CHILDREN'S PAGE

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLIII, Issue 16, 20 October 1909, Page 58

CHILDREN'S PAGE

To Our Young Readers.

Our young readers are cordially invited to enter our wide circle of cousins, by writing to COUSIN KATE, “ The Weekly Graphic,” Shortland Street, Auckland. Cousin Kate is particularly desirous that those boys and girls who write should tell her whatever it interests them to tell, about their games, their pets, their holidays, or their studies. Their betters and Cousin Kate’s replies will appear in the “ Weekly Graphic,” on the Children’s Pages. All cousins under the age of fourteen are accounted Junior Cousins, all above that age Senior Cousins. Cousins may continue writing until quite grown up, and after, if they wish to do so; for we are proud to number among our cousins some who have passed out of their teens. A Badge tcill be sent io each new cousin on the receipt of an addressed envelope.

COUSINS’ CORRESPONDENCE.

Nelson. ear COUSIN KATE,—I was very I \ pleased to see my letter in print. I ■ I am also pleased with my I F badge. Our orphanage boys are / all well, and they are such good boys, that they are not much trouble, and mother gets plenty of help. My mother has only two children of her own, one son aged 20, and myself. -My brother is apprenticed to the carpentering trade. Among our boys we have a dear little boy, aged two years. I am afraid we will spoil him. He came from Kumara. 1 have no pets to tell you abou; the boys are my playmates. We have two girls in our home, both aged six years. One of them is like our .sister. We have had her from a tiny baby. Do you think my letter is too long? 1 love to read the letters in the •‘Graphic.”—From Cousin HAROLD. [Dear Cousin Harold, —I am delighted with your bright account of your happy family life. Your letter couldn’t have been any shorter to tell me all you have told me. Your mother evidently knows how to keep her crowd of little folks happy, and on good terms. Give the baby a kiss for me, but don’t, for anything, spoil him. ,Write again soon.—Cousin Kate.] 4* 4* 4* Wanganui. Dear Cousin Kate,-—I hope I may become one of your cousins. I have a pony and a cow. I have just come back from my holidays. Cousin Leslie invited me up to his place at Taihape for a week. Please send me a blue badge.—With love, from Cousin LAWRENCE. I Dear Cousin Lawrence, —I am sure you had a good time with Cousin Leslie. I am pleased for you to join. You are well off lor pets.—Cousin Kate.] 4 4 4 Wanganui. Dear Cousin Kate, —May I become one of your “Graphic” cousins please? I have a horse, a cat, and a dog. Besides. I have a garden, a vegetable garden, a bridle and saddle, a pony, a bat and ball, and a whip too. Now I must close. —With love, from Cousin GEORGE. [Dear Cousin George,—You are well off, aren’t you? What do you grow in your garden? I am for you to be a cousin.— Cousin Kate. | (P.S. —We have only navy and red badges. —C.K.] 4 4 4 Carterton. Dear Cousin Kate, —The concert was a success. The first item on the programme was a duet, “At Full Tilt,” by my music teacher and myself. My. sister opened the second part with a pianoforte solo. I recited a poem called “The Twins’ Com* plaint,” and in the second to last verse I had to put a piece of court plaster on my nose, but it would not stick on. I was not well during the examination, and had to miss a day and n-half from school, which made me lose one hundred and fifty marks. However, I got 499 marks, and the top one bad 593, so !• wasn’t so far behind after all. I like cooking, arithmetic, history, and reading best. In a few weeks we have to cook a dinner for the school committee. I have

not had any more post cards from Canada yet. I will give you a riddle: “Why is a schoolmaster like an enginedriver?” Goodbye, with love.—From Cousin NESSIE. [Dear Cousin Nessie, —What a busy time you must have had with the concert. But what did you do when the plaster woultf come off? That was trying about missing the day and a-half. I love history far more than either arithmetic or cooking. Do you read Macaulay’s Essays? I hope the dinner is a success, as the concert was.—Cousin Kate.] [P.S. —Is the answer “Because he has to look out for collisions?—C.K | 4 4 4 Wellington. Dear Cousin Kate, —May I become one of your “Graphic” cousins? I am eleven years old, and in Standard 111. I have just come home from a holiday in Auckland and many other places. I will tell you all about it another time. I have no pets, but I have a lovely doll that came from Auckland. I would not part with it for the world. Do you like music, cousin Kate? I learn. Will you send me a red badge, please? With love to all.—From Cousin CONNIE. [Dear Cousin Connie, —You may with pleasure become a cousin. Be sure you tell* us how you liked the different places when you write next. I love music more, in some ways, as I grow older—it is one of those delights one never gets to the end of. I will send your badge as soon as the red ones are printed, the printers are so busy they have had to keep me waiting.—Cousin Kate.] 4 4 4 Nelson. Dear Cousin Kate, —I would like to be one of. the cousins. I am seven and a-half. My favourite game is cricket. I have one little, sister.—-Your loving cousin GEQF. [Dear Cousin Geof, —4 am delighted to have you for a cousin. I used to play cricket with my brothers when I was a little girl. Write again.—Cousin Kate.] 4* 4* 4* Auckland. Dear Cousin Kate, —I was very pleased with the badge you sent me. We had our school concert last Monday week. It was so w T et that I couldn’t go, but they gave it a second, time, and I went then. My brother took part in the cadets ’drill. It was my birthday on the 24th of September. I received a gold brooch with my name on. a Bible from my father, and a Look called “Seven Little Australians” from my brother. It is a lovely book. We have eight hens, all laying. I have a playroom with French windows and steps outside, and each side of the steps I have made a flower garden. I have cinerarias and daisies in one, and violets and bulbs in the other. Did you see Sir Joseph Ward on Thursday, Cousin Kate? We went to the Albert Park, but we couldn’t hear the speeches. With love to the cousins’ and yourself.—From Cousin EDNA. [Dear Cousin Edna, —There has been quite an epidemic of school concerts. Cadet drills are most interesting. “Seven Little Australians” is, indeed, a delightful book. A bright and happy year to you. I did not see Sir Joseph.—Cousin Kate.] ♦ 4 4 Takaka. Dear Cousin Kate, —I am just going to answer your letter. I have another pet. It is a pet lamb, and it’s name is Billy. I have one sister and three brothers. All my brothers are older than myself. Don’t you think Buster funnier every time he comes? —I remain, your cousin, HILTON. [Dear Cousin Hilton,—lsn’t it jolly being the youngest boy? I wonder that Buster can always think of fresh mischief. He always looks so surprised, as though he hadn’t quite meant it all. —Cousin Kate.] 4 4 4 Whakarewa. Dear Cousin Kate, —I was very pleased to see by letter in print last week. Since I last wrote to you we have had a large flood; it came all round our house. It has done great damage to the river-bank, and it will take a lot of money to protect It. I would like to see the pantomine “Jack and Jill.” I have a few pictures of .It, and would like some more if I can g°t them. One of the cousins bad a riddle, ‘‘Why is a hen on a fence like a penny?” “Because Its head is on one Mde and its tall the other.” I think 'that Is it. I was very pleased with my badge. One of my friends would like to write to you. Since my last loiter I have loft school. I am going to learn ohnlk -drawing, and I hone I will like I*. With love to all the cousins, nnd much to vwirw’f—Frnm Cousin MAGGIE. [Dear Cousin Maggie,—l think there must be something terrible about a flood; a river broken loose. I never want to be in one, much as I love great rivers and the sea. That’s a capital answer. I should not have thought of that. I would like your friend to write. I hope you like the drawing.—* Cousin Kate.]

Kalkoura. Dear Cousin Kate, —May I become one of your cousins? I have been reading the cousins’ letters for some time, and find them very interesting. I have a dear little black and white calf. Please will you give me a name for her? Buster Brown is very amusing, but there Is one thing about him, and that is he never grows any bigger. With love and all good wishes.—From Cousin MAGGIE. [Dear Cousin Maggie,—Welcome to our “Cousins’ Society.” I am so glad you like the letters. How would “Nimble” suit your calf? If Buster were to grow up he would become sensible and uninteresting.—-Cousin Kate.] 4 4 4 Parnell. Dear Cousin Kate,—l would like to become one of your cousins. I would like a red badge. I am eleven years old, and I am in Standard IV. I have one pet—a canary. It is a lovely singer. I have one sister and one brother. I like my school very much. I have a good many playmates. I like indoor games far better than outdoor.— Your loving Cousin AZILLA. [Dear Cousin Azilla, —I am glad to hear from you, and to get your full address. I will send your badge as soon as my new supply is printed, as I am at present out of red ones.—Cousin Kate.] 4 4 4 Huntly. Dear Cousin Kate, —I would like to be one of your cousins. I have four cats, and they kill rats and mice every day, and eat them. I have had a week’s holiday. I am going to have a good time when Guy Fawkes comes. I like playing football with the boys. I would like a blue badge.—With love, from Cousin JIM. [Dear Cousin Jim, —I have been in Huntly, and am glad to welcome a Huntly cousin. . I am sure Guy Fawkes and Co. little thought of the fun schoolboys would get out of their silly plot. Last Ninth I was in Te Aroha, and the Domain looked so pretty with the glow of fire in the background.— Cousin Kate.] 4 4 4 Wanganui. Dear Cousin Kate, —May I become one of your “Graphic” cousins, please? May 1

have a green badge? I have a dog and S cat, and two horses and two cows. I live In Fiji, and go home at Xmas. I have a ball, bat, and six wickets. The bat U getting bound at H. I. Jones. I hope it will be bound nicely. Now, dear cousin Kate, I must close.—With love, from Cousin FELIX. P.S, —I have a nice 2/6 knife. [Dear Cousin Felix,—l hope you are like your name, happy. Do, please, write to ua jom Fiji. We should all like it so much. We have no green badges, my new and welcome cousin.—Cousin Kate.] 4 4 4 Stoke.' Dear Cousin Kate, —Mother’s garden is looking very nice W’ith spring flowers. I have been going to town lately to stay with my grandma. I go in Friday afternoon, and stay until Sunday. I ride on Bobs, my pony. I like staying with my grandma very much. I am waiting for, the agricultural show to come, because I am going to ride. I know a lot of girls that are riding in the same thing as myself. I had a show schedule sent to me the other day. Jim’s fowls have been laying very well. They sometimes lay eight and nine eggs. There only nine fowls. Mum set a fowl on thirteen eggs, and there are thirteen little chicks come out today. With love to all the cousins and yourself.—From Cousin MABEL. [Dear Cousin Mabel, —I do hope you do well at the show. Didn’t you feel very* excited when you got the schedule? Has your mother roses out? Does your grandmamma spoil you? Mine used to buy cream for me, and otherwise feed me up. That was excellent for the sitting hen.—Cousin Kate.] i i i Wanganui. Dear Cousin Kate, —I hope my badge will come soon. I am at Mr Atkinson’s school now. I like it very much. My father’s birthday was ou July ISth, and I bought him a silver stud. He thauked me so much for it. He brought me a big volume called “Chums.” It has about 255 pages in it. Now, Cousin Kate. I must close.—' Love, from Cousin LESLIE. [Dear Cousin Leslie, —I am so sorry you have had to wait so for your badge. The printers are so busy they have had to keep me waiting for them. I have quite a lot of envelopes waiting to be posted, as soon as ever I get the badges.—Cousin Kate.] 4 4 4 Wanganui. Dear Cousin Kate, —I hope you are quite well.- May I become one of your “Graphic” cousins? I would like a pink badge. 1 have a bat and ball. My little brother Scobie had a broken leg, and it is better now.—With love, from Cousin HAMILTON. . [Dear Cousin Hamilton, —Welcome, as another Wanganui cousin. Such a lot have joined this week from Wanganui.-C Poor little Scobie. I am keeping your envelopes till we have the. red badges printed. W.e have no pink ones.—Cousin Kate.] t ♦ - Parnell. , Dear Cousin Kate, —The Parnell school concert last week was a great success? 'I was in the scarf drill. Dear cousin? did' you receive a letter from a friend of mine

earned Axilla? Sho wrote about six weeks ago, but she has-not received a badge, nor have I seen it In the “Graphic.” We are just having our holidays, but we have not had very fine weather so far. I save post cards, and stamps. I have four albums tfor post cards, and one for stamps. I have over three hundred post cards. We have just finished our (examination at school, but I do not know where I have come. With love to all the cousins, including yourself.—l remain, your loving cousin, DULCIE. [Dear Cousin Dulcie,—l fear your friend’s

letter has miscarried, for I have not her name on my register, I find. I have now, however, written her down as a cousin. I shall be pleased if she will write me again, and let me have her full address. I hope you did well at your exam., and am glad your concert was a success. Sash drills are very pretty, aren’t they?—Cousin Kate.] •fr •t’ 4? Remuera. Dear Cousin Kate, —I feel just like a truant as I write this letter. I was a member of your band about two years ago, and I have not written a letter to you

since. May I join again, please? I am now twelve years old, and I am in standard VI. We have been living out here for about a year now, and we are all enjoying ourselves. When I wrote to your pages some years ago, you had a great scarcity of cousins, but cow you seem to be rather plentifully stocked with relations. I am a collector of stamps, and would be glad to exchange stamps of all varieties with any of the cousins. I have a collection of over two thousand varieties, and have a large number of duplicates. I must close now.—l remain, your long-lost cousin, JACK.

[Dear Cousin Jack, —I should love to adopt your schoolboy’s phrase, and say that you have ’’wagged it” to some purpose. At least you have not stagnated during the four years since you joined as a laddie of eight. I hope some of the cousins will write for your full address, and avail them* selves of your offer re the stamps. We do not arrange such exchanges, but we give the cousins each otnVr’s addresses where wished, and leave them to do it for themselves. We are much related, but have not a cousin too many; you see New Zealand is much more populous than ft used to Mu —Cousin Kate.]