THE "GOOD ENDEAVOUR" LEAGUE FOR YOUNG READERS ONLY

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 191, 26 July 1940, Page 3

THE "GOOD ENDEAVOUR" LEAGUE FOR YOUNG READERS ONLY

What ho, Avhat ho, ma hearties. Here Ave are again in the good old U.S.A., and lads, step this Avay ftVr Niagara. You've- all heard of this Avonderful spot, in fact people come from all over the Avorld just to see the falls. We have been travelling all night in order to see them at their best and I think avc Avill d,o it nicely. Well out of the train all of you, and follow me. Goodness we can hear the roar from here. Keep close eA r eryone and avc avi 11 go to the bridge look-out on the American side. Here avc arc, and the noise is so great you to shout to be heard. Isn't it a grand sight. Come round me Avhen you have got over your first surprise and wonder and I Avill tell you something about it all. Righto, now listen to me. Niagara means 'Thunder of Water,' and the great falls arc caused bv a number of rapids Avhich occur betAveen the lakes Eyrie and Ontario over a course of 3G miles. The total drop is 326 feet. Now just from< Avhere avc stand you can see thai the river is diA 7 ided by a rocky inland (Goat Island) Avhich stands just at the top of the falls. Tlriw means that there are two great falls, but the most famous is the* 'Horseshoe' or Canadian falls Avhich are 158 feet. It is 2640 feet across. The American fall is 162 feet high but only 1000 feet across.. So you see most of the Avater passes over the Canadian side and has been c-sti mated at about 15,000,000 feel per minute. Even Butinsky could haA r e a reasonable bath in tha!. Yet in spite of the great volume, there is onl3 r a depth of four leet at the top of the cliff Avhere the Avater tumbles oA*e~.-Well lads an 1 1 ssicfef we Avill stay here for some lime as I Avant to shoAV you the park'ands. P.T.W. OUR STORY THE MAGICIAN'S CHRISTMAS VISIT E\ r eryone in the Palace of Pink Pearls Avas in a great state of excitement, for a magician had been invited for Christmas. . "Noav, Avhatever happens," said the king, calling his servants together, "all of you must do ins oilier job Avell— for the magician is frightfully particular."' At last the magician arrived. His coach drew up early on Christ mas Eve, which also happened to be Avashing day at the palace. The roA r al family welcomed him Avarmly. The king shook both his hands, and the queen told him he coukl stay for- hours if he liked. The beautiful Princess Stardrop helped him oif with his dirty ;>reen coat with her oavii fair hands. "Hang it up carefully,'* he croaked, "for it is a very valuable garment." Stardrop could not help smiling when she heard this, because the coat Avas very old and dirty. AfterAvards, the magician Avas being gi\ r en afternoon tea, when the royal Avasherwoman happened to come along the liall. "Why, Avhat's this dirty thing?'' she cried, seizing the magician's coat. It's a disgrace to the palace! I'll Avash it through with the rest of the things!'* Accordingly, she hurried to the wash tub and plunged the queer green coat right into the soapsuds. No sooner had she done so than the colour ran right out and it turned perfectly Avhite. "What have you done?" cried the queen, coming in. "That is the magician's coat! It was never meant to be AA'ashed!'* "I'm sorry!" sobbed the royal Avashei'AA'oman. "I didn't know "Know!" cried the magician, entering at that moment, his-mouth full of mince pic. "Why, il I AA r ore that coat, I should be mistaken for a baker! I am offended, and because of this the, palace is now under ;> spell. Everything and everyone in it shall be dirty until a stranger arrives who Avill wash Avithout soaf and without water!" So saying, the magician vanish od, and shouts Avere heard from al' ;>arts of the palace.

vboard for the Goodwill Cruise ' r PETER THE WHALER of WHALE ISLAND

The Avholc. place, and all ihe people, even the royal I'amily, were dirty. The king had cobwebs in his crown, a black face, and grea-ve marks all over his suit. As for the queen, her crown was mouldy—ink spots covered her beau tiful dress, and her lace and hands were grimy. And the poor princess! She. looked worse than anyone—For streaks of damson jam appeared all' over her frock. Tear-marks stained her cheeks, and her crown had weeds growing out of it! "Remember what the magician said!" cried ihe king. "We must offer a reward tc whoever will show us how to wash without soap and water."' Accordingly the hand of the Prin cess Stardrop was promised in mar riagc to whoever should manage to do tills. But though the news spread rapidly all through the kingdom, no one came. However, early on Christmas morning a black cat presented itself at the place and miaowed loudly on the step. Princess Snowdrop jumped up. "Someone is hungry!" she cried, and opened the palace door. In walked the black cat. "Merry Christmas!" it said, toiler astonishment. "Fray give me a little milk!" "Willing! j', dear cat," she answered, and brought a saucerful'. Hungrily the cat lapped it up. and. a moment later washed its face with its paws. As soon as that happened shouts of joy sounded from all directions. All in the palace were clean again, and everything in it looked spick and span. "Who lias broken the spell?" shouted the king, rushing downstairs. "This dear cat," replied the prirvcess, "for it washed without either soap or water!" "Oh, that we could give'it the reward!" sighed the queen. "You shall!" croaked a voice. And the magician appeared. "This cal is really a prince—see!" And he waved his Avand over the purring creature. Instantly it turned into a handsome prince. "Why not a Christmas wedding?" cried the king. And Stardrop being willing, "it was celebrated right away.