THE ‘GRAPHIC' COUSINS’ COT FUND.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XIX, Issue V, 24 July 1897, Page 159

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 theGRAPHtc 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. —Thank you for putting my letter in the Graphic. I think it would be nice to have a children’s amusement column. The last dance I went to was at Government House. I didn’t see very many people I knew ; I was too busy dancing. I will tell you a few of the dresses. My sister went as a Tambourine Girl; and also Miss Elsie McTavish ; Miss E. Burke, a Rosebud ; Miss Edwards, a Fortune-teller. Some very pretty dresses were : Miss Hazelden as ‘ Falka ;’ Miss Skerret, a Turkish Lady in copper colour and gold, with long transparent sleeves ; Miss Elsie Eliott, Stars and Stripes, red, blue, and white skirt and blue and white bodice ; Miss Waldegrave, Wild Rose, in pink silk with roses all over it, and a big hat with roses; Miss Tottie Brandon, an Eastern Dancer, in amber satin skirt draped with cream chiffon, and a green velvet bodice, and cap; she had a lovely jewelled belt, and the front of the skirt was trimmed with jewels ; another beautiful dress was, Royal Navy, but I can’t remember who wore it, nor can my sister (she is helping me) ; Miss V. Tregear. French Peasant; Miss J. Longden, Fairy ; Miss D. Longden, Couit Lady ; Miss Gladys Brandon, Empire Costume; Misses Smith, Batham, Broad, M. Blundell, and Stafford also looked well. Amongst the boys Masters Hales, Blair, Fitchett, Gerald Brandon, Williams, and Beere looked fine. The two first both wore • Vikings ’ dresses and looked grand. Gerald Brandon was Jack Frost, and wore a white satin suit all frosted, and a large white hat with icicles on it and his name frosted on it; Masters Beere and Williams, Early English. There were some splendid Nigger dresses too. There were some funny girls’ dresses also ; one was a sack of flour—Miss Logan, I think, wore it. - Your cousin, David. [Thank you, dear Cousin David, for your nice letter. I think you young people in Wellington had a splendid time for the Jubilee. lam so glad you enjoyed the ball. Do you play football or do you • bike ?’ Will you send me your full name to put in my private cousins’ book ? I will not publish it. Will you have a badge ? They are 6d.—Cousin KaTE.I

Dear Cousin Kate —I would very much like to become a cousin. Will you let me. please? lam only three years old, and as I can’t write I am getting my big brother to write for me. I had a railway train given to me the day before yesterday. It has an engine truck and two carriages. I have some bricks, and I build a tunnel for the train with them. I hope you are quite well. From your loving cousin, Mervyn. [You are a very small cousin indeed, dear Mervyn. How soon shall you be able to write ? Can you spell * cat ’ yet ? I hope your train goes nicely. Have you room for any passengers ? You are a lucky boy to have both bricks and train. —Cousin Kate.)

Dear Cousin Kate. —You must think I am a very grand correspondent, but I always seem to want to do something else when I begin a letter. The Government House Ball was a great success. Mother would no allow us to go. Igo to the High School now, and

often see Cousin Laura. The illuminations here were not very good. Some of the shops which yon would have expected to have been illuminated had nothing of anv kind. The fireworks were very pretty. I tried to make a needle and cotton case, but it did not turn out a success. There are two men-of-war in the harbour now —the H.M.S. ‘Goldfinch’ and the ‘ Pylades.’ The men off the H M.S. * Pylades ’ gave a concert on shore in the Exchange Hall, which was very successful. I must now say good-bye, hoping you have found somebody for the cot.—Cousin Phcebe. [What was the needle and cotton case, dear Cousin Phoebe, and how came it to turn out badly ? You would be sorry to miss the ball, but I think your mother is very wise. So many of our girls go ont so often, that when they turn into young ladies they are quite sick of dancing, and they have no real ‘coming out.’ On the whole, the Jubilee illuminations were really excellent. Did you see the performing cats in Wellington ? You will notice by the Graphic that we have someone in the Cot now —Cousin Willie. I hope we shall do him good.—Cousin Kate. J

Dear Cousin Kate.—We take the Graphic here, and it is read a good deal. I have just been reading the 'Children’s Correspondence Column,’ and I thought that I would write to you. lam collecting stamps, and I thought perhaps some of your readers would like to trade with me if they are collectors. Do you know of any ? I have a great many to trade, and I would like very much to get some New Zealand stamps. If some of your readers want to write to me I will very gladly answer them. I wish they would, as I want to know more about the country. Hoping you will find someone who will answer this, I am, yours very truly, Sam, A. Morawetz. 2645, Fremont, Av. S. [I am very glad you thought of writing to me, and I hope you will write again. Perhaps some of the cousins will answer your letter and tell you about the country. You will see by the Graphic that we are not at all uncivilised ! Auckland, our headquarters, is an exceediugly pretty city, with a very fine harbour, in which are several islands. Down the Hauraki Gulf (on which our city is situated) are the Coromandel and Thames goldfields There are several extinct volcanoes round the city’s suburbs, on each of which we had a Record Reign bonfire like a miniature volcano. I must leave one of the cousins to tell you about other cities and about the natives. I hope the address you have given will find you. Cousin Jack has written to you If you do not receive a letter, please write and send full address. I do not know whether this or ‘ Minneapolis, Minnesota * is right.—Cousin Kate ]