THE WENDY HUT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 145, 20 June 1936, Page 12

THE WENDY HUT

OUR CHILDREN’S CORNER

Dear Wendy,—There! With that first scratch of the pen a»»ay went the first, last, anti onh 1V36 r« , s'’Jutivn I remember making, “bcribo ’ was right in assuming 1 had made .>ue uncut the Hut’s page, but wrong as to its import. The resolution “Scrioo.*’ dear, was not to write every week or even to write sometimes, —it was to write not at all. And just see how I’m keeping it. Well, for this falling from grate, blame others. After weeks of not v’eldiug to temptation (or is it months', and let me say here and now that the temptation was great, someone comes along and adds the last straw an 1 here I am, and awav has gone my good resolution to join other good resolutions gone west. So 1 am being nrssed. am I. Well. 1 should think it would be pleasurably, especially by vou. Wendy, dear. Gallons of ink did you say ( bad used? Fancv as much as all that and it has all swirled round and about you, beloved iady. As a matter <»f fact you have been wading through it r or >ears and when I determined you should not do so any longer along comes “.lust Blue Danube*’ and stars me oft* ad oxer again, and now goodness only knows what will happen. Shouldn't wonder if everybody isn't made b T a?ker than ink when it has started to flew again, after having been pent up so long. What a nightmare would be our Land of Make-believe peopled bv nigh four thousand “inkv imps,” wouldn t it? And a gav “ Madcap” gheiu'ly sending along a never-ending stream of inky fluid. T’would be wnr.-e than a road world, my masters. t would be a pitch black one. and one notto be ; trusted with myself in command. 4 probably make off with the “Padreand leave the others to their fate. On second thoughs I’m not -aie that 1 wouldn’t elm s to “Gran.lad.lv Jini. espeeiallv if Ills lucky star was in the ascendant. It would he ever so thnllin" to £0 soarin" with h.rr- But hol.i hard.- "l’ve just rememboied! He hasn’t got to soaring vet. At least 1 haven’t heard it said that he has grown wings, but I do know he runs because I have been told he has running shoes. Dreadful things with fearsome spikes, and I really thought he on'v had pussyfoot slippers or at worst just plain earpet ones, so perhaps it would be wiser to think matters over before finally deriding. “A True Friend’’ might not be a bad choice, but if a good guess was anyway near the mark, one might find oneself just one too many and last straws are apt to bring dire happenings in their wake. On the whole I think I ’ll just stik’k close to Wendy. Not one of the clan would let danger come near her if they could prevent it, =o 11 keep just a\ close to her as I can get. And Aow cheerio, dear leader and Ites all More next week. As of yore. lo'- ■ ngly yours.—“MADCAP. ’’ C.S.W3I. ■■WHAT'S HAPPENED TO SOME OF THE HUNTERVILLE ITES,” SAYS "GRETA GARBOENE.” Dear Wendv.—At last, after a long absence, 1 have decided to write ami apologise, but I have been extremely busy "lately. Wendy. I wonder whatever has happened to some of the Hunterville Ites lately.’ What about you. “Veiled Princess, and ‘"Laughing Lizzy”’ Although, maybe, you have visitors perhaps, you may be able to spare a moment or two to drop us a line. “Ginger Rogers.' and “Stella, where have you been hiding all these weeks! What has the weather been like in Wanganui. Wendy? We have had several horribly cold frosts here. “Poultry Maid.” since you have left vour situation I thought perhaps you might find time to write us a line or two. Well. Wendy, as news is scarce 1 must Mose now. Best of love. I our true-blue He. - “GRETA GARBOtiNE. ” Hunterville. Manv thanks for you: splendid surprise, dear. It is jolly to have a letter from at least one of our Hunterville /dan this week. I think the old Witch must have them all locked away surely. The weather, until recently, has been splendid.—Wendy. NOTICE BOARD “Miss Itangiwahia. ” —Please read “The League of Three’s ’ letter when publi.dhcd. “Raniora Girl’’ and “Sunshine <ussie.”—Will vou please read “The League of Three’s” letter re message for you both!

“BUT EVERYTHING COMES TO AN END.” SAYS “RINTY.” Dearest Wendy,—Here is the truant Ite, “Kinty, ” once again seeking adrnisison. Perhaps you will close the ever-open door against me this time, but (’ll risk it. What sort of weather are you having? Wc have bad a spell of over three weeks’ fine weather up here, so I expect we’re due for rain at any time now. The nights are misty ami frosty, but the days are gloriously fine. One would almost be deluded into thinking that Dame {Summer was with hs once again, were it not for tin* fain; lang of winter. What did you do with yourself at Easter.’ J guess that’s :i long time to think back, but I’d like to tell you what we did. A friend and I rode over to spend Easter Monday night with our neighbours—a distance of 10 miles there. The day was glorious and we rode up hill and down dale, through virgin bush, fern and scrub, and after crossing two swing bridges over a pretty pebbly river we finally arrived at our destination. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, and left earlv the following afternoon for hc-me. My word. J was stiff and sore after the * tong ride, and it was some days before . I finally recovered. The next item of interest was the term holidays, which I went only too quickly. I went home ■via Raetihi, and we went to the pie- ! ture quite often and I saw ail my old I friends. But everything comes to an i ind. and May 25 saw me bound f-.r J Kahura once again. I ’ll try to pop in | again next Letterland Day. Boat loads |of love.—From “RINTY,” M.W.L.. * Wanganui River. I So pleased, dear, to have your wel- • come letter to hear you fare well. The [ weather has ben exceptional, but re- • eently Old Man Winter has made up I for all the sunny days. Oh. but what a long, long ride. However, the jolly time you spent compensated for the I subsequent discomforts. —Wendy.

A/d Dear Children, Can you imagine il! To-morrow will be the shortest day! June 21. Half the year gone and Monday will see us commence our journey through Time towards the beautiful Spring and Summer We all love so well. Coupled with the chronicling of half a year sped by will also be u great event, the celebration of His Majesty's birthday on Tuesday, which day will be one of merry-malting and rejoicing throughout the British Empire. It is the first occasion upon which Ills Majesty Will receive birthday wishes from his subjects as their King, and a right royal day it will be. It is with fervour that we send to our King our wishes, too, for Many Happy Returns of the Day. I am al the moment reminded of a lovely little story I recently read about our Knig, and I was so impressed by it that 1 am going to tell il to you now—“He brooked no patronising manners from the ranch hands, insisimt o-oiirn into the fields and working as hard as any of them—and lie tame iiTas tired as the others, but happy. Every window in his living Oimrters was kept open, lie was out of bed every morning at 6.J0 ami was shaved, bathed, dressed, and ready for breakfast at seven. llis morning meal consisted of grapefruit or oranges, oatmeal, sometimes a soft-boiled egg, toast, and coffee. He is a great believer in the wholesomeness of fruit. Canadian neighbours sent him several barrels -.-I them He kept a barrel of apples standing in the hallway where every bodv eould help himself. Apples took the place of pie and pastry in his men'll, ami invariably as he passed through the hall he would pick up an apple anti eat il. I “Often before breakfast he would go out to the barn and perform some manual labour. One morning, a ranch hand had started washing one of two champion Durham bulls, spraying the bull with water from a hose The bull did not take kindly to the cold shower, and began t . circle round a post to which it had'been tied, avoiding the water and I making the task difficult. ••Here give me the hose,” said the man who is now King ot l-.ng land. -I'li wash him—you get on the other side and stop him from 1 turning. ’ i “And together the future King of England and the ranch hand washed the bull, in the process of which the future King was Jiberally soused with water and smeared with dirt from the barnyard. Still ccr. • ered with the grime of bull-washing, he went over to the silos, where ranch hands were unloading green fodder from a wagon, climbed to the top of the havrick, and with a pitchfork worked with the rest of the hands until-the fodder was all unloaded and placed in the silos. When he wasn’t performing some manual labour on the ranch, he was riding lin’d over the plains, following the hounds in a coyote chase —and he rode as recklesslv and celled as loudly as the most confirmed broncho buster in the gang'.’ And' even with all that hard work.and outdoor exercise, he never failed to go through a course of setting-up exercises morning ami evening—as he explained it, ‘Just to keep his body tuned up.’ ’’ How very delightful and it serves in its simple narration Io portray His Majesty s character that fils him to be our King and ruler of our great and glorious Empire. It is with a deep sincerity I say, “Long Live the King. Long May He Reign!" Well, dears, just before you go to your games 1 want you to meet once again our old and faithful lie, “Orient.’ A glimpse at his letter will explain In's absence during the years and the desire to renew old acquaintances and memories. A thousand Welcomes to you, “Orient ’ of our Old Brigade. ' All my love and Irisscs to each and everyone from your affectionate i r/e-nc/ij

TRUE BLUE ALL THINGS’’

Enter .

1.35)32 I “THE EOREST QUEEN’ 3933 ; ■•TIMOTHY TADPOLE” Dear Wendy, May L be a member oi your Hut? May 1 have the penname “Queen of the Fore.t?” 1 will tell you what fun we had during the holidays. .Some men left a lire burning in our paddock, and 1 went down to the cowbail and got some hay and made a big blaze. I remain, yours truly, “THE FOREST QUEEN.” Mata roa. Welcome to the Wendy Hut, my dear. How lovely of you to join our merry ranks of happy boys and girls. I am sorry but the pen-name is in use, >o X have chosen another for you that ! 1 am sure you will like. What fun you had with Qic lire.—'Wendy. | Dear Wendy,—l am writing to ask [yen if L may become a member of the Wendv Hut? May 1 have the penname, “Timothy Tadpole?’’ ; hope no one else has that peu-uame. We have been having line, days lately and our tanks are very low and the creeks have, not much water in t'lcm, cither. One day during the holidays some men left a fire burning in our paddu'ek. We got, an old (in, put some water and potatoes in it and waited till they were boiled. When T tasted them thev were horrible because they had no salt in them. I remain. yours trulv.— “TIMOTHY TADPOLE,"” Mataroa. Welcome to the Wendy Hut. mv dear. I am ever so pleased to have vou in our ranks. You may have the penname you have asked for. We have ilmd quite an amount of rain la.telv here, oh. yp>, it would have been much betj lPr it you had roasted the potatoes in the embers of the fire instead of boiling them.—W’endy. I “IT IS JUST LIKE SUMMER | WEATHER,” SAYS “SHAMROCK SUE.” Dear Wendv, — I am writing to tell) you what 1 did during the holidays. Ono night the .stationmaster rang up to say that my cousin in Oliura was coining to spend the holidays with me. When I heard that [ was "very excited. We had good fun, too. I’at and I rode my horse. On the way out Pat was car-sick. I was very sorry when Pat went. The weather was lovely when she was here. The sun is out and the sky is clear here to-day. It is just like summer weather. I must close now. Love to all the lies and yourself. I remain, yours truly. “SHAMROCK •SUH,” Taihape. Oh, but how excited you must have been when your cousin arrived for lira holidays. I expect you were verv sorry when the time came for Pat to ,e--turn home. We have had lovely weather too, until recently, when" there has been quite an amount of rain Wendy. I

“I WAS QUITE FRIGHTENED ' • WHEN I DROVE A LOCOMO- I TIVE FIRST TIME,” SAYS I “BEETLE BILLY’’ Dear Wendy,— I am writing to tell • you about the locomotive at the mill. One glif the engine was late home, I and it was shooting sparks out of its funnel. Down at the bush the mud covers the truck wheels and the loco motive has to puli very hard tv get , them out. The men are shifting the skids. A lorry is carting logs from the same bush as the loco. I was quite frightened when I started driving the ioconiotive for the first time. The in’ll isn’t working now, because there are not enough logs. I had better close my letter now, Yours truly, “BEETLE BILLY,” Koeke. Of all engines I expect a bush loco- , motive is about the hardest worked, for the conditions are not like those of the engines that work upon good permanent ways. Yes I. expect you ( were indeed nervous when you had control of the locomotive for the first time. Most folk would be. —Wendy, *

“FETERWAZO” SPENDS HAPPY HOLIDAY AT LEVIN Dear Wendy —How are you and all the other Ites? 1 have been for a holiday at Levin and haw just returned home again. Each week 1 used to go to the pictures and follow up the serials. You can guess I wanted Saturday to conic round quickly so that 1 could go ,to the pictures and see what happened to the chaps in each week s serial. Well, Wendy f 1 have not much news this time, so cheerio.— PETERWAZO/’ Nukumaru. How nice to go for a holiday to Levin, dear. J see you spent a wonderful time while there, too.. 1 like Levin very much.—Wendy. “MY AUNTY WAS AS GLAD AS COULD BE,” SAYS “TE ARAHAPE ’ ’ Dear Wendy,—l am writing to tell you about the drive 1 went for on Sunday. We went to pay my two aunts, one in Taihape and the other in Ohutu. a visit. Aly father drove us to a long bridge and then another man drove us to my aunty's place. When we reached there my little cousin came to the door. When my aunty saw us she was glad as could be. Love.—From “TE ARAHAPE,” Koeke. How lucky you were to pay your two aunties a visit. I expect you played great games with you cousin. My goodness, but hasn’t the weather been cold, too? —Wendy. “QUEEN OF THE BUNNIES” AT TENDS TO WINTER SUPPLY OF FIRING Dear Wendy, —How are you keeping? I am going to tell you about a day’s cutting wood with the saw and engine. On Sunday my lather and brother started up the engine and I went out to split the wood and put it in the shed. From the moment they began they made a big noise. All day I cut the wood until L filled the shed. I cut wood for the fire for the mornings and put the rest in the other woodshed. The wood is easy to get as we do not have to buy it. I suppose you have to? Well, 1 must close now. ‘ Love—From “QUEEN OF THE BUNNIES,” Koeke. My word how busy you have been cutting all that, wood up. I will have to have you here in the Hut to attend to our supply, Loo. In the city, dear, firing m always a problem. When the weather h so cold one must have a fire ail day, especially if one is at work indoors.—Wendy. “THERE HAVE BEEN LOTS OF ' FROSTS UP HERE.” SAYS “FANTAILITE” Dear Wendy,—l hope you are well. There have been lots of frosts up her<*. “Tomtititc” is knitting me. a dolly’s outfit, it is a nice sunny day. I put my dolls in. the sun for a while, i am going to ha\ c a ride on my pony. Good-bye, Wendy.—From “FANTAIL- ( ITE,” Koeke. Thank you, dear. I am keeping free from colds at present. It is a wonder, though, when Mr. ’Flu Germ is so ( busy. - How nice of “Tomtitite” !<;■ . make you some doll’s dresses. —Wendy.

“WE HAD QUITE A CIRCUS,” SAYS “BKuWN Dear Wendy,—Hon- arc you and all the lies poppu.g along) 1 kve babies 'ciy iiiutn and when my auntv came out with her little uno you can guess 1 was in my glory. Every mg. lt | took it lor a walk and when 1 picked ‘t u p it gurgled with delight. >.lr. Weaker Clerk has L-.-vn very kind to us lately, but some people are wishing he would send us ram as tueir tank" are empty. 1 forgot Io tell you that hist year 1 saw Madcap, ‘' out lam quite sure she did not know me. We liad quite a good cinus coming home from school. A boy was riding home when the girth of his saddle c line loose. The horse was struck »>n the Hanks by it and bucked an I then bolted. The boy fell off ami all ran to see if he was hurl, lie had on! . a scrati ned knur, so \»e were reiics ed , Aly uncre caught the pony and while another girl was putting <-n the saddle it got. away, too. After the horse was caught it was ridden back ami the boy got on again and rode home. Well, Wendy dear, I .<-.ippo.se I had better not use all the Hut pag-e, so J will leave oil. — I am. yours sincerely, “BLOWN BEk’KYITE,’’ Nukumaru. Ihe little mites are dears aren 'I they? The weather has bevn very wet here recently. Old Alan Winter could not leave us for long. “Aladcap" wi.l wonder how you recognised her 1 expect. i do hope no accident will occur With the hc-rsu-s. One must always be careful with them. —Wendy.