WENDY HUT LETTERBOX.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 March 1933, Page 17 (Supplement)

WENDY HUT LETTERBOX.

LETTERS io be Addressed; »N “WENDY,” Care Taranaki Dally News, 3ox 119, . NEW PLYMOUTH.

Coral Langman, Huirangi: Yes, you may have the penname, Coral. Are you very fond of doves? When Baby Margaret feeds her birds on the lawn in the morning we sometimes see a pigeon who has called in on his travels; we seldom see the same one twice, for they carry such important messages, you know!

“Viola 'Lily,” Taurakawa-. Thank you for the poem, Marjorie. Just think how wonderful it would be to have a bunch of daffodils now, when spring seems so far away! But I wonder, would you rather have a bunch of roses from the Hut garden? There are not many left now, for they have been blooming so long. '

Geoffrey Hardwicke-Smith. Mangamingi: The story of a bee and what it does in its life is as thrilling as a story of a great adventure. They are so clever and seem to have such wisdom in their tiny brains that we can only marvel at them. The . balloon and bun race must be very funny; eating a bun quickly is very difficult when it is a race, isn’t it?

“Woody,” Mangamingi: You have spent a great deal of the summer picnicing, haven’t you, Rex? It is'an ideal way to spend it for it is over all too quickly. We like the winter when it comes, too, for blazing fires .and roasted chestnuts sound so cosy. Have you done any gardening this year or does golf take up too much time?

“White Rata,” Taurakawa: What a “far away” holiday you had, Valerie! I suppose your little feet danced you everywhere and you saw lots. of new and interesting things on your new adventure. Was it fun crossmg by boat? The fountain, when lit up, would look like a brilliant fire-works display, would it not?

Norma Mapp, Midhirst; We are very pleased you want to join our little band and we send you a very warm welcome, little Tink. We are sorry that you cannot have the pen-name you asked for, as another Tink asked first, but there are others you would like just as well, no doubt. Baby Margaret has thought of a name for your pussy apd it is Tingo; do you like it? There’s a surprise for you on the other page. When is your birthday?

“Bellbird,” Midhirst: I can. see Hut gardener running as hard as he can out of the rain; Baby; Margaret is watching him through the window, too, and laughing at the way he runs. Almost every little Tink has been to a school picnic these la’st few weeks and has had a lovely time,, even if it meant picnicing in the rain. The sea is roaring to-day and the wind is lashing the crests of the waves into beautiful white foam. “Clematis,” Midhirst: What an energetic little band! We hope you got on well and reached the plateau after all; perhaps your energy carried you to the summit! Those are fine books you are reading and, although there is much to read in them, you .feel after you have finished that you have accomplished something really worth while. I find an atlas and a dictionary add greatly to the. interest and enjoyment of a book. “Mountain Queen,” Kaimiro: We are beginning to feel the touch of autumn already; just a light little;, touch it is; but we run indoors after sunset and slip on jackets and woolly jumpers. The Hut Dressmaker says she is quite sure you could knit yourself a little, lacy jumper, so try and tell us how you get on with it. I wonder if I really shall see a little pixie next time I -throw a walnut shell away!

Joyce Copeman, Uruti: Poor little sunburned lassie! We hope all the soreness has vanished and left a nice tan colour in its place. Baby Margaret has been learning lessons to-day and she is very ■pleased that Tutor has allowed her to do some Writing on paper instead of on hfer slate. Give, little Jim' a hug from us all; I suppose he crawls into mischief or perhaps would like to! Kathleen Copeman, Uruti: Please let us know,how the ragwort grubs get on for Billikins is so interested. Mummy has made very nearly a hundredweight of jam, hasn’t she? Cookie makes jam, too, and the twins take it in turn to melt the wax and seal the tops down with it. Along comes Tinker Bell with pen and ink and labels it and Billikins puts it away on the shelves, so he will know where it is when he is hungry! Laurie Fabish, Kent Road: How busy you must be to keep your garden so pretty. We have a long border of scarlet dahlias and sometimes they have black centres, because the humble bees are so fond of visiting them. The zinnias are standing stiff and straight like soldiers on parade in another border, their faces upturned to the sun which they really have not seen much of this season. In South Africa, their home, they seldom see rain. Joan Porter, Stratford: What a very interesting letter, Joan; Baby Margaret loved the'.little story of the bird you rescued. She says if you - hold some crumbs in your hand next time some sparrows come by your own little tame one will come and sit on it. She saw some little birds called Java sparrows the other day and was delighted to see how tame’ they were, although they would not eat-from her hand. Kevin Hickey, Opimake:. Thank you for the cuckoo verse. They call so beautifully and yet they : are so naughty when they take other birds’ nests, aren’t they? The sun is peeping out between the showers and the phlox have opened their starry eyes and look so happy. Did you go to the Zoo when you were away?

Zephne Lepper, Midhirst: I hope your big cat has learned that cats and kittens in the same home must agree! What do you call them? Tinker Bell is quite excited because she has seen a picture in a book of a clothes line of a spiders’ web; she wonders if the spiders she is always brushing from the walls could be trained to build clothes lines outside on washing days!

Doreen Watts. Okaiawa: The Hut folk are so happy because you have joined the Hut, Doreen, and we hope you will be, too. There’s a rainbow! It looks as if the pot of gold must be in the garden, but even as Baby Margaret and the twins run out to find it, the lovely arch is fading and we are left wondering if it was a dream. Mavis Cox, Te Kiri: We • were' very proud to receive a letter from you written nearly all by yourself. Billikins wants to know if you saw the funny mirrors that make you shor; and fat and long and thin at the gardens. He loves feeding the monkeys with peanuts and I am sure you do, too. I do not think you have told us what you call your puppies.

Dorothy Lyons, Hawera: Your letter gave us as much surprise as a Jack-in-the-box and just as much pleasure. Yes, we love sweet peas and we still have a few in flower; they are always very popular with bees, aren’t they? The end of the summer is always'a busy time in a garden and Tinker Bell and Baby Margaret often help Hut gardener to gather in the seeds, learning all the time from him which are the best to gather and how to keep the original colour and size of the flowers. Owen Sharpe, Rahotu: Here we are again, says Billikins! He is very happy to-day because we are all going for a picnic and we hope to find some blackberries., His happiness, however, does not prevent him from being mischievous and he’s anxiously waiting for Cookie to change her shoes-because he has put a "walking-stick” in one of them. Jim Shaxpe, Rahotu: Someone else has the pen-name, Jim, but try another. I suppose you... are the envy of all your friends on your glittering new bicycle, but I am sure you did not get it without a great deal of hard work beforehand. It will be splendid if you pass arid go on to another school; besides lessons, you will have new friends and be able to enter for sport to a greater extent.

“Star/Fairy,” Taurakawa: Did you .like the ride across in the cage? It would really be like crossing a river on a moving bridge. I think Billikins would enjoy that except that he would probably jump about and just about upset it. The wind is scattering quite a number of leaves off the trees and soon we shall have a golden autumn carpet.