Cousin Kate’s Correspondents.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVIII, Issue 16, 16 October 1912, Page 57

Cousin Kate’s Correspondents.

TO OUR YOUNG READERS-

Our young readers are cordially i;i* vited to enter our wide circle of CoiisinSj 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 letters 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, ail 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 will be sent to each new Cousin on the receipt of an addressed envelope.

LETTERS AND REPLIES.

Rotorua. ZfA EAR COUSIN KATE,—I am so I \ sorry that I have Dot written long ■ before this to thank you for the S r badge you sent me a long time (A / ago, but it is very seldom that we get the “ Graphic ” now, so I do not see the letters. I am twelve years old; my birthday was on the 25th of last month, and I am in the fifth class at school I went to Auckland for my Christmas holidays, and stayed for a month tat my auntie’s at Devonport, and one day when I was coining homo from Bayswater (with auntie in the puffing-hilly I saw youAuntie told me that it was you. She wanted me to go and speak to you, but I did not like to, as you had some other lady with you. Ten of our boys have won medals for shooting at school this year, and also the challenge shield, which they bold for one year; also a certificate for their gardens. The presentation was made about three weeks or a month ago, and daddy, who was actingchairman of our school committee, presented the shield and the medals to the Cadets, who were very pleased with themselves, and the ten Cadets who won the medals had their photos taken with the shield. There are such a lot of measles and mumps about Rotorua, but my sister and I have escaped everything since we have been here, and our roll is not very large at school. —Cousin GWEN. [Dear Cousdn Gwen,—l am so pleased to bear from you again. I do wish you had spoken to me. I am wondering who your buntie is. You write* very well for a twelve-year-old, and I do hope you are going to turn over a new leaf and write regularly. 1 think girls should take a great interest in the Cadets, and do everything to encourage them. Please do not write on both sides of the paper.—Cousin Kate.] 4- 4* 4* Waipukurau. Dear Cousin Kate, —When reading the Children’s Page In the “Weekly Graphic,’’ I thought I would like to become a member of the circle. We have a little black kitten. Would you please give me a name for it? I have one sister and three brothers. My eldest brother is in England now. WouN you send me a badge, please?—Cousin DORIS. [Dear Cousin Doris,—l am very pleased to welcome you as a member of our society. How would “Tim” do for the kitten? Won’t It be lovely when summer comes—l nm very tired of this weather.—Cousin Kate ] 4-4 4Papa ma. Dear Cousin Kale, —We had a thunderstorm here last night. There were ever so •ninny flashes of lightning, and some very heavy hail showers. We thought the thunder might clear nway some of the rain we have had, but it doesn’t seem much bettdr. To-day we wont for a walk In the paddock, and we saw n sheep with throe little lambs. Twa of them cm mid not walk, and the sheep was bunting the other one*, mnd would not let it come near her. I was very sorry for the poor little things. There Is a lot of yellow kowhni out in the bush, and it looks so pretty. The orchard doos, two. All the peach trees look lovely. 1 hope we will have n lot of fruit next summer. We still have some apples left. We stored •ome In a shed, anil two or throe days ago We sort<*d them out, nnd threw away the 1>«<I oum. My gard(*a has got a few Rowers Id

it now, though the slugs anil snails have been rather bad. We go out sometimes at night, and shake Umo over the plants. They dou»t like that much. We are doing our spring Henning now, nnd after we had washed and ironed a lot of curtains and things, we put them on the bed in the spare bedroom, and the door was open, and the cat went in wi.th his muddy paws and dirtied them all. We were angry with him —Cousin NANCY. (Dear Cousin Nancy,—Many thanks for your nice letter. As I am writing it is mining with as much energy as though it had not rained for weeks. We are all very sick of it; but in spite of all this there are heaps of lovely flowers out, and the trees are just lovely in their new spring dress of green. It is very hard to punish a cat, but it was very annoying.—Cousin Kate.] ♦ ♦ Christchurch. Dear Cousin Kate.—l have just been reading your Letter, which I saw in the “Graphic.” We are having finer weather How, and It is just about time. My sister and I have just been back from Wellington, ti week. We went up there for a skating carnival, but we had no luck. We are coming to Auckland to live in about a month. —Cousin PEARL. [Dear Cousin Pearl, —Did you go up to Wellington to compete in skating? You will find lots of chances up here to shine. You will be here before this is printed.—Cousin Kate.]

Dan nevi rke. Dear Cousin Kate, —I am sorry I have not written to you before, but 1 will try and write more regularly. I enclose a penny stamp for the badge you sent me. You can see by my new address that we have shifted from Stanley Street. Our school is having a bazaar, and 1 am dressing a doll |for it. It Is now getting late, and 1 must close.—Cousin AMY [Dear Cousin Amy,—We do not charge anythin.' for the badges. It is great fun to make pretty tilings for the bazaar; do all the dolly’s clothes come off? They are so much nicer if they do; quite worth the extra trouble.—Cousin Kate.] 4* 4* 4? Rockville. Dear Cousin Kate,—Please forgive me for not writing for so long; I am In standard 11. at school now, and Iris is in standard IV. 1 like going to school. We have such fun there. It has been raining here for the last two weeks. I hope it fines up no.v. How many cousins are there now? There must be over a thousand, and there are always mor? joining. When is your birthday? Mine is on the 3(>th of May. I will write a longer letter next time. —Cousin WINNIE. [Dear Cousin Winnie,—lf the rain goes on much longer we shall all turn into ducks It has been raining in Auckland for months. My birthday Is ou May 7. —Cousin Kate.] 4* 4* 4* Rockville. Dear Cousin Kate, —What kind of weather are you having? It Is nearly always raining here. The roads are very muddy. We have such fun at school now. At first we played at bung girl scouts, and we met together every Saturday, and went out for long walks together. That lusted for about three weeks. Then we had play houses, and all the children brought broken crockery, and now we have a theatre. I wonder what will be the next item on the programme? Where has Uncle Mun and Dot

gone to? Perhaps they have landed in un Indian jungle, and have been eaten by the tigers. 1 would very much like to corresj olid with some of the other cousins. My address is “Miss iris Richardson, Rockville, Collingwood, Nelson.’’ My fluw er and vegetable gardens look very nice. The daffodils and jonquils are out in flower, and the Hies, snowdrops, pansies, and violets look very nice. 1 urn sending you a pansy out of my garden.—Cousin IRIS. [Dear Cousin Iris. — You seem to have great games at school. You will have to play at being fishes unless we get some flue weather. Cousin Helen Firth, whose address was in the “Graphic” of the 25th, .vauts some cousin to write to her. —Cousin Kate.] •fr * ♦ „ Ha worn. Dear Cousin Kate, —I aui so sorry that I did not write before, as I did not have time. We are having holidays now, hr our teacher is in the New Plymouth hospital. My pony is getting much better, und I think I will soon be able to ride it to school. There are such u lot of dour little lambs. One of our sweet peas Is out, a pink one. Have any of yours come out, if you Lave any ?—Cousin MARG A RET. [Dear Cousin Margaret.—There are quite lots of sweet peas out, but those in my garden won’t flower for some time. There are lots of lambs on our golf course frisking round; such funny little things.—Cousin ’Kate.] 3: ± * Puketara, Kio-bi. Dear Cousin Kate, —I liked my badge very much. I often read the cousins’ letters, and most of them are interesting. We play basket ball, and rounders nt school. I ride to school. I have ii little grey cat for a pet.—Cousin MOLLIE. [Dear Cousin Mollie, —I was pleased to get your nice little letter. Basket ball must be good fun. I have watched matches being played. What do you call your cat? Cousin Kate.]