CODDO.

Otago Witness, Issue 3595, 6 February 1923, Page 64

CODDO.

(Alp Rights Reserved.)

By

No. 29

EDITH HOWES.

Under the pale green sea Mother Cod pressed her blue and silver side against a rock and squeezed out, ten thousand tiny eggs from her roe. Up they went floating to the top. ‘ You can’t do that!” she said. “And I have mllions more, when they are ready.” “Pooh! Don’t boast!”’, cried lather Cod. “Without my milt vour eggs would never grow into fishes.” With one lithe flash of his velvety body he was above the ascending eggs, spreading his milt on the surface of the sea. “There!” he said. “Now they will grow.” And he went back to her and they swam off together, leaving the to the care of the sea and the sun and the wind. The eggs had reached the top, and’ had met the milt and absorbed it, and at once they began to grow into little fishes. But a great shoal of young herrings came along and devoured them nearly all before they could go any further. That seemed a sad happening, yet the herrings needed food; besides, if all Mother Cod’s babies were to live and grow up and all their babies were to live and have babies, there would soon be no room to move in the sea, for she had nine million eggs In her roe. Of this first batch? only Coddo escaped. He had happened to drift out' of reach on a little ripple, and he lay there rocking in the top of the sea, never knowing of the danger that had passed. Indeed, he knew nothing, for he was but a speck in a round transparent egg-, an egg little bigger than the head of a pin. Only a speck, yet a speck full of life and rich with power. Already he was growing, he was dividing into two cells, into four, now into many. He was drawing into himself the yolk, he was forming, forming; by the third day he had plainly a head and long fish-body curved round in his tiny egg-case. Throb-throb went on the eager life within him. His heart was being made now, and his eyes and his balancers and all the wonderful parts of his wonderful body. And still he lay coiled in his little round room full of food. On the fifth day he had grown so much that the egg-skin split and he was hatched. Out he came into the great wide ocean. He was alone, and he was so little that vou could scarcely see him, yet he was too young to be afraid. He was transparent also, and that was a means of safety. His mouth was not made yet, but under his breast was a food-bag, round and tight like a blown-n.p bladder, and full of the unused egg-yolk. Prom this he was fed for a couple of. weeks, the rich juices passing into his bodv as they were needed for his growth. Neither had he fins yet, nor tail 7 his body was surrounded by a thin film of clear iellv-like tissues, from which fins and tail would form. He could not swim, but could only float close under the surface of the summer sea, his foodbladder uppermost, his fast-growing body below. A mouth came, fins to steer with, a tail to swim with. The food-bag was empty now, and was absorbed into bis body. He was a real fish at last, and must earn his own living. Off he went, learning to swim and dive and turn and twist and mount hist, as a voung bird learns to flv or a child to walk. His food was all about him, tiny creatures in the sea, but he had to pursue it: and he must needs be swift to escape his enemies, for bis bodv was no longer transparent. Lving under bis backbone was bis swimbladder. a long thin ba<? full of gas. When he wished to "O to the bottom of the sea he had only to nres.s on the swim bladdeT with hi,- muscles : that forced the, gas out *>nd he became heavy and could sink. To rise again, he let the swimbladder fill wbh gas like a halloon. and nri he went. The mis was made bv little glands ■ when he squeezed it nut of the swim-bladder the Hands took it and tucked it ouicklv and tightly into their nockets. and when it was wanted again tbev let. it flow back and swell widely out into the bladder. And all this was done as easily as. his breathing, and. with no more thought or effort. He went- about with his mouth open in the water, hut he was not drinking : his gullet was Hosed exoent when ho fed. The water went in at. his month and came out again at. his gills, and made his blond pur O' it d|d go : for all the blood in his hod.' was “'dinner} h' r his heart through the feathery arches of bn* rr, H_ s ’ there it drew in the oxygen from the J ea wa ter am A was cleansed. His fins* were hands and feet to him. He could stand on them, rest on them, turn them this way and that, climb rocks with their help, dinging to roughnesses

with their curved points; he could fight with them, defending himself against his enemies. His gill-fins were wide fans, his back ran the whole length of his body, his tail was square and wide. hie loved the rocks at the bottom of the sea. There he had a cave to which he could retreat when danger threatened, and there, as season followed season, he grew big and powerful. All the smaller creatures of the coast had cause to fear him, for he would devour almost any of them at sight—shrimps, pipe fish, seahorses, crabs, cock-a-bullies, anemones, seasquirts, even sea-urchins in their spiny armour. Nothing came amiss to him; he would eat kelp and seaweeds when animal food failed him. With such an appetite it was small wonder that he grew fast and became strong and splendid to look upon. He seemed robed in velvet, blue along his great back, silver under his body, deep blue over his wide head. His eyes, small but alert, were black ringed with white and blue. His scales were marvels of rounded beauty. One of his favourite foods was octopus, so he watched with eager eyes a piece of octopus flesh that came Unexpectedly dropping through the water. Straight it dropped, and then hung strangely still above him, its edges glistening with little hubbies as if it had come down from the air. He didn’t finite like those airbubbles : be didn’t ouite like the way the thing hung in the water: yet it looked a. very delicious piece of octopus. He rose to it. and it smelled as delicious as it looked. Snap! he had it. Alas, it had him! There was a hook in the dreadful thing, and now he was being pulled up, for the hook had caught in his jaw. He struggled and plunged, but up he had to go. up and up. He was already at the top of the water ; ah, now he was in that horrible air where one could not breathe. Terror gave him strength. With one tremendous bound he somehow toie his jaw from the cruel hook, and down he sank, down and down into the comforting depths of the_ lovely sea, down into his quiet home again. His wound healed onicklv. for lie strong and healthv. but he bears the mark of the hook to this day. He still glides with easy grace about his loved rocks o-.(l caves; he is still handsome, velvetclad. blue-and-silver finned. But he is not so trusting as he was. Never again will he be caught by a baited hook! LETTERS FROwTtHE LITTLE FOLK. ttotto. —We write for the benefit of others, o 4 for ourselves. No letter to contain more than 360 worto. Dear Dot,—lt is blowing a cold east wind to-dav. My cousin is down here for a. holiday because of her health. She took a turn last evening, and we had to get Doctor Mullin from Ashburton about 11 o’clock. We have a lovely display of gladiolas this year, aud the marguerite daises are just The sweet peas, pansies, and kiss-me-quick dying off. I pulled "the lavender the other day, and put it in a box. I planted some sunflower seed!s, and eight grew, but when I came home from my holidays only one was left. It came out in flower. We have a pet hawk called Joey. He knows me, and when I talk to him he always says “teet,. teet.” We also have a pet chicken. The hen sat on the nest egg when she began clucking, and we gave her some eggs, but never took the nest egg away. A white chicken came out, and we took it from the mother in case she left the other eggs. I tried! for my proficiency, but was disappointed to hear I only got an endorsed competency. lam going to try again. I got a book from the Technical School telling me all about it, but they cannot get me to go to Technical. High. School or nowhere is for me. No one got a proficiency, and our teacher (Miss Beamy) was disappointed, as she worked very hard with us. Our best friend and most patient friend at school is our teacher—to her we owe a debt of gratefulness. Never till this last year did I realise what a friend a teacher is, and I am sure all D.L.F. that are going to school will agree. This year the harvest around here has been very good. Many of the crops are affected with smut, and several crops have hairgrass in them, which makes it awkward for the chaffcutter. The reapers are humming merrily, and the poor horses are working hard. In the shearing sheds over 14,000 sheep were shorn. That is a large number for such a small place as Ghertsey. The sawmills are busy sawing up timber for boxes and other useful articles. Every day a lot of timber is sent away. There is a large plantation to he sawn, and it will be about 18 months before the work is finished. Every year the trade of our beautiful country is increasing, hut alas! how fast our native bush birds are disappearing. We must live, and to make a living our beautiful bush must be cleared away. There is a man here who can cure rheumatism and any stiff jbints. He rubs his ointment on the afflicted pait, and very soon the person is cured. I enjoyed myself at Christmas, but the earthquake gave me a fright. I was writing letters at the time. It was a Christmas to be remembered by the people of . Cheviot. I went away for nine days, but as my cousin came down I came home. Dad is in my cousin’s room playing the acoordeon to her. I have a nasty cold now. What has become of Yellow Banksia, Tom Mix, A Maid of the Mountains, and the rest of my correspondents who haven’t written? Love to Icilma and all my other correspondents, not forgetting yourself, Dot.— Yours trulv, DAD’S DAISY (Chertsey). Dear Dot, —I have not been lucky enough so far to meet any D.L.F. I have been wearing my badge, too, but I am still living in hopes of meeting some soon. We have been having very nice weather for the holidays. We have had a few wet days, but on the whole the weather has been Aery good indeed, and we have all had a good time. Most of the holiday makers are going away now, as the schools will be taking up again shortly. Best love to Grace Fisher, Silver Shoe, and all the rest of the L.F., not forgetting yourself, of course.—Yours truly, BLUE ROSE. Dear Dot, — I am hack from my eight months’ holiday. The weather here is very unsettled just now. We were going to go to Warrington to-day, hut the morning was wet, so we did not go. One day my - : ster, and myself went to Warringbru idler, -rr bathing, and the water ton, and we Were ~ - e a t has three was nice and warpi. -- black kittens, cna black and wnite* another--*—

with a white spot at the tip of its tail; and the other is pure black. I was at tbs J Waitati Show and the Waikouaiti Show. I have a bantam hen which 1 got two years ago. Last year she brought out one chicken, and this year she brought out eight chickens, and that is all the chickens we have. My mother has some sw’eet peas out, and I think they are very pretty.—Tours truly, OLD MOTHER SLIPPER SLOPPER. Dear Dot, —May I become a member of your happy band of L.F.? For a long time I have read the paper with interest. I am 16 years old, and attend the Waitaki Girls’- High School, and board at the hostel. We live in the country, and this year ~ve are very late with the shearing, as the shearers have just come to-day, and we don't know when we shall get a start shearing with this awful wet weather. I have one sister ancl! one brother, both younger than myself. 1 know quite a number of L.F. about here. Well, Dot, as I am not much of a letter writer, and seeing this is the first time I have written, I shall close now. Love to all the Little Folk, not forgetting your own dear seif.—Yours truly, KODAK. [Wo are very pleased to have you join us, Kodak.—DOT.] Dear Dot, —We are having our school holidays now, and I am enjoying them very much. I know several Little Folk about here. Fairy of the Forest was staying here a while ago, and we had a good time, too. We just finished shearing our sheep to-day. We are milking 22 cows, and are sending the milk to the factoiy. My sister, Golden Key, is away for a holiday at present. Love to Ladybird, Lady Sybil, Acorn, June, Fairy of the Forest, not forgetting yourself.— Yours tru'lv, SILVER BELLS. [I have posted the badge, dear, and hops it reaches you safely.—DOT.] Dear Dot,—l had a letter from Queen Estah yesterday. My sisters are going to a dance in Roxburgh to-night. It is a beautiful day here to-day. lam in Standard Vl' now, and 1 hope to pass this year. \\e have a teacher from Dunedin staying with us just now. He sings and plays beaulifiilly. My brother took us up to Lauder in tlje car on Sunday, and we came home on Tuesday,- and I enjoyed myself very much. Best love to Queen Estah and Queen Bordicea; also to all the D.L.F., not forgetting your own dear self. —Yours truly, NEVER MIND. Dear Dot, —My sisters were at a ball last night, so they are very tiled to-day. My eldest sister was married since I last wrote to you. My cousin, Queen Estah, writes to the page, and my sister writes also. There was a thunder spout out at Lauder on Monday night, but it is lovely weather here now. We went for a ride to Lauder on Sunday, and we came home on Tuesday. We are going over to Roxburgh East on Monday for a week. Our school starts on Tuesday week. We got lovely prizes last year. We have more fruit than we know what to do with. I like fiuit, don’t you, Dot? Love to all the L.F. and yourself.—Yours truly, MISS INQUISITIVE. Dear Dot,—lt is such a long time since I wrote that I suppose you think I have forgotten you. The weather up here is very changeable. I went the excursion to Queenstown yesterday, and had a good time. The only trouble is that we did not stop long enough. There were between 1400 and 1500 people. Love to The Hen Wife, Mountain Voilte, and all the other D.L.F.—Yours truly, MARY THE WILD SWAN OF FAIRYLAND. [The time would be rather short, M-ary; you would be most of the time travelling —- DOT.} 6 ' Dear Dot, —Perhaps you will be surprised to hear I am at Gropers Bush now, staying with my recently-married sister and her hubby. They came home from their honeymoon on Thursday, a fortnight ago, after a glorious trip to the Southern Lakes. Seemingly they must have enjoyed themselves, as they have related their experiences seeing the beautiful scenery up there, and now they are quite settled down in fife agin. What glorious weather we are experiencing at present, although yesterday didn’t look so good as to-day, but we can’t expect sunshine all the time. We are all going to the Riverton sports to-morrow, and I hope to enjoy myself. I haven’t gone over to see Inkpot for quite a while now, but she will know the reason is that I’m buried in a good book, which is mv favourite pastime. There was a picnic at Ermedale on Wednesday, but it was very rough here, thus preventing us from going. We were all very disappointed, as it is only about a mile and a-balf’s distance from here. You had a huge number of writers for Old Writers’ Week. My sister is in those bonds now, although she didn’t put in her appearance last time, but I think in the future O.W.W. sire will write her yearly note. Love to Queen Estah, InkEot, Jeanie’s Baw Bee, Johnnie Cope, Ralph, enora M‘Kay, and A Little Vincennois, not forgetting yourself.—Yours truly, MOUNTAIN DAISY 11. Dear Dot—May I join your happy band of writers? lam in Standard 11, and lam nine years old. We have two little pups and four chickens. The chickens are two weeks’ old. Old Mother Slipper Slopper, my brother, and I went to Warrington on Saturday, and we went in bathing. I was at the Waitati and Wajkouaiti Shows.—Yours truly, GASBAG. [You are very welcome to join us, Gasbag. —DOT.] Dear Dot, —Just a few lines, hoping to find you and all the D.L.F. in the best of health. I have just come home from a six-hour parade, and it was something terrible. It was so terribly hot, although it had just started to rain. lam hoping Southland’s boat will bring home the Sanders Cup. I suppose you would like the Otago boat to bring it home. All I have to say is good luck to the winner. The D.L.F. down this way are not writing very often. Stamp Collector and Dorothy Dale have been down this way for a few weeks. Love to all my correspondents, not forgetting your own dear self. —Yours truly, TICKLE-ME-QUICK. [Many thanks. I did receive the card, and hope you enjoyed the holidays.—DOT.] Dear Dot, —I am a little boy who wants to join your happy band. I spent my holidays at Lovell’s Flat, and had a good time. My brother went to Dunedin, and he is not home yet. Our school picnic is to be held at Taieri Mouth, and I hope we have a good day. lam going to learn to ride a bicycle. We have three miles to go to school. I have a cat, and its name is Jeanie. She is a nice cat. Love to all the D.L.F. and yourself. —Yours truly, GINGER. Ilf you have a bicycle and learn to rid# it, that will be a quicker way of getting to school than walking, Gingot.—DOT-i

Dear Dot,—lt will not be long before school starts again, and I will be glad. We are getting a new teacher here, and she will start teaching on February 15. We bad a few fine days a while age, but this morning it began to rain. 1 went to the Tuatapere spoils, and I was enjoying myself till it began to rain. I got wet coming home, as we were driving. My cousin came home with us. lam going into Standard V this year. We have three little pups, and my wee brother carries them about in his arms most of the time when he can get them. I enjoyed reading the Old Writers letters, and I always read the story before I read the letters. Wishing you and. all the L.l • a happy year. —Yours truly, JEANNETTE. Dear Dot,—l hope all the L.F. and yourself had a merry Christmas, because 1 did. The ' weather has been very unsettled here lately, and, of course, it is rather a nuisance for the farmers about here. We are getting our road metalled, and i think it will bo a relief. My sisters are away for their holidays, and we are rather busy with the cows, and so forth. I did not go for a holiday this Christmas, but I hope to go for one next time I get holidays. 1 have another week and a few days before starting school. I go to the High School in Invercargill. My little brother was sick a week or two ago, and he hurt himself this morning by falling off a box. 1 went to the Tuatapere sports, but I did not enojy myself very much on account of the very bad weather. I enjoyed reading the O.W. letters. Love to the D.L.F., and especially yourself.—Yours truly, CALPHURNIA. Dear Dot, —For a week I stayed near Queen of the Fairies and Princess Olga. During this time Princess Olga, Queen of the Fairies, Snow White, Hose Red, three other girls, and myself went one day for a picnic. IV e boiled the Lilly three times. We left about ten o’clock, and came home at half-past eight. We walked about two miles or more. Two days afterwards eight other children came with us to another [bare for a picnic. That day we left earlier, and came home a few minutes earlier than from the other picnic. Two other days Queen of the Fairies, hejr sisier, and 1 were in for swims. I have noticed that there are three or four writers from other countries than New Zealand. About how many writers are there, Dot ? I was thinking there must he a few hundred, as every week there are new writers writing. On Monday we are going to Dunedin in the ear. It will take us from five to six hours. Every time my sister sees me writing to you she says, “I am going to writ© to Dot to-morrow.” She has started several letters, but has never finished yet. Love to Princess Olga, Queen of the Fairies, Snow White, Rose Red, and all other L.F.—Yours truly, THE WARM GIRL. [Evidently your sister is a procrastinator, dear, and it doesn’t always do to be always “putting off” things.—DOT.] Dear Dot, —May I join your happy band of D.L.F. ? lam 16 years old, and I hope lam not too old to join yet. I like reading the Little Folks’ letters very much. We are having very bad weather here, and I am afraid we are not going to have a very’ good season for harvesting this year. My father has cut 50 acres of grass for seed, and we are leading it in just now. I would have liked to have gone to the Riverton sports today, but 1 was not able to get. Love to all the D.L.F., not forgetting yourself.—Yours truly, BLUE BELL. [You are very welcome to join us, dear. You are able to write until vou are 20 years. —DOT.] Dear Dot, —The holidays will soon be at an end, and they paS3 by all too quickly. This year I went down to Dunedin and Mosgiel to spend my holidays. I had a very enjoyable time. As I went from Dunedin to Mosgiel one thing attracted me very’ much. At the different stations there were little flower gardens planted. Many of the flowers ■were in bloom, and they gave the station buildings a cheerful appearance. From about Waitati to Port Chalmers I was struck by the magnificent growth of bush and tree ferns. While I was staying in town I visited many pretty spots. I also stayed at Caversham, but I would not like to live there always. We have been having very wet, misty weather. lam sure the farmers will be thankful when it cleats up. This weather seems to be widespread. lam starting as a probationer in the Oamaru South School when it opens. My High School days are over now, and I am not sorry either. During the holidays 1 read quite a lot of good books. It was then that I read Oliver Twist for the first time. I got so interested in it that I could not do my work until I had finished it. It is my favourite of Dickens’ books. What has happened to you, Christmas Beils? Love to Collen Gullev, Christmas Bells, Love of Locked Gate’s, Stamp Collector, Forget-me-not. Mustard Keen, and all the other L.F., not forgetting yourself.—Yours truly, THE BLUSHING MAID. Dear Dot, —Christmas is over again, and I must tell you my sister and I did' get a lot of presents. We motored to Riverton for a picnic yesterday. My sister won a ball and a mouth organ, and I won a lovely bat in the races. Our holidavs seem to be going very fast, and we will’soon be at school again. I shall be in the Third Standard. I got a fiist-class certificate and a lovely book for progress at the break-up. Love to all the L.F. and yourself.—Yours truly, A MECCANO BOY. Dear Dot, —Since last writing to you I have had an experience. I have undergone an operation for appendicitis. On the 10th. of November I took ill, and mother had to send for Doctor Watson, who came out about four o’clock and ordered my removal to the hospital. We hired a car from Lumsden garage, and arrived in Gore at 12.30—at midnight. I was taken to the hospital and operated on the following night at 7 o’clock. I remained in the hospital a fortnight. f am now home and improving rapidly. The weather here is very unsettled, but this last week it has been very close and hot. The shearing about here is finished, and the wool is away, and the farmers are busy cutting their grass seed. Although the weather has been hindering operations, many are finished cutting. How did you enjoy Christmas, Dot? It was very quiet here, and I think it was quiet everywhere. On the 25th of January a combined school excursion went to Queenstown for a trip. My brother, sister, and I went. It was a lovely day, and an enormous crowd went, there being over 1100 people on board. When we arrived at Queenstown there was hot water all ready boiling for the visitors. Then they all departed from the wharf to see what they could see. Some went through the park, some went up the hills to find gooseberries, others to see friends, and others went for a row on the lake. Then about three o'clock they all wended their way back to the boat, which left Queenstown again at half-past

three. The journey on the boat was just beautiful, as a lovely cool breeze struck up towards evening. The gardens are all looking well about this part, except nearly everybody’s potatoes are blighted, but ours have escaped it so far, but one never knows, they might take it yet. However, we have to take the good with the bad, so we must not grumble. Well, dear Hot, lam afraic* I shall be exceeding the word limit, so I shall close with best wishes. —Yours truly, MRS JIM. [I am glad to learn you have made such a good recovery, Mrs Jim.—DOT.] Hear Hot, —We are having very wet weather here just now. There was a flood a while ago, and it was the biggest flood I have ever seen, —nearly all our fences are washed away a bit. We had a bridge here, but it was washed away with the flood. We have just got one little foal this year. We lost two foals and a horse, and it was a bit of bad luck. Love to all the Little Folk, not forgetting your own dear self.—Yours truly, A. PEA BLOSSOM. [I received the stamps, but there was nc indication in any letter as to whom the baace was to be sent, so I had to wait till I knew definitely.—HOT.] Dear Dot,—May I join your happy hand of Little Folk? lam nine years old, and in Standard 111. I have two brothers, and the eldest goes to the Technical College at Invercargill. My next brother has just left school, as he gained his proficiency, and he is going to the High School. The M.G.C. cricket team clayed Southland last Saturday and Monclay.’ Our school picnic is at Riverton on the third of February. On New Y’ear’s Day we went to Bluff. There was a big cargo boat there, and we spent most of our time aboard her. My father took me down into the engine room, and it was very hot until I got under one of the ventilators. Besides the engine room there was the freezing chamber. Her name was the Miamoa. The ropes that held her to the wharf had tin plates on them to keep off the . rats. Love to all the Little Folk. Yours truly, K. C, [I am sure you would find the machinery on the boat very interesting, K. 0. —.DOT.] Dear Dot,—Since lust writing to the page I have been ill for about a week. My brother lias also been ill. He has now a cold, ancl has to spend most of his time inside. This he does not like, as he is never happy unless he is out in the fresh air. Our garden at present is looking lovely in its array of beautiful flowers. Being ill, I have read some interesting hooks, among which are “The "Wide, Wide, World,” ‘‘Beneath a Mask,” and ‘‘Down the Mississippi.' - My sister received a lovely purse the oilier night as a Christmas present from a girl friend in England. We are now using new potatoes and peas, and they are lovely for a change after the old potatoes. We have a little pup, and he is a rowdy little fellow. He comes inside, sits on the sofa, and if we go to move him or sit down beside him he will let us know v.’ho is boss. He will jump up and bite us if we don’t move out of liis way. Once we had a cat called Topsy. Topsy was very mischevious, and try as we would we couldn’t keep her outside like the other cats. Many a time we found her in our bedroom, and we would try to make her frightened by hitting her with the broom. .This only made matters worse, for she would run round and round the room, upsetting everything that came within her reach, and sometimes breaking dishes. One night she curled herself under the bedclothes at the bottom of the bed, and when my two sisters and myself went to bed my sister May felt something soft in the bed. My sister tried to get me to feel and see what it was. I must own I was too big a coward for that, hut at last, after much talk and a promise of three more ginger nuts than my sister for -my lunch next day at school, I put my hand down the bedclothes. As I did so the cat got a fright (but not so big as we got), and jumped through the window. We then assured ourselves that there was nothing else in the bed to frighten us, so we went to sleep, but not till midnight. About half-past twelve I was awakened by a- strung© noise, and, reusing myself from sleep -and listening, I detected a noise similar to that of an aeroplane. Well, this didn't make me feel quite comfortable, and it being quite dark made matters worse. The noise, instead of growing fainter, grew louder, which added to my fear. I then made a decision, that I would awaken my sister, who slept soundly, and was snoring like thunder, but before I could carry out my plan something soft fell against my face. Trembling with fear, I pulled the blankets over my head. While doing this I awoke my sister with my movements. After warning my sisters that something strange was in the room they get Under the blankets, too. After lying in this fashion for about a quarter of an hour and nearly suffocated, my sister put her head out saying she was not going to be smothered, and what was her astonishment to see by the bright rays of the moon where the blind was pulled back Topsy sitting on the pillow watching the proceedings. We all went to the bottom of the bed, and Topsy, thinking it a joke, followed us. I then suggested throwing a pillow at her, v-hich hit her and made her all the friskier. We then threw more pillows at her, and one missing her went right through the window. After much more hitting she jumped through the window, leaving us at peace for the rest of the night, and you may well imagine the fun we had out of a night’s adventure with a cat. The Cabbage Tree Rider has been away for a fortnight’s holiday, and although I have not-seen her since she came back I think sire enjoyed herself. Love to The Cabbage Tree Rider, Little White Lily, Trumpet Lily, Pixie O’Sbanfy, Pigtail’s Mate, Milkmaid’s Mate, and the other D.L.F., not forgetting your own dear self. —Yours truly, THE CABBAGE TREE RIDER’S COBBER, [I have posted the badge, dear, . and hope it reaches you safely.—DOT.] Dear Dot-,—Our school vacation is nearly over, which I am sorry to say, as I have enjoyed myself immensely. My motherarrived home to-day after spending a few days at Invercargill. I "was keeping house during her absence, and T had plenty to do. Last Saturday I was going to the Drivers’ picnic, which was held at Waitati, but as the weather was unfavourable I did not go, and I was very disappointed, as their picnics are very enjoyable. Ido envy those children who live in the country .as, by their letters to the D.L.F., they seem to have better fun than we do in the town. Why, it must be lovely to get up in the morning and see the sheep gr a zing on the hills, instead of seeing the smoke of factories and surrounded by houses. I think we miss the best part of God's great works in the town, and I am sure you will agree with me. Love to all the L.F., not forgetting your own dear self.—Yours truly, BLUEBELL.

[I clo agree with you. Bluebell,, and can see very little attraction in town life. —DOT.] Dear Dot, —This is my first letter, and I wish to become one of your many Little Folk. I am just turned fourteen, so that I may have six years in which I may write to you. I got my proficiency last year, and I intend to learn dressmaking ill a technical school for the next two years. I have just been spending a holiday with Leatherface and his people. They have a large farm, where they keep fowls, pigs, 1 cows, and horses. They have just built a new cow bale, and they are going to get the milking machines ill, which will cost a good deal of money. Wc are having very disagreeable weather just now, which is a shame, because the children always 100-k forward to the holidays. My mother used to write to you years ago. Her name was Kissan. —Yours truly, _ FALSE TEETH. [You are very welcome to join us, dear. DOT.] Dear Dot,. —It seems a very long time since I wrote to the page, so I must write a few lines before we take up school again. We are spending a short holiday at Petone just now, and it is lovely to be so near the beach. We have two or three ‘‘dips” every day. I will be sorry when we have to go home. It was lovely coming over the Rimutaka incline; the train was crowded, and we had four engines on. Tire scenery was very pretty. Have you been over, Dot? Some people are very nervous. I must admit I was at first. We spent-ra very quiet Christmas, as my auntie. Wattle Blossom s mother, met with an accident a few weeks before Christmas. She fell off a motor lorry we were travelling in, and the wheel went over her leg, breaking a bone and badly crushing the ankle. Mother had to muse her, so we were not able to go anywhere during the holidays, but she is getting on well now. The weather is very changeable here since wo came down. Mother does not like the town after the country; she misses the nice milk and cream, etc. Love to all the D.L.b., "not forgetting yourself.— Yours truly, YNAWA. [I am glad you have enjoyed your stay at the seaside, dear. It will be a great change, and should! do you all good.—DOT.] Dear Dot,- —Since I last wrote to you I have been having a great time with my. girl friends. You can just imagine what it is like when three girls get together. We went to Riverton and Winton one day, and then the next day we went to Forest Hill. The following day we went to Riverton ag-ain in our car. and I tell you it is lovely to see the green fields. One can’t see them the same in a train. I had a letter from my young man friend! off the Chatham, and he was telling me that the weather was not very good in Auckland. With love to Cheerio, Lonely, A Maid of the Mountains, not forgetting yourself.—Yours truly, A LONELY GIRL. Dear Dot, —I was at a picnic at Bluff, and I won a ball and a mouth organ in the races. We will soon be hack at school again, and I will be in higher Standard I. I got a firstease certificate and two prizes at the breakup. Love to all the L.F. and yourself.— Yours truly, AUNTIE’S DAISY BELLE, [I am glad you did so well at school, "dear. It will Ire an incentive to work hand this year.—DOT.] AUTOS. Nevermind (Cathie Haig, Alexandra) wishes to correspond with any L.F. 12 to 16 years. Mary the Wild Swan of Fairyland (Miary M‘Math, Balfour) wishes to correspond with A Lonely Girl and Dick Lionheart. Mountain Daisy II (Ivy Campbell, Gummie’s Bush P. 0.) wishes to correspond with Tickle Me Quick and any L.F. from 16 to 19 years.