Childern's PAGE

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXV, Issue XI, 15 September 1900, Page 518

Childern's PAGE

CHILDREN’S CORRESPONDENCE COLUMN.

Any boy or girl who likes to become a cousin □an do so, and write letters to ‘Co.isin Kate, □are of the Lady Editor. ‘ Graphic Office, Auckland. Write on one side of the paper only. All purely correspondence letters with enelope ends turned in arc carried through the Post Office as follows:—Not exceeding Joz. id ; not exceeding 4oz, Id ; for every additional 2oz or fractional part thereof, id. It is well for correspondence to be marked ‘ Press Manuscript only.’ Please note, dear cousins, that all letters addressed to Cousin Kate roust now bear the words ‘ Press Manuscript only. If so marked, and the flap turned in. and not overweight, they will come for a id stamp in Auckland, but a Id from every other place.

Result of the Geographical Competition. Dear Cousins,—l am glad to say all the cousins appear to have liked the geographical competition, and I had a large number of answers. 'The words were: Or * * *- Oruru. Wai * * Wain ii. Wai * * * Waihaka. Wai * "■ "• - W'aihao. THE PRIZE WINNER. Only one cousin got more than two names right, and this was- - COUSIN (’HA RUE HOBBS, “The Vicarage." Hastings. Hawke’s Bay. Cousin Charlie had three names right, viz.: Oruru. W’aiau and W’aihao. He was wrong in W’aihaka. I shall set you a new geographical competition next week, so look out for "The (Iraphic.’* ® © © CO VSI NS’ L ETT ERS DELA Y EI). Owing lo an unfortunate occurrence a number of cousins’ letters have been delayed for some time. I hope all will forgive any disappointment caused. In a week or two I hope to have very good news for all "Graphic’’ cousins. © ® ® COUSINS’ CORRESPONDENCE. My Dear Cousin Kate, No doubt you are beginning to think that I have forgotten you altogether, because I have not written for so long, but indeed I have not. I really feel ashamed to write now. but I have been waiting lo return my card, which I now enclose. with postal note. I know I have kept it a very long time, but I hope you will not mind, for I have very few friends from whom I can collect, and so I have been all this long while collecting the sum I send. If you, please, and if you do not mind my keeping it for a time, you may send me another card, as I think I can get a lit th* morr for the “rot fund.” and every little helps, does it not. dear cousin? I suppose you have come to the conclusion that Willie’s letter to you has gone astray but that is not

so. He wrote a letter, mid had it all ready to post to you; but as his examination was near, and he had not much time for letter-writing, mother and father thought it better for him to wait for a time until he could correspond regularly, and he decided to do so. He passed his examination, and is now in Standard VII.. and, all being well, he intends going for the junior district scholarship, for which he is now studying, in December, and so now he will not be able to write either, as he has to devote the greater part of his time to his lessons. I have not been reading very much lately, as T have not had the time. I read al) the “Gypsy books” while I was at school, and think they are delightful, and form a charming series. Have you read the “Elsie books?” I have the first five of the twenty-two books which form the large series, and I enjoy reading them very much. Dear Cousin Kate, do you like flowers? I am very fond of them. We have a small flower-garden in the front of our house, besides several pot plants, such as coleuses, ferns and palms. One fern T have I am very proud of, not for the real value of the plant, for it is just an ordinary common bush-fern, but because I gathered it myself in the Tikitere Hush.'Rotorua, when we were there for our holidays at the beginning of last year, and now. dear cousin. 1 will close this untidy letter, for I do not wish to burden you with too long a one, as T have no pets to tell you of, as some of our dear cousins have, and so mine are always dull and uninteresting. Good-bye. with fondest love to yourself and all the cousins. From your ever loving cousin, Ethel Ada. Auckland.

| Dear Cousin Ethel Ada—l do not know how you could imagine your letter was uninteresting. I found it most delightful. T am indeed grateful to you for offering to continue to collect. Please do not mind keeping the card for any time you think best. I hope your brother will win his scholarship, and will then begin to write. Please do not leave me so long without a letter again.—Cousin Kate.) ® ® ® Dear Cousin Kate, — I have not written to yon before, but wish to become a “Graphic” eousin. We are having very wet weather just now. which makes it rather bad for us to go to school. The worst of it is that it is important for us to go regularly, as our examination is on the 11th of September. and as we live 21 miles from school, when it is very wet we have to stay at home. I am in the fourth standard, and am hoping trf pass. We are living two miles from* Feilding, and the people about here nearly all milk cows, and send their milk to the factory. I will just give you an account of my midwinter holidays. 1 did not go anywhere, but had my eousin staying with me. I enjoyed the first part of them very much, but the day before my cousin went away we went up into the bush, and I fell off of a swing and sprained my arm. Now 1 must say good-bye.—T remain, your loving- cousin. Esther. Makino. | Dear Cousin Esther, —The rain is, as you say. something dreadful. Up here it never seems to stop long enough to give the ground even a ehanee to get dry enough to garden. I have just had a lot of potatoes planted, and fear they will all rot unless we get better weather. I hope you will pass your examination. Please let me know how you get on.—Cousin Kate. | ® ® ® Dear Cousin Kate, .May 1 become .one of your cousins? We get the “Graphic” every week, and I first turn to see the children's page. I don’t suppose you have many cousins down where I live. I have gone in for two of your competitions, but I have not been successful in gaining a prize, although you very kindly printed my es-

say on John Flaxman. I must now tell you about the town where I live. Gore, situated on the .Mataura River, has a population of about 300(1. The town is divided into parts—one part is called East Gore, and the other West Gore. It possesses a flourmill and a dairy factory and six hotels. There are a great many shops and a splendid railway station. Gore is a large farming centre, and sends out great quantities of wool, having a fellmongery.lt possesses three public schools, two being in East Gore and the other In West Gore. Would you like to get my photo? I got it taken about a year ago: but I would please like to get the photo back. I will enclose it with this letter. I think I have said enough for a first letter, and I remain, your eousin. John Forbes. P.S.—My age is 14 years, and my birthday on 31st May. | Dear Cousin John, —I am very pleased indeed to have a cousin who ean write so good a letter as yours. 1 greatly enjoyed reading it, and was much interested in hearing all about yon. as I know a lady living there. I will publish your photo the “Graphic” after next. I cannot manage it Irefore. —Cousin Kate.] ® ® ® Dear Cousin Kate, —T have not written to you for such a long time, so I am going to write a few lines. My sentences on the world children were forgotten to be posted. T thought father had posted them,but I found he hadn't. I will try and send my collecting card soon. What a lot of new cousins there are. I don't think I have ever told you that Cousin Gladys and I go to the same school. We are in the same class, and are the same age. You may be sure we are great friends. With love to all the cousins. —I remain, your affectionate cousin, Gladys Graham. [Dear Cousin Gladys,—l am sorry your sentences on the word children were not sent in time. Yes, indeed, we have quite an army of new cousins now, and 1 hope soon to add another page to the children’s portion of the paper. Then we will have more stories, more pictures and more letr ters from cousins.—Cousin Kate.] ® ® ® Dear Cousin Kate,—We have been having lovely weather here lately, and it seems that spring is in a great hurry to take the place of winter. We lost the football match. I told you we were going to play, but as we had three emergencies playing there was some slight excuse. I generally play centre three-quarter, but when we played the college we wanted the heavy ehaps all as forwards, so I played forward in the first spell, and as our fullback didn’t turn up I took his place in the second. We were beaten Hi to (>. The topic of the day here is where to have the Victoria College. .Most of the people want the Mount Cook gaol, which is nearly built, to be made into it, while Mr Seddon and a few people want to have it built somewhere on the college grounds. They seem to have been getting along with the tunnels for the electric trams to go to Karori, but they are continually having accidents, such as the top of the tunnel falling in or slips covering up tile entrance, which hinder the working immensely. After every heavy rain, if you go up to the tunnels you are pretty sure to see that something has happened that in some way will hinder the working. The tunnel through Baker's Hill qn the road to Karori seems to be pretty big and strong, as it ought to be after all the trouble that has been expended on it. The City Council is going to have electric light put in it. I am enclosing another larger photo of myself. I must now say good-bye. with much love to yourself and all the cousins.— I remain, yours truly. Cousin Stanley. | Dear Cousin Stanley,— 1 wonder if you will receive a little private letter I am sending yon about your photo. You do not give your full address, so I cannot be certain. I have just put “Cousin Stanley.” and your address, but expect the. postman will know. I was much interested in ' hearing al! about the electric trams, as we are to have them some day in Auckland.— Cousin Kate.]

Dear Cousin Kate, —I have been trying my best to make sentences from the word children, hoping that 1 might get another prize. I understand now by your letter to me why my letters do not appear in the “Graphic” the same week as 1 send them. 1 have six cats. Their names are: Kruger, General White. Roberts, Foxie, Bunny and Pussy. It is great fun to see them playing. They never fight. My calf is getting very fat and lazy, because he has no work to do. I think I will have to saddle him up and ride him as soon as the weather clears up. We have been having very bad weather here lately.—l remain, yours truly, Cousin Newton. [Dear Cousin Newton.—The weather you have had cannot be worse than that we have been forced to endure in Auckland. It has been too horrible. I fear you will find a calf makes a rather rough horse. I remember trying to ride one once, and also a huge old pig. My sisters and I got into a terrible scrape for the last-named escapade, as it might have killed the pig.—Cousin Kate.] ® ® ® Dear Cousin Kate, —I was very pleased to see my letter in the “Graphic,’’and will try and write often. We have had grandpa staying with us for over a week, and to-night he leaves for Whangarei to visit my uncle and cousins. 1 wish I could go with him, as I have never been there yet, but 1 suppose I must wait till we get our holidays, as mamma does not like us missing school. When uncle was down the other day he asked me if I would go back with him, but I am afraid of being seasick, as we have to travel by the boat. They live pretty near the beach, so it will be very nice in the summer time to paddle in the water. Hoping you are quite well. With fond love to all the cousins, your affectionate eousin, Dorothy. [Dear Cousin Dorothy,—l am very sorry your letter got mislaid somehow, and hope you have not been very disappointed at not seeing it in the "Graphic.” I am a bad sailor, too, but 1 think I would not mind being ever so ill to go for a trip. Please write again to tell me you forgive me for leaving your letter so long unanswered.—Cousin Kate.] ® ® ® My Dear Cousin Kate, —I so want to become a member of the Children’s Page, and if you accept me as a cousin and send me a collecting card and badge, I will endeavour to do my best. I will be thirteen next birthday, and am in the sixth standard. I have just returned from a trip from the Old Country, and 1 can assure I enjoyed myself very much seeing the numerous sights.—l remain, your sincere eousin. Hugh. [Dear Cousin Hugh,—You have omitted to send me your surname, so I cannot yet forward you a badge, but will directly you send the name. In the meantime you are heartily welcome as a cousin. You write a most capital hand. Tell me what part of your trip you liked best. —Cousin Kate.] . ® ® ® Dear Cousin Kate, —I am just writing you a few lines. I am very sorry that I did not send my letters with the flaps turned in. But I promise you that I will not do it again. I have two little ponies. Their names are Bugler and Nigger. I have a little eart. too. and little harness for them. I make them pull my cart. They are very strong ponies. One of them is the fastest in our settlement, called Whirinaki. I wish you could send me a collecting card, and also a badge. As soon as 1 receive them I will forward yon a little sum of money for the cot fund. I am sending you a sentence ol children. I hope you will be pleased with it. I think you will. -1 remain, your loving cousin, Norman Winkelmann. | Dear Cousin Norman, —What fine times you must have with those ponies. I do envy you, for I am so very very fond of riding, and never get any now. I have sent you a badge and card, and hope you will get them safely. I am greatly obliged for your promised help.—Cousin Kate.] ® ® ® LATE LETTERS.

Several letters, ineluding two from Cousin Gladys and Cousin Ila, arrived too late for this week’s “Graphic." They will appear next week.