Children’s Page

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1, 6 July 1907, Page 42

Children’s Page

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, —Thank you very much for the badge you sent me. I am sorry to say that it got broken coming through the post. You asked me to tell you what X did during the holidays. it was a very stormy week, so I did not go out except on the last day, when my sister Jessie and I went for a ride. My two cousins came up from Wellington for a few days, and while they were here we had a slight snowstorm, but not enough to have any fun snow balling. 1 will now ask you a riddle, ‘’When is the,most dangerous lime to go into the bush?" With love to you and all the other'cousins, CORDELIA.

I Dear Cousins Cordelia, —I am so iSofry'the' pin of your badge got damaged; they-* are so frail, that I am afraid they often do get spoilt going through the post. It was a pity you did not have nicer weather for your holidays. How did you manage io pass the time when you were not able to go out ? I expect your cousins from Wellington were very disgusted, weren't they? It must have been very disappointing fon them to spend their few days' holiday indoors. We have been 'having some fairly cold weather here, but, of course, we never have snow. 1 think 1 have heard your riddle before; isn’t the answer “The spring-time"? because the trees shoot and the bullrushes out, or something like that.— Cousin Kate.l + d- ■fr Dear Cousin Kate,- —We broke up on Friday for a week's holiday, but I wish it was for a fortnight, because my brothers came home on Thursday, and they have got a fortnight; but 1 suppose 1 will take it. You ask me to tell you all about the towns I have visited. I did not like Wellington very much, .for it was too,windy. But I think I like Napier best of all, it is such a nice clean little place. I have been to Sydney, too. and like it very tpuch. I was there in the great heat drought, and horses were falling down dead. Mother was having her washing done that day, and as soon as the'clothes were put out they burnt on the line. Well, dear Cousin Kate, this is all I can say to-day, for I am in a hurry. With love to you and the cousins, I am, your loving cousin. EDITH.

[Dear Cousin Edith, —It is quite a long time since you wrote to me last, and I thought you were going to be a most regular correspondent. It was very nice of you to write, though, while your brothers were at home, because, of course, you must be wanting to spend al! your spare time with them. I hope you will enjoy their visit, even if yon do have to go back to school liefore they leave. I did not like Wellington very much either, and after Auckland 1 like Dunedin better than any of the

other New Zealand towns I know. Napier I thought a dear little place, and beautifully clean-looking, but I would not care to live in such a small place. I can quite imagine that being in Sydney during the heat drought was quite enough to make you dislike it, but even if it is hot, it is nice to live in a big bustling town, where there is always something going on, don’t you think?— Cousin Kate.l ♦ ♦ ♦ Dear Cousin Kate,- —I have been so very interested in reading the cousins' letters that I would like to know whether you will allow me to join your band. I have been in this place about five months, having from Napier. I came up to Auckland in the s.s. Talune, the time she had that very bad trip. From there I went to Rotorua, and from there to WhakatanC. This place is rather small, but lately there has been a great change. The Whakatanc and Opotiki show will commence soon, and many school children are going to put different exhibits in.—l remain, yours truly, WALTER.—P.S.— Kindly send me a blue badge.

(Dear Cousin Walter, —I am always pleased when 1 hear that the cousins’ letters have interested anyone sufficiently to make them wish to join the band, and especially am I glad to welcome new boy cousins, for 1 have only a few of them. I expect you find Whakatane very much smaller and quieter than Napier, and as you have only been there five months it is rather too soon to ask you if you like it nearly as well. Are you a good sailor, if not you must have had a very unpleasant, trip from Napier to Auckland, and the Talune is one of the smaller coastal boats, too, isn’t it? Next time you write tell me what you thought of Rotorua, and write soon, there’s a good chap.—Cousin Kate. P. 8.—1 have posted a blue badge to you, and hope it will arrive safely—C.K.] ♦ ♦ ♦ Dear Cousin . Kate,—l suppose you were beginning to think I had left, your band altogether, but I have not. , 1 would have written before, only I have not been able to because I have had the measles, and I only just got up this morning; all my brothers had them, and then I got them, and 1 think, they are so horrid. There are measles at almost every house at Takapuna. 1 have not been to school for five weeks. Aren't I having a long holiday 7 Holidays are not so very nice, because when you go back it is all the harder, I think. I think tins is all I have to say, with piles of love to you and your cousins. Good-bye, with love from Cousin RENE.

[Dear Cousin Rene, —It is indeed a very long time since you wrote to me last, and I was beginning to think that you had decided to write no more. 1 am afraid your father is not a very reliable postman, dear Rene, and the next time you give him a letter to post you must be sure and tie a piece of cotton or twine tightly round his little finger so that he will not be able to forget it. I see your letter was written quite a week before I received. iU I am so sorry you have been having the mcasdcs; they are horrid things

to have, but so many children have them just now. Five weeks is a very long holiday, and you will have to work so hard at your lessons all the rest of the term if you want to catch up to your class mates, won’t you? —Cousin Kate. J * * * Dear Cousin Kate, —I am very glad that you like my letters; 1 will try. and ■write as nice ones as I can. Our pussie Iras hurt his paw, it is very funny to see him go hopping about the. house on three paws, but it is beginning to get well again now. It was raining very hard for the Hastings races. Mother went the second day, but did not go the first, but father went both days. Ono of my little friends had a birthday party last Saturday, it was from 2 o’clock to 6 o’clock; they asked me to go, but I could not, because I . have ( a nasty old cold; and on that very morning, a lady rang mother up on .the telephon,® and asked her if I could go out for a motor-drive with them, but, of course, 1 could not. 1 was very disappointed. The other d-ay a man was driving ,a pair of horses in a buggy down a rather steep hill, when the brake of the buggy broke and the horses began to bolt down the hill. When they got to the bottom of the hill they dashed in through a fence, and turned round and bolted up the hill again. The man was thrown out and got his leg broken. It was a nasty accident, wasn’t it. I have read all Ethel Turner’s books, and 1 thought that they were very nice; but I like “Seven Little Australians” the best, which do you? But my favourite authoress is L. T. Meade, I am very fond of her books, are you? Well, I am afraid I must stop now, lots of love for yourself, and all the cousins.—Yours, etc.—MARJORIE.

[Dear Cousin Marjorie,—l am afraid I shall only be 'able to answer your letter very briefly this week; it has come in so late that if I do not hurry it will have to be held over until next week, and then you would be wondering what had happened to it. I am so sorry you have been having such a bad eold, especially as you had to miss two such treats. Wasn’t it unfortunate that the party and the motor-ride should both have been on the same day? I hope you will be quite well again by the time you see this in print. You must be careful and not catch the measles; such numbers of children have had them up here, that several of the shools have had to close. That was a very nasty accident you told me about, but I think the driver was lucky to get off with only a broken leg. it might have' been very much worse. —Cousin Kate. + + + Dear Cousin Kate, —I would like very much to join your band. Will you send me a blue badge, please? Blue is my favourite colour. I go to the Taradale school, which is a mile and a half away from here. I am eleven years bld and in Standard V. I am very fond of school, and botany is one of my favourite subjects. I have a sister and a brother, whose names are Rima and Alan. My brother is in the same class m I am>

and Rima is in the third standard. Now, I -will say good-bye, as I cannot think of any more to say. I know there is another Marjorie, so will yon call nre Marjorie Grace, pIease?—MARJORIE GRACE.

[.Dear Cousin Marjorie Grace, —I shall be very pleased to have you for a cousin, and I will send you a blue badge at once, blue is my favourite colour too. It is funny that both my cousin Marjories should live in Napier, isn't it? I wonder if you know one another? Do yon have to walk the mile and a half to school, every day. It is rather - a long walk, especially in wet weather. I suppose you and Alan are very nearly the same age, as you are in the same standard at school. Couldn't you persuade him to join the Cousin’s band, too? I want some more boy cousins to join. Botany is very interesting, isn't it? and it gets more and more interesting as one gets on with it.—Cousin Kate. + + Dear Cousin Kate, —I was very pleased to see my letter in the •‘Graphic’’’ on June the 19th. We are just having our midwinter holidays, and if it is tine I am going to town to stay from Friday till Saturday. You asked me to send you my address, so I will write it at the end of my letter. It has been a very wet day, and very eold, and the creek was very high. One time, when it was very wet, and the creek was high, it carried away our bridge, but it did not wash it away this time. 1 think I will close my letter, as this is all I have to say, with love from Cousin MADGE. [Dear Cousin Madge,—Thank you very much for remembering to send me your address. Have you had a badge yet? If not 1 will post you one next time. I am sorry you are having such disagreeable weather for your holidays, but I daresay you will manage to amuse yourself somehow, won’t you? It is a good thing your bridge was not carried away this time, I suppose last time you hatl to stay at home until it was replaced, hadn’t you?—Cousin Kate.] F 4’ •!"

Dear Cousin Kate, — I was very glad to eee my letter in the “Graphic” on June 19th. We have just had our quarterly exam., and the ones that did the best in every subject get their photos taken. We are just having our midwinter holidays, ami I might go to town for a lay or two. lam going to send you my address this time. lam away staying with a friend of mine, and 1 am having a good time. If 1 write any more perhaps you will get tired of reading it. So 1 will close with love from EDNA.

[Dear Cousin Edna, —It is very good of you to write again so soon, and I hope you are always going to be a very regular little correspondent. I am afraid you are not having very good weather for your midwinter holidays, but 1 suppose one hardly expects tine weather at this time of the year. 1 wonder if you did come to town as you expected. You must tell me how you amused yourself if you did next time you write. lam glad you are having a goo) time. Does your friend live at Henderson, too?— Cousin Kate.]