CHILDREN'S CORRESPONDENCE COLUMN.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XIV, Issue XXII, 1 June 1895, Page 527

CHILDREN'S CORRESPONDENCE COLUMN.

Any boy or girl who likes to become a cousin can do so, and write letters to ‘COUSIN Katk, care of the Lady Editor, Graphic Office, Auckland.’ Write on one side of the paper only. AU purely correspondence letters with envelope ends turned m 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 have a great wish to be a cousin. I have a niece. Her name is Jessie. She became a cousin the other week. We get on very well together, and have great fun. It seems so strange, for she is nearly as big as myself; but she does not call me anntie. She is only eleven, and plays the piano so beautifully I would like you to hear her. lam thirteen years old. Hoping that you will find room for me.—Yours, Ettie. Ponsonby.

[I am glad that such a harmonious aunt and niece should belong to my list of cousins. I knew one uncle, aged seven at that time, whose nephew was a big boy of fourteen, and who used to tease his uncle dreadfully. It seemed so funny. I hope yon will both write again soon. Does your niece (is it Cousin Jessie, I wonder ! j know you are also a cousin ! Have you any pets !—Cousin Kate ]

Dear Cousin Kate.—l was very pleased to see my letter printed in the Graphic this week. Thank you very much for letting me become a cousin. My other Christian name is Katherine, but call me * cousin Jessie, No. 2.’ I am very sorry to say my little mare is sold ; she was such a -quiet little thing. I shall be very glad to join the Humane Society. Is it about cruelty to dumb animals ! I will now say good-bye, with love from Cousin Jessie, No. 2. Ponsonby. [I am so sorry for your loss in the sa'e of your mare. I think one becomes so fond of pet animals. Our Humane Society is merely a promise on your part to be kind to animals, and to try and make other people kind too. We have a little badge, which I will send yon by post for sixpence, or if you like to call at the Star Office (telling me you will do so), you can have it for fivepence. I will address it ‘Cousin Jessie, No. 2, Ponsonby.’ But if you wish it by post, send me your proper address, which no one will see but mvself, as I always post the badges with my own hand.—Cousin Kate.]

Dear Cousin Kate. —I have not written to you before, but I would like to do so now. May I become a cousin, please 1 lam sending sixpence for a badge, please. I am staying with my Cousin Minnie, and she is writing also. There was a football match in our town on Wednesday. The band played, and it was very enjoyable. Igo away to school at Palmerston now, and I like it very much. Mother has two ponies. Their names are Minnie and Maggie. They are such fat little things. Will you please put this in the Graphic if it is good enough !—With love from Elsie. (I am very glad you and your own cousin have agreed to become my cousins too. lam sending you both badges, which I hope you will receive long before you see your letter in print. Where do you usually live ! Please write again soon. I like all the cousins to write whenever they feel inclined, and just tell me anything they are doing, or anything they happen to see. Tell Cousin Minnie this too, please. Have you had wet weather lately ! We have, and •I see Captain Edwin is going to send some more storms—by telegraph !—cousin Kate ]

Dear Cousin Kate.—May I become a cousin please! I do not think I will be able to write a story for your competition. lam sending six penny stamps for a badge. Will you please send me one ! Ido like reading Cousin Lou’s letters they are so interesting. I went to hear the band play in the hospital grounds on Sunday. There were such a lot of children away from school last week with chicken pox. I have had it before. Have you ? I have not got a pet now. I had a little kitten, but some dogs killed it. It’s name was Flakey.—With love from Minnie. Waipuknrau. [Chicken pox is an unpleasant illness, is it not! I have not had it, and only know one girl who has enjoyed that distinction, unlers, indeed, I may now say I know you. Poor little Flakey ! I hope the dogs killed it right off and did not tease it first. Last night three sparrows tlew against our dining-room window, attracted, I think, by the lamp. We caught them easily, and put them in a cage. Next morning it was decided they ought to die, as the lawn was just going to be re sown with grass seed, and these three sparrows would eat a good deal of it. We gave them a chanc? for liberty, opening their door, with the kitten

close at hand. Two of them escaped at onoe, and the third the kitten caught. One of us said it was cruel, but someone else said we were just as cruel to eat a lamb, and God gave the cat the instinct to catch and eat birds. We took care she did not play with it alive, though.—Cousin Kate. ]