COUSINS’ BADGES.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXV, Issue 6, 12 August 1905, Page 53

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, —I thank you very much for my badge, which 1 think very »iee; and. also for your answer to my last letter. No; I have not read "Tom Brown's School Days” yet, but 1 mean to. My brothers have it on their book-shelf, hut, being a boy’s book, I had never thought to read it. Mother knew that nearly all the characters in it were real personages, and the author of it was supposed to be Tom Brown himself I am just now reading "Ships That Pass in the Night.” It is said that it took the author seven years to write it. Perhaps that is why it is so good. You will, of course, have read it, dear Cousin Kate. 1 told you in my last letter of my stay in Rugby. Mother decided to leave me there with my auntie while she paid a round of visits. As we were going to make it our headquarters while in England, I went to school. I made some nice friends and was very sorry to leave Rugby. Some of my friends still write to me. The winter is very jolly in England. We had a great deal of skating, toboganing, etc., and it was very nice to go home to the big fir,?s, and hous'es warmed With hot pipes after being out in the cold air. We were very elose to a great many interesting places, and I was lucky enough to see a great many of them —Coventry, Kenilworth, Leamington, etc. I saw Coventry' first. I wonder whether the cousins have read the story of Lady Godiva, who has made Coventry famous for all time. The old custom is stiff kept up, and they have a Lady Godiva procession about every two or three years. It is a very old town, and there are some wonderfully beautiful old buildings in it. and one of the churches has two spires. Just at the top of the hill going into the town there is a building with an open window at the top. and peeping out of it is a figure of peeping Tom, who was struck blind for his wicked curiosity. Coventry used to be famous for its ribbon and watches, but mother says those industries have died" out, and cycle and motor manufactory have taken their place. All the motor cars for ihe-King’s personal use are manufactured there. We saw one that was made for the King. It was to cost £llOO. Does it not scorn a lot of money for a carriage? Kenilworth is only four miles from Coventry, and one very cold, frosty day we went there. We drovo in an open phaeton, ns wr had been told that the most beautiful drive in England was the drive from Coventry to Kenilworth: and it was beautiful. We were very warmly wrapped up. and had a fur rug for our km os, and a foot-warmer: but wo were nearly frozen by the time we reached tlm castle. The horses soenred nearly to fly; they went so fast. Every now and then we put our hands up to our noses to see if they were still there. Kenilworth village is very old fashioned, but mother says that the mixture of «td and new in the village quite spoils it. The hostelry of the “Bear with Ragged Staff” (the “Arms of the Earl of Leicester” etill

stands). Mother was quite grieved when we reached the castle to find so little of it left. She says we haw? Sir Walter Scott to thank that there is any of it. When he visited it before writing Kenilworth he fond that the Urban Council were pulling it to pieces, and using tlL° stones for mending the roads. He was very indignant; he wrote to the papers, wrote his famous Imok, “Kenilworth,” and made such an outcry that people became so interested in it that means were brought to br?ar upon its owners to preserve it by building a gateway and lodge, and appointing a caretaker. It is so broken up that but for the plan in the little guide book given by the caretaker when you pay for admission, it would Ke impossible to locate any of the rooms. Mother says there is a strange fascination about it even yet. When we got home mother went to her room, taking “Kenilworth” with her, and did not cease reading until she had finished th? book. Then next day she went, again, and imagined it all over again. The wicked Earl of Leicester, Queen Elizabeth, the revels in Iler Majesty’s honour, the jousting, the strolling players, and the sad end of poor Amy Rabsart. We scrambled to the top of the walls, and picket! ivy leaves from them to send to our friends in Auckland. Warwick Castle, •which is only four miles . from Kenilworth, was built at the same time by that Earl of Warwick, who was known as the kingmaker, and is in a splendid state of preservation, and is one of the most beautiful stately homes of England. We had got permission to drive home through Stanley Abbey grounds, and to give you some idea of the extent of them, it took quite half an hour to gi?t through them, though wt? drove very quickly. The deer in the park were the first I had ever seen; the young ones, or thi? fawns, as they are called, are just lovely. We could not get very near them, as tli»?y scampered away as quickly as possible as we approached them. When we got near to the covers we saw lots of pheasants and other game, and also a number of squirrels. I think squirrels are the prettiest and smartest of wild things. It is wonderful to see how they can jump from tree to tree, and they sit up in tin* cheekiest way on the boughs and crack nuts. The abbey is built of white stone, and has beautiful gardens, sloping down to the water. Queen Victoria stayed there a few years before she died. I must tell you next time of an old castle—the home of Lady Jane Grey—we visited. Wi? have had Jack —our dog—photographed; he behaved beautifully, and th? picture is a very good one. It was one of my brother’s birthday last week, and we had a party. Mother gave two prizes to the one who made the most words out of a certain number of letters. A hoy wow the first one—a book, and the second — a photo frame—was won by a girl. T should like a birthday (‘very week. Was not Cousin Ethyll’s letter a nice long one? I hop? she will soon write again. With low? to yourself and all the cousins. —Cousin Hilda. | Dear Cousin Hilda,—Your long and most interesting letter so greatly pleased me that 1 showed it to the editor of the “Graphic,” and he has asked me to tell you that be thinks you have a decided talent fot; descriptive writing, whieh you should cultivate by every means in your power. He knows much of the _country you have written about, and says you have given a most admirable ami picturesque account of your visits

to Coventry. Kenilworth, and Warwick. What he likes about your letter is its complete naturalness, and the quickness of your perception for what is interesting. This is what is usually termed the journalistic faculty, and is primarily born in a person, though it can be immensely sharpened by work and by experience. In order to encourage you to develop what seems to be a natural gift, and to try and induce other cousins to emulate your example, the editor, if you care to semi a letter something like this every week (or even every fortnight, if the former is too much for your time), will give you a. nice prize at the conclusion of the 12th letter. By way of advice, he says never try and write when you are over-tired, and never go on when you feel you have nothing more to say. but must make up. Don’t write, that is, except when you feel interested, and stop when interest in your work ceases. If you ever come to write professionally, you will not be able to do this, for often we have to write when we feel as if it were impossible. But while you are training yourself, this is not necessary, so only write to our page when at your brightest and best. Of course you may not feel exactly in the mood at starting, and then get quite into the vein: but don’t force vourself too much if ideas won’t come.

Perhap*. it other vimimiis were to follow your example and try ami write, ami also pa\ attention to the advice given by the editor, he might give otlqr prizes. But at prv<eit! he thinks the cousin* must show more intvre-d iu

their page befon* he can -pend more money on it. I am '•me, however, if we show him that the cousins art* again on the increase, ami our letter bag is every week heavier and heavier, all sorts of jolly competitions might be arranged. Cousin Kate.'] 4* 4* 4* Dear Con .-in Kate. I am afraid tins will not be in time for next week’s “Graphic,*’ hut instead of writing la.-t night I was playing Ludo. I have nearly finished lh<* hat pin bag I was making; but as this is the first time I have dune any crocheting I am slower making them than most people are. I am very fond of fancy work, but I have never done more than drawn thread work before. The eldest of those three boys I was telling you about was only 13, the other was 12, ami the youngest was only a little boy of nine years old. They have been caught, ami have been home ever a week now. They had a party out searching for them two days, and they were caught on the afternoon of the second. They put two rails across the railway line, ami if the engine driver had not seen them in time then' would have been a serious accident. The young monkeys had a loaded revolver, a gun, and an axe with them, and they shot two or three wild ducks. But that could not have been enough for them to eat. because they were found near one of the farms next day looking for something ino”e civilised. This is the first winter t have had chilblains, but I have one or two on my feet now. am! they are very painful if I knock them very much. I can hardly get my boots on, so I have to wear my soft slippers all day, an<t stay inside. The cold is something terrible, up here just now. I am reading a lovely book tailed "The Scottish Chiefs.” I suppose you have read it or heard about it some lime or other, Cousin Kate? I am half way through another hook railed “The Silvery Dawn.” It is rather peculiar, but I like it all the same. The Salvation Army Biorama is coming her-e- next Friday, but I don’t know if they wij! have very many. 1 wish you could send some of your good plays up this way. I must close now. with love, from Ida.

[Dear Cousin Ida, — I wondir where your letter has liven al! this time? It is dated the I till July, and I only received it thi- morning. the August; s<> wheic it has i ravelled in the interim 1 cannot imagine. I have never tried ci•«.< het ing at all, so I expect I .should he quite as long making a hat pin bag as you have hern: they arc pretty ami useful. too, m> I wish I could make them. I like drawn thread work very much, hut am sony to say that I don’t get Vriy much lime tor if, especially in the* winter, whin the days are so short. Are you not glad that I hey are beginning t<> lengthen out a little now? You never ♦ <d<! me anything about those boys, but J gather from your let ler that they intended to he highway nun or something of the sort. It was a good thing they were ealight before they got into more serious mischief. It was a dreadful thing to do to put rails on the railway lines. I have never had chilblains, but can quite understand that they are very painful. I suppose you have been sitting with them close to the lire when your feet were very cold that often causes them. I know. It is such a temptation to get as dose to the fire as possible thK cold weather, isn’t it? Have you had any snow up there yet? Last year just about this time I was staying at Tv \r<dia. and there was snow on the hills I have often heard of ‘’The Scottish Chic Is,’’ hut don’t think I have read it. I tnihi get it and see if 1 shall like it as lunch as you do. Cousin Kate.] 1 4* 4* 4 Bear Cousin Kate. Alas! and alack! I have gained a lot of bad marks, I fear, on the Cousins’ Page lately. The most provoking part is that I cannot find a new excuse to give you. It is just the same old cry: “No time.” “Time waifs for no man.” and one has so many things to do before “St. Peter closes the gate,” and it is all one can do to keep up with the old man. I am waiting anxiously for you Io say, ‘’Hallo! Cousin Ruby.’’ You won’t forget to. will you, Cousin Kate? I am dressing a doll for a bazaar. Every stitch has to be dime by band, and the dresser of the neatest sew ii doll gels a prize. There are three different competitions- one for those

fen years old and under, another 13 and under, and rhe other 17 and under. I have line-hed two garments. Bid you go Io the Society of Aris’ exhibition'.' I went twice the opening night and one afternoon last week. Are not Mr. Goldie's picture-. magnificent? They arc just life like, arc they not? Last week I went to a “book” afternoon. Have you ever been to one? It was great fun. Every <me .represents- a book, and then gues.se>. lor tries, to guess) everyone .eKe’s. I went as “The Food of the Gods,” which I represented by two little greenstone tikis with a big chocolate strung between. It was rather good, don’t you think so? I must tell you a joke 1 heard the other day: “\Vhat is the difference bet with a rooster, a Yankee, and an old maid?” Answer: “The rooster says ‘Cock-a-doodle-do,’ the Yankee fxiys ‘ Yankve-doodle-do.’ and the old maid says. ‘Any noodle do!’” Tn your answer to my last letter you kindly said that as I originated the scheme of 1 he wonder bag, I could carry it out. Thank you very much, dear cousin, and I will remind all the cousins about it later on in the year. With love to each and all of my “Graphic” relations, from Cousin Ruby. | Bear Cousin Ruby. —I’m afraid I sympathise with you too much to blame you for not writing oftener to the “Graphic.” because I am always having to make I he same excuse “no time” myself. I am always getting into hot water for not answering loiters oftener, so I shall have to let you off with a caution this time. I haven’t, forgotten my promise to say “Hallo” to you the first opportunity I get. I was nearly saying it to you at the Art Gallery on the opening night, but there were so many people about that I felt, shy, and so left it until another and more propitious time. What a good idea it is to have a compel ition for doll dressing, specially as all the sewing has to be done by hand. I hope you will get a prize. W hat bazaar is it for? I would like to know, so that I can go and see how you got on. There are some lovely' pictures at the Art Gallery, and I also thought Mr. Goldie's real I v lovely. Yes. I have been

Io several “book tea-.” Thcv are very good fun. indeed, 1 think- Your idea was a splendid one. Bid many people guess it? Thanks very much for good story. 1 had never heard it bi fore. It is very good, though I think there are' still some old maids who prefer single blessedness to marrying any noodle.— Cousin Kate.] 4* 4* 4* Dear Cousin Kate, —Once again I lake up my pen to write to you. and I •hope I keep up my correspondence with you. 1 wrote to you a good few months ago, but I did not keep up my correspondence. I intend to do so in the future. I suppose you do not have many cousins down in the South Island. I have not heard of anyone writing to you. We get the “Graphic” every week, and I enjoy reading the cousins' letters very much: they all write such nice interesting letters. Do any of your cousins correspond with each other, Cousin Kate? If so, I would be very pleased to write to any of them. I think it would be so nice to get letters from cousins in the North Island. We have been having lovely' weather in Waikonait i for the last month until yesterday, when the rain came down in torrents. It was raining this morning, but the afternoon turned out splendid. I have just finished reading a book. It is one of the best books I have ever read. The name of it is “Jane Eyre.” Have you lead it, Cousin Kate? Did you sec Tittel Bruni* act when she was in the North Island? She is playing in Dunedin this week. I would have liked very' much to have seen her. Well, dear Cousin Kate. I will have to close, as it is near bed-time. With love to you and all the “Graphic” cousins.—l remain, Cousin Kitty. | Dear Cousin Kitty.— I haven’t any ‘’Graphic” cousins writing to me from Otago, so 1 hope you will keep to your good intentions and write to me very’ often. It is, as you say, a good few months since you wrote to me last. A'es. 1 have a good many' cousins in the South Island —about six in Christchurch, I think, one in Greymouth, and one or two in Blenheim—so you see 1 hear a

good ileal of South Island news. I ant so pleased to hear that you like reading the cousins* letters. Some of them correspond with one another, but not very often. I think. However, 1 will mention to one or two of them that you would lil • to write and hear from them in return. and will semi you their addresses directly' I get their answers. We are having most uncertain weather in Auckland just now. When I came into town this morning it was simply teeming with rain, and now it is beautifully' sunshiny, and bright. Yes, 1 have read 4 *Jane Eyre,” and do not wonder that you enjoyed it so much. Tittel Hrune has not been in Auckland yet. 1 hear she is simply splendid, so I am very anxious to see her. What a pity' you could not go down to Dunedin to see her acL—Cousin Kate. | 4* 4* 4* Dear Cousin Kate, —I was very glad to see my letter in the “Graphic.” I will tiy ami write regularly’. \ on asked me, vvas the New Road new? That is only its name. It is lovely going round to the gorge. On Sunday" some of my girl friends and I went down to a waterfall to see it. and we thought it was lovely. Afterwards we got some ferns, and then made ready' tor home. To-dav mother went up to Taneatua Io see some friends; she is coming home to-morrow. We are going to have a concert up at Taneatua on the 19th July’. I hope it will be successful. Dear Cousin Kate, was it w<*t when you were away? 1 should think it would be raining, because in the winter it always rains. There is no more news, Cousin Kate, so I must close now' with love to you and all the cousins.— L remain, your loving cousin. Dolly. Whakatane. |Dear Cousin Dolly,—l am glad to hear that you are going to try* to be one of my regular cousins. So far you have been very' good. Of course, I knaw you cannot w rite as often as the cousins who live in town, so I don’t expect to hear from you every' week. New Road is lather a confusing name, isn’t it? When I read your letter 1 thought a new' road had just been made and had not been given a name. I have seen some lovely

goiges in New Zealand. 1 used to love driving through them at one time, but now I always have a feeling that 1 should be safer walking. That rather spoils the pleasure, as you may imagine, 'our letter must have been travelling around the country on its own account for a week or two, for I see it is dated July 11th. I only received it this morning, August 3. The concert is over, of course. Did you go to it, and was it a success ? No, we didn’t have much rain the week 1 was away for my holiday.—Cousin Kate. | + * + Dear Cousin Kate, —I have had the influenza, ami 1 could not answer the letter which I saw in the "Graphic” on Monday. 1 am starting to get better now, so J thought I would write. The big Hood was not near our place, but the people nioiinu us were Hooded, as they were on low ground. The post-cards in this week’s "Graphic” are very pretty, don’t you think so. Cousin Kate? 1 have read “Tom Brown's School Days,” and I like it very much. That must have been n big flood at Te Arolia, where you were staying. My mother and father are back from their trip to Australia. Have you ever been in Westport, Cousin Kate? We have been having bad weather lately. I think this is all the news. With love to you ami all the other "Graphic” eou-ius. •—From Cousin Jack. [Dear Cousin Jack, —I am so sorry you have been ill, and hope you are quite recovered by this time. 1 cm sympathise with you', for I have influenza myself nearly every year. It is such a ho rid thing to have, isn’t it? especially in the winter time, because one takes so much longer to get over it in the cold weather. You are very lucky to be living on so much higher ground than your neighbours. It must be dreadful to be flooded out. 1 wouldn’t mind so much in the dav time, but it would be awful at night, 1 think. The Hood J saw at Te Aroha was not a very big one, and it did very little damage, luckily. The "Graphic post-cards have been very pretty lately. L like the tinted ones ever so much better than the plait.’ ones, don’t you? 1 expect you are delighted to have your father and mother home again. I hope they had a pleasant trip. No. T have never been to Westport. I should like to drive across from the other eoast some day though, because 1 have heard so much about the scenery; it must be lovely.—Cousin Kate. |