FOR THE CHILDREN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19846, 15 January 1920, Page 7

FOR THE CHILDREN.

HOW VICTORIA SAVED JUMBO AND FRIHGO.

Jumbo the Elephant gasped with surprise, and Fringe, who was on his bad', nearly slipped off with astonishment. For there, rolling and rocking across the nursery floor and coining nearer and nearer to them, wero Joan and Jock in their tine yacht The Venture. And'sitting on Joan’s knee was Victoria, the most beautiful doll in the nursery.

Jumbo trembled _ with fear, and Fringe shook with fright. “Save us!” he cried to Victoria. “Oh, save nsl” For The Venture was coming hearer and nearer, and Jock was so busy seeing that the sail worked properly that ho never noticed that Jumbo and Fringe were right in bis way; neither did Joan, for she was admiring the view on tlie distant horizon. “What can I do?” cried Victoria. “Joan’s holding me so tight, aiid I’m feeling so seasick—oh, oh!”

Hearer and nearer came The Venture.

“ Look!’’ cried Joan, suddenly pointing to the distant horizon; “X think I sec land ahead.” Victoria chose that moment to throw herself from Joan’s arms on to tho nursery floor or rather into the raging sea.

“Alan overboard! Ship, ahoy!” shouted Jock, and in less than no time the. boat was stopped and Victoria rescued.

And in rescuing Victoria, of course Jock saw Jumbo and Fringe, so they wore lakr-n mi board ns well; and, rolling and rocking, away they all sailed to the distant land. Arictoria had saved their lives. * “FOR VALOUR.”

V hen Bobby was asked what ho was going to be when ho was a man,, bo always answered. “A soldier, like Grandpapa.” ' Of all bis toys he loved his red-coated soldiers tho best.

Ho knew that when visitors spoke of “ tho General” they meant his” grandfather,; hut when a lady said, “ Generay Fraser has tho V.0., hasn’t he?” he wondered what that could he. So one day he asked his grandfather to explain

The General put down his newspaper, and mnltiekihg a,' drawer, took out a medal in the shape of a Maltose Cross. “This is the. Victoria Cross, Bobby, and it is gl’.'cn ‘ For Valour.’ That means that tho man who wins it puist have ■performed some very brave deed.” “And what did you do, Grandna?” asked Bobby.

“ A long time ago,” said the General, “ a few British soldiers, out scouting, bad to ride for their lives to escape from a howling mob of Sepoys—that is, Indian soldiers.”

“Couldn't they hare stopped and fought,them F’ asked Bobby. * ■; “Ao, they would have been cut to pieces, and a soldier s lifo belongs to bis country; he must take care of it. Well, our men came to a river; in they wont, hut one of them had his horse shot, and tho stream carried him down. A young lieutenant, who had reached the bank, jumped his horse into the river again and saved the man’s life, though tho Sepoys wore firing hard at (hem. So Queen Victoria gave him the Victoria Cross when ho got hack to England.' 1

“That was you, Grandpa,” cried Bobby triumphantly.

GOLLIWOG’S LAY. hilo little. Miss Matilda sleeps Black Golly from her pillow' peeps. Ho hears the loudly crowing cock Cry, ‘• Wake, good folks 1 It’s ten o’clock.” Matilda wakes, and though it’s late, 'lakes Colly on the ice to skate. Bill and his nigger doll thev meet, And glide along with llyiugMeet. They have great fun till half-past three, Thou go to Billy’s house to tea. Matilda gaily fills each cup, And soon they cat the dainties up.

At last, nhon goad-night tiino has come Bill in his motor sends them home Ho stands with dolly at the doorj Ai'd waves till he can wave no more.