LETTERS AND REPLIES.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLIX, Issue 17, 23 April 1913, Page 57

LETTERS AND REPLIES.

Ocean Bay, Blenheim, xfX EAR COUSIN KATE,—I hope you I \ are quite well. I have just been I v reading the cousins’ letters, and I fX / think Cousin Winnie has written a X very nice one. I was very pleased to see my letter in the “Graphic” lately. I go to school, and I am in the fourth standard. It Is raining hard to-day, so I thought I would write to you. I am going to ask my little brother to write to you; he is 'only so you must excuse his writing. I took rny lunch out with my brother last (Saturday, and did not return for dinner. Now I must close.—From Cousin MEME. P.S.—My little brother does not want to .write just yet; he might write some time. [Dear Cousin Meme, —I am well, but have a very bad cold, which makes me feel horrid. I shall be very glad to have your brother join us. It Is always fun having lunch in the open air. I am afraid the days of picnies are nearly over. We are having it quite cold here, but beautifully fine.—Cousin Kate.] & £ * Feilding. Dear Cousin Kate.—l got the badge on Wednesday. Thank you very much for It. Auntie milks ten cows night and morning, and she is always grumbling about being tired. She says she will have to get rid of some of them, but she never does. One day a lot of girls, as well as myself, were throwing bits of biscuit into the office at school. One bit hit a teacher. He asked U 3 whose nonsense it was. Then we all laughed. Please excuse the writing, but I have to keep dipping the nib Into the ink, as it will not hold “the ink.—Cousin DULCIE.

[Dear Cousin Dulcie, —I was pleased to £et your letter, but it was a very untidy one. Don’t they teach you how to write letters at school. Your teacher is evidently hot very strict. I don’t wonder your aunty 13 tired. I am sure few women are strong for that, and of course lots of other work I suppose.—Cousin Kate.]

4* 4* 4* Te Kopua. Dear Cousin Kate. —I am writing you ft letter so you will know how I am getting oii. I am living near my uncle’s place; but I am going to the Kopua school, and I am ilving away about a mile and a-half. In the morning we have to get up early, and. milk our cows before we go to school. There •are about twenty-seven children altogether Igoing to the Kopua school. • I am about eleven years of age, and In Standard 111. Flease send me a blue badge.—-Cousin BEN. [Dear Cousin Ben, —I am always pleased to enrol boy cousins, though most of them pre very lazy. Of course, you won’t be, .1 know. I think your letter is so very well nnd beautifully neat. I suppose you will be starting football now the weather Is getting colder.—Cousin Kate.] 1 • 4* 4? 4?

i Te Kopua. Dear Cousin Kate, —I was happy when I read what was in youiT’letter and when I saw the badge in it, too. And in the tnornlng, when I went to school, I showed xny tpacuer your letter and the badge. He lead what was in it, too, and he saw the badge in it. He also read the words on the (badge. Several days after I read my own letter in the “New Zealand Graphic’* Jiewsnaper. The “Graphic” belonged to our I did not only read my own letter in the ‘‘Graphic/* but read the other letters fl Well, I have been going to school about three years. I have only four cows and ooe bullock, and I have not got any other Anlmau. Thia is the conclusion W my fcttar.—Cousin WILLIAM* 6

[Dear Cousin William. —I am glad you liked the badge and the letter; all the cousins love seeing their letters in print. I will send yon some “Graphics,” and you can pass them on. Cows and bullocks are very useful things, but not much fun as pets. Now, horses are useful and you can make great pets of them. What are I suppose you have some land, and will you going to do when you leave school? work that.—Cousin Kate.] * * * Wanganui. Dear Cousin Kate,—l expect you have forgotten me by now. I have not had much time to write to you, as I have a great deal of home work to do. We had our school swimming sports last week. I won a first, three seconds, and a third. I went to stay in the country for a week, and I enjoyed it very much, especially going for a ride on the pony. I passed into standard VI., and find it rather easy. The wind has been blowing all day, and it has been very cold. The eclipse of the moon was to tak’e place last night at 9.43 p.m., but it did not take place until somewhere near 11 p.m. There was a severe earthquake here this afternoon, and we were all very frightened. There were two fires here last Sunday, 16tb. The bridge which is being built is advancing rapidly, and it will be finished next March

if things go well. In one of the “Graphics” we received, it had the children’s page missed out, as well as some others. We went for a picnic to Castlecliff, and it was very pleasant. We went in for a bathe, and it was Quite a change. We have a number of flowers out, and some of them are covered with bees. I am not going away for my Easter holidays, though I have been asked. We are going to uncle’s for a day. He lives about three miles out of the town. He is going to take us out in his motor car. There are plenty of mushrooms out there. M e went out mushrooming last Thursday, and got a good deal. Have you bad any mushrooms this year, Cousin Kate? I hope you enjoy your Easter holidays. — Cousin MAVIS.

(Dear Cousin Mavis,—l am very pleased to hear from you again. You must be quite a strong swimmer to do so well. The country, I think, is ideal for a holiday, but I like towns to live in. I bad a bad head, so did not sit up to see the eclipse of the moon. I saw a beauty about four years ago. I read about the earthquake; they are very frightening things. Do you mean there were pages left out of the “Graphic" sent from the oflflee? Easter was very enjoyable here, and on the whole the weather was good.— Cousin Kate.]

Utlku. Dear Cousin Kate, —May I become one of your cousins? I am nine years old, aud in the second standard. My sister Marjorie is in the same standard as I am, and she is eight years old. I have two other sisters, Gwen and Beryl. Gwen is six, and in primer 111. Beryl is twenty-three months obi. Beryl has a pet lamb, aud its name is Nancy. My Cousin Lurline aud Una have gone away from L’tiku, and are living up between Ohakune and Raetihi. My auntie and two little cousins are staying with us. My father has a farm, and he has four dogs. Will you please kindly send me a blue badge. It was Gwen’s birthday the day that daddy’s bridge was smashed. It will be a year on July IGth since it happened. Mr Hopwood is not found yet. I like going to school. There are three lady teachers aud one man teaching at school. I went down to Rongotea to my uncle’s place. He has a farm, and we had a lovely time. Uncle has twenty-three* cows to milk, aud to take the milk to the factory.—Cousin MARY. [Dear Cousin Mary,—l am very pleased to have you join our society. I enjoyed your nice little letter. I should have been most interested to hear about the bridge. Was it washed away in a flopci, or what happened? Tell me in your next letter. —Cousin Kate. J -b 4- <fr

Wellington. Dear Cousin Kate, —I am sorry I did not write to yon before, but I was taken down to the Children’s Hospital in Wellington, and that was why I was delayed. My mate and I suggested writing to you. Her name is Vera Lawton. To-day is Good Friday, and we have just had hot cross buns for

lunch. There are a good many iu here. The other day one of the sisters of the hospital gave us children such a lot of toys. We all like the nurses and sisters; they are so nice. To-day has been such a uiee, warm, calm day. I see now that all the cousins say in their letters, that they are having hot weather, so I suppose we will all be singing out for rain now. I have.been down here nearly three months, and nearly every day has been windy. I am fond of reading Cousin Lena’s letters; they are so interesting. I think I will write to you twice a inonth, if I can remember to. Before I close I will give you a riddle: A riddle, a riddle, a farmer’s riddle, alive at both ends, aud dead In the middle?—l remain, Cousin JEAN.

[Dear Cousin Jean, —I am so very sorry to know that you are in a hospital, but as your letter is so cheerful, I hope it Is not anything very serious, and I do hope you don’t suffer much pain. I hate to think of one of my cousins suffering. We have no children’s hospital in Auckland; of course, there are wards in the general hospital for them, but of course that Is not nearly so nice. We are having cold but very bright weather. I am glad we don’t have as much wind as Wellington. I can’t guess the riddle.— Cousin Kate.]