GIRL GUIDES

Southland Times, Issue 23141, 6 March 1937, Page 23

GIRL GUIDES

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK Troubles we must have, but, like the struggle for existence, they may be . all to the good. Brownies Really I think it is time you had a column all to yourselves. We are. all very concerned at present with things called germs. Mother is being particularly careful and you, of course, are helping her all you can by remembering your health rules. Here is a little story that may help you to be particularly careful, too:— The Land of The Golden Bar: Dirt and Danger

“I don’t see why,” said Joyce to no one in particular, as she cleaned her badge before her brownie meeting, “Brown Owl should be so fussy about nails and teeth, and all the other things. Grown-ups waste such a lot of time over things that don’t matter.” “Don’t matter, indeed!” exclaimed the little Brownie man, stepping down from her badge in a casual way. “I think you had just better peep up the path that takes you to the health sign post. I must disguise you as a germ first, though. Shut your eyes.” Joyce wriggled. A horrid, dirty, shrunken feeling came over her, and she knew she looked just like a germ. “Here’s a recruit!” said a familiar voice, but no one would have recognized the Brownie Man in the black germ at her side. There were thousands of others just like them hopping and swarming in the dark, smelling cave at the top of which sat a nasty pale, slimy creature. “That’s Disease,” whispered the Brownie Man. “Don’t worry, I’ll stay beside you.” “A recruit, eh?” said Disease, with a horrid chuckle. “Very well, she can go out and see which branch of the work she likes best. These all belong to the anti-health squad, you know. You join the dirty nail party.” .... “Come on,” cried a swarm of little black chaps, seizing Joyce by the arm. “It’s such fun! We are going to get Emily into a row. We are going to dig with our little prick pins and grow dirt just where she can’t get it out. Come and help!” Now Emily was Joyce’s own particular brownie friend. She was always in a hurry, and both Joyce and she hated the time they spent before Brownies scrubbing hands. Now Joyce herself was going to make it more difficult! Off they fled, and Joyce had a tiny sharp dagger put into her hand with some black gritty dirt on it “In you go,” they cried, and the whole party dived under a white ledge on pink, warm ground. It was Emily s thumb nail. . . , “Shan’t,” cried Joyce. She wriggled aside and flew up and up until she reached a huge mountain that she recognized as Emily’s ear. . “Scrub your thumbs!” she shrieked. The next instant a number of germs leapt at her and dragged her away. “Traitor!” they cried. But Joyce didn’t mind. Emily had heard her. She looked down and saw the nail squad flying for their lives behind Emily’s nail brush. “You silly,” hissed the germ who was nipping her arm. “We had put some poison in that dirt. With any luck it would have got on her bread and butter, if she hadn’t washed, and Disease would have been so pleased. Co me and help us to ruin her teeth instead. They thrust a tiny pick into her hands and waited by a red chasm. “Emily’s mouth,” - whispered the Brownie Man, who was armed with another pick by her side. “She 11 open it in a minute. That’s when the damage is done. She keeps it open for no reason at all. It is a habit she has. Look!” , , , Sure enough the chasm opened. “Throat squad first!” Joyce was held back. With a whoop a band of eager germs leapt in with a bag of germs prepared by Disease. “When they have sown them in we go,” cried a germ. Out flew the throat germs and m flew Joyce and the rest. “Dig.” gasped the germ setting to work with his pick. “We ma ke holes and the others fill them with bits and pieces. Then Disease comes along and does the rest. Emily will be so IU. “She won’t,” thought Joyce grimly. She waited until the germ was not looking, and shot right out of Emily s mouth right up to her ear again. , “Danger! Shut your mouth! she There was a yell of rage as the germs rushed out of Emily’s mouth, and flew for Joyce. . “Traitor! Traitor! Well make her go up. the prickly path and then she U die! All germs die in the prickly Joyce soon found they meant Emily’s nostrils which now looked to heir like two vast passages, with sticky, sharp spikes guarding the way. Something Brown Owl had said reminded her that these must be tfee tiny hairs that protect the way into ones throat. Joyce felt afraid. . Then the Brownie Man said. They can’t hurt you. You are a brownie, not a germ! Tell them so!” . “I’m. a brownie, cried Joyce at the top of her voice. “Down with all germs.” , , ~ There was a gasp of horror as the germs fell back in amazement. Ihe next instant she found herself sitting on the arm of the health sign post with the Brownie Man, both breathless, but no longer looking like dirty germs. “Congratulations, Joyce! said the Brownie Man. “I don’t think you will ever forget ‘why’ now, and, you will pass your health test tonight. And so she did. Observation

This little piece is for country brownies. I know you live on farms, but I also know, because I have caught grown-ups with this, that you are not very observant sometimes. You have watched, for Brown Owl, which birds hop and which run, but have you noticed how cows and horses get up from the ground? I want you to find this out for yourselves this week and then try it oh the rest of the family. (As a matter of fact I have just asked a lady who has lived on a farm for years the answer to this, and the more she thinks about it the more puzzled she appears to be). Having decided which method they use try to work out the (reason, I shall'refer to it in later notes.

Lanterns On starless nights when fairies pass In caravans between the grass, The crowding stalks are jungle trees That creak and murmur in the breeze. Who knows what dangers hidden lie To catch the foremost passing by? The spindle tree his lantern lends Because .the fairies are his friends, And looting down to see them pass He sees them flicker through the grass And from each rosy little cup A golden light goes shining up. The spindle tree is pleased to know They travel safely there below.