CHILDREN'S PAGE.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXIV, Issue 2, 14 January 1905, Page 54

CHILDREN'S PAGE.

COUSINS’ BADGES.

Cousins requiring badges are requested to send an addressed envelope, when the badge will be forwarded by return mail. Hear Cousin Kale.- I see by the “Graphic" thia week that you were too busy to answer the cousins' letters, but I hope you will not be too busy nest Week. 1 have not been anywhere to stay for my holidays, but I have Iwen out nearly every day. and enjoyed myself more than if I had been away. On Monday (Boxing Day) I went over to Cousin Olive's, and the next day 1 went to Kohimaramara. and had a grand time. -I left home at eight o’clock in the moifc ing, and arrived home at a-quarter past eleven at night. We were out boating nearly all the time. My hands were all blistered with rowing, and my face was awfully sunburnt. On New Tear’s Day a party of us were going down to Wailieke. but it was so windy, and the sea ao rough, that we could not go. f would have gone although it was so rough, but I could not go by myself, and I was so disappointed. Yesterday morning Olive, licr sister, and I went into (own to meet a friend of Olive’s, who came from Coromandel to stay with them. We did not stay in town long, but came home, and then went into town in the evening to

"The Shirt Dancer.’’ It was very amusing, Cousin Kate, and I had a good laugh. I forgot to tell you that on Christmas Sunday t went- to the "Messiah," and I thought, the singing was beautiful. Well, Cousin Kate, 1 must close this letter now. as I am expecting Olive’s sister here this afternoon, so au revoir, with love to yourself and all the cousins, and I hope you enjoyed Die holidays as much as 1 did. Cousin Nellie, Onehunga.

[Dear Cousin Nellie.—l have already told one of the other cousins that I meant to write such long letters io yo.i all this week to make up for not being able to write any at all last week, but the fates seem to be against it. I have been so busy al! the morning that I have had to leave the cousins’ letters to the last minute, so will have to make the answers very short indeed. I am afraid. I am so glad you are 1 enjoying your holidays so thoroughly, I think one often does enjoy one’s holidays more if they are spent at home. What a long day you had at Kohimaramara. Were you not very tired when you got home? It was just as well you did hot. go to Waiheke on New Year’s Day. It was such t wretched doy and so cold that I’m sure you would not have enjoyed yourself very much. Perhaps you will be able t<> make up a party and go some other time, when the. weather is better. Which part of Waibeke were you going io? We had a house down there once for six weeks, and enjoyed ourselves immensely. It is so pretty, and ..there are such lots of pretty little places to go to. I have not been to "The Skirt Dancer’’ yet. I must go if it is so good. I went to ‘'l’he Roee of the Riviera,’* but did not care for it very much. Ou Christmas Day I went to a Christmas Tree at the Children’s Home, so wasn't able to go to hear the ‘ Messiah," I’m sorry to say. Cousin Kale. ® © © Dear Cousin Kate.—A happy new veer to you. It is too late to wish you a merry Christmas, but I hope you had a merry one all the same. 1 suppose you hardly know me now: 1 am sorry not to have written for so long, and aa th-a is

the new year I am g?mg to turn over » new leaf and try to be a more regular correspondent. Mother and the children have been up for a long time now, they came up in November, and father will lie coming up in about ten more days to stay up here for two or three months. We had a very merry Christmas. 1 got a 10l of lovely hair ribbons, and a stamp with my name printed on it. The children got something in their stockings, and about five o’clock the excitement was great when the children, went, to their stocking-*. They were delighted with their pres nls. My sister Hazel and I went to a party the other day and bad a very niee time. We Had a lovely surprise, for after we had been there a little while we were taken out * and shown a lovely Christmas tree, with Santa Claus standing beside it. The tree looked so pretty: we all got three or four presents off it. which were given out by Santa Claus. We broke up at school on December IG. Tin- prizes were given out about seven o’clock in the evening, and I got one--a special composition prize, the prize is a book called "Modern England: History of the Nations,” by Justin Maearthy. It is such a nice book, a historical book, and so interesting. After the. breaking tip we had a dance, and progressive games. I cannot dance, but I like watching. it is so pretty. What dreadful weather wc are having now. To-day lias been a real winter’s day. it is so cold. Th? wind lately has been terrible. If we. had such wind in Fiji we should watch the glass anxiously and look out for a hurricane. We went into Queen-street last night for a little while, and then on-to Karalfgahape road to look at the shops. The shops in Queen-street were lovely, and very pretty in Karangahape-road. There was a great crowd, and coining home we had some trouble to get a seat in the tram. I don't-mind standing a bit, but we had seme parcels, and it is so awkward to stand with parcels when tiie conductor passes. Oh. dear, ii is so col l to-day. This is the coldest day we have had since mother has been up, and it was pretty cold then, mother and the children feel the cold dreadfully. YV e have three cats here —-one is, called Marcus, the other we just cad the mother cat, and the third is just a b’g kitten. Marcus is,such a clever cat: if th? door is shut and he can’t get in - he just knocks. I don’t knew how ho does it. hut he does it just like a person, and we are. often taken in. We were sitting reading one evening, my chair was just beside the verandah door, which was closed, and pres nlly- we heard sojnetliing knock. 1 jump'd up and peered, out; I could see semething white, so rather nervously I opened the door, and in stalked Marcus. Isn’t it terrible about Unlawful heat in Australia? Just_ fancy it being 125(’Isn’t it dreadful? ana here we are fc.jnplaining that it is cold. .1 da feel so sorry for the poor animals, it seems dreadful to think of them dying of thirst and boat, and the poor people being turned out. of their homes by the bush fires. I see that we have “Jungle Jinks" again as ’‘Buster Brown” has returned to England. I do think he is so ftinnv, he is so naughty; and "Jungle Jinks’’ is splendid. I love reading them both. I am reading sui-h- a funny book called the ’ Humorous Rici'cr;” it is so funny. all short stories, and they are m> am using. There are seme from a ■Bad Boy’s Diary,” and "A Naughty Girl’s Dairy.” and "Wee Mcgreegor,” and ever so many others. I must close now, dear Cousin Kate, with much love to you and all the cousins from Cousin Lorn*.

[Dear Cousin Lorna, —Thank you very

much indeed for your good wishes, and I wish you a most tlioroughly happy and bright New Year. I expect you did have a very merry Christmas, because you had all your family round you again; are you not delighted at having them in Auckland? It is. true that I have not heard from you for some time, and I am delighted to hear that you have made some good New Year resolutions. I have, made some myself, and I am going to try and keep them, too. It is lovely to watch children on Christmas morning. I think, they are in such a state, of wild . excitement, and they think everything is so del'ghtful. I heard about the party you went to; it must have been a lovely surprise having a Christmas tree and. Santa Claus, and you all seem to have got such charming presents off it. I must congratulate you on winning a prize at school. Did you have to work very hard for ii ’ It is a pity you cannot dance, it is such a nice, graceful exercise, and very good for you, too; I- expect you are going to learn in the winter, are you not? Queen-street always is crowded on New Year’s Eve. I didn’t go into town, but I went on Christmas Eve, and one could hardly walk down the street, it was so packed. I am sorry you are all feeling the cold so much, it is horrid unseasonable weather, and it seemed so funny to have a lire on New Year’s Day. People say we shall have a terribly hot month next month to make up for it. Marcus must lie a very elev.r cat, and I don’t wonder you were a little bit nervous the first time he knocked. 1 suppose you have got used to it now, though.— Cousin Kate.] © © © Dear Cousin Kate,—-"Where shall we go for our Christmas holidays?” is the question that arises iu many households about this lime of the year. It certainly is not an easy question .to answer. and affords much food for reflection, as well as difficulty. In some cases it is a pleasant annoyance, if there can be sueli a thing, and causes much excitement. To the djseussed question- many different answers are usually given. One of the family wishes to go to the

seaside, another to an inland holiday resort. At length Rotorua is decided iq«»n, and the day fixed for the departure is looked .forward to with much interest. At a:quarter to ten a,m. precisely the party arrive at Auckland station. and Mjt..—— takesthe tickets, and they. settle .t Item selves in a compartment of the .train. We ,c*n miss over the trip, and inoet them once ourr? at one .of tiie numerous .bpardiughouses in Rotorua. Next morning a motor-car is -hired, and takes them all- over the township, where t hey see. most, gruesome sights. They go down to what is known as the, "Old Township,’’ and see all boiling pools and:the natives cooking their meals in the latter. They, then go up to Whakarewarewa, and there see much the same, but slightly worse, as there are one or. two active geysers. t here. By the time they base seen all these sights they return home for lunch. In t he afternoon they go to tKe Sanatorium Grounds, ami are simply astounded at the mass of flowers to be seen there, and are still more amazed to hear that all the work is done by the natives. At four o’clock they go down to inspect the public baths, and return home very much pleased with their day’s experience. Next morning they decide to go out to see the phenomenal sight of Waimangu. They start at 8.30 a.m., and arrive at their destination at 12, none the worse for fire long dusty drive. Unluckily, the geyser did not play for them, and they returned home a little disappointed- Next day they went to Tikitere. but came back early, as -they were very tired. On different occasions they went to Waiotapu. Taupo, and all the lake trips. Now. Cousin Kate. I will finisli ibis composition, and simply say that if I did all that this party did for their holidav. I would eniov myself .immensely.—From Cousin Stella, aged 124, Auckland.

[Cousin Stella’s letter this week is written in the form of an essay, and ; is for the “Letter . Writing Competition.” It is very nicely written indeed, and I am sure all the cousins will read it. with as much interest as I did. A great many of you have spent your holidays al„Rotorua, and having been .to most of the places mentioned you will know for yourselves what -an enjoyable holiday Cousin Stella has planned.— Cousin Kate.] - -

it wnn as mueii interest as J did. A great many of you have spent your holidays at..Rotorua, and having been .to most of the places mentioned you will know for yourselves what -an enjoyable holiday Cousin Stella has planned.— Cousin Kate.] - - © © © Dear Cousin Kate—Really I will hare to stop writing if I cannot write properly every week. I ana always going to write, but I puf it off to do something else. Did you go anywhere for the holidays’ I went up to Te Arolia for the day on Boxing Day, and we Lad a grand time. The train left, the Thames at ten minutes after nine, and we rMelfed our destination at ten minutes to eleven, and left for home again, al half-past six. We had it fin? for both holidays,bint it lias lieen raining* all to-day. and it is so niise.ra.ble. Dear cousin. I must now close, wishing you and all the other cousins a Happy New Tear: —- I remain, your affeetionat* cousin, Della. *

PJs.—Plaeae excuse mistakes, as T ass W*W«. - .'• ’.j " (Dear Cousin Diena;—l%ank you eery much for your letter this week. Of eeurse I Hire to hear from you as often as you like to write to me, but I don’t wish you td make'a drudgery of it, nor to put off anything else you may Wish to do. Boxing Day was a lovely one for yoiir trip to Te Aroha. ’ Did you have a bath while you were there? Te Aroha is a 'lovely place to spend a day or two in, but it would be dreadfully dull if one had to live there always, 1 think. Have you ever been to the top of the mountain yet? I have been there twice, and eaeh time have made up my mind to get to- the top, but have’ only managed to get as far as the Bald Spur. It really isn’t a hard elimb either, only I couldn’t induce anyone to come with me, and of course I didn’t care to go by myself.—Best wishes for the New Year from Cousin Kate.) © ® © Dear Cousin Kate, —Thank you for accepting me as a cousin. Yes, Cousin Kate, the Exhibition will be very good if the weather keeps fine. We are having our Christmas holidays at the school now. I am just sixteen; am 1 too old to write? I hope you will have a very happy New Year. ' I think it was the best Christmas I have had for a long time. It was so fine and hot. Cousin Kate, do you paint ? I do, and I am very fond of painting landscapes. I have three brothers and no sisters; 1 often wish I had a sister. Dear Cousin Essie, 1 think ‘'The Family at Misrule” is a capital book for reading out to little ones. Bunty must be very much like my eldest brother, I always think. I would have liked to have had my badge for the Exhibition, so that perhaps I would have met some of the cousins there. Just faney, Cousin Kate, I haic never been to a play yet, but I go to a lot of dances and concerts. I have just finished trimming a hat .for myself with a wreath of daisies'and white silk; it’looks'so pretty.—With love to yourself and all the cousins, I remain, your affectionate cousin, Jenny, Taranaki. (Dear Cousin Jenny,—Sixteen is not a scrap, too old for -you to be writing te the “Cousins’ Page.” I don’t mind how old the cousins are as long as they like writing. 1 was so sorry to disappoint you about the badge, but I have not one left; they take some time to print, too, so I don’t know when I shall be able to send one. ’ Thank you verymuch indeed, dear Jenny, for your good wishes. I have had so many good wishes that I really ought to have a happy New Year. I sincerely hope you ■will too. I used to paint a little onee, but have so little time now that I had to give it up. It is a pity you cannot change one of' your brothers - into a sister; then there would be two boys and two girls, and that is just an ideal family, 1 think, don’t you? You must be a very clever girl to be able to trim your own hats;-can you sew, too?— Cousin Kate.] ■ © © © Dear Cousin Kate, —I have been postponing my letter so as to have some news to tell you. The Exhibition opened on Monday. 1 did not go to the opening, as we thought there would be sure to be a crush there. We went the first evening, and enjoyed ourselves very much, the only drawback being that the electrie light kept going out. My sister has five pictures in the art gallery. The Exhibition buildings are in the shape of a square, the centre being an open space with a hand rotunda in the middle and gardens all- found; they look so. pretty at night when they arc lit up, and the band is playing. There are two fountains among the gardens and seats dotted here and there. At the end of the Exhibition buildings is the Maori village,, and at,the other end the Art Gallery. Yesterday the Maoris gave an exhibition of hakas and poi danees. Mother and my sisters went, and said it was splendid. On Wednesday night we went to a display of fireworks held ip our beautiful Recreation Grounds. The display was held .all round the edge of <he lake. Over the large bridge there was a display representing the falls of Niagara. It looked simply beautiful as the dazzling sparks fell into the water. Towards the end of it two boats were launched and set afire. They had some •ort .of machinery at the back of them which propelled them along the lake; the bright and different, coloured lights

reflecting on the waiter looked eo gay. . I don’t know what the poor ducks thought about it. I saw one or two swimming about, looking as,if they did not know whal to make of it. It did not last long, enough for .my fancy, but things like (hat are generally too.good to last long, are they not?... The fireworks would not* have been anything had they not been held in such beautiful grounds. There were boats oil the lake full of people; wc were al! envying them because they had such a splendid view. After we left the Recreation Grounds wc all went to the Exhibition, and it was midnight before we got home. This afternoon we* alt went to see the Axemen’s Carnival, held in the Exhibition grounds, and after that we had another look all round the Exhibition. This is the first evening I have not been to the Exhibition, as 1 am feeling very tired and sleepy. We have my sister, her husband and two children, and two brothers staying with ns. My sister went up the country in the train early this morning, and is returning by the express to-night. I asked one of >hy little nephews to-day if he would like to write to Cousin Kate, and he said, “Me will when me gets a big boy,” so look out for a letter from him when he gets a big boy, which I am afraid will be many- more years yet. Our friend from Home has left us. and is at present in Sydney, where she intends to spend summer and next winter, and next summer she returns to New Zealand. She ami mother are going to Rotorua together. The express is just passing, so 1 must run and get some supper for my sister. I will write again next week, and perhaps I won t be so sleepy then; so, with fondest love to all my many “Graphic” cousins, not forgetting you, dear Cousin Kate, I will say good-bye. wishing you all a very Happy New Year. —From Cousin Ha.

[Dear Cousin Ila, —I was hoping to be able to write such long letters to al! my cousins to-day, but I have had so many interruptions that I am afraid I shall have to make them very short after all. I hear the Exhibition is very good indeed. Having the Maori village and Maori danees must make it very interesting, I think. I suppose you wilt go two or three times a week, won’t you? We had an exhibition here some years ago, which lasted for about two nionths, and we used to always go two or three times a week: and we never got tired at it either. I should have liked to see the tire-. works’ display in the Recreation Grounds; it must have been lovely. The grounds themselves are almost perfect, i think. I have never seen an Axemen’s Carnival yet; 1 want to very much; they had one here at the Agricultural Show, but I was not able to g> out, lam sorry to say. IVhat a house fell yon have ‘had Tor Christmas, have you not? I think it is so nice for the ‘whole family to meet on Christinas Day, don’t you? Give your little nephew my love, and tell him 1 hope he won’t forget to write to Cousin Kate when lie gets older. What a delightful trip your friend is having, is she not? Don’t you envy her a little? It was very good indeed of you to write, dear Ha, when you were ‘so tired and sleepy. I got. youi telegram, and was delighted to think that you remembered me when you had so many of your own people to think about. Mill you thank your mother for her good wishes? Very best wishes to you both for a Bright and Happy New Year from Cousin Kate.] © ’ © ® Dear Cousin Kate. —The way in which I woud like to spend my’ Christmas holidays would be in having a trip to Dunedin, because my aunt and grandma live there. 1 also like the eold climate. The trip down is very enjoyable if you go the East Coast way, because the steamer calls at a number of ports, and you can see all the different towns. First port we call at is Gisborne. You have to go ashore in a small steamer, which, when the weather is fine, is very pleasant. Next port of call is Napier, which 13 reached eight hours after you leave Gisborne. A. number of Maoris travel in the steamer from Gisborne to Napier, and it is most amusing to watch their gestures. Napier is one of my favourite places. I like walking round the beach and watching the Waves dashing up against the breakwater. I like going to the library and looking at all the different books. After that I like to go and have a good dinner, and then liave w walk round the town and see all that ia to be seen. Next port is Wel-

h ng ton—windy Wellington, ae it is called. The D.I.C. is my favourite place to go and see. There are such a number of uice tilings to be seen, Lyttelton is the next port, which. I think, is horrid. But we always gq to Christchurch in the train, which is a lovely Journey. I have an aunt and sqme cousins in Chrialehureh, and 1 always have a good time when I go there. 1 like to be driven down to the river Aven.and then go and see all. the shops. Last place, and best of all, we call at is Dunedin, where we are always Welcomed most heart ily. While I am in Dunedin I like fo speii.l lily time going to the Ocean Beach and having a race round.on the saud. I also like going" to St. Clair and having afternoon tea on the beach. I love to spend an afternoon at the Botanical Gardens. There are such nice flowers and birds to be seen. I would like to go to the Museum also, as there are a number of curiosities to look at. 1 would also enjoy having rides up Mornington and Roslyn in the trams. I would like to spend some of my time at the Taieri with some of my relations, wli.) have a lovely farm, and have some nice rides on horse baek, which I enjoy more than anything. Now, I hope I have given you a good idea of how I like to spend my Christmas holidays. With best wishes, I am, your loving cousin, Mary. [Dear Cousin Mary,—l think you have chosen a charming way or spending an ideal holiday. It is some years now since I went to Dunedin. I went down the East Coast and came baek by the West Coast boat. Next time 1 go 1 am going down the Wanganui river, and am going overland as much as possible. You must have been down to Dunedin, too. for you seem to know so much about the trip. Didn’t you dislike the strong smell of sulphur going through the tunnel from Lyttelton to Christchurch? It is stifling, I think, but, of course, wc went through on a very hot summer's day. Are you enjoying yourselves down at Ruth’s Island? I expect you find plenty to amuse yourselves with; but you are not having very niee weather for a seaside holiday, are you? Cousin Kate.] © © © Dear. Cousin Kate—lt is about a month-since I last wrote to you, so I am off • on another letter. Dora ■ ac- - tiially did send me the “Graphic” with - my last letter, and your answer, which - I was very glad to get. When I write I : will thank her, but in the meantime ■ she will have seen this. 1 am sorry it is rather too late to wish you ami all the cousins the usual Christmas greeting, but hope I’M be in time for the New Year. My brother and 1 have a bicycle eaeh, so of . course have some lovely times together. On the King’s

Birthday we went to Hout’s starting in the morning. H is distance of nearly thirty miles Uu.4 and back, by the sea the wboMI way, with the rang: of lh« Apostles .behind. It is very pretty,but after jussing Camp's the whole way. is up a long h'-E. ’ 1 managed to go on am! on up this never-ending till without gelling off my bicycle till I arrived at Hout’s Bay. Before reaching the beach we Lad to go down a steep winding road, and then through a fairly' long avenue. When wc got there the rain began, and did not stop the whole day until the time came to go home. I walked up the first hill, and then enjoyed tearing down the others, which' were like rivers (1 don’t mean they were wet), winding in and out the whole way, and the road is white and very good most of the way. I was looking forward to gathering some lovely wild flowers, but the rain prevented me. On the way home, however. I go-t some lovely berries on a branch of a bush. I liave never seen them before. They are round, between red and yellow in colour, and very like wax. I tied them behind my bicycle, ami was glad all the berries didn’t fall off. Next <kiv after the ride I was most terribly stiff; in fact. I couldn’t get down or upstairs nt al) for five days. 1 would rather liave a horse; it is quite my idea of bliss to have one, and be able to ride well, but I’ am glad to liave anything to ride abou t on l-a.st night, at a quarter to six, wc birth wont. to Newlaaids, where we were to have dinner ami return home in the evening, the moon being quite full. At Sea Point there wasn’t a breath of wind, but when wc get to Sir Lowry Road, just out. of Cape Town, we were of course most delighted to find a violent south-easter against us. It was liard work, especially going through Greet Schuur, where the road is perfect but the hills are steep. We arrived at last, ami the best part of the ride was Newland’s Avenue. I’ve never seen such a beauty. Urge old. oaks on either side meeting overhead in a perfect - arch, the enormous bluey-grey mountain just seen through the trees and quite close, and the road itself, a pretty brickcolour. The avenue is. over a mile, and has no horrid ■ rocks to upset bicycles. When we came home the ' moon was full, the. wind behind us. ? Groot Sehuur looked lovely, and we tore along at a great rate. 1 went . over a trig bottle on the road, ami the noise was terrific. I thought my tyre must have burst, but the bottle just shot over to the other side of the road and broke, while I stuck on the bicycle as best I coiihl.’ There must have been’ watcj in the bottle, or it couldn’t have made sui-h a funny pop. We got

bome dt a qßarter past 11, after jumping utf u> light cmr lamps Imlf a dozen t.mes. 1 will try to get a potst card ui New* lands' Avenue to *«*iml, because it will |he you such a good idea, and I kibuw \ < vu think it is a toiety place. We haven’t Lsd a New Zealand /nail for wet-k*. and I am tw.king forward 1o Xhuiday. when another due, though it wH; be more /ke’y to arrive three days later. Weren't you very sorry to read of Mel. B. Spurt's death? It v.as a great pity he died, and so suddenly. 1 have read George Eliot's •'Adam Bede" lately. l>n’i it interesting? I did <nj<>y it. 1 liked *' Foj th.-* I'rnu of Hi- Natural IJfc." ail about tbp convict station in Hobart Town. There was such a \X to read in that bank. I suppose you ha-e read F «o»ne time ago. **Jk>no\an Fa-Im," by Gid-ert Parker is a Umk cf short stories, and rather after the same style of Kipling’s. I though: they were all gc«-d. What I enjoyed inure than anything I have had lent to me for some time is ••Jaiveng.ws" ami ’The Romany Rye." by George Borrow. Sonic people sav it is a biography: at any ra'c, it is most original and interesting, ino4iv being out-of-doors styie. <- lk»iair.- Rye" is simply the continuation of the other. I have now begun another of Si? even son’s, called ”.\uo.'.s the Plains.’’ I want to get • Rebecca.’’ by Kate Wiggin. Have you read it. Cousin Kate? In the ■‘•’(Jiris’ Realm" -he. with three others, is writing a serial, “Tlie Affair at the lan.” and i: is very good so far. d love t he •‘Girls’ Rcalin." the stories are always good, and there are pk-nry of other things to read in it. especially about some Australian girls. One page about books is interesting, too. The Exhibition opens to-morrow, so C-ope Town will l»e very excite*.! for a day or 1 wo. As it laets for three mon the, I am not going the first dav, but dcwi’t at «<’ mind waiting til! December. vhen there will be more exhibits. Clrristn'as i> rather mean to fail on Sunday, and doing us out of two holidays. When you go to w ;k. and only get a few days, it seems harder than ever that it should play such a trick! I>et’s think of next vear, it will t>p on Monday, -nafaraHy. ’ What a remark* ’*ih. all the same. a year departs • next arrive- v. . y quickly a he. . .♦• time when Si: \i C’aus Bcemrd to . :ce round so slowly. We have been I •:•* a year and six n ■-.’ It is more like only -ix months to us. This Vtter is terribly dt :1. but I have nut bv<=.r* < ut anywhere, so I can't think of any news. After aH. it won’t do to tv'i you about the scenery of Cape Town and the suburbs much oftoner, <r you will have it by heart, an I then I v. able t j mention it n ore than ery uir. ■ . h v ! I give you time to forget it in. Two vx* « k- ago S< a Poini Th. I an .iher majrveliuua flower show. 'jrL-.y conn* once a inootSi. I think. li would harlly do t » <>>mpare it with fhc.se heCd in Auckland. 1 went especially tv I all the spring Howers, but io im great di.-gust only found three roSuc, a Li.nch of sw«*t jhxvs. and ecrtw •• k. which had any sernt at a!l. South African cultivated ildwers seidam !ia»r muca acent, and you have to be content to imagine they have. It seemed to me That th*- table decorations ecn-j-ted of chiffon lace and ribbon with n few flowers thrown in, while live exhibit-, such B-r<»>e>and pansk»s were ear- fuliy cut with ir»>. stem and plastered on to a piece of white paper in a circle. 1 had hard work landing down tn smell the roses as the taides were low. The sure; p. vs' scent reminded me of gravy. One flower w«s a huge purple (very faid’y cobnired/ thing iu the ••hapr of a •k-mati* flowvx. thong a much larger, th. -ize of a suv-er. I Buouhl say it ua-> a kind of c'eiuat’s. and wry I •* itiful. I .on «ure the flower- looked prettier and frit mut-h ’nappier in t »ir <*v n g iish n* poor thing*, imdtad of l« Ing dragged into a snw’l. »o< r«>om. T < re >wrv m<»rv people than ••\Ji.bi’ . r< ...” ;■ , ■: ..v.-. I It an-n't, n>r anything like t.n,in. espeMaiiy when you see l»>th flower, an 1 j»cn]>lc at a Aew, The A”ekl»n*l exhibits eh.»v. n in tae •tuwfiaic” were lovely. 1 «ut ”'.U tl. ec t vo single rl .ffo-lil- and jnit tteem on my wall, with all my •ther trea*BTe« in <hc ahane of picture*. Now I really have not a thing left to fill up another page, and I think you ir.'i«t b- rather g ad—still. 1 detido<i to Write once a month, »o ma.i seep >l up.

Good-bye, (ousia Kate, I hope you and all the cousins had a jolly Christmas, with love from Cousin Alison. [Dear C ousin AHscr.i,—l was so delighted to get your nice long letter this morning, and I really cannot allow you to think that we do not appreciate them. The cousins are always asking about you. and hoping you are going to write agaiu soon: that doe* not look as if we found y«r:<r letters uninteresting, does it? Thank you very much indeed for your New Year wishes. I think we all enjoyed our Cliristinas holidays, though we !»ave been having wretched weather. Christmas Day was lovely, but a great many people Sad fires on New Year's Day. ourselves amongst the number. Doos it not seem wonderful for'Aucklanders to be silting shivering over a fire at this time of the year? Some eno told me the other day that Auckland is going to be blown up or buried, or something like that in tour years' time, and if we go on having such weather I shall begin to believe it. It is nice for you to Jtave a brother to take you on such long rides: it would be for two gir’s to go. Of course, you would not lie able to have moonlight rides unless he were with you. A'our ride on the King's liirth<iay must have been lovely, but I think J should have been content with a shortly ride in one day and a little less stiffness. 1 hope you will be able to get a postcard of Newlands’ Avenue for me, it must be a lovely place. Have you commenced collecting jrosteards yet? I have a few. but have not time io go in for it properly, though I should like to. I was dreadfully sorry to hear of Spurn’s death, it was very sudden, but 1 heard that he had l>een ill for some vears. I didn’t like ‘‘Yor the Term of His Natural late" at all. Of course, it is a wonderful book, but it is so dreadfuliv depressing to read of such horrors and to kn >w that they have really aappened. No. 1 haven’t read ■■Rebecca vet, but must try and get it. Tell me all about the exhibition in jour next letter. 1 did enjoy the Exhibition so much. They say the New I‘iymouth one is very good indeed for such a small place. I expect Dgya will tell us all afeont it in her next letter. 1 can hardly believe that it is eighteen mouths and more since you left Auckland. I wonder if you will ever want to came back. Your description of the flower show doesn’t lead one to think it a very brilliant affair, and yet I have always heard that there were exquisite flowers in South Africa. Well. A*i*on, 1 really must stop. I have ever so much to do this morning, and seem to lie getting on so slowly. With best wishes to you all for the New Year from Cousin Kate.]