COUSINS’ CORRESPONDENCE.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XL, Issue 6, 8 February 1908, Page 48

COUSINS’ CORRESPONDENCE.

Dear Cousin Kate, —Will you please let me be a cousin? I would like a blue badge. What did you get for Christmas? I got a silver bangle, a postcard album, and a violin. 1 will be eight in March. I am going to get a big rag doll. Please give my love to all the cousins.—Cousin VEKA. [Dear Cousin Vera, —-Of course you may be a cousin, and I hope you and Airini will write often and tell me all the Napier news. I will enclose a badge for you in Airini’s envelope. I got a lot of lovely presents at Christmas time, but that seems such, a long-time ago that I am beginning to look forward to next Christinas, and am thinking now what I would like for my birthday presents. Are you going to learn to play the violin; it is a very difficult instrument to play really well, I think. You must remind me of your birthday when it is nearly time for it, so that I can send you my good wishes. Good-bye until you write to me again.—Cousin Kate.] 4 1 4- 4" Dear Cousin Kate, —We are having such a jolly time down here. We go up into the bush, and often go round to ('owes for the mail. Igo out to meet the steamer, and often go out fishing. To-day we went for a picnic to Man-o’-War Bay. We went out fishing and got some for dinner. As soon as the tide went out, we had such fun. There is a great big pool there, and while we were paddling we felt the flat, fish against our feet, but we didn’t get any. Gwen and I went up to the titree and saw a lot of birds’ nests, but they were all empty. We saw some honeycomb right out on a stick of a tree; it. looked so funny. Here is a riddle: A man rode up a hill and yet he walked. Here is another: What monkeys make the best wine? It is bed-time now, so I must stop. Goodnight, from Cousin GUY. Dear Cousin Guy,—l was so surprised to find from your letter that you were still at Waiheke. 1 did not know you were going back after your aunt’s wedding. You must be having a glorious time down there, and 1 expect you will he very sorry to come back and commence school again. You only have a fortnight’s more holiday, don't you? I have not been to Waiheke for years, but I remember I thought it a lovely place for a holiday. Of course, it must be much nicer now. For one thing, the steamers are much better, and a great many more people go there. We used to have great fishing days down there, and one day I was lucky enough to catch a gurnet; they are beautiful fish to look at because their colouring is so gorgeous; they arc not very nice to eat, though. Have you ever seen one? I am afraid I have forgotten a lot about Waiheke, because 1 used to know nearly all the bays. Man-o'-War Bay is on this side of the island, isn't it, facing

the mainland? I am not a bit of good at guessing riddle. Guy, so you will just have to tell me the answers next time you write, and just remind Gwen, will you, that it is quite a longtime since I had the pleasure of reading a letter of hers? —Cousin Kate.] 4- 4- 4? Dear Cousin Kate, —I would like a badge very much. I was very pleased to see my letter in the “Graphic.” I passed my examination. 1 am in the third class now. Mother says that if I have to send a stamp for my envelope, Uncle Tom will have to send you one, as he lives in Auckland, and our Tasmanian stamp would be of no use to you. We are having very hot weather just now, and bush fires keep starting up everywhere.—With love, 1 am your little cousin ALENE. [Dear Cousin Alene, —Y’ou did not say which coloured badge you preferred, so I am sending you a blue one, as most of my small girl cousins seem to like that colour the best. lam glad you liked seeing your letter in print, and now that you have once started, I hope it will be a pleasure you will often have. You are getting on at school, aren’t you? You will soon be at the top of the school. I will post you a badge, and we won’t bother uncle Tom for a stamp this time. We have had a great many rather destructive fires in New Zealand too, but it is raining very heavily to-day, so I hope and expect that it will end them. Write again soon, will you, to Cousin Kate?] 4? 4? 4r Dear - Cousin Kate, —Please may I be a cousin? lam ten years old, and am in the fourth standard. We get the “Graphic” every week. I always read the letters, and I think Buster Brown is very funny. I got a very nice silver bracelet for a Christinas present from England. May I have a blue badge, please? When we go back to school we go to a new one in Thompson-road. I did not go away in these holidays, but I have been on the beach a lot. 1 must say good-bye now. With love to yourself and cousins.— Cousin AIRINI. [Dear Cousin Airini,—l shall be delighted to have you for a cousin, and I will post a blue badge to you as soon as 1 can. Y’ou must have got on very well at school to be in the fourth standard at your age; if you go on as well you will have passed the sixth when you are twelve years old, and then 1 suppose you will go to college. Should you like that? A silver bracelet was certainly a very nice Christmas present to have, especially if it was an unexpected one, and I suppose you got plenty of other presents besides, didn’t you?— Cousin Kate.]