COUSINS’ CORRESPONDENCE.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXV, Issue IV, 28 July 1900, Page 182

COUSINS’ CORRESPONDENCE.

Dear Cousin Kate, —I should like to become a cousin if you would not mind me. 1 would like you to send roe a badge. It is very quiet where I live, ami there are not many children of my own size, so I therefore have to play witli my own sisters and brothers, but. all the same, I have very tine fun. We are going back to school next Tuesday, and I am very glad, because 1 like school. 1 would like you to put this letter in the “Graphic" next week if you can manage it. 1 have been promised a shilling, and I think if I had a card I would collect a lot more. 1 must now elose my short letter. 1 will write you a longer one next week.—Signed, yours respectfully. Cissie. [Dear Cousin Cissie. —1 have written you a private note welcoming you as a cousin and sending you a card and badge. How many sisters and brothers have you to play with, and are they older or younger than you? Tell roe next time you write. —Cousin Kate.]

Dear Cousin Kate. I am just going to write you a short note. I am wry sorry I omitted my address from my letter, but I will send it now. I have two brothers, of which I am the youngest. My father has gone to Auckland, and I do not think he will be back for a month at least. I am trying to buy a little horse. I must finish my letter now. —I remain, yours truly. Cousin Walter. Whirinaki. | Dear Cousin W alter. I haw Im en a long time answering your letter. bi»t I wanted to put the photo in the same week, and the man who makes the reproductions was so busy he

eould not gel it done. Your father visited this office when he was in town and saw your photo on the editor's table. He was very much surprised. If he has returned home lie will explain how the photos are made into pictures for the paper. Our editor took him round the office, so he will be able to give you an account of what sort of place Cousin Kate works in. --Cousin Kate.] ® ® ® Dear Cousin Kate, —I should like to have gone in for that Painting Competition last April, but T was not able. 1 am sending you a sentence on “Roberts.” —I remain your loving cousin. Charley Hobbs. | Dear Cousin Charlie, —1 daresay we shall have another Painting Competition before long. You say you have sent me a sentence made from the word “Roberts,” but it was not in the envelope. Send me another instead.— Cousin Kate.] ® ® ® Dear Cousin Kate, —I am almost ashamed to send you back your card 1 have kept it so long, but T have been ill. and then I have been away for three weeks, staying at the Lower Hutt. I nearly always go there for my holidays with a great friend. We are very fond of going for picnics, and if we have arranged the night before to go on one of our little expeditions. even if it is raining, it does not matter; we set off with baskets and mackintoshes and come home soaked. Sometimes there is a flood at the Hutt when I am there; the river rises and rises till at "last it is over the bank: in a few hours the valley is flooded

with. oh. such dirty, muddy water, so different to the clear sparkling of the river in its usual state. Then logs float past, and sometimes cattle and sniall houses. Men go out in boats to rescue the people living in the valley, and then, when the flood goes down, the place is inches thick in mud. The pe(ople that have lieen flooded out turn to. take up the carpets. which, of course, are wet. and try to put their houses straight again. How they must envy the people living on the hill. The flood does not affect them much. Now, dear Cousin Kate, 1 must stop, hoping you will be able to put this in the

"Graphic.”—l remain, your loving reader, Aileen. | Dear Cousin Aileen. —1 received the (Mistal order for five shillings quite safely, and must warmly thank you for collecting. It must lie very exciting at the Hutt in flood time I should imagine, and also very sad to think of all the poor folk whose places have been damaged or. perhaps, ruined with the water. Please write again soon. —Yours affectionately. Cousin Kale.] ® ® ® Dear Cousin Kate. —Such a muggy, damp day! and the people are all stamping their feet and rubbing their hands to try and keep off the bitter cold that seems to ding to everything. Now for a little news! The annual ball of the Wellington Garrison officers, which was held in the Sydneystreet Hall last night, was a brilliant success in every way. Favoured with (dear, frosty weather, which made dancing a great pleasure, the numerous guests displayed much verve in obtaining the greatest amount of pleasure out of the well arranged programme of eighteen dances. The ballroom was greatly overcrowded, but the assemblage was bright with the uniforms of the officers and those from the flagship Royal Arthur, which contrasted splendidly with the quiet evening dress of the civilian and the bright, tasty' toilettes of the ladies. The ball was tastefully decorated with star-like arrangements of brightlypolished bayonets, the battalion's colours, and a great quantity of bunting and greenery. Rear-Admiral Pearson was unable to attend, owing to a recent family bereavement. Just before the official set of Lancers a flashlight photograph of the assembled guests was taken. I must not say' any more about the Garrison Officers’ Ball or else I will fill up my' pages. At the Opera House for the last two nights “Lazerne, the Great” has been giving large audiences a proof of his quickness of hand. The magician’s card tricks are. for the most part, new. and are performed in a clean and business-like manner, at once entertaining and puzzling the audience. His cleverness for producing half-crowns from space should long ere this have made the fortune of a modest man. “Lazerne” was rewarded with unstinted applause from the audience throughout the evening. Dear Cousin Kate. I am looking forward to the photo of Cousin Beryl in the "Graphic,” as there has only been two m so far.—With love. I remain. Cousin Winnie. Wellington. | Dear Cousin Winnie. —Many thanks for your long and interesting letter, which will, I am sure, be read with pleasure by all the cousins. I am very fond of conjuring tricks and shall hope to see Lazerne if he eomes to Auckland. I hope Cousin Beryl will send the photo soon, but do not wish to worry her for it. J wish all the cousins would send their photos.— Cousin Kate.] ® ® ® Dear Cousin Kate.—l have not written to you before, but think I should like to. I saw in the “Graphic” a letter from a little girl saying that she sent you a map. and it made me wonder whether you would allow me to become a cousin, for I should like to very much. If I may send a map will you tell me of what continent it should be.—Hoping to hear from .you some day. 1 am. yours truly. Freda Sim. | Dear Cousin Freda, —I expect you will be very much surprised to hear that when 1 read your letter I got most dreadfully homesick. It was all because of your name. I have two favourite sisters in England, and one of theni is named Elfreda. and, like you. I expect, we always called her Freda for short. Your name took me back across all those thousands of miles of water, and over many many years, and I saw, oh, such a mischievous little girl. I wonder if you are like her? There was not a trick she was not up to. and she was, T fear, a most dreadful tomboy. I expect you are a much more sedate little girl. Tell me next time von write.—Cous : n Kate. | ® ® ® Dear Cousin Kate, — In looking in the “Graphic" this week I thought I would like to become a cousin if you will be kind enough to let me. My name is Vera Gladys Caro. I go to the Parnell public school. Our examination takes place in a week's

time I am in the fourth standard, and hope to be in the tifth. 1 will be very glad if you will send me a badge and a card, and I will try to collect a little money for the cot fund.—l remain Vera. . | Dear Cousin Vera, —Your letter got lost in some manner, and was only found to-day. I have sent you a badge and card and am most delighted to have you as a cousin. Your examination must l>e over a long while now. 1 hope you were successful in passing.—Cousin Kate.] ® ® ® Dear Consin Kate. —As I have not received either a badge or collecting card for the children's eot fund. I am afraid that you did not get my letter with my address. I should like to have a card as soon as possible, because some friends who 1 intend to ask for a contribution are going to leave soon, and I do not like to ask them until T have my card. We all went to the Poultry Show last Wednesday afternoon. It was the first time I had been to one. We saw some beautiful birds. 1 had no idea that there were such large hens and ducks. Some of the ducks were as large as geese, and hens as big as turkeys, and the big prize turkey that weighed 3.>lbs.—Marion. [Dear Cousin Marion, —1 eould not send you your card before as 1 never got the address. Your letter too arrived just too late for the week's "Graphic,” so I fear you may have been a little. disappointed. However I hope it is all right now. I was at the Auckland Poultry Show, but believe some of the birds at Whangarei were even better than those shown here. What a terrible noise the roosters make, do they not. all crowing against one another? I hope the card will be in time.— Cousin Kate.]