Children's Page

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLI, Issue 6, 5 August 1908, Page 67

Children's Page

COUSINS’ BADGES.

Cousins 1 equiring badges, are requested to send an addressed envelope, when the badge will he forwarded by return mail.

YOUNGER COUSINS’ LETTERS.

Dear Cousin Kate, —May I become one of your many cousins? I often'read with great interest the cousins’ letters, especially Cousin Hilda’s interesting letters on her travels. What a delightful trip she must have had. Don’t you think so, Cousin Kate? Would you please send me a badge, Cousin Kate? I should.prefer a blue badge? if you have biie.'as blue is my favourite colour. Do you l collect postcards, Cousin Kate? I do, and think it a grand pastime, ■ Have you evet" been to Fqxton, Cousin Kate? It is a pretty little place, I think. There is a big hill at the back of our paddocks, and one day last week my sister and I went up this hill for a blow. It was a very,.windy day, and it took us all bur time to get up there; arrived at the top, we couldn’t stand up, it was so windy. When we came down I started to-run-, and, what with the wind behind me, really, Cousin Kate, I thought I would have broken my neck. Now I must conclude, with best wishes to yourself and cousins.—From Cousin BEEYL. . [Dear Cousin Beryl,—l shall be del'ghted for you to join our band, .anti I will post a badge to you as soon as I can. I am so glad you like the cousins’ letters, and I am sure we can all learn a great deal from Cousin Hilda’s interesting and instructing letters. No, I don’t collect postcards, not.because I do not want to, but because I haven’t any spare time, and to have a really good collection one needs to give a good deal of time to it. I can quite imagine that you made very good time down the hill with the wind behind -you. Doesn’t it give one a queer sensation tp feel that you cannpt stop.—Cousin Kate;l - 4 4 * Dear Cousin Kate, —I wonder if I may . become one of your cousins. My mother often reads me the cousins’ letters out of the. “Graphic,” and I think they are so niee and interesting. I hpve a little siiter called Rbna, and we dnve or ride to school every morning. Our little pony is called Spray; and is such a quiet animal. I have only one brother, called Berthon, and he is seven years younger than I am, but already he is great fun to play with, and edlights in swinging with me. I am going to try very hard and get a prize at Christmas. I have been asked to dress a doll in aid of a bazaar which is going to be held in September. Will you please send me a badge? Hoping y°u will find time, to ahswer this letter. —With love to you, from Cousin EILEEN. (Dear Cousin Eileen, —Of course, you iriay become one of my cousins. I am .very pleased indeed to have you, and will seftd you a badge at once. It must bo very nice to have such a quiet little pony as Spray to take yfflt to school every ‘day. Car. you drive as well as ride him ? I hope jrou will get a prize at Christinas

you are sure to, I think, if you work hard for it. Tell me next time you write how you are going to dress the doll for the bazaar. —Cousin Kate.] 4 4 4 Dear Cousin Kate,—May I become one of your cousins? I am ten years old, and am in the fifth standard. I go to the Mayfield School. We have just started again after our mid-winter holidays. Will you please send me a blue badge, for which I enclose a stamped envelope? We have just lately taken the “Graphic,” and are very pleased with it. The pictures are very good indeed. I have been reading the cousins’ letters, and thought I would like to write to you, too. We live very- near the hills, and it is verycold here in the winter time. We have a brown, curly-haired dog called Rover, and he is. such a-good watch dog. I will now close my short letter] hoping to tell you more next "time.- With love to yourself afid. all-’thfe’-"other . FromCousin MYRTLE/' Canterbury.' shall be very add 'yq.ur'name to our, list of .cousin’s-, anti Jt .hope you will like the badge, which I am forwarding to yoti by first mail. -W.ere, you sorry when the mid-winter-holidays-were over? I expect you find it dreadfully, cold sitting in school all; day this, weather. How do you manage, to keep warm? We think it is quite -COM- enough in Auckland. Of course, it.is not-nearly so cold here as it is in Canterbury.. Cousin Kate.] • ... 4 .. '_4 4- . Dear -Cousin ■ Kate,—l received your last tetter on Friday, and you said it was ages since you got a letter from me. I had written to" you throe weeks before I got any answer,- so I think the letter must have gone astray. I suppose this will be my last letter, as we are leaving here in three weeks’ time and are going to town, so I won’t be writing to you again for some time; but when we get settled I will write to you again. Buster is quite out of the question with his page this week, but the “Katzenjammer .Boys” and thg t “D«itty,ville Trio” can’t come up to Buster. Well, I have no more news, so I will close this letter, with love to yourself and all the other cousins. From Cousin RENE. [Dear Cousin Rene,--’Your last letter certainly must have taken’ a little trip on its own account, because I answered it immediately. I received it. ■ I wonder where it could have been in the rneUntime? Are you sure you posted it when you thought you did? I am quite surprised to hear that you are coming to town to live. You must be sure and tet me know your new address; and next time you write tell me whether you are . coming to Auckland to live for good, or only just for the winter months.—Cousin . Kate.] < 4 4 4 Deaj- Cousin Kate, —I have been read’ ; Sing the_ “Weekly Graphic” for ’ some months past,-and like reading it very muoh, especially the “Children’s Page., I would very much like to have a badge,? and be one of your many cousins. I artq - living in Melbourne, and have, never, left ' Victoria' indmy life time;- '1 -hope I aih not too far away to correspond with you. I am not a little girl, as perhaps

you may think. I was 15 my last birthday, which was on the 2bih March. I have left school about eight months, and 1 am working in the ouice?qf a well known firm’ postal clerk. I like business very much, almost as well as school. Well, dear Cousin Kite, I will conclude with fondest -love, hoping you will comply with my wishes; 1 am-, yours sincerely, Cousin ANNIE. [Dear Cousin Annie, —It is very gratifying to hear that the “Graphic” cousins’ letters are appreciated so far away from “home,” and I shall be delighted to welcome you as one of my cousins. I have several cousins in Australia, and one in South Africa, so you see that distance is no bar to anyone wishing to join our band. Fifteen doesn’t seem to be very old for a girl to commence making her own way in the world, but you seem to have been lucky enough to find a billet that suits you, and half the battle is to like one’s work, isn’t it? I am posting a badge to you, and next time yon write, will you tell me, what your duties are as “postal clerk?”—Cousin Kate J 4 4 4 Dear Cousin Kate, —I wish to become one of your cousins, and please will you send me a red badge. I have two pet dogs, one of which is called Muff and the other is called Prince. 1 have also a pretty little canary. J am only ten years old, and I am in Standard 111. I live quite near the senool, and I would not like to live very far away from it. The street 1 live in is very quiet and country-like. From our verandah we can see the Waitemata harbour, and it is a lovely view. We can see all the big ships coming up the harbour. We have a very niee garden and many kinds of plants. I have two sisters, but no brothers. Both my sisters are older than me. I go to the'Parnell publie school, and I like it very much. 1 have many playmates, and I like going to school. Wo are having our exam, by the inspector, and I hope I will pass. 1 like our teacher very much. My favourite subjects are spelling, arithmetic, writing, composition and brushwork. I must now stop. I will write every week. —From DULCIE. Dear Cousin Dulcie, —I am delighted to add your name to my list of cousins, and I am sure you will prove a most faithful little correspondent. I have posted your badge to you, and I hope you will like it. Don’t ’you love having a seaview? We have’ a most extensive view of the harbour from our place, and if seems to change every few minutes, and even on the dullest, dreariest-looking day it is beautiful. Last .year I spent some months in an inland town, and you cannot imagine how I missed the sea. I suppose 1 missed it more than most, people, because I have lived within sight and sound of it all my life. I hope you will be successful in passing your examination. When will you know the result?— Cousin Kate. * 4 * Dear Cousin Kale,—l have a lot to tell you. My friends, pained Dot and Francie, came and spent the night with us in the holidays, and wq had such firn. After tea mother put some chairs against U>e wall and sat us |in them; then she

blindfolded us, and put some tags around one of our arms; then she got a pen and ink and made a babf’s face on our arms, and then let us see them. We are having very wet weather just now. Please excuse my writing, as it is nearly dark, and mother and daddy are outside. W« are only going to keep Miggs and Sambo after all, and are going to give riiy kitten away. I was nursing Sambo a little while ago, and he scratched me. Last night 1 drew some very funny people. Mother got us a niee slate each. Bunny has a very squeaky slate pencil. The concrete tank daddy made is nearly finished, and the water comes from it through pipes to the house. There are six taps —one in the bathroom, two in the kitchen, two in the wash-house, one in the dark-room, and two outside. I have a niee little garden of my own, and a little while ago I had .a bad cold, and had my breakfast in bed, and while I was in bed mother brought me in a violet out of my own garden.. Lots of love to you and’ the o ther' cousins.—l remain, your loving cousin. NANCY. Dear Cousin Nancy.—You have written me quite a long letter this week, and 1 was so pleased to get it. I expect you and Dot and Francie had great fun; it was a pity they could only stay one night though. Wasn’t it? 1 think 1 should be very much inclined to give Samba away if he is naughty and scratches people when- they are playing with him. I don’t like squeaky slate pencils at all; they always make my teeth ache. Have you seen those nice ones that look exactly like lead peric.ils; they, never squeak, is your cold quite gone now? —Cousin Kate. 4 ~ 4 4 Dear Cousin Kate, —Please may I be a cousin, and have a blue badge. 1 read the Children’s Page in the ” Graphic,” and like the letters very mueh. Are you fond of flowers? - I am. and havcrif gar? den of my own. My brother Cyril hils a’ nice black dog called Kim. One’ day mother gave him some porridge (o eat;it was so hot, he picked up the pot ivail emptied it all on tlie ground to cool ami then ate it. lie dor’s such funny tricks? and simply hates cats, ahd swims over 1 the bay after seagulls. I am ten’yeara of age. I was at the picnic that Cousin Rosaniund wrote about; it was a splendid day. and I enjoyed it very much. — Cousin MARGARET . [Dear C’ousin Margaret. I shall be‘ very pleased -indeed- for you to jojli our Cousins’-band, an di hope-you mid Freda, will write to me. very, often. I know Pahi very 'Well indeed; arid have ofteii stayed there; so you see, I shall be interested in everything you tell mo about. Kim seems to be a very clever- dog, who taught him so many tricks?, . I am glad he did not eat the until it was cool, because a burnt toilgue is so very painful. I suppose yoruqre looking forward to lots more launch picnics in the summer time.—Cousin' Kate.] 4 4 4 Dear Cousin Kate, —I ani writing you a few lines. I hope you are well. We were going to plant trees on Arbour Day, but it was very wet; we are going to plant them on Friday. . I can do strips of crochet. I made, three-scores in hockey to-day. My . father went to the sale to-day, and he is going to a meeting tonight. The bishop is.coming to Methuen to preach, and my. uncle is going to get confirmed. My mate lent me a book to read, and as far as I liii.vc gone it seems to bca good one. We saw a wagon coming through a gate, tmd- one of the bags caught on the gate-post, and tore the top off it.— Iremain,' your loving Cousin PERCY. ./’ [Dear Cousin Percy, —I am very well indeed, thank you, and I hope you are, too. What sort of trees have you planted! thia year? Always before 1 have planted one or two trees on Arbour Day, but this year I forgot all about it. You are quite accomplished, aren’t you; I’m sure there are very few boys who can crochet. I have a cousin, though a real one, not a “ Graphic ” cousin, who can knit very well indeed. What’ is the name of Ihe book you are reading?—Cousin Kate.] 4 4 4 Dear Cousin. Kate,—May I liecome a “Graphic” Cousin? If so, may I have a red badge. J I have two stieh dear little friends. Their names’are Ivan aud vallerie. and .they are brother and sister. We have two ducks and a drake, a canary and a cat. Our. examination is on Monday, and I hope I pass, and then I will be in the fifth standard. At the Jcvonport s* e- .ml basket

jail, which i» very exciting, but I like casket ball the beat, because hockey is too rough, and 1 do not like it.—l remain, your loving Cousin VIDA. [Dear Cousin Vida, —Of course you may become a Cousin, and I hope you will like the badge which 1 have already posted to you. Such a number of new Cousins have joined this week, and I am so pleased about it. How do you play basket ball? 1 don’t think I have ever seen of it or heard of it before, but I am quite sure I should prefer it to hockey, too. Hockey always seems to me to be fa rtoo rough for girls to play. Be Mire and le tmeknow if you pass your examination.—Cousin Kate.] 4 4" 4 1 Dear Cousin Kate, —I suppose you are thinking that 1 am never going to write to you again, but I do not like to write too often, as there are such a lot of cousins, and they are all such good correspondents, that I wonder at you being able to put their different letters in so often. I received the badge quite safely, and thank you very much; it is rather a pale blue, but I am pleased to have it. My brother writes to you pretty often, but I am sure I do not know what he ean find to say, but there is one thing that every cousin has to put in their letters, and that is the awfully wet weather we are having; but, of course, it is only in keeping with the winter, and I hope it will be fine for fleet week, which is not very far off now. I do not know what I shall do for news, nothing seems to happen out here—at least, nothing interesting. We have a concert now and again, and a dance, but, of course, it is quite a different place in the summer; there is never a week passes without something to look forward to. I will be glad when the bathing season begins, although I canot swim, butn I can just keep myself afloat, and I hope to learn this season coming (that is, if we still live in Avondale). I hope we will have left Avondale by Xmas, as I would like to go to Miss Bew’s college, but it- is too far for me to go back and forward every day, as we live a mile and a quarter from the railway station; but there are quite a lot of girls -who have to walk four and five miles to and fro to school every day. Are you fond of music? I am very fond of it. ’We have such a nice graniaphone, that Was given to .father for an Xmasbox,. and we have between thirty and forty fecOrds. I am also learning the piano, and have been for the last six years. I have played at several concerts. I am fond of singing, too, and I will take lesions when T am older. Well, Cousin Kate. I must close now this uninteresting letter, hoping I will have something better to say next time. Love to all the other cousins, including yourself. —I remain your loving cousin CLARICE. P.S.—Please excuse mistakes and icrawl. [Dear Cousin Clarice,—Despite your plaint of scarcity of news, you have managed to write quite a long letter, and I don’t think you need fear that you are writing too often. I like my cousins to write about once a fortnight, you know. I like summer weather ever so much better than winter, too, and when I am very cold I comfort myself by thinking that the winter is more than half over now. Couldn’t you be a weekly boarder at Miss Bew’s College In the winter time, and I should think you might easily get in and out in the summer, especially now that the Mt. ' Eden cars are running. I am very fond of both music and singing, but- I am a . very poor performer. 1 didn't practise very well when I was young, I’m sorry to say.—Cousin Kate,] 4- 4- + Dear Cousin Kate,—l am writing to yon again. I hbjic you. do not mind me writing to you so often; if so, you must, tell me. Well, dear Cousin Kate, we had our annual school ball here • last Friday. I think it was a great success; nearly all of the school children were there to look on. and I think everyone enjoyed themselves. The' pro- • need* are for the school prizes, so that we shall benefit by the dance in the near ■ future. Don’t you think that they . should have had an extra dance for the children? —1 do. We had our examina- . tion last week, but we do not know who , came top yet. so 1 shall la’ able to tell , yon next time J write. We are having very fine weather here now for tlfis time of the year, hut it is a little cold in the evenings. I must now close, a*

I am short of news this time. With my best love to you, and all the other cousins, Cousin MARY. [Dear Cousin Mary,—l am glad to hear that the school ball was such a success, and I certainly think the school children should have been allowed to dance until nine o’clock; there would have been plenty of time for the “grownups” to enjoy themselves after that. It is a grand way of raising funds for the prizes; I wonder how they manage in Auckland, because they don’t have balls here, I’m sure. We are having lovely weather, too, just now; I hope it will last,—Cousin Kate.] 4- 4- 4Dear Cousin Kate, —May I be a cousin, and have a red badge. I like reading the Children’s Page very much, and always read Cousins Nancie and Rosamund’s letters. I am twelve years old, and I am in the fourth standard. My brother and 1 board at Naparoa, and attend the school there. We had a fancy dress ball on the 10th July; it was to close the dancing class. All the children enjoyed themselves, and danced till twelve o’clock. I learn music, and like it very much, and hope to get on well. We have had very bad we’athcr for this last month. We have a launch, and we often go for picnics; there are so many lovely bays and creeks here. With love' from Cousin FREDA. [Dear Cousin Freda, —Certainly you may become a cousin, and I will send you a red badge at once. I suppose you know Nancie and Rosamund quite well. I haven’t had a letter from Rosamund for a long time, but I hear she is coming to Auckland for fleet week, so I expe.ct she will, write and tell me lots of news when she gets home again. What did you go as to the fancy dress ball? I expect you were rather tired next day?,—Cousin Kate.] 4 1 4- 4 1 Dear Cousin Kate,—l was very pleased to see my letter in the “Graphic” last Week. All mother’s spring bulbs are coming into flowers, some of them are out. Grandma and grandpa camß home on Saturday morning for a wejk, and then they are going up to Auckland with the members of Parliament-to see the American 'fleet. My brother Jim got a lot of prizes at the poultry show—--Ist for geese, 2nd for turkeys, Ist and, 2nd for Guinea fowls, and second for a cockatoo we used to call Dummy, because he wouldn't talk. We passed our examination, and are in the fifth standard now. Sambo' is getting on nicely; whenever I go out gardening he comes with me and plays with my hand. What a lot of letters there were in the “Graphic” last week. Last week dad made arrangements to take all the Stoke school children out to the warship Encounter, and we did have a jolly time. We went out in one of the tug boats called the Motura; the sea was lovely and smooth, and when we got there we were shown all around the man-o’-war. Love to all the cousins and yourself. I remain, your Cousin MABEL. [Dear Cousin Mabel, —The spring flowers seem to be coming out very early this year; we have primroses and daffodils out already, and the anemones, narcissi, and snowflakes have been in flower some weeks, I must congratulate Jim on getting so many prizes; what a long time it must take him to feed all his pets every day. Are your grandfather and grandmother coming overland to Auckland? It is a very interesting trip to take, but it will be a dreadfully cold one at' this time of the year. I expect you did have a jolly time on the Encounter. Did the sailors show you all their pets?—Cousin Kate.] OLDER COUSINS’ LETTERS. Dear Cousin Kate, —As Cousin Hilda suggested, we should give our opinions on Woman’s Suffrage, I am just writing a few lines thereon. I quite agree with both Cousins Hilda and Diana that women are unfit for public life. A woman’s first consideration should be her homo, and, if she is married, her husband and children. The behaviour of the women in the suffragette agitation at present going on in England is disgraceful, and makes one blush for our sex. I imagine the polities of a country in the hands of shrieking, hysterical creatures like these. A wonAan often lets tier personal feelings overcome tmr political pTln«ipie ß; I know of a case, out here, where <r

-t. .voted for a certain member because be was good-looking and , .i ..Meir sex; it was his personality they considered, not his policy. Now, what is the good of Women’s Franchise when they vote like that. Of course lots of the women out here vote as their fathers and husbands tell them. This is the best way, I think, for in a great many instances they know very little about politics, and it is best for them to follow the judgment of the men who do. There are lots of intellectual women who are extremely clever and capable, and you will notice that these women are quite content to shine in their own homes. They take an interest in politics perhaps, and if they are the wives of politicians, often advise them. Many eminent politicians acknowledge that the advice and assistance given by their wives have been the means of helping them in their careers. Mr. Chamberlain, for instance, is one who has often spoken of his wife’s assistance to him in this way. A woman loses all the charm and true womanliness that is synonymous with the sex when she leaves her proper sphere, viz., home life,, and rushes, or attempts to rush, into politics, which is entirely man’s sphere alone. I wonder if any of the., cousins have read “In Subjection,” by Ellen Thornycroft Fowler. I suppose they have, Isabel is such a charming character, I think, clever, intellectual, and a devoted wife to Paul. She takes a keen interest in his politics, but in no case is her judgment better than her husband's; she recognises this and is content to remain in subjection.—Cousin VIOLET.