WELCOME IN

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20541, 16 February 1935, Page 22 (Supplement)

WELCOME IN

KENNETH JACK, 10, Everard Street, Spreydon. MELVA HU MM, Orari Bridge, Geraldine. ALEX ROBB, 581, Main South Road, Hornby. GWYN GILMER, Clifford Street. Blackball. ARMSTRONG, Michael Street, GRAEME STUART M’NAUGHTON (Amberley). PAUL CAFFIN (3, Stratford Street, Fendalton). RONALD BARLTROP (Rolleston Street, Hokitika). EDITH EILEEN EDER (293, Linwood Avenue, Linwood). JOHN GUTHRIE (9. Carlton Mill Road, Fendalton). MAUREEN SHELLEY (25, Warrington Street, St Albans). GUY MANNERING (10, Tui Street, Fendalton). JOY MANHIRE (33, Rata Street, Riccarton).

ANNIE’S LITTLE FRIEND. A TRUE STORY. One chilly autumn afternoon in Boland a thrush flew in at an open window, possibly seeking shelter from the storm.

Little Annie was sitting at the table trying to write large letters in a copy book. She was so engrossed in her work that she did not at first notice the bird, but after a while, when it began to fly about the room, it caught her attention, and lifting her rosv little face she looked with astonishment at the uninvited guest. The thrush must have realised that here was a friend, for it gradually hopped nearer and nearer until it perched close beside her. It looked curiously at the copy book, and then at Annie, twittering, as if to say: “I leel that \ r ou like birds. How nice that I should have come to visit you I am sure we shall become good friends. I see you are learning to write. Perhaps I can learn at the same time, for I am an ignorant little thing.” Just, at that moment Annie’s mother came into the room and was very surprised to find her little daughter enjoying a conversation with a bird! Peti, as Annie called the little thrush, soon felt quite at home wit-h his new friends, and would fly about the room, and even make occasional excursions into the open air for a few hours at a time.

A basin of clean water was kept on the ground for Peti’s special use, and he would splash about in it to his heart s content, chirping with pleasure, and spraying the water this way and that until not a drop was left in the basin, and the floor looked like £ small lake!

When Peti had finished bathing, Annie would roll him up gently in a bath towel till only his merry little eves and his beak were visible, and while he was drying she would sit close beside him and entertain him with little stories in case he might feel lonely. Then she would unroll the towel and watch him preen his feathers until he looked the smartest thrush in Poland.

\Y hen Annie had her afternoon nap Peti would perch on her shoulder and sleep too; and at four. when her mother brought in the meal, he would pick up the crumbs from the table, and sometimes dig his beak into Annie s piece of bread and butter and tear a piece out of it! This always seemed to give him great delight. With all his charms Peti had one fault—he was inclined to be greedy. When dinner was being prepared he would hop on to the table, snap up a piece of food he liked, and fly with it to a place of refuge high up above the range. He seemed to think he had accomplished something worthy of praise, and would chatter gayly, as if to say: “Now try and catch me if you can ! ” Peti was very anxious to everything, and always took a great interest in the copy book, although he did not understand what was in it. He also took an interest in needlework, and especially liked the workbox with its coloured cottons and silks. One day Annie’s mother said to her: “Tidy my workbox for me, dearie.” Annie always enjoyed doing this, for like Peti she loved the gay colours. So she quickly tum V-ed the contents of the box on to the floor, and sitting down beside them began to place them tidily in the box again. And, of course, Peti came to help. Annie was so deep in her work that she did not notice what Peti was doing until she became aware of an excited chattering, and looking up she saw her dear little friend so tightly rolled round and round with threads that he could not move. Annie called her mother to come quickly, and soon Peti was a free bird again. To-day Annie is a big school girl, and often has difficult sums and other work to do in the evening. And, somehow. though she cannot quite say why, it all gets done more easilv and quickly if Peti is perched on his favourite corner of the table close by her side. A FLOWER. My first is in stop, but not in go. My second in pay but not in owe. My third is in down, but not in up. My fourth is in saucer, but hot in cup. My fifth is in eye, but never in ear. My whole is a flower, pretty and dear. Answer: Pans)'. A GOOD CATCH. Try this on your chum. Say: “Two men went into a greengrocer’s shop; one asked for two pounds of apples and one pound of pears, and the other for one pound of apples aefid two pounds of pears. How could the greengrocer tell that one was a policeman? ” Your chum will be puzzled and if he gives it up. you tell him the answer: “ By his uniform.”