COT FUND.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XVI, Issue I, 4 January 1896, Page 23

COT FUND.

Per Cousin Charlie :—A friend, 6d ; M.S., 61 ; Mrs J., 3d ; A.S.P., 6d ; W.R , 61 ; F. Hadfield, 6d ; A.H.M., 6d ; A.R.F.,Is; M.H., 61; C.H.5.,6d: total, 5s 31. Carried forward, £2 15s ; grand total, £3 Os 3d.

Consin Phcebe: —Many thanks, dear, for the very pretty Christmas card. Cousin Ethel (Wanganui):—Thank you for the kind letter. I am so very busy and have so little facility for writing just now, that I am snre yon will accept this answer.

Dear Cousin Kate.—l received your card last week. I think it is a very good plan for the consins to work for so good an object. I have collected already 25 3 6d. I would like to keep the card till after Christmas, because there will be a number of shearers about, and I hope to get more money for the Cot fund then. Hoping that all the other cousins will lend a helping hand to assist you. I remain, yours very truly, Paerau Batley. Moawhango. [I think perhaps I had better not tell you what I said when I read yonr very nicely written letter, bnt it was one adjective, and that a very sweet one ! I was half afraid to send yon a card, it was so long since I had heard from you. But then I remembered wbat excellent friends we were, so I risked it, and very delighted I am with the reported result. Yes, keep the card by all means, or send it down and I will send you up another, whichever you like. lam writing under difficulties, for I am camped by the sea-shore, and it is nine o’clock at night, and neither my flickering lantern nor the young moon gives much light. lam sitting in the open air, the tents are so warm and close. I received yonr letter rather late to night, a gentleman (who is banking all the Cot Fund money for me whilst I am away) having kindly arranged to let me have letters and papers daily. I have all the names of collectors and their amounts in a book, so that I shall always know, even without a copy of the Graphic, how we stand. I have some other correspondence, so must close with hearty wishes to you all for a Happy New Year.—Cousin Kate.’]

Dear Cousin Kate —I received my second collecting card some days back. I was not able to get it filled so quickly as the first, but did get it filled after a while. Have you read Prof. Dimbleby’s ‘ Climax of the Ages ?’ According to him the world comes to an end in Anno Domini 1899. I could not understand it. In one part be says that ‘the Holy Spirit is very emphatic about the thousand years during which Satan is to be bound.’ He says he is bound now. I cannot «ee that, can yon ?’ Christ Himself says that *lt will come like a thief in the night, and neither man nor even the angels shall know the time thereof.’ A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, and many of them to you. No more at present from Cousin Charlie. [You are very kind to fill two cards so quickly. Many thanks for the second collection, on behalf of the Cot Fund. As for Professor Dimbleby, all I can say is that for very wise reasons the time of the end of the world is undoubtedly hidden from ns. Ido not think that Satan can be bound now, for be is still wandering about prompting people to do evil. Thank you for the Christmas wishes, which I can only return by wishing you many happy and useful years. —Cousin Kate.]

Dear Cousin Kate.—l received the collecting card, and I think it is very nicely filled in. I think I can almost, if not quite, fill the card, as I have been promised about five shillings already. I do not think I will get my manteldrape finished before Christmas after all, as I cannot get either colours of the twine I am using, bnt I will try again this week. My sister had some silkworms given her by a mate at school. They were very small when she first got them, bnt now they are nearly as large as one of onr fingers. We feed them on mulberry leaves and lettuce, and they are growing very fast. We were told that silkworms change their skin six times before they spin any silk. We also had some eggs ; some were empty, and others had little worms in them. They were stuck very hard to the box when we got them, and as the box was wanted back again we had to separate the eggs from the box with a knife. I

have written a story on * The Duty of Kindness to Animals ’ to one of the papers, but I do not know if I will win the prize. Now, wishing you and all the cousins a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, I must close with love from Cousin Jessie No. 3. [Just do what you can with the Cot card. I know what very bard work collecting is, and when I see a number of small amounts on tbe list, I say to myself, * That poor cousin had a lot of trouble to get that,’ and I remember the widow’s mite, and hope that all the cousins remember it also. I have just had the St. John’s Ambulance First Aid Examination. If ever yon get the chance of the lectures, be sure and go through the course. It is most useful and interesting. I think our silkworms were always shedding their coats. I saw some not much bigger than a wax match beginning to spin last week. I hope you won the prize. — Cousin Kate.]