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New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXI, Issue XXIII, 5 December 1903, Page 62

Cousins’ Badges. Cousins requiring badges are requested to send an addressed envelope, when the badge will be forwarded by return mail. ♦ ♦ ♦ COUSINS’ CORRESPONDENCE. Dear Cousin Kate,—Just a few lines to ask if you would kindly accept me as a cousin. We get the “Graphic” regularly, and I take a delight in reading the cousins’ letters. Dear Cousin Kate, if you have a badge to spare I would like to have one. I am eight years old, and I go to the Avondale school. lam in standard one. We are going to have a concert next Friday week in the Public Hall out here. It will be a very niee one, and I hope you will come out and see it. I have not much to tell you this week. With love to you and all the cousins.—l remain, your Cousin Robert.

[Dear Cousin Robert, —Of course I shall be very pleased indeed to add you to my list of cousins, and I am very glad indeed that you like reading the cousins’ letters. I will post a badge to you at once, and I hope you will like it. Is it a school concert you are going to have? I should like to come out to it very much indeed, but I am afraid it is rather too far; but you must tell me all about it in your next letter. I hope it will be a great success, and that you will have a fine night for it. —Cousin Kate.]

Dear Cousin Kate, —Thank you verv much for the badge. I received it on November 19th, and I was very pleased with it. I think it looks nice with the blue pin. Since I last wrote to you it has been raining here very hard, and the men cannot go to work. If it rains when we are in school the master lets us play games in school. We play “touch wood” and other games that make us warm. The boys play leapfrog and throwing a cricket ball round. I am trying to get some other girls to write, if you don’t mind. This letter is not very long, but I will have to close with love to all the cousins and yourself.—Cousin Ina.

[Dear Cousin Ina, —I am so glad you received your badge safely, and were pleased with it. I think the ornamental pins are a great improvement, don’t you? It seems to have been raining hard everywhere just lately, but your schoolmaster must be very nice to let you play games in the schoolroom. Don’t the cricket balls knock over the ink-pots, though, sometimes? I shall be very pleased indeed if any of your little friends care to write to me. Inm getting such a number of new cousins now that I shall have to have a A'hole

“Graphic” to myself to answer their letters in soon, because there wcn't be room for them in the Cousins’ Page. How do you play touch wood? I don’t think I have ever seen that game. —Cousin Kate.]

Dear Cousin Kate,—Please will you accept me as a cousin, as 1 am very fond of reading the cousins’ letters. My father does not take the “Graphic,” but my uncle lends them to us. I am eleven years old, and I am in the third standard at school. I have got a bird, and I am trying to teach it to talk. Our Sundayschool anniversary is going to be held next Sunday, and I am going to help with it. We have got two dear little kittens, they are very playful, and they are into all kinds of mischief. Dear Cousin Kate, 1 am sending an addressed envelope for a badge—that is, if you will accept me. 1 did not go to school to-day, as it was too wet. I have been away for a week up at my cousin’s place, and I enjoyed myself very much. One night my cousin and 1 went fishing, and we never got any fish. Dear Cousin Kate, we have got a lot of flowers out, especially roses. Our cherries are nearly ripe; I expect you like cherries. I have no brothers or sisters, so you see I have to amuse myself as best I ean at times. I am very fond of reading. I have a mother, but she is very ill. A year ago she went to Rotorua, but it did not do her any good. My father has got a young lady keeping house for him, and I am very fond of her; and we would not like her to leave us, but she is not likely to until she gets married, and then she will be my aunty. I learn music, -and my Aunty Rosa teaches me, and I have a lesson every week. Dear Cousin Kate, I have nothing more to tell you, so I will conclude with love.—l remain, yours truly, Cousin Ine.

[Dear Cousin Ine, —1 shall be very glad indeed to have you for one of my cousins, and I will post a badge to you to-day. What sort of bird is is that you are trying to teach to talk. I thought parrots and magpies were the only birds in New Zealand that could be taught to talk. Isn’t it horrid to go fishing and never catch anything? It always seems sueh a waste of time. We have a great number of roses out, too, but the heavy rain we have been having lately has spoilt most of them. You are quite right-. I do like cherries very much indeed. I expect you do too, don’t you? I am so sorry your mother is such an invalid. What is the matter with her? Would .you like to have some brothers and sisters to play with? I hope you will like your badge, dear Ine, and that your anniversarv Sunuav will be fine. —Cousin Kate.]

Dear Cousin Kate, —I am writing to you for permission to become one of your cousins. I suppose you have heard of the town I live in. It is famous on account of its marvellous gold mines, the returns from which are unsurpassed by any mine in the world. The majority of people de not care to reside in Waihi on account of its peculiar climate, but after one has lived there for a few months one gets used to it. Now, I will tell you about my pets. I have a cat called Melba. It is such a pretty little thing. And I have a dog called Blackberry. I am teaching him to do some tricks. He will sit up on his hind legs and beg for food. I went down to a place called Owharoa last week. It is about eight miles distant from where we live. I had an ideal time, and aqj looking forward to another trip of a similar nature.

I must conclude now, with fond love,— Your loving oousin, Alf. Hoping to see this letter in print. [Dear Cousin Alf, —Of course I shall be very glad to have you for a cousin, and I hope you will be a regular correspondent. 1 think most people in New Zealand have heard about Waihi. I have been there once or twice, and the last time I was there we went down the Waini mine and over the battery too. I didn’t much like going down in that horrible sort of cage at first, but I got used

to it before we got to the bottom, and didn’t mind coming up in it at all. Why did you call your eat Melba? Has she got a specially nice voice? Well, Alf, I am afraid I must stop now, as I am rather busy this morning.—Cousin Kate.]

Dear Cousin Kate, —Just fancy, this is the second letter running that I have written to you. You will have (to use a slang expression) to “chalk it up.” I won’t be able to write a long letter thia time, as 1 have no news to tell you. Last week we had such hot weather that we were all nearly stifled, and this week it is so cold and windy that I am almost freezing. Everybody has gone back to winter jackets again. Ido hope it won’t last long. Such a crowd of New Plymouth people have been in Auckland lately, ano they have all been to see the Musgrove Company. Ido wish they would come here. What we have to look forward to now is the coming of Ada Crossley. 1 am hoping to hear her, but Ido not know if I will be able to. Cousin Kate, have you read a book called the “Pearl Maiden?” 1 forget whom it is by, but father says it is after the style of “Darkness and Dawn,” so I am sure it will be nice. 1 haven’t read it myself yet, but I hope to soon. I hear there is a new book out by Ethel Turner. I do like her books so much, don’t you? Another authoress 1 like is L. T. Meade. I saw in the “Graphic” that one of the cousins had “Seven Maids” by her. Oh! I did envy her, as I have tried all over the town to get that particular one, and failed. You may imagine I was awfully disappointed. I wish you would tell me of a good book to read, as 1 haven't read a nice one for ages. I hope you do not mind my discussing my dislikes and likes. 1 am so sorry I have nothing to tell you, but I hope you won’t mind for onee; so with love to the cousins and yourself I will conclude.—From Cousin Dora.

[Dear Cousin Dora, —I wish I might have to chalk up the fact of your having written two weeks running oftener, say about twice a month. I am not greedy you know, but 1 really do like a lot. Has not the weather been horrid lately? One cannot depend on it for more than two minutes at a time, and I am getting tired of being wet through two and three times a day. I have met a great many New Plymouth people in town the last week or two. I suppose most of them have eome up to be present at the two Taranaki weddings. The one last week was one of the prettiest I have seen, I think, though it was such a horrid day. The Musgrove Company is such a large one, and they have such a quantity of scenery, that I don’t think they could put it on on the New Plymouth stage. We are all looking forward to hearing Ada Crossley, too. I met her when she passed through Auckland on her way to Sydney, and thought her charming. No, I haven’t read the “Pearl Maiden”; in fact, I have hardly read anything but papers and magazines lately. I seem to have had no time, so I am afraid I can’t recommend a book to you this week; but I’ll try and think

of some for you next tin.< Kate.]

Dear Cousin Kate,—Last Saturday evening we went to “As You Like It.” I liked it better, I think, than all the others. Were we not lucky to go to all of them? We have played croquet quite a lot of times this season; we even played last Sautrday and Sunday between the showers. Yesterday afternoon we went out to Onehunga and back again in the trams. Are they not lovely? Isn’t it lovely to think there is only about a fortnight's more lessons, and then we are going up to Rotorua. We are going to be bridesmaids in February—my sister, two other girls, and myself. 1 think we are going to have wreaths, and veils thrown baek over our heads. I think they’ll be lovely, don’t you? I received such a lovely box of chocolates the other day. It is a sort of brown box, and on the lid is a photograph of five little dogs all raised, and the chocolates are also lovely, vou may be sure. Isn’t it lovely to have some fine weather again? I think last week was one of the worst weeks we have ever had at this time of the year, don’t you? I am counting the days to my sister coming over now, and you can’t imagine how excited we are, especially as there are only ten more days. I am sorry to say she is a very bad sailer. Was not the forest scene in

“As You Like It” lovely? The jester was very funny, wasn’t he? Now, dear Cousin Kate, I am afraid I must close this short uninteresting note (I really can’t call it a letter) with much love to you and all the cousins.—l remain, Cousin Gwen.

[Dear Cousin Gwen, —You were very lucky indeed to go to all three plays. I went to them all, too, but I liked “Twelfth Night” better than the other two. The scenery was simply lovely in all three, wasn’t it? I don’t think I have ever seen prettier. Won’t it spoil your lawns rather playing croquet when the ground is so soft? I am very fond of going out to Onehunga and back in the trams, but I like going out in the evening best, because there is not so much traffic then, and they simply fly along. I think you will all look very' nice indeed in bridesmaids’ dresses, but you have quite roused my curiosity, as I don’t know who is going to be married in February. I expect you are counting the days to your sister’s arrival, but you have not much longer to wait, have you?—Cousin Kate.]

Dear Cousin Kate, —I am just a little boy. only five years old. I don’t go to school, but my brothers and sisters do. My sister Is writing this for me. Will you send me a badge, please? We get the “Graphic” every week. I like looking at Jungle Jinks. — I remain, Cousin Ivan.

[Dear Cousin Ivan.—l am very pleased indeed to have you for one of my little cousins, and "when you go to school I shall want you to write a letter to me in your own handwriting. Do you think you would like to go to school? You would have a lot of other little boys of your own age to play with there, and that is rather nice, isn’t it? I hope you will like your badge, which I have sent to Percy for you. You must wear it sometimes to remind you of me. —Cousin Kate.]

Dear Cousin Kate,—Winnie has just written to you and told you all that is worth telling, so I have not much to write. Baby Neville is growing such a big boy, and he is now shortened. He makes the queerest little noises, and his favourite expression seems to be

“googo-goo.” I don’t know’ whether there is sueh a won!, but I assure you Neville seems to think there is. Neville has got such a pretty brown go-cart, and sometimes on a very nice dav mamma lets me take him out. Winnie and 1 went to “Arizona” with papa. It was grand, and I think Mary Van Buren and Eva Dennison lovely actresses. Have you ever seen this play, Cousin Kate? I think Winnie told you we were in a mandolin band. We are all going to play at a large concert next week. Our band colours are scarlet and orange, and they make our mandolines look very pretty. We arc having very wintry weather just now. I do wish it would clear up and be fine, for it is very miserable to be kept inside all day. Christmas will not be long in coming now,

will it. Cousin Kate? I think Christina* is the loveliest time of the year. My brother Mark has joined the Sydenham School Volunteer Corps. He looks lovely in his uniform, and I can tell you he is very proud of it. Winnie is typing ■his letter fm’ me, so owing to lack of news I will now eonelude. With love from your affm-t ionate cousin Olive. [Dear Cousin Olive, —Thank yon very tiiueh for your letter, which I received this morning. Isui't. it a P>ty that babies grow up so quickly? 1 love them when they are in long clothes, don’t you? But I expert if we had to nurse them much we should like them better in short ones. I am so glad you went to see “Arizona.” I went when the company was in Auckland, and liked them very mueli indeed. Did you know that Mary Vat: Buren was one of the prettiest women on the American stage? But though she was so pretty 1 think I liked Eva Dennison's acting best. Yes, Winnie did tell me you were going to play at a concert. 1 hope you will all play very well and carry off thy honours ef the evening. Wc are having lovely weather just now, so 1 hope you are having the same. —Cousin Kate.]

Dear Cousin Kate, —I am going to write you another letter after a long time. We have two horses, and tlietr names are Jess and Lady Ranfurly. I like your letters better than Dot’s Little Folks letters. I am in the fourth standard. I like reading Jungle Jinks. Have you just to write on one side of the paper? It is raining tonight like anything. My sister Lillie got her badge to-day. With love to all. —I remain, Cousin Adelaide. [Dear Cousin Adelaide, —I was so glad to get your niee little budget of letters this morning. Did you write them all? You never told me before that you had twin brothers. How many are there of you altogether? I am very pleased to hear that you like my letters better than Dot’s. Yes, I like you to write on only one side of the paper; it makes it much easier to read. Did Lillie like her badge? I am sending you one each to-day, and I hope you will like them. —Cousin Kate.] ♦ ♦ * Dear Cousin Kate, —We get the “Graphic-” every week, and we thought we would write to you. We are twins, and our names are Percy and Reggie Me go to school every day nearly, and our teacher said that all" the boys at our school are going to get a ball who attend the school for five weeks. Will you please send u- a badge? With love to ail the cousins and yourself.—Cousins Percy and Reggie. [Dear Cousins Percy and Reggie. I hope you won’t mind my writing' to you lx>th at onee. but I reallv have so m'anv letters to answer to-day that I cannot help it. I will write you a separate letter next time, if you both write one to me. 1 will send badges for vou both W ?„,. great pleasure, and I hope vou will like them. Do you have verv "far to go to get to your school? I‘hone you will both get your balls at Christ-mas-time. and five weeks is not verv long to go to school every day. is it 9 If you have had your photographs taken ’L 1 Wlsh yoli w °uld send me one. I should like to see if you are much alike. —Cousin Kate.] » * ♦ * Dear Cousin Kate,—There Ims been quite a dearth of news hero in Christchurch, so I have not written to you for a week or two. I went to an opera called “The Daughter of the Regiment ” and I enjoyed it very much. Have you -ever seen it. Cousin Kate? I think I am going to a play called ‘’Arizona*’ tonight. Father went last night: he said it was very good. I went to the Showlast Friday. The morning was lovelv and fine, but it turned out rather damp in the afternoon. The exhibits were good. There was some butter moulded in the shape of flower®, and in another part there were two plates of assorted fruits all made from sugar. I liked the hurdle races in the Afternoon best. Father took Olive, my brother and I on the grandstand. We had a lovely view of everything. When they led" round the prize bulls I was rather frightened that they would get away, but they did not. There were some dear little ponies ridden by little girls. It was exciting *eing tUe horses jumping ihe fences.

Some of the horses would not take the hurdles, and others stumbled over in rather ungainly fashion. Two of the men were thrown, and one was dragged by his horse for some distance; but they were not hurt, which was a good thing. Some of the ladies screamed, and I felt like doing so-also. Altogether the Show was a great success, 1 £aVe just finished a book called "The Abbey on the Moor."’ Il was very exciting in pacts. My brother Mack got second prize for singing at the Band of Hope concert, held recently in Christchurch. It was a lovely book called “Some of Our Fellows," by the Reverend Middleton. Father gave me a very pretty gold brooch the other day. It is the first gold one that I have had. Our Mandoline Band is going to play at a concert at St. Michael’s Church. We have to give three selections—one the “Scarlet and Blue Marclt’’ and the “Valencia,” besides

"Home. Sweet Home,” and the variations for the end. It is band practice to-night. We have to go to our music teacher’s house. I do not care for the mandoline as much as I used to do; I suppose it is because I have tired of it. I see several of the cousins write shorthand. I should like very much to correspond in shorthand with somebody, but I have never had the chance. Do you think any of them would care to correspond with me? I think it would be a good idea for improving our outlines. I can only write about a hundred words a minute, and do not get much practice. Fenton received her badge safely, and thought it very pretty. We have got a tent erected in our garden. I have slept, in it twice. I think it is great fun. and very dbsy. The first night Olive and I slept there by ourselves. We went about seven o’clock to bed, as wc wanted to have as long as we eould in the tent. Before going to bed we had had Mary and Elsie Wright, two little friends from next door, playing with us, and we thought it would be great fun if they bid underneath the bed and stayed there until mamma came down to see that the flaps were all closed and we were safe for the night. This plan we accordingly carried out, and after what seemed to us a long time mother said good-night and went down to the house. Then Mary and Elsie got from underneath the bed. where they said they had uot enjoyed themselves at all for fright lest mamma should happen to se'e them, and then we chatted for a time until we heard their mother calling them in. I let them out. and tied up the flaps, and then we went to sleep. When we told mamma next morning she laughed and called us rogues. We were glad she didn’t get cross. The next night I slept there I had a worse adventure, for it rained as if the sky would open, and the water came inside the tent; so we had to wrap ourselves up in blankets and make our escape to the house. — Yours, with love, Cousin M innic.

[Dear Cousin Winnie. —I have been wondering what had become of you and Olive lately- it seems such a long time since I heard from you last. Ko*. I didn’t see “The Daughter of the Regiment.” but I saw “Arizona.” and liked it better than anything I had seen for a very long time. Musgrove’s Company are'staging several of “Shakespeare’s plays here just now, and we have all been several times, and enjoyed ourselves immensely. The scenery is really wonderful. You must be sure to go if you ean manage it. A our show is taking place much earlier than ours this year. as ours does not eventuate till the end of this week. If you would like to write shorthand letters to some of the other cousins I will ask Cousins Dora and Alyce, who both write shorthand, if thev would like to answer some from vou. You could send them under cover to me, and I would post them on, or you eould write directly to each other; but in the latter case, of course, I should have to send ycu each other’s addresses. You must be having much nicer weather than we are if you enjoy sleeping in a tent at this time of year. I hope you didn’t catch cold.—Cousin Kate.l

Dear Cousin Kate,—Thank you very much for that nice badge. I got it on Monday when I came home from school. You may ba sure I was anxiously waiting for the “Graphic” on Wednesday, as I wanted to see if my letter was in print. Of course mother is sending the “Graphic” away this week so father

typed my letter, and your answer, and as it looks rather nice I tink I will ask him to do them every fortnight, as I should very mueh like to keep them. Wilma’s father told mother that her picture will "be in the “Graphic” next week, so we hope to see it. Mother, has sueh a niee photograph of her. I must tell you. Cousin Kate, that Wilma ealhs-her father “Daddy” and my father and; her motliei* “mother.’" and mine “Auntie Ada.” The other Sunday it was very funny; she came to her gate, but it was closed, aud she could hear father on the verandah so she called out, “Please, dear father, open the gate.” Site wanted to come in and play. We could not help laughing, so in she came. I think you were very lucky getting your gold locket l>aek as they are such pretty little things. On Tuesday I received a letter from a friend of mine who lives in Cambridge, aud she told me that she and Aunt Evelyn had a very unpleasant trip up as the weather was so disagreeable. The following day I got some music front my aunt in England. and mother a song called “Rory Dartin’.” One of niy pieces. “Angels’ Harps.” is awfully nice. I suppose you have heard them both? I hope it will be good weather for the show, but I am afraid it will not unless the weather changes completely. Mother is going to take Desmond. Valerie, Hawea and Rungi on the Friday, but I don’t think I am going until the Saturday. I suppose I shall see you there on Saturday. On Sunday mothei’ burned her hand cruelly, and her fingers are blistered frightfully. The other evening mother had given her a lovely big bunch of various coloured carnations. and their scent was simply glorious. Did you go to the Prince Albert College sports? Mother and I went across when I came home from school, but t’nere were very few there. I suppose it was on account of the bad weather. The ground must have been soaking. From my bedroom window I can see the cricket ground quite plainly, and when it has been raining very heavily the whole ground just looks like one %a of water. Last evening mother and father went to see “As You Like It,” and were very disappointed, not liking it nearly so well as the otiser two pieces. Dear Cousin Kate. I must now eonelude with love to yourself and all the other cousins.—Muriel.

[Dear Cousin Muriel, —I was so pleased to get your niee letter this morning. b’.it I am afraid I shall not be able to write you a very long answer this monring as I am dreadfully busy. fam glad you liked your badge. What are you going to do with it? I have only seen Wilma in the distance, so I must look out. for her photograph in the “Graphic.” I wonder which week it is going to be in. Doesn’t she ever get mixed up between her “daddy” and her “father?” She seems to talk very well indeed for sueh a small child. I was very lucky I think to get my locket back- and it wasn’t spoilt either, thougi? it had been flattened out a tiny bit. Don’t you think it is lovely getting parcels from England, especially when you don’t know what is in them? I do hope this weather will last till after the show. It is lovely to-day, and not too hot, either. What a handful your mother will have with all those children to look after. I think Desmond has forgotten about me for the last week or two. Yes, "I went to the Prince Albert College sports, and I expect you will see me at the Show, though I don’t know which day I am going yet. I hope your mother's hand is nearly well now. Burns are so dreadfully painful, aren’t they?—Cousin Kate. P.S—I forgot to ask you, dear Muriel, if you would only write on one side of the paper next time, as it makes it so much easier for us to read,—Cousin Kate.]

Dear Cousin Kale, —I am going to try to write to you oftener in future, but I am afraid I am a very bad hand at writing letters. There is a flaxmill started, about two miles from our house, on the edge of the lake. My father took four of us over to see it the other day. When we first got there we could hardly hear each other speak for the noise of the mill. It is wonderful to see how the machinery does the flax. It is pushed into the stripper, one or two blades at a time, and a boy sits underneath and catches it as it goef through (I think it is a

wonder he does not go deaf with all the noise about 2ft above his head), a man comes and takes it from him. gives it a shake and a twist, and puts it over a peg in a trough of running water; another man scribes and Washes it with a piece of wood shaped something like a small spade; he then gives it a twist and puts it over a pole. The pole is laid on a framework so that it can be moved or pushed along to where it (the fibre) is put into a eart and taken away to be laid out In the sun to bleach for about a week. It is then brought in and put into.t he scutcher, a thing for whirling it round and round to get all the little bits of flax that are left in out. and for making it smooth and silky looking. Then after being pressed and put into bales it is ready for the market. We went over to the mill in our boat. It was very nice going, as the wind was behind us, and we just skimmed along, but in coming back we had to tack a lot. and the wind had got up too, and all the big waves splashed right, over us, so that we were all drenched by the time we got home- I will enclose a letter to you from my brother Robin- It is over a* year. I think, since he joined the cousins, and I expect you will have forgotten him. Good-bye now, with love from Cousin Nellie.

[Dear Cousin Nellie, —I shall be very glad indeed if you will write oftener to me, and you know there is nothing like practice to teaeh one how to write letters. When I first came into the ‘‘Graphic'’ office I hated writing letters, and never did it for pleasure, and now I couldn’t tell you how many I write during the week- I should so much like to go through a flaxmill. It must be very interesting, but I never knew they were so noisy before. When we went over the battery at Waihi once we couldn’t hear each other ?peak at all, and they told us that men who had been working in the battery for years heard better in all that noise, than they did when away from it. I suppose you must be a good sailor as you enjoy going out in a boat? Isn’t it a pity the wind is not always fair? I think it is sueh a nuisance having to tack, don’t you? especially if one gets wet through.—Cousin Kate.]

Dear Cousin Kate, —It is a long time since I wrote to you. It is a nasty wet day- There is a llaxmill started by the side of the lake- Waggons come through here once or twice a week with things for it; they bring the things as far as the lake; they are then taken by boat to the mill. We can hear the noise of the mill at the house sometimes. They have a punt that they use for taking the flax to the mill. We can see the mill from here. I had a grand game at football on Saturday with May, Jimmy and Kitty; we only kicked the ball along, we did not play properly, but it was great fun. Yesterday May, Jenny. Kitty and I went down to ride on a branch of a tree that we call our horse. Two got on at a time; it was great fun. After we had had some rides we played little dog and bull in the ring, then we pretended we were cattle, and May drove us home. Dad is cutting grass. I have got a bit of a headache, it has been aching all to-day. Good-bye, with love from Cousin Robin-

[Dear Cousin Robin. —I am afraid you must be a very lazy little boy about letter-writing- Nellie tells me it is nearly a year since you wrote to ma last; however, I am very glad to hear from you now. and I hope you won’t be so long writing to me next time. You must be careful that the branch you ride on does not break. You might have such a nasty fall if the branch came down. I am soriy to hear that you have been having headaches, but I hope that by the time you see this you will be quite well again-—Cousin Kate.]