A PAGE for LITTLE PEOPLE

New Zealand Tablet, Volume LII, Issue 24, 1 July 1925, Page 37

A PAGE for LITTLE PEOPLE

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/ Dear Little People, Such a dreadful accident nearly happened, the most frightful thing ever, and it was only v ’by the wonderfullest chance that our beautiful houseboat, our lovely/'JOY,” wasn’t - > washed away in these terrible rains we’ve been having. Oh my! When I think of it, my chilblains ache, and I can’t sit still till. I’ve told you the story. * , ■ • ; It was this way. You remember that big old punga fern we tied the “Joy” to, last time we were down there? Well, a great log must have bumped into it, for it broke off near the roots, and away it went down the river, with our “Joy” coming flying along behind it, in a most desperate hurry. You never did see anything like it, and it was the happiest chance in the world that "Anne” heard about it before Joy and the f punga got to the sharp bend in the river. You know what would have happened there don’t you? Why, of course, the houseboat ’ would have swung across the river, got stuck .. there, turned that part of the river into a . DAM, and the whole place would have been flooded. Anyhow, that’s only what might have happened, - what did happen was, that some of our club members, some of the boys, were out gathering flood logs, for firewood, and they gathered Miss Joy and the punga as well. It wasn’t at all easy I can tell you— fact only boys like ours could have done but it appears they saw her coming, so they just got themselves ready, and when it was the very right minute, they dived into the river and caught—-the punga. Why did they catch the punga ? Because it ;", had the rope.tied on to it, of course. And ■ then they swam ashore bringing the rope with them, and it took them all their time. Then there was the business of finding something strong enough to tie her up to, because pungas cannot be trusted in heavy rain, so, while some of the boys held on to the rope, others drove in a big stake by the riverside and they took it in turns, until after a while, they were able to tie the "Joy” up quite safely again. Then they rang me up at my" office, and you may be sure “Anne” lost no time in getting to the scene of the rescue, first making the boys promise to go straight home and get into dry clothes, and run all the way. -n x I won’t tell you any more about it, but JL what do you say to coming down with me, -, first fine day, and we’ll have our first Club //Day Out? Such a lot of our members have || never been oh the "Joy,” indeed, we’ve been

so busy one way and another, that we haven’t had a holiday together ' for ages. So that everyone can come, even members from everywhere, we’ll bring out the “Daydream” too, arid the Trailer, because we want this to be a great day. Don’t be impatient or disappointed because some of your letters haven’t been answered —everything will' come right on the Bth July, “THE LITTLE PEOPLE’S GALA DAY.” Put on your party frocks, and your warm coats over them, wear strong boots (but bring light shoes if you like), and mind you all wear your badges. Everything else will be ready for you,- just come, one and all, little and big, to our big Make-Believe Party. ANNE. This week I’m going to put in first letters only. Also, I’ve had another letter from a dear Grown-up since we printed the others, but it came such a long way that it couldn’t get here in time. Pleas© be sure you count it in when you are sending me your votes. Here it is. Owenga, Chatham Is., May 19, 1925. Dear Anne, The L.P. Page is good, I think, because it gives the children, the men and women of the future, an outside interest, and in out-back places particularly, makes them personally interested in the arrival of the mails. As for the L.P.L.C., I think that is just splendid! Again it is, I think, the little exiles from Catholic influences who derive the greatest benefits. The members form friendships with girls and boys of their own age, in all parts of New Zealandin this way opening to themselves the doors of good Catholic homes. In this way a big spoke is put in the wheel of mixed marriages. The little members make friends for their parents too, for what parent needs a better introduction than that a person is his boy or his'girl friend’s parent? There is also almost a guarantee of friendships formed in this way, being made with worthwhile Catholics, as the weak-kneed do . not, as a rule, get the Tablet and see that their children write letters regularly. I don’t . think there are any suggestions for improvement to make in the page, as an . occasional competition gives extra interest. PAT PRENDEVILLE’S GROWN-UP . WOMAN PERSON. ,

Be sure you all come next week. You’ll have a lovely time, you’ll all get answers to your letters, and we’re going to have 'some;, wonderful times together before this winter . ? ANNE. P.S.— Will Eileen Sheehan, Happy Valley, please write and give- me her right ad--dress, because the badge I posted to her has; been returned from the post office. ■ ANNE. 1 Dear Anne, This is my first letter to you. I would: like to join the L.P.L.C. I am ten years old and in standard three. I have a sister > writing to you ; my sister is sending sixpence in stamps for a badge. My birthday is in February ninth. I. shall close now with love from • • BRIAN O’FLAHERTY, Martin Street, Upper Hutt. (You’ve got no mate Brian, but perhaps, you and Bill Carney can be friends. Bill’s birthday is the day after yours, and his ad-1 dress is Rakaia. — ANNE.) . Dear Anne, This is my first letter to you, and may I become one "of your members? I am eight years old and in Std 2 at school. I have four sisters and two brothers all younger than myself. I go to the Convent School and Sister Mary Paul teaches my class. It is very cold going to school these mornings, - but we soon get warm at school as we have physical drill every morning. From your, loving friend, - NOREEN FLAHERTY, f; Reefton. (Welcome Noreen, you’ll have a happy time next week I hope. Yes, it is cold these mornings. —ANNE.) ;'A Dear Anne, . This is my first letter to you. I am writing to ask if I may join the L.P.L.C. I am twelve years old and my birthday is on the fourth February, have ' you . a birthday mate for me P Wo have two cows, three dogs, two horses, and some hens and ducks. We live out in the country and we have to come home from school and gO to get the cows because we have no paddock for them and they go anywhere. We only' have a little way to - go to school, but five children walk. three miles every day. There are four lakes all in a row, their names are lakes Rotorua, . Rotoiti, Roto Ehu, and Rotoma.. We are living in between Rotoiti and Roto’

Elm Lake. Well 'Anne, I must close. Love from your new friend, . ; "• - CATHERINE MULLANE, • Lake Rotoiti, ■ ■ Via Rotorua, N.I. ■ (Welcome Catherine, 'you’ve got three lies: Julia Sullivan, The Convent, Hastings ; Mollie Campbell, St. Bathans; and Flo Batten, whose address I don’t know. — ANNE.) 1 . My dear Anne, ■ I often read the Tablet, and see the girls’ : letters to you, so now 1 am going to write one too, I am seven years old, and in the first standard. I have four sisters, two of them are twins, they have curly fair hair, and brown eyes. We have a dear little black kitten, called Nigger. My birthday is on 10th June, is anyone else on that day too? Your little friend, YVONNE KATAVICH, Taupiri, " * Waikato. (Yes, you have a birthday mate Yvonne: Trephena Quinn, Okain’s Bay, Banks Peninsula. Hope to see you all next week. — ANNE.) r ■ ' Dear Anne, May I join your Little People’s Page? My birthday is on the ninth of September. I will be eight years then. lam in Std. one. I received my first Holy Communion two weeks before Christmas. Please Anne will you send me a badge. Good-bye dear Anne. From loving MARGARET MARY WOLFFRAM, . Pukehou, Hawke’s Bay. (Welcome Margaret Mary, and you’ve got a mate; Nancy O’Brien, Slope Point. Write to each other, won’t you? —ANNE.) Dear Anne, May I join your Little People’s Page? I will bo nine on the second June. Igo to a little country school. We are nine miles from church. We drive every second Sunday to Mass in Waipawa. Please Anne will you send me a badge. Good-bye Anne. From T - : CHARLIE WOLFFRAM, Pukehou, Hawke’s Bay. . (Hope you like your badge Charlie, sorry you have no mate. But Jim' Searle, whose birthday is on the 31st May, hasn’t a mate either. What about making mates of each other. Jim’s address is: Ettrick Street, Invercargill. —ANNE.) Dear Anne, This is my first letter to your page. I am eight years old and I am in standard 11. I have two miles to walk and it is very cold these frosty mornings. I have two sisters, Dora and. Joan. Dora is four years and . Joan three months. We have a hockey team here, they haven’t been beat in the competition so. far. I have a pure white kitten, and I would like you to name it for me. Well dear Anne, I will close. From Vif our new friend, a ’ "V ANNIE EILEEN CHAMBERLAIN, ; . Orawia. Will write a longer one next time. Goodbye.. . . , (Welcome Annie, I think “Crystal” is a pretty name for your kitten. Love to all.

Be - ready ' when f the “Daydream” calls. — ANNE.) : § ; v - -V , _ < Dear Anne, This is my first letter to you. I am nine years of age, and am in Std. 11. I have two sisters and brothers and the youngest ■ is six. K We are milking 20 cows now, and I have a pet calf and cow. Dear Anne, lam enclosing 1/6 in stamps for three badges. Dear Anne, I must close now with wishes to you. From your 'loving friend, > DAN KEARNEY, Haeremai School, Oamaru. (Welcome Dan, you’re just in time to give us a helping hand next week, there’ll be lots to do. —ANNE. Did you get your badges?) Dear Anne, This is my first letter to you. I wish to become a member of the little children’s page and am sending seven penny stamps — sixpence for a badge and a penny for postage. I was eight years old on the fifth of March, and am in Std. 2. Igo to the State school because there is no convent here. I have two sisters Monica, aged four, and Geraldine, aged 10 months. I have two kitties and would you please give me names for them Anne? I will close now as it is bed time, so good-bye. With love from your new friend, BROWNIE BARNETT, Takaka. (Hope you like your badge Brownie. Do you like the names “Day” and “Night” for your kittens. Bring them along next week. ANNE.) Dear Anne, N This is my first letter to you. lam seven years old. I go to St. Patrick’s School, Station Street. I have one brother, his name is Bill, and a baby sister. Best love from NANCY HARRIS, (. Napier. (Welcome Nancy dear, we’ll be looking out for you next week. Bring your brother and the baby.—ANNE.) .. Dear Anne, . * Just a few lines to ask you if I may become one of your members, I will be 12 years old on the 19th July. I have seven miles to, go to school. I go in the service, cars every day and it is very cold. I have one little sister. She will be seven on 11th November, also three brothers. May I join the L.P.L.C., also please send me a badge for Kathleen. L must say good-night. Love from your new friend, V ' NORA HEAPHY, Berlins. (Glad to have you join us Dorothy. You have no birthday mate dear, but Nora Harris, , Tuatapere, has a birthday on the 20th July, and she is just your age. Mind you come to our Make Believe tarty next week. Bring Kathleen and your three brothers - ANNE.) Dear Anne, : . \ I have been reading about the L.P.L.C. for so long that I am writing to ask you , if I may become a member. My age is twelve, but I will be thirteen on November the 9th. ,We are very proud of our beautiful church, and I was very sorry that I could riot orn tn tliQ

priest, Father McManus, and Miss Nesdale have : gone on a pilgrimage to Rome. I am sending sixpence in stamps for. a badge. : . MAUREEN COMERFORD, 1 ,• “ ' V . : ’ Palmerston North. (Yes Maureen .you have a birthday mate, Mary Gorman, 77 Bishop Street, Christchurch. Hope you’ll, write each other. Anne.) Dear Anne, ■ ~ My birthday was on the 14th April. I got a nice game on cardboard for the winter and a gun from Mummy. The game was 1 from Daddy. Have I got a birthday mate yet? Our little sister’s name is Zita Marie The potatoes we grew got the blight . and Pattie’s were the best. I will close now as it is time to go to bed. Your little friend, - - E. G. PRENDEVILLE, Owenga, Chatham Islands. (Sorry old man, you , have’t a birthday mate, but Martin O’Leary, Riverton, is about your age, and he has no mate either. •: Will you two boys write to each other. —• ANNE.) Dear Anne, A : This is my first letter to you and I would like to join the L.P.L.C. My birthday is on the 28th of September, and would you please get me a birthday mate to .write to me. I am eight years old and I will be in Std., two when I go back to school. I am going to Gore convent when the schools reopen.. I have a little dog called Darkie. I have inclosed six stamps for a badge. Best wishes to all the little people and not forgetting yourself , Anne. y Yours sincerely, MONA CARMODY, Balfour. (Welcome Mona, I’ve got a mate ready for you: Frances Cleary, Cambridge. Hope you’ll be good mates to each other. —ANNE) Dear Anne, -M Enclosed please find six -penny stamps for a L.P.L.C. badge. I was very glad to see my letter in our page. Sandy and bunny are getting very fat for the winter. As it is getting late I will not write a long letter this time but I 'will next. Anne will you please tell me if there is. a birthday mate for sth January? I am 10 years of age. Good-bye Anne from your loving friend, MARGARET McGRATH, Closelmrn, ‘ - '-i. ■c Queenstown. (Hope you’ll like your badge Margaret, sorry dear you have no birthday mate yet. But there is another mate-less Little Person just next day to you— Clare Fitzgerald, Devon Street, Gore. Suppose you two become friends.—ANNE.)" ’: V/ 7 . • . - r