CHILDREN'S PAGE

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XVLI, Issue 12, 20 September 1911, Page 57

CHILDREN'S PAGE

TO OUK YOUNG READERS. Our young readers are cordially inrited to enter our wide circle of Cousins, hy writing to (Ol'ftlN KATE, <• The Weekly Graphic,' Shortland Street, Auckland. Cousin Kate is particularly desirous that those boys and girls who write should tell whatever it interests them to tell, about their games, their pets, their holidays, or their studies. Their letters and Cousin Kate's replies trill appear in the “IVeekly Graphic, on the Children's Pages. All Cousins under tSe age of fourteen arc accounted Junior Cousins, all above that age Senior Cousins. Cousins may continue writing until quite grown up, and after 1 , if they wish to do so; for we are proud to number among our Cousins some who hare passed out of their teens. A Badge trill &<? sent to each new Cousin on the receipt of en atMressefi enrclope.

COUSINS’ CORRESPONDENCE.

Bongotea. XX EAR COUSIN KATE,—As 1 hay* I V nothing -to <lo lot a time I though. I B I would write to you. We are I f sending milk to the factory now. (A / We have 13 cows In, and we a™ rearing all the calves. Mother anti I found a rabbit's burrow, and when the young ones are big enough I am going to take them nnd have them for ipets. lx there are four I am going <o give one of tny married sisters 'two. My brother illenry said he would wake a cage for ifheiu.' I have asked a friend of mine at Kakar ki -to write to you, If you -wKI accept Sier, hut I have not heard from her since. J hope she does. There are a good many young lambs about this district just naw. Are there many in .Auckland? Last year re L.-d three pet lambs, t»irt one died. JMy word! Isn’t Cousin Gwennie Laving a cmol time? 1 wish I were her—don’t you? I like reading the other cousins’ letters. Rosie is very discontented; she wants to go out for ■a drive with father. She got up 8u (hr trap herself, 1 and if we go to get her out she gets under the seat and looks cunning. Maud *and I weighed her this morning. and she weighs 171 b. It Jb a good weight for a small dog like her. Well, I think I must close now.—With love front Cousin ESTHER. ip.s — You tasked -me In your answer If our parrot could talk. No, he cannot, but I wi-’i he could. [I» -r Cousin Esther. —I enjoyed reading your letter. You will have your work cut out f (>ding all those calves. I thought oil <»un r people hated rabbits, nnd looked upon hem as pests. We have lots of lambs ou o r golf links, which are about twelve niiloi nut of Auckland. I think you must spoil Rosie. With love.—Cousin Kate.] iff Ta pa worn. I'- Cousin Kate, —It is a dong time *-'r I wrote to you. but I <hope you will <‘xcu me. because we have just had cur <x ' a I ion. and I have been away for ln .v : idays. I went to Nelson and enjoyed ,Jl| . V nicely. I passed my examination, s ' I am in the sixth standard. While I Nelson I went to a bazaar, wkMi \ ! hl in the drill shod, and it was very Tii-'p There was one girl skating, ar 1 s lf ‘ ild skate on her heels or her toes, or • ay she liked. Thru we went in and n.M jjpp | |ot supper and went home. We »me almut eleven o'clock at night. ’ tve got n good many little lamb* '”>t not any pets yet. Well. Cousin Iv 1 I will end with a riddle: “Around ‘2 ]'■ around a hill, I met my brother ’■Bill; * picked him up and sucked his Hood, JJthl hft his body standing.”—With love f «W Cousin R GOALIE. U tr Cousin Rosalie,—l nm glad to hear from you again. and hope that you passed your examination well. I can well Imagine cut you enjoyed your holidays. (Skating JOOr look such n simple ithlng until you Ti ’y. which I suppose you have. With love. -<ous!n Kate.]

Wellington. Dear Cousin Kate, —'May I become one of your couwins? I am iseven years old, und am in standard I. We are soon -to have a week's (holiday. 1 hope it will be fine so that we can go for Jots of picnics. 1 have six sisters and one big brother Have you ever been in an air-ship? 1 have seen the Coronation pictures.—'Best wishes from HAROLD. {Dear Cousin Harold, —I am delighted to welcome a Mice dittle boy cousin. 1 hope the 'weather was good for your holidays. I have never been in au air-ship, and have 00 desire :o go in one. 'With love. —Cousin Kate.] 1 i i Port Waikato. Dear Cousin Kate,—l hope you will forgive me for not writing to acknowledge the badge you sent me. If you had no desire to go on the river at Cambridge, I am sure yon wouldn't here, especially when it is rough. I have had an experience which is quite enough for me. Last Tuesday we went over to Otaua to get our stores. It was blowing a gale, and we had a hard job to get out of the dock. The waves were so big, and the launch rolled and pitched so much that we had to hold on to the sides of the boat. Every now aud then we expected the engine to stop, but, luckily, it did not. We are having very wet weather here, which is splendid for the ground, as we needed it very badly. I see that the cousins keep you well supplied in riddles, so 1 will not give you any. With love.—From MOYBA. (Dear Cousin Moyra,—l am so pleased to hear from you again. Your letJw wautifully written, and so neat. Tour witer trip sounds more like the sea tnan a Hver. It is some comfort when 1t rains to know that It is good for something. With love.— Cousin Kate.] £ £ £ Makino. Dear Cousin Kate, —I would like to he one of your cousins. I would like a pale blue badge. I am iu Standard IV.. and am eleven years of age.—Cousin ZAIDEE. (Dear Cousin Zaldee,—l am pleased to ■welcome you among us, and hope you will write some nice little letters. With love. Cousin Kate.] 4; tfc dfc Taonul. Dear Cousin Kate, —-I am sorry 1 have not written before, but I have not been very well lately. 1 have a sister named Katie. I have been put up to the sixth standard now. It Is our term exain. on Tuesday. My sister Ella is going with me for a holiday next week to Horopito. Well, I must close, as I want to write a letter to wy sister Cousin EVA. {Dear Cousin Eva, —I am so sorry to know you have been unwell; perhaps you «re working too hard. The weather has been so good that you ought to feel well, and yet there is so much sickness about. Let us hope your holiday will set you up ®saiu. With love.—Cousin Kate.J 4* Rotorua. Dear Cousin Kate, —May I become one of your j ublor cousins? I am 11 years old, and 4 go to the State school. I am in standard four. I like going to the school very much, find I Lave such a lot of playmates. Two lof mv friends write to you: their names are Ida and Eva. We have been living in Rotorua a little over a year. I have one dear little sister; her name is Iris. She is four years old. I love her very much. I Slope you will excuse we asking you a question. I should like to know how many cousins there are in your circle. I must close now, as it is my tirtst letter. Give my love to all the cousins, and 1 send my love to you also. So goodbye, with love. —From GWEN. [Dear Cousin Gwen,—l am delighted to welcome you as Q cousin. Your letter Is so very nice and neat. It was a pleasure to read. We have over seven hundred cousins, so we are rather a large family. With love. —Cousiu Kate.J 4. 4* 1 Ashhurst. Dear Cousin Kate, It is some time since I wrote last. I suppose you have got a number of flowers out. We have got some violets and jonquils. Can you play a harp? I can play the harp and the organ. The man that ’works with father broke his arm In the milking machine. We sold 20 liens nut long back. There is a curly dog comes here. He can jump through n houp. We put a piece of bread on bls nose, nnd then we count three, aud lie then throws it in <ho >lr and catches it in his mVnith. He will carry n paper or a piece of wood a-nd a parcel. If we start to play catches ho •tlwaya catches the before it drops on <he ground, and brings it to 'the one who liaK the iwt. I think the beat of all la when the butcher cornea. Up sits up and begs, and ho always gets meat for It. Whoso dog It is I do not know. Wo are practising for a concert. My cow gives half a bucket of milk twice a day. Can you

or any cousin guess this riddle: “Four tstick cstanders, four willy wagers, two lug gers, two pug gers, and a will w-ag?” I must now conclude, as it is time to get the tea ready for «the children aud father. 1 temain your loving cousin LENA. [Dear Cousin Lena, —I am glad to hear from you again, for J know yon are a very busy girl. 1 can’t play the harp, but I think it is a lovely instrument, so sweet and clear. With love. —Cousin Kate.] 4* 4' 4* F eliding. My Dear Cousin Kate,—May I become one of your ‘ Graphic” cousins? I am 11 years old. and am iu -the third standard. Will you kindly send me one of your blue badges. I have no more news, so goodbye. —Cousin ETII EL. [Dear Cousin Ethel, —I shall be pleased to enrol you as a member of our circle. When next you write tell me about your liome life and your pets. With Jove.— •Cousin Kate.] ♦ ♦ * Roslyn, Dunedin. My Dear Cousin Kate, —May I join your circle of cousins. lam nine years old, and am in the third standard. Do you take cousins from so far away as Dunedin? Please send me a brown badge if you have any. We get “The Graphic” every week, and I always read the letters. We came down from Auckland last March. I like Auckland better than Dunedin. I cannot 'think of any more to say, so I must say good-bye. With Iove.—DORIS. (Dear Cousin Doris, —I am pleased to welcome you. We have lots of cousins much further away. I suppose you find Dunedin much colder «than Auckland, and much smaller. With Jove.—Cousin Krte.] ♦ ♦ ♦ 3 Manawatu. Dear Cousin Kate, —I was glad to get a letter from you. The garden looks Dice now with r lot of flowers out. My garden is just blue with violets. How many school teachers did you have when you went to sdhool. I had seven. My aunt Kate is down from Gisborne. We are keeping all the calves this year. The boys are digging tup the orchard and planting out peach trees. The apples were covered with the moth. Mother took 251 be. of butter to Feilding on Friday. Butter is 1/ a lb., and eggs aro 1/ a doxen. The grass is nice and green for the cattle. Have you eeen any little lambs this year, Cousin Kate? 1 have seen a lot. It was Rosy’s birthday on the 15th August. 'She was one year old. I don’t think I have nny more to say tills time: so good-bye, with love to you and all the Cousins, from Cousin MAUI). [Dear Cousin Maid, —This seems to have been a wonderful year for violets. I have never seen them so cheap In the shops before, i went to a very large school just outside of Loudon, aud there was a staff of about twenty. When 1 was very young I went to a school kept by a Quaker lady, «nd we all loved her.—With love, Cousin Kate.] <• + + Manawat’j. Dear Cousin Kate, —<We have thirteen cows, and we take the milk to the factory, which is about three miles away. The po tatoes we put in a few weeks ago were up nicely above the ground, and a frost came nnd bit tire tops off them. We have thirteen calves to night and morning, and they take a little bother. Our garden just smells lovely with the different kinds of flowers. My word, we have a terrible lot of violets out. We have picked a lot for different friends, and our sisters us well as ourselves. 1 think we will have a very dry summer, don’t you. Cousin Kate, because it is very dry for this lime of the year? I hope we do not have a dry summer ■because there will not be any grass for the animals to eat. My word, it is lovt ly to go for a drive out anywhere now with the wattle and the willows coming into leaf. There are two three different kinds of wattle in this jtirt of New Zealand, nnd I think it is so prety. Our peach trees will soon be ont in bloom, and it will make tlte orchard smell so sweet, nnd also Ihe bees will be flving about from tree to tree, getting all the honey they can to store away for next winter. The roads about here now are lovely for cycling and driving, or for walking. I must close now, hoping you are all well.-From your loving Cousin MARGARET. When the golden sun Is getting. When your heart from care Is free. When of others you are thinking. Will you sometimes think of me? £Dcar Cousin Margaret, I once tried to feed one calf for three weeks, and if y urR ®re anything like that. 1 can imagine you have some fun with thirteen. You must have a delightful time in the country; there Is nlwnya something fresh to see; and from now on It will bo charming. 1 think when the winter has been so wonderfully line, we nro more likely to have u wet summer. With love, Cousin Kato.]

I*ate«. Dear Cousin Kate. Will you pieaae sccept me as a Cousin? I am ttiree years old, nnd 1 have got someone to write this for me. My father takes the •• Graphic ’’ {*rery week, and l get him to road me the chil dren’s letters. I have a pet pony iturned trftin. I can ri.lo her al] by myself. ] do •hope to s<‘p my letter in the “ Graphic,'* an It will be a surprise to my parents. 1 will close with love from Cousin EDNA. [Dear Cousin Hdiia. You are rather young to be a coublii Your pony must bo a dear, and yon are plucky to ride it yourself.— With love. Cousin Kate.] 4. 4. 4, Dear Cousin Kate,- 1 would very mueb like to be enrolled as one of your mano cousins. Will von please send me a red badge? I am twelve years old. an 1 I ft to school. 1 have four brothers an | one sister, her name is Eunice. We live quite near the J»each. We go there every tine Sunday after church. We enjoy it very much. We have a pony, a cow. and a <*alf. What do yon think I oiiiJit t > call it? With love from Cousin HAktiLD. [Dear Cousin Harold. 1 am pleased to welcome you as a now member of our circle. There is such a <H*autiful beach at Rangiuru. 1 don’t wonder you enjoy 11. Which do you want a name for, the pony, cow, or calf? With love. Cousin Kate] * £ * I’almerston North Dear Cousin Kate. May 1 beeocue one of your cousins? 1 uni nine vears old «nd in the third standard. I have a pet lamb; can you give me a name for it? We have just had our second term exam. We have had it till excepting our arithmetic and painting, but Miss Chapman does not knew whether we are going to have painting. Dear Cousin Kate, will you send mo a red badge, please? I have one sister older than myself and two brothers. Weil, dear Cousin Kato, I must close now. With love from IVY. (Dear Cousin Ivy, I am very pleased to welcome you as a new cousin. Keep the lamb nice and white, and call it Snowy, and tie a blue ribbon around its neck with a bell on it. With love.—Cousin Kate ] 4 £ VVa ngnnul. Dear Cousin Kate,—Thank you very much for the badge you sent me. I have been a long time writing, but better late than never. I went to the pantomime, and I did not enjoy it as well as the others, but the two little boys were the best. I went to the pictures on Wednesday, and they were very nice. My brother is sick, and he cannot write this week 1 have just finished a book called “Holiday Tiouae,” and it waa vwy nice. There ere such a lot of cases of scarlet fever In Wanganui. Are there in Auckland? The school I go to is only about a hundred yards away from where I Jive, so I have not far to go. have I? Have you ever been at Wanganui. Cousin Kate? I have been here ten years. Now, dear Cousin Kate, I must say good-bye, wltn ».,vc to all the other cousins, not forgetting yourself.—Cousin GRETCHEN. (Dear Cousin Gretchen. I quite agree with you about the pantomime, though, of course, you would not see -it to such advantage on a small stage. I have not heard of any scarlet fever, but lots of jueas’es. 1 have never been to Wanganui, but hope to come some day. With love.—Cousin Kate.] * * * Napier Dear Cousin Kate, -I would like to join your happy circle. 1 was eight* years of age last June, aud I am in standard two. 1 have a brother named Jack; lie is eleven years old. We have a pony. Her name is Biddy. &he is very tricky, but we are ablj to manage her. We have also got n nice big football, and we play every day after school with our anates. Flease send <ne a red badge. 1 must close now. With love. — Cousin ARTHUR [Dear Cousin Arthur,—l aiu pleased to welcome you as a cousin. I do think boys are lucky to have a pony. I hope you are good to Biddy, and don't ride her too hard I supose when summer eomes you piny cricket, nnd put the football away. With love. —-Cousin Kate.] 4* 4* + New Plymouth Dear Cousin Kate. I hope you will let «ne join the cousins? 1 am seven years old. 1 hope you will send mo n red badge? 1 have two brothers and oiu- sister. Have jou been in New Plymouthl go to the beach wiih my sister, and we have nl. <• games. The baby digs iu the sand. I am in the first standard at school. We have 1 little puppy, and the baby Is frlghtcne I of it. H is our exam, on Monday I rrtmain, your loving cousin. MAISIL. | Dear Cousin Maifde, -I am very pleased for you t . join our circle I hope you v ll' 1... ■ g ■ id corresi>ondent 1 eg. I kyow N<;" Plymouth. 1 once lived there, and <li lit it a -charming place I hope you pass i examination. With love Cous i hat I 4- 4 Te Whnr<‘, 1 lam ill <»:i Dcnr Cousin Kate. Siner my last I t t e.’ Io y o u 1 have been for a lung in i d.ij to Auckland, hut 1 have not been \ > v since my return home. s<» have not i'e-'ti in the mood for writing ‘\ ia Wire! s’ vat on while 1 was in town, and 1 went to s *c it. ] thought it lovely, and the scenery \v.i< grand Just aflci I returned from Au kland 1 went to a dance every week for five we ki running; but <«f course I did not k ep that up. It just happened they cam • all together. Now it Is five weeks or m<» since 1 have been to one nt all. We will umM likely have one ns a wind up Io iio< key. « vHI be giving the latter up about t m middle of thfc coming month H "ill n*» potting too warm after Hint. W e have been most successful with ho> key thi< \ <a»r; have never loat a match. We have either won or had n draw- Our ghls "< nt to AuckInnd Inst S.ituiday week, and one of tlie b<i<'ke, iX’UiuH. and beat Ho in dto nil. I xx not amongst the number who w ’? nt ; but tlioy had a very pleasant trip. We had

• great skating carnival here laet week— Poster, fancy, and plain dress. it was a great success. People are awfully keen on skating here this year, but every where they seem to have the erase. Did you *ee it photo, in the “Graphic" last week. ‘ Skating in the King Country"? It amused me very much. The willow trees are all courIng out in green now. ami they look s<> fresh and pretty. I lo\e (hit. time of year, or just a little later: the fruit trees, etc., coming out in blossom are just lovely. I think. One can hardly imagine we are just into September. It is marvellous the way the months fly past. So far this year seems to me to have gone quicker than any. There art* su« h a crowd of lann< ties on the river yow ( and I think there will be a good many

more when the warm weather comes on. They look so pretty on this river. They had a very gnecessful bachelor's ball here a couple of weeks ago. The bachelors had eveiything beautifully manag'd. <>C course I di«i not go, but I hope to come out next winter. It is maivellou# the way houses are going up here. People find it impossible to get a house anywhere. They are taken as fast as they go up. I know of two or three people who are paying rent for houses (before they are ready to live in themi just to secure them. Thev are building a picture theatre here. It is well on the way now, and when it is up w’e will have pictures every night. Besides that now we have two more picture shows, one e\cry night, and the other three nights a

week. With inm h love to yourself and all the cousins.—From Cousin LINDA. [Dear Cousin Lindaf —Many thanks for your interesting letter. You do seem to have a gay time. It is nice to read of your successful season at hockey. Your team will be going on tour soon, I should think. 1 quite agree with you that this year has flown; to think we are well in the ninth month seems wonderful.— With love Cousiu Kate. J * * * Mat aura. Dear Cousin Kate, —Thank yon very mm h for the badge you seni me. What a lot of new cousins you have every week, and some of them write such interesting

letters. Just new the violets and mi,.,,. are lovely. You asked me to tell I P ' l " ,r l o '''''’ Mataura, didn’t yon? Mat nn-i i ’ " :11 -"-"-'t on the banks of the’Matora River’’’.’’'’ 1 . 4 '' 4 eight miles south of Gob* , ’ a , U<i 2:4 is over 1000. On one side of The ,‘i i*,’ 1011 are hills with plantations on them 7 . ‘ 8 the other side It is quite flat until’v, ’ °' l to the Blue Mountains.—With i. , C' u get the eousins, from Cousin KATE ’° “ 1 [Dear Cousin Kate,—We do sem>, < > a huge lot of eousins, but so umuv L’ writing after about three letters i , sl '<> think .Mataura must be pretty by von sal' 1 senption, and much larger than I‘snn' d J" Do you have very eold « 1X ‘ Cousin Kate.J lu lu ’e.