Cousins’ Badges.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXX, Issue XXIV, 13 June 1903, Page 1688

Cousins’ Badges.

Cousins requiring' badges are requested to send an addressed envelope, when the badge will be forwarded by return mail. _ "a ♦ * ♦ COUSINS’ CORRESPONDENCE. Dear Cousin Kate, —I was very pleased to sec my letter in the “Graphic” this week, and I must thank you very much for accepting me as one of your cousins. Though this is only my second letter, 1 find very much pleasure in writing to you, and intend to continue doing so for a very long time. 1 have tried to put together the man in the drawing puzzle. It is much more difficult than it looks, and 1 am afraid my attempt is a very poor one, the result of which is enclosed with this letter. We have had a cold week, with a few light showers, and it is now raining while I’m wiiting. Wet Saturday

nights are very miserable, don’t you fJiink so? We did not have a public holiday in Napier for Empire Day, but our school closed for the day. In the morning the cadets drilled and saluted the Hag, and 1 heard several spectators make very nice remarks about the boys, and girls, too, who also turned out in their different classes. Thank you very much for posting my badge. I have not got it yet, but am hoping to have it on .Monday. This is all 1 have to say* this lime, so good-night, from Cousin Bes-

[Dear Cousin Bessie, —Many thanks for your very nice and beautifully, neatly written letter. I expect you have got your badge by this time, as I posted it myself, but believe it was late for the mail. It has been quite cold for Auckland this last week, but to-day is beautifully sunny, though the air is keen. It is a long while since I was in Napier, but I thought it such a pretty town. —Cousin Kate.]

Des’i' Cousin Kato, —I am afraid you will think I have forgotten you, but you see 1 have not. Did you go to see “Sweet Nell of Old Drury”? 1 did; 1 went on Wednesday. Nellie Stewart •ioes look so pretty as “Sweet Nell.” We broke up on Friday, May 15. lam going in for the five-point drawing puzzle, and I am also sending you the answers to the puzzles in this week’s “Graphic.” Isn't the weather cold just now? As I am writing this letter we have a big lire burning. Mr Harcourt Beatty lias the most charming little King Charles spaniel. Every time Mr

Beatty came near it got up and wagged, its tail.-—Yours ever, Cousin Gwen. [Dear Cousin Gwen, —I was very pleased to get a letter from you. You will lave seen by the “Graphic” that many of your answers to the puzzles were right. It is very pretty notepaper you write on. with a daffodil in the corner, and I like it very much.—-Cou-sin Kate J “

Dear Kate, —It is a long time since I wrote to you, and I expect you will be thinking that I have forgotten you altogether, but I have not. We have all been very busy lately, and I have not had much to tell you about. We all enjoyed our holiday down to Auckland very much, and we had a nice smooth trip up home. The steamship Clansman started at about seven in the evening; it was a nice, fine night, and none of us were sea-sick. We got to Russell at six in the morning, and after waiting there for a while till they got some of the cargo off, we steamed on to Opus. It was very pretty indeed going across; the sun had not been up long, and the water was as smooth as glass, and such a pretty blue, with all the shadows reflected in it. We got off the Clansman there, and went for an 8-mile ride in the train to Kawakawa. Tim train is such a funny little thing, not. half as big as the Auckland ones, and it goes very slowly. But there is verypretty scenery all the way, and you don’t notice the slowness very much. We stayed with a friend for a short time in Kawakawa, and then started for a 11)-mile drive home. There are some very pretty places as you go along. We stopped to get our mail at Ohaeawai, and arrived home between 3 and 4 o’clock in the afternoon, rather tired, and very glad to get back again. 1 must stop now, with love to all the cousins.—l remain. Cousin Nellie.

[Dear Cousin Nellie,- —What a long and charming letter you write me this week. I am sure all the cousins will read it with as much pleasure as I did. You seem to have had a lovely trip. I often wanted to go up North, but have never had the opportunity. I have never even been to Russell, though I have passed it in the Sydney boats several times. Everyone say’s it is very pretty. Write again goon.—Cousin Kate. J

Dear Cousin Kate, —The weather has turned against us, and the wind is dreadful. Did you see in the paper that there was a terrible earthquake in Turkey and about 2000 people lost their lives? I did. I could imagine how the poor people felt. We did keep a party up on my brother's birthday, and we had several friends to tea. A few day’s ago my grandma sent me a beautiful dressed (ta»ll from England, with a doublejointed body, -Wild such a lovely hat. There has been many sailors in our shop getting books to read. Most sailors say’ that a sailor’s life is a very' hard one, for it needs a very strong man to do what the sailors do. Now I must close, with love to all.—l remain, your loving cousin, from Cousin Ivv Metealfe.

[Dear Cousin Ivy,—Many thanks fhr your letter. Since you wrote the weather has lifted a little, and to-day, when 1 am answering your letter, it is beautifully sunny, but very cold. I think, as you do, that it must take a very strong man to do all a man-of-war’s man has to do, and they work both early and late. What sort of books do they like best, I wonder? Perhaps you can tell me next time you write?—Cousin Kate.]

Dear Cousin Kate, —I would like to correspond with you. My age is thirteen years, and l am in the sixth standard. X liave to walk about one mile to school; bnt when 1 am late 1 ride my sister’s bike. We have a dear little pup, and we call him Flee. He is a dear little thing, and a splendid watchdog. His coat is of a grey' colour, and he is -a half-bred terrier. We also have a little pony’, which my brother and I ride. When I go for a ride I take my’ friend on behind me, and we have a glorious time. The pony’s name is Metho. He is up in years, so he is very quiet. I would like a badge, if y-ou would not mind sending me one. I must end now, with fondest love to you.—l remain, your ever eousin, M. L. Smith.

[Dear Cousin M. L. Smith, —Will you tell me your Christian name next time you write, as it sounds rather stiff to have to write to you as I do this week; but that is the way your letter is signed. Are you fond of the bike? I used to ride once, but the roads are so bad and hilly in Auckland it spoils all the pleasure. I have, posted you a badge, and you will get it before you see this letter in print.—Cousin Kate.]

Deal- Cousin Kate,—l will tell you about my little pussy’. She has a grey and white eoat, and it is very’ thick, so she is never cold in winter. Every morning I give her a saucer of milk." I call her Flossy. We have had a lot of bad weather, and the roads are very’ dirty’. I am in the first standard, and my age is eight years. Would you send me a badge, please? I must close now, as it is late, with love to yourself.—l remain, your affectionate cousin, Hearn Smith.

[Dear Cousin Hearn Smith, —I am very’ pleased to have you for a eousin, as well as your sister, and am posting vour badges to-day. I am very fond of cats, lours sounds as if she was very’ pretty. Is she a good fnouser? You " write a very’ good hand for a little girl of eight. I hope you will often send me a letter. —Cousin Kate.] * db + My Dear Cousin Kate, —I have not written to you for a long time, have I? But my brother Stuart and I have been sick for a long time, and that is the reason. he have all had the measles, and after that Stuart and I got dysentery badly', and were ten days in bed. We are better now-, I am glad to say. We started school again, and I like it very much; we arc having four hours a day now to make up for all the holidays we have had. It was my’ birthday' not long ago, and 1 spent a very happy one, and got some nice presents. We had a new boy in the kitehen the other day. He was a very- stupid fellow, and one evening mother told him to go and get the eggs—we were getting a very few at the. time. He came back with his sulu full, and mother was so pleased. What do you think, he had gone and gathered all the china nest eggs. I am afraid there are a lot of mistakes in this letter. I hope y’ou will excuse them, Cousin Kate. I am learning music, and hope I shall learn to play nicely by-and-by. Cousin Newton is writing nice and regularly, is he not? Not many of the cousins are writing now. We have had two such hot days here; the water simply pours off me. I am sorry to send swell an uninteresting letter, but I have so little to write about. Baby’ is beginning to say a few words. He says the name of our cow, and wh never the puppy comes in sight he says “go away,” and in such a gruff voice. He has taken two steps, and he often comes and kisses and throws his

arms round our necks, loving us. He is very fond of me, and I am very fond of all babies. Well, good-bye, Cousin Kate. I must go to bed now, or else I won’t be able to do my lessons in the morning. With lots of love to you, dear Cousin Kate, and all the cousins.—From Cousin Lorna.

[Dear Cousin Lorna.—lt was very delightful to see your handwriting ana the >Suva postmark when I came to the office this morning, and found your very welcome letter waiting for me. Of course 1 knew it was from you before I opened the envelope, and I was sincerely’ pleased to receive it, I can assure you. How •strange you should think your letter was uninteresting. It was most charming, and I am sure all the cousins will enjoy reading every word of it. I expect you •saw our Parliamentary’ party. The “Graphic” had a photographer on board, and if I had only thought of it before he left, I would have asked him to look out for your place. He says it was very’ hot, so I do not wonder you complain a little, for he is usually such a cold mortal, and never seems to get a hot enough day in Auckland. Baby seems a dear little chap, and will become more and more interesting day after day. Once they begin to talk they- are delightfully good fun. I think. I was sorry to hear both you and your brother had been so sick; there have been many’ cases of measles in Auckland, too, and a lot of influenza besides. I hope, dear Cousin Lorna, you will soon write to me again, for I do like your letters, and so. I am sure, do the other cousins.—Cousin Kate.]