THE ‘GRAPHIC COUSINS’ COT FUND.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XIX, Issue IX, 21 August 1897, Page 287

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 KaTB. —I would very much like to become a Graphic cousin. I have a pretty garden. I grow in it violets, lilies, pansies, and jonquils. I have got a little sister and brother. lam nine years old, and go to a private school. lam sending six stamps for a badge, and I want to know if you can let me have a collecting card too. Cousin Ina, of Wellington, is a great friend of mine. We have had a fine winter so far. I have nothing more to tell you, dear Cousin Kate, so with love I remain.—Cousin Girlie.

[I will put you on my cousins’ list with pleasure, and will send you a badge and card as soon as you send me up your name. You put the address, but not your name. Please send it in confidence. A post card will do if you like. Put also ‘ from Cousin Girlie,’ then I shall know who you are. Your garden must look lovely just now. Have you any summer flowers in it ? lam glad Cousin Ina is a friend of yours. You will like to see each other’s letters in print. — Cousin Kate.]

Dear Cousin Kate. —I saw my letter in the Graphic this week, and I told you that next time I wrote to you I would tell you about my garden. My sister and I share the garden, and on Saturdays we generally try and tidy it up, but it gets done properly by the gardener who comes to do my father’s garden. We have a great many different kinds of flowers in our garden. Before I finish my letter I want to tell you about a very cruel boy. There was a sale at his house yesterday, and a strange cat went into the house, and the boy got a pea-gun of his and put a pea in it and shot at the cat and broke its back. But not content with that, he loaded the gun again and shot it up the nostrils, and then the wicked boy covered it over with pieces of tin, and a little boy going to school uncovered it so as to let people see and try and find out who did such a wicked thing.—Cousin Lily.

[I most sincerely hope that the boy who could so cruelly treat a poor pussy will be caught and get a good dose of the cat o’-nine-tails for his horrid conduct. Nothing but actual pain will do a lad of that sort any good at all. I suppose you have no time but Saturdays for your garden. Ido not get home till six generally, and last night at eight o’clock I remembered I had left the cover off a frame in which I am growing some lettuces. So I took a candle and had also a snail hunt. Is it not provoking to find your pet plants carefully nibbled off by some hungry slug, or still more voracious snail ? I have some lovely white camellias just now, besides the spring flowers. All winter I have had pink ivy-leaf geranium in flower. I suppose you went down to the wharf to see His Excellency the Governor and Lady Ranfurly arrive ? We had such a perfect day here, I hoped your weather would have been the same. Please write whenever you can.—Cousin Kate.]

* There is nothing like settling down.’ said the retired merchant, confidentially. • I settled down last year with a pretty comfortable fortune ; but, if I’d settled up, I should not have had a penny left.

IT.’ Many of the games with which we are familiar are well known tbronghout Great Britain and on the Continent. But among the most amusing and most popular of English games is one of which we know little or nothing. It is dignified by the two-lettered name, ‘ It.’ This is altogether suitable for the parlour, and may be played by everybody if we will except the very young people. It creates roars of laughter, on account of the funny mistakes made by the questioners. *lt ’ is a great mystery, and the longer it is played the greater mystery often it becomes. Only those understanding this game may remain in the room. All others must leave ; there is no alternative. One ot the party, unfamiliar with the game, is then selected to return, and must, by questioning those in the parlour, learn what *it ’ is. When he knows 1 it,’ he too must remain behind, and some one else is selected to fill his place. In this way the game is carried on, until each one in turn comes in and finds out the secret. ‘lt ’ is really the person who sits at your left, but, before this is discovered, usually much amusement is made. The game is played in the following way : All in the parlour must sit in a circle, and must not change their positions. When the player is called in, he is ’old to ask a question of whomsoever he may please, and the person must correctly answer. For example—‘ls “it” white?’ As everybody present is white, the answer is necessarily ‘ Yes.’

The questioner then asks another person, ‘ls “it” thin ?’ and if the person to the left of the person thus questioned is thin, the answer is again ‘ Yes.’ Perhaps this question may be repeated, and some one else is asked, ‘Do you also think “it ” is thin ?’ and if the person has some one for a left-hand neighbour who is very stout, of course he answers ‘ No.’

And thus the questioner is mystified, and must continue question after question. For a long time he may think ‘it’ is a thing. Therefore a good question to put would be, ‘ls “ it” alive ?’ And then he might ask, ‘ls “ it” in this room ?’ Then he might try complexion, and again would be mystified, for if he asked, ‘ls “it” a brunette ?’ and the reply being ‘ Yes,’ his next question, ‘ Has “it” dark eyes ?’ would perhaps have for answer, ‘No’ ; and, ‘Has “it” light hair ?’ ‘Yes.’ And so the secret seems harder than ever.

A good way is to ask the same questions over and over, and try to locate *it’ in that way. But the questioner should not easily be discouraged. A few points may be given to him, such as some of the above. The players would better announce ‘ It ’ as a trick game. Emma J. Gray.