CHILDREN’S PAGE.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXX, Issue XI, 14 March 1903, Page 760

CHILDREN’S PAGE.

Cousins’ Badges.

Cousins requiring badges are requested to send an addressed envelope, when the badge will be forwarded by return mail. 4? 4r 4? SOU SIN S’ CORRESPONDENCE. Dear Cousin Kate—l expect you will be very angry with me for not writing for so long, but as I intend to start fresh and try to keep it up, you must forgive me this time. We get the “Graphic” every week, and I always enjoy reading the cousins’ letters. I wonder if Cousin Roie has forgotten us, she has not written for some time. Her letters are always very interesting, and I expect she is enjoying herself immensely, and I think she is a very lucky girl to go such a glorious trip, even if she has to go to school; don’t you? We have a nice pony to ride, but she sometimes refuses to go, and she stands on her hind legs with her fore feet about a foot and a half in the air. I think it looks very silly when your horse does that, don’t you, Cousin Kate? My nephew has two guinea-pigs; one is white and the other fawn and white. They a wire netting run, which we put on the ground, and then they eat the grass almost all day- long. We also have a pair of pigeons, which have just hatched a pair of young ones. I think they are so ugly when young, but as soon as they get their feathers they begin to look pretty. I am afraid this is rather a dull letter, but it is a dull day, and that makes me feel dull too, so we must blame the day I suppose. Well, Cousin Kate, I must elose, with love from Cousin Nora.

[Dear Cousin Nora, —Indeed, I am not angry with you or any cousin who does not write. Why should I be? It is not a thing to force you all to. But lam Horry and rather disappointed that so many cousins should have got lazy all at onee. Perhaps if some of them see this, and know that I really feel bad about it ’(yhen they don’t write, they will begin again. At all events, lam most delighted with your letter and your promise to write regularly. I hope you will be able to keep it. You make a mistake in thinking what you wrote was dull. It was very niee, and I like hearing of your pets. You must be a good rider to stick On that pony. I used to keep guinea pigs Once—both the rough and smooth-haired ones. They are nice pets, and so are pigeons.—Cousin Kate.]

Dear Cousin Kate, —I wouldn’t write to you liefore because I had not dressed the doll T promised for the bazaar, but I have finished it now, and am sending it up to-night. So I hope it will arrive safely- 1 went away f*r my Christmas holi-

days to a place a few miles this side of Wanganui, and hud a lovely time. I went out driving and riding every day, so you may be sure I enjoyed it. The scenery down there is so pretty, most of the roads going zig-zag between gorges of ferns and shrubs. One day when we were out riding I saw Mount Egmont, and it. looked lovely in its solitary grandeur, and the same day saw Mount Ruapehu, which looked equally as lovely, but the view I had of Mount. Egmont there is not half as pretty as the view we have from New Plymouth of it. We haven’t been having very fine weather here lately, but on the fine days another girl and myself always go down to the bench and have a bathe. I went to-day. It was so niee, the sea being as “calm as a millpond.’’ I am learning shorthand now, and find it such interesting work. Have you ever studied it, Cousin Kate? Some people say the further you go on the harder it gets, but I mean to stick to it, no matter how hard it gets. I suppose you went to Madame Melba’s concert. I went and enjoyed it thoroughly. I think Madame Melba’s voice is simply lovely, don’t you? And I think the harpist plays exquisitely also. On the afternoon of the conceit here a friend of mine and myself went to the hotel where Madame Melba was staying, and asked her to write her name in our birthday books, which she. did at once. Wasn’t it good of her? And isn’t it nice for ns to have her autograph? I do not think many girls will have it. Now, Cousin Kate, I must say good-bye. With love to all the cousins and yourself. From Cousin Dora.

[Dear Cousin Dora, —Many thanks for your letter. The doll has not yet arrived, but the parcel mail may not be delivered yet. I will let you know directly I get it. Thank you very much for dressing it for the bazaar. You certainly seem to have had a very nice holiday. I was away for ten days, and only had two fine ones. It was not much fun sitting in a dull hotel all day, was it? I am glad you went to Melba.’ It must have been a perfect education for you. It was certainly very good of her to sign her name in your books. I expoet if she were staying on here for a week all the cousins would be sending up books, and she would have to refuse them. Please try and write to me as often as you can. —Cousin Kate.]

Dear Cousin Kate,—l am afraid that the spaces between my letters are rather long, and that you must sometimes think I have forgotten you. The workmen have been taking the layer of earth that they put on the rails to protect them, off, and they say that the horse trams will be out on Monday, Bth March, though they have not yet begun to put up the poles on which the lines that carry the electricity will go. The volunteers were in camp a short while ago, and one Sunday they had a church parade. The firemen were there, too, and very fine they looked in their blue and silver uniforms. Last week we had some very hot weather, did we not. Cousin Kate? It seemed almost like Fiji again. A company has offered two prizes for each standard in our school, one two splendid pictures—one of the King, and the other of the Queen. These two are to go as first prize. The other one is a little pocket atlas. These two prizes are offered for best behaviour. I must close now, as there Is no more news to tell you. —I remain, your affectionate cousin, Hastings. [Dear Cousin Hastings,—Thanks for your letter, which was the more welcome, as so many of the cousins seem lazy about writing just at present. I saw in the papers the trams were soon to ruu to Ouchunga. It will be very nice

when the electric cars run all the way, but 1 expect we will have the horses for some time yet. 1 hope you will win that prize.—Cousin Kate.J

Dear Cousin Kate, —I see there are very few letters now from the cousins, and I don’t think it is right, considering the trouble you take to keep the cousins’ page going. 1 am glad you liked the doll and cushions 1 sent you. 1 wish 1 could go to Auckland for the bazaar. My sister went to town this morning to hear Madame Melba sing. She will be-there to-night. I would have given anything to have gone, as it is a chance you might not get again in a life-time. 1 expect you will be there, dear Cousin Kate. What a crush there will be. I fancy I can see the Opera House now (as it is a quarter to eight), crowded to suffocation in every part except the stage, where the great singer stands. We have had my brother’s wife and two children staying with us for a fortnight. The little girl is 2J, and the boy 4, and for their age they both are wonderful singers. The little boy sang at a concert some time ago. He has long, fair curly hair, and has such a fair skin. The little girl is the prettiest little thing I have ever seen. She is like a little wax doll, with fair curly hair that curls all over her head, and such lovely blue eyes; she can talk so plain. My sister has started to teach painting, and 1 am to be one of her pupils. Our school is to have a holiday to-morrow for the Pukekohe Show, but I am not going, and we are going to have another holiday- soon, as there is an excursion from here to Awitu, and all the school children are free. 1 think lam going to that. I hope the weather will be fine and then we will enjoy it. The weather has been glorious for the last few days, the sun so bright and not a cloud to be seen. Hoping you and all the cousins are quite well, —I am, your loving cousin, Ha. [Dear Cousin Ila, —Your letter arrived just as .1 was beginning to fear there would be scarcely any again this week, and I need not tell you bow pleased 1 was to get it. The weather has most certainly been superb lately. It is the warmest summer we have had for a very long while. Auckland is very gay with all the war ships in port, and the sailors seem a most jolly set of men. They are having a regatta this week, with rowing and sailing races. I hope your sister enjoyed Melba as much as I did. It was lovely.—Cousin Kate.]

Dear Cousin Kate, —The weather at Auckland has been simply delightful, and it seems a shame to go to school, but of course our education must come before play. I have started French again, and as there are several new pupils we have to start pretty nearly from the beginning, so it is very easy- for us older pupils to understand it. The week before last I went to “If I Were King” and “Sherlock Holmes," played by the Williamson Dramatic Company in His Majesty’s Theatre. I liked the former very much, but the latter play I could not understand. My- sister Ivy is very busy practising for the coming swimming sports. She has already won a beautiful gold brooch for swimming. Good-bye, dear Cousin Kate, from Cousin Mabel. P.S.—I hope you will be able to understand my writing, as I am in a hurry. [Dear Cousin Mabel, —I was quite able to understand your nice little letter. I also saw the two plays you mention, and much enjoyed them. Did you hear Madame Melba? She was simply splendid, and I don’t suppose we shall ever

have such a treat again. When arc the swimming sjmrts to be held? 1 think all girls, as well as boys, should practise swimming. One never knows when it may be wanted. 1 know how you feel about going to school, for I often think I should like to stop home from the office. Write again soon. —Cousin Kate.]

Dear Cousin Kate, —I’m afraid you will think I have soon forgotten my promise to write to you more regularly. 1 noticed how few letters were in the “Graphic” to-day, and 1 do hope the cousins are not going to stop writing suddenly. I hope Cousin Roie will soon favour us with smother of her interesting letters. It seems a good long- wliile since one appeared in print. Are we not having delightful weather here just now? I do hope it will continue so. I went to Rotorua for the carnival as I intended, returning by the express on Monday, nnd spent a most enjoyable week’s holiday. The only thing it was not half long enough. There were seven of our party altogether, and two more friends joined us up there- I quite intended writing while T was away, but all our time seemed to be taken up in sight-seeing. The weather was lovely, except Thursday, afternoon and Friday morning; but even “ on those days we managed to go out. We made rather a bad beginning, the express was 2<i hours late in arriving on Monday. Although it was so late wo went for a walk in the Sanatorium Grounds after dinner that night- Tuesday we spent on the shores of the lake, viewing the regatta. Earlier in the day we went round Ohinemutu, and wliile there an old Maori came up and wanted us to buy tickets. We didn't understand what he meant them for, and when we asked him all he could say was “Go home, I say, go home,” and so, knowing that if we gave him anything, we should soon have half-a-dozen more following us, we turned back towards the gates, followed by the Maori, -who made sure we really did leave the place. On the main road we met another man, one of the Carnival Committee, and straightway bought our tickets from him. Every, night we went down to the Sanatorium Grounds for a stroll. The band played in the rotunda nearly every evening, and once the haka and poi dances were held there. Wednesday morning we spent at Whakarewarewa, when “Wairoa” geyser was soaped for the benefit of visitors, and played beautifully. The sports wars held on the racecourse on Thursday; but a heavy thunderstorm came on in the afternoon, so we did not wait for tha finish. Friday we drove to the lovely Fairy Springs and to Mr Bainbridge’s monument in the morning, and had our photos taken, in memory of our visit, in the afternoon. Saturday was a lovely day, and wo spent it at Wairoa viewing the ruins there, nnd the Falls. On the way back our driver waited 45 minutes while we picked blackberries. Sunday morning we all went to St. Luke’s, and in the afternoon across the Lake to Hannirana Springs- While we were there a strong wind sprang up and we had a rather rough trip back, taking 2® minutes longer than usual to come across. The water was coming over the ' front of the launch, and there wasn’t room for everyone at the back; so seven of us remained in the pulling boat and were towed behind the steamer. On Monday I left for home, after a. most delightful time, and here endeth a short and sweet holiday. Trusting this is not too long to tire you, with love to all the cousins, from your affectionate cousin, Ethel, Auckland.

[Dear Cousin Ethel Ada,—Your long and most absorbing letter gave me very great pl.-nsure, and will be read with great interest by all the cousins. The “Graphic” had a photographer up at Rotorua, and he said everyone seemed to enjoy themselves hugely.' I have visited all the places you mention. The Fairy Spring is lovely, is it not, and the water delightfully cool to drink? I suppose you will go to the Maori School bazaar next week. There is sure to he a crowd, and I hear there are some lovely things to bo sold.—Cousin Kate,]