CHILDREN’S PAGE.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXVII, Issue VII, 17 August 1901, Page 334

CHILDREN’S PAGE.

Dear Cousin Kate, — I am afraid 1 have not kept my promise very faithfully. and really’now I think 1 have very little to tell yon, if anything. Most of the people here have the

“Ping-pong" eraze. Do yon play? We all do? and think it a very fascinating game. What a very nice story Cousin Roie wrote to the “Graphic.” I think she is very clever. I go to gymnastics twice a week and enjoy them so much. I am going to take one of the chief parts in i> play at school, ft is to take place on Thursday night. The play is called “Jack Pepper-pot's Little Friends.” I hope I won’t laugh, as I did once before when 1 was acting. With love to the cousins and yourself from Cousin Zaidee, Wellington.

| Dear Cousin Zaidee. —How did the acting go off? 1 hope it was successful. I used to love acting when I was your age. We always had a play at Christmas. and were everlastingly

"dressing up" and making drawing room dramas for ourselves. Do. please tell me all about it. —Cousin Kate.]

Dear Cousin Kate,—l wrote a letter to you about three weeks ago. but I never saw it in the “Graphic,” but 1 hope to see this one in. There are not many cousins writing just now. I have got a photo, of myself in a group with my sisters and brothers, but I don’t suppose that would do to semi. I think May is going to write to-night. There is going to be a football match up here next Saturday, and I may be going to it. Did you see the Duke and Duchess. Cousin Kate? Would you mind sending me back those pictures I sent. I know they are not the right sort to send. I have collected a few shillings, but not very much. 1 will soon get it full. I have not much news to tell you, but I will tell you more next time I write. With love, from Cousin Annie. Kihikihi. (You will have seen by answers to cousins last week how it was your letter was missed out. Don’t worry about your collecting card. It is very good of you to collect at all. T can wait patiently.—Cousin Kate.]

Dear Cousin Kate. — I am glad you received the money all right. I put that 3/6 in afterwards and forgot to put the amount in. 1 am sending you a picture of Uncle Angle. There is going to be a mill at a place called Koiitii. just one mile and a half from where we live. There are a lot of men working there now. I think I have told you all the news. With love to all the cousins, not forgetting yourself. I remain your affectionate cousin. No; man.

| Dear Cousin Norman. This letter n: rived just too late for last week, but

I squeezed a line into the paper to tell you about it. The picture of Uncle Angle arrived all right. You will see a lot about the competitions this week.]

Dear Cousin Kate.—Excuse me for not writing for so long. 1 wrote one letter to you some time ago. but as it has not yet appeared in the “Graphic” I do not think you can have got it. Thank you very much for the collecting card and badge, which T received some time ago. It has been horrid weather here this week, Sunday and Monday being the only fine days. I have three sisters, two of whom are in Auckland at present, but I have no brothers. My father has three horses, whose names are Leo, Turk and Bobs. Leo is a very old horse, but the other two are young. We can go for nice drives tc Paeroa in summer, but in winter we cannot go anywhere, as the roads are so muddy. I must now stop, as I have no more to say. —I remain. Cousin Stanley. [Dear Cousin Stanley,—As I told some of the cousins last week, there was an accident with some of the letters a week or so ago, and that is why yours did not appear. I shall be as glad as you when summer comes again. All this wet weather is very depressing.—Cousin Kate.]

Dear Cousin Kate, —1 am sending in with my letter my card and 6/6 for the Cot Fund. It is a small sum, though the card is full. Never mind, I will try better next time. We have had veiy wet weather lately. We have had only two fine days this month. The technical school here is nearly finished now.— With love, from Cousin Walter.

| Dear Cousin Walter, —Your money arrived all right, and thank you so much for it. It has cleared up here in Auckland to-day, so I hope you too are having a little sunshine for a change. I hope your father is well. 1 he school must keep him very busy. 1 should think. How is your garden getting on? Mine is in a dreadful state with the wet.—Cousin Kate.]

Dear Cousin Kate,—l received my prize safely, and thank you very much for it. W hen will we know the result of the “Letter Competition”? Is it decided yet who won the prize? Cousin Zaidee wrote an interesting letter about the visit of the Duke and Duchess, did she not? I had an amusing experience, which I must tell you about. We had seats on a balcony from which we had a splendid view of the procession as it passed beneath. A very fat Maori woman came and sat just behind us, and directly the Royal carriages came in sight, she rose up and made the most terrible noise, shouting a welcome, and wildly waving a black shawl. We could understand some of her talk—it was about the death of the Queen, and the Duke and Duchess; and she seemed to mingle wails of grief with joyful cries, which ,was rather awful! so close to us. Of course she drew attention to our balcony, and a perfect sen of faces were turned in our direction. The veterans were greatly amused at her antics. The Maori arch was a little higher up the street, with Maori girls dancing, etc., but this woman evidently wanted to make a scene all by herself.—With love from Cousin Athie.

[Dear Cousin Athie, —Your letter is only just in time for this week's

paper, so I will answer its questions in the next number. Thank you for writing.—Cousin Kate.]

Dear Cousin Kate, —I should like a badge very much if you would please send me one. We have had two lovely fine days, they were just like summer, and everything was so still, all the trees were reflected in the lake and it looked lovely. I am reading a very interesting book just now, one of Charlotte M. Yonge’s, called “T 1 Clever Woman of the Family.” Do you like her books? I have only read three, and I like them very much. My father was down In Auckland last week, settling something about a dairy factory, which is going to be built up here. Father says it will make the country flourish, and I am sure it wants a start, so that some more people will come and settle here. My sister Carrie and I drove down to Ohaeawai, that is seven miles from here, to meet Dad. It would have been a very nice Irive if the roads had not been so muddy. I must stop now, with love. I remain Cousin Nellie.

[Dear Cousin Nellie, —Your letter has arrived just as the “Graphic” is going to be printed. I am putting it in for you, but I can only answer it very shortly. I hope the factory will be a big success. Those two days were lovely in Auckland, but it is dull and cold again to-day.—Cousin Kate.]