CHILDREN’S CORNER.

Temuka Leader, Issue 10486, 21 December 1929, Page 4

CHILDREN’S CORNER.

(Edited by " Wattle Blossom.") All letters to be addressed like thia-: Cousin " Wattle Blossom," care Temuka Leader and Geraldine Guardian. Dear Cousins, —Hooray! Christmas is here at last—only a few days now, and Father Christmas will be tumbling over himself, he will be so busy! Well, I suppose he must have been hard at work for some time past, deciding all about the presents everyone deserved. I think Father Christmas’s other name must be Love, for only a great deal of love could give such a lot of lovely things away. Love is the most beautiful thing in the world. When you have grown up, you will understand just how much love did for you when you were little, and what it is doing all the time; so let us, especially on Christmas Day, be very loving, and then we will all be happy, and make others happy too. I hope you like the little story about Chip—wasn’t he a lovely dog! And now the old clock seems to be hurrying around, so that I have not time to write more, and I did want to write a longer letter. Next week, perhaps, I will be able to. Fancy, nearly 193 0 years ago the little baby Jesus was born. Isn’t it wonderful! And after all this time, we keep His birthday still. Our Lord, who brought perfect love into the world. Now I must close. May you have “a Merry Christmas, one and all”—didn’t Tiny Tim say that, years ago? I’ll lie thinking of you and all the lovely times you’ll have. Judith and I send love to all of you.—Your own, COUSIN WATTLE BLOSSOM.

P.S.—No more puzzles till February. Please do not send any more riddles just now.—C.W.B. JUNIOR PUZZLE: Winner, Cousin Doreen Denison. Answer —Motor cars, buses, horses, rivers, bridges, stations. • » • SENIOR PUZZLE: Winner, Cousin Nellie Cribb. Answer—l 3 mice. * * » Waitohi Flat, December 16, 1929.

Dear Cousin Waltle Blossom, — Perhaps this will be our last letter to you now, before Christmas comes, so I will wish Judith and you a “Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.” I also hope that Santa Claus is good and brings wee Judith her ball. We shall be having a long letter holiday now, I suppose, as some of the Cousins will be going for holidays, and I guess Judith and you. too, Cousin Wattle Blossom. I hope you enjoy your holiday, and Mr Weather will favour you and give plenty of nice warm, sunny days. I see the scrap-books are in, and I am sorry there was not a lot for you, Cousin Wattle Blossom; but perhaps it will be better next time. I do hope so. don’t you, Cousin Wattle Blossom? Our Tennis Club played a game on Saturday with my former school, St. Joseph’s, Temuka, but Waitohi lost. We are having our school picnic on Thursday, and I will write and let you know if I win any prizes. I am going to have a jolly good try. Cousin Wattle Blossom, have you seen the new stamps? Are they not nice! If I had money I would buy a lot of them, because I do like them, and Mother says they are for poor babies, wee children, also men, women and the poor soldiers, who cannot go away far from hospital, so I do feel sorry, Cousin Wattle Blossom, and every time I get two pennies, I will buy one, then Almighty God will love me, won’t He, Cousin Wattle Blossom? I am putting one on your letter this time. I am afraid, Cousin Wattle Blossom, that I must own up about the Senior Puzzle. I am a. dunce —I cannot make it out. Well, I must close my news, as Mother is calling me for bed. With love. —Your loving Cousin, MARY SCANNELL. .(Your letter is very neatly written, Mary. It is kind of you to buy the “Christmas Seal” stamps. I think God really loves everybody; that He is sad when we are not good and cheerful, but that He rejoices when we do kind and loving deeds. Somewhere or other, our Lord said: “By their deeds ye shall know them” (meaning His children), and I think, little Mary, that your two pennies given to Him, will make Him glad.—C.W.B.). Temuka, December 13, 1929. Dear Cousin Wattle Blossom. — This will just be a short letter.' I am going to the concert to-night. I am in a song with four oilier little girls, called “The Little Dutches.” Two arc going to be dressed as Dutch boys, and the other three of

us as Dutch girls. I am having a. long blue skirt, and a spotted muslin apron, edged with lace, and little Dutch hat made of organdie muslin. The concert is going to bo very good. I wish you would be able to come and see us. Well, I will close for this time, hoping Judith and yourself are both well, and wishing you both a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.—Your loving Cousin, PATTY SWAP. (Sorry I did not see you, Patty. Don’t forget to tell me all about it, —C.W.B.). « « • 6 Raynor St., Temuka, December 9, 1929. Dea.r Cousin Wattle Blossom, — May I join your circle? I am nine

years old. I have often done the puzzles, but have never sent one in. We went to the picnic at Lyon’s Bush on Thursday, and had a lovely time. The rain came and spoilt all, as we had to go home too early. We break up for our holidays soon for six long weeks. Next Sunday we get our prizes at Sunday School. I have two sisters and a brother. Zena is a lovely baby, Si months old. I must close now.—From your loving Cousin, “BLUEBIRD.” (Doreen Denison). (Welcome to our Corner, Bluebird. What a pity it rained the day of your picnic! I hope you write often. —C.W.8.). Winchester Sett., Temuka, December 8, 1929. Dear Cousin Wattle Blossom, —I have not written to you for a long time, but I have been too busy with the exams. However, they are over now, and I will have more time to write to you. The wind has been blowing all day to-day, and the ground is getting terribly dry. I planted some seedlings in my garden not long ago. They were pansies, asters and primroses, and I have to keep watering them, to keep them from dying. Our big red rose bush, by the verlandah, is completely spoilt by the wind. The flowers are all bruised and battered about, and have lost all their beauty. Although the wind and dry weather hinder the flowers from growing, they do not seem to hurt the weeds in the least, do they, Cousin Wattle Blossom? Our pet lambs keep the garden fence well trimmed. They eat all the plants that are sticking through the wire-netting. Judith will be pleased if Santa Claus leaves a nice new ball in her stocking. I hope she receives a great big one, like I have seen in shops. Now I must close, and send in a story. Good-bye. With love to yourself and wee Judith.—l remain, yours truly, “SUNBEAM.” (Nellie Cribb).

(I hope you are successful in your examination, Nellie. Yes, it IS a long time since you wrote, but we are glad to hear from you again. I enjoyed the elephant story.— C.W.8.). * * * CHIP GOES TO CHURCH. A TRUE STORY. The Graham family live on an isla.ud in the St. John River, which flows through New Brunswick, and Chip is their clog. He is a shaggy little fellow of the spaniel variety, with long floppy ears, curly black hair and a nose that is always restlessly searching around for scents or trailing people. Nobody else lives on the island, but there are a number of houses on the mainland, and it is there the family go to church. In the winter they cross on the ice, but in summer they row over in a boat. Chip came to them when he was little more than a. puppy, and everywhere the children went he followed along: so when they all gathered ready for church on Sunday, he wanted to go, too. He had been fastened in, but jumped out through a broken pane in the woodshed window and arrived on the beach just as they were getting into the boat. What to do? Leave him, and he might get into mischief; take him back, and -they would all be late. “Oh, let him come,” urged the children. “We can teach him to keep still. He is always so obedient.”

So, much to Chip’s joy, he was invited into the boat and rowed over to the other shore with the rest. When they were going into the church, Mr Graham waited until last and tried, quite warily, to shut the door on him, but. found that Chip—not so unsuspecting, after all —declined to be closed out, and had wriggled in while he was turning around. He trotted up to the family pew and lay down across the opening. He was a very quiet dog, and lay quite still even though the hymns and organ often macle him howl at home, and although lie went to sleep with his nose on his paws and missed the collection, he did not snore or snap at flies. The children were very proud of him. “Didn’t we tell you!” they said. Fall came —and such freshets! The river was high and swollen. Bits of driftwood and dead leaves were borne south on its broad, swift current. The Sabbuth day broke in pouring rain. Boats could not cross and nobody could go to church. “We will have services at home, then,” Mrs Graham said. “As soon as the morning chores are done we’ll gather in the living room.” Chip rose up several times from where lie was lying beside the wood box iand walked from one to another, asking as best he could. “Tell me what this means: 1 don't understand. Aren’t you going to ch u rch?”

“Oh. go lie clown, Chip.” Marjorie told him. “You’re getting in the way.’’ Everybody else was too busy to pay any attention. He saw that they were not going, and disappeared from the house. During their hour of service and singing hymns, the Grahams completely forgot about the little dog until it was over, when the rain stopped and the sun burst out. “Where is Chip?” Jack asked. “I don’t know. I haven’t seen him for a. long time: not since before we began our services,” answered Marjorie. Nobody had. That set them all wondering. Scratch! scratch! came a familiar sound at the door, with

a short, quick “Let-me-in” bark, and into the kitchen bounced the little dog, soaking, dripping wet. “Look how wet he is! He’s been in the river!” Donald and Mary cried. “He’s been to church; that’s where he’s been,” their father said quietly. “Bow-wow-wow! Yes, I have!” barked Chip, very pleased with himself, and managing a vigorous shake that sent the water drops flying. He had evidently gone down to the river bank and, despite the high rushing waters that confronted him, decided to swim across, for a few days later, when boats could come and go again, neighbours told the Grahams that he had arrived at the church, wet and happy, just in time to get inside. He looked around as if to say, “Well, anyway, I am here!” and lay down in his usual place. As soon as church was over he trotted out and vanished from sight, quite satisfied that he had done his duty.

DID YOU KNOW THIS? Although Captain Cook, the famous explorer, died 150 years ago, a tortoise which belonged to him is still alive 'and flourishing on the island of Tonga, where it enjoys the native -rank of “chief.” Omnibus and tram tickets issued in London each day total up to 7,000,000. On a single day, London ’buses carry as many as 6,000,000 passengers. At the end of the War, Dagenham, in Essex, had a population of only SOOO; now it has well over 90,000 inhabitants. (Sent in by Cousin N. Cribb). # • * A CATCH. A little girl said to her friend: “I can throw my ball in a certain way so as to make it return without hitting anything at all.” Her friend was mystified, so the little girl threw her ball straight in the air, and, of course, it returned! (Sent in by Cousin N. Cribb). e # » CURIOUS GLASS. An Englishman, who was just returning from Africa, brought home witli him a Negro, as his servant. The boy had always been used to hot countries, and had never seen water in its solid form, as ice. One morning, he came into his master’s room, carrying a large piece of ice, and exclaiming: ‘‘See, master, what a large piece of glass I have found!’ His master, by way of a joke, told him to put it in the oven to dry. Very soon he came back, carrying the partly melted ice, and saying: “See, master; this is the queerest glass I ever saw. The more I dry it, the wetter it gets!” (Sent in by Cousin N. Cribb).