COUSINS’ CORRESPONDENCE.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLIV, Issue 10, 9 March 1910, Page 58

COUSINS’ CORRESPONDENCE.

Timaru.

T>nar Cousin Kate.—Now that I bare been Tending the children’s pug. in the ••Graphic,’ I would like to become one of your cousins, I have started school again after mv Christmas hoi slays. Hoping that you had an enjoyable time at Christmas, •s T did. I must now close.—Good-bye. from Corntln MARY.

fieor Cousin Mery.—We would also like yo«i to .loin, nnd as von have settled Into karneew again I aha 1,1 hope for a longer loMor next time. I don’t know how enjoy•We n time yon had at Christmas, so von 1 cannot accurately mennre my Christmas with yours I’ve just bad a nice boll-<b»-v though. and feel all tbe readier for Work. —Cousin Kate.]

Cambridge. Dear Cousin Kate, —I was phased to see my letter in the “ Graphic.” The weather has been very oppressive lately, and the flies troublesome. At last the rain has come. It is much needed, as our water supply was running short. I received a nice book from my cousin in Sydney, called “ Katrine.” Do you think it would be necessary to have a typewriter, Cousin Kate? I am going to America and England when I am 21. My brother has been wool-classing. I am using cocoanut oil for my hair to make it grow. I think I will write to you fortnightly or monthly. Cousin Kate. Hoping the Cousins are all quite well, and yourself, with love to you and all the Cousins, I remain, yours sincerely, Cousin BEATRICE. [Dear Cousin Beatrice, —It has been intensely hot here, too, but is cooler to-day. and blowing, steadily up for a good rain. I •wouldn’t advise you to go to the expense of getting a typewriter, as you ought to be able to have plenty of practice where you learn. You see, you would not need it if you go into an office, for your machine would be provided for you. Better wait until you go Home should you think of buying one, for you would get it so much cheaper, and besides having the use of it for correspondence, would be able to bring it back duty-free. Cocoanut oil is very good, and, if you don’t put too much on, will improve the gloss of your hair without making it greasy. Is your brother going to class it? How lovely to look forward to such a trip. Am pleased that you intend to write regularly.—Cousin Kate. | * £ i Palmerston N. Dear Cousin Kate, —It is a ’long time since I have written to you. We have not been to a single picnic these holidays, because my brother has been very ill with appendicitis. He went to the hospital for two weeks, and I went to see him every day. After the operation he came home, and he got worse. He is getting better now, but he has been in bed six weeks. I •have a bad foot. I ran the head of a staple into it, and poisoned it three weeks ago. The doctor squeezed it to get the poison out. It hurt me very much. It is not well yet.—Your loving cousin, DAKYN-S. P.S.—Thank you very much for the post card.—D. [Dear Bittle Cousin, —It is indeed a long •time. Poor little woman! You have been having troubles, have you not, but I am glad to know you are all getting through the wood at last. How very anxious you all must have been about your brother. Picnics would not be very enjoyable with anyone so ill, would they? He must have been glad to have you come to see him so regularly. I hope that he will soon be quite well, and your poor foot too. I am glad that yon liked the card.—Cousin Kate.] * * * Palmerston N. Dear Cousin Kate,—lt is a long time since I have written to you. We havfl been to Rotorua, and we were going to stay six weeks, but we only stayed four weeks, because our grandmother died, so we had to come home. We all liked Rotorua so much, and the boys slept in the tent in the back yard. Cousin Dakyns has a bad foot, and she was delirious one night, because the pain was so bad; but it is a great deal better now. We are all back at school now, and I am very glad.—Your loving cousin. FREDA. [My Dear Cousin Freda, —It does seem a long time, and I was so glad to get your letters. I knew at once, as soon as I saw the writing, from whom the letters bad come. That was a very ead ending to a holiday, especially for your parents. Rotorua is a splendid place, is It not? Tents are a good institution there, because the houses must get so full. It is nice to be back at work again, is it not?—Cousin Kate.] * * * New Plymouth. Dear Cousin Kate,. — I should hnvA written long ago, but I have been busy at school, so I could not write. Cousin Rata is away at Taihape at present. Cousin Kate, can you swim? I can swim the length of our baths, and jump off the spring board down the deep end. too. now. Did you go away for your holidays? I did. I went up to Auckland for mine, but I was not in Shortland street. I have had several letters from Cousin Rata these last few days, and she is having a lovely time down there. I wish I were there instead of being at school. A few friends of mine are getting up a play called “Dn-mhell," and I am In it. I am supposed to be ‘‘Thomas,” and Cousin Rata is ‘‘Cissy.” I must stop now, as It Is bed.tlm*» With love.—From Cousin JESSIE.

(Dear Cousin Jessie, —I am very pleased yo” have written now I h»ve not been Taihape, but hope Cousin Rata will write and toil mo what it Is like. I am ashamed to say I never learned to swim, though I

love the water, and have had plenty of chances to learn. You are getting on well. I went south, and enjoyed the change. I am pleased to know Cousin Rata is having a good time. —Cousin Kate.] [P.S. —Fancy your not being in Shortlandstreet. —C.K.] * :l i Tinul. Dear Cousin Kate,—l was very pleased to see my letter in ’‘The Graphic.” We are going to have our examination at school soon. Yes, Alice and Lizzie are my sisters. My birthday is on the 28th of February. There is going to be a school picnic aud dance next month. Mother and father have gone to the Masterton show. We all went to tlie sea on Sunday. My sister and I rode, and we were very tired, because it is. about 30 miles there and back again. I will close with love to the cousins aud yourself.— From Cousin JESSIE. [Dear Cousin Jessie, —I love to get a nice fat envelope with a family budget of letters like yours. It is nice to see one’s things in print, is it not? If it is not a rude question, Cousin Jessie, how old will you be? You seem to be in for some dissipation next month. I hope it is fine for the picnic.—Cousin Kate.] i i * Dear Cousin Kate.—l suppose by this time you have forgotten me, as it is such a long time since I last wrote to you. Well, I had a good time yesterday, because Lord Plunket was here to see us. It was the greatest day I ever had. There must have been about a thousand people there. Today, we are holding our swimming sports, and I am going in for a few races. Isn’t Buster a funny fellow? He is always in mischief. In the last “Graphic” I see he has a trip to India.—l remain, your loving Cousin, ASHLEY MORRISON.

[Dear Cousin Ashley,—Better late thaa never. I think one does go off work dur. lag the hot weather, letter-writing as well as other kinds. I hope you had a better view of Lord Plunket than we had of Lord Kitchener. He came by where we were watching in a motor-car, driven all too quickly, and before I had seen which out of the five people in the car was be, it was gone. I hope you won a raee. Buster is too dangerous to be allowed so far from home.—Cousin Kate.] i * * Tinul.

Dear Cousin Kate, —I was very pleased to see my letter in ’The Graphic.’’ We went to Masterton for our holiday, and I enjoyed myself very much. I went to three playsand to some sports. Ou day, when I was walking down the street 1 picked up a, bank-book, which I got a reward for finding We are having very hot weather lately [ went for a ride last Sunday to Castle Point ■which is about thirty miles there aud back. But it must have been too much for me, beeacse I was sick when I got home. I ani going to a picnic next month. I must now close, with love to all the cousins aud yourself.—From Cousin ALICE.

[Deaf Cousin Alice, — What a gay time you seem to have had. It was fortunate that the bank-book fell into honest hands, wasn’t it? We too have had extremely hot weather, but it is breaking up now. I should not wonder if we are all better for

Hie heat when It is over. I netted last we had an intensely hot summer to hake up all the country, how amajSng'y the trees grew after it was over. Very long rides are too tiring. Do not overdo it. Cousin Alice.—Cousin Kate.] 1 4 ft Tinul. Dear Cousin Kato. — I was very pleased to see mv letter in the "Graphic." 1 have got •i lot of sunflowers out in my garden. Sunflowers are nice flowers; are they not, Cou-

Bin Kate? There are going to be some taces at Whakataki. Whakataki is about twelve miles from Tinui. 1 went for a drive to Castlepoint on Sunday. We are expecting a letter from our mother on Wednesday. I must now close, with love.—From Cousin LIZZIE. [Dear Cousin Lizzie,—Sunflowers are very handsome. You ought to get* a book called “Mrs Over-the-Way’s Remembrances." It contains a lovely story about sunflowers, called “Sunflower Saints.’’ I hope the letter brought good news.—Cousin Kate.]

Timaru. Dear Cousin Kate, —I don’t suppose you would object to my becoming oue of the cousins, would you? This morning, when I was at work, my employer bought a copy of the “Graphic," and in my spare lime I was reading all the letters from the cousins. So I thought I would become a member. Would you mind sending me u blue badge? We have two pets, a little ragged Scotch terrier and a long white haired rabbit. (I don’t think that is very good English.) I am 13 years old, and have

just left school. Wishing to hear from you soou in the “Graphic," I remain, yoir Cousin FRANK. (Dear Cousin Frank, —Certainly I do not object. The English, my dear Cousin, Is somewhat at fault. "A tagged Scotch terier, and a long, white-haired rabbit." suggest family squabbles in any case, but perhaps the rabbit’s length would give it an advantage. But we will not send you ba •.< to schoo’, but advocate frequent letter writing to keep you up to the mark wit i your English.—Cousin Kate.]