A LITTLE WORLD FOR LITTLE PEOPLE

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 86, 2 July 1927, Page 27

A LITTLE WORLD FOR LITTLE PEOPLE

UNDER THE HAPPINESS TREE

FRIENDSHIP is a steady light shining in dark places What wonderful letters the Sunbeams do write,’’ said the Dawn Lady, sitting on her magic carpet under the Happiness Tree, with her lap tilled with love messages and her long silver letter opener slipping busily under the flap of each envelope. “Here is one sealed with a kisg. It must be from Keith and Thelma Morrison. Theirs are always sealed like that. Why of course it is . . . And here is one from Fitzie Morris all about Tiptoe Street. Just listen: ‘I was in such a hurry to see Happy Town that I’m afraid I missed a great deal of Tiptoe Street before I found the great gates thrown open for me, but someday perhaps if I am sending someone else through I shall have a less fleeting glimpse and shall be able to point out to the others the quaint pixie houses in Tiptoe Street with their high gabled roofs and all the wee pixie folk peering through the queer little dormer windows. I shall show them the quaint cobblestones and the wee dark doorways, the smoky chimney-pots and the corners of the houses —funny little projections that make them look like the columns of blocks a baby builds. But there is one thing that no one needs to be shown and that is the great key that opens at the Dawn Lady’s twist, the high gates of Happy Town, for it is the happiness key and one which not everyone is able to find. The land inside we all know well, we enlightened Sunbeams, a land of all things Sunbeams love—happiness, laughter, games and merriment and above all sunshine—plenty of healthy, happy, laughing sunshine —the sort that can penetrate into places like Ward 23 and the homes of sick children who are in need of cheer . . “Oh yes,” laughed the Little Thought, “they do write wonderful letters. Some of them were asking me the other day if I could remember our motto. It’s a beautiful motto and one that none of us should forget. ‘Friendship is a steady light shining in dark places.’ And that is very true. I like the competitions this time, Dawn Lady, and I think the Sunbeams will too. It will be fun finding out the ones who know Happy Town best and ]am looking forward to seeing the drawings this time. I hope ihey all know that the man who keeps the Joy Shop has a round face, the Doorkeeper a hooked nose and a bunch of keys and that I have little pointed shoes and a pair of shining wings.” “Oh, I think they will remember,” said the Dawn Lady. “Look, Little Thought, spring must be nearly here. I can see some little new buds peeping out at the sunshine from the Happiness Tree.

The Down Lady