-DOESN'T IT SEEM LIKE OLD TIMES?” ASKS MADCAP.”

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 63, 14 March 1936, Page 12

-DOESN'T IT SEEM LIKE OLD TIMES?” ASKS MADCAP.”

Dear Wendy. —Well, here I am again and I’ll just address a few remarks to one I love* well. Now ! now, “Waybaek Liz.” seven-league bouts or running slippers did you say? Nothing so prosaic I do assure you. How should I hurry to greet you but on the wings of loie? Nothing else could bear me quickly enough. I*m g*ad you don t believe in running shoes as a means of castigation. I don’t like the look oi them at ail, I’d much prefer “Grandaddy’s,” but I hope he doesn’t take it into his head to buy a new pairXvhen I am due for a “hiding.” Gracious, but our Hut is getting some shocks lately. I myself, have been hardly able to keep my feet under n.e. As one after the other of our Old Timers conics trooping in. I wa< quite stunned when I caught sight of ••S-riho and I d just got my breath when along comes “Blue Danube.” Hello, old timer, "reelings to you. Tis not only “Hasbeen’’ and ‘Old Maid who is glad to see yon. I’m another of our clan almost “fly” with delight. Doesn’t it seem almost like old time*.’ }ou are almost ‘‘twin-” no waren’t you, and 1 think it is great that you are for “Ju*t Blue !Danui»e” is a leg asset to our r’an. In fact. 1 think we can boast some wonderful writers among our clan and we ought to br very proud of them. I know I am. and I do not think anv other children’s page ■•an boast .»f such as ‘Old Gran.’’ “Hut* Padre.” “Pefe r Pan 11.” “<»ld Ben,” “Another Mysterv.’’ ** S-- r ibn. ‘Wanderlust.’’ “Just Blue Danube” and ho.*ts of other.-. Im not -ur»> 1 «*ould say where “Seribu” had got to unless he was deputising for Santa That would account for string and untidy parrels, or he might have got into the mail room at t'hrtstmn*. or into the Land nf Make-believe wh®t» •’ “Wind” is in a frolic. I hn-e mo: »!ered of late whv your gay citv hs* be«n such an wfomGr tble place, ’ thought Wellington windy but Wanganui would be hard to beat. ( nid to gn minus a hat often when th-*n. <»t !x a week ago I got mt hat hlo« : »ft ;n the Avenu**. and I .p>*t about !o*t my smile as weH- So vou I think vou arc wrong .ib-'tit that Ki-*s being in mv cap. I ■ •*"• *n *lon t wra» onp or a hat mthnr. I k-’ a jood ■•lo--25 well as rhe npx- one. but I hate to stalk about with *'»rd‘ up to my th* Wind” is round about. Vou d’dn’t know I was -ojon-ning in vou? citv quite a lot htPiv did you. ■•W*»ndv’“ I went sw-imming in your bath« and surfin" m vnnr sea—and my goodness I did get tossed about. One big wa' e swirled me r..nnd about and know. An octopus nr ” seaserpent. I shouldn’t wonder, bin when I got di.*entangled and looked up I saw a blond giant in blue togs gazing down at me unbelieving!v. I evidently w.'i*n’» what hr e\pr« ted to .-ee at all from the way he looked you’d have thought I was a gold fish nr a shritrp. the latter pro!' ably ad I know I felt most like one in size and colour. “The sea is rather rough.’ I remarked tentatively bv way •»' apology. ‘lt is a bit that way.’ offhandedly. as if fhe fault was all tn : ne, then suddenly thr blond giant grinned —and did it quite pleasantly and I felt a'most like a gold fish again. But though I did tho-c things I did not camp out tn the rain, but I believe I would have liked to, had opie»rtnnitv offererl. Wendy dear. I couldn’t help smiling when I rend your account of ymir night out ip the operi with naught but the sky above, but I envied you. too. I wish I could get caught just like that. Think how thrilling? \nvone can sleep out when its line, and there is nothing to say about it, but when vou v.ake before even th‘* sparrows are thinking of it and find nothing but a watery waste am! “sploggy” ground, think of how you can boast about it afterwards. What soaked pyjamas and flirty feet when you can sit round a cheery fire later on and tell all your stay-at-home friends how vou ramped out in teems of min, that flooded your tent and washed you out of bed in the murk of early dawn and how you had to wade through bog to safetv and comfort. I do wish I had been there. If it ever happens again we’ll go and rake *’ Hut’s Padre” along. He’ll keep us from using language we shouldn’t. I know. Won’t you, “Hut’s Padre,” dear? I liked youY story. Our page is rich in stories lately, isn’t it? Good reading for young and o’d. L wish, while the Old Brigade members come drifting in that “Just Derry” would come along, too. She was a gav spirit and lovable. Now. Wendy Dear, I know you will worry when you get this and wonder why I couldn’t have a little more sense and stay awav longer. The.-e cold nights you could light your study lire With all this. 1 *,] love to turn into dancing flames in front of you, and watch all mv s-ribbling twisting about. Well, dear Leader, enough is as good as a feast and this is more than enough. Cheerio till next time. Wendy o’ ours, and ail of the best to vou and all of our clan.— From “MAD CAP.” C.N.W.M. Oh, dear, you say you prefer “Grandaddy’s shoe when due tor a * spanking ’? f have just found out hv judicious enquiry that he has those large spikes in them, ft appears he still has them as momentoes of his athletic days! What is our city thinking of to greet you, when you ‘come to town’, in such a wintry fashion? We’ll have to have things put to rights, for Wanganui must never bp likened unto Wellington for its excellence of wind. Just a whisper! Prepare yourself for a great surprise. I cannot tell you in what manner. f»ur “Seer” has looked within his mystic crystal and he sees groat things for yon there, so be prepared, won’t you?—Wendy.

“I REALLY CAN’T MAKE UP AN EXCUSE,” SAYS “STELLA.” Dear Wendy,—Hallo Ites! You and your Leader will al! be wondering whatever has happened to me of late. Well, you will just have to keep pondering as I really can’t make up an excuse this time, but I am awfully sorry I haven’t written for a while. Never mind, better late than never, isn’t it, Wendy? Whatever has happened to all •»ur Ites? I suppose they are too interested in the swimming baths etc. 1 am lying out in the sun in my bathing ; costume at present, as I was thinking about going for a swim, bqt if I get down there and see the “Poultry Maid” ami her “Admirer” I might fall in with fright or perhaps I might see that dreadful “P.D.F.D.” coming along to play handkerchief rescue with the “X-Bar Ranger” and a few others. Well “Ginger Rogers,” you are going to get a real spanking when “Our Shepherd’s Bride” catches you for roaming in the square, with that ‘‘Shepherd Boy” of hers. “Green Linnet,” although you are many miles away from our district you haven’t any rea <on for not writing. Come on, “Shepherd’s Bride” it’s high time you dropped us a line, don’t you think? If vou don’t hurry up and appear in our ranks I will send the “Shepherd Bov” after you ami see if he can coax you in. I think I saw “Kelly the Great” at the Circus and he/she enjoyed it very much, if 1 am not mistaken. What ever has happened to you. “Kelly,” you haven’t appeared in our Hut pages for ages? Well, Wendy, you can clearly see I am not in the mood for writing letters, can’t you? Comp on Huntervillc ‘Mothers’ I think T wili I have to send you luu-k to school for not being able to discover my identity I before this. I really didn’t expect to | remain a mystery as long as I have and ll’ve given »*on several good clues. Well, Wendy dear. I will have to fly and get ‘ som work’ done as my paper is getting scarce. Cheerio for now.— From “STELLA.” Huntervillc, Yes, dear. It is always better late than never at al], and 1 am so happy to have your welcome letter to-day. T ’ expect our Huntervillc •dan are enjoyI ing what litt Ip sunshine there is before the dark days of winter arrive. I wonder who will bp the Irsf tn discover I your identity?—Wendy. “IT IS SIMITAR TO JUMPING OUT OF THE FRYING PAN INTO THE FIRE.” SAYS MISS RANGIWA HI A.” | Dear Wendv, —Have you the tiniest space for this naughty, truiant- Ite? I I knew vc-ur forgiving heart wouldn. I I cOT’demn me although I do need fteve.-e j punishment! Ah! it does feel good to I t>e in your mdd-t again and to recogI nise so many old fellow Itec, tc-o. Woa! “ Madcap” please don’t shake my hand off —much as 1 appreciate your en--1 thusiastie welcome. It would be a cataMruphe if my right band was put out of action, as 1 haven’t, the gift of writing cleaily with my left hand ’ yet. How good I will have to be in ■ future, to make up to you all for all this welcome I am receiving. Another one of those resolutions ot mine, but this time I hope ♦€• live up to it. Did ! iou 3rk where have I been hiding n\ v >ejf of latv ? Kight hc r c, >n the ever “wintry v-ilds”- at least -Mr Weather < b>rk »> treating these parts as such. Now, dear Mr. Weather Cierk are you being reaily and truly fair to us these last two months? Wendy is such a I'ogiving loader that I am sure I. will have t«» follow her good example, and ' do like wise. Yer, I am really forgiving vou, for sending us such weather. Maybe ifr really is through no intended action on yb-ur part. I will even offer vou mv help, frjo collect up these runtiwav storm demons. I*ll tell you l what, if I catch them now will you I premise to keep thorn under Jock and ' key for Easter? Good it. is a bargainNothing will daunt, me from capturing r th. m now. I really must tell you, dear leader »hat about a little over a month ago I had the pleasure of meeting ■ •• Rainbow Fairy” in the flesh. Sure ■ it was a. surprise to us both. I wonder whore the Ohakune Ites hide lately W-'ti'lv ? They are very tew anti far . between Ihese (lay>. If the Old Witch . has them in her dutches 1 am in I s' .Uj.athy with them as 1 know how she ■ treats those she captures. My! When i one hails from the Hawke's Bay district nJ takes up their abode in t-he King Country- heights, it is similar to t jumping out of the frying pan into the I tire in the opposite sense. One of - those storm demons. 1 am after the I wind demon namely,—played great - game.- with the Hawkes Bay district i last month didn’t he? He is here outside to-night, so 1 am going to try my I skill in enticing him into my clutches. • Wendy, 1 wonder if you could obtain 1 me pen-friends in these countries: ’ Scotland and some of the Islands? I ■ received a verv interesting letter from a pen-friend in South Africa last week, 1 ami it is such fun receiving overseas 1 mail. I think. The other day 1 took • it upon myseif to bath our pet dog *| “Peter.’’ 1 called him in vain, but no 1 1 response. He was too clever for me . j and kepi quiet. Nevertheless, I found I him ami gave him his promised bath. | I then tied a bright ribbon around hie 1 neck with some flowers as a collar. ‘ He looks a trick at any time, but he did look a real ladies’ dog that time. • Talk about the doggies in Mirth Circus. I believe “IK’ter” would have been taken for one of them. I really ! must close now, dear Leader, so with all the best of wishes to you ami my ; fellow Ites I will ray Au Revoir. Your . loving Ite “MISS BANGIAVAHIA, M.W.L., Ohakune Junction. Have I room for you? Let me see. Whv, nf course, there is plenty right * next to “Madcap’s.” No, perhaps * you had better sit next to “Just Blue ' Danube’’ for she has not met vou jet. ; The summer has been dreadful gvn- ’ erallv. hasn’t it? How lovely to meet ) *‘R.F..’’ I’ll see if I can find pen-pals 1 for vou.—Wendy. ) •TWO GROWN SISTERS,’” BUDGET OF SURPRISES. 1 IDear Wendy,—Rat-a-tat-tai! please 1 let the “Two Grown Sisters” in. Me hupe you and all the Ttes are well. We went for a swim yesterday. M e saw “Cuddle” at the circus with “Stella.’ “Hairy Goat,” we heavi you have been staying a week-end with Hairy Goat’s Brother.” “Mother of Four,’ you were looking fine in Wanganui lasi week. “Laughing Lizzy,” we hardly recognised you in those “slacks.’ “Shepherd’s Bride,” we saw you talk s ing to the “Shepherd” at the sports i I hope we hear c rom more Ttes in this tow*:. <’heerio, Wendv.—From “TWi * GROWN SISTHRS, ’ Hunterville. j ( h. yes. please come in and sit hen rw a- the fire, for I am sure vou musl I le cold. The weather has been really , dreadful for swimming, hasn’t it' Why if all you write is true you have out-detertived our detectives, indeed!