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Taranaki Daily News, 7 December 1929, Page 25 (Supplement)

The chums got themselves into trouble again the other day. It was really Gwen’s fault although, of course, she blames Richard. It happened like this. They were rambling along in the country when Gwen noticed a funny little box lying in the grass. “Hi! Richard,” she cried, “see what I’ve found! it’s such a funny box. Come and have a look at it.” “Right oh!” Richard said, running towards her.

Now that box puzzled both Gwen and Richard for quite a long time. Gwen picked it up, turned it over and over, and gazed into the.little glass window. “I’m sure I don’t know what it is,” she said. “I hope it won’t go off bang.” “Well don’t shake it about so,” advised Richard. Now of course you know what the box was, and so did Polly, but she wanted to amuse herself by watching Gwen and Richard grow more and more mystified. At last she said: "Don’t be silly! It’s a camera.”

When Gwen heard it was a camera, she was not satisfied until they took some Jhotographs. They did not know how to work it, but that did not matter. Richard thought by merely holding it up he made it take pictures, and he offered to snap Polly and Gwen. , , . . “How do I look?” asked Gwen, posing under a tree, and putting on a most becoming smile. “You look like a Cheshire cat, said Richard.

Now Richard did not know that Gwen’s family had a long-standing feud with all Cheshire cats, so, of course, he could not understand her sudden temper. . "I look like a Cheshire cat, do I?” she growled. “Well you look like a piebald puppy, and I shan’t take your photo because your face would break the camera. Of course Richard was annoyed at this, and he dropped the camera in his surprise at Gwen’s very personal remarks. .. “I only said you look like a Cheshire cat—they are very nice cats, arent they? he cried.

5 I’m afraid there is little excuse for Gwen.. She certainly should not have lost her temper so quickly. But when Richard said that her old enemies, the Cheshire cats, were very nice cats she flew into a greater rage than ever, gave one bound, and knocked him flying. Richard fell back with a sudden bump right on to the camera and crumpled it up beyond repair. “Hi!” cried Polly, “stop it, “You’ve broken the camera.”

If Gwen had not quarrelled with Richard, they would probably not have got into trouble, but the noise they made attracted the owner of the camera who had only left it for a second. "All the plates are ruined,” he said, “you’ll have to pay for them.” And Richard and Gwen did have to pay out of their money boxes. For the time being, they are very sad, but it only proves that it does not pay to quarrel, doesn’t it?” ~ '