Cousin Kate’s Correspondents.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLIX, Issue 24, 11 June 1913, Page 57

Cousin Kate’s Correspondents.

-TO OUR YOUNG READERS. Dur young readers are cordially fci/ed to enter our wide circle of Cousins, by writing to COUSIN KATE, " The Weekly Graphic,” Shortland Street, Auckla'itCousin 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 tome 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. Waitomo Caves. EAR COUSIN KATE—I would be I > delighted if you would enrol me I v as one of your cousins. Would < A / you please send me a badge in x—X addressed envelope you find enclosed? My home is on a farm called Hutewai, which is situated about one mile from the famous Waitomo Caves. The .place is Called Ilutewai because of a pretty little plant that grows in the place where we live. Another pretty little plant we have here is called penny royal, which has a blue flower, and in the summer time it is a pretty sight to see the land one mass of blue. I am very fond of animals, and Would like to tell you of some of my pets. I have an imported pug dog named Walter. Walter is a black little chap x and looks always full up of life: he doesn’t, like homo at all, and takes a huge pleasure wanderlug round the country making love to all. Another of my pets is a little sheep pup that I call Simmy. 'The other day Simmy was ill with distemper, so my father gave him a drink of brandy, that, strange to say, lie seined to like. Have you ever heard a dog that liked brandy before.' My brother has a big. long greyhound that he calle Como, and his dog is very fast when he Is after anything, but at other times he looks sleepy, in fact bored. In our house fre have a big tom-cat that we call Slnclairj this cat sleeps through most of the day, but when night time comes he begins to get restless. From the roof you hear howls and moans, noises sometimes joyful, sometimes sad. Next morning in comes .Sinclair, Weary. worn and sad, face scratched and Covered in gore—my brother says he has been having a night out. Running about dur place we have a billy-goat that the men ball Charlie. This goat has a great weakness Sor tourists. Two or three girls may |>e walking down the road, and Charlie will butt himself in. On our farm we have an bld bull that we call Pa. This old chap is a idoclle old animal, but I’m afraid there is a Jot 6f the sleeping volcano about his composition, and he sometimes has a wicked ln his eyes. We have also a red and •friilte cow that we call Mondie. I like tanking Mondie, as she Is a dear old thing. There are two little kittens that play In our backyard, called Steve and Aggie It. is a pretty sight to see these little fluffy creatures* playing together. Steve chases Aggie; 'Aggie, who Is very coy, runs away. Steve looks bewildered for a moment, then shakes hfe head, as much as to say, “I will catch you yet,” and is off again. Another 'tabby cat watches these kittens playing, but ds not sure if he would be allowed to play with Steve and Aggie. A friend of mine has a mare named May, and he often rides over to see me. He Iras a good many pots, |jo,; his favourite, however, is n petite little gtane hen that he calls Zol. I have just read two nice books called “Behind the .Log” and ‘ What do you know?” Have you read them? Please send me a red badge.— CtotMin TOMM Y. „ {[Hear Cousin. Tommy,—Your letter was most amusing. I am sure the cousins will enjoy read big It, and am very pleased to enrol you ns a cousin. There was no addressed envelope enclosed, so I am wondering H Waitomo Caves will find you. Your various pets must take quite a lot of looking alter. I a in not very keen on pug or bull dogs. Yon do not say how old you are; by youi- letter 1 should way you were -a jwaior causin.—*Couwlu Kate )

U tiku. Dear Cousin Kate,—You will think I have quite forgotten you; but it is not so. We have five black and. white kittens. They are such dear little things. Would you kindly give them names for me? We are having very cold weather now.—Cousin MARJORIE. [Dear Cousin Marjorie,—l am glad to hear from you again. Five kittens together must be delightful. I think they are such dear things, if only they would stay like that. Call them Fluffy, Peter, Buster, Lady and Flirt.—Cousin Kate.] 4 4 4 Wanganui. Dear Cousin Kate, —I have been reading th© ‘’Graphic” lately, and I take such an interest in the Cousin Kate correspondents, I am eleven years old and am in the Sixth Standard. I learn the violin; I am very fond of music. I went for a ride to Fellding in the car last week. I have a dog, a cat, and twenty white mice. Mummy and Daddy have gone to Sydney for three mouths, and I am very lonely. Now I must run off to bed. Trusting I may see this in the “Graphic.” If I do, I will .send it to my parents.—Cousin FANNY. ; [Dear Cousin Fanny,—l shall be delighted to have you for a cousin. Your letter is very nice indeed. What ever pleasure can you have in -white mice; they are such creepy things. I can quite understand you must miss your mummy and daddy. You have not put your full name-, so I can’t send you a badge.—Cousin Kate ]

Wellington. Dear Cousin Kate, —I am sorry I have .not written to you before. We have got our holidays now. I am going to stay out at Lowry Bay. We had lovely fun when Tl.M.s. New Zealand was here. I must say good-bye now, as I am going out. —Cousin •ROBIN. [Dear Cousin Robin, —I am glad you want to join the Cousins’ Society. We also had. a great time during the New Zealand’s visit, and are looking forward to the return visit. Do you go to the same school ag cousins Eddy and Tom?—Cousin Katg.J 4 4 £ Puketarata (Kio Kio). Dear -Cousin Kate, —It seems a long time since 1 wrote to you, but I have not been well lately. We had a dance on Wednesday night for the opening of our new hall. The hall was decorated with flags and ferns, and looked so pretty. Can you dance, Cousin Kate* I have just started to learn lately. I suppose there will be great -rejoicings over the arrival of the ■battleship. Two of my brothers and myself are going down to see it with some more school children. —Cousin JESSIE. .[Dear Cousin Jessie. — I am sorry to hear you have been unwell. So many people I know have colds or Influenza. 1 am very fond "of dancing, and while 11.M.5. New Zealand was hi port I went to merry datrees five nights running. I was just worn out. I enjoyed my visit on board. I hope you saw lots of interesting things, but I suppose ’tlie crowds were so huge you had just to go with the stream.—Couein Kate.j 4* 4* 4 Paparon. My dear Cousin- Kate, If it does not rain •soon we will have no flowers left in our gardens. Tlbby catches a mouse every day, ho she is a good little cat. 1 got one of iny fingers shut in the door, and tlh? nail 4a quite lUack; J expect it will come off.— Cousin FLORENCK.

[Dear Cousin Florence. [ am sure we could spare you some <>f our tain; we are having too much. Tibby earns her keen. I hope you give her some milk to wash them down. Poor little girl*. What a painful thing to happen. You will have a alee new pink nail.—Cousin Kate.j 4* 4* 4* I’aparoa. Dear Cousin Kate,—3[oilier and daddy have been in town, and they came home last Monday. We were very glad to see them, because we missed them A lot. They brought me such a lovely little silver watch. It is such a nice one. The winter is com* ing quickly, isn’t it? There have been two frosts about two miles further inland from here already. It was very cold last night, too. We have got the telephone laid on now, and it is very handy. Our little white goat is growing splendidly. The kitten does not spit at her now, but she comes and sniffs round the bucket while Esther is pelng fed. Esther is very fond of newspapers, and started chewing a sheet.— Cousin NANCY. [Dear Cousin Nancy,—You lucky little to have a nice silver watch. Mimi you remember to keep it wound up. Is it One to wear on your wrist? I suppose you are too far away to come and see the battleship. You will be able to chat with your friends over the wire. By the way, what is Esther? You left out a word, so I have put in “goat.” I hope it is right—either that or a calf; evidently something that eats out of a bucket. —Cousin Kate.] 4 4 4 Croydon. Dear Cousin Kate.—You must think I am a ‘‘rotter” not to write sooner. We break up on Thursday. I am looking forward to the holidays. Thank you very much for the nice red badge you sent me. Yesterday afternoon all the boarders went to a play railed ‘‘The Blue Bird.” I thought it. was very nice. I forgot to say in my first letter that my age is 11 years.—Cousin EDDY. [Dear Cousin Eddie,—Boys Mostly ara

‘‘rotters’ about letter writing, but we won’t say anything more about that: they aro quite “all right” in other ways. 1 am afraid you have had bad weather for your lioliilays, if it has been anything like we are having. The weather was perfect the day 11.M.5. New Zealand arrived, and we have .had great fun during the visit. I had great trouble to prevent “Pelorus Jack” the ship’s mascot, coming away with me. Finally he had to be curried up the gangway.—Cousin Kate.j 4* 4* 4* Croydon. Dear Cousin Kate, —You must think ino nn absolute “rotter” for not writing before. We break up next Thursday. I think it would be nn excellent idea if you would put some puzzles hi the Children’s I’ago, and each cousin should pay about 2d a set. Yesterday we all went to “’.rhe Blue Bird.’ 1 thought it very nice.—Cousin TOM. [Dear Cousin Tom, Letter writing I fear is a bore. I quite understand, for I bate it myself, and I write stacks of letters. I thought “The Blue Bird” delightful. I ain glad you saw it. I wonder which character you liked the best? There ure going to bo great changes in “The Graphic,’ so we will wait a while and see what the developments are. I hope you have a jolly holiday.— Cousin Kate.j 4 4 4 Belfast (<’hrlstclinrcb). Dear Cousin Kate, May I become one of ybur many cousins? I itiu ten years old, and I am in tiw- fourth standard. Did you like school when you were a little girl? 1 don’t. We have been in Belfast three months, having just left Wanganui. 1 was sick coming over Cook Ktrait Would you please Head me u blue badge Cousin BEATRICE. [Dear Cousin Jleatrh-e, - 1 tim very pleased to enrol you as m ‘iuuH»b»»r of winsociety. I am afraid I was not very .keen on school, only nt times. It’s just one of the things one lias put up with. 1

wonder how you will like your new I «> Yoh will like school I Matter when you know the <***» Cousin Kate. | 4 4 4 Arahtirn Road. Dear Cousin Kate. Thank you very much for the nice badge, which I received some time back. 1 am going to a ball to-morrow night, it is in aid of the A rail urn Footlmll Club. I live about ten chains away from the hall. 1 have left school now. as 1 do not like it. We have an adopted girl stopping with us. She is four and a-balf years old, and our next door neighbour has another little adopted girl stopping with them. She is two and a half years old. Cousin EVA. I Dear Cousin Eva, Surely you are very young to be going to balls. Don’t overdo keeping late hours. The little adopted children will be able to play together. Are you fond of sewing? I suppose you are sure to 4earn dressmaking, it is su useful for a girl.—Cousin Kate.j • 4-4-4- ’**’ I’n tea. Dear Cousin Kate, 1 suppose you will get a surprise when you get this letter, be cause it is such a long time since 1 wrote to you. I am sorry I did not write to you before this, but next time 1 will write once a month. We have a holiday from school to-day, so I thought I had better write to you. I hope you will excuse mo for not writing to you, because you say you are a forgiving cousin. It is very cold and wet this afternoon, although it was beautiful this morning. 1 have a sore throat, find J am not enjoying it. The weather is ■wintry, and there are about sixteen patients in the hospital with pneumonia, most of them young children. I hope I do not get It, because 1 would have to stay away from school, and 1 do not want to miss this year. J am in the seventh standard, and I want to pass some exams, before I leave school. Now I must dose, but before I do so I will give you a riddle, and, in case you cannot answer it. I will give the answer also: Why did lie call the rooster Robinson? Answer: Because It Crue-so (crew «o). —Cousin NORA [Dear Cousin Nora.—Y’es, indeed. I am a forgiving cousin, perhaps too much so. 1 4-an well imagine it is cold and wintry, with a cutting wind coming over Mount Egmont, of which you have such a pretty view from Tat eft. I hope your cold will soon be better. • —Cousin Kate.] 4 4 4 I’almerston N. Dear Gousin ’Kate,—l got your letter yesterday and the badge. Thank you very much. J have eight brothers and one sister. The baby is six months old. 1 have a brother who wants to write, but he said lie will not write until next week. We play lots of nice games at school, including hockey, hide and seek, tag, ami other games. I have just finished reading the cousins’ letters L ‘’The Graphic.” I think •Cousin Jean has written a nice long one. I am just going to write to my brothel who is away. We had a holiday when the 11.M.5. New Zealand was in Wellington.— Cousin EVELYN. [Dear Cousin Evelyn. All the children la Auckland public schools had a week's holiday during the battleship’s visit. There were over twenty thousand children went on board. I hope you wrote a nice tidy letter to your brother, to let him see how much you hail improved since you joined the cousins.- Cousin Kate.j 4 4 4 Wanganui. Dear Cousin Kate, Mother takes “Th< Graphic,” and I would like to become one of your cousins, if you would let me. I go to Miss Ashcroft’s school. I am in the fourth Pacific Rentier. Mt age is nine, and my birthday on the loth of June. I have a cockatoo, and my brother Diuuild. who is four years old, has a canary. It is such n pretty colour, and it < an nearly sing. My garden is looking very pretty at present, with a lot of flowers In It. Please send me a blue badge, as it is my favourite colour. I hope you will excuse this letter. -Cousin ALLISON. I Dear Cousin Allison, —I am very pleased to enrol a nine-year old cousin who can write such a well written and neat letter. II pleased me very much. Does your cockatoo talk? They look such nice birds. and sometimes can say almost anything Cousin Kate.j 4 4 4 Paten. Dear Cousin Kate, —1 suppose you will get a shock to hear from me again. I aux very sorry I did not fulfil my promise in writing to you at Christmas, but I was enjoying my holidays so much (hat I* did not think of writing. 1 was thirteen on the 10th January, but I am not in the senior cousins yet, am I ? J go to the Convent High School. I passed proficiency at the end of last year and came third with 5411 marks. As it is your birthday on Wednesday, 7th, I am going to wish you many happy returns of the day, ami I hope you will have an enjoyable day. Winter camo in with a vengance here. You should have heard the wind howling around the house on Thursday and Friday. Well dear Cousin Kate I will conclude once more wishing you many happy returns of the day. —Cousin GERTIE [Dear Cousin Gertie,— Many thank* fyi* jtour birthdav wishes. I hud quite u lovely day, and went to a big dance in the evening of the (itl> and 7th. lovely birthday parties. You luive indeed been n lonif time in writing You seem to have worked avoH al Hchool. —Cousin Kate. I 4 *■ * ... . M iiipnwNi. Dear Cousin Kate.—Just n lew lines lc let you see 1 had not forgo-ten you. I received your most welcotm- ictur. -..i.d wn« glad to itetrr from you. 1 liked the cnt.ge vory much. It was just the right roluur. It is raining very hard bore so I did not go to school, as I have n cold I -have been

anxiously waiting to see my letter in print in “The Graphic.’* Will it he in next week? I have been staying down at my auntie’s while mother and father went up to Wellington. 1 hud a goud time down there, but I was very glad to get home. Hoping you are interested in thie short letter. I shall conclude with a riddle, “What ia smaller than a mite’s mouth?*’ I Dear Cousin , Many thanks for the nice letter, but as you have forgotten to sign it, 1 don’t know who my correspondent is. Your letter is sure to have been in print by this time, Cousin Kate.J 4' 4* 4* Arahura Hoad. Dear Cousin Kale,—Thank you very much for the pretty badge you sent me. I think it is so very neat and pretty. Yes. cousin, I often sit and think about my brothers being in the Territorials, and of what good they ran do. Our examination is to be held all next week. I hope I pass in it. It is so cold coming home from school in the evenings and going in the mornings. Wo have a little girl staying with us, but she is so spoiled. Of course, she is sure to be among the boys.—Cousin AILEEN. I Dear Cousin Aileen, —Your letter is so nicely. written and so neat; it was quite a pleasure to read it. What I want all the girls to think is what good can they do to help the boys who have to be trained to look after us all. Cousin Kate.] * i i Kio Kio. Dear Cousin Kate, 1 haven’t written for a long time, so 1 hope you won't mind. Did you go to see the H.M.s. New Zealand? Two of my brothers went to see it. Two sisters and myself stayed at home. About two or three weeks ago one of our horses was staked with a three stump. She is nearly better now.—Cousin SE.AGAR. I Dear Cousin Seagar,—lt was a pity you all could not come down and see the wonderful ship; but. there wore such thousands of people on board I wonder anyone saw anything. All the Jack Tars seemed such jolly sort of chaps, and very proud of their ship. Cousin Kate.]