COUSINS’ CORRESPONDENCE.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXIX, Issue 6, 10 August 1907, Page 47

COUSINS’ CORRESPONDENCE.

Dear Cousin Kate,—l am just writing you a few lines in reply to your nice little letter. We have another little etog now (a little black and tan terrier), that we are minding for a friend, it was not very nice weather for our holidays, but I had a-little friend staying with me, and we had many a game of “hide ami seek.” Hiding in cupboards and in corners was great fun. 1 will remember your birthday, and I will write to you. I mean Labour Day procession. I will close now, with love-to yourself and all the other jjCOUsinß.' From Cousin HAZEL. [Dear .Cousin ; Hazel, —Hide and seek is a grand game to play indoors when the weather is too bad to be out, especially it there are plenty of odd corners and cupboards to hide in. When we were little we used to climb up and hang over the top of the door, and we found it a grand hiding place, because so few people think of looking up for one—they always look under beds and behind doors, don’t they? Did you com? into Auckland to see the procession last Labour Day? It was a very good one, I think.—Cousin Kate.l * * Dear Cousin Kate, —I have had some nice rides since I wrote to you last time. My pony bucked and nearly had me off over her head. Tell cousin Alan I could not ride in a circus yet. When we had that big storm lately there were great big rollers in the bay, and the Water was white with spray. The wind was so strong that it blew our big heavy punt over twice, and knocked down a tree. It fell on a fence and broke the posts. Cousin FRANK. [Dear Cousin Frank, —I do envy you your nice rides! I think riding is the nicest exercise there is, and, of course, I do not get many opportunities in town, so I have to make up for it by having as many rides as I can. while I am away on my holiday. Last year I went for one lovely one, and rode 40 miles in one day. and-, iof course, I was very tired and rather stiff after it. You and cousin Algn will be able to ride in a circus soon, if you practise hard, . I went to see the O’Neill buckjumpers when they were in Auckland. Some of the performers rode splendidly, and they seemed to prefer riding without a saddle. We have been having some very stormy weather lately, and I think you were lucky to have so little damage done, don’t you? Cousin Kate.l ,i 4..-.;. ♦ 4> ♦ Dear Cousin Kate,- —You must excuse me for not writing before, as I have been awAy for a month’s holiday at Mokai. HbVC many “Graphic” cousins have you? Our friends Clara and John are gone for a trip to Wellington. I must conclude my short letter; with love to all the cousins, remembering yourself. 1 remain, yours faithfully, TAI.

[Dear Cousin Tai, —Your letter certainly is very short this week, and you ought to have quite a lot to tell me, as you have l>een away for a visit. A month is a nice long holiday. Did you have good weather while you were away? I, am not very sure where Mokai is, so will you please tell me next time you write? 1 have so many “Graphic” cousins now that 1 have given up counting them; so I really don’t know how many there arc. How is the post card collection getting on? I suppose you got quite a number of new ones while you wens away? Cousin Kate.] ♦ ♦ ♦ Dear Cousin Kate, —It is a long time since I wrote to you. 1 have been away for a holiday to Taupo. I camo back the Sunday before last. I was away for - three weeks, and like living in Taupo better than Tokaanu. We have to cross Lake Taupo in a steamer from Tokaanu. It is a lovely trip in fine weather. We gef sueh a lovely view of thc» burning mountains, Tongariro, Ruapehu, and Ngauruhoe. In winter they are thickly covered with snow, and look much prettier than they do in summer, because most of the snow melts off. The smoke is very black that comes out of the mountains, and looks very like the smoke that comes out of the funnel of a steamer. I must close this letter for to-day. Will write more about the mountains next time. I hope you are quite well. With love to all the cousins, from Cousin OLIVE. [Deal- Cousin Olive,—l was so glad to get your letter to-day. It seems ages since I heard from you last, and I really began to think you had forgotten about me. I suppose you were enjoying your holidays so much in Taupo that you had no time for letter-writing. Did you meet Cousin Tai while you were staying there. I think Ruapehu, Ngauruhoe, and Tongariro all look prettier in their winter garb than they do in summer, but one day last summer when I was in the King Country I caught a glimpse of Ruapehu, and it was really exquisite. Of course it was snow-capped, and all the rest of it was veiled in a deep blue, almost violet mist, it looked lovely, but of course you have often seen it look like that. Try and write again soon, won't you?—Cousin Kale.] + + ♦ Dear Cousin Kate, —I received my badge safely, and I am very sorry I did not write before. I have been away staying with a friend of mine, and I enjoyed myself very much. A friend of ours has been staying with us since last Saturday, but she went home today. It has been very wet and stormy this last day or two. Toodles is black with a little bit of white under his chin and two white paws. Have you got a eat at home? As I have not got much more time I will fell you one thing more to finish up my letter. I liked the badge you sent me; it was very pretty, and thank you very much for it. The stone was out of my brooch, but mother put it in again. I will now conclude ■with love to you and all the other cousins.—Cousin FRANCES. [Dear Cousin Frances,—Your letter seems to have been some considerable time on the read, as I see it was writ-

ten on the 121'1 ol July, and to-day is the Ist of August, did you post it directly it was written. You have a very good excuse for not having written before. I know when lam away from home holiday-making and enjoying myself, I hate letter-writing, and only just manage to write about Once a week to let my people know that I am still alive. Yes, we have several eats at home, and one is a beauty, a big dark grey one. beautifully striped, with a white face and white paws, he is really a very handsome eat. lam glad your badge reached you safely. It was lucky that the stone was able to be replaced, wasn t it?—Cousin Kate.] 4- 4- 4Dear Cousin Kate,—l received the badge safely, and thank you very much, everybody that has seen it thinks it is very nice, and I think it is very pretty myself. 1 have hot been to His Majesty’s Theatre yet. i think I can get you some ’ni'ore Cousins soon. So was I very sorry when it. was sb wet for our 'midwinter holidays. The photographs did not come out very well, and had to be taken'again. Exf-iise my writ-' in", as lamin a hurry. Well. I -up-' pose you think 1 am writing too often; Cousin Hilda does write long let' ters, I wish I could write long letters' like she does. Cousin Marjorie writes very interesting ones too, and so do a lot of others. It is very wind.v. wet, and dark but here. We are going to leave Henderson, and go to Mount Ros kill, ami then I will go to Mount Eden school, but. I do not think 1 will like leaving the country. I went to a concert on Thursday night, and 1 thought, the singing lovely, and some of the recitations very ,niee. The Pitt -street choir was out here, and twenty-one people sang six or seven songs together. 1 am in standard three at school and-nth nine years old. I will close up my letter now. With fond love to von and all the other cousins, from MADGE. [Dear Cousin Madge,—No, 1 don’t think yon are writing a bit too often, and you are beginning to write such nice letters that 1 am sure the practice you get in writing, *o me is doing you good, don’t you find it easier to write now than you did at first? J expect when you come in to Mount Koskill to live, you will often go to His Ma jesty < Theatre. Just at first, no doubt, yon will miss Henderson and all your litttplayfellows out there, but you will soon get used to living in town, and fhen 1 think you will like it better than the country. 1 was quite astonished when you told me yon were only nine years old. You write so nicely that I thought yon must be at least eleven < ousin Kate.) + + 4Dear Cousin Kate. I received the badge safely, and thank you very mo< the pin was not broken. J think we are going to town to live. My birth day is on November the 20tli. 1 oahome from school for three days. I have not jnueh to say. We had -u h a dear little baby staying at our place lately. Blue is my favourite colour, what is yours? Please will yon tell me next time you write. My little white kitten is still alive. lam going to pot a ribbon round it a neck. N es, my frien I does live in Henderson. and her him i»

Hazel She is two years older than I am With love from Cousin Edna to all the other cousins, I remain, yours truly. Cousin EDNA. IDear Cousin Edna, —I am glad your b*dge arrived in good order, and that you like it; blue is one of my favourite colour-, but I don’t think 1 have one particular favourite. What kept you away from school for those three days? did you have a cold? T must try and remember the date of your birthday, so as to l>e able to wish you many happy returns of the day, but there are so tnanv cousins now that I am afraid I will be mixing their birthdays up. Haven’t you got a name for your little white kitten yet? If you come to town to live you will miss Hazel very much, won’t you? But 1 expect you will soon make plenty more friends in town.— Cousin’ Kate. P.S.—Wilt you remember to write only on one side of the paper next time, Edna.—Cousin Kate.j