THE WENDY HUT OUR CHILDREN’S CORNER

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 15, 18 January 1936, Page 12

THE WENDY HUT OUR CHILDREN’S CORNER

I A/y Dear Children,— Whatever can be the matter? Right in the midst of glorious sunny days a real deluge falls. How dreadful this sudden visitation must have been for holiday) folk who would be entierlv unprepared for its overnight surprise. Why, on Sunday no one would have dreamt that there Was even a shower within miles and I awoke with rain dripping upon my nose in the early hours of a grey Monday morning, for alas! and alack! f was camping out! My tent is only a fair-weather i contrivance, not designed for stormy conditions and the sudden realisation that the rain was just beginning to find its way through the thin canvas brought me to the hideous reality that I was almost wet through. I pulled back the flap of my tent and peered through the half-light al a world of rain-sodden verdue. Even the floor of my abode gave forth a squelch as I stepped out of the camp stretcher. I must confess that I Was, for a moment or two, unable to think, so overwhelmed was Iby I. the calamity. As my wits gathered themselves together and my mind . began to seek some way out of my dilemma I spied the car. Happy thought! There I had a suitcase and some dry clothing. How glad I was I had not bundled that into the ten, too. I dashed for the friendly shelter of the car, thanking the good providence that had counselled against leaving the hood down the evening before, and there I sat until as a very old rhyme has it: “Daylight should appear." Have any of you noticed just how dreary our world can look in the very early hours of a wet and grey, misty morning, before even the birds commence to sing? In the solitude of such I can assure you it presents a scene to make even a “Madcap" glum. Not possessing her bright optimism, under all conditions, I felt doubly so, and was ever so pleased when I could marshall my forces, such as they were, to fold up my tent, and Ike the Arabs, silently steal away. However, perhaps the rain that has come to stay, as it appears to have, will be a real blessing, even if it is in disguise, to the land, for 1 believe the countryside needed ’is cooling showers, and folk, whose tanks were down to the last inch or so, will bless its advent. However, all's well that ends well and just as soon as I can dry my tent, I'm off again to repeat the adventure of camping out. Now, I have something that is for our “Stranger's Daughter," who provided such wonderful prize-gifts for those who sent in stories having for their theme a good moral. This note from “Bush Fairy" conveys her thanks to you:— Dear IVendy.—Will you please thank “Stranger's Daughter" very much for the Xmas gift prize for me? I'm sorry I did not write before to thank her. I'm in a hurry now, so cheerio, Wendy. Lots of love to aII.—“BUSH FAIRY," Wanganui River. And now, while “Bush Fairy" sends her thanks, I must thank our worthy Ite for a wonderful present to me, too. Ido not know just how to than!? you, dear, “Stranger's Daughter," for your thought. Your gift came as a tremendous surprise and gave me great happiness. I shared it with Mr. Printerman, Sir Richard Elf and Sir Ernest Endeavour, who pronounced the contents nf that huge box as being simply delicious! In fad. Mr. Printerman, between munches, declared they Were, “scrumptuous"! I expect everyone will be puzzled to know what it was the gift box contained? It held an unique assortment of palate-tempting chocolates, and my very great thanks goes to you, “Stranger's Daughter," for your wonderful gift. May the golden thought that prompted your delicious surprise redound a hundredfold upon your own head. 1 his Week I seem to have been singled out for particular attention, for our ' Nil Dcsperandum" has sent me a huge slice of cake, together With one blue candle. Now, that can only mean that our Ite has had a birthday celebration and wishes me to share the joy of the happ\) event. I do, dear. /hl the tiny candle, ate the cake and Watched the candle burn to the last flicker in order to ensure that the good forune attached Io this ancient custom should not be unfulfilled. Ere I conclude, dears, I wish to announce the publication of a specially written story for our page next Saturday. It comes from the pen nf a friend of our Hut who lives m Palmerston North and is entitled A Beautiful Wayside Garden, and I am sure you will all love its beautiful lesson. AU mv love and kisses, from your ever affectionate —