LETTERS AND REPLIES.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVII, Issue 19, 8 May 1912, Page 57

LETTERS AND REPLIES.

Te Ktrtti. EAR COUSIN KATE.—It is quite I \ a laug time since I wrote to you I ■ last and I am afraid you will think z I / that is a very had beginning to ks/ make, but I am afraid that 1 Will not he able to write very often, as I am kept fairly busy. i received the badges which you so kindly sent me. and think that they are very pretty indeed. There is some talk of a High School being erected here, and if this is so I shall be sure to attend. It will be a great boon, ns There is a great number of children m Te Kuiti and outlying districts who cannot get any more education after the sixth standard. Te Kuiti is a very pretty little town, surrounded by low hills, on whica grows a great deal of native bush. 1 do rot know whether you have ever passed through Te Kuiti, but if ever you do I am sure you will think it a very pretty little place. We have been getting very bad weather here lately, and it seems to have given me rheumatism in the muscles of niy neck, for it is exceedingly painful and has prevented me going out of doors for the last three days.—Cousin HAZEL. [Dear Cousin Hazel.—l am very pleased to hear from you again. Just write when von can. Te Kuiti must be rather a wonderful lit tie place. One seems to bear so iau« h about it and ye: it is so very young. I h po your rheumatism is better. —Cousm Kate] 4* 4* 4* Hast well. Dear Cousin Kate.—l am very much ashamed of myself for not writing t » you for so long. It has been lovely weather his last week or two. My sister has gone to Wellington, and I miss her very much. We walk three miles to Mangamahoe Sun-day-school every Sunday if fine. They have all had the mumps up this way. My sister has had them very badly.—Cousin KATHLEEN. [Dear Cousin Kathleen. —Now the long winter evenings are coming you will be glad of something to do. and so perhaps the cousins will hear from you more often. Where is Hastwell? —Cousin Kate.] ± ± ± Kontol. Dear Cousin Kate.—l am sure you think I have forgotten you. but I have not. Really I have not had time to write, for 1 had’ such a lot of work to do. I had my friends to see me -to-day, but they have gone now. and I am sorry. We had our Easier Monday dance last week, and I went as a flower girl. I though: the badge was very pretty, and I was pleased with the little letter you sent me. I am keeping it for remembrance. I was pleased to see my letter in the ‘’Graphic.*’ I have_ a little sister born on your birthday, the 7th May. —Cousin ANGELICA. [Dear Cousin Angelica.—l am glad you Eked the badge. I always find the cousins* remember me sooner or later. Your holidays must have t»een jolly. What Ls your sister's name? It is supposed to l»e an unlucky m*»ntb. but I have not found it so.— Cousin Kate.] 4 i * Ashhurst. Dear Cousin Kate, —I am sending you a few more lines. I am pleased to see my letter in the •’Graphic” today. We are beginning to have cold and windy weather now. 1 do bate these long winter nights, it does get dark so quick. There is going to be the Ashhurst sports on May Ist (Wednesday >. Which would you rather go

to. the sports or the races? I would rather the aports. About how many cousins have you got this year? There sevius a large number joining lately. Did you go away for the Easter holidays? 1 did n >t. Our next door neighbour has a cow that can take a rope off the gate, and any gate that has springs she is bound to get through* She will eat apples and any fruit off the trees. She ought to go iff for a circus. If she is thirsty she simply turns the pump handle with her horns and has a drink and goes away. You would trip over her before she would move for you. We drove two calves three miles the other day. It took us two hours. We did have a good deal of trouble at one corner where there were four roads, but we succeeded at last. I suppose you have nothing to do in Auckland —no cows, fowls, ducks, pigs, or calves.

Little Mary.— My father has a diamond shirt-stu J’’* Little Anna. —"Well, my father lias a diamond ring!” Little Hannah.—‘ Huh! My father has a carbuncle on his nose” You must have fine times with only the housework to do. I doubt if you do that; I suppose you have a servant. —Cousin LENA. [Dew Cousin Lena, —As you say. we have a lot of cousins, but I must say there are very few who write as often as you do. Most of them, after they get the badge, don’t bother, which I think is rather mean. That cow must indeed be fit for a circus. I should go to the sports. Races fire not much fun for little girls. I stayed In Auckland for Easter, and had a happy time. 1 must confess mat I have not done housework for years, but I can and have done ft. You are just as happy as any town girl—happier, I fancy.—Cousin Kate ] i i ± Pa hia tua. Dear Cousin Kate, —May I become one o' your cousins? We have not long since shifted into Pahiatua. We used to live at Manga tainoka. We are half a mile out of the town. I like the place very much. There are nine roams Lu it. I am just beginning to learn music. I have a very fat iamb. It is my pet, and I have a calf. It will bate if anyone teases it. Would you kindly send me a red badge?—Cousin MAGGIE. [Dear Cousin Maggie.—l am very please! to welcome you to our circle, and I hope you will be a good correspondent. It is good fun going to a new place to live, and making new friends. —Cousin Kate.] ill Papakura. Dear Cousin Kate. —Lots of the children at our school have got the mumps. I want to get them, tou. I like school, but I like holidays better. I have not had the mumps yet. I have a vegetable garden of my own at school. It Is rather large, but I do not mind that. I had to pull all the plants out of it last Friday. Every Wednesday

we have drill, while the girls are having sewing. My brother and myself have a little pup between us. and it is four months and four days ohl. It was one month oil when we g»t it. Its name is King.— Cousin CHARLES [Dear Cousin Charles. I think you ar* rather a bad boy to wish to get mmnps; al any rate, you ire very frank about it I suppose yon like drill better than any of y »ur lesions. If I dou’r hear from y»n for some time I shall know y »u have go! your wish.—Cousin Kate.] lit Napier. U •usin Kate, I ais very p' as--.| to receive the badge you sent me. I feel so proud belonging to your nice society. You have a great many cousins now: there seem to be new oues every week. 1 have been playing tennis a good deal this year, and I hope to be in the school team next year. I am very fond of it. <aa you play. Cousin Kate, and are you fond of it? 1 am reading a Lively book at present, called ’ Bashful Fifteen,” by L. T. Meade. I love her books. I think they are very interesting. I am going to watch the skating to-morrow afternoon. I would lave to skate myself, but I ft in afraid. I am a little nervous, but I hope to be able to skate soon. We are getting a new skating rink in Napier, and It will be ready in about twelve weeks. We have cooking lessons at school now. I am getting quite a good cook, and I will soon be able to help mother with the cooking. My first lesson was not a very good success. We ail made scones, and I must have put too much soda in them, and made them go a greenish colour. They did not look very tempting, but I am making better progress now. We ftil cook in partners, bo we are able to help one another, which is very nice.—Cousin MAVIS. [Dear Cousin Mavis.—Many thanks for your nice, well-written letter. I have played tennis* for at least twenty years, an 1 like it as much as over. I have started golf now. I am glad y >u are learning to cook; all girls sh »uld do that well. Your scones must have looked weird. —Cousin Kate.] * * * OtakL Dear Cousin Kate. —May I become one of the members of the cousins’ s->« iety? 1 am twelve years old, and will be thirteen on the 3rd of January. We have a little kitten that I may tell you about some other day. If you send me a bad go I would prefer a blue or red one. As this is my first letter. I will no: make it too long.—Cousin GLADYS.

[Dear Cousin Gladys. I am very | \a-ed to enrol you as a member of our sovXjr. 1 shall be glad to hear about your --or, indeed, anything you care t.> ur.te ab*Hit -Cousin Kate.] i i 4 Mount Edc’i, Au *kl.u •! Dear Cousin K ite. 1 have written • \ . befor»\ bui i tipeer y »u have forg We have lovely games, tennis a: I r •.»; t, and we also have a lovely swim:uiu» ba h I am thirteen years of age. an I i standard 1 i. i. e | ' aeag mt like boy a. Aad I ha.. - * grey kiceti. find ii plays and looks at the canary. -Cousin NOKA [Dear Cousin Nora. —I looked your n-.v. up, and I see you joined three years i - • I am glad you want to write again; yon must not write on two sides of the pa;-e.-Do you still live at Dargaville? I supp the kitten is thinking ••When are they g* i - x to leave the canary’s cage door open? Cousin Kale.] 4*4 Chriatcbun Dear Cousin Kate, —Just a line in ans-v •• to your last letter, which 1 saw in C ‘•ClhraphL?” W e have just finished »« Easter holidays. We only got three d <_"> holiday, as we are going to have two wat the end of the month. If you col post cards. I wish you would tell me. an-’ I will be able to send you some. Cou>;i PEARL [Dear Cousin Pearl,—Please to remem -' to write on only one side of the paper 1. future. We have two rinks going h •• but I don’t think people are as keen --i as they were last year. I don’t <•<!•■ ; cards; thank you for the kind though: Cousin Kate ] „ r, i Te Kah i I»ear Cousin Kate.—We are having ve> v dull weather just now. All the flower' our garden are growing well, and n of the bulbs are coming up. About a w- lago one of our hens hatched out two \ chickens. Once a little eicl gave mot • five turkey eggs. She Set them under hen, but only two came out, and we afraid they are both gobblers. M e did is get any grapes this year; the birds : them all- There is a library hi our s-h > so we get plenty of reading. -Cousm (Dear Cousin Isie, —I found two paperwhite narcissi in bloom in my garden t i--morning: surely that is very early, rhis ivrv late for chickens to hatch out. Novear they should lay (hiring the winter, when eggs are scarce. < mid you not n-t your vines? - Cousin Kate ]

Pukekohe. D<ar Cousin Kale, —I hui very sorry 1 have not written to you -before this. My ► is! er lias been away for some week*, but she vainr home last Tuesday, and I hope I will have time to write more often. It Las been a very wet day up h?rc. Would you kindly send me another badgc.as 1 was out on rhe l»ea<-h and I lost the one you sent? We are getting all the footpaths and roads doi»t up here. I have a little kitten. Would you please give mo a name far It? My fav< write game is lilde-an l-seek and rounders. We have a lovely lig bank getting built here, and many brk k shops. I have a ride on a gills hon;e >u».n y every night, and it is very frisky. It is a wonder it has not bucked me off. My cousin ami I have been learning the piano coming two years, and 1 will soon bo learning the crga.i, Pwkekohe is guln> nhead this last

five years, but I think In about three years it will go back. 1 got a prize at the show for a pinafore. We have eighteen fowls and four roosters. I have just come back from my holidays. I have passed my exam., and I am now in Standard IV. We have rive of my cousins staying with us. Their names are Alice, Queenie, Rennie, Arthur and Cecil. They have been staying with us for nearly four years. We are going to have the Pukekohe station moved up the line about a-quarter of a mile. Have you ever been up this way at any time? If you haven’t, it would be very nice for you to mine and spend a day in the bush, it would be a happy day. You could inquire where we live, because we live quite near the street. Perhaps next holidays. What a lot of cousins have Joined our circle. Our eat has four kittens, which are very pretty. It‘was very nice to road the consle** letters

this week, because nearly all nf them got a prize. It has been such a long time ago that 1 suppose yon have forgotten my age. I am twelve.—Cousin IVY. [Dear Cousin Ivy, -I am glad to hear from you owe more. Call your kitten Kipper. 1 have never been to your town, but will take your advice and come one fine day.—Cousin Kate.] & i Levin. Dear Cousin Kate,—May I become one «»f your cousins? I am eight years old, and in Standard 1. I have five pet bantams. We used to live in Palmerston North, but are now staying in Levin. Please send me a pink badge, or. if you have none, a red one. Cousin WINIFRED.

[Dear Cousin Winifred/ —I am very pleased to enrol you* ns a member of ‘Pur society. Bantams make such sweet little pets, 1 think. Write again some day, soon. —Cousin Kate.] * + * Stratford. Dear Cousin Kate.—l am sorry to say •that I have not written for a long time. We arc having bad weather in Stratford, and our cows are drying off. We have got a new s bool built now.—Cousin ALFRED. | Dear Cousin Alfred, — 1 wish all the cousins would remember to write on only one side of the paper. Yes, you have been lazy, but I suppose I must forgive you. Write and tell me bow the concert and show go off. Because the head is on one side and the tail on the other.—Cousin Kate.]