The WENDY HUT LETTERBOX

Taranaki Daily News, 18 January 1930, Page 9 (Supplement)

The WENDY HUT LETTERBOX

LETTERS to be Addrassed: ) "WENDY.” Carr Taranaki bally Now?, Box lIS. NEW PLYMOUTH.

Doris Mum'by, Eltham.—What a long way you are going for your holiday! Billikins wants to know if you’re going by train. If you do he wants to warn you of the tunnels just before Wellington. He went once, and thought they were splendid fun.

Violet Gordon, Rahotu. —I think There’s n« place for a holiday than a farm, I suppose because I love animals so. You are lucky to have a pony to ride. I’m seriously thinking of getting one for the Hut, but I won’t toll the children yet. It will be such a wonderful surprise for them.

Joyce Moore, Pukengahu. —It would not really be nearly so much fun if Christinas did come twice a year. I’m afraid we would get a bit tired of it; poor old Father Christmas would, at any rate. I hope it kept fine for your hay-making. Doesn’t the hay smell sweet! You may have “Strawberry” for a pen-name.

Phyllis Rogers.—No letter this time, Phyllis? Thank you for the poetry, and we would like a little letter too, just to hear how you are and if you are having a happy holiday. Ivy Hollis, Spotswood.—Your poetry reminds me that the Hut carpenter made a see-saw for us. I have to watch the children carefully though, because they forget and jump off suddenly, so that one of them comes a terrible bump. Tears at the Hut are very rare, and if they do come, they are soon chased away by smiles. Peggy Jones, Stratford—We haven’t long grass outside the Hut door now, Peggy, because the Hut gardener has made such a pretty little flagged path right up. I hope Nan feels all right where she has been mended. Did you know there is a real place called "The Dolls’ Hospital?” One of Baby Margaret’s dolls had to go there once. Audrey Jones, Stratford.—You and your sister are good Tinks, not restricting yourselves to one good deed every day. It’s so easy to do, isn’t it? Once you get into the habit of it you do’ such a lot more without thinking.

Mary Benny, Warea. —Bouncer would love to see Ruff; he must be a beautiful dog. I hope he doesn't run all over the garden. Billikins had to train Bouncer not to, because the Hut gardener got angry. You must be busy minding baby now that he can walk. Isn’t it wonderful to see their wee legs walk for the first time? And don’t they get excited! Connie Purdy, Cardiff.—No; I’m not going away for the holidays. I couldn’t possibly leave all these little people behind: I wouldn’t enjoy myself one bit. If I went they would all have to come, too. We are not getting as many things for t'he sunshine cupboard as we would like. We are all making scrap-books at present, and spend half an hour every night before bed-time doing something useful for them. Caroline Turchie, Korn.—Aren’t chickens sweet? I always -wonder how they know to throw back their wee heads when they drink. The very first time they try they seem to get it right. The lambs do grow up quickly, don’t they? Have you got a pet one? Avis Forbes, Kupe.—You may have that pretty pen-name, Avis. You have had a jolly lot of sunshine and fresh air. I guess your cheeks are as rosy as can be. Poor old Billikins looks so funny now because his nose is peeling. When I put some cream on it he screwed it up and said: ‘‘Pooh, only girls use this!”

Myrtle Looney, Koru.—Someone has raced you for that pen-name, Myrtle. You will have to think hard for another. I wonder if your pussy and Snuff would get on well together. I love kittens, and I wish Snuff could have stayed young, but of course now’ he’s grown up he’s just a beauty. We let him catch mice, but we’ve taught him not to touch birds.

Joyce Cropton, Hawera.; —I’m afraid someone has got your pen-name, too, Joyce. Try again. You are a lucky girl to have been up the mountain. Some day I am going to take the children up, but I think we’ll wait until the snow is right down, because it’s such fun snowballing and making snow men, isn’t it? Beulah George, Inglewood.—What an adventure you had with that bull! It’s just as well you didn’t have a red frock on. Yes; I like schoolgirl stories, too. Have you read any of Angela Brazil’s; they are great fun. We are reading “Alice in Wonderland” here now. After tea every night we have our read. It’s been wonderful lately because we’ve been able to sit outside under the trees for it. Thank you for the card.

Rita Welch, Tariki.—Poor Dulcie, I hope her toe will soon be better. Yes; wo have begun swimming in earnest at last. Every morning before breakfast we have a dip in the river, and, my word, doesn’t it make us hungry and glowing! Yes; I had a wonderful lot of presents. You should have seen the prettiest little picture Tinker Bell painted and framed for my bedroom.

Iris Peters, Inglewood.—We are so glad you have joined, Iris. Is your birthday on the 11th or 12th? Call your puss “Benjamin’’ and Billikins suggests “’Binkie” for your dog. Yes; I went round the mountain once, and it was a glorious trip. Lorna Waite, Stratford.—l hope it was fine for your picnic. It’s not much fun on the beach if it is wet. Last night we went for a wee walk down to the beach, and it was lovely. The moon was so bright, and the sea so calm that it looked like a great big lake.

Gwitha Thomas, Mahoe. —'We would love to have you and Joe for Tinks. Tinker Bell wants to know when Joe’s birthday is and how old he is, so that she can send him a birthday card, too. You may have “Queen Lily” for your pen-name.

Hazel Purdy, Cardiff.— What do you call your new Christmas doll? Tinker Bell has named hers “Colleen.” Isn’t that a pretty name? Baby Margaret has a new frock —a pale yellow worked with blue to match her byes. I can see her now coming in the gate looking like a little, sunbeam. Tinker Bell has just taken her for a walk.

Bichard and Alton Kemp, Kiore.— Well, boys, we just can’t thank you enough for that goose —it was simply scrumptious. What a beauty it was! Billikins got the wish bone, and he pulled it with Tinker Bell. We all just thank you ever so much for it. I hope Dickie will soon be better. Father Christmas did bring you a wonderful collection of toys. Would your little sister like ‘Betsy.” for her dolly’s name?

Daisy Higgins, New Plymouth. — Thank you for the poetry, Da’isy. It is very beautiful. We love the summer, too. Our garden is a picture in summer. Billikins is immensely proud of himself, because the Hut gardener gave him a little plot, and he’s grown such fine hearty lettuces in it, and two watermelons that are getting fatter and fatter. He carved his name on one, and the letters are growing bigger and bigger with the melon. •

Edna Reynolds, Oaonui. —Yes; Baby Margaret would love a wee chicken. She’s not a'bit frightened of fowls, or any animals for that matter, and animals seem to like her, too. The fiercestIc.oking dog is quite gentle when Margaret pats it. Call your chicken “Sambo.” Have you got your hay in yet? Pat , Eltham. —I’m sorry you hurt your shoulder on the New Plymouth beach, Pat. Don’t you love playing in the sand’and building all sorts of things? Last time we went to the beach we built a huge castle, and then made two seats in it for thrones, and .played kings and queens. Billikins was king and Tinker Bell the queen. It was great fun.

Rose Skedgwc-11, Tuna. —What a pretty little 'card! Thank you very much, Rose. I’m sorry somebody has “Lily of tire Valley” for a pen-name. We will have another painting competition soon. Tinker Bell thinks that “Bellinda” would be a good name for your dolly. See if she likes that. Melva Reynolds, Oaonui. —At last we have a fine day, and so presently we are I going to pack up and go for a picnic. | The children arc busy tidying up the I house. The only trouble is that when they do it, sometimes I simply can't i find where they’ve put things away. Viti and Keith Gosnell, New Plymouth.—What a merry band of Tiuks you will have in your house now! Weli come both of you. We can never have too many belonging to our Hut Club. 'Billikins thinks it’s a record having five members of one family belonging. Molly ' Ward, Stratford. —Congratulations on passing proficiency. What are yon going to do this year? I’m so glad you are a Girl Guide. What is the name of your patrol? I expect you are working hard for your second-class badge. Write and tell me how you get on because I’m very interested in guiding—l think it’s splendid. Gordon Campbell, Pungarehu,— What a nice Scotch name. Welcome to our club! Thank you for the poetry. What a day you had at Ngaere Gardens! 'When Billikins was a very tiny chap he looked in one of the mirrors, and didn’t he get a fright. He was so upset that he nearly wept, but, of course, that was a Jong time ago, and now he would understand and enjoy the joke. /

'Phyllis Welch, Tariki.—l have had tho merriest of Christmases, Phyllis, thank you. I suppose you have often heard a tui ? I can hear one now. What beautiful voices they have! This one seems to me to be singing its happiest song and making the very most of this sunshiny day. Sometimes I wish I could be a bird just for a day, don’t you? And fly all around or sit on a branch and sing my hardest. Ellis Harrison. Motonui. —You’ll have some fun with those cousins of yours. Do you know we had such a time yesterday? The twins disappeared. We hunted and we called high and low until I became very anxious. At last Bouncer found them in the long grass lying fast asleep. They had been making up fairy stories, and the sun became so hot they just fell sound asleep. Dorothy Pittams, Whareliuia.—What a pretty wedding it must have been! Where is your sister going to live? I expect you will all miss her. I saw the children playing weddings not long ago. Everyone was frightfully serious until the unfortunate bride tripped over her train, incidentally one of my curtains, and fell headlong on the grass. I thought Baby Margaret would never stop laughing. That explains the patch in my kitchen curtain. Viwa Gosnell, New Plymouth.—What a grand holiday you are having! So you’ve had a fall off a horse. I was told I would have to fall oil three times before I could consider myself a rider. I also have done it once, but have had many more narrow escapes —not off Bimbo; he is so very gentle that even Baby Margraet is perfectly safe walking along by herself on him. Billikins rides splendidly now, and can jump ditches without holding on to the mane.

Josephine Green, Koru.—l hope you will be able to go for a holiday. Where will you go? You won’t have long before school starts again. The twins have been riding Bimbo round the paddock, and have just run in to tell me that Bimbo put his head down suddenly to eat and Peter slid right off. Pam laughed so much she fell off, too.

Merle Druce. Tirimoana.—Welcome, Merle. I’m afraid we haven’t any badge that you scut a penny for, so do you mind if I put it towards *something for the sunshine cupboard? It's the place where we make things to give away to children who can’t afford to have as many jolly things as we have.

Leslie Green, Koru. —Billikins was very pleased with your riddles. How docs your mother keep the slugs and snails out of her vegetable garden? The Hut gardener has had a busy time this year. Sometimes we can trace where they’ve been yards away, and they seem to know the way to the cabbages. Billikins put a heap of bran by his lettuces one night, and later went out and caught eleven slugs and snails eating it. He thought it a great trap. Ray Horgan, Te Kiri. —What great little note-paper! The little elf looks just like a link going to post a letter to the Hut. Billikins wondered if anyone had been able to find all the puzzles. He’s very pleased that you have. He says he’s putting in an extra hard one for you to find next week. I wonder if he’ll catch you? I don’t think he will, somehow, do you?

Sylvia Price, Oakura—Baby Margaret has a 'new pinafore, too. Hers has nursery rhyme animals all over it—the cow jumping over the moon; puss iix boots and'all kinds. Can you milk the cows? I can’t. At least I tried some time ago, and it took me ages to get a cupful of milk. Billikins once drank too much fresh cream over at the cow-shed on the farm, and when he came home he didn’t like cream. We couldn't understand it and he had to own up.

Ngaero Campbell, Pungarehu.—lsn’t it fun watching wee birds grow up? Tinker Bell found a chaffinch with something wrong with its wing once and she brought it inside. We put it in a cage and petted it until it was better. Then she let it go and it flew away. We thought it had forgotten all about it but it soon came back and Tinker Bell gives it crumbs every morning.

Kathleen Sole, Mahoenui.—l don’t know when you will get a pen-friend from England, because you see it takes such ages for the paper to travel over there and for an answer to come back. Perhaps I could get you one through the Young Helpers’ League. I’ll try. What kind of camera have you got? I hope you will send me a photo of yourself because I do love to see what my Tinks really look like. I feel I know them much better.

Marjorie Cole, Motonui. —As Baby Margaret says, the sky has been very sad lately, but it seems to be much happier now. It’s so much easier for us to be happy when the sky is bright, isn’t it? Yes; we have been for lots of swims, and are going again to-day later on. Pam has a water ball and it very nearly blew out to sea. If Billikins hadn’t swum as hard as he could it would have blown right away.

Barbara Leonard, Riverlea. —I don t go to school- now. Barbara. I’m far too busy for that. I can smell something gorgeous that Cookie is making for our picnic hamper. I can’t guess what it is though, Cookie made some delicious tarts last week, and someone ate too many. Sonic one had such a terrible nightmare, that that someone will be wary next time. Jam tarts arc good but nightmares —ugh!

Avis Cleaver, Matapu.— Wc all spent a very happy Christmas, thank you, Avis. It should be a happy time for everyone, but some people don’t try; some won’t get the spirit of giving and lose half the enjoyment. They may have a good Christmas dinner and enjoy that, but after all that’s very selfish, isn’t it? Even Baby Margaret saved up her pennies and gave me the sweetest little blue brooch.

Olive Petersen, Stratford. —I like the Tinka to think of their pen-names themselves. You try hard, and if you can’t I’ll help you. Yes; we have some roses out. The rambler roses are all finished, but the real rose garden is a picture. The Hut gardener has the children looking for ladybirds ,to put on the rose leaves to keep away the green fly. They think it’s great fun, and sometimes when they catch ajbrown one they watch it change its colour on the green leaves. Thank you for the poetry and recipe.

Gwen Briscoe, .Ngaere. —Thank you for the recipe, Gwen. Tinker Bell has tried it, and was so successful that they all went in one morning. We don’t have many sweets at the Hut but when a recipe arrives they all simply must try it. Billikins says it wouldn’t be fair to tell the other Tinks how to make it if it wasn’t any good.