Children's Page

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11, 15 September 1906, Page 42

Children's Page

A NEW RULE FOR THE COUSIN { KATE’S CORRESPONDENTS. 1 , In order to make room for certain competition* and other new features of the Children's Page which will shortly be introduced, a New Rule has been made with regard to letters written to Cousin Kate. These must in future never exceed 350 words In length; and briefer letters of, say, about 250 words will be preferred.. Answers will be also correspondingly shorter than before. It is hoped by this means we may get a greater num4>er of younger cousins to write, and also clear the way for other improvements, of which I shall have more to say next week. i COUSIN KATE. COUSINS’ BADGES. Cousins requiring badges are requested to send an addressed envelope, when the badge will be forwarded by return mail, it. £ COUSINS' CORRESPONDENCE. ’ Dear Cousin -Kate, —I am glad my letter got printed on June 16th —what a long time ago, I had no idea until I looked it up to-day how long ago it was. Of all tire cousins’ letters I think Cousin Winnie’s are those I like best and her remark about discussing the books we read is just the one 1 would like to second. You asked in your letter if I hail read “Lin McLean,” No, but I would ■ very, much like to. “Lady Baltimore” was very disappointing, at Jeast most of us found-it so. there was in the whole book no one to come within hail of “the ideal cowboy.” I must tell you about a long walk I ,/sent for the other day. . I set out 'directly after lunch and made my way down to the river which runs not far ' from our home..’, I walked across and then followed the windings of a little Creek for some distance. You really should see it. it winds in and out in lhe bush, and in some' places the sun peeps down between the leafy, branches of some overhanging tree lighting up . the water and showing thg stones a dovely golden brown beneath. Some distance up the creek there is a waterfall and that it is really Worth seeing, provided that .the weather.has not been exceptionally dry. A [>erfeet downpour pomes over Mack rock, and it meets a Jeep pool below in a great sheet of oani. The ferns hanging down at the Fairs complete the picture, while some high rounded.rocks to one side form an Excellent any one inclined.!? listen, to tlip .thgusapd.sweet songs flic yyater tells oj,_and. the.clear whistling, trilling notes of the tui and liellbird. both of which are still fairly plentiful la AiatrM. la short it fa an ideal

place for anyone to dream away an hour or to read —shall I say it?—poetry. I am rather teased for my love of reading at all times, but I love to sit and read one of Cousin Winnie’s favourites “Adelaide Anne Proctor,” or some of the beautiful lines written by Coventry Patmore.* Do you know anything at all of the life history or birth place of the latter? I have often tried to find out something about him, but f had always been unsuccessful. It is, I think, sadly true that wee folks nowadays utterly decline to believe in fairies, elves good ortho reverse. lam always inclined to wish that some day beneath a shady fern I may find Queen Titania sleeping watched by wee dainty sprites, who stand to keep off anything likely to disturb the sweet repose of her majesty. Round here the many evidences of Maori fighting pahs (slightly different to that mud and fern erection at Rotorua) give one ample reason for fancying that giants tatooed and warlike once held the surrounding country in a state of wholesome dread of their depredations. ' But I have run on Cousin Kate and I’m afraid you’ll think me very foolish. I hope all the cousins read and enjoyed “The Scarlet P:mpernal,” and have they read “Janice Meredith.” if not, beg. borrow, steal it. anything so long as they get it as quick a, possible, and read it with a* a&uch enjoyment as I and my sisters did. It is verv late and I must close now with love from. COUSIN DOT. . [Dear Cousin Dot. —Certainly I cannot accuse you of writing too often, can I. but your letters are so fresh and interesting when they do arrive, that I must forgive you. I quite agree with you that “Lady Baltimore’’ is most disappointing after reading “The I irginian.” Most of us have read “The Scarlet Pimpernal” and “Janice Meredith,” and I. for one, enjoyed them thoroughly. Have you ever come across “Lavender and Old Lace,” ’'Mistress Nancy Stair.” or the “Rose Brocade?” they are three of the most charming books I have read for a very long time. So if you have not already read them, get them as soon as you can and tell me what you think of them. lam sorry I cannot tell you anything about Coventry Patmore, but I will try and find out lie'fore you write next time, Cousin Kate] + 4* ♦ Dear Cousin Kate, —I take much pleasure in writing to you again and thanking you for accepting me as one of your cousins, also for putting my letter in print; but I cannot understand that you did not receive an envelope with my full address written on it, as I enclosed it with my letter. However, lam forwarding another one, and hope to receive my badge by return mail. I am glad you liked my handwriting; yes, I am taught at St. Patrick’s High School, where I also learn music, and am now learning a piece called "Il Trovatore.” I have passed two examinations, and will la* entering for a third in a few months' time. I am sorry, dear Cousin Kate, that 1 cannot. like many of your other cousins, describe my pets, as I haven’t any. Reading is iny favourite paStiine, and I in-* dulge. in it very freely, having read books too numerous to mention. I have just finished reading one called “Gerard Mastyn.” Hava you read it, Cousin

Kate? It is very interesting. We live close to the Albert Park, so you may guess I often spend my leisure hours in sitting under a huge tree reading a nice book. Do you like postcards? I have a pretty collection of actresses and scenes, but like actresses best, “Phyllis Dare” being my favourite one. I went to a euchre party last Thursday night; as I am unable to play I had to act as an onlooker. but I enjoyed myself very much in watching the excited players. I forgot to tell you in my last letter that my age is fourteen years. Do not Cousins Hero and Hilda write very interesting letters? I must now close my letter with love from Cousin BESSIE. [Dear Cousin Bessie, —Thank you very much for sending me your name aud address again; I cannot understand either how the first envelope got mislaid. I will send you your badge this week, and hope you will like it. I suppose you are working very hard for your musical examination, as it is coming so close : won’t you be glad when you have passed them all? I. like you, very much prefer reading to looking after petS; but then'l aiu not an animal lover at all. Postcards make a most interesting collection, but I think amateur photographs are even more****, and if I had time to make a colf'Xaßx of any sort I should collect ti*j. How is it you have never learnt to euchre; it is an easy game to learn, and playing is always better fun than looking on, I think.—Cousin Kate.] ♦♦ ♦ ' Dear Cousin Kate, —I now take the pleasure of writing you.these few lines to ask you if you would send me a cousins’ badge, as I would like to be included as a cousin. I see this week that my canaries are starting to lay, and in one of the uests there are three eggs, and in another there is one. There are others that are starting to build, and I hope I will have better luck this year than I •lid last—three or four of them died, and I was very sorry to sec them dead. I have also a very nice eat. and we call it Tuppence; it has got a bob-tail, and it is a very good jumper. I hope by the next timel write I will lie able to say that I have got a lot of nice young canaries.—l remain, Cousin JOEY. [Dear Cousin Joey,—Of course you may become a cousin, and I will send you a badge when I send Ethel hers, kou seem to have a great number of canaries; what do you do with so many? I hope, too, that you will have better luck with them this year; it must have been most disappointing to lose so many after taking so much trouble. Has Tuppence ever made away with any of them? If he can jump so well. I should think it would be quite easy for him to reach them.—• Cousin Kate.] . , . , ♦ Dear Cousin Kate, — I now take the pleasure of writing you these few lines' to ask you if you would please send me a cousins’ badge, as J would very much like to lie included as one of your cousins. I am thirteen years old, and am in the sixth standard. Our examination takes place next week. I hope I will pass. I went up for my music examination last Monday, and am pleased to’ sav I was successful. I got seventy-eight marks. I lost honours by two marks, I have

got two dear little kittens; one i* Toby, and the other Spot. One of our hens han got twenty chicks; they are such dear little things. I will write you a long letter next time. — I remain, Cousin ETHEL. IDear Cousin Ethel, —I shall be verjfc glad indeed for you to become one of my cousins, and I wilt post a badge to you immediately. I am so sorry you missed, getting honours at your musical examination, but I hope you w’H pass your school examination extra well to make up for it»Twenty chickens is a. great many for ona lien to look after, is it not? — Cousin Kate.] 4 4-4-Dear Cousin Kate, —I was very pleased to see my last letter in the “Graphic.” E went to the fancy dress ball as a Caehueha Girl. There is going to be another bait here on the 28th of this month, and I ant looking forward to it. There is going to be a Daffodil “At Home” here on Tuesday, and I hope I will go, as I am so fond of daffodils. Our school examination takes place on the 27th of this month, and I am not looking forward t* it at all. I hope I will pass; and lam going to try very hard. We have been having lovely weather lately, and yesterday it was j'u«t like a summer’s day; but to-day it has been raining a little. The fire brigade and town band are having a bazaar, and I hope it will lie a great success. Well, dear Cousin Kate, I must conclude with love to all the cousins. I remain, Cousin NORA (Hamilton). . [Dear Cousin Nora, —Thank you very much for enclosing your name and address: I wanted to enter it in my Cousins’ Book. Hamilton seems to be very gay just now-, and I should think if you go to all the amusements you won’t have very muc’t time for studying for your examination. I hope you will pass it* though. We have had some quite summery days in Auckland too lately, but to-day it looks as though rain had set in. —Cousin Kate.] + ♦ * Dear Cousin Kale.—We are down i* New Plymouth staying with Grandma. They have a horse, dog, a cat, fowls, and' ducks. -Sydney is getting much stronger. We went to see the ducks and swans in the Recreation Grounds yesterday. Sydney and I went to Omata. the other day with our uncle for a drive. I have been planting mandarin pips this morning to see if they.will grow-. Goodbye.—From Cousin BOBS. [Dear Cousin Bobs, —What a splendid time you seem to be having at New Plymouth. I should think you will be quite sorry to come home again, though I expect-' you want to see your mother and father and Percy, don’t you? I am se glad Sydney is feeling so much stronger. Give her my love and tell her she is te tell me all about her visit to Stratford when she writes next week. — Cousin Kate.] + * ♦ Dear Cousin Kate, —At last I haM time to write. I am staying up the country, and am ten miles out of Cambridge. It is lovely. lam feeling quite well now, thank you. No; I don’t go to the beach very much, but I like it. Igo down th* road every night and meet my cousin coming home from school. She rides a pony, and when I meet her she gives me a ride home, and I enjoy it very much. I think I must stop now, as I have not much to say. Good-bye, with love to all the cousin- and yourself—l remain, your, loving cousin, RENE. i [Dear Cousin Rene,- —I am so glad that you are feeling so much better. Is it your visit to the country that is doing you good, do you think?.. Perhaps the strong sea air at Takapuna, does not ' agree with you. I suppose that by the time- you come back to Auckland you will have developed into quite a “conn* try cousin.” —Cousin Kate.]