LETTERS AND REPLIES.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVIII, Issue 26, 25 December 1912, Page 57

LETTERS AND REPLIES.

Ttcar Cousins All, —Just 0 word about our competitions. I thought that this year it would be better to put off the competitions till after the holidays. and hold them about Marek. The reason is that everyone is so busy about this time, and are disinclined to enter. 'Kater on more cousins would compete. Wishing you all lots of fun and a very happy Christmas holiday.—Cousin Kate. Ngaruawahla. /T\ EAR COUSIN KATE.—I intended I k writing to you before this, but I 1 ■ have been busy with my school <A J lessons. We have just had our examination, and I passed into Standard IV. We have had nice weather Tor a week., but to-day it is mining very heavily, and I cannot go io school, as mother is afraid I would get wet riding, and have to stay all day in damp clothis. •We* have a turkey hen that has twelve little turkeys, and when my mother goes down to feed them they will eat the food out of her hand. , Father brought a!! our lambs in and ear-marked them and ent tteir tails. It seems very cruel, but father said it must be done, and they seem io get over ihe operation very quhkiy. We have been busy with the shearing, and we are glad it is over. Shearing is a very busy time with rhe farmers, and it makes a lot of extra housework. is there is such a lot of codking *o be done. It wiH soon be Christmas no«. and 1 am looking forward holiday for mother is going to take my brother and me up io Ehha.n io see my grandma, uncle, and cousins, and we win have a jolty time. Hear Cousin Kate, as I will not be writing again before Christmas. I wish you t- Merry Christmas and a Nrw Year, and hope you will enjoy your holidays. 1 will write again and tell you how I spent mine.—Cousin KATHLEEN. [Dear Cousin Kathleen, —I think your .Utter is one of the nicest I have ever had from a cousin, and. besides bring well express d. is so neat, and the writing is good. Thank you so much for the good wishes. 1 huje that you will also have a happy time. We shall l<»ok forward to your letter telling us all about your holiday.—Cousin Kate.] . £ £ £ Stratford. Dear Cousin Kate.—Please excuse me for not writing before, but I have l»een wait ng to thank you for the blue badge which I have not received yet. Next week Is the show, ard we are all looking forward to Wednesday and Thursday, as those are the days on which it is held. We are having a school concert, but I am not in it.—Cousin LUCY. [Dear Cousin Lucy,—l can t imagine wliat can have become of the badge, for one was posted to Box 3. Stratford, on the 28th of August. However. I will send you another, which I hone arrives safely.—Couish Kate.) * * * Eureka. Dear Cousin Kate.—l was reading the Childrens' Page in the ‘‘Weekly Graphic. *’ I would have written to you before, but we do not get the “Weekly Graphic." I have fi little bla.-k aud grey kitten, and I would like yon to give me a name for her. 1 have also a horse, if you would give her a name, too. I am eleven years old: my birthday Is on the Ist December, . and then I am twelve years oil. I am in standard IV. at school. Wil! you please .send me a badge ?—< ’<»n st n F RANCES. (Dear Cousin France*. —1 am very pleasM to enrol you as a cousin. Suppna'ng you call the cat “Tui" and your h.»n*» “Dobbin.” How nice to have a horse of your own.—Cousin Kate.] £ £ £ Harapepe (Raglan i. Dear Cousin Kate,—May I become one of your many const ni? Dad takea the “Weekly Graphic.” 1 read the cousins' letters every week, and rind them very (ate real lag. and thought I would like to join. RoaeNne aud

<ieorge Gledhill are my sister and brother. I am eleven years of age. and in the third standard. I would be pleased if you will send me a purple badge. I will close with a riddle: “Why does a duck go over the road?"—Cousin FRANCES. [Dear Cousin Frances. —I am glad you iiave joined our happy circle. I was thinking what fun It would be to have a huge Christmas party of all the cousins. I should feel like, “die old wpman who lived in a shoe.” We only have dark blue and red badges.—Cousin Kate.] £ £ £ _ . Okaiawa. Dear Cousin Kate,—l am writing to thank you for the nice badge you sent me. My baby brother has two teeth. I have a garden. It has not many flowers in it yet. Mother has fifty chickens. Our roses are in bloom now. I have two little kittens and Daphne has two kittens. I have bad the niumps and so has Daphne and Pansv. I do not like them. We have three cats and four kittens and four dogs. The dogs are not our pets but the cats are. My sister Daphne might write to you. She is six -years of age. I will write a longer letter next time and tell yon about the show.— From Cousin GRACIE. [Dear Cousin Grade, —I am glad you like the badge. How exciting to watch the dear wee brother's teeth coming. Are you fond of nursing? I hive babies, especially boys. What a large number of chicks and ducks to feed. I once had an incubator and hatched out hundreds, but I got very tired of it.-F-Cousin Kate.] £ £ £ Okaiawa. Dear Cousin Kate. —I am writing to thank you for the nice badge. Our baby is .five, months’ old to-day. Ilia name is

Neville. Do you like bis name? My mother aud my sister and I have a garden each. We have a nice foal. Father has a lovely trotting horse. We are going to the llawera Show if it is a fine day. We are having bad weather up here. We are milking twenty cows. Our early potatoes are fit to dig. I will write a longer letter after the show. — Cousin PANSY. [Dear Cousin Pansy.—l think Neville is a fine name. I have a girl friend who has that name. She is a very pretty sweet girl, and I always think the name suits her beautifully. I shall look forward to your letters al»out the show.—-Cousin Kate.] £ £ £ Taumarunui. Dear Cousin Kate,—May I become one of your cousins? I am twelve years old. I have been reading some of the cousins' letters in the “Weekly Graphic." and I found them very interesting. I have two sisters and one brother. My eldest sister is sixteen years old. and the other is a smart little girl of three, who is always getting up to mischief. My brother is almost ten. We have about forty fowls and thirty chickens. I am saving stamps, and would be pleased to exchange with any of the cousins. I am just learning to ride a bicvcle. Will you please send me a re I badge ?—Cousin TO M, [Dear Cousin Tom. —Of course you can be a cousin. I am delighted to enrol you, aud I hope your interest in the Society won’t die as soon as you get a badge. I expect you make a great pet of that little three-year-old sister. I don't know of any thing one gets so much fun out of as learning to ride a bicycle—unless it is riuking.— Cousin Kate.] £ £ £ Taumarunui. Dear Cousin Kate.—l wish to be one of your cousins. I am ten years old and go to_ school. At' school -we play rounders, cricket, football and cowboys and Indians. We are having our examination within four weeks, and I hope I will pass. If I <l6 I will be in the third standard. I do not like examinations very much. We are not having very good weather: the roads are vorv muddy just now. This is my first letter. I have no pets, but I have a flower and very small vegetable garden. In my flower

garden I have pansier, violets, roses. English clematis, bulbs, and mlguouette; and In my vegetable garden I have lettuce, turnip. parsnip, and pea seeds. Wil! you please send me a blue badge?—Cousin CHARLIE I Dear Cousin Charlie.—l am In luck's way this morning: you are the fourth l>oy cousin 1 have enrolled. What fun you must have at school with all those games. 1 should think al! the gardening you do would leave very little time for pets.—Cousin Kate. J £ + £ Puketarsta (Kto Kim Dear 1 'oiisin Kate.—l received by badge to-night. We will have our examination in about three weeks’ time.- In our class there are three boys. To-day the boys were digging a place to plant some wattle seeds. Do you like music? — Cousin 8 TNG LETON. [Dear Cousin Singleton.—l hope you do well In your examination; I think they always seem worse than they really are. I did not know that you had to plant wattle seeds *o deeply. I am a great lover of music.—Cousin Kate.] £ £ £ Mt. Eden. Dear Cousin Kate.—l was very pleased to see my letter in the “Graphic.” Thank you so much for the nice badge you sent me. and for enrolling me as one of your cousins. Our garden looks very pretty just now. We have some lovely mses I out in bloom. I am looking forward to the Ulhrist--inas holidays, as I always go to my grandma's or auntie’s in the country to spend them and have ouch jolly times. Wo go fern gathering, and have such lovely bathes in the creek. It is a very pretty creek, with* ferns and trees growing along the banka and stepping stones. When I go to my grandma's in the country, we go to the Taniaki river for bathes, and. my. don’t we have fun! We also go out for a row in a boat. I am afraid I am getting my loiter too long, so will close.—" Cousin Winnie. (Dear Cousin Winnie. —lt makes me fee! very envlmm to read the description- of where and how yon are going to spend your holidays; it will be delightful. I otaly hope the weather will be summery an<’

warm. Bathing docs not sound very alluring, for ft U qxrfte cold as I am writing.— Cousin Kate.) Pukrtarata «Kh» Kioh Dear Cousin Kate, I have not forgotten you. Our spaniel dog iiu»* seven pups. My eMo&t brother Is writing to t’uvle Ned. Our examination Is coming pear. 1 like s*'heol better than home. t’oueiu MOLLY. [Dear Cousin Molly,— How many of Ho* pups are you keeping. I wish I lived near you to get one. Everyone has examinations just now; but that worry will soon be over, and then comes the Jolly holiday time. Cousin Kate. J Motupipi. Dear Cousin Kate,—Thank >«•!> for the pretty lutdge you have scut tne. I am going to use it for a book mark. We have had our examination, and I passed. I am In the fir*t standard now. and we are practising for our seitool <ou<ort. It is gofng tobe the week before Chrh*tn»a.s. I am hi the dumb be Its. Do you hang up your slock Ing on Christmas eve? I. do. aud always gel a lot of nice things. Coueiu MEL VILLE. I Dear Cousin Melville. —I think that • * the best way to use a badge. 1 am glad y«'u have passed, and ymt let me know how ymtr cmicert goes off. It is a bmg time elme l hung up my staking, but I do sometimes get nice presents at Xmas time. Thank you f«*r the g»»»«d wish*. Cowin Kate.) + 4* + Pa tea. Dear Cousin Kate.—l am writing y«»u this letter to thank you f»*r The badge, which I >ras very glad to re> < ve. I have net

Smith: "Rottc: short I*..:.«!a?« nt <’hr:-tina», Jones—only three weeks:" Jones. "Well, : us. <ns fl\e for use I’m alweys :.l after Christmas. My mater s pies are stunning! ' ' .

inns time. Will you please ask some of the cousins to correspond with me and send me their address Plenty of kisses and love.— Cousin GERTIE. [Dear Cousin Gertie.—Your letter is sure

n y letter u print, but F <appose all the letters *auH«* lie in at ome. On Friday we* k I am going for the standard exam! nd th’.!, so l will uv't be able to write ©ftei;. b_ut I n 7.i write again about Christ-

to be in son • day soon. I am quite content it the cousins write about once every six weeks or a month. I am sure when the cousins see that you want a corresponds -nt, they will respond.—Cousin Kate.]

“Get u< a a’port U of sweets, Lix.’» “You can t have everythink. If you "a s sweets, you don't get no air o-phuies in your stockings. Wot's it going to be?”

Mt Eden Dear Cousin Kate.—l would very mu h like my letter to be included on the ‘ Children's Page*’ of the “Weekly Graphic.” I am thirteen years of age, and am hi the (fourth standard at Mt. Eden school. I am at present working for the final examination, and hope to move up into the fifth standa d nt rhe beginning of next year. I am very glad that the Mr. Eden baths are Op‘lied. It is compulsory that every’ child In the upper school - that is. from standard three upward—should learn to swim. We go in the baths three Times a week. I can. swim, and was iii a relay race against the Normal School at the “beginning of the year. It was a draw between us. I would very much like to receive a -blue badge.—Cou-in MAITLAND. [Dear Cousin Maitland,—l shall be very pleased to have your letter included in our page, and to enrol you as a member of our Society. Your letter is very- nice indeed. I should think you are sure to be moved up. I should love to be a good swimmer, but I aiu a coward in the water, though I can keep afloat. —Cousin Kate.] + Mt. Eden. Dear Cousin Kate.—l would very much like to be a cousin and receive a blue badge. 1 am twelve years oht, and go to Grafton School. I am only in the third standard, but soon hope to be in the fourth. I have six pigeons, a dog called Bib, and two ferrets. Four of my pigeons are Homers, and the other two Magpies. At present Bob and the two ferrets are up the country with my grandfather, who is shooting rabbits. Last Christmas holidays I went—to Mr Thompson’s farm at Hunily. I had such fun there with my cousin Frank. One day as we were riding on our horses by a swamp my horse gave a high jump and threw me Into the swamp. I was not long in there for I jumped out and rau to the house and changed my’ clothes. —Cousin MAI. RICE. [Dear Cousin Maurice, —Many thanks for your nice letter. I shall be delighted to enrol you as a cousin. Yob have a jolly lot of pets. I hope you will have as muca fun these holidays ns you did last. Farms are ripping places to spend holidays. — Cousin Kate.] i ± * Mt. Eden. Dear <’«>usiu Kate, —May 1 become one of your cousins? I would like a pale blue badge, please. I am 12 years old and in the fifth standard 1 have a dog, and he is so funny. He is always running after the tennis ball and running away with it. I learn music, and like it very much. Wo get - ’ marks ea. h lesson, and the one who gers rhe most marks, for a year gets a p.l-e. Our swimming baths are open. i»ur. owing t“ the wet weather, 1 have not been allowed to bathe.—Cousin ISA LINE. [Dear Cousin I saline, —You certainly rejoice in a most uncommon name, and I am very pleased to add it to our long list of cousins. I think that is a very bad habit for a dog to have; it would t»e all right if it would scout for balls and “mark" them; that would be very useful. Your writing is so nice and neat.—Cousin Kate.] Eureka. Dear Cousin Kate, —I would like to become one of your junior cousins. I am nine years old and in tbe second standard. I have got a little duck a week old. We have a big car. and its name is Colonel Splodger. I g<» to '*«-hool every morning in the mUk wagon. Will you please send me a pale blue badge.—Cousin ELSIE. [Dear Cousin Elsie,—l am very pleased to have you join our circle. I hope you will send me seme nice little letters Do you Tot your little daick go in for a swim? You could make a little bath for it, and then it would be quite happy. What a very Hue name for a - at. —Cousin Kate.) 4: i * Feilding. Dear C.»u*'m Kate.—l hope you won't be thinking 1 am one of those lazy cousin*, bur 1 rhnnght I would wait until I could write y*m a nice long letter. Do you often feel too laxy to write? it wouldn't do for yon to get >»zy, or yon would never be able to answer vurk a mirater of letters. The w-a-tber Memo to be taking up down this way, but the farmers down here want slid more rain for the crops that are jm»t put hi. I hope we will have flue weather fur Christmas, -as the rain apoUs all the merry maktng». There is such a lovely piece of b-sh

just by our place, and it is so nice for pl<b nlcs when it is dry. It is sink a’dorfg tints since 1 wrote to Cousin David; I haven’t heard from him yet; perhaps he would rather have a boy correspondent. The Felldlng Races are at the end of this month. My sister and I always go, as we think it great sport watching the horses racing and hearing the excited crowd giving vent to their feelings. Have you ever l*een to the Talmerston Show, Cousin Kate? I went, and had a most enjoyable time meeting all old friends, aud was just about talked out by the time 1 got home. Father ha« such a funny old dog iTpwser),. but he won't work for tne; he Is so cunning, aud when I call him he runs and hides m au old shed, and would let me call for an hour if I didn't go and haul him out. What would you do when you found him? Cousin MAB. (Dear Cousin Mab,—Y’our nice bright Utter was quite worth while waiting for. I should think I just did feel laxy sometimes. I have so much writing to do for the ’•Graphic” that I hardly ever write a private letter I have uot heard from Cousin David for mouths: perhaps somethin* has happened to him; I hope not. 1 always think that “people” are almost more interesting than the horses at race meetings. I once went to the Palmerston Show. This year, though our Show lasted three days. I could not make time to go. 1 guess I should whack that dog Tvwser.—Cousin Kate.] ± * & Wanganui. Dear Cousin Kate,—l received the badge you sent me. We have been having very miserable weather lately. It was my sister's birthday last Friday. The Horticultural Show is to be held nil the 27th and 28th. My sister is going to put in a bouquet and buttonholes. AVo have a great many buttonhole roses in bloom. I think Cousin Lena iu Ashurst writes very interesting letters. They have Girl Scouts in Wafeganui. We went to the meeting, and there was a great deal of arguing over it. Our cat is losing his fur. We have a big dolls’ house. We often have afternoon tea there. There is a new bridge being built. It will be quite useful to us. 1 went to The City Band Bazaar. It wa* lovely. The showgrounds were crowded with people. There were very few sideshows there. Cousin MAVIS. [Dear Cousin Mavis. —Tr inuring with rain as I write, and Is cold onough for June. <_ousin Lena's letters seem t<» amuse the cousins. We have Girl Peace Scouts here. Lady Islington takes- a great interest in them, and received them bef«»re she left. What a lovely dolls' house to be largo enough for tea.—Cousin Kato. |