THE GRAPHIC' COUSINS’ COT FUND.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XVII, Issue XVIII, 31 October 1896, Page 571

THE GRAPHIC' COUSINS’ COT FUND.

This fund is for the purpose of maintaining a poor, sick child in the Auckland Hospital, and is contributed to by the Graphic cousins—readers of the children’s page. The cot has been already bought by their kind collection of money, and now a year is needed to pay for the nursing, food, and medical attendance of the child in it. Any contributions will be gladly received by Cousin Kate, care of the Lady Editor, New Zealand Graphic, Shortland-street, or collecting cards will be sent on application.

Dear Cousin Kate —I hope you do not think I have forgotten you altogether as I have not written to you. My last holidays I went over to the North Shore for three weeks, and there was such a dear little baby boy there. He was so good, and liked going out in his gocart. His go-cart was such a pretty one, part of it being bamboo, and the hood was brown. I enjoyed it very much. I have nearly got one card filled. I went to a lovely dance last night, which was held at Mrs Slowman’s in Grafton Road. I am going to give you the names to put in the * Society Gossip.’ I must now close, as I have to finish my work for the Sunday-school Exhibition. Love to you and all the cousins from Agnes. Auckland. P.S.—ls Cousin Florrie any better ? I hope she is. [I have not been at all afraid that you have forgotten me, dear Cousin Agnes. lam glad to hear you enjoyed your holidays so much. I think you must be very fond of children. Thank you very much for the description of the party; it is very nicely written indeed. It appears in this week’s Graphic. It is such a very good thing to be able to describe interestingly and accurately what you have seen. Cousin Monica’s letter will also explain what I mean, though she describes nature and you art, or shall I say, cultivation. I wish you success with your work for the Sunday School Exhibition. When does it come off? Cousin Florrie is much about the same.—Cousin Kate.]

Dear Cousin Kate. —Cousin Dora says its about time I wrote to you again, and I think she’s about right. I only hope I haven’t forfeited all claim to cousinship by my long silence. I wonder what I can tell you about today ? Perhaps you would like to hear about a long walk we had this afternoon ? Anyway, I will try and make it interesting. Eight of us went, six girls and two boys. We walked about half a mile by the road, then turned off into the bush, following along an old and rather muddy road (where we often go to collect ferns), which led to a small cleared flat just at the foot of a long range of hills. An old ruined whare stands, or rather falls to bits, in the middle of the flat. When we got to the top of the first hill we thought we might as well go down into the valley beyond, and when there, of course we must climb to top of the next, and so on till four hills were crossed. The last one was a good height, so we could see for miles round, and our own chimney pots and poplars away down below us two or three miles off. There we could see that our goal, namely, the ‘ Deep Creek’ (called so from its great depth) was not far off, so we were’nt sorry to get down into the cool bush, for it is very hot on the hills, where some of us got some pretty ferns and mosses. Emerging from the bush, we found ourselves on the banks of the creek. A little above where we stood the creek had divided, joining forces again lower down, so that it left quite a large island, the sides of which were nearly as steep and high as that on which we stood. Our desire now was to cross over to the island, so we started to scramble down, Cousin Dora taking the lead. When about half way down the piece of earth upon which I was depending for support gave way, and down I went on my back, grabbing a tuft of grass just in time to save myself from sliding the rest of the way, which would not have been very pleasant, as there was a straight drop of about 6 or 9 feet just below me, and rather a damp landing place at tne bottom. I believe Cousin Anna had a narrow es-

cape too, but I was much too interested in my own concerns at that moment to notice much. However, we all reached the bed of the creek in safety, but found it harder work getting up on to the island than it had been to get down. We spent about half an hour on the island, I reading a book I had with me. and the rest digging orchids and other plants. Father says it was covered with lycopodium when he was up there some years ago, but that must have all been burnt off, as we saw none, though we did not go right up to the end of the island Coming back again we followed down the bank of the creek till the road (which crosses it in a long cutting near where it runs out into the Waipawa River) was reached, by which we came straight home, having enjoyed our walk and scramble thoroughly. I think it would be fun to follow right up the bed of the creek to the source. Father has been, and he says that in some places the cliffs nearly meet overhead, making it almost like a cave. We have a creek like that on our place. We call it * The Bowels of the Earth.’ I hope this is not too long to print, and that it will quite make up for all past laziness of Monica. [Many thanks, dear Cousin Monica, for your nice long letter, which would fully make amends (were any needed, which they are not) for your silence. I must repeat I like the cousins to feel perfectly free to write or not just as they have leisure or a happy thought, or just want to ’ pass the time o’day ’ with me. If you ever do explore the bed of that creek recollect I am with you in spirit. Such an expedition is after my own heart, provided always that I am appropriately garmented and shod. I did not know there were any orchids growing wild in New Zealand. We used to gather them in Yorkshire along with pink campion, foxgloves, ragged robin, hyacinths, anenomes, real forget-me-nots, late primroses, cowslips, violets,oxslips, ferns, etc., etc. Oh ! the lovely English wild flowers ! How I miss them ! We always came home laden. Tell me about your creek trip if it comes off.—Cousin Kate.] Dear Cousin Kate. —I was glad to see my letter in the Graphic. I did not get the badge that I asked for. We are having beautiful weather just now. I went to see the show on Friday. It was a bit dull in the morning, and looked as if it was going to rain ; but it turned out a fine day. I enjoyed myself nicely. I went and saw five curious animals. Is Cousin Florrie better yet ? We have another little kitten, which makes the third cat. Bessie is beginning to talk. She also walks about the house. lam glad to see we are getting on with the cot. I have got a bad cold, bu’ it does not keep me back from school. Please send my badge as soon as possible. The people of Hastings are hard to get anything from. We will soon have our Christmas holidays, and if I have any money to spare I might go to Auckland if you have the picnic. I will now close.—From your loving Cousin Frank. [I cannot think why, dear Cousin Frank, you have not received the badge. Apparently you have the card. They were both posted at the same time, and should have reached you at the same moment. Ask at your Post-office why the badge did not come. It was properly addressed (the same as the card), only, according towhat I was told at the Post-office here, it bore the words * sample post.’ It has a penny stamp on, and the flap of the envelope turned in. Ido so hope that we shall be able to get that picnic up. I was thinking it would be best not in the Christmas holidays, because so many of the cousins are away. Some Saturday in February, I thought. I fear it will be quite impossible to suit everybody. We must try to please the majority. If Bessie walks about the house she is sure to be getting into mischief, is she not ? —COUSIN KaTE.] Dear Cousin Kate.—l hope you are quite well and do not think I have not thought of you. We are having nice weather now. All the flowers are coming out. I went up to the Bowling Green on Saturday, and I heard the band play. I liked it very much. We have a new master at our school since I wrote to you. I hope Cousin Florrie is a little better. Please send me a card to get money for the cot. —From your loving cousin, Vivian. [I am quite well thank you, dear Cousin Vivian. I hear there was a very good band at the Bowling Green, so I am sure you enjoyed listening to it. Did you see your father play bowls ? We used toplay when we were little girls, but we had bright coloured bowls—red, white, blue, and green —and when we were tired of playing properly two used to stand at one end of the lawn and two at the other. We called * Fire,’ and rolled the bowls across as bard as we could. If they met in the middle with a good bang we thought we had played very well. They generally did bang, then one of them always ran over the haw-haw fence and we had the fun of jumping down and picking it up. Do you know what a haw-haw is ? I have much pleasure in sending you a card.— Cousin Kate.]

Dear Cousin Kate.—l do not want you to think that I have forgotten you or the cousins. I always read the letters in the Graphic. I hope you are as well as we all are. I have three sisters and two brothers. Our baby’s name is Olive, and she is walking long ago. She

is now only one year and two months. The nice weather is making father’s seeds grow, but the sparrows are such a trouble. They eat the seeds. All our fruit trees have such pretty flowers. I must now finish with love to all.—Your loving cousin, Edith. [I did not at all think you, dear cousin Edith, or your sister had forgotten me. lam glad you read the cousins’ letters. I always find them very interesting. Baby Olive is very far advanced for her age. I expect she is quite a plaything for you. I did not know there were so many of you, and you have all such pretty names, too I Yes, there are quantities of interesting things in the garden just now ; but pretty as the fruit blossom is, do you know I think ripe peaches and apples prettier still. What do you think ?—Cousin Kate.]