The WENDT HUT LETTERBOX

Taranaki Daily News, 27 September 1930, Page 21 (Supplement)

The WENDT HUT LETTERBOX

LETTERS to ba Addressed: i "WENDY,’ Care Taranaki Dally Kewa Box ilfi. NEW PLYMOUTH

“Rimu Elf,” New Plymouth — Your letter was the other one I found in Billikins’ pocket. I lope you will see this answer and forgive us for not acknowledging. your letter when we should have done. Thank you for the poetry. Your little sister would not be a bit too small

to join. “Sweet Carnation,” Eltham.—Our daphne is nearly over, but its is being replaced by the freezias. The Hut°Gardener is very pleased with the variety of coloured ones this year. Last night we went out fairly late with a torch and discovered armies of snails on the garden. I suppose they thought they were going to have a great banquet while we slept. Billikins gloated as he picked them up before they reached their destination which seemed to be in the direction of his new cabbage patch. Edna Reynolds, Oaonui — You manage to write with a pen very well, Edna. Yes, Baby Margaret has a big dolly as well as her Teddy. Tinkerbell has made her dolly a new pink frock, and Pam and Margaret had a special tea-party to-day so that dolly could wear it. Everyone behaved very well until Mis. Brown, otherwise Pain, spilt her second cup of tea, which was fortunately water, all down the front of her frock. Mrs. Jones, who was Margaret, was very riide' and just laughed at Mrs. Brown and said, “You c’umsy ole fing!” Melva Reynolds, Oaonui.—That naughty Buster has been mischievous again! Cookie was making a big sultana cake for Billikins because he remembered for .a whole week to wipe his boots before z he came inside. She had tailed and washed the sultanas and put them on a tray in the sunshine on top of the hedge. She forgot about Buster until suddenly she locked out and saw him helping himself to them. When he saw Cookie coming, he lifted his head and eent. the tray and sultanas in. all directions, so Billikins had to have a madeira cake with icing instead. Olive Saywell, Uruti. —Thank you for the poetry, Olive. The Tinks will enjoy reading it, I know. Irene drew Bonzo very well. Peter has had a craze for drawing houses, and I appreciated it until I found one on the wall paper in the dining room.

Geoffrey Smith, -Mangamingi.—My word, vou are lucky to get such a beautiful wireless set and gramophone. Did your father have any luck with the rockets? Tliaiik you for the riddles and tongue-twister. Billikins found Petei digging a deep trench around his garden, and asked him what it was foi. “Oh,” said small Peter, “that’s so when the snails come along, they’ll fall down and break their necks!” “Mountain Maid,” Kaimiro —You maybe that, Betty. We have a bandit and a fairy, but not a maid. What are you and Jack going to be at the fancy dress ball? Have you any fowls? Billikins had one that was eating its eggs, so he filled a shell with mustard. The hen “bit,” as'lie said, and he has had no further trouble. It was cruel, but effective.

“Sunset Fairy,” Tuna.—Thank you for the poetry, Rose. No, we did not. forget you. Wc never forget anyone, although I am afraid some of them forget us. Have you a good memory? I have never known such a forgetful family as lives in this Hut. They are always losing things. After hunting for things for all of them and finally getting them all ready for school, I went out into the’garden to recover. J. could have screamed when the Hut Gardener asked me if I had seen his pipe anywhere about. He was sure he had left it by the tap. However, that was not his fault because I suddenly caught sight of it in the mouth of Billikins’ scare-crow.

Marcia Allen, Stratford. —I am sure you like learning dancing. Baby Margaret was dancing on the lawn a minute ago. She had Teddy and Snuff there and had made a daisy chain for each of them. Then she skipped around the lawn humming to herself. Snuff went to sleep, but she did not mind. What dances have you learnt? Beth Greig, Stratford.—l have an admission to make to you, Beth. As I was looking through the pockets of an old coat of Billikins before washing it, I found two letters, one from you and one from another Tink, and they were dated February. He must have put them there and forgotten about them. I suppose you wondered why I had not answered. He has promised not to be so careless again. Thank you for the riddles, dear.

Lily Walsh, Opunake. —You were one of the Tinks whose birthday was not in last week. I was a duffer, wasn’t I? Billikins says he will have to put me through a memory test every night, and I have to be very careful now because whenever I begin to say, “Now, can’t you remember —?” he interrupts with, “Ah! people who live in glass houses should not throw stones.” My idea is to forgive and forget, but it will be some time before he lets me or will himself forget.

‘■Moonshine Fairy,” Midhirst.—-We should like to have that competition, Eileen. Tinkerbell and I have been trying to draw a suitable one, but it is so hard to make it difficult enough. I am afraid a number of Tinks would get it all right and then what should we do? Perhaps we shall be able to devise one some time. I hope your hands are quite better now. It is wretched when they refuse to heal. Mabel Smith, Tangarakau. —What a long day you must have had last Saturday! ‘Billikins wishes that he went to a big school sometimes when he hears of what fun the football teams have. Do the girls play cricket at your school? Billikins is practising fast bowling at a kerpsene tin. I have heard it bang a few times only. Peter is a very nervous wicket-keeper. ‘•Daffodil,” Eltham.—l hope your mother and grandmother will soon be better. Did you see that the new princess is to be called “Margaret Rose?” Baby Margaret is very thrilled about it. Would you like to call your lamb “Daisy” and ask Albert if he would like his to be called “Judy?” I am glad you did not ask me to name the sixteen ducklings.

Joyce Copeman, Uruti.—l am sorry we spelt your name wrongly. We will remember this time. Yes, Pam has a few flowers out. She has a pretty row of smiling yellow pansies, and in her garden little bits of everything. She generally picks up any outcasts of the Hut Gardener and cuddles them into her patch. One of her bulbs grew bigger than any of his, ®

“Jumbo,” Koru. —Thank you for the poetry, “Jumbo.” I wish I had known that there was some more of it, because last week I put in just the first two verses that somebody sent. The fowl house must have been well built after all. Good boys!

Muriel Brooking, Tututawa.—What a funny little chap your brother must be! Peter asked me how old I was the other day, and I said, “Nearly ninety-nine, Peter.” “Oh!” he said, “Pm afraid you’ll soon be dead!” Do you keep a scrapbook of native ferns and leaves? Bibikins has such a good collection now. Tinkerbell helps him a little to paste them in, because he would have them sticking everywhere but the right place.

Marie Hey, Mokoia. —Goats and donkeys are mischievous. When we had Sprightly he had a paddock apart from Bimbo because horses do not like donkeys. We used to give them both chaff, and Sprightly used to eat his quickly, nose the slip rails down between the paddocks, and get into Bimbo's paddock. Bimbo used to snort and gallop off in a rage, while Sprightly calmly finished off his chaff too.

Edna Booth, Okaiawa.—Call your banny “Benjamin.” What pretty writing paper you were given for your birthday! It has been very cold in the mornings here too this week, and Peter has got out of bed very reluctantly, because he does not like his cold shower the<se mornings. I really believe the exclamations and splashings from the bath-room were a little exaggerated this morning. The towel seemed a little too wet for the number of drops that would come off Peters little body. However, we will let him off this time.

Helen Lithgow, Stratford.—l am sorry we * have a Tink with the penname you thought of. Good _ luck to you in your elocution examination. Pam is getting on very well at it and has learned some very pretty little poems. She is not at all self-conscious and does the actions beautifully. Peter will not learn. I wish he would because he speaks far too quickly and elocution would improve him.

“Camclia,” Koru.—What a shame the trees had to be felled. I think it is a crime because surely they could just as easily put the poles through the paddocks. I suppose you will be very much exposed to the wind now too. Still it will be a treat to have electric light. , “Sweet Lavender,” Bell Block—So you and Grace are great friends? Billikins says that two. ■ Graces together bring fine weather. There will be an upheaval -amongst • ■the schools if they agree to the new system. How do you like cooking? I can smell a steak and kidney pudding that Cookie has on for dinner. Peter will be longing for the school, bell to go because I am sure he can smell it too, and it is one of his favourites.

Fay Peters, Inglewood—Of course we have forgiven you, dear, but we do hope you will not be so long in writing next time. You will have to go out at night lijje us with a lamp to catch those slugs and snails. I do. not know whether they choke, but I am sure they must get indigestion through eating so quickly. They think nothing of eating a row of cabbages in one night. Did you put Teddy’s voice inside him again before you patched him up? That is what we found Billikinsidoing to Baby Margaret's Teddy.

Sylvia Price, Oakura.—How quickly the night time comes. The children are all ready for bed and having a warm before they go off. They are seeing who can stand having his or her feet tickled the longest, so yop can imagine the noise. Pam is by far the best. The others pull them away before they are touched. Do you like it? Walter Clarke, Rahotu—We caught Billikins with your joke and he caught the Hut Carpenter, and I suppose he will catch someone else. Will Peter and Chummy let you come near them? Baby Margaret’s bantam eats out of her hand now and will perch on it if she carries it anywhere. Didn’t you think that your' banty’s eggs tasted much better than the other hens’ eggs? Baby Margaret thinks hers do. I hope Chummy will lay you one every day.

“Heather Bell,” Stratford.—l really do not know which are my favourite flowers, Avis. I think violets, and then the primroses come out and I like them just as well, so I am afraid I have no special favourite; I just love them. all. Paper-chases are great fun, especially for the hares. You have to watch Baibara too, I see. Baby Margaret picked a bunch of onion flowers from a paddock the other day and it took me ages to get the smell of them away from her.

“Waratah,” Tirimoana. —It does seem cruel to cut off the lamb’s tails, but it is more cruel to leave them. I notice that after they have been cut most of the lambs seem to be frightened of us. They know they have been hurt by man and lose their confidence in him. I wonder how many other Tinks noticed that the paper had grown wider. We are glad to hear that it is a Tink who distributes the Wendy Pages round your district. Thank you for the jokes. We could not guess the word.

“•Sun Shower,” Kaupokonui — Which poetry did you mean, Mary? I am not sure now which it was that you sent. However, tell me. Billikins birthday is on November 8. What a young rascal Mick must be. Were you able to mend your watch? Billikins wants one for his birthday and a belt with a pouch to keep it in, and another pouch for his monev, but a watch would last him a week at the most. I think he got the belt idea from a cowboy story.

“Goldy-Locks,” Pungarehu.—Well, Elsie, we‘had not heard from you for a long time. You should be able to feed the family well with all those vegetables. Peter and Pam planted some peas in their garden, and now they are up they look suspiciously like sweet peas instead of vegetables. They cannot remember what the seeds were like, so they watch every day to see if the flowers will be vegetable flowers or otherwise. They are a funny little pair of gardeners, although they grew the largest pumpkin we had this year. Thank you for the poetry.

Joyce Ries, Pohokura. —Welcome, Joyce! We shall expect a longer letter from you soon. Tell us all about what you do at home and at school because we shall feel we really do not know you until you do.

“Forest Fairy,” Te Kiri.—Your letters bring with them the atmosphere of the healthy fresh open air life that you live on the farm, Alice, and we do enjoy reading them. I think we have put that poetry in. No, I have not heard that record, but it sounds pretty. Tinkerbell knows, where there are several nests, with young ones in them already too.

Norma Peters, Inglewood.—'Welcome to the tiniest Tink we have, ever had! I hope your mummy will write for you until you are a big girl and can write to me all by yourself. Baby Margaret would just love to have a wee sister like you to play with, but I think you must be too precious for mummy to give away to us. “Dad’s Old Man,” Waitoitoi.—ls Sambo black or white? He sounds very black to us. Do you feed him and Tom-tit all by yourself? I expect Tom-tit bunts the bucket sometimes and almost makes you turn a backward somersault. Pam lias a stiff neck to-night through turning too many somersaults on the lawn. “Mushroom,” Mahoenui. —I like foxgloves, but I suppose they are a nuisance to the farmers. We have never found out why they are called foxgloves. Dp you know? Have you beaten your father at crib again yet?. We had a game of animal grab last night, but it became so noisy that we had to stop because nobody could tell who was first. I hope your finger is better now. “Grandma,” Waitoitoi.—How carefully you wrote both letters, Faith. You well deserve your name on the Honours Board. Baby Margaret is very well, thank you, although to-day she was trying to sit on Bouncer’s back and fell off, scratching her knee on the ground. We put a bandage on and she walks about with a very self-conscious limp. She told Bouncer he was very naughty because he just wagged his tail when she showed him the scratch. Marion Curran, Pungarehu.—l hope you will like the book, Marion. If you have a copy already just send it back and I will change it. I know you will enjoy reading it if you have not read, it before. I should love to have a snap of you and Claire and the pets. I wish all the Tinks could send snapshots because it is far better to know what they look like. We have snaps of some and we feel that we really know them. I hope your arm is better. How did you hurt it ? THE KEYFLOWER. A LEGEND OF THE COWSLIP. Once upon a time, a young man called Jan set out to find the famous Keyflower. He had been told by his grandmother than every thousandth cowslip which bloomed in the field was a Keyflower that could open a secret doors in the rocks behind which untold riches were stored. Every spring, countless lads and lasses hunted for the Keyflower, bait so far no one had found it. • ■ Well, Jan had the virtue of patience. He counted the cowslips in the field till he' came to the thousandth, w-hich he held close against a rock. Nothing happened, so he began all over again, thinking he must have started with the wrong cowslip. After many days, he found the Keyflower! As he held the cowslip to the rock he heard a cracking sound; then the rock split, and he beheld a cave filled with gold, silver, and precious stones. Full of delight, \Jfi.n walked amongst -these-riches, filled his-pocket,' hi' 3 hat, and his handkerchief. At last, so anxious was he to get all he could that he threw away the Keyflower and grabbed the gold with both hands. Alas! This was his undoing! No sooner had he dropped the cowslip than a terrible wind blew him out of the cave, and he found himself in the field with nothing in his pockets. Jan's wreed had broken .the charm. For it was written that w’ oever threw • way the Keyflower to carry more than his due of wealth should lose all the good things that patience had brought him! Mrs. MOOLEY-COW. Once there was a sleepy mooleycow lying in a green meadow. She chewed her cud contentedly and mooed softly. . z Along came a little chick and said, “Peep, peep, may I come and sleep on your back, Mrs. Mooley-cow?” “Moo,” said the cow, “climb up on my back and go to sleep.” So the little . chick snuggled down between the horns on the cow’s back, and their sleepy song was, “Moo, moo! Peep, peep!” Then along came a yellow duck and said, “Quack, qUack, may j. come and sleep on your back, Mrs. Mooley-cow?” “Moo,” said the cow, “climb up on my back and go to sleep.” So the yellow duck snuggled down behind the little chick on the cow’s back, and their sleepy song wag: “Moo, moo! Peep, peep! Quack, quack!” And along came - a puppy dog and said, “Bow-wow, bow-wow, may I come and sleep on'your back Mrs. Mooley-cow?” “Moo,” said the cow, “climb up on my back and go the sleep.” So the puppy dog snuggled down behind the yellow duck on the cow’s back; and their sleepy song was; “Moo, moo! Peep, peep! Quack, quack!Bowwow, bow-wow!” And along came a kitty cat and said, “Mew, mew, may I come and sleep on your back, Mrs. Mooley-cow?” “Moo,” said the cow, “climb up on my back, and to sleep.” So the kitty cat snuggled down behind the puppy dog on the cow’s back, and their sleepy song was: “Moo, moo! Peep, peep! Quack, quack! Bow-wow, bow-wow! Mew, mew!” And in his nursery, Boy heard their sleepy song until he, too, fell fast asleep.