LETTERS AND REPLIES.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVII, Issue 22, 29 May 1912, Page 57

LETTERS AND REPLIES.

Papa toe toe* EAR COUSIN KATE,—May I become I 1 one of your senior cousins? I 1 » have been reading your letters in fX / the “Graphic,” and I have been x Z very interested in them. We have •three tennis courts at school, and many an hour 1 spend in playing tennis. I will‘not make this letter very long but I will write a longer one next time.—Cousin LESLIE. [Dear Cousin Leslie, —I am delighted to welcome a senior boy cousin. lam always full of hope when I get senior cousins; 1 hope you won’t, fail me, and forget to write after the first letter or so..—Cousin Kate.] •1 * * Palmerston North. Dear Cousin Kate,—l suppose you have begun to think I am one of those lazy cousins, who write for a time and then forget all about you, I have been to Wellington for a holiday, and enjoyed myself very much., I like it much better than Pahiierston.' We went to the Zoo, and we thought it was lovely. They have a most beautiful collection of birds. We saw the lions and sea lion. They are very amusing. The monkeys are more fascinating.— Cousin NELL. [Dear Cousin Nell, —I am very pleased to hear from you again. I agree with you that monkeys are fascinating. Whenever 1 am in a zoo I spend most of the time .watching them; one monkey is not nearly so amusing, but a lot together are so wicked. You must not write on both sides of tne pap e r. —Co us i u Kate.] 4 4* Hunterville. Dear Cousin Kate, —I received the lovely badge you sent me. 1 could not write to you before because I was having my examinations, and I am sorry tha t I will not be able to write after because I never have much time. In the morning and evening I have to feed the fowls and sometimes have to work in the garden, and also have home lessons. Wil) you excuse my writing, because I have such an old pen.—Cousin ■BASIL. [Dear Cousin Basil, —You will find that I am not very exacting, but I do think that when once you join a thing, the least you can do Ls to keep your share of the bargain, and that is to write occasionally in this case. 1 know when boys are at school (there is not mu-dh spare time. —Cousin Kate.] * i I Hunterville. Dear Cousin Kate,. Thank you very much for the badge. I am going to use it for a bookmarker. I think it is very pretty. I am staying with some friends in HunterVille. It is very pretty up here. There are a lot of horst's, so we have a lot of rid lug. Do you like riding? 1 am very fond of it. My favourite tilings are drawing and painting.—Cousin AUDREY. [Dear Cousin Audrey,—l nm glad you like the badge. I think that is the best way to use It. You must be having a lovely holiday. I used to have lota of riding once, but have not ridden for years. Do you try nnd copy nature, or what sort of drawing do you go in for?—Cousin Kate.]

Newman. Dear Cousin Kate, May 1 become one of your ‘Graphic” cousins? 1 am iii the fifth standard, and am years old. Please send me a blue badge. 1 have only two pets; one is a dog and f he oilier a horse, and I love them very much. — Cousin MOLLY. [Dear Cousin Molly,—l am very pleased to enrol you as a member of the cousins’ society, and I hope you will be a good correspondent. You could hardly have two more delightful pets.—Cousin Kate.] 4* 4* 4* Napier. Dear Cousin Kate, —We have now broken up for our school holidays. I am just longing to go back again, as I think if you don't go away you get very tired. 1 went to the pictures on Saturday night. They were just lovely. Nearly all the first part of the programme consisted of scenes of Waikareinoana. ■Some of the scenes were beautiful. Since 1 last wrote, I have been skating. I have been on three times now. The first time I tried I felt a little nervous, but I soon got over that. 1 very often have falls, but there is always some kind person near to pick me up. I do dread the winter coming on. I hate the cold, and the days are very short. There is never any time to play tennis or any other games ■after school. Last Wednesday we had a Christian Union concert up at school, in order to raise enough money to send three girls away to a Christian Union camp

which is to be held somewhere near Otaki. We made £3 10/, and that will be sufficient to pay half expenses for each girl. Besides recitations and musical items, we had afternoon tea in the cooking school. 1 was on the Tea Committee, so I was kept busy pouring out tea nearly all the afternoon. My sister Vera was stage manager, with several others to help her. We all had a very happy little afternoon, and we ■were all quite sorry when our concert was over. —Cousin MAVIS. [Dear Cousin Mavis,—Your letters are always so neat and well written, they are quite a pleasure to read. Fancy wanting to get back to school! 1 always hated it, 'which I know now was very wrong and silly. I think the best fun of skating Is in the learning stage, don’t you? I am glad your concert was such a success. It was a charming idea, and it is so nice to be helpful.—Cousin Kate.] iii Wellington. Dear Cousin Kate, — I suppose you will be wondering what has become of me. 1 have not had much time for writing letters, because we have been moving. I am dressing a lot of dolls for the Salvation Army Home. I have only dressed one so far. The boy that got the second prize in the competition is my cousin. He lives in Woodville. I correspond post cards with a girl in England, and she sends me some pretty ones. Do you collect post cards? Why don’t you

put your photo in the “Graphic,” Cousin Kate? How many cousins have you now? You must have over a thousand. 1 am learning French Wo have an hour a week, and 1 like it very much. We have moved to Berhampore, and 1 like it very much. Cousin PHYLLIS. [Dear Cousin Phyllis,—l have long ceased to wonder why cousins do not write. I am just quite pleased to get their letters whenever they come. No, I don’t collect post cards. I have not counted the cousins list, but it is a very long one. 1 think it would be rather a risk to have my picture in the “Graphic.” It might disappoint th° cousins.—Cousin Kate.] 4* 4’ 4Hunterville. Dear Cousin Kate The badge is so niceI am at home for (ho holidays, and 1 have some little friends staying. We went for a ride yesterday, and we went out mustering with father. I won’t be able to write often, as I board at school. Father has a pup. Please will you give me a name for it? 1 cannot ride one of my ponies, Tom. We got the cows every ’light, and feed the fowls too. It is very wet this afternoon, and we can not go out.—Cousin SYBIL. [Dear Cousin Sybil,—Don’t you think it Is lovely having visitors? You ought to have a good time with horses, and all the doings of a farm life. How would “Niger” do for the pup? I am glad to see you make your selves useful. You must not write on both Bides of the paper.—Cousin Kate.]