The WENDY HUT LETTERBOX

Taranaki Daily News, 17 March 1928, Page 18

The WENDY HUT LETTERBOX

LETTER* te be Addressed: “WENDY," Care Taranaki Daily Nows, Box 119. NEW PLYMOUTH.

Bernard Mellor, Auroa.—l think 140 children make quite a large school. Do they all write as well as you do? Perhaps your pumpkins are in very rich soil, as they are spreafiirg so well. Our plants are not very good - this year, because they needed ft more moisture.

“Primnose,” Eltham.—l can see by your letters that you are very fond of flowers. Have you a wee garden of your Own? Your mother must be very proud of her prize Lilium Auratuni. The scent is very strong, isn’t it? The Fiji Girl Guides must be a strong, healthy-looking company. I don’t suppose they would find any difficulty in gaining their swimming badges, do you? Yes, we all went to the circus and" admired the animals, especially the dear old elephants. They were our favourites, although their hides were caked with dust. What standard are you in now, Primrose? Muriel Mumby, Eltham. —Yes, the Wendy Baby is very well and is learning to talk and to crawl now. Have you seen the honours board this morning? By the way, we missed the board from., its usual place on the wall last ■Thursday and found that Peter and Pam, the terrible twins, had taken it outside for an oven tray, and were baking mud pies on it in the sun. Aren’t they terrific children?

Dorothy. Lister, Eltham. —I was ever so glad to hear from you again —and such good writing, too! It must be lovely for your mother to have her daughter home to help her now. It is many, many years that mothers manage without help, isn’t 'it? Yes, we had the big earthquake too, but our chimney didn’t come down, thank you. Mavis Hirst, Tarata.—-You wrote me such a good description of the picnic in New Plymouth, Mavis.'l know you must have loved watching the big waves crashing up the caves by the Sugar Loaves. Congratulations for doing so well in the races. Did you see the Tarata wedding? I suppose your mother has been interesting you with stories about her holiday in Wellington. Have you ever been there? Maurice Shaw,' Tututawa.—We all think your letter was very good. I took it outside and read it aloud to the others who were slicing beans under our trees on the lawn. Fancy being able to pick mushrooms twice a day from the same paddock! Billikins* eyebrows nearly slid up to the top of his head when I read that part. I hope the four chicks are still in the land of the living Violet Hoskin, Bell Block.—l am so glad you were able to make the clothes for the doll from our patterns in the page. Joan Oliver will love to have a letter from you. It must be very try ing io be in bed. in all this glorious weather. The Hut people have all clambered up into the trees to watch a neighbour take some honey. He looks very strange in a big hat with a long veil, and his trousers are tied round the ankles with string.

Dorothy Owen, Eltham.—Poor girl, what hard luck you have had with a sore throat and everything. Your competition prize book arrived just when you wanted it, didn’t it? 1 am pleased to hear that you liked it because it is very hard choosing books for people whom you don’t know. You seem to have thoroughly enjoyed the holidays. Have you left school yet? What oo you think of the honours board this morning? Alice Robertson, Opunake.—Thank you. for writing specially to me. I was reading on the porch when I heard Wendy call “Tinker, forward please,” and knew that meant a job for me. So here I am in Wendy’s big chair with her very best pen. It is a bias one with a gold nib, and I must not, bend it or drop it on the floor. Congratulations to the Mangahume school for bringing the shield home! You must be little speed kings. Love—Tinker Bell. Maisie Robertson, Opunake.—lt will be fun having Edna’s and your birthday on the same day. Would you people like to call the grey kitten I’et? We do hope your cold is better now. Our John has a Very big cough at present, and Billikins said at breakfast, “Would the best foghorn at the table please pass me the marmalade?” ID is a big tease, but very jolly.—Tinker Bell.

Renda Mehrtens, Eltham.—Our Tinker is very happy with her new doll’s house. She lias been busy making curtains for it this week and the Hut dressmaker is helping her with tlie covering ot the furniture. I can hear them chatting about a hammock for the front verandah. I suppose we will see her family swinging gaily amongst some cushions soon. Link has a black golly who will probably get there first fairly often. Annie Bottin, Wharehuia.—So you belong to the great band of mushroomeaters, tool Yes, our mountain is very lovely and appears different every day, doesn’t it? Your family bicycle races must be good fun. We have some very steep- hills in New Plymouth. I sometimes hold my breath when I see the children whizzing down at a million miles an hour. 1 hope you enjoy the jubilee holiday.

Avis Forbes, Kupe.—Magnus and Trixie aught to be very clever now, as they have been to school nearly as often as Mac and you. Haven’t they? Do they wear shoes, or is the road just clay! Do tell me what the four miles of country ride is like. Do you splash, splash, in the winter? Daisy Watson, Ngatimaru.—Yes, I think your quick writing is very good, Miss Standard 3. Would you like to call the kittens Sims and Joe? I guessed (hat you wrote your letter with a purple ink pencil. Did you have very pretty patterns on your face when you had finished? Billikins is painting at my writing table to-day, and every now and then I get blip in my eye, with a splash of yellow ocre or ultimarine blue. He paints with his little pink tongue peeping out, and he shakes his brush very energetically. I have put your siauic ia the pen friends’ corner.

Joyce Pennington, Oaonui.—Yes, certainly Joyce, you will receive a birthday card! Do you know Queenie Coombe from Oaonui? She would" be interested to know that you are a Tink who has just arrived from Pungarehu. Thank you for the poetry. I don’t know whether there will be enough room for it this week as I have received crowds of news for the page.

Gretchen Simons, Vogellown.—The domain picnic ground is a beautiful place for races and swimming, isn’t it? So you all went to the show! We went too, and thought everything very gay. Did you ride on the merry-go-round or on the whizz-bang of a chair-o-plane? I thought the steer-riding was very exciting, but I was glad no one was hurt. After all was over we watched the hundreds of people pouring out of the main gates and crowding the big ’buses.

Ivy Morgan, Eltham. —We are so glad to hear that you came to New Plymouth and loved the beautiful park. We were there yesterday and discovered a huge yellow water lily which we hadn’t noticed before. It is growing in tho little pond up past the fernery. Did you see it? Paddy and Billikins are playing on the side lawn outside my window, and there is much barking and shouting. Thank you for the poetry about the Robins, the morning ride and the farmhouse.

Olga Aagard, Stratford.—When Tinker Bell saw your envelope she said: “Good gracious, Wendy, this must be a letter from a fairy, ’cause it’s such a tiny one!' Billikins says that I always name the Tinks’ animals and he wants to know if you would like to call the two kittens Woggs and Winks, or Birdie and Fisho! The dear old soul has queer names for things; he calls tho Wendy baby “My bestest tin-fordski.” So you see what we have to live with, don’t you ? Mary Turehie, Koru. —Yes, wo went to the show and saw all the dear old animals. We watched a man winning huge boxes of chocolates by throwing balls very quickly and straig'htly into a hole. The merry-go-round has prettypictures painted on it and when whirling plays a most delightful musical air. It has been moved into town now, and when it is not being used a red and white stripy canvas covers all the dapple grey horses and carriages.

- Caroline Turehie, Koru.—l am pleased to hear that your large family are all well provided for. What is the colour of the new dress which you made for one of your children last week? I think Tinker Bell’s sleeping doll Phyllis had a touch of sunstroke on Monday, because her eyes stayed shut for two whole days end she looked very pale. We made her a little green lipen sun hat, and she must be better now, because I noticed her eating a fat cob of boiled corn with butter, pepper and salt on it at lunch time yesterday. Ernest Turehie, Koru. —Have you and your dad finished the fence yet? Is it made -with’plain or barbed wire? We always call it “Plain Jane” and “Prickly Kate.” I suppose you made some Taranaki gates, did you! Are you growing good crops of biddy-bids this year? We are. Tell me when the turnips are up, won’t you? Gordon Harris, Ngaere.—l am pleased to hear that the birthday, card arrived quite safely. Yes, we too are interested in the very healthy appearance of our chrysanthemums at present. Have you staked and disbudded yours ? I am feeling very hot as I write to you, for I have just been for a ride in the sun. Yesterday I left a parasol in a tram, and I had to call at the tram station this morning to claim it. We saw several trams resting quietly in their sheds while wo noticed the empty ones had long concrete pits between . the rails. I don’t think I would like to lie in one and wait for a tram to drive overhead so that I could examine at leisure his works. For as long as he chose to stay on top I should have to choose to stay underneath.

Jean Hendrick, Stratford. —Ybur ea-„ wlll look very pretty painted, don't you think? Do you have tiny pie dishes and frying pans for your cooking lessons? Yes, Billikins is much larger and more important since we presented him with another patch for good conduct. reminds me of this riddle. Which is the biggest, Mr. Bigger, Mrs. Bigger, or Baby-Bigger?—Why! Baby Bigger, of course, for she is a little bigger. Olive Petersen, Cardiff. —As you see by this beautiful printing of mine, my hand isn’t shaking even; so it shows I have quite recovered from the shock of receiving a letter from you again. How old is June now? Her disappointment at finding no apples on the plum trees reminds me of the song called “Tying apples on the lilac tree.” Do you know it? Did you have any thunder on Tuesday? We had some terrific claps and bangs in New Plymouth. Constance Karalus, Tariki. —What a joke you hud over the shilling which kept being lost and found! Has it quit: disappeared this time? What standard are you in now? I wonder what lessons you like best? Perhaps you will tell me in your next letter. Thank you for the poetry about the two merry little men. I think it is very good. Du your three sisters and one brother all go to school with you? Statia Ford, Huiroa.—Have you seen the honours board this morning? 1 do hope your poor scalded face is better. Did the kettle tip up? Have you seen any good sunsets lately? We have had some wonderful ones here this week. Our beaches are still black with bathers and the sand is too hot to stand on in parts. Have you liad many swims this season?

Pearl Bleakley, Urenui.—When you ~ look at the Titoki tree in the resene I suppose you say to yourself: “Thank goodness I am not a Waikatol” Your name is in the pen friends’ corner this morning Pearl. We are all very busy gathering pine cones for the winter at present, and our wood bin is very nearly full. Have ycu any pine trees in River Meadows ? Mavis Stanton, Eltham.—lt is the first time I have ever heard of three cakes for one person's birthday. Billikins says for goodness sake tell him how yo'i managed it. He says the only way he <>• presented with one cake is by casually remarking at least a week beforehand. ‘ That he Lopes it will be fine for Tuesday next, because it will be his birthdav, you know.” Marion and Marjorie Guilloson, Eltham.—Well, girls, I am now the Hut detective and sleuth-hound; in fact, when I am on Bimbo you may address me as “Your highness, the Hut mounted police force,” for have I not made the great discovery that Marion and Marjorie are the Guilloson sisters and their letters are written by Mavis Stanton? Are the seven chickens still alive? Does Doreen wear her beautiful fair hair in plaits or has she a wavy shingle? Edith Kendrick, Happy Valley, Ahititi.—Your name is on the honours board this morning for writing a very interesting letter. Well, I receive letters from “Happy Valley” and “River Meadows,” so I wish somebody would write from “Rocky Crag” or “old sea bed,” and then I would feel as thought I knew everybody in the world. I suppose you don’t know of any Tinks who would care to write from Ngaruhoe crater? How did you enjoy the Okau picnic? Dorothy Bilski, Inglewood.—Thank you for the very fat envelope full of good contributions . for the children’s page. I wonder if you came into New Plymouth on Wednesday? Barb didn’t know whether you had or not. I hope Keith is enjoying school this year. You will love swims in the baths or the sea when you come to New Plymouth. If you come and we all hope you do. We hope everyone at your house is well at present. Grace Welsh, Inglewood.—So pleased to hear that you will be in the sports at New Plymouth on March 17. What makes you think something was wrong with our car? Are there any asters in your school garden or do they grow at your home? Have you coloured Tinker Bell’s birthday card yet? I suppose you have swims in the Inglewood baths?