COUSINS’ CORRESPONDENCE.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLII, Issue 6, 10 February 1909, Page 68

COUSINS’ CORRESPONDENCE.

YOUNGER COUSINS' LETTERS. IV.ir Cousin Kate* —? should so like to bet’oino a cousin, and have my letter printed in the "Graphic.” It is so nice to read the other cousins’ letters. I think I like the younger ones best, for I am not old enough to understand the others. How very clever Cousin Hilda must be. I wonder sh? does not get tired reading so much about the Balkans. I think there is quite ttiough to learn at school Without writing about it in the holidays. Mother says if F- knew as much as Cousin Hilda she would think I was going to be ill; but there is no fear of that, is there. Cousin Kate? ] hope you will fiend me a badge.—With low, from Cousin CECIL. Dear Cousin Cecil, —I will be very pleased to luive you for a cousin* and ( will send you a badge, though you don’t F.ay what colour you would like best. lam afraid the elder cousins’ letters are rather beyond most of the little ones, but you will be able to understand them and write them t»»* I expect, when you are a little older. I don’t suppose They had very much time to read when they were at .school. I know T had not; my lessons used to take up all my evenings, ami from school time till dinner mother u>ed to insist on our staying out of door*. She used to say it would do its b**s harm to get wet than to lie shut up in the hous«» all day. What do you do with yourself after school i What is your favourite game?—Cousin Kate. 4- * * I Mar Cousin Kate.—We hare had a very happy Christmas this year, and 1 hope you had the same. Most of our friends could not come up here, and we were vr»ry sorry. We went to two very nice picnics in Mr Welhn’s launch. The first one was to 'l imbo Bay. There was a big party of us, most of them from Whakapirau. The next one was to the North Heads. \\> were going to see the light house, hut it was too rough* so, we landed at the wharf. We had great fun on the bro Hi. and in some places we went up to our ankles in sand, but the worst was trying to climb the sandhills. 1 like coming down them best. I>ecausc we can roll. VVe d«» Hot like going for bathes here very much, because of stingrays that rome quite Hose tn the shore. The little baby here can play ball, and it is very funny to watch his face. We were going to the paparoa sports to-day, but it was so rnogh and w 4 the day before that we could not get Mr Wei Im to take us. There is a little bay named R.mgo PUling. who is staying with us for his holiday. He told me he might write to you when he gets Uuk to Te AroFia. With hive to all the coUmihs, not forgetting yourself. I remain, your loving Cousin MO YR A.

any of you feel ill? Don" tyou hate getyour friends could not conie up to you for tlie holidays. I am sure they were disappointed too. I have never been to Oneriri, but I have stayed at Whakapirau often, and I just loved it. Where is Timbo Bay? That is quite a new name to me. Is it a good picnic place? I was invited to a pienie down at the Heads once, but would not go because I was afraid I would be seasick. Didn't soon. We went to Rabbit Island for a ting your shoes and stockings full of sand. I do; I always take mine off whenever I get near a beach, but I don’t suppose you would have liked to go scrambling over sand hills barefooted, would you? Baby is getting so grqwn-up you will soon have to leave off calling him baby.—Cousin Kate.] + "fr + Dear Cousin Kate, —Our Cousin Clifford has gone home, and we miss him very much. Our Christmas holidays are over now. I enjoyed them very much. We will lie having hop-picking holidays soon. We went ot Rabbit Island for a picnic the other day, and we had a lovely time, but we were very tired when we came back. It takes a long time to go over. We had two very nice horses in the cart; it does not take long to go over in a boat, We had two lovely days for Christmas and New Year. Our auntie and little cousin are staying with us for a few days, while Uncle Ted is away. Our little cousin's name is De Lacey; she is such a dear little baby; she loves horses and other animals. Mother's garden has not got very many flowers in it now, but there is a beautiful plant in it called Californian poppy; it has a beautiful scent, and is like tissue paper. There is also a plant called Mandevilla; it is a creeper: it is all white. We have got three dear little fluffy chickens. I think that is all I have to say, so good-bye. Love to all the cousins and yourself.—From votir loving Cousin MABEL. [Dear Cousin Mabel,—Clifford hadn't been gone very long before you had another cousin to take his place, but I suppose De Lacey is too young to be a playmate, isn't she? I expect she is more of a plaything. I expect you were rather sad having to go back to school, especially this hot weather. Do you always have holidays for the hop-plcnmg. I am always sorry when the hops have to lie picked; a hop garden is one of the loveliest things imaginable, with those long poles just a mass of beautiful coo! greenery, and when if is all picked the place looks like a place, of desolation. Picnies are great fun while they last, but I think they are rather tiring, especially a driving one; a long drive makes mo ache dreadfully.—Cousin Kate.] OLDER COUSINS’ LETTERS. Dear Cousin Kate,—lndeed the Older Cousins’ Page has been looking very bare of late, and my conscience pricks mo somewhat. With the exception of Cousin Hilda's letter, there hare been none since the New Year, have there? I went to hear Ada Crossley tlie first night; I looked forward to a treat, nnd was not disappointed. What an artist sire is—and such a voice—sweet, rich, and soul-

inspiring. She pleases the eye as well as the ear, with her gracious manner, charming appearance, and beautiful gowns. What night did you go, Cousin Kate? for I know you must have gone. I like John Harrison, too. He has the sweetest tenor I have ever heard, and sings with such feeling. Percy Grainger and Sametini were good, too, very good. 1 liked the baritone least of all,’ but it was certainly the best concert company I have heard. We have so many star artists out here with inferior companies, haven't we? I am now looking forward to the C herniavskis, whom I have been advised on no account to miss. Perhaps you will remember my mentioning once that I was about to read ‘‘Great Expectations P nnd was disappointed. You may guess how delighted I was when I received the book from Cousin Hilda as a Christmas present. It is one of the best of Dickens’ works that I •have read. The characters are splendid. Some of the minor ones attracted me more than the pricipals at times, for instance, Wemmick and “The Aged.” Was not Wemmick’s devotion to his dear old parent beautifully portrayed? Joe Gargery, Biddy and Herbert Pocket were the sweetest characters in the book, and “Pip,”, too, was a good fellow, but I did not like Estelia at all. She was not worth “Pip's” devotion. What, an extraordinary man Magwitch, the convict, was. His affection for “Pip” was as pitiful as it was extraordinary. It has just struck me that I should not be hard on Estelia, when I think of the parents she had, and the way she was brought up by tfiat poor, demented, disappointed old woman. I notice Cousin Hilda wrote pretty extensively on the Balkan question. I shall be plesead to i«sd the “Graphic” articles

she kindly promised to lend. I noted in Cousin Alison’s letter that she hoped we remembered Violet Tate. I think Cousin Hilda mentioned in one of her letters that I sent a number of the “Red Funnel” Magazine (Cousin Hilda had sent “Graphics” J and several post cards. However, I expect Cousin Alison will know by now, that some of us remembered her friend.

Do you think the subject of Dress would prove interesting for discussion amongst the Cousins, Cousin Kate? Each cousin could give her views and opinions of what is necessary and how to get her clothes. For myself, I have tried to sum up how much I spend a year on clothes, but, as I spend money very easily without taking much account of it, I am afraid I cannot approximate the amount. However, I guard against extravagance, and try to spend as judiciously as possible. The accessories are the most important things, and. it is these that run away with the money. Now, as to boots, I find three pairs at a time sufficient, at least two pairs of boots, one heavy, and one light, and a pair of shoes for evening wear, t pay between 8/11 and 10/6 for the latter, and about 19/ to 21/ for the boots. Tlie other day, however, I bought a beautiful tan pair for 16/6, and was so pleased with them that I invested in a second pair. They were really a bargain, for I showed them to an expert, and he said they were simply wonderful for the money. I expect them to last me quite a year, and I give them constant wear, too. I should like to tree all my boots and shoes, but have not been successful in obtaining any trees in Auckland. Gloves are extravagant items. For every day wear kid ones never last me longer than a couple of months; 2/11 or 3/6 is enough to pay for these, and for best ones 4/11 to 5/11. Of course I am referring to short.gloves; long ones are much more expensive, but I only wear them for evening, and pay about 7/11 for them. I think white suede gloves are frightfully extravagant. They almost soil if you look at them, and from my experience, certainly do not clean well. A well-cut navy skirt, serge or cloth, is a necessity of a girl's wardrobe, also three or four neat shirt waists to wear with it. Cine ean get the smartest prints and cambrics from 7d. and Bd. a yard, and a girl can run up a blouse for herself for a couple of shillings. Most people buy three yards of material for a blouse length, but I find two and a-half yards ample, except in the case of silk, when one wants from three to three and a-half yards, according to the width of the silk. lam by no means a small girl, but my things are cut economically. A tailor-made coat and skirt is, I think, another essential. It is an expensive item, but well worth the money, for it lasts well, the style does not sreatly vary, and a girl always feels chic and weU turnedout in one. An evening dress is another big consideration in one's wardrobe. For a girl, who goes out moderately,

cne new frock each season is sufficient, for she can always wear last year's gown to the smaller functions. So many girls nowadays are elever with their needle. I know of some who even make their own evening frocks, and very creditably, too. JHy last evening frock eost me just under three pounds, for I had ix made at home, likewise my opera eoat, wnieh is of Amazon eloth lined throughout with silk, and it only amounted to 25/. The summer season with its dainty inexpensive muelms, end smart eambries and prints, makes dressing easy, but with, winter clothes it is different; one has to pay more for materials, and the styles being plainer, one has to be extremely particular about the ent. A couple of dainty silk theatre blouses are also other necessities for a girl. Hats have advanced alarmingly of late. Thirty shillings to- two pounds just buys a decent hat now, when at one time the same money would have brought “creations.” However, with, the exception of one or two, I trim my own, and in thia way they rarely cost me more than 10/ or 12/. To come back to accessories, it is well to have a good assortment of belts and neekwear. I find laee scarves, wound twice round the neck and hung down, are useful, economical, and pretty- Half-a-dozen of these keep one go-

ing for a long time. I generally buy haltf-aedozen pairs of stqekings at a, time, paying about 2/3 a pair, and number them all, so as to know which ones I wore last. The chief merit in dressing lies in good taste. A girl should always be earefuf to see that everything she has •& harmonises, tuxi eschew too many colours. It is net always wise to get everything at one particular shop, for I find that different shops are good for different things, fix Auckland I go to one shop for gloves, another for silks, another for lace, and another for dress ■naterialH. Wbff, Cousin Kate, I am afraid I have lengthened out this subject rather considerably, but it seems such an endifess one. I hope the ether Cousins will respond and give their opinions. With much love from Cousin. VIOLET.