SATURDAY AFTERNOON

Southland Times, Issue 23374, 4 December 1937, Page 5 (Supplement)

SATURDAY AFTERNOON

—PRIZE-

It was Saturday afternoon, and I was sitting under the shade of a willow tree on the river bank. The fishing line I had been busy making all morning, was cast, and I was waiting for a bite, when a perky little voice behind me said, ‘‘Hello! what are you waiting for?” “A fish,” I replied. I turned to see a queer little gnome, dressed in a shimmering suit just like the scales of a fish. “Well,” said the gnome, “you will get no fish today.” “Oh, and how do you know?” I asked. “Come with me, and I will show you,” said the shimmering gnome. He told me to hold his hand, and when he had counted three, we jumped into the river. One, two, three, and in we went, away down to the bottom.

“Follow me,” said the gnome. We walked a little way along the river bed till we came to a long row of mud huts. Each hut had a fine wire gauze in front and inside each swam dozens of tiny fish and their parents. “Now,” said my guide, “every Saturday afternoon the parent fish call in their children, to keep them from snatching those horrid hooks that you boys use. Of course, sometimes some foolish little fish slip out and get caught, but there are not many, as it is my job to warn the fish. When I see any boys baiting their hooks I swim down to tell them there is danger about.” “Well,” I replied, “so that is the reason I never have a bite. Thank you very much for showing me.” Then I opened my eyes, pulled in my line, and went off home after spending a very happy Saturday afternoon. —Prize of 1/- to Cousin Wallace Baillie (9), 216 Nelson street. —PRIZE— One Saturday afternoon we went out to play in the hay. It had just been cut and was lying in long lines. We smothered ourselves in it. It had a beautiful scent. We made nests for ourselves. When afternoon tea came out we were allowed to hand it round to the men. The first cup of tea I spilt all over myself. After tea we ran away to play again. We raked the hay up and down until we were tired. Then we played catching frogs in the pond. In the evening we went home quite pleased with our day’s fun. —Prize of 1/- to Cousin Alexander McCleery (8), 193 Ritchie street.

—VERY HIGHLY COMMENDED— One Saturday afternoon I went out fishing with my father. I made a rod out of a nice straight willow stick, a piece of string, and had a bent pin for a hook. Using a piece of meat for bait 1 dropped the line in the river. Soon the rod began to bob up and down. When I pulled it up I found a minnow on the hook. We had afternoon tea then. What fun it was boiling the billy. Afterwards we went home. We had such a lovely time.

—3 marks to Cousin Ivan Goodson (8), 64 Robertson street.

—VERY HIGHLY COMMENDED—

It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon, so the twins decided to go to the seaside. They took their buckets, spades and shrimping nets with them. They built castles and sand pies until they were tired. They went for a swim and their laughter could be heard all along the beach as the waves broke over them. They started to explore the caves. They entered a beautiful cave with an arched doorway. Into the narrow tunnel they went, holding each others hands. There were a lot of side entrances, and they lost their way. They saw daylight up above them, so they tried to dig their way out with their spades. The tide started to come in, and they had to climb up the side of the cave into safety. At last they saw a boat coming towards them. How pleased they were to see some friends again. No more will they go exploring caves.

—3 marks to Cousin Margaret McCleery (11), 193 Ritchie street.

—HIGHLY COMMENDED—

Hurrah it was Saturday again. I saw father hosing the car, and that meant if we were good children he would take us for a drive. We ran indoors to tell mother to hurry up and get ready. Soon we were all seated comfortably in the car, wondering where father would take us.

After a short but pleasant ride along country lanes where lambs were frisking in the green grassy fields, we came to a stretch of bush where a little babbling brook flowed merrily along. “This” said father, “is where we will spend our afternoon.” After playing hide-and-seek among the bushes, we paddled in the brook until it was time to go home. Soon the car drove up to the gate and we all agreed it was a very happy Saturday afternoon. —2 marks to Cousin Cathleen Sutherland (10), 48 Dublin street. —HIGHLY COMMENDED— One fine Saturday afternoon I decided to invite some of my friends to play. They came about two o’clock and, as the day was warm, we played in the meadows near by. At first we played baseball, but soon became tired of that, and went across the paddocks to a stream which ran merrily over a stony bed. As the sides of the creek were rather steep and grassy, we began climbing down and had great fun. One of my friends had a ball' in her hand, and, as she was getting up the bank, she slipped while trying to clutch a tuft of grass. She dropped the ball and it went tumbling down into the water. She

quickly took off her shoes and stockings and waded in, but the stones at the bottom were rather sharp and she was glad to come out again. We got her safely to the bank, and it was then time to go home to tea. We had spent an enjoyable day in the open. —2 marks to Cousin Raynor Huffadine (11), 439 Tweed street. —HIGHLY COMMENDED— On Saturday afternoon 1 I either read a book or play with the pups. If I’m not doing that, I go looking for wild flowers. Saturday afternoon is the loneliest day I spend. —2 marks to Cousin Elva Denoon (12), Southdown Estate, Glencoe R.D. —HIGHLY COMMENDED— It was a clear, calm, afternoon when I set out for the Seaward Bush Reserve. As soon as my companions and I arrived, we went into the bush and examined many trees. After having a game or two among the trees, we decided to have our lunch. As the wind had risen, we thought it would be wise to start homeward, as it would be hard -work riding the bicycles. However, we arrived horns safely, tired but happy, after an enjoyable afternoon. —2 marks to Cousin Richard Goodson A.C., (10), 64 Robertson street.