YOUNGER COUSINS’ LETTERS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLI, Issue 7, 12 August 1908, Page 70

YOUNGER COUSINS’ LETTERS.

Dear Cousin Kate,—lt is a long time since I wrote to you, and as my Uncle Tom has been asking me if I have been writing to you lately, I think I had better write. I wonder what kind of weather you are having in Auckland? It rained heavily all day yesterday in Sydney, and to-day also—this afternoon at four o’clock it just teemed down, and iny sister got caught in it coming freni sehoob and got soaking wet through. My Uncle Tom is in Auckland for a holiday, ’aris h*e ‘won’t like it if it is raining as hard there. He gave me a diary, and I, write in it some days when we go anywhere or something happens. a liEtle girl,friend’s birthday party at Stanmore on Saturday, the 18 th July, and had. a. real good time, getting hbine;very tired and (sleepy,' and quite late at night. The men on the trams are on strike here, and they won’t work, and very few trams are running, ■which is very awkward this wet weather. Mother took my sister Jean and I to Manly beach on the 9th July for a picnic. It was a lovely day, and we had great-fun, but just as we were getting home' a terrible thunder-storm came on and we' got wet a little. We just got home when down came tile rain—such a heavy downpour it was. too. Now, dear Cousin Kate, I will close, as I cannot think of any more to tell you. I hope you are well. We are all well except mother, who has not been well yesterday and 'to day. Good-bye, Cousin Kate, with love from DOROTHY. Dear Cousin Dorothy.—l can’t say we have had very beautiful weather this winter; until the last ten days we have had nothing but rain, rain, rain, until everyone was so deadly tired of it; but for nearly a fortnight now we have had lovely* clear, sunshiney days, rather cold, but the sunshine has more than made up for that.- - sorry .it came .so. early, because we had hoped for tine weather for Fleet Week; to-day looks very much like rain, so I am afraid it is not going to last. I hope your uncle enjoyed his trip to Auckland; docs he often come over? If so, 1 hope he will bring you sonie day, because 1 should like to see my little Sydney cousin.—• Cousin Kate.] - ; ' 4- 4- 4[Dear Cousin Kate, —It is a long time since I wrote to you, isn’t it? The roads at Spbtsw&od are pretty good. My parrot says, ‘‘Tucker, Polly; cup a tea for Piflfy,” and many other things. Everybody seejps' to have colds down here. You have got a good many cousins writing howl. haven’t you? The first thing I Ao when I get the “Graphic” is to read the letters. Have you had any snow up at Auckland .vet? We' haven’t had any down here. Well, Cousin Kate, there doesn’t seem't'o be any news down here just now, so good-bye, with love from Cousin FILS I &

[Dear Cousin Elsie, —It is rather a long time since you wrote last, but I expect you don’t have very much news to tell me in winter time; I know how hard it is to get about in wet weather. Haven’t I a number of cousins writing now? I am so proud of them, and I hope they will all continue writing regularly, as they have been lately. No, we haven’t had snow in Auckland, it is not cold enough for that here, you know, though I believe there was a very, very slight fall some years ago, but that was something quite exceptional.—Cousin Kate.] 4* 4* 4* Dear Cousin Kate, —It is with extreme pleasure that I see my letter in the “Graphic.” 1 am enclosing in this letter an addressed envelope, as I wish you to send me a red badge. 1 was looking at some of the cousins’ letters to sec if I knew any of them, but I don’t think I do. I should very much like to come up to Auckland to see you, but I don’t suppose I could manage it. I have no pets to tell you about, like some of the other cousins have, but I have got a small garden with a few flowers in, which is far better. I must tell you that you didn’t make a mistake in sending me a blue badge, but I thought 1 would like a red one if you wouldn’t mind sending. I must now close, with love to all the cousins and yourself. From Cousin MADGE. [Dear Cousin Madge,—l received your addressed envelope, and I will send you a badge as soon as I can; it may be some little 'time before you get it, though, because I haven’t any badges left, and everyoine is so busy with the preparations for fleet week, that I do not know t when they will find time to print some ■ for me. From Nelson to Auckland- would bo a very long journey just to see Cousin Kate, wouldn’t it? But if ever you come to Auckland on a visit, I shall be delighted to see you. Cousin Kate.] 4- 4* 4Dear Cousin Kate, —I hope it will be fine for fleet week. I think I am going to the Supreme Court to see the fleet. I hope I can go to see the fireworks on Monday. We are having a bit of fine weather for a while now, and I hope it will last till after fleet week. Cousin . Violet makes her letters a bit long: there is no news out this way to make niy letters very long. Mv father likes hearing Cousin Violet’s letters, and I read them to him. Well, Cousin Kate, I am sorry I have mo more news to tell. With love to yourself and all the other cousins. I remain, vour loving cousin, LEONARD. P.S.- Please excuse bad writing. I have a sore finger. [Dear Cousin Leonard, —I hope your finger is quite all right again by this time. How did you manage to injure it? You ought to get a very good view indeed of the fleet from the Supreme Court. Of course, yon mean from the upstair’s windows, don't you? I am looking forward to the" display iff fireworks on Monday. We shall have a very good view of them from our own place, I'm glad to say, so that we shall not have to go out. There will be such crowds of people everywhere that I don’t 'think I should care to be in the streets much; but I suppose you will have to come into town if you want to aee thorn. Cousin Kato.l

Dear Cousin Kate, —We had a halfholiday on Arbour Day, and some of the children planted trees in the schoolground. The ladies provided afternoon tea. When we go to the bush we ride or drive in the dray, and there are nice ferns down there. We dig some up and bring them home. Well, Cousin Kate, this is a short letter, but 1 will write a bigger one next time I write. So good-bye, from Cousin EDIE. [Dear Cousin Edie, — I quite forgot about Arbour Day this year, and didn’t plant anything. You must have had quite a picnic at your school; did you do any planting? I suppose you have quite a lot of lovely ferns growing; you ought to have, when you live so close to the bush, and are able to get them so easily. Cousin Kate.] ♦ ♦ ♦ Dear Cousin Kate, —May I become one of your Cousins? Please send me a red badge, if you accept me as one. My father is a subscriber to the “ Graphic,” and I am very fond of reading the Cousins’ letters. I go to the Oruru School, and am in the sixth standlard. Our teacher is taking midwinter holidays in August So that she can go up to see the Fleet. There is a butter factory in Oruru Valley, and my father is a supplier. We milk about fifty cows, which we do with a milking machine. A debating society lias started up here, and the people attend it once a fortnight.. A new hall is going to be opened very shortly, and there is to be an opening very soon. I have a Persian eat named Toodlcs; she is yellow and white. Now I must stop. With love to all the Cousins and yourself, from RUBY. [Dear Cousin Ruby,—Certainly you may become one of my Cousins; I shall be delighted to have you for one. and I will post you a red badge at once. I expect you wish von could come up to Auckland for Fleet Week, too; it was very wise of your teacher to take her holiday then instead of earlier, I think, don’t you? I envy you your Persian cat. I have always wanted one, but I think I like the bluey-grey ones best.—Cousin Kate.] 4* 4- 4* Deaf Cousin Kate, —I was Very pleased to see mv letter in the “Graphic” ; thank you verv much for yOur verv nice answer. Yes, Clara lives two miles from the school, but I live next "door to it. Mv auntv gave me a book called “Ministoring Children,” which' I have read twice and like very much. Have you read it ? I think little Patience is the nicest girl in it. My baby sister Eunice is just five years old, arid started going to school on Monday. Good bve till next time.—Your loving Cousin DORIS. [Dear Cousin Doris, —I shall have to write very short answers- to all the cousins’ letters this week, partly liecause I am very, very busy, and partly because there won’t be as much room for the letters in the “Graphic” as usual, so I'm afraid you won't think this Ifetter as nice as the last. No, I have never read “Ministeririg Children,” but I have often heard of it; some day, whan I have more time, I will read it "and tell yhtr if I like Patience best. Docs Eunice like going to school?—Cousin Kate.]

Dear Cousin Kale,— May I become on* of your “Graphic” cousins? I am tea years of age and in the fourth standard. Do you like doing fancy work? I like it very much ; I am making a chair-back for daddy's easy chair. I hope you will have nice weather for Fleet Week, and that you will enjoy'all .the fun;'l wish. 1 were going too. But I have had a holiday lately, and spent it in Napier. My sister went with Hie, and there were four other little girls in the house, so we had a lot of fun. We have got a funny little dog, called Poy, and two pigs called Ham and Shem—we hope that they will both be ham some day. We had an entertainment last week which we got up ourselves; we dressed up as ladies, and sang, danced and recited, and had great fun. Please, Cousin Kate, will you kindly send me a red badge? I think this is all I have to say, so good-bye; much love to all the cousins and yourself from Cousin CARMEN. [Dear Cousin Carmen,—l shall be very pleased indeed to have you for one of my cousins, and I will post a red badge to you immediately. Yes, I am very fond of fancy work, but I have so little time for sewing that I don’t get through very much. I am very much afraid we are not going to have fine weather for Fleet Week; all last week the weather was perfectly lovely, but it has been raining hard the last two days, and does not look at all promising just now, but, of course, we are all hoping that it will clear before Sunday. I hope Ham and Shem will make good ham someday. Did you give the pigs their names? —Cousin Kate.] 4* 4* 4; Dear Cousin Kate, —It was so nice to get a letter from you again; I have been looking forward to one for a long time, and I was so pleased when I saw it in the “Graphic” yesterday. You asked me if I posted the letter you never got. I did. not post it myself ,but gave it to father to post. What kind of weather have you having up in Auckland just now. We are having lovely weather down here. Miss Sutton’s Seeley-road l school gave a bazaar for the Fresh Air Fund the other night, and some of the school children, acted Cinderella. I went to it, and got such a lovely hat for my doll. Altogether they got thirty-six pounds ten shillings. Don't-you think it was a lot? Did you. go to the “Prince Chap” when -it was in Auckland? I am going to it on Thursday. Next time I write I will tell you if I liked it. • Are you going to see “Humpty Dumpty,” Cousin Kate? ,Wa had a whole holiday last Monday because it was half-term. I don t think that I had better give any more of my letters to father to post, do you? I sup. pose you are looking forward to the time when the American Fleet 'will be up at Auckland. Now, dear Cousin Kate, before I close this letter I want to wish you “Many happy.returns of the day,” and I hope that you wjll have a very very happy birthday. I think I will stop now with' lots and lots of love for yourself and all the Cousins, from MARJORIE. [Dear Cousin Mariorie,—T wonder if your Father is anything like mine; we used to give him our letters to post sometimes, but he nearly always forgot them, so now we think it better to post them ourselves. I expect fathers have so many other things to remember that we oimht not to expect them to remember our letters, don’t vou? We have been having lovely weather here, too. but - I am verv sorry‘to say that it is over now. The last two days ha ve been so very wet and cold. The school bazaar in aid of the Fresh Air Fund must have been verywell managed indeed tor them to make so much money. Did the children wo most of the pronarations themselves?- No. I. didn’t sec the'“Prince Chan”; I had a verv bad col ’ all the time the eomnnnv was here, so Ididn’t "o ont at night; but I am going to see “ Hnmpty Dnmntv.” I am going on mv birthday, for a treat, Tlmrik von verv much indeed for vrnir eoofl wishes. Dear Mariorie. I don’t knovir how yon remembered that this is my birthday month.—-Cousin Kate.] ■ i 4 4- . Dear Cousin think I bright to write vou a letter this' week, or vriil will be. ashamed tri have such a had correspondent for on P o[ vorir Hand l . Did not Cousin Jack TTawl-ori write a nice letter for inch a little fellow? I hope he will have a grind garden. T have got eiizht or ten pots' of ma?donbliirfe-m. Co'win Kate.' There’were 'only two riots nt first, lint 'they grew so? that Dnd oennmfed them into others. I go for a ride nearly every day, and the roads are nice and

4ry after the frosts. How do you like the frosty mornings we have been having? Did you not find it hard to turn out of cosy bed, Cousin Kate? I have got a cat named Tommy Puss; and) he was a good mouser in his day, but another cat called Mother Puss catches, sparrows and mice for him now,, as he has only got two teeth, I think. He begs so nicely.—From Cousin LUCY. [Dear Cousin Lucy,—l was very pleased to get your letter this morning: it is so much nicer to answer the letters when the Cousins write often. I thought Cousin Jack's letter really wonderful for such a little ehap; I wish you could have seen his own handwriting, too, it was so good l . I feel quite jealous of your ten pots of maidenhair, I am so fond of it; but I ean never make it grow really well. I expect the roads have been grand for your rides lately, but I am afraid they won't be so good just now. Haven't the last few days been horrid. I must confess I do not like getting out of bed these cold mornings, but then 1 am a very lazy person always, and like bed much more than I ought to, I am afraid. It is lucky for poor old Tommy that he has someone to do his hunting for him, now that he is too old to do it for himself—Cousin Kate], 4> 4? 4Dear Cousin Kate.—We have no,t got our marks for our examination yet, but I think that Cousin Myrtle came top. I went to a dance last Tuesday (28th July). I had a better time there than at the School Ball, because two girls were allowed to dance together. I might be going to one next Tuesday (4th August). All the old pupils, as far back as they can remember, are going to be asked to come to a ball which is to be held on Friday, 7th August. Mother and I have been' asked l to go, because my two brothers went to school here a long' time ago. We are having lovely weather here now, but it is still very cold in the morning, because of the very heavy frosts which we have had at nights. Well, dear Cousin Kate, I think I must leave off now. I have been very short of news lately, so I think I must say good-bye, with best love to you and all the other cousins.—Cousin MARY, . [Dear Cousin Mary.—My Bulls Cousins have quite deserted me. I don’t think I have had- a letter from any of you for quite a week. Isn’t it a pity you can’t all come top at an examination, because I cannot congratulate Myrtle without feeling that I would like to he able to congratulate the rest of you. You seem to have been'having quite a gay time lately, and, let me see, this is the third ball you have told me about, isn’t it?—Cousin Kate.] 4- dr -1Dear Cousin Kate. —Thank you very much for the badge; I think it is very pretty. I got my little friend Winnie to write to you, we live opposite one another. 1 enjoy reading the cousins’ letters that come from Bulls; they seem so interested in hockey, football, etc., and are always lucky in winning. I ■learn dancing, and like it very much, especially on a very cold morning. I went to the children’s fancy dress ball as Red Riding Hood. There was a little girl dressed in satin as the American Fleet, and she looked lovely with ships painted round her dress. The winners of the prizes were just little dots and were dressed as John Bull, a Mushroom, and Bride and Bridegroom. Now, dear Cousin Kate, I must tell you about mischievous Jacko. Well, you would laugh if you only saw him sitting on the fence pulling faces at people passing by, and chasing children; he got so mischievous that we had to chain him up. He started breaking the trees and crockery, and even found his way to the fowl-house, breaking the eggs. Just the other month he got off the chain when we were out and let my only pet, the canary, g°- Last night, as it was cold, I put Jacko by the fire and tied him short to the fender, and went out of the room, not thinking to move some clothes that were on a little chair back, which I thought were out of his reach. When I came back what a sight met my eyes, there was half the chair and clothes in the fire and the other half all ablaze on the mat, and the draping on the mantelpiece just starting to go. Of course it took us all our time to put it out. Jacko, of course, thought it was great, until he got his paws burnt and singed, and of course he began to cry. One night I forgot to put him in his house until late at night; I went <own to the play-house but I couldn’t

see him. At last I called him, and where do you think I found him? In a sack. Of course you may be sure he was glad to get to his bed. Next time I write I will give you a description of the town I live in. Now, dear Cousin Kate, I must bring this letter to a close. Wishing you many happy returns of the day, as I; see by one of the cousin’s letters that it is your birthday this month. Love from COUSIN JESSIE. P.S.—Jacko has had a jacket, but he tore it off himself, and of course it was not much use making another, was it? (Dear Cousin Jessie, —I am glad your badge arrived safely and that you liked it. I haven’t heard from your little friend Winnie yet, but I expect her letter is eoming, so I am looking forward to it. I. think children’s fancy dress balls are far prettier than grown up ones, the children look so dainty and quaint in their old-fashioned dresses. I should like to have seen the mushroom, how was that represented? I’m very glad that we do not possess a Jacko; he is much too mischievous for my fancy, he would be worse than Buster Brown I think. Weren’t you very angry as well as alarmed when you found your sitting-room on fire? —Cousin Kate. P.S.—Many thanks for your good wishes.] * ♦ ♦ Dear Cousin Kate.—l hope you are Well. There was going to be a football match here on Saturday, 25th July, but the M-wkai footballers could not come as they had to work at the mill. They were going to play -to-morrow, but they can’t leave the mill again. I hope they will play next -Saturday. To-night we are going to a dance; partly, a poi dance and Maori hakas, while dancing comes on after. Many happy returns to your birthday, although it may be too early, but I don’t think I will write again before the 7th of this month. On Saturday, July 25th, Waitahanui footballers and Tokaanu footballers played, and Waitahanui won by 9 to 6. Well, Cousin Kate, I hope you will let me stop ndw as I have no more news. With oceans of love to the cousins, not forgetting yourself, I remain, your COUSIN JANE, Taupo. IDear Cousin Jane.—l was really forgetting that I possessed any cousins at Taupo, it is such a long time since any of you wrote. I hope Ellen and Tai are quite well. What a pity the Mokai football team could not leave tehir work to go and play your team. I do dislike looking forward to any amusement and then find that it is put off, don’t you ? Thanks very much indeed for your. good wishes for my birthday. I hope you all have a good time at the •lance; you must tell me about it next time.—Cousin Kate.l