight? The turnip blight is of a purple colour, and the potatoes have a brownish colour ai blight. I am very sorry to hear thai Heather Lassie has left the page, but I hope there will be some more to fill it up. Do you know what has become of Jack Horner? I have not seen his name for such a long time. I was down the beach to-day for a walk, and it was high tide, so I did not go far. My mother is in Tnvercargill; she has been away for over a fortnight, and we are alone. There are only six of us at home—my father, my two brothers and two sisters, and myself. We don't hear the sewing machine going so much now, and we do not stay up so late. But I hope mother will be home soon. She is looking after my grandmother. My uncle and aunt sailed for England on the 18th March for the Coronation of King* George and Queen Mary. Would you like to go, Dot? I should, very much. Well, Dot, it is getting late, and I shall hav« to stop.—Yours trulv, DOLLY DIMPLE. [To tell the truth, I believe thai I should

rather go to England at any other time than the time of the Coronation. I see that it is expected' that there will be 10 million people in London at that time; you can imagine the overcrowding of the hotels and restaurants. It also seems to me so unlikely that all these people will be able to get a view of the procession. However, I suppose they go gladly enough for the chance.—DOT.]

Dear Dot,—li is a long time since I wrote to the page, so I thought I would write to you, as I was writing to Sailor Boy. We have been getting very bad weather for the grass and other plants, and the tanks are nearly dry. I hope we will get ram soon, because it is too hot. Here are some lines of poetry that I like; will you print them in my letter, please? Drink to me only with thine eyes, And I will pledge with mine; Or leave a kiss but in the cup, And I'll not look for wine. —Yours truly, LATOUR D'AUVERGNE 11.

[They are favourite lines of mine, too, Latour D'Auvergne 11. Do you know the air to which they are sung? I think it is an Old English air. The words themselves are by Ben Jonson, and are the first lines of a little poem, "To Celia."—DOT.] Dear Dot,—The harvest is over for this year, and the farmers have started to plough. The weather has been very hot and dry, but there has been a fair amount of ram lately. The grass and the turnips are freshened up after the rain. The Taieri River has been very low this summer. Seeing it when it is low, you would not think that it was the same river that floods the Taieri Plain. The water in the river is very clear. There are a few D.L.F. living in the district that I live in. I think that I know them all. I see by the paper that the Terra Nova has returned to New Zealand. The days are gradually getting shorter. A harvest home ball is to be held in Berwick on the 21st of this month. I am very fond of reading books. I have read "The Term of His Natural Life," "Robinson Crusoe," "Robbery Under Arms," "Tales of the Covenanters," "Under the White Ensign," "Trevlyn Hold," and many more books. I keep a list of the books that I read. I shall now close, with love to. all the D.L.F. and yourself.—Yours truly,

-. • BARON CLINTON". [Sorhieone was speaking to me the other day about the surprising clearness of the Taieri River at .present. I believe Lake Waihola looks quite different, now that its waters are clear instead of muddy. But I suppose mining operations have begun again since the rain came, and both the river and the lake will have the familiar muddy colour. I think it is an excellent idea to keep a list of the books you read, because it seemis to me that you would try to keep it a list of good books; you would not like to have to write down a record of rubbishy things. And from ihe names of those you have given me, I judge that it has acted so in your case. I do not know "Trevlyn Hold,". but the others all have their own worth.—DOT.] Dear Dot, —I was pleased to see my first letter in print. I am going to give a riddle for the Little Folk:

I am a pretty little thing, Always coming with the spring; In the meadows grten I'm found . Peeping just above the ground, And my stalk is covered fiat With a white and yellow hat. Little children, when they pass, Skip about and do not tread On my meek' and lowly head, For I always seem to s:<y, "Surely winter's gone away!" Hoping the Little Folk will guess this riddle, and with love to Maze Bees, Seekashore, Grey Study, Little Meg, and Pink Geranium, —Yours truly, PAPA'S, DARLING. Dear Dot, —I suppose you have forgotten me by now; it is a long time since I last wrote to you. I have been going to school for two months now. We are going to have our first quarterly examination on Monday, April 3.. Our school teacher is very nice. It has been raining since Wednesday. Ring of Rubies says she was going to write tonight, but I do not know whether she will cor not. Pirlie has not written for such a long time, and I am wondering when she is going to write again. We have 40 going to our school, and one teacher. Winter is coming on now, and we shall want winter clothes. I went across in the punt to-day to hear the brass band playing.. I am doing somla painting to-day with my crayons; then I and went away with a friends that came to see me. We were playing together on the top of our house with a lead pencil ana a piece of paper, writing down everything we could see around us. I think this is a long enough letter this time. With love to Pirlie, Ring of Rubies, and yourself,—Yours truly, STRAWBERRY. [You have reminded me of a game that I have sometimes seen played, with your writing down all the things you could see from the roof. I wonder if you knov? it. A table is loaded with all sorts of common objects—say, an ink bottle, a straw hat, a stud, a book, a pepper pot, a candle, a waistcoat, and so on. Then the people taking part in the game are Admitted to the room, and are given- time to walk quite slowly round the table, after which they have to leave the room and write out a list of the things lying on the table. It is quite an effort of memory, I assure you. You ought to try it some wet day, or when you are having a party.—DOT.] Doar Dot, —I am at service a£ Little Meg's mother's place. The country is very healthy to live in. I like it well enough, but it do&3 seem so very lonesome. I go down to Riverton once a month, ana I can tell you it is quite a treat after being up here so long. One evening Pink Geranium and Papa's Darling were over to spend the evening, and we had a very enjoyable time. We were having some grand games of " Donkey." Have you ever played Donkey " ? The chaffcutter was here to-dlay, and I suppose we shall have the mill in about a week's time. It will be a. busy time then, aia f.hey say there are always about 12 men with it. Here is a riddle: " I had a little sister, her nam© was 80-peep; she w&ded in the water, deep, deep, deep; she climbed up the mountain, high, high, high, high, and the poor little thing had only ciw eye."—Yours trulv. POURAKINO BLOSSOM.

[I thought you were going to tell me how to play Donkey, Pourakino Blossom; I have never played, and do not know the game at all. There may be some D.L.F. who would be giad to hear of it too, so perhaps you will tell me in your next letter.—DOT.] Dear Dot, —It has been very wet this last dla.y or two. Winter is- coming on again. There are eleven children going to cur school now. I am in the Third Standard. I do not like going to school. I did 'lot go anywhere for my holidays,' but some of my cousins came up, and I had a lovely

time. Ferns, Hollow, Golden Rod, Wetsail, and Gooseloose are my school mates. I have two brothers going to school. I have three sisters and four brothers. I did not go to school on Friday, because it was voo wet. I got a box of blocks and an ornament, one of my brothers got a pocket knife an I a hammer, and my other brother got a packet knife at the "picnic.—Yours truly, LADY OLIVINE.

["Why, a picnic of that sort is just like Christmas, when you all get presents. How many of those do you have in a year, Lady Olivine?—DOT.]

Dear Dot, —I suppose you are beginning to think I have forgotten you, but audi is not the case. We have been getting some rain here lately, and things are looking nioe and fresh; but we have plenty of mud. I like the cold weather and the rain, but I-don't like the mud. I would rather have the dust. Of course, we have had a good spell of dry weather and sunshine, and so we have no cause to oomplain. I thought we were never going to get any rain, and all the vegetables, crops, and flowars were nearly dead, withered to the ground with the hot sun and winds. They have had no nioe fresh water to moisten their roots; but to-day they seem to be beginning to sprout and look green and fresh again. I have not been away for any holidays this year yet, but I hope to be going away about June or July. I really thought I had moi-« to say to you than I have; I had my head full of words when I started, but I am toi tired to think. I have been away on my bicycle this afteirnoon, and had a pretty heavy road and also a head wind to push against, so you can think how I must feel. Here ia some poetry, that I like: The pure, the bright, the beautiful, That stirred our hearts in youth, The impulse of a wordless (prayer, The dreams of love and truth; The longing after something lost, The spirit's yearning cry, The striving after better hopes— These things can never die! Yours truly, SWEETHEART MAY. [Those lines are new to me, Sweetheart May, but they are beautiful and true. The best things do not die, though material pleasures pass away. That which is divine must of its nature be eternal, and beauty and inspiration are but different manifestations of it.—DOT.]

Dear Dot,—l- am glad you liked the account of our mountain trip, Dot, but if you could only se§ the beautiful scenery for yourself I am sure that your admiration would find no bounds. I think that one can spend one of the mo3t enjoyable and at the same time profitable days of'one's life out in the open, for in the drive through the reserve practically every species of native tree is represented. No one can accurately describe the deep gullies and gorges that have their beginning right up at the sooria. To look at Egmont from Inglewood on a clear day, one wpuld be inclined to think that the sides above the scrub were quite smooth, but in this it is truly a case of "distance lends enchantment." You ask the distance from the house to the top. It is a climb of 2J miles. You should, if ever you are up this way, not miss visiting it. Even in the winter you can go to the House. Are you fond of flowers, Dot? I am a devout lover of them, although we have not many. Do you remember when I 'wrote that our crimson rambler was in flower? "Well, it .is still flowering. We have had a few belladonna lilies. They come straight up out of the ground, just a brown istalk with buds at the tip. The leaves do not come up until the flower is past. The cosmos is in full flower now; they are very pretty and graceful for the vases. Tahlias are still flowering, but are now on the wane. The people who live next door to us lost their mother just about two months ago. There is a family of nine—the eldest not yet being 15 years and the youngest not three' months. Mother was home a week after their mother's funeral, and one little gir], about 2i years, followed her about all day, and she ' had ' not seen mother before. Mother slightly resembled the little one's mother, and we think that she mistook mother for her own mother. Her sister came in for her, but she clung l to mother's dress and cried when they went to take her home, so they have to leave her. I will write to the page soon— Yours truly, MOUNTAIN* BELLE. [You may not have meant this letter for publication, Mountain Belle, but as it is of general interest, and there is nothing of a private nature in it, I am taking the liberty of publishing it. It is interesting to hear about your flowers in the North Island; they differ from ours considerably. Cosmos, for instance, never grows to the same height here, and belladonna lilies do not thrive in the open. I am very sorry to hear of the poor little motherless family near you; their loss is much greater than they yet know.—DOT.] AUTOS. Baron Clinton (Maungatua Post Office) would like to exchange auto-cards with anv D.L.F. willing. J ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. Lady Mabel's Bridesmaid and Princess Mabel ll.—Many thanks for the pretty post-cards I received from you during the week.