COUSINS’ CORRESPONDENCE.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXIII, Issue XVIII, 29 October 1904, Page 59

COUSINS’ CORRESPONDENCE.

Dear Cousin Kate, —Thank you so much for the pretty badge you sent me. I think they are prettier than they used to be. 1 would have written last week, but we were moving again, this time to a niee large house, and- such 1-eiuti-ful grounds, and such a lovely view of the sea. It looks so stormy to-day. This morning mother - saw a steamer tossing about in -the waves when she was out. What a time she must have had; 1 think it was the Rarawa. I wonder when we are going to get any more fine weather, for the last week'has been simply awful. ■ We have such a lovely view of Mount Egmont, but we have not been able to see it for two or three days. My sister-in-law is still in Auckland. She ds improving, so fast; and I think will be back next week. I think there is iio place like Auckland. What do you think’ We have my sister from Inglewood staying with us this week. She did not bring her two li.ttle children with her, as she came to get all her teeth out. That was on Monday, but she was very - bad after it, and cannot go home for sonic time yet. We arc all looking forward for Christmas time. There is to be an exhibition and carnival. Won’t it be gay? I wish you could only come down for it, dear Cousin Kate. My sister from Auckland will be here before then. We want her to exhibit some of her pictures. I have also a brother ,in Wellington who paints beautifully. We would like him to bring some of his paintings, too. I see Cousin Dora wrote this week. I would so much like to meet her. as 1 know so very few girls, and I-think it is horrid coming to a strange place and not knowing anybody. What a grand time Cousin Roie .is having. I expect she will lie glad to see her old New Zealand friends-again. My father bought me such a lovely little canary yesterday. It,, does not sing very much yet, but.it is very young, and may sing better later on. We keep it in the conservatory, beside the cockatoo. Have yon ever heard of cockatoos being deaf or dumb, because we can’t get ours to talk a bit? I think we will have to call him Dummy, because, really, he does not deserve anything better. We have such a lovely Jersey cow, and she gives such rich milk. It is nice having such a Jot of cream; but 1 can’t bear the sight of it or milk eitlrer. We have a boy who comes to milk her, and he always milks her out in the paddock. Can you milk, dear Cousin Kate? I have never tried to, but. I am afraid T would make a peer Jiand at it. Would you please ask Ceusin Dora if she would give me her

address? Good-bye until next week, from Cousin Ila, New Plymouth. P.S.—Fondest love to yourself and the cousins. [Dear Cousin Ila, —I am g!a;l you got your badge safely, and that yen liked it. The pins we use now are much stronger than the old ones’ but still several of the cousins have said that theirs have been bent going through the post; so -1 was pleased to hear that yours had not been damaged at all. 1 don’t wonder you didn't write hist week if you wore moving. It is a dreadiut piece of work, I think, don’t you? Last time we moved I though! I would rather die than go through it again. Year present home must be chrriniug from your description of it. I quite agree with you that there is no place like Auckland in New Zealand, though I don't know that it is the healthiest. It is beginning to get quite hot already, and .you know the lazy feeling one always has in the hot. weather here. . I hope your sister is quite well again now. It is such a painful operation, and the after effects are nearly always worse. Cousin Dora told me that you were all expecting io have a very gay time of it at Christmas, and I only wish I could come down for it, too. I have stayed in New Plymouth several times, and have always enjoyed myself very .much -indeed. I will ask Dora next time she writes if sir? , will send you her address. It would be nice if you could meet and make friends with cate another. I have never heard of a deaf and dumb cockatoo, l ut that doesn't say that there are not such things, for I know very little about them. I used to be able to milk when I was a youngster. but I'm sure T couldn’t now. and I don’t think I shall try, cither,—Cousin Kate.} 4- 4> 4* Dear Cousin Kate, —Although I have never written to yon before. T am really one of your cousins, because my sister Dorothie told you I wished to lie a cousin and you sent me a badge. That makes three cousins in one family. Do you thin’s that too many? I ai.vays read all the cousins’ letters, and like them very much. I can read them all by myself. Jack was so pleased to see his letter and your answer in to-'>ay’s “Graphic.” We were i ll disappointed that Buster Brown was missed out today. Our little baby Clive is getting on so nicely now. He can nearly sit up, and laughs and crows prettily. Now dear Cousin Kate, I must say gool-bye. with love from Cousin Tin.

[Dear Cousin Tui, I—l 1 —I was so pleased V get your dear little letter this.morning, and I don’t think three cousins from one family too many at all. I hope when Clive is old epoi.gh that he will want to join the cousins’ band too. 1 am sorry you were disappointed at not seeing Buster Brown in last week’s “Graphic.’’ but there were so many other things to go in that we couldn't find room to put in anything about naughty Buster. 1 expect you are all very fond of Clive, and do your best to spoil him, don’t you? He is a dear little fellow, I know, liecause 1 saw him in town with your mother the other day. —Cousin Kate.]

Dear Cousin Kate, —For the last two or three months 1 have been reading th? cousins’ letters, with great interest and delight, and I would very much like to be a member of 'the Band of cousins, if you will please accept me as one of them. I have three sisters and two brothers. Reg.. Ina, nnd Una are older tifua me, and Gwen and Will i id are

younger. I am in the sixth standard, and am fourteen years old. Dear Cousin Kate, have you ever read “Our Home in the Far West”? I have several times, and think it is so interesting. Doc ■ not Cons'll Roie write me? letters? 1 think Buster Brown is such a cu.inii’g little rogue. He has such mischievous looks on his face, and his dog makes such droll grimaces. Vv'e have only been in Auckland about eight months, so we have not seen very many it tin: places about here yet. Wc came from Christchurch. That is where we were born, and we were in tab same dear 01. l house all our lives except when wo went for holidays. .Have you ever been to Christchurch? We have such a dear, faithful dog. which we brought With us from Chiistehureh. His name is Nepturn, but he is called Nep. He looks so intelligent and he seems to understand everything we say to him. Thi« is not a very lengthy letter, but I "id try and write a longer one next tun•>. Good-bye, dear Cousin Kate. Much love to all 'the cousins anil yourself from Cousin Essie. [Dear Cousin Essie,—*l shall be very pleased indeed to enrol yon as one of the members of our numerous band i I • Graphic” cousins. You did not ask me for a badge, but most of the cousins have them, so I will post one to you this week. You must tell me what you think of it next time you write, it must be very nice for you having so many brothers and sisters. Are thev all at home? I don't think I have 1 “Our Dome in the Far West," but I read so inany books that 1 m airaid I . the names of some of them, Dus must be a particularly nice :x»ok it you > ia ' c been able to read it several times. Do you think vou will like. Auckland as we as Christchurch? 1 have been : Here, but only just on a flying visit, so I dor t know very much about it. - Coiis n Kate.l •fc * dr Dear Cousin Kate, —Did you sec the procession on Labour Day? 1 do not think it was as good as the one last year. 1 suppose the rain spoilt it. 1 was going to the Domain, but as 1 thought the place would be very muddy 1 stayed at home. On Saturday 1 went to a place to get some ferns and kowhai, but 1 found that' I he Howers had been either picked or blown oil the trees, and there were only a few scattered blooms. A sparrow built its nest in our verandah blind, but as somebody went and let the blind down the nest disappeared. We will not go into our new school until after. Christmas, as the ground around it is very ent up. and will take a long time to get hard. My uncle sent me a very nice post-card last week. It consisted of a pict lire woven in silk of one c-f the steamers he had been in. We are going to have another school picnic. I think, al the end of the year. I am getting ready fertile sth of November, in the shape of gathering suitable rubbish lor a bonfire. On that, date J am going to a friend’s party, but we will have the fire-works in our place, provided ii does not rain.—Yours truly, Co.isln Leslie, Auckland. | Dear Cousin Leslie, —It is quite a long time since you wrote to me last, and I was beginning to forget that I had a cousin Leslie, but I am very glad to hear from you again nt last. No. I didn’t go to see the procession on laibOur Day. It was sneh a horrid day that I couldn't make up my mind to go out of doors al all. I have heard several people say that it was not. nearly shell a good turn-out as last year’s, hut of course the weather accounted

for that. J expect the high wind had destroyed the Howers. Wasn't it lucky that the storm did not come early in the season? It would have blown all the blossoms oil' the fruit trees, and we should have had very little fruit this year. Your post-card must have been exceedingly pretty. 1 suppose you are making a collection of them, so many people do now. Post-cards seem almost to have taken the place of stamps. All the young people seem to be getting ready for Guy Fawkes Day now. 1 hope you will have finer weather lor it than you did for your Labour Day ho!iday.-— Cousin Kate.]

Dear Cousin Kate, —I am afraid I have not written to you for a very long time. We left Auckland on -March 21. We came in the Mongolia from Sydney, and I enjoyed the voyage very much. It was calm nearly all the way. The captain said he had never known such a trip. 1 have been in the North of Ireland for two months. We did enjoy it, and had beautiful weather all the time. From there we went to Glasgow. We went up Lochs Lomond and Katrine, and through the Trossuchs, and stayed at the hotel there for a few days, and then went on to Edinburgh. The trip was lovely. I liked Loch Katrine better than Loch Lomond. The scenery was beautiful. I thought Edinburgh very interesting. It was so niee going over the Castle and Holyrood i’alace. 1 have been staying with Cousin Koic at (.'romer, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. ( romer is such a quaint old town, and the beach is lovely. We are leaving Loudon in October for th? Continent, going first to Paris, and then on to Switzerland. We join the Mongolia at Marseilles for Bombay, and are going up to Lucknow, Cawnporc. Delhi, and Benares to Calcutta. 1 enclose three photographs taken by myself. If you care to use them in any way 1 shall be pleased. I like London very much, and think-the shops are lovely. Now, dear Cousin Kate, I must end with love from yours affectionately Cousin Airini. Auckland- | Dear Cousin Airini, —It certainly is a very long time since you wrote to me last, but never mind, 1 am more than pleased to get a letter from you now. What a delightful time you are having. 1 don't wonder you are enjoying yourself so much. Yon were very lucky indeed to have such a calm trip. I suppose you are a good sailor, and were, not at al! se.isn . as you say you enjoyed the trip. Cousin Koic told m« in one of her letters that she was expeeling a New Zealand friend to stay with her at Cromer, but I did not know it was you. Thank yon very much indeed for the photographs. The one of the hotel at The Trossaehs is especially good. 1 think. I am going.to use them all for tile “Graphic,” as I am sure most, of the cousins will be very interested in them. I spent tin - afternoon out at your old home last week. It. all looked so flesh and green and pretty. That big tree by the corner of the, house gave me such a fright. .List as I was going under it it creaked terribly, and I thought, it must be coming down, but thev tell me it always does that if it is blowing at all. I don't wondef yon thought the London shops lovely, 1 wish I could just be popped down in the middle of them for a week or two. I envy yon your trip to India. It has always been my ambition to travel through it. I hope you will thoroughly enjoy yourself, ami'that you will manage io sret some more photographs.— Cousin Kate.] 4-4-4-Dear ('oilsin Kate,—-Ev erv body mail* such plans for to-day—-p:q;fex and ex-cursions-—and now it is pouring with rain. c were going to Sumner, but of course, could not, as it is so wet. We have all a holiday, as it is Labour Day: and now we arc sp’Tiding the day inside. Before it start'?:! Io rain ill's morning my brother and some of his friend- started for a long tramp over the Port hills; he is not back yet: when he gets home I suppose be well be drenched. At school lately we have been having a lively time, as we have a new muster, and lie is not nt all strict. 1 really think some of the girl take advantage of him. poor man, for he does not understand gills, “especially High School giris.” He might lie able to manage us if we were smaller, for , he Ims been teaching at Christ's College. Lately I have been getting up early in

the morning and going for a epin before breakfast; the mornings have been so fresh and lovely its seems a sin to be in lied. Are the roads in Auckland suitable for biking. Cousin Kate? They are not bad in Christeliurcli, but lately they have been very dusty. This rain will Bettie some of the dust, Ifancy, by the terrific way it is coming down. The willows round the Avon are very pretty just now, and the islands are covered with spring flowers.—With best love, from Cousin Olive, Christchurch.

[Dear Cousin Olive, —Wasn't it a pity that so many people should have been disappointed on Labour Day? Everyone seemed to have made arrangements for an outing of some sort, and then it turned out such a miserable day that no one could go anywhere. It was simply a horrid day in Auckland, so I contented myself by spending my holiday reading a nice book, and never went outside the door all day. I hope your brother was none tiie worse for his drenching, for he certainly must have got thoroughly wet through if he was out walking. I think I am a wee bit sorry for your new master, especially if he has never taught girls before. iWliat an energetic girl you must be to get up early to go out biking. It is lovely when one is up, I know, but it always takes me such a long time to make up my mind to get up early. No, the roads in Auckland are not at all good for bicyclists; they are much too hilly and very rough, too; and then, in the summer, it is frightfully dusty, especially where tlie tram-cars are running. You will see by last week’s •‘Graphic” that there is to be a Letter Competition. 1 hope you will all enter for it.—Cousin Kate.] .A''. ♦ ♦ ♦ ' ' ■

Dear Cousin Kato, —Excuse mo for not Writing to you before I have been very ill with a headache. Cousin Doreen has not written to me yet. Dear Cousin Kate, will you mind me writing such *' small letter to you. My brother came ■home and kill a pig. 1 must end with lovo to nil the cousins and yourself.— Cousin Norma.

[Dear Cousin Norma, —I was very glad indeed to get your letter this morning, even though it is sueh a short one, but I was very sorry to hear that you have been having such Dad headaches. I hope you are quite well again Mow. I quite forgot whether I t'nanked you for sending me thus* photographs of yourself. They are very nice indeed, and I am going to put one in the Children’s Cage of the “Grannie” Some day soon. Cousin Doreen hasn’t written to me for several weeks now, bo I expect she has been busy and ■’ as iiot had time to write to us, don't you think that must be it?—Cousin Kate.] I 4* 4" 4’

Dear Cousin Kate, —I have just come home from school, and I am in the sixth standard now. I have a p?t cow called Hess, and pet shell parrots from Australia and a goldfinch, and a little fox terrier called Daisy, and Jack, a I’rinco Charles terrier. There are many kinds of birds in the bush here, also many beautiful wild Howers, amongst wnich are the demal is and mistletoe, which are the most beautiful flowers. I have n flower - garden of my own. We have just finished our vegetable garden. My brother has four cows, and mine makes five. I bring them home in the evening from the bush. There are a lot of cattle there. The Wangaehu River flows through the bush about half a mile from our house. It is a sulphur stream. My sister Queenie would like to join the cousins’ page. She is writing 1 o you now. She is nine, years of age, and has three pot lambs. Please excuse blots.—l remain, yours truly, Cousin Arthur, Karioi.

[Dear Cousin Arthur, —What a number of pets you have. Don’t you find it troublesome looking after so many? 1 should like the parrots, that is, if they are talking ones, Tmt I’m afraid I’m not very fond of animals as a rule. It must be very nice for you living so close to the bush. I suppose you spend a good deal of your time there in the summer. Clematis is the prettiest of the New Zealand wild flowers that I have seen, I think. What is the mistletoe like? I don’t remember over having come ■ cross it. I shall be very glad indeed for Queenie to join the cousin’s band. I haven’t received her letter yet, so I suppose she must have forgotten to it.—Cousin Kate.]

Dear Cousin Kate, —I suppose you have thought by this time tint I had quite given up writing to the cousins’ page. Well, you see, I haven’t quite done such a thing yet. Somehow every Sunday evening something has come in the way, which has stopped me from writing to you. I suppose by the time you have received this you will have seen something in the papers about the terrific weather we have had in Wellington for the last week. It started on Tuesday evening, and it continued till Saturday. When Wednesday came —Labour Day—the rain was coming down in torrents, and the wind was blowing so hard from the south that when you went outside you could hardly stand on your feet. This being the ease, you can see we had to abandon all hapcs of going picnicking. Of course, everybody was very disappointed, and well they might be. I think when people have made arrangements to go to a picnic, it is very disappointing if the weather turns out to be wet. Thursday came, the storm no betterin fact, a little bit worse. Friday the storm had abated a little, and the wind had gone down considerably, but still it was not fit to go out. Saturday was still a little better, thus enabling the people to got out of doors a little. Sunday (to-day) was a very good day, and I hope the rest of the week will continue so. The boats seemed to have suffered a great deal by the weather. There is a boat wrecked in Palliser Bay, also one off Happy Valley—that is out at Island Bay. To-day the people have just been thronging out to the bay io see the boat. My friend and I started to go, and got about three-quarters of the way, then turned back, it was such a long distance, and we were beginning to feel a little tired. Now, dear Cousin Kate, I must say good-bye. With love from Cousin Lena. Wellington.

[Dear Cousin Lena, —I am very glad indeed to hear from you again after this long while, but I am afraid that it is such a long time since you wrote last that you have forgotten that" one of our rules is that only one side of the paper must be written on. Will you try and remember this next time you write? Yes, I have seen a good deal about the frightful weather you have been Having in Wellington, and there were some pictures in last week’s “Graphic” showing some of the damage that had been done. Aucklanders ought to be very thankful that it was no worse here, though at the time we all thought it quite bad enough. Of course, the ba 1 weather spoilt the holiday here, too. There is always a big procession here on Labour Day, and though they held it just the same, it was not nearly such a. good one as last year. I think if I had got three-quarters of the way I should have tried to finish the journey. It must have been a grand sight to see the water dashing over the La Bella and well worth seeing, I think. Did you not feel dreadfully for that Lieutenant Payne, who was washed overboard off the Tauranga and drowned? Well, Lena, I must stop now, as I have simply heaps of letters to answer, and only a very short time in which to write them. —Cousin Kate.]

Dear Cousin Kate, — I am sorry I didn’t write to you last week, but I was practising every night. I was going to get my teeth stopped, but I kept putting it off, and now they have gone too far to stop. I was fourteen on the fourteenth of last month. My friend and I had our photos taken yesterday afternoon, and if they turn out all right, and are not too small, I will send you one. The school had their examination last week, and there were a terrible lot of failures. My little sister passed into the fifth standard. Last Saturday and Sunday were two lovely days; it was just like the middle of summer. But all the rest of last week and this was just the opposite. This afternoon, about two o’clock, we had a bit of a thunderstorm. Two or three people have had the mumps very badly down here. What a lovely letter Cousin Alison wrote this week. “East Lynne” is to be played here next Wednesday by the East Lynne Dramatic Company. I think I will be going if it is a good company. It is getting late, so I will say good-bye, with love to yourself aijl all the other cousins.—Cousin Ida, Te Arolia.

[Dear Cousin Ida, — I am glad you didn’t write last week, for I should not like your letters to me to interfere with your practising. Your examination will be over now, I expect. How did you get

on? I was wondering if you woidd have to come down to Auckland to be examined. What a pity you did not get your teeth stopped sooner. Are you sure they are too far gone to be done now? It is so much nicer to have one's own teeth, even if they are patched up, than false ones, I think; don’t you? I hope your photographs will be a success. I should like to have one very much indeed; and even if too small for reproduction in the “Graphic” I should deed; and even if they are too small for reproduction in the “raphic” I should like to see it. Did you see what fearful gales they have been having in Wellington? I think we were very lucky to get off so lightly. You don't often have dramatic performances at Te Arolia, so I hope “East Lynne” will be a success, and that you will thoroughly enjoy yourself.—Cousin Kate.]

Dear Cousin Kate, —We received the “Graphic” to-day, and I saw in the children’s page a letter-writing competition, for which I should very much like to compete. I think it will be very interesting to write about what we would best like to do for the Christmas holidays. If you will atcept me as a cousin, will you kindly send me a badge in the enclosed envelope. 1 joined your band of cousins a good while ago, but am afraid 1 have got rather lazy lately, but as you see am trying to reform. Did you go to see the Labour Day procession, Cousin Kate? Was it not a pity that it was not fine? I went, and thought all the exhibits splendid. The one that was the best off was Le Roy’s tent, and the children enjoyed the baker’s cart that threw them biscuits. I got a shower of them on my hat. I always enjoy reading Buster Brown; it really is more. interesting than Jungle Jinks. What a glorious time Cousin Roie is having. 1 have never yet been out of Auckland, but that is a pleasure awaiting me, is it not, Cousin Kate? I think Gwen has told you about the Mexican parrot we have. When it first came it was terribly savage, but now - it is much tamer. If you put a stick in its cage it will shake hands with you, and we have taught it to cough, and it does it so comically. I think you want the cousins who are entering for the competition to tell their age. I am twelve and a half, and you will find my address on the top of this letter. Now, dear Cousin Kate, there is really no more news of interest, so I will close. Hoping this letter will find you and the cousins in good health.—l remain, Cousin Stella, Auckland. [Dear Cousin Stella, —Of course I shall be very glad indeed to have you join our cousins’ band again, only I hope that this time you will try to be as good a correspondent as Gwen is. I will post you a badge at once, and hope it will remind you that “Cousin Kate” likes a letter about onee a fortnight. No, I didn’t go to see the procession on Labour Day; it was such a horrid day, and I didn’t think it would be nearly as good as usual on account of the weather, so I stayed at home and read. Roie certainly does have a lovely time. I wonder if she will ever like living in New Zealand again. I expect you will have just as good a time when you are older, and I think one enjoys it more then. I don’t remember Gwen ever mentioning your Mexican parrot. Can it talk at all? I think parrots are more interesting than any other pet one could have, don’.t you?—Cousin Kate.]

Dear Cousin Kate, —I see by this week’s “Graphic” that you are starting a competition for the cousins on November Ist, and I am going to join, though 1 have not the slightest idea of getting the prize. 1 think it ought to be very interesting, and one can but try. My little sister tells me she is joining your numerous band of cousins, but I will not believe her till I see her letter published, as she has made several attempts before. Mother returned last Monday from Sydney, and she had a lovely trip over. She said it was as smooth as a mill-pond all the time. Mother said that Babs is so sweet. She is very smart (I can’t say she takes after her Aunt Gwen). She cannot walk, but can say almost anything. We have not yet made up our minds where to go for our Christmas holidays. I don’t think we will go away till the beginning of January. On Monday morning mother arrived about nine, and when our governess came at halfpast we begged mother to give us a holiday, and so as she had only just returned from a two months’ holiday she consented. Then yesterday morning I was over the road seeing little Billie, when the ’phone went, and it was my sister, saying she had just heard that our governess had a cold, and could not come, so we got out of two days’ lessons. Next week we are having a week’s holiday. Are we not lucky? Are you going to see Rickards’ Tivoli Company? I think we are on Saturday evening. Now, dear Cousin Kate, au revoir for this week. I hope to write again if I have any time and news. With lova from Cousin Gwen N., Auckland. [Dear Cousin Gwen, —I am glad that you and Stella are going to enter for the letter-writing competition, and I think you stand just as much chance as anyone else of gaining the prize, and even if you don’t, as you say, you- can but try, and trying to do something worth doing is good for everyone, I think. Y'ou will see that Stella has written after all, and I have told her that she is to try and be as regular a correspondent as you are. How lucky your mother was to have such a good trip over from Sydney, was she not? The weather was so dreadful down South last week that I thought she would be sure to have rather a rough passage. I suppose you are very anxious to see Babs again; they are so much more interesting when they are just beginning to talk, I think. Is there any chance of her coining over to stay with you this summer? Rickards’ Tivoli Company seems to be very good, and I am looking forward to going very much. There has been nothing to go to at the theatre for sueh a long time now. I hope if you go on Saturday that you will enjoy yourself.—Cousin Kate.]