CHILDREN'S CORRESPONDENCE COLUMN.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XIV, Issue VIII, 23 February 1895, Page 191

CHILDREN'S CORRESPONDENCE COLUMN.

Any boy or girl who likes to become a cousin can do so, and write letters to ‘ COUSIN Kate, care of the Lady Editor, Graphic Office, Auckland.' Write on one side of the paper only. All purely correspondence letters with envelope ends turned in are carried through the Post office as follows : —Not exceeding ioz, id; not exceeding 4oz, Id; for every additional 2oz or fractional part thereof, id. It is well for correspondence to be marked ‘ Commercial papers only. ’

Dear Cousin Kate.—l was awfully interested in this week’s Graphic about cousin Lou’s trip to Russell, as I myself was there about four years ago and know some of the places she mentioned. I stayed there six weeks so had plenty of time to see all its beanties, and was wondering whether she went to a lovely little place down the harbour called Tiki-Tiki-Oara. It is not quite so far as Opua, and you approach it by a tidal river. It is rather a hard place to get at, as you have to wait for high tide, and then paddle your boat up between tall mango trees. Tiki-Tiki Oara is a mountain, and is far higher than Flagstaff Hill < Russell), and there is a most lovely view from it. Travellers from all over the world say that it is one of the most glorious sights they have ever seen, there being dozens of little islands dotted all over the blue sea. We stayed there the whole afternoon, and had afternoon tea, and when we came down from the mountain we had to hurry very much because we thought the tide had turned, and in that case we would have had to stay there all the night, but it had not, so we packed up the remains of our picnic, and sailed home at dusk. There is also a very small island at Russell, called Mill Island, and from this island we got the largest oysters I have ever seen. The old church at Russell is one of the most historical in New Zealand, as the Europeans took refuge from the Maoris in it, and all its sides are marked with bullet holes. In the graveyard there is a splendid monument erected by our Queen to the memory of that grand old ghief Tamata Walker Nene, who fought so bravely for the Europeans. As this is my first letter to you, I am sure you will think it is quite a long enough one. Hoping you will have no objection to my becoming a cousin —I remain, your affectionate cousin, Clover. Auckland. P.S.—I went by your receipt for cream candy, but after boiling it for a whole hour it was no thicker than when I commenced. Can you tell me why ? [I am so sorry your candy was not a success. I must make some with careful measurements and see where you could have come to grief. I have several others, especially one for chocolate creams, which all read as if they would be excellent eating, but I must try them, and then I will put them in. To tell the truth, I did not personally try the candy recipe, but I was certain I could rely on my authority for it. Did you use crystallised sugar, and did you let a little bit drop into water to see if it was cooked ! All my other recipes say, *Do not stir after the sugar has melted.’ Did you stir yours? Your letter is a very interesting one. Have you a sketch or photograph of that quaint old Russell Church ? I feel quite proud of my cousins’ correspondence. What do you think of the puzzle column prize suggestion. If the cousins like the idea, I will oiler a prize as Cousin Laura suggests.—Cousin Kate.]

Dear Cousin Kate.—lt is a good while since I last wrote to you. I made a mistake when I last wrote. I mean I should like to see all of the cousins. Thank you for the badge ; I received it safely. No ; I have never tried to make jam, but my mother makes very good jam, and it is so nice. lam very glad that school has started again, are you ? Do you go to school, Cousin Kate ? I do. How old are you, Cousin Kate, if you do not mind telling me? I have written small this time. We had our Sunday-school picnic on the 29th of January, and it was so nice, and I enjoyed myself very much. Do you have to always wear the badge?—Your loving cousin, Jessie. Tuakau. [No, you need only wear the badge when you like, but whether you have it on or not, I hope you and all the cousins are kind to animals always. One of the cousins asks me how many members of the Humane Society there are ? Not nearly so many as I want to have. In order to get the badges done as cheaply as possible so as to be able to sell them at sd—postage Id—l had to get one hundred, and there are not more than a quarter taken up yet. However, I am hoping that when the cousins have recovered from the Christmas presents they will all buy badges. My lessons are all done at home and in the Graphic Office now, Jessie. They are not quite the same as yours.— •Cousin Kate.

Dear Cousin Kate.—l am ashamed of myself for allowing so many months to elapse betweeu this and my last letter, but ‘ Better late than never,’ I suppose. When we returned from Opua, we found our gardens full of weeds, but have managed to get most of them out now. I have a small vegetable and Hower garden of my own and, during our absence, our fine little calf Strawberry was let in. She spoilt all my marrows and tomatoes. The Howers I have blooming now are pincushions, crocuses, dahlias, German asters, sweet Williams, and pansies. My father bought me a little saddle about Christmas time, and my little brother always rides on it too. Lou’s pony is fat now and I can never catch her. The Kawa Kawa races were held yesterday, and there were such crowds of Maoris about. Such beautiful horses were raced, and only one jockey was thrown, but escaped uninjured. Isn’t the fruit ripening quickly now? We have received such quantities of peaches, though we have none growing ourselves, but our grapes will be ripe in March, I expect. Hoping it is not too late to wish you a Happy New Year, goodbye for the present.—Stanley. [ls it not strange that weeds grow so much faster than flowers ? I think it is a good year for peaches. Quite young trees of ours had some. You are more fortunate than lin the way of flowers. I have none just now, except two great trees of white flowers. How nice for you to have a saddle. You all seem to have a very fair time in this world ! A Happy New Year to you.—Cousin Kate.]

Dear Cousin Kate.—Thanks very much for putting my letter in the Graphic. I am glad yon think I wrote a good letter. Will you kindly allow me to join the ‘ New Zealand Graphic Humane Society?’ I am sending six stamps for a badge and also my address. In my last letter I said I was going to write a story for the Evening Post Christmas Competition. Well 1 I did and I got second prize, which was five shillings. Are you going to have any more competitions, Cousin Kate? It would be a grand plan to have a doll competition and see who could dress a doll the best. Don’t you think it would. I would like to make another suggestion if you won’t mind. It would be nice if you could give first, second, and third prizes to the cousins who answered the most puzzles at the end of each quarter. You could make a rule that all puzzles sent in must be original, and that all competitors must give their real names, ages, and addresses, so they can be printed at the end of the quarter in case they won a prize. You would have to name a certain day that the answers to the puzzles must be in by, and if they arrived later than the appointed day the competitors would not be credited with answers. I went to an opera called • The Forty Thieves ’ last Saturday. The wardrobe and scenery were very pretty, but the singing was not very good. I also went to hear Cyril Tyler. I don’t think very much of his singing- He can scream and that is all. Mrs Oldham’s singing is simply lovely. The Maritana lost in the yacht races that I told you about. It was only through an accident too. The bobstay broke when they were off Somes’ Island. I dressed a doll to give to a little friend of mine for a Christmas box. Father gave me a pound and two books called ‘ Atalanta and * A Sweet Girl Graduate ’ for a Christmas box. On Christmas and Boxing Days I went to see the cricket match between the Christchurch and Wellington Midland Clubs, which was held in the Basin Reserve. I did not like it very much, it was too slow. I think it resulted in a draw. It rained all New Year’s Day and two days after. I have got such a lot of books to read now. The names are ‘To Right the Wrong,’ ‘Moondyne,’ ‘ Dead Man’s Rock,’ ‘Nellie’s Memories,’ ‘ Lover or Friend,’ ‘Three Feathers,’ ‘ White Heather ’ and about ten others. How many cousins have joined the ‘ New Zealand Graphic Humane Society’ Consin Kate? I am enclosing a few puzzles. In the Lady's Pictorial they have a children’s page, and if the contributors like, they can send their photos to the editor, and he prints one every week. I forgot to say that perhaps the cousins would like to subscribe towards the puzzle column prize fund. They could send you, say sixpence each. Jill has got two puppies. One is fawn like herself, and the other black and tan. I hope you enjoyed yourself out camping. The regatta is to take place on 22nd of January, and yachts from Christchurch. Napier, and Auckland are going to take part in the races. I must now close my letter, as I will be taking up too much of your valuable space. Do you or any of the cousins know of any place in England where you can send old N.Z. stamps and get foreign ones in exchange. I collect stamps and have got 139. I remain, your affectionate cousin, Laura. [The stamps did not arrive. Are you sure you enclosed them. I hope all the cousins will fasten one corner of them to their letters in future. I would have sent you your badge, but you forgot to give me your surname. You gave me your address and Christian name, but I am afraid to send the badge without a surname. Your puzzle suggestion is a good one ; 1 will think it over. I have not room this week for the puzzle and story, but will put them in next time with thanks.—Cousin Kate.]

Dear Cousin Kate.—l have come home from Onehunga. I enjoyed myself very much. I left here in the midday train last Thursday fortnight and arrived at my aunt’s place about 4 pm. The first night I was there Mr Pegler (senr.) and myself went fishing for eels, but we only canght one, and as that was a big one, it was quite enough for our dinner next day. The next night we took it into our heads to gfb after fiat-fish, so I got the blacksmith to make me a spear, while Mr Pegler made a lantern. About 7 p.m we started on our way towards the place, where we saw the lanterns of some other people lit up the night before. It was a long

tramp, but we soon got there and put on our shoes. When we went out into the water we sank almost to our knees in the mud, so we had to get out of it as fast as we could, and walk along the beach till we came to a place where the ground was more firm. After walking quietly about in the water for a long time without even seeing one flat fish, Mr Pegler said we had better give it up and go home and go to bed, but just then I happened to see two. which I speared, and then we turned for home. The next day I noticed that the boys would run after the 'bus and catch hold of the handle of the door and stand on the steps, and so have a cheap ride for nothing to the place they wanted to go. That same day I was going to fish on the wharf, so getting my lines and my bag strapped over my shoulder, I waited for the next 'bus. I had not long to wait, however, for the 'bus soon came rattling along, and just as it got opposite me I ran out and sprang on to the steps where another boy was standing, and had a fine ride nearly down to where the ’buses stop. 1 bad made up my mind to get off before it stopped, so letting go the handle I tried to jump, but my foot slipped, and I fell to the ground face downwards. I was soon up again, for I did not want anyone to see me. When I got to the wharf I found the Takapuna was just about going to leave there. There were a lot of passengers on board. But I passed on and went to the end of the wharf, where I pulled out my lines, but then I found I had no bait, so I had to go nearly all the way back to get some, and with that I caught five schnappers. The next day was Sunday, and in the afternoon I went to the park, and to church in the evening. I did not go to the iron works, because it was not being worked while I was there. I had a lesson on photography from my uncle, Mr Pegler, the reproductions of whose photos often appear in the Graphic. I suppose you read an account of the fire at Onehunga, Cousin Kate. If not, I will tell you all about it, for I was one of the onlookers. It was the first fire I had ever seen. We had all gone to bed and were fast asleep when I was awakened by bearing a strange sound. I looked towards the door and saw my uncle going out of bis room in a great burry and then run downstairs and say something about going out at the front door. I then thought there was a burglar in the house. In the room that I slept in there was no window in the wall, but one on the roof. My eyes happened to move towards it, and then I knew there was a fire. I seemed to think it was our house on fire, so I sprang to the floor and slipped on my clothes, and ran into my aunt’s room. Aunty was getting dressed. I went to the window and looked down on the street and saw crowds of people, who seemed to be looking in the direction of our house, but they were looking at something a little higher up the street. We then went downstairs and opened the front door and went across the other side of the street. There were three houses on fire, and there were only two houses between ours and the fire. It was a pretty sight to see the firemen in their uniforms, working away as bard as they could, and the flames bursting out of the windows of Mr Robb’s house. I stopped till it was all over. On the Saturday following I came home after enjoying myself very much. lam now going to school, which is about 1] miles from home. I hope my letter will not he too long, Cousin Kate. I could say a lot more, but I must leave it till another time. 1 hope to see mv letter in the Graphic soon. —From Willie Oldham. Tuakau. P.S. —Please excuse my mistakes. [I hope you will never get on a 'bus step again. It is really very dangerous. I used to travel eight miles by ’bus every day nearly, now I do not come into town so frequently. The small boys often jump on the steps, and the drivers whip them off for fear of accidents. I have seen several boys get very severe falls. lam glad you so much enjoyed your visit, though on the whole you do not seem to have caught many fish, though you had all the fun of fishing for them. I hope you will like your school and get on very well there.—Cousin Kate.