Peter Pan’s Corner

Timaru Herald, Volume CLIII, Issue 22529, 13 March 1943, Page 6

Peter Pan’s Corner

? Dearest Little People. * * / ve been watching every dav <• J For I knew my Lady Summer would be passing on her way * And early yester morning, when the dew lay on the grass £ 4. Like a thousand sparkling diamonds, I saw my Lady pass. £ She tiptoed through my garden, a thing of loveliness, * The colour of all summer flowers were shining in her dress. £ Like russet gold of ripened corn, the hair upon head, I*: And on it was a dazzling crown all made of sunset red. * I think there must have fallen from out the summer skies ... 4* Some lovely bits of azure blue, to make my Lady's eyes. £ 4. Upon her feet were sandals with greens of every shade £ And round her waist gay butterflies a dainty girdle made. •j* She blew upon a silver flute, low music soft and sweet X And there upon my lawn I heard the sound of hurrying feel. * £ Little bob-tailed rabbits, and speedy long-legged hares * Green leaping frogs and quiet mice came creeping unawares. .> Fantails with their spreading fans, thrushes with mellow notes; X :£ The warblers and the bell-birds with silver fluted throats ••• * Gay butterflies and busy bees, all creatures great and small Heard my Lady Summer’s music and answered to its call. * "Let’s dance.” she cried, "and merry make, before I say goodbye. * X For the gold is on the lilac bush and Autumns drawing nigh.” So birds and beasts and butterflies right merrily did play * *l* And flowers danced upon the lawn in splendid bright-arrav. £ Soft music sounded sweetly, as they danced upon the grass * So in a blaze of glory did my Lady Summer pass. * Watch carefully, my Circlians, and see her if you can. * Best love to everyone of you, ••• j: From Your Own. t PETER PAN. t

BIRTHDAY GREETINGS March ”: Dorothy Turner Joyce Turnbull Ross Paterson Pamela Eastwood Betty Hall Valerie Winslade March 8: Robert James March 9: Margery Dawson March 10: Donald Latimer Jill Croger Shirley Abernethy March 11: Joan Millar March 12: Heather Stanley John Farmer Vera Evans Gladys Nutsford Ruth Hamilton March 13: Shirley Bray George Depree Derek Bell Margaret Shaw Wanda Evans Gaye Rooney Jean Stevens Robin Drummond NOTICE BOARD Winner of Summer Poem Jeanette Burtenshaw This Week’s Competition:— Mary went to town and saw eight things. A prize will be given for the best 8 sentences describing what Mary saw. Each word in each sentence must begin respectively with a, b, c, d, e. f, g, h, e.g. (1) Attractive armchairs artistically arranged. (2) Beautiful big bouncing balls. (3 Cheap cream coloured cotton curtains etc. Entries must be in by March 2. SUMMER FANCIES Winning Poem The summer flowers have said goodbye. To all their jolly fun They play at games all day you know Beneath the summer sun All the lovely Roses Have afternoons “at home” The doors are always opened By funny little gnomes, All dressed in lovely velvet coats (They're “pansies” some folk say). But one hot day I heard them ask, “Will you please come this way?” Tire red and white carnations Hand the tea round—sharp at two, They really do sound funny, asking “One lump my dear or two?” And on the night that summer ends, They hold a great big ball. (The pansies laugh when they have to dance, With holly-hocks so tall). And when the dawn comes peeping through They droop their tired heads And go to sleep the winter through In soft warm fairy beds. (Jeanette Burtenshaw, aged 10) Dear Peter Pan, Here I am late again with my letter to you. I should have written to you before I started school again but for the last three weeks of the holidays I had been busy keeping house while my mother was away in the North Island, so I hope you will forgive me. When Mum came home she brought two baby budgies, one yellow the other a pale blue. They were really lovely and they played together as happily as could be. One day Mum heard a lot of screeching and chirping and when she went to see what the trouble was she found that the little fellow had got himself tangled in a piece of string which was tied on the cage. To make matters worse the blue bird was tugging as hard as he could and had almost strangled the yellow one. Mum had to cut the string to free him as he was so entangled. Having escaped death in this adventure, a day or two later they tried to squeeze through the bars on the top of their cage and we found them, the blue one swinging by his head and the yellow one with its head and wings out of the cage. Again we came to their aid and very soon, afterwards they were chirping and up to their tricks again. They were very happy for about a week when suddenly the wee yellow bird died. We were dreadfully sorry to lose him and his little mate fretted. Gradually the blue one became brighter and he is up to his usual tricks again. I wonder if you have budgies Peter Pan and if so do they get into as much mischief as ours?

(5 marks to Pat Westoby, aged 16> Dear Peter Pan, Thank you very much for putting my birthday in the paper. It is raining very hard up here to-day. It has been very hot in the last few days, and windy. My teacher is teaching me to swim. I can float but I cannot use my arms and legs yet. We started school on the February 2. I like school very much. I did not go any where for my holidays. Mum and Dad and I went to Timaru for a day in the holidays. In the after noon we went down on the bay where I had two rides in the scooter boats. It was the first time I had been in one. I have a little pup called Jed. He is black and brown. We have started harvest and w’e have two paddocks of wheat and oats. We have 12 acres of linen flax. I got a book and a puzzle for Christmas. My lamb is growing. Darky sends back a purr to Sandy. That is all the news till next time. (3 marks to Gay Harvey, aged 10)

Dear Peter Pan, It seems a long time since last I wrote to you but now the holidays are over and I will have more time to write. I had a grand time during the holidays and I went to my Aunt’s place at Ashburton after Christmas. I used to play with my little cousin Brian and he and I went for the paper every day. My little sister Anne is six months old and she has one little tooth now. I’ve have a pup named Jill, she is black and white in colour. Every night after school I take her for a walk over the paddocks. At school I am in the third standard. Tliis year I am working a supper cloth for sewing. I must close now as it is my bed time. 3 marks to Maureen McLaren, aged 10 Dear Peter Pan.

I am very sorry I have not written to you for such a long time. We have shifted into the country now, and there is a lot of work to do. I have a wee pony of my own and I ride him to school. I have to ride about two and a half miles every' day’ to get there. We have baths at school now and I can swim the length. I have no more news now so lots of love to all.

(3 marks to Judith Kenealy, aged 8) ( 3 marks to Adine Reid, aged 13)

Dear Peter Pan, I received the merit cards the other day for which I thank you very much. I get the Timaru Herald very regularly considering these hard times. Well Peter Pan, I feel quite grown up now. I am fourteen, and I am working in a shoe maker’s shop. I assist in the front shop selling shoes, and like it very much. I write regularly to my pen friends and I feel quite proud when I get their letters. It wall soon be Christmas, but it will be quiet owing to the war. We have not had snow yet but it is very cold. I cycle to my work every morning with my two sisters and we cycle home for lunch at one o’clock and go back again at 2 o’clock. Well Peter Pan although you won’t receive this letter for a while after Christmas I wish you, and all the circlians a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New’ Ye|r. I am enclosing a photo of myself so I hope it reaches you alright. I will now close this small letter with lots of love. (3 marks to Betty McLennan, aged 14. Scotland) Dear Peter Pan, Thank you for the merit card and the Birthday Greetings. Three days after I started High School I had to go to the Hospital with Pneumonia. I was there for a fortnight. As 1 have been in Hospital I missed your answer to my last letter. Would you please tell me again whether I will get a Pen Friend in Australia. At the High School they have houses and I am in Pitcaithly, and my sister is the Captain of it. We have a bantam hen with six chickens and she hatched them outside. A long time ago this hen, tried to sit, but we did not want her to sit so we took her off the nest and let her go out side the run. Anyhow this did not stop her from sitting as she went and made a nest under the old hen house so we could not get at her. Well I must stop now. (3 marks to Ruth Armstrong, aged 12) Dear Peter Pan, Thank you for my merit card you sent me. I was pleased it was coloured green, because green is my favourite colour. My merit cards count up to 19 marks. I have two five marked ones two three marked ones and three marks for poetry. I went over to my cousin’s for a week and then over to Grandma’s for a few day’s. At the back of the house is a steep hill with cabbage trees all over it. We have a good sliding place but it is very bumpy. The day before school commenced, Daddy took me to the dentist to have a tooth out. I had painless but I like gas best. My sweet peas are over now. The geraniums in my garden are growing right out over everything else. To-day it is very cold and I have been sitting by the Are so I thought I w’ould write to you. I am in Std. v at school. I am the only one in the class. The other day as Beryl my wee 10 month old sister and I went round the garden we noticed a primrose out. Daddy has started to harvest. He has cut three paddocks of oats. We have quite a lot of wheat in too, but we are going to head some. I have seen a header close up too. Have you? Well I think I have told you all the news to-day. so cheerio to you and all vour Circlians. <3 marks to Eunice Rapsey, aged 11) Dear Peter Pan, As I haven’t written to you this month I will do so now. I hope you received the "D ’ competition which I am sending in with this letter. I received the merit card for my letter, thank you very much for it. 1 have got several other ones, and now have nineteen marks altogether. Only six more till I have twenty-five. You get another sort of merit card then don t you? Then something else when you get fifty. I'm not quite sure of them, nor of the war time rules. It is my sister Erica’s Birthday to-morrow, she will be eight years old. She is growing up fast. I can remember when she was a baby. I have been made prefect of our form for this term, it is good when the girls behave, but otherwise it is very hard. I like it quite well now as I have got used to it. We started school on Saturday, 6th February. My Grandfather ”ho has been staying with us for three weeks during the holidays has gone back to Christchurch, and it is very lonely without him about the house. He was also out at Te Moana with us while Daddy was in town. I think I must be well over the word limit by now. Lots of love to you and your Circlians. (3 marks to Joan Hudson, aged 12)