A SENSIBLE PROPOSAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3195, 9 June 1915, Page 75

A SENSIBLE PROPOSAL.

■ An Old Writer, Lavinia, has submitted a proposal, which, I think, is a particularly good idea. She suggests that as such a number of L.F. have joined the Expeditionary Forces and Eeinforcements, a list of N.D.P.’s and names should be published. This would lend an additional interest to the news concerning the forces, and all L.F. would be able to follow the careers of their comrades. It is proposed that the members in our midst might supply the information stating the name, N.D.P., and unit the member belongs to.

These details would be published, and those who are interested in the page and its members could obtain an almost complete list of those members past and present who are serving their country. I have much pleasure in placing this proposal before the L.P., believing it will be taken up by the members, and the information desired supplied to me. If this is done we shall be able to follow the careers of our soldier comrades, and if mentioned in despatches shall know immediately who is referred to. I now leave it to those members who have relations at the front to consider the matter, and ask them to supply the details required, such as: “My brother , Trooper is away with the Expeditionary Force now in -Egypt,” or First, Second, or Third Reinforcements as the case might be. I shall be pleased to publish such a list If the members supply the material. DOT. LETTERS FROM THE LITTLE FOLF Motto; —"We write for the benefit of others, not for ourselves. No letter to contain more than 450 words. Dear Dot, —How are you getting on? It is such a long time since I last wrote to your little band. We get the witness, but there are some very sad pictures of the poor soldiers on the battlefields and the destructions of Belgian - houses by the Germans. There was a big carnival held in Mosgiel for the Belgians’ Relief, and they raised £2220, which was a good hit. I was at the crowning of the queen, which was very beau-, tiful. There was a. great push, and people said that there had never been such a crowd in the hall before. There was such a shower last night that father was afraid that he would have to go out in the middle of it and dig little ditches to get the water away. There have been a few frosty mornings, which made ycur hands cold, especially those of the little ones. We are working very hard at school just now, because we are making clothes for the Belgians and our wounded soldiers at the front. We have two days’ holiday for the King’s Birthday and the Show. lam very glad, because I do not like school very much. ■ I am learning music, and so are my brother and sister, and we are getting on very nicely, mother says. I must close now. Love .to Wolfear the Indian. Tea Rose, Cream Cactus, and all the D.L.F., not forgetting yourself.—Yours truly, ESCALONIA I (East Taieri).

Dear Dot, —It is a long time since I last wrote to the page. We have not been getting the Witness for a while, but we are getting it now. It is no fun writing when you cannot see your letters. There has been a great carnival in Mo-sgiel in aid of the Belgian Belief Fund, and we were there twice. They raised about £2220, which was a large amount for such a little place. It was great fun watching the bands play at the sports ground. You could not get in or out of the tea rooms. It was very nice seeing the crowning of the queen, and she -tvas very nicely dressed. We are making clothes for the Belgians at our school, and gathering money to buy things for the wounded sob diers at the front. I must close now. Love to Eacalonia, Cream Cactus, Wolf-ear the Indian, and all the other D.L.F., not forgetting yourself.—Yours truly, TEA ROSE (East Taieri).

Dear Dot, —We have all our oats in, so now we can take a rest for a while. We had the mill round the district last week. Two places I was at I was chaffy, while here I was wood and water boy. I have been reading Sergeant Humphries’s letters, and I find them very interesting. I am too young, or I would have gone to the front. Four local men are wounded, so we are feeling the effects of the war. —Yours truly, LORD LOVAT. [You must be very tired after so much strenuous work, Lord Lovat. —DOT.] Dear Dot,—l have been writing to my brother at the front. He is at the Dardanelles, and I have an uncle who is in Egypt. War is a terrible thing! I am 12, and in the Fourth Standard. To-night is Saturday night, and I have been away from school for nearly two weeks; but I will be going back again. I have not been well. We do not get the Witness; but my cousin is going to send it to me every time she sees my letter in the Witness.—Yours truly, ROYAL PRINCESS (Kaitangata).

[Your brother’s letters are bound to be interesting. Royal Princess, and he is sure to be anxious to receive letters from home.— DOT.]

Dear Dot, —We are having very wet weather here just now. We have two pigs now, but one is about the size of a cat. We might be killing the big one next week. Son’t you think the war is terrible. Dot? e get the Witness every week. My sister fs going away for three months. I have not seen a letter from Lavender for a long time. Love to Queen Nancy, Lavender, gaiapoi. Wild Violet, and all the rest of the .L.F., not forgetting yourself,—Yours truly, LADY LOUISA (Outram). Dear Dot, —Again I must let you know that I am still in the land of the living, and I am not going to let five months elapse again without dropping you a line.

We have just had a good snowstorm, and it is very cold to-day, and the creeks are all in flood again. Well, Dot, I hope you will not expect a long letter from me, as it is only a few lines so as not to make mo too lazy. Love to all the comrades, not forgetting our queen. Dot. —Yours truly, QUEEN OF THE FOREST (Oulram). [Thanks for your note, Queen of the Forest; it is nice to know we are not forgotten.—DOT.]

Dear Dot, —We are having wet weather down here lately. Things are very _ quiet about here now. My mate is not writing to you, Dot, but I must ask her to do so. Wo had our first term examination a week or two ago. There arc not many D.D.F. about "here. The factory will soon bo' closing, as they will not have enough milk to keep it going. I have not seen a letter from Oak Tree for a long time she must have gone to sleep. Love to the D.L.F., not forgetting yourself.—Yours truly, SADEY (Wyndham).

Dear Dot, —We are having very rough weather just now. I am just home from my holidays, and I enjoyed myself very much. The doll’s name was Freda, It brought £0 7s 6d. We are milking 20 cows now. We go to the factory every second morning. Love to Cosmos, White Wings, Mountain Iris, not forgetting yourself.— Yours truly, EIBBON GRASS. [A very creditable sum, Ribbon Grass. The public loves a mystery, does it not? and will always pay to try and unravel it.— DOT.] Dear Dot, —I hope you will let me join your happy band. I was eight years old last Tuesday, and I am in Standard I. Wo had a nice teacher called Mr Chappie, hut ho went away. We have a relieving teacher now. I know A Beardless Boy. He goes to our school. I will close now with love to A Beardless Boy.—Yours truly, THE GENERAL (Awamangu). [Very pleased to welcome you to the page, The General, and hope you will marshal all your forces in assisting us to make the page popular.—DOT.] Dear Dot, —The weather is very rough just now. There was a patriotic school concert here on the 26th, and it was a great success. There have been some fairly hard frosts for this time of the season. I am cow-spanking on a farm off Clydevale. It is not a hard job, but one’s feet get very cold on a frosty morning when sitting milking. The war is raging away like a bonfire. I have two uncles going to the war, and they are still in training at Trentham. Love to Niobe, Prairie Belle, Motherless Girl, Bush Girl, and all the rest of the Little Folk, not forgetting yourself.—Yours truly, YOUNG MOUNTAINEER (Clydevale).

[lt is a blessing' you have the beauties of spring and summer mornings to look forward to when engaged in your occupation, Young Mountaineer, or the cold would be almost unendurable. —DOT.]

Dear Dot, —It is very wet her© to-night, and it has been raining here for two days now. Since I last wrote I have been up to Oamaru to see my aunts and cousins, and had a good time. I stayed two nights with mother’s cousin in Dunedin, then we went up to Tapanui. We had a very rough journey down, and all my little sisters and myself were very sick, so we were very glad when the Westralia sailed into port at Dunedin, as w© were three days on the water. My mother and sisters ail went back to Napier about two weeks ago, and left me down here on account of my health. My cousin and I have good fun rabbiting with dogs and ferrets; the moat wo have caught since I have been down here is 11. My cousin has a lovely big rabbit in a box; it is pure white, and is very tame. She has two hedgehogs, and they are very funny creatures, don’t you think so. Dot ? They are at present asleep for the winter. • Love to all, not forgetting . yourself and the editor. — Yours truly, RAUPARE (Waiwera South).

[I Lope you will feel better for the change, Raup-are; an open-air, out-door life such as you appear to be enjoying should build you up and make you quite strong. —DOT.] Dear Dot, —The mornings are very cold and frosty now. We are getting a new station rip at Waikaka; they removed the other one to Waipahi. We have dug most of our potatoes now. We had cur term exam, a fortnight ago, and last week we had a holiday. The painters are up doing the school just now, but I suppose they will soon be finished. We milk six cows in the morning and two at night. There is to be a bazaar here next month in aid of the Belgians. We had a holiday from school to collect money for the Belgians, and we got .£35. We have five pigs, and one is a little brown one; it is a Tamworth pig. My little white rabbit got out, and was caught in a trap, and it died. Our hens are just starting to lay. I have a cousin up in Trentham, but I don’t think he will go with the next Expeditionary Force io the front, as he has not been long up at Trentham. Two of the boys that went from here to the front have been wounded. Love to Auntie’s Girl, School Fairy, Home Fairy, and all the D.L.F., not forgetting yourself and the editor.—Yours truly, BROOMBUSH (Waikaka).

[I have never seen a brown p ig, Broombush ; it must be a queer-looking little animal.—DOT.]

Dear Dot, —May I join your happy band? I am in the Third Standard .at school, and am 10 years of ago. The weather has been very wet, and my mother has not been well, so I had to do the work. I have two brothers -and three sisters. I like reading the D.L.F. letters. Little Miss Perkie’s, brother wanted to go to the war, but he is not quite 20 yet. Well, Dot, I must close now. Love to all the D.L.F., not forgetting yourself.—Yours truly,

LITTLE MISS PERKIE’S MATE (Orcpuki).

[Certainly you may join us, dear, and we shall be very pleased to hear from you.— DO<T.]

Deal- Dot, —It is my birthday on Wednesday, and I will bo 11 years old. Our hens are not laying well just now. Wo aro milking three cows and feeding two calves. Hurry up and write to the page, Christmas Rose. I know five L.F. now. I have read a few books —namely, “The Daughter of the Chieftain,” “Jack of Both Sides,” “Bessie Drew,” and a few others. I will close now, with love to Lady Enid, Christmas Bose, Buttercup 11, Fairy Girl, Bluey, not forgetting yourself.—Yours truly, UNGAVA (Wairio). [I have posted your badge, Ungava, and hope you receive it safely.—-DOT.]

Dear Dot, —Since I last wrote to you I have been going to the G.H.S. in Dunedin. We have just had three weeks’ holidays, and we go back to school to-morrow. At first I did not want to go, but I am very glad I did go. Winks also goes to the same school. This is her second year. She wants to bo a school teacher, but I don’t. I had a good time during the holidays. I was up at the Taieri Carnival, which was held in Mosgiel. I was staying at Mosgiel, so I had every chance to see it. On the Saturday night, at the Coronation Hall, there was a

big crush. Wo could hardly stand. We were near the front, and people wore pushing from the back but they did not benefit with all their pushing, and as I am fairly tall I could see well. I am not going _to the High School next year, brat am going to learn music instead. Clifden is in my class at school. I first recognised her as a D.L.P. by her badge. I think I will be going to the Winter Show on the Thursday, as wo will most probably have a holiday that day. Mummie’s Pet is going in for the Children’s Essay at the Winter Show this year. I have read a good few books lately, some of which are “Sibyl Garth,” “The Better Part,” “Hetty Beresford,” “Hilda,” and a few more interesting books. There are six High School girls where I board in town, so you may guess wo have a good time. I stay in Maori Hill. It is nice and quiet up there, and wo have a nice walk down to school through bush. We have a great struggle to get up in the mornings for breakfast at half-past 7. One morning we landed in the dining room at 10 minutes to S —that was the result of talking late the night before. I was not at school the last week of the term, as 1 had influenza. We have our tanks filled again. We were nearly short of water, as there was no rain, but now that the rain has started it looks as if it were never go ing to stop. My father has a motor car. 1 have had a good few rides, but cannot drive yet, but I am going to some day. Well, Dot, as this is all the news, I will close with love to all the L.P., not forgetting yourself.—Yours truly, LADY ELEANOR (Otokia).

[I am delighted you are enjoying life so thoroughly, Lady Eleanor —one invariably enjoys life at a secondary school.—DOT.] Dear Dot, —We had a long spell of dry weather; but it has been raining to-day, and the ground is very wet. My lamb Dennis is growing big and strong now, and he has very largo horns. He is my only pet, and I have grcpL-fun romping about the paddock with him. Sometimes, if he gets wild, he goes to butt me; but he will follow me anywhere for bread, biscuits, cake, or buns. I was sick for two weeks, and I could not go to school. I will close with love. —Yours truly.

LILY OF CARDRONA (Cardrona)

[You enclosed three stamps with your letter, but did not mention what they were for. I am at a loss to know what to do with them, so will hold them over till I hear from you again.—DOT.] Dear Dot, —We are having our exam, this week, and we are getting two days’ holiday next week. One of our dogs has two dear wee black pups. We have the gramaphone going to-night. There is a jumble sa.e on to-night, but I am not going. I have a black-and-white cat, and her name is Spot. I have just been playing a game named rival rovers, and I have .also been playing the motor race. I like playing them better than all the other games. My brother cjmc home from the camp on Wednesday night. Love to all the L.P., not forgetting yourself. —Yours truly, GREEN APPLE (Middlcmarch).

Dear Dot,—What kind of weather are you having in Dunedin? It base been very cold hero to-day. One of my school mates loft here some time ago, and we miss her very much. We had a jumble sale hero on Friday, May 28, and there was a big crowd there. My mat© and I gathered £1 ss. Love to Little Lark, Dad’s Girl, and Green Apple, not forgetting yourself.—Yours truly, MUSSENTOUCHIT (Middlemarch).

Dear Dot, —I hope you are keeping very well. I am going to a school about a mile, away, from us. We are having very bad weather up here just now. It is very cold to-day, and windy. We have had four pheasants this season already. The school is only a half-time one, and we go to school three days .a week. The days are Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, because the teacher teaches the other school the other days. The men are shifting out to the other place next week, I think, and then we won t have so much work to do. With love to L.F., —Yours truly, SNOWDROP (Marohemo).

[lt be very strenuous work for the teacher going about from place to place, Snowdrop.—DOT.] Dear Dot,—l am getting on well at school. Mother and the baby are getting on very well. I nurse baby a lot while mother does some sewing. I would sooner live in the country than town, , because we cannot get enough fresh air in the latter place. My mother is teaching me to crochet, and I am going to crochet baby a pair of booties when mother has finished her own. I have two sisters and one brother younger than myself, and four brothers olden than I am. Their names are. Roy, Archer, Oscar, and Edward. The children younger than myself are Kate, Una, and the baby. The baby is five weeks old on Thursday. Mother is going to teach me how to play the piano. It is very wet to-day; the rain makes the roads very muddy. With love to all the D.L.P., —Yours truly, GREGORY MIXTURE (Marohemo).

[You are a very useful young person, dear. It is very nice to bo able to make nice things for yourself and others.—DOT.] Dear Dot, —This is the first time I have written to you. I am going to a school down at Epsom. There are 61 hoys in our school. We, .are having onr holidays now because we might get typhoid fever. lam in the Sixth Standard. My best schoolmate is a hoy named Norman Hewitt. I milk one cow every night and morning at the school. Wo broke up for our holidays on May 30. I caught the 8.20 a.m. train from Newmarket to Ranganni, arrived at Ranganni at 1.30 p.m., and there caught a train going to Bickerstaffe. I met my brother there, and we went home together. While I am at home I do odd jobs at the house and the slaughter-house. I have just heard that Italy has declared warin favour of the Allies. I hope this dreadful war will end soon. Thousands of people are being killed every day. The Germans have broken every promise they made, and they arc trying to make excuses. Hoping you are quite well, with love to the L.P., —Yours truly.

GOLDFINCH (Marohemo)

[Thank you for your interesting letter, Goldfinch, and we shall hope for many more like it.—DOT.] D ear Dot, —We are having very miserable weather just now, and it does not look as if it will clear up for a while yet. Almost everyone up heie has colds. My mother has been ill for about four weeks, but she is better now. I have a bad cold, and it makes one feel so miserable, I am staying in Invercargill now, and I come home every Friday night. Our examination is over, and we have begun the new term. I have met a number of D.L.F. at the Technical School. I always wear my badge, but I do not see many others. Several D.L.F. have come and spoken to me. I received your letters. Lady’s Blush and Nikau, and I shall try and find time to answer them next week. I have 20 D.L.F. correspondents, besides half a dozen relations. Primula is living in Invercargill now. I have one brother, and he tried to go to the war but he isn’t 19 yet. Hurry up and write to the page, Cypress and Valley Bose. In the holidays I learnt to

shoot, and I think it lovely fun. Well, dear Dot, as space is limited I must close, with best love to Pat 11, Primula, Cypress, Bonnie Woe Thing, Doris Hamlyn, Fisher Girl, Pink Clover, Pineapple, Lady’s Blush, Joan of Arc, Nikau, Valley Rose, Min, Clifton, Clifton’s Mate, Daisy Blackburn, Letty, Jim, Toby, Madam Rosy Cheek, and all my other D.L. ;F. correspondents.—Yours truly, SOMEBODY’S SWEETHEART II (Orepuki).

Dear Dot, —To-day is very wet. The inspector is coming to our school to-morrow, and I hope the weather will bo fine. We have one cow called Lassie, and we think her very useful, because milk is so dear now. I will bo 10 in August, and I am in Standard 111. I like reading the L.F. letters very tnuch. Is not this war dreadful? Many of the Yew Zealanders have been wounded and some killed in action at the Dardanelles. All our flowers are getting blown out with the wind. Yesterday we had a hailstorm; but it soon cleared off, and the sun was out again. I do not think there are any Little Folk up this way. Love to all the D.L.P. and yourself,—Yours truly, WEE NANNIE (Hornby).

[Your birthday will soon be round now, Wee Nannie, so I suppose you will soon be counting the days till it comes. —DOT.] Dear Dot,—We have just returned to school after spending an enjoyable week’s holiday. A great many Territorials left Invercargill yesterday. Wo have just had our examination. I came eighth out of 2G. On Belgian Day our , school collected JE33. The weather is very wet just now, and the roads very muddy. Yesterday I was reading a book called “Alice in Wonderland.” The garden dees not look very pretty now Jack Frost has nipped all the heads off the flowers. Do you think the war will last much longer, Dot ? I must close now. Love to all the D.L.F., not forgetting yourself.—Yours truly, LITTLE MISS PERKY (Orepuki).

[lt is almost impossible to conjecture as to the duration of the war, Miss Perky; but I am sure we all hope it may be speedily concluded.—DOT.]

Dear Dot, —It appears as if a long period will elapse before the necessary embargo on Dot’s space will be removed. Events are crowding one upon the other in such a bewildering fashion that in the midst of such topsy-turvydom it is almost a' relief to turn the pages to seek our well-known corner and find things there unchanged. And in- Elizabeth’s Club also it is soothing to see familiar pen-names still gracing her columns —pen-names that have the power to stir one to a pleasant state of expectant interest, rarely disappointed. One writer in last week’s gathering struck a sympathetic note in her dislike of those autumn days just merging on winter. Since I have known the meaning of seasons, Dot, that is the period that I would gladly 'escape from were it possible. All around is decay and dampness and the bare skeletons of trees and bushes, and the very shoals of birds in 'heir wild flights .after food seem devoid, of ■sound. Winter, to one sensitive to surroundings, is almost a relief, for wo know of many compensations, even though frosts nip oiir hands and no'&es and insidious Arctic winds appear to be seeking our very bones. What more satisfying than a cosy seat near the blazing fire on a bitter icy night, and one to be buried in the depths of, say, Miss Du Paur’s “Mountaineering in Hew Zealand’’ ? Dot, I have read reviews on that book until I can almost feel myself climbing with the writer, and wish, like her, to go where the snow-capped peaks pierce the clouds. _ I remember reading her accounts of her various climbing feats in the Alps, which appeared occasionally in the Otago Daily Times and the Witness two or three years ago. I am not surprised that her book has been so successful. Her short descriptions were delightful, written with a verve and the joy of living tingling in every sentence. She loved scaling the dizzv heights. Dot, and negotiating the most difficult part of a glacier was as the breath of life to her; hut her. very phrases caressed the gay summer mornings and the inanimate things she met with by the wayside. Real joy guided her pen as she portrayed the magnificent scenes that she gazed on from the altitudes; one .saw with her, too, and looked down on snow and icefields, and on glimpses of sea and _ the tortuously-winding rivers—on the sunlit plains and shadowy valleys,—and were, like the guide, loth to begin the descent.— Yours truly.

ITALIAN (Queenstown),

[Strange, is it not? I happened to be thinking of you just the night before your letter arrived, Italian. I so enjoy your letters, I wish .they came oftener.—DOT.] Dear Dot, —It is nearly two years since I last wrote to you. We have had very changeable weather the last few days. The snow is very low down on the hills, and it freezes every night. I will be 12 years of age in June, and am in the Fifth Standard. Our school is made of stone. It is a large school for the few children who attend. My mother and all her sisters and brothers and many people of the neighbourhood went to this school when they were young. We have a few shrubs and some vegetable® in our school garden. We like our school teacher very much; he has signed his name for the war, but we all hope he does not get. Our playgrounds are not made of pavement, as many of the town schools are; it is of grass, and around the fence are some fir trees. We have a swing in our playground. Most of the mountains around our district are high and rugged. In the winter they are covered with snow; they look very pretty in Iho sun. The chief industry is goldmining. We have a large library, and it has more than 1000 hooks in it. The Shotover River is very swift; it also looks very pretty in winter when the ides are hanging from the grass over the rocks on the sides of the river. The Shotover River was formed by a glacier. I read the letter from Egypt, and I thought it a very nice one. A dance was held in the library on Saturday, the 29th, in aid of the Belgian Relief Fund. It was very nice, and I don’t think there were any who did not enjoy themselves. Supper was prepared by the ladies. Love to all the D.L.F., not forgetting vourself.—Yours truly, PARENT’S DELIGHT (Skippers). ' P.S. —I wish to change my name to Blue Diamond. —P. D.

[Very well, dear, you may change your name, since you wish, and wo shall expect another interesting letter under the new N.D.P.—DOT.]

Dear Dot, —I am writing to say I would like to join your happy band. I am 13 years old, and have left school. I know a lot of D.L.F. up here. I saw a girl the other night with the D.L.F. badge on her hat. As this is my first letter I will not make it too long, so will close with loVc to all the Little Folk, not forgetting yourself.—Yours truly, BED, WHITE, AND BLUE (Middlemarch).

[We are very pleased to welcome you, Red, White, and Blue. When next you write will you please enclose your own name with your letter as well as your N.D.P.—DOT.]

Dear Dot, —Just a line to tell you I am not as slow at writing as Ida and Mary of the Glen. We have a dear wee calf named Bill, and a tiny pig. My little pup is growing now. When I went to feed the hens I

found that one of them was sick, so I gave it a butter-and-pepper pill. I have to milk the cow to-night, and ail the time I am milking her she kicks. We have pulled all our apples and sold nearly all of them. It has been awful weather here, and the river has risen a lot. Lovo to all the D.L.F., not forgetting yourself.—Yours truly, BKI D E S BLOSSOM (Manuka).

[I received the stamps quite safely, Bride’s Biossom, and have posted your cards in return. —DOT.]

Dear Dot, —l am sorry I did not write sooner, but will always write to you when I have time. I have read a good few books, and soma of them are “The Wide. Wide World,” “Robinson Crusoe,” Grimm’s' “Fairy Tales,” and Anderson’s “Fairy Tales.” I often read the L.F. letters, and find them very interesting. We arc going to have a very cold winter this year, as it is freezing already. I have two kittens, but they soon will be full grown, and I wish they would never grow big. I have two little calves, and they are very tame. Wo have only three cows milking now, but they give a good amount. Love to all the D'L.F. and yourself.—Yours trulv.

ICE MAIDEX (Xelson)

Dear Dot, —If I let such a time elapsa again before writing I will have joined the old writers. Is 20 or 21 the age, Dot? I saw it in the paper before, but really forget which it is. Although I have not written, X hop© you do not think I have lost all interest in the page. I always find time to read tho letters on the 33.L.F. page. I saw a letter from Egypt, and thought how interesting it would be to read letters from tiieie every week or so. Quite a number of boys have enlisted from here. We had a farewell social just last week for a few more who are going away to camp. There was a patriotic concert and dance last week also, and wc raised a very fair sum of money considering this small cilv. It was for the Belgian Belief Fund. Most of the ladies up here are sewing for either the hospital ehip or the poor Belgians. Love to all the D.L.F. —Yours truly,

JUMPING JENNY (Roxburgh). [Very pleased to renew acquaintance with you, Jumping Jenny, after such a long silence. Twenty years is the retiring age, dear.—DOT.] ° ° ’

Dear Dot,—l thought I would like to join your happy band. The weather is very cold now, Dot, and I hate to get up in the mornings, hast Saturday a great number of troopers left for Trentham, and there was also a collection for our wounded soldiers. I have three brothers at the war, one of them was' wounded a few weeks ago, but he is progressing favourably. There was a great crowd down for the Winter Show. I didn’t go this time, as I am studying for an exam. With boat love to all the L.F., not forgetting yourself.—Yours truly, ’MARSEILLAISE (Dunedin).

[You are quits welcome to join us, dear, and I wish yon all success in your examina--tion.—DOT.]

Dear Dot, —Since I last wrote we have been having cold weather. Last night I stayed with my sister. We had great fun playing cards. It -was a pack of cards they call Meiry Family. There are four of each family. "When we get up in tho morning all our windows are thick with frost. Last night the ground was hard before we went to bed. To-night I was outside our door, and I saw a big boat going by. Our factory has closed down now, and we are having no cold and wet weather drives of a morning.

This now your country needs you, So away with false pretence; Come, play the part of a gallant heart, No longer with honour fence. With love to all L.F. and yourself.—Yours truly.

LUPULITE (Slope Point),

Dear Dot,—Please will you let me be one of the Little Polk? What bad weather we have had! lam seven years old. We have got horses and sheep. Are you going to the Show? Many people will be there. It is nice at a show. It is raining up here, and it is snowing upon the hills. My little brother and I go to school, and we play all sorts of games. We boil the billy at school. We had pigs, but we killed them. Wo were up seeing the sheep getting dipped. With love to all the D.L.P., not forgetting yourself.—Yours truly,

MOUNTAIN MAID (Glenorchy),

[Delighted to welcome you to the page, Mountain Maid. If you can, do, please, write your letter in ink, dear, as the operators' object to reading pencil. Fortunately you used ink pencil, or I would not have been able to publish it.—DOT.]

Dear Dot,—l was pleased to see .my first letter in print. .The weather has been very miserable lately; but to-day was beautiful, and I have been digging my flower garden. We had 18 hens, but one got run over with the train. We are getting six eggs a day, and Is 9d is the price a dozen at our grocer’s store. Love to all Dot’s Little Folk, not forgetting yourself and editor. —Yours truly.

MARIGOLD (Riversdale),

[Eggs are certainly a profitable commodity just at Marigold, and yonr hens are doing remarkably well.—DOT.] Dear Dot, —We are now soon preparing for the concert. I have a oat; she is a female, and I would like you to name it for me. I have another little sister, and she will soon be going to school, and I am glad, for I will have a mate. I have two brothers goingi to the war. It has been very fine weather up here; is it fine weather down in Dunedin ? Love to Tiny Hose, Roscday, and yourself.—Yours truly.

SYBIL (Tiroiti). [You might call the cat Cora- if you like the name, clear.—DOT.] Dear Dot, —To-day is the King’s Birthday; w© have a holiday from school, and we were also given Friday for a holiday. We are having ia concert here on the 23rd of th’ds month. Aren’t the mornings cold and frosty now? and the gardens look very bare. Is not this war awful? I think that everybody -- will bo pleased to see it over. We are milking five cows now, and feed them on turnips. My father and brother went for a load of straw ycstei'day. I have read a good few books lately, some of them being “Teens,” “Peggy Savillc,” “My Heart’s Right There," and am going to read “More About Peggy.” Have you read any of them. Dot? Love to Crookbun, Lass, Dancing Feather, Milk Boy, Snowflower, Johnny Blacksmith, Tired Lass, not forgetting yourself and the other Little Polk.—Yours truly, WEE M’DONALD (Tuapeka West).