For the Children

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16739, 22 May 1922, Page 3

For the Children

“ HTTSH-A-BYEj BABY.” What can you do with a baby who won’t go to sleep? Bobbles didn't know, nor did Peter, who was a dog; nor did Arabella Jane, who was a doll. Bobbles herself was dreadfully sleepy and wanted ever so much to cuddle down and go off to Dreamland. But every time she shut her eyes Baby Buster began to cry. Bobbles didn’t know what to do. Nurse was having iher supper. Bobbles knew site wouldn’t like to bo disturbed, but at last she thought she really must call her. So she got sleepily out of bed, and taking Arabella Jane and Peter and Buster, she began to walk across to call Nurse. Just as she passed the window she stopped for a moment to look at the moon, which was shining in. very roundly and brightly. It seemed to Bobbles just like a great, kind face smiling down at her, and she said out loud, very sleepily : “ Please, Mr Moon, what would you do to get a baby to sleep?” “ Sing him a lullaby,” answered the moon. Bobbles was so sleepy that it didn’t seem a bit strange to her that the moon should be able to speak. And she thought it was a. good idea to sing a lullaby to get a baby off to sleep. So she carried Buster back to bed and began to sing: “ Baby on the tree top, "When the wind blows, your cradle will rock, When tlie houghs break, your cradle will fall, Down will come Baby, cradle and all!” And by the time she had sung it through three times, she and Buster and Peter and Arabella Jane were all fast asleep. DOLLY’S SOCKS. Within her shady comers at Dear Grandmamma one day, "While Elsie round the garden raced "With Prince in merry play. Then tired she came and watched beside. And saw the needles flit, And said to busy Grandmamma, “ Please tell me how to knit. “ Poor Rosabel, my doll, would sav. If she could only talk, Her socks are very full of holes, Although she does not walk. “ T often wonder how they come, Each day they bigger grow ; Indeed I’d make her mend thorp, but I ou know, she cannot sew.” THE MONKEY MAN. I was once a man. Not a real, live man. but a toy man. I was made of wood. All ray limbs, my legs and my arms, were fastened to pieces of string. All these pieces of string were fastened together. "When they were pulled I jiggered about in a dreadful way. I could never see inside mvself, go J cannot tell you exactly how ’ this jigging came about. But f really did jig, and when children were about I jigged a great deal. I was bought from a man in the street, last Christmas and tied to a

tree. Then I was given to a child who had many brothers and sisters, I am sad to say. They broke me up, and I was thrown away. Think of it—thrown into a dustbin 1 After that I was found by a poor man who made a living by sorting rubbish. AY hen he came across me he said (I heard him say it): “ This will do for my Topsv.” Then he took me homo and made me into what I now am—a monkevman who lives on two sticks. The only real change in me is that T have a. tail. I am quite happy, thank you. Topsy is very kind, and I make her happy by my antics. But I wish I had not got a tail. WOODEN SHOES. In Holland and some, other countries the little children of poor people wear wooden shoes ; the place for the foot is carved out of the wood. They make a great) noise as the little boys and girls go clattering about. In Italy the little girls sometimes wear pattens. These are made of wood and are like the soles of our shoes : a strap is nailed on and this is used to keep the pattens on. But even with tlie strap, it is rather hard to keep them on until you are used to them. THE STRAY CAT. “ I don’t think Pink would like it,” said Ursula. “ I shouldn’t care what Pink thinks,” said Humfrey. “ Pink is a very silly cat.” “Oh, Humfrey!” said Christopher. “ I don’t think be is a very silly cat, he’s only rather silly.” “ Perhaps Jemima will bite it,” said Ursula. “ Oh, no! Jemima is a dear pussy,” said Humfrey. “ T don’t think she could hurt much,” said Christopher. “1 wonder what Mother will say?” said Ursula. “ Oh. she likes cats,” said Humfrey. “ And this is such a nice one,” said (Jh.ristopher- “ But we’ve got three already,” said Ursula. “AY ell, four will be better than three,” said Humfrey. “Of course,” said Christopher. When the new cat was introduced into the nursery at tea time, Pink and Jemima didn’t scorn to mind and Sambo was only rather sulky, and IS [other said the-v might keeep if, so everything was all right, afier all. i They called it Jellicoe. I’m sure T don’t know why.