Between Ourselves

Southland Times, Issue 19900, 19 June 1926, Page 22 (Supplement)

Between Ourselves

I want to apologise to all of you this week, my dears, for the stingy' little answers I am obliged to give to your lovely long letters. It seems that as your letters become langer and more interesting, mine become scantier with each week. Forgive my haste this time, please, and I promise you all lovely long answers in our very next Page. True as true! Cousin Winnie: Two lovely letters from you in one week—six close pages in one and two in the other—l am in luck! Don’t please carry out your threat because I am not giving you a very long answer. You seem to have no difficulty in finding names for your poor, blasphemed cat. —why not, then, for yourself! It is very lazy of you to put the responsibility on me, and I have decided that I just won’t do it, so there! No, I didn’t say even one disparaging word to anybody, about you on Friday evening (I am saying nothing of what I- have to say at other times, mind you!) I am glad that you are beginning to realise that “every cloud has a silver lining”—no, I mean “every prefect has a heart of gold!” I think your writing is improved by the bigger loops. Cousin Bell-bird: I am glad you are writing of your own experiences, my dear. That is what I want all you to do, and truly your writings read much more sincerely because of that. Yes, we will surely have a baking competition. Cousin Meadowsweet: Thank you for the box of novelties, dear, which I think are just beautiful, and will not only make the stall attractive but will also attract the children’s pennies, too, I am certain! Your industrious fingers have been very busy lately. I am glad you are looking after the little birdies who gather on your door-step out of the cold. That is just the sort of thing I would expect from you. Cousin Jolly Jack Tar: I wish, Jolly Jack, that you could arrange to do something definitely about the weather—let it snow if it wants to or hail, or rain, or freeze. But let it be definite about it! Cousin Sailor: Goodness, Sailor, see that you don’t get your feet wet in the floods. Even hardy sailors are liable to take colds! Cousin Twilight : Welcome to our Page, dear. I was delighted to hear from you—you are not a stranger to me, as I saw you at Cousin Daphne’s last Friday evening—and I am hoping that we will meet lots and lots of times again, as I am sure we shall. It is nice that you are joining such a pleasant dan. Cousin Shamrock: I am so sorry you have been ill, dear—but it is lovely to think that you are quite better again. Yes, I was very sorry to have missed that evening out in your district; but Pm afraid I have to give up a lot of pleasures—everybody has, through life, you know’. Never mind—another time. Cousin Daffodil. It was very brave of you to attend the clan meeting in such weather—and to walk all the way, too! I hope you have not suffered any ill-effects from that. What a busy worker you are! Cousin Alan: I was ever so glad to enrol you, new’ Cousin, and I hope, you have received your magazine safely. I shall look forward to hearing from you again. Cousin Silver Cloud: You say “I never could write a nice sensible letter,” but if a “nice sensible letter” means one different from the delightful one before me, please write one! I am glad you like verse? So Oliver Goldsmith is your favourite poet? What do you mean when you say you were painting some pictures from his poems? Cousin White Rose: I am sorry I did not give you your nom-de-plume last week, dear —but really you must always sign it, as my memory is not good enough, I am afraid, to remember the pen-names of approaching 500 Cousins! I am so glad your friend has joined us, and that you are going to join the Kam ahi Clan. I like our page to be a community of friends. Cousin Harry: And did Mother’s buns taste as nice as they smelt? If they were anything like the buns my mother makes —l’ll say they did! lam sure you will miss your grandmother very much—but she will come and stay with you another time, won’t she? Cousin Sheila: My dear, I did not laugh at your drawing, and I will be most offended if you suggest I did. I never laugh at honest efforts —but I like to criticise and try to help those who try to improve. That is why I am anxious for you to improve. Cousin Spring Blossom: A nice letter like yours makes up for the time I have had to wait for it. No, I do not know the piece you are learning; but I am looking forward to hearing you reciting it at some time or other. Will you ? Yes, I like date creams very much—they sell very well at a bazaar, too. Cousin Brown Eyes: You must find a thousand and one things to do about the house, dear—l wonder that you have time to do as much work for the bazaar as you are doing. Cousin Alexander: I am so glad you are persevering with the competitions, dear—perseverance always wins in the end. Cousin Olive: I hope you received your badge safely, dear. I generally send the enrolment cards out only once a month—but I promise you you will have yours within the coming week. Cousin Cheerio: I waited in for you on Monday afternoon up till 3.15, but you did not come, and I was disappointed. I have a suggestion to make to you, and I will also let you have those papers when you come. They are taking the form of a bribe, aren’t they? Cousin Poinsettia: Surely, my dear, you could stay in town over night for our bazaar? I will be most disappointed indeed if you cannot. You must tell me all about folk dancing—it intrigues me very much. Cousin Makura: I think “crocing” to and from the station is a splendid thing for the discipline of the school, don’t you? It certainly looks well. Cousin Hilda: I enjoyed your letter very much, my dear, and I hope I will receive many more similar ones from you. The method you employ to write a story' is certainly producing splendid results. Cousin Merrymind: Congratulations, dear, on your success. What a hard subject to write on. However did you manage to do it? Yes, I loved the books you mention, and I also know their author.

Cousin Hawthorn: Certainly the candles did not spoil your writing, Hawthorn, and I think it was horrid of you to suggest that I would have forgotten you. I am bo glad that Fluff came back. Have you ever found out where she was all the time? You will really get your enrolment card within the week and, my dear, please remember to write on one side of the paper and that will make it easier for your big Cousin..

Cousin Kathleen: Welcome to our page, dear. I hope I will see you at some of the evenings about which you have been reading so enthusiastically. I would like you to remind your big sister in Dunedin that I am still waiting for a letter from her. Cousin Sea-Nymph: Friday night’s enjoyment would have reached perfection for me assuredly if I hadn't been constantly terrified that the dignity of a certain Cousin

of repute would be damaged with the splitting of her nether garments and this was not improved by the muttered threats I was hearing from senior members of her family who seemed to be obsessed with the same fear. You see I have made out a new visiting list so your secretary will let me know whether next Saturday will suit the Kam ahi Clan. You certainly made a good start with the spending of your money. The illustration enclosed was most conclusive and showed your purchase to be most exclusive. Please may I take you with me when I go shopping. I received the books safely and don’t hurry with Swinburne, my dear. I think you could go to little dances now, Sea Nymph, really I do. It was different in the older days, but now you would be missing so much when friends younger than you are going. And, my dear, this is my really true opinion! Cousin Merry Mixup: I’d much rather call you my Cousin Crinoline, really. I’m sure that’s how I will always remember you now. Yes, Friday afternoons were generally very hard to live through without detentions and I have cause to remember it. Even hiding in cupboards was not unknown to me. I shall look forward to receiving those sweets, Merry Mix-up, only don’t mix the ingredients up too much. Cousin Kiltie: By the time you read this I will be ever so near you, won’t I, and I am looking forward to my week-end very mtfth.. Thank you so much for making all my arrangements for me. I don’t know how I am going to wait until September for the results of the examination. Cousin Brownie: Never again will I disappoint you by not enclosing a letter with the prize-money. I did feel mean when I did it, little Brownie, really I did. How do you think you did in the Sunday School examination ?