WELCOME IN

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18959, 4 January 1930, Page 18 (Supplement)

WELCOME IN

PEN-FRIEND WANTED.

Will girls about thirteen or fourteen years please write to Myrtle Woodward, care of N. C. Papi, B.N. Rly. R.S., Bilaspur C.P., India.

Joyce Gosset (Woolston). Stella Edgar (Linwood). Patsy Donnelly (City). Bernie Donnelly (City). Olive Nuttridge (Opawa). Lola Sergison (Lyttelton) Stella Edgar (Linwood). Patsy Donnelly (City). Bernie Donnelly (City).

IF THEY WOULD ONLY TELL Where, oh where, do you suppose The little countryside wild rose Buys its gown So far from town? China-silk it looks to me, Just the sort made o’er the sea, Treasure sent From Orient. And though pansies live in town When do they select each gown Rich and rare That they wear? Never have I seen them stand At the velvet counter grand, Select the best And leave the rest. And yet pansies wear each day Velvet dresses for their play, Quite as fine As party time. And the dandelion lass That in summer days we pass llow does she Get caps, tell me? In what milliner’s do they Have fringed tarns so very gay And of gold To be sold? All the flowers seem to keep* Wardrobe secrets very deep, But how fair The clothes they wear.

ARABELLA AND JOSEPH HAVE A MOTOR RIDE. Now it happened that Uncle John, who was very good about making presents, had recently given his nephew, little John, a toy automobile truck, which could be wound up with a key, and then it would go round and round and round until it ran down. And it was not many days afterward, when Uncle John was sitting by the fire after supper, that little John came and stood by one knee, and his sister Katharine came and stood by the other. “Oh, Uncle John,” said little John, “do you suppose you could tell us a story about my new motor-truck?” “I might,” said Uncle John. "And my toy monkey Josephus,” said little John. “And my rag doll Arabella,” said Katharine. “Once upon a time,” said Uncle John, “there was a beautiful rag doll named Arabella, and a noble toy monkey named Josephus who lived in the same playroom and were the best friends you can imagine. Although Arabella and Josephus enjoyed being played with by children, they always looked forward to the time when the children were in bed and they could play with each other. “And so it happened that one night when the children were in bed Josephus said to Arabella, ‘Arabella, have you seen the new motor-truck that his generous and thoughtful uncle has just given little John?’ “And Arabella said to Josephus, ‘I have, indeed. It is a beautiful motortruck, and oh, what a splendid uncle those children have! Do you think we could take a ride in that motortruck ?' “‘I don’t see why not,’ said Josephus. ‘l’ve been watching them make it go. If you hold it -while I wind it up, and then I hold it while you get in, and then I get right in quick myself, it will go round and round and we can have a fine ride.’ ” “I’ll give Arabella and Josephus a real ride to-morrow,” said little John. “There’s just about room for them in the truck.” “TJiat’s what they found out,” said Uncie John. “Arabella held the truck so it couldn’t start till she let go, and Josephus wound it up with the key, which was quite a job, and when he got it wound up Arabella had all she could do to hold it. Then Josephus held the truck, and Arabella climbed in and made herself comfortable. And then Josephus jumped in quick, and sat down on the seat, and grabbed the wheel, and away the truck went.” “I guess it was pretty exciting for Arabella,” said Katharine. “Arabella fairly held her breath,” said Uncle John. “And round and round and round went the truck. Don’t you think we’re going pretty fast. Josephus?’ said Arabella. “ ‘We are, Arabella,’ said Josephus. ‘We’re going faster than I expected.’ “‘Can’t you stop it, Josephus?’ said Arabella.' “ *No, Arabella,’ said Josephus. ‘Nothing can stop it. It must go round and round in a circle until it runs down.’ So the motor-truck went round and round in a circle. “ ‘Do you think it will gc round and round all night, Josephus?’ said Arabella. “ ‘No, Arabella,’ said Josephus. ‘lt is going round and round longer than I expected. But be calm. If we hold tight and stay in, this motor-truck will go slower and slower.’ “‘I hope so, Josephus,’ said Arabella. "So Josephus and Arabella held tight, and the motor-truck went round and round and slower and slower and finally stopped. “ ‘That was a fine motor ride, Josephus,’ said Arabella, ‘but I really didn’t expect it to go so fast.’ ”