JACKO HELPS TRADE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 71, Issue 291, 8 December 1928, Page 20 (Supplement)

JACKO HELPS TRADE

Jacko was very fonly of his mother. ( He hardly knew what to do v. ith himjself when she was laid up in bed for a. week with a bad cold. Belinda came in to help with tho housekeeping, but she took good care that the young rascal didn't go. round “Not if I know it!” she sa'd firmly when Jacko asked her for • jam tart. “Now then, out of the kitchen! I’m busy. ’ ’ Jacko ran upstairs, very glum. “The place is like a school," he told Mrs Jacko. “Well, I’m much better today,” said Mrs Jacko brightly, “and perhap.i I shall get up to-morrow—especially if my medicine does me good. Now be a good boy and take this prescription ■’dong to the chemist’s.” Jacko was off like a shot. The chemist put on his glasses to read the prescription. “I’m afraid 1 shall have to keep you waiting while I make it up.” he sain. “Oh, I- don’t mind waiting.” said Jacko jauntily. “I’ll look after you.’ customers for you.” “I hope you won’t do that.’’ .said the chemist, looking alarmed. ‘‘l’iea»e call me if anybody comes in.” Jacko did nothing of the sort. He was round behind the counter in a twinkling as soon as the chemist’s back was turned. “Now for some customers,” he said. And he wasn’t disappointed. A nurse, wheeling a very grand pe ambulatoi, suddenly stopped outside the shop. But the nurse didn’t want to buy anything. She merely brouj.Lt the baby into the shop to be weighed. “Just fancy, he’s gone down » pound,” she exclaimed, ‘-‘it must b« the hot weather.” “It doesn’t do to blame the weather for everything,” said Jacbo. looking \ery wise. ‘‘Just step on the scales yourself, Ma’am, and sec if you’ve lost weight too.” The iurse hastily popped the baby >n to a chair and stepped on to the scales. “Mercy on us!” she exclaimed. “If 1 haven’t put on . ady a tone! ” Jacko found it difficult to keep a straight face. The young rascal had picked up a heavy weight and popped it on the weighing-machine while the nurse wasn’t looking. “If you ask me. Ma’am,” he said, “things are very serious indeed. 1 advise you to give the child some of these crystals three times a day after meals.” And he held up a big bottle which was standing on the counter. But just at that moment in came the chemist, fairly bristling with rage. “I told you to call me if anybody camo in.” he said angrily. “What are you doing with those bath salts?”

Dear Wendy.—Here I am once more. T am ho sorry that I have not written for such p. long time, but I have been studying for my exam. When I sat for my exam I wa« in Standard VB. There were only three of uh and I came third. Although I did come third I beat all of Standard VAr. I am sending one hundred and twenty stamps along this week. On Thursday night we went to the flower show. When we arrived there were some girls dancing. We went upstairs to get a better view of the stage. After these girls had finished their dance, they w«nt off the stage. We did not have to wait long for on came the gymnasium girls. There were half a circle of girls who entered upon the stage from one side and another half from the other side. They were all dressed in little black tunics with a white stripe down each side. They had black stockings rolled down to their ankles and white tennis shoes. They looked very nice indeed. I wished you could have seen them. They did all sorts of exercises with clubn and dumb-bells and staves. They stood on their hands and walked aero*© the stage and turned somersaults in pairs, then they got down on their hands and feet, and walked across the stage. Their back* were facing the floor. To finish up with, three girls danced. They were dressed in green and yellow. After that we went downstairs and had a look round. First of all we went and got a sixpenny dip. I got a little wp» doll dressed in purple with lace round the sleeves and the bottom of the dresß.. It had a little hat of purple cotton cloth with, white lace round the edge. We did not dip the usual way, but we had to fish with a .proper fishing roil and line, and reel, but it wa* not a proper hook. Tt was one shaped like an “s”. Then we went and had a guess for the Christmas cake. We had to guess the weight of it. We were going round looking at the drawings when we met a girl with a big box of chocolates. We guessed for this, too. but did not get it. We had to guess how many little lollies were in a jar. Hard luck. We did not get any. Well, Wendy, I will close now, as I am taking up too much room, with love to all the Wendyites and yourself. —From “MARCH HARE,” Tutaenui. I am ho pleased you have written once .again, my dear. I am pleased you did ho well during the exam. Many thanks for the stamps. They are very welcome. How nice to watch the girls dancing at the flower show. It. must have Ix'en interesting. What a lucky dip. How unlucky yon were in the guessing competitions. Better luck next time. Thanks -o much for the sandwich recipe.—Wendy.

“STARS AND STRIPES,” Mangamahu. f am delighted to hear from you again, my dear. I am so very sorry to hear that you have been ill. I hope you are quite better now. 1 am pleased the names I gave you for the kitten and puppy were suitable. Oh. how sorry I am that your mother is in the hospital. I do hope to hear that she is soon well again. Let me know, won’t you? I am so glad you are able to stay with “Blanco-cito.” What lovely times you will have together. I love to watch the shearing. I have never pushed the sheep down in the dip, but I have seen them going through It. Oh, dear* Ho* funny the sheep must have looked as it turned a somersault in the dip. How dreadful they look after they come out, don’t they? I can just imagine how strict “Blanco-cito" can he. especially now that she is your nurse. Wendy.