COUSINS’ CORRESPONDENCE.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXVII, Issue XX, 16 November 1901, Page 962

COUSINS’ CORRESPONDENCE.

Dear Cousin Kate, —I wrote to you before., asking you if you would accept me as a cousin, but I did not see it in the “Graphic,” and I think that I must have addressed it wrongly. i have a horrid cold, and I cannot get rid of it. Dear Cousin Kate, will you please send me a badge? I must now end this short note.—l remain, Ivey Buckland. | Dear Cousin Ivey Buckland,—l have sent you a badge, which will reach yon before yon see this letter, 1 expect. Your other note must have gone to someone else, as I never got it. I hope your cold is better. Write again soon. —Cousin Kate.]

Dear Cousin Kate, —As I have nothing to do to-night, I thought I would tell you how I spent last Saturday. In the first place, I got up about seven o’clock, and had my breakfast, then did whatever work I had to do. and after that got ready for my ride. There are some children near here who have a very quiet old horse, which we take turns in riding. Very often two of us get on together. After I had my ride I came home, ami did some music practice, and had my dinner. I had been invited to go down to some of my friends’ place to spend the afternoon. We went for a walk round the rocks by the sea shore, but as the tide was fast flowing we were obliged to climb the bank, where we had a lovely ramble through the bush, gathering clematis and ferns. When we got tired we sat down under a big willow-tree, which overshaded a stream, and I van tell you, Cousin Kate, it was nice ami cool after our walk in the hot sun. We had a gay old time. It was time now for us to return home, so after a tiresome tramp up the hills we at length reached home, where we met some more of our friends, who were going in for a bathe, and they asked us if we would go too. Well, Cousin Kate, it was

so hot that it was a temptation too great to resist, so after hunting for some bathing - gowns in we went. Oh. Cousin Kate, it was lovely! There was a big boat, which we had great fun with, jumping in siiml out of it. Then we had our tea. after which T came home, and went out with mamma to spend tin* evening at a friend’s, where w<* played hagrntelle, and had Home music. We ir<>t home at eleven o’clock, feeling’ rather tired, so I went straight off to bed. If you send me a doll as soon as possible I will try and dress it. Good-bye. Cousin Ila. (Dear Cousin Ila* —Your capitally-

written and very interesting letter greatly delighted me, and 1 hope you will very soon send me another. This one arrived too late for last week's ••Graphic.” What a lovely time you had that Saturday, but was not the water cold? and I should think you just must have been tired after that long, long day of excitement. I will send the doll off at once.—Cousin Kate. |

Dear Cousin Kate, —This is, as you probably know, my first letter to you. I live in Christchurch, and go to school. 1 was thirteen years of age last July, and am in the seventh standard at school, and I am also going in for a scholarship. Will you please tell me when your next story competition will be, as I would like to go in for it. I take a great interest in writing, and composing prose and verse. The latter, however, does not receive so much time from me as the former. We have several pets, including birds and rabbits and cats. 1 have two white French rabbits, and three canaries. For this time I will not say much concerning them, nor until 1 see if this reaches you. lam going to send you a small piece of poetry this time. If it meets with your approval, some time again I will send a better piece. At last I think I must come to a conclusion. This is my verse; — •IF IT HAD BEEN LEFT TO ME.’ By Eva A. Clyde. If 1 had only made myself, Oh! wouldn’t I have been pretty! 1 would have been a pretty elf, Ah, yes! if I had made myself. Silken, flaxen, silvery hair, With deep, dancing blue eyes, A complexion, oh! so fair, And a face of winsome smiles. Oh, no, 1 forgot; I wouldn’t; 1 forgot, long, silken, golden hair, And lovely soft dark hazel eyes, And long silken lashes to keep out flies. I’d have a pink and white complexion, A delicate mouth so red, And all that is in connection With someone exceedingly well bred. I would have dainty little feet, And such lovely silken hose, And dainty little shoes so neat, Oh! what could be better than those? And 1 would be so clever! Oh, I would solve any problem; The likes of me seen? Never!! And I would compose verse sublime. Is there anything else? I’ll soon see; Yes. 1 would have shoulders handsome; And there is something else I’d be; I’d always be happy, never glum. This would be if I’d made myself; I would not be proud or stiff; I would have been a pretty elf; But, my friends, all this contains —If. Hoping Cousin Kate, you will think this worth reading. I remain. Cousin Eva, Clyde. | Dear Cousin Eva. I hope you will see tnis answer to your very nice letter. You will see I have printed your verses. The idea is very good, and you seem to have a good idea of rhyme, but occasionally you wander away from it, don’t you However, you must persevere, and I print this because it will show cousins I like them to try stories and verse. Get someone to show you where what is vailed the metre is wrong in this, and to show you how you might have made some of the lines rhyme better. Cousin Kate.]

Dear Cousin Kate, —I was so pleased to see that I had won the “Angle Competition.” I received my prize quite safely, and must thank you very much for it. Yesterday we went for a picnic to the Waiwetu. We drove in a drag; about twenty of us went. 1 think. It was a perfect day, not too hot. I always think that summer days are rather too hot for picnics, but spring days, if they are nice, are perfect. There was a farm-house not far from where we were picnicking, and two or three of us began talking to the old woman who lived there. She was very kind, and showed us all over the garden and the dairy, with its pans of milk and cream. It was a most lovely old garden, with flowers and weeds growing in profusion. She gave us huge bunches of flowers before we left, which were almost too big to carry. Several snow-white pigeons were flying about the roof of the house. I thought of my poor smutty birds, which nothing would make clean. The old woman seemed very proud of some hideous pigs; one especially ugly one she said was a beauty, but I am afraid I could see nothing pretty about the great dirty animals rolling in the mud. I went to a ping-pong tournament the other night, but unfortunately I was beaten at the first game. It is so much harder to play at a strange table than at one which you have been accustomed to. I have just been watching a. girl learning to ride a bicycle. She had two .'young men holding her up, but as she is very fat, and both the men are very slight, it must be rather difficult.' As she seemed to be getting on all right one of the men stopped, and lit his pipe, laughing at the other poor man as he vainly tried to keep her straight on the machine. She would nearly tumble off one side, then as she was pulled back she flopped nearly off the other side. At last I heard a scream; the girl had tumbled off the wrong side, and the man. trying to pull her back fell himself on the top of the bicycle, and the bicycle was on top of the girl. The other man—the man who had been smoking— took about half an hour to reach the heap, he was laughing so. The last thing I saw was the fat girl, with her gorgeous hat half over one eye. and the young man shaking his fist at his chuckling friend. Again thanking you for the book which you sent me, 1 remain, yours affectionately. Cousin Aileen. [ Dear Cousin Aileen, —I am glad you liked ‘your prize, and .that it reached you safely. Your story of the bicycle girl made me laugh very much. It would make some very funny pictures, would it not? What a pit you had not a snap-shot camera! —Cousin Kate.]