THE WENDY HUT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 204, 29 August 1936, Page 12

THE WENDY HUT

OUR

CHILDREN’S CORNER

My dear Children, I may say that to-day 1 am completely overwhelmed by the progress our New Membership Campaign is making. Already our numbers have been swelled to 3960, and to-day, as a result of further enrolments, I can announce the grand total of 3973, which is most gratifying indeed. Our workers who are eligible for the grand prizes to date are:— Girls’ Division: “Strangers Grandaughter” (8); “Mother Hen" (6); “Sunshine Smiles" (4); "Kate Kelly” (1). Boys’ Division: “Happy Boy” (2). I wonder what our Index will reveal next Saturday? What a wonderful week of surprises this is for you all. In another column you, no doubt, have already discovered a character who is a great screen favourite with all boys and girls and I want as many as are able to enter in this “Popeye the Sailor” Colouring Competition. I know a large number of our country lies will not be able to enter, but every boy and girl, whether a member of our Hut or not, and who is within reach of the Regent- Theatre, to see what they can do with our friend, “Popeye.” I am sure some clever pictures will be the result of your efforts. Before I pass on to other matters I want to take this opportunity to place on record, an appreciation of the care and choice shown by Mr. Ross Meikle, the very popular manager of the Regent Theatre, in supplying programmes especially for our young folk. I feel sure this consideration meets with, and has the united approval, of all who have and work in the best interests of the educational welfare of children at heart. The “Popeye the Sailor” Colouring Competition is sponsored by myself in an endeavour to assist Mr. Meikle in his campaign for success in the Paramount Week at present being celebrated, afid my sincere wishes go to wish him the best of luck.

Surprise of Surprises *JSETi\ JANE,” <>i OLD BRIGADE RETURNS AGAIN TO ( HAT. Dear Wendy, As I pen these tew lines io sou 'tis myself who breathes a silent prayer, in the hope that you are not troubled with a weak heart, because I am quite certain that on seeing who this is from you will get a tremendous shock. Wendy, dearest, thoughts crowd my brain of happy joyous days in the mirky past when I weekly knocked on the door of the Hut and begged admission to be seated therein, with crowds oi brother lies, presided over by our gracious leader. So. Wendy, if you can find it in your big loving heart to forgive a truant Ite and to welcome that miserable creature once more, tis my .up of happiness, that will be tilled to over flowing. Many things have happened since 1 wrote last. No! I am not married, though contemplating same! You will never guess who I met in town a fortnight ago. It was no other than oui “Red Island Rock, one of the Old Brigade! She is now married and has two children. By the way, “Wandering Rose,” I know you, so vou see I have been doing a little ictective work. I don’t know what Aunty,” and our “Madame X” must hink of me, but I haven’t written o them for ages, so long it has gone low. Wendy, that I am ashamed of myself and so I should be. Some time ago I met “Wood Violet” and her >ister in town <1 forgot her penname » and we had a little chat. Doesn’t time pass swiftly. Wendy? and how many of us who do not realise that the passing hours are a little nearer to eternity. Yes a little nearer to our great journey, from this world to the great beyond, and to the joys of paradise where night is not and one day is as a thousand years. How quickly we grow old W’endy. In years old. but how we can have a young heart, by interesting ourselves in the things around us and lightening the burdens of those less fortunate than we are. "For what you done to these my least brethren, you done it unto me.” The hand of the dock points to bedtime, so Wendy, a truant Ite will now conclude with an earnest prayer for forgiveness. W’ith all my love, your affectionate Itc--“BETTY JANE." Wendyhills. C.W.K. Marvellous! What a surprise indeed! I hardly dared believe my eye 3 to once again see you in our midst, dear. I had given you up for being completely lost. Fancy meeting dear old "Red Island Rock.” What a happy meeting. I’ve often wondered about her too. A truly noble quotation and one. if applied, does brighten the way ahead for those who are heavily laden. Will you pop in again soon? I don’t like to entirely lose con tad with all those who were with me in our Hut in the years that do seem so long ago. -Wendy.

BADGES— COULD WE POSSIBLY HAVE THEM?” ASKS “BROWN WALLFLOWER.” Dear Wendy,—l suppose you have forgotten that there ever was an lie by the name of “Brown Wallflower,” so do not be too surprised to hear from me. How have you been keeping lately. Wendy? We have had very changeable weather. One night it was raining at 11 p.m. and it was a heavy frost at 6 a.m. 1 suppose there are quite a few spring flowers out in 1 Wanganui by now. We have a few i primroses, but that is all. The bulbs are up but not near flowering. Have • you ever noticed that a lot of spring ■ flowers are yellow, daffodils, jonquils, i wattle and some cowslips and prim- • roses? My poor violets are struggling !to bloom. I’he other morning I went I round to see if there were enough to I pick and they were covered with ! snow. We intend holding a carnival •in Taihape in November—in aid of I the rest room. W’e have two candiI dates for queens Gown and country) i and we are all busy supporting our special queen. I saw "Rinty” in town ■ on Wednesday for the first time for ' ages. I suppose she is doing as much knitting as ever. I went for a ride ; to-night. My horse has not had much j work lately and is very fresh, so I had a good deal of work keeping her I under control. Isn't the war in Spain horrible? Do you think there ‘ will be another world war? It would I be horrible, wouldn’t it? The Olympic I Games are very interesting. Lovelock |is a very great runner. Wasn’t it ■ strange that the man who was third I beat his own world record, and even I then did not beat Lovelock? Every - • body round here was pleased to hear a New Zealander had won. Well, I I suppose your space is precious now, so j I'll close with the query: Could we I possibly have badges—not rosettes? i The badges like we used to have I am i sure ail the Ites would love to have I them and would be quite willing to | pay for them. Love —from “BROWN : WALLFLOWER,” M.W.L., Taihape. I What a tremendous surprise, dear, i to have your letter after such a long ; absence. What a hurculean task to ' provide sudi a quantity of afternoon I tea for your visitors. I hope the car- | nival is a great success. The Spanish 1 conflict is dreadful indeed, and from ; what one can gather it would seem i that another war of gigantic dimen- ■ sions is all but certain if the diplo--1 matic services of the nations fail in ; their work to preserve peace.— j Wendy. “RAY OF SUNSHINE’” ENJOYING HOLIDAY' ON FARM Dear Wendy.—Here I am again ■ writing to you. I have not written 1 for a long time because I have been j waiting for the school ball to be held. It was a week last Friday. I went as j “Folly.” Weeks before I was greatly i excited. We all had a good time, and I a good supper. We have our secondterm holidays now. I am spending ! them on a farm out in the country, i All the gardens are beginning to look Inice with the spring flowers. I like i the spring when all the trees get ;their leaves and fruit trees their I blossoms. From “RAY OF SUNSHINE." Marton. I lam really delighted, dear, to have iyour welcome letter, and so pleased ;to hear you sperjCwuch a wonderful jtime at the ball. Such jolly events, I aren’t they? I hope you are enjoy•mg your holidays. You must tell me •all about them later.—Wendy.

“WONDERS WILL NEViIK CEASE,” 1 SAYS “MOEKANGi.” Dear Wendy,—May 1 come in for a few minutes - .' I won’t sit down, 1 | can’t really stay. 1 see "Peter Pan II” has been inquiring after me, so 1 thought 1 would put in an appearance. You lucky Ite, “Peter Pan ll* to be tripping away up north like that. I can quite agree with you that Auckland is a wonderful city, but 1 Know nothing of the wonders of Rotorua as yet. 1 am still living in hopes of visiting there one of tnese days. I am hoping to visit “Joybells’ ” people, so 1 am already counting the weeks, till I board that tiring old train. I see my cousin “BuntyI ite,” paid you a visit recently. I may I be able to call in and see you “Buntyite” on my trip up north, but I won’t I make any rash promises yet. 1 am sure you could hardly believe your eyes when “Woodviolet’s Sweetheart” called in to see you, Wendy. Wonders will never cease, will they? I saw Two-gun Thomas” and our “Hut’s Jolly Nigger” last Sunday, the former has promised to pay you a call one of these days, so I thought I had better prepare you for the shock. I have just reminded ’ Star Caughey” that it is time he put in an appearance again. I often see my “Dear,” he is just a little box of tricks. Well, Wendy. I really must, be off. Love—from “MOERANGI," M.W.L. Letter land. < Oh, but I was hoping you could stay, dear. Never mind, next time - perhaps? “Peter Pan II" was lucky indeed to spend such a line holiday, | wasn’t she? I hope you will be able f to go north, too. Why, if our “Two gun Thomas” popped in I’d declare it 1 a half holiday!—Wendy. “‘MADCAP IS REALLY A MAR- < V EL,” SAYS “HYACINTH’’ Dear Wendy.—l will wonder greatly ’ it you don’t have a heart attack or something similar when you see your ' long-lost lie, “Hyacinth.” back again. Well, I wonder what has happened to all our Maxwell Ites lately? I think it. is time they woke up, don’t you? “Jim Browning,” I think you want to shake a little of your surplos off and pay us a visit, for I am feeling quite < at home by the Hut fireside, and there 4 is no reason why you shouldn’t also. "Hiawatha,” where have you got to? “Madcap” is really a marvel, isn’t she, Wendy? 1 would love to know where J she gets all her ideas from, but I suppose she is one whom the Creator I has especially favoured. The weather clerk gave us a wonderful surprise ( recently, for everywhere you could see a white mantle of snow. We had some wonderful fights, but I'll bet the clerk was chuckling to himself as he could sec us getting colder and colder. Well, dear leader .1 must close now and away to Blanketland. Your loving Ite. “HYACINTH,” Maxwell. My goodness, but. the surprises I’ve had, together with yours, almost overwhelms me, dear. It. would be very wonderful indeed if we could have visits from our old Maxwell It.es again, wouldn't it? “Madcap” is a gem as you say. Snowflghts are great fun indeed, until one goes down one’s neck, and then, oh’— Wendy.

“JOLLY GWEN” ANTICIPATES HAPPY TIME AT FANCY DRESS FUNCTION Dear Wendy.—Hero I come to. join our happy clan once more. 1 hope | you have not missed me. 7c had a I concert on August 14. There were j two plays, one called “The Magic | Wood,” and the other “The Pirate.” I | was Mary Gray in "The Magic Wood.” On August 7we are going to have a fancy dress ball at Pahoia school. I am going to be a paintbox, and my smallest sister is going to be a snowball. We nave our costumes for the fancy dress ball ready. —From “JOLLY GWEN,” Wendy Market. Why, dear, I did miss you, and wondered whatever could have happened to you. I hope the concert was a great success. The fancy dress dances are jolly events indeed, and looked forward to by everyone, aren't they? —Wendy.