CHILDREN’S PAGE.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXVII, Issue VIII, 24 August 1901, Page 382

CHILDREN’S PAGE.

Dear Cousin Kate.— i saw my last letter ir. the "Graphic." 1 think the Royal number of the “Graphic" was very nice indeed. Our examination is to take place in October. The school I go to intends to have an exhibition of the work done in school hours. We have got a parrot named Coekie. but he does not talk, as he is too young yet. My birthday is on Tuesday, and I will be eleven years old. I am learning music now, and like it very much. My flower garden in the orchard is not looking very good now, as it has been raining so much lately.—l remain, your loving cousin. Walton.

(Dear Cousin Walton, —I do hope you had a nice day for your birthday, it has been so dreadfully wet lately, has it not? Did you have any presents? When I was your age I used to have simply lovely birthdays, but nowadays I don’t think anyone ever remembers me. We were three —two sisters and a brother —all very near each other's ages, and we used to combine, to make all birthdays lovely. We always had a huge children’s party, and a scrumptious birthday cake, covered with sugar, and on the top as many toy candles as we were years old. Ten candles for ten years and so on. 1 am glad you like learning music. It will be such an enjoyment to you when you grow older.— Cousin Kate.]

Dear Cousin Kate, —Every week I have looked anxiously for the result of the letter competition, but it has never appeared, and you have not even mentioned it. Is it because it takes longer to decide than the others? Do say something about it in next week’s "Graphic." I know several girls who are wanting to know the results. My poor pigeon met with a very sad fate the other day. A rat trap had been left set in a garden some doors off. I suppose that it was attracted by the piece of bacon used as a bait, and tugged at it. the trap went off, and the poor bird was killed instantaneously. We all went to “La Mascotte” the other night. I liked it very much. I hope that I will be able to go to this Italian Opera that is coming here soon; everyone seems determined to go to it. 1 expect a great many people will be disappointed in it. If you hear a great deal about anything, and expect a lot. the play. or. whatever it is, nearly always falls short of your expectations. The weather here has been very cold lately, the kind, of weather which seems to catch the tip of your nose, ami freeze your eyes. This winter I have been suffering a good deal from chilblains, things which I have never had before. Yea-

terday some friends and myself determined to go for a long walk to make up for the long hours spent over the fire. We started about one” o’clock after an early lunch. We had very little to carry, only two or three baskets full of cakes and a billy for afternoon tea. We reached Crofton at about three o’clock. Most of us at once plunged into the bush, the rest stayed to make a fire and lay the cloth. It was rather damp in the bush, but very pretty. We were following up a winding stream, jumping from stone to stone. After going for a long way we heard a booming noise in the distance. As we advanced it grew louder and louder, and at last rounding a corner we saw a most lovely waterfall straight in front of us. The sun struggling through the trees and ferns made a patch of light on the water as it fell into the pool below only to splash up again all round. I don’t know how long we stayed there watching the different colours on the water, but at last we heard a faint “cooee" in the distance, and knew that the billy must be boiling and it was time to return. After several cups of steaming billy tea we packed up and had a lovely long walk home in the dusk. Hoping you will be able to print this on your cousins’ page,—l remain, your affectionate cousin. Aileen. [Dear Cousin Aileen, —1 must look into the question of the letter competition. I was under the impression that the result had been announced long ago, but just at the time of the Royal visit several matters for the children's page were put on one side owing to lack of room in the paper. I think it may have been overlooked then, but will go over the “Graphics" and tell you all about it next week. I felt dreadfully sad about your poor little pigeon. What a horrible death, but it is a comfort to think the poor little thing could not have suffered much. Indeed, Aileen, I can sympathise with you in the matter of chilblains. As a child I suffered agonies from them, but have never felt them in New Zealand. What a grand walk you seem to have had, and a picnic tea in the middle of winter is quite a novelty. I must compliment you on your letter. It is most interesting, and verv brightly written.—Cousin Kate.]

Dear Cousin Kate, —This is the first time I have written to you. I have been reading your letters in the “Graphic.” We had such a nice old dog for a few days and he ran away and never came back again. His name was Boson. I have a cat named Woody; he is yellow. His mother is dead. My sister writes to you. My little brother has got croup. I have a canary of my own; it came from Las Palmas. 1 hope you will excuse the writing and allow me to be one of your cousins. My name is Jean Beauchamp, and I am 9 years old. I have been at school a year. Goodbye.—Your loving cousin J.B.

(Dear Cousin Jean, —1 am glad you are going to become a cousin, and hope you will write regularly. Has the dog Bo'sw'n come back yet? It was very disappointing to lose him, was it not. but perhaps he did not like Woody. Dogs and cats often get on very badly, don’t they? Is your little brother better? I hope so, for I know how dreadful it is for parents to have anyone sick with croup. How do you like school? Write anti

tell me all about it next week. — Cousin Kate.] •e -I- 4* Dear Cousin Kate, —I have not written to you for a very long time, and now I have not got very much to say. 1 am in standard five now, and I was so glad when I knew that I had passed. I cannot see the lines very well to-night, and my writing is also very bad. Dear cousin, when is your birthday? Mine is next month, and it is also my little nephew’s, who will be one year old. We have not had very nice weather lately. Is not it a very long time since we have had some riddles? 1 cannot think of any more to say.—l remain, your affectionate cousin, Amy. [Dear Cousin Amy,—lt was a very pleasant surprise to get a letter from you onee more. Please do not leave me without one for so long again. My birthday its in October; but I am too old for birthdays (proper ones with treats I mean) nowadays. You are a very young, aunt, are you not, but I am sure a kind one? There will be a heap more riddles very soon.—Cousin Ka.te.]

Dear Cousin Kate, —I am writing to you to ask you if I may become a cousin. We get the “Graphic,” and I enjoy the cousins’ letters very much. I am thirteen years of age, and am in the seventh standard at school. My sister has a pet cat named Topsy. We also had a dog named Kruger, but one day while we were out w*alking with him he got away from us, and in spite of our efforts to regain him that was the last we ever saw of poor Kruger. Please, Cousin Kate, if I am allowed to become a cousin may I go in for the next story competition? I like writing stories very much. I have also made an attempt at writing poetry, though I fear that it is not very good. I had a good view of the Royal visitors. I think that the Duchess is very pretty. There were a lot of arches here in Christchurch. If I am accepted as a cousin I will tell you about them in my next letter.—l remain. your affectionate cousin, Winnie.

[Dear Cousin Winnse,—Your letter was not in time for last week's paper, so I hope you were not disappointed in seeing it. Of course I am delighted to have you for a cousin, and shall be only too pleased to have you enter for the story competitions. We will start one very soon. Please don’t forget to write again and tell me all about Christchurch, as you promise.—Cousin Kate.]

My dear Cousin Kate.—l am going to write to you regularly now. We have got such a pretty canary, and I clean him every morning. He sings beautifully. Have we not been having wet weather? It will be a treat to get summer again. I have just finished reading such a pretty book; it is called “Grandmother Dear.” Have you ever read it. Cousin Kate? I must now close, dear Cousin Kate, as I have no more news. Please excuse a short letter.—Love from Cousin Gwendoline.

[ I>ea.r Cousin Gwendoline, —It was very pleasant to hear that you intend to write regularly’ now, and I hope you will stick to your good resolution. Cousin Roie is simply splendid; she writes lovely letters and scarcely

misses a week. I think she deserves a prize at the end of the year, don’t you? I do not think I have read “Grandmother Dear." Have you ever tried “Lilian’s Golden Hours?” It is lovely, and so is “The Children of the New Forest.” I simply loved theim

when I was about your age.—Cousin Hate.]

My Dear Cousin Kate, —I hope you will forgive me for not writing to you before. I have been busy with my lessons. I passed my examination. It was very kind of you to send me a badge. I like it so much. I have not filled my card as yet. I am waiting until my Uncle comes. I know he will give me something. What a lot of new Cousins " you have. I like to read the country Cousins’ letters. I think they have nicer fun than we town ones’. They have such nice pets. We only’ have a dear little canary and a Fiji parrot. I think I will say’ good-bye, dear Cousin Kate, with love to yoii and all the Cousins.— From Cousin Brightie. [ Dear Cousin Brightie,—lt was quite right not to let writing to me interfere with your lessons. But 1 hope you will in future be able to spare me a moment or two of playtime. 1 too wish sometimes I was one of the country’ cousins, though in this wet weather it must be rather dull. Cousin Kate.] + ■»- + My Dear Cousin Kate. —I am starting a letter now. I hope we will get the “Graphics” to-morrow. It is no good my going in for the competition. as it is over when you get niv letters. We went a long way in the boat the other day, and we got towed by one of the launches. July 31st.—We got the “Graphics” yesterday. I was in school, and could not wait. I was so glad to see yours and my letter in the paper. We are having lovely weather; so cool. Mother’s garden looks very’ nice. It has a lot of flowers in it, and the things in my garden are coming on nicely. We have a dear little kitten. It is so playful. It has a smudge right across its nose. We will have a lot of pineapples soon. I wish I could send you some; there are hundreds in the garden. I have not got a photograph of our home to send you: but I send y’ou a few other prints.—With love, from Cousin Lorna.

| Dear Cousin Lorna. —Your letter has just arrived. How I do envy you your lovely tropical weather. It is so cold and wet here. I will put some of the photos in an early number of the “Graphic.” so look out for them. Thank y’ou ever so much for sending them, and thank you too for wanting to send me pine-apples. How funny it seems to us to hear of them growing in the garden. I expect manyNew Zealand cousins will wish they could visit you. How is the kitten getting on? It is a pity they grow into cats is it not, they are so pretty when small.—Cousin Kate.]

Dear Cousin Kate, —I am so pleased you liked my story. I wonder which opera you saw me at. Will you please tell me. as I should like to know? What a great many’ new Cousins there are, are there not? I see Cousin Gwendoline is going to begin to write regularly now. I am so glad, because it seems such a shame to leave off. Do you not think so? I have just read such a lovely book called “Miss Nonentity.” by L. T. Meade. Have you ever read it? It is lovely. I have just started another book called “The Boys and I.” and that is by Mrs Molesworth. Cousin Gwendoline lent it to me, and I think it will be very nretty. Are you fond of readino-. Cousin Kate? I am, very. I must now conclude, as I cannot think of anything more to say. Hoping you will excuse a short letter.—l remain. Cousin Roie.

[Dear Cousin Roie.—How good you are to write so regularly. You are quite the best of all my cousins. I have not read “Miss Nonentity,” but all L. T. Meade's books are good, “The Boys and I" is indeed capital. Have you redd “Carrots: the Storv of a Little Boy?" It is so pretty and

tender. 1 am very fond of reading. Cousin Roie, and am glad to hear you are. I forget which opera it was 1 saw you at, but think it was "Faust.” But my memory is very bad. Please keep up writing; it is so nice to have cousins one can depend on.—Cousin Kate.]