The Cousins’ Competitions

Southland Times, Issue 19546, 9 May 1925, Page 18

The Cousins’ Competitions

AWARDS IN THE 20TH TEST. (at Look forward 100 years and write a abort account of spending a day as you imagine you might spend one then. First Prize. —5/- and 4 marks to Cousin Annie Playfair, (14), “Bonniefield,” Gummie’s Bush. Second prize—2/6 and 3 marks to Cousin Winnie Belsham, (14), Lumsden. Highly Commended—2 marks to Cousin Alice Perry (15), 24 Oteramika Road, Invercargill; Cousin Millicent Broadbent, (13, 4 Compton Road. Trafalgar, Invercargill; Cousin “Sea-Nymph,” Invercargill. Commended —1 mark to Cousin Eileen Jaquiery (15), 13 George Street, North Invercargill. (b) A short account of the most exciting hour vou have spent in your life. Finrt Prize—s/- and 4 marks to Cousin Helen Cormack. (9), “Southgrove,” Gummies Bush. Second prize—2/6 and 3 marks to Cousin Eileen Jaquiery. (15), 13 George Street, North Invercargill. Highly Commended —2 marks to Cousin Elsie Amos, (11) Mabel Bush; Cousin Mary Richards, (13) Lumsden. Commended 1 mark to Cousin Annie Playfair, (14), “Bonniefield,” Gummie’s Bush; Cousin Emma Kellahan, (14) “Giencairn,” Dipton. COMMENTS. The quantity of entries was very disappointing this week, and—l must admit it—the quality, too. Ido not know what has happened" to all my Cousins—over 100 strong!—of bright imagination and infinite idese. I was glad that we have a new prize winner in the lists—Cousin Helen Cormack wrote her story brightly and interestingly, and I have great hopes of her. This was one of the very few entries which consoled me this week. Cousin Eileen's was told well, and certainly had an exciting element in it—with it I am also very pleased. One Cousin, you see, employed the old idea—tut, tut, my dear!—of hearing a voice in the midst of a wonderful adventure —it is time to get up! I utterly forbid another one of my Cousins to employ this. If she, or he, does, I will burst into weeping tears —I vow I will. —Cousin Betty. THE 21st COMPETITION. (a) Essay on Happiness—for Oouains 13 years and over. (b) Essay on the joys of being alive — for Cousins 12 years and under. This Competition will close on MONDAY, MAY 11, 1925. Start right away and get your work in early. Note carefully the change in the closing date. —Cousin Betty. THE 22nd COMPETITION. (a) Competition for those Cousins who have never yet won a prize. Commendeds and highly commendeds may compete. A letter telling me what you like doing best in the world. (b) “Castles in the Air.” Open to all Cousins who wish to compete. Ages will be considered. Remember the rules — 1— Write in ink on one side of the paper only. 2 There must be separate sheets for each competition. 3 Each Cousin must work unaided, and enter his or her own work. 4 Drawings must be in black ink, and preferably in Indian ink. 5 Each entry must show the name and address of the Cousin, and the age. 6 No one more than 15 years of age may compete in these classes. 7 Address all entries to Cousin Betty, at the Southland Times Office. The Prizes are—First, 5/-; second, 2/6, in each class. Thk' Competition closes on Monday, May 18, 1925, so please get your entries in as soon as possible, and remember the change of Hate entries having io be in a day earlier. —Cousin Betty. The Southland Clans THE SEWING CLAN. I have talked about this in my letter, and would just like to add that there are several Cousins who promised to send jackets who have not done so. I hope thia has just been overlooked, and that they did not break their word. That would never do for Cousin Betty’s little Southlanders. THE HANDIWORK CLAN. Several scrap-books have reached me this week, but I am quite sure there are many many more handiworkere who have not sent in their books. I will give you another week to have them in, and then they will be jwdged. So hurry up and send them in.

SILVER SURPRISES. Little silver surprises can be made out of a walnut shell. Break the walnut in half and remove the walnut. Cover both halfs with silver paper. Then put the surprise in. Tie the halves together with a piece of coloured ribbon. A surprise such as a ring is very nice. If you are putting a ring in it is very nice to put a piece of wadding in first. It looks far neater. —Cousin Doreen Rushton (11), Nightcaps. THE COOKING CLAN. This clan has responded best oi all these last few days, and I am contemplating another baking competition shortly. What do you think it would be best to make? HONEYCOMB TOFFEE. Two teacupsful of sugar, three-quarters of a teacup of water, two tablespoonfuls of vinegar, one teaspoonful of cream of tartar, half a teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda. How to Make:—Place your sugar and water in a pan over a red fire and bring to the boil. Now boil for about 20 minutes. Add the vinegar and, when this is mixed, stir in the cream of tartar and the bicarbonate of soda. It is necessary to use a fairly large pan for making honeycomb toffee, as the addition of the cream of tartar and the bicarbonate of soda causes the mixture to froth up. When cooked, pour into a greased tin and leave to cool. —Cousin Elsie Amos (11), Mabel Bush. HONEYCOMB ROCK. Two tablespoonfuls of honey (or treacle, if yew prefer it), two tablespoonfuls of sugar, two tablespoonfuls of hot water, one small piece of butter, one teaspoonful of baking soda. How to Make: —Place all your ingredients, with the exception of the baking soda, in an enamel saucepan. Place over a red fire and stir until the mixture boils. Boil your toffee, until a few drops placed in cold water harden. Remove from the fire and stir in the baking soda. Pour into a buttered tin, and leave until cool, when store in an airtight tin. —Cousin Emma Kellahan. SWISS MILK WALNUT TABLETS. Two pounds of granulated sugar, one tin Swiss milk, one cupful fresh milk, two ounces walnuts, a few drops of vanilla. How to make:—First skin your walnuts and place them on one side. Now place the sugar, milk and Swiss milk in a pan, over a red tire and stir until the mixture boils. Allow it to boil slowly for about 20 minutes, stirring it every now and again. ! Now remove the pan from the fire and put the walnuts in. Beat your toffee well with a wooden spoon, for about five minutes ind then pour it onto a greased dish. Before it gets too cold to cut, divide it into tablets with a sharp knife. —Cousin Emma Kellahan. • CHOCOLATE SUGAR. Three cupfuls of sugar, one cupful of milk, a few drops of essence of vanilla flavouring, half a teaspoonful of cocoa, two teaspoonfuls of butter. How to Make:—Place your sugar and milk in a pan and boil over a slow fire until cooked. Test the mixture by dropping a few drops in a cup of cold water. If it becomes hard it is done. Remove the pan from the fire and stir in the cocoa and the essence of vanilla. Now stir in the butter and beat the mixture for a few minutes with a wooden spoon. Pour on to a greased dish and leave to cook —Cousin Emma Kellahan (14), “Glencairn,” Dip ton. Between Ourselves Cousin Frances: I am very glad you wrote to me, dear, and hope you will keep writing a lot. I shall look forward to the time when you will enter for the competitions, dear, as I am quite sure you will do me good work. You are very young to have secured your proficiency last year, and it would have been a pity had you left school immediately. You are right—“ Never venture never win,” is a true saying, and one which I hope you will take to heart. Cousin Doreen: You are a very busy little handworker, dear, and your results do you very great credit. lam looking forward to the parcel you speak of so much, your parcels are always so full of surprises. Roses and violets are my favourite flowers, Doreen, as they are yours. You are very fortunate in having such a lovely garden. The silver surprises are a splendid idea. Was it entirely your own? Do you like cooking? And what did you make last Friday? It must be fun going into Riverton with the rest of the class every week, dear. Cousin Happiness: Your letter certainly lives up to your “Cousin” name dear—l wish all my Cousins could be as cheerful and happy, and could truthfully sign themselves, “Yours merrily.” Tell me about the picture, that made you laugh so heart-

ily. I should like to see a story attempted by you, Happiness—are you going to let me see one? You won’t disappoint me, surely! Cousin Molly: A lovely long letter from my httle Queenstown Cousin, and so full of news, too, dear! What a long walk you and your sister must have had to the Kawarau Dam last Saturday. I know your beautiful memorial and do not wonder you are proud of it. Cousin Rainbow: I did not doubt for a moment, dear, the form you would be in. What you wondered is correct—so I’m just wondering now where you are sitting. Is it by the window’s at the sides or in the furtherest corner, or near the teacher’s table in front? That’s the place to be in good order! I must confess I didn’t like gym. very much, but preferred the horse to the parallels. Yes, I predicted you would like languages best—l want you very particularly to stick to your Latin and find out everything about English that you can. It will some day be of use to you. Cousin Joy: I am eagerly waiting for your Canterbury address, dear, and have arranged to do as you wish as soon as it reaches me. Your mother will miss you a lot, at first, and Joy will miss her mother too, I’m thinking! Still I am sure you will love Christchurch and your new life. I do hope you will make some good friends and true, but you won’t forget your own Cousin Meadowsweet either, will you. Cousin Cherry: What a gay time you have been having, to be sure! I did not know you recited, dear; but will expect to hear about you in the Invercargill Competitions this year! What a perfectly lovely birthday you must have had, and what a lucky Cousin to receive so many beautiful presents. Six o’clock in the morning is very early to get up, isn’t it ? Cousin Winnie: I don’t like you fro say you’ll never try, dear, that’s not very kind to your Betty. I want you to say, “Yes, dear Cousin I’ll try and w r rite poetry for you, because you think I can do it, and you will know I am doing my best.” Don’t you think that would be much better? The idea for a mindsharpener is truly excellent —all that remains is for you to carry it out, Cousin Daphne: Thank you for the three puzzles, dear, for our hospital children. I know just how much they’ll love them. What you say about the Councillors is certainly very, very true though, as you say, the less we say about them the better We’ll be getting brought before the Court for libel, or something, and anyway perhaps w’e’ll have the baths within the next 99 years, instead of the 100! You never know! Cousin Bluebell: Your scrap-book reached me in good condition, dear, and delighted me immensely, as I am sure it will the hospital children. Your holly-tree must look picturesque at present. Your little sister will find school trying for a start, but doubtless she will love it as she becomes more accustomed to it. Cousin Helen: No, dear, nobody would think for a minute that your verses were copied. I was glad to see you had entered for the competitions. Cousin Isabel: I hope you pick up your record of not having had the strap yet, dear! Could you cook the breakfast you did at cooking again, I wonder! What a surprise your mother would get, to be sure. The four jersey calves must be a constant source of pleasure and amusement to you. Cousin Starlight: You are a very keen hockey player, dear, and I hope you won’t get hurt with the so hard, hard ball. That is what I always think of. The first match was an excellent win, and the second a worthy defeat. Cousin Rosebud: I received the houseful of kisses, dear, and have not finished them yet! I must confess I like lots of things before sewing, but am quite sure it must be very fascinating making things for yourself. Cousin Daisy: Did you make your jacket entirely by yourself, dear? It is truly beautiful, and wonderfully finely done. What else would you like to make?