THE "GOOD ENDEAVOUR" LEAGUE FOR YOUNG READERS ONLY

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 206, 30 August 1940, Page 7

THE "GOOD ENDEAVOUR" LEAGUE FOR YOUNG READERS ONLY

PETER THE WHALER _ (jf WHALE ISLAND

What ho, what ho, ma hearties. Here we are again still exploring the sunny landl of Mexico. Now today I want to start off on a southern trip to a number of little knoHvn countries called the central American States. We will visit in turn Guatamala, (funny name isn't it), Sonduras, San Salvador, Nicaragua (long name for a little country) and Costa Rica. Then last'of all I want you to sec the famous Panama Canal. The last Mexican train takes us as far as' Yucatan on the border of Guatamala and we find ourselves transferred to a funny little train with powerful low engines. This will take us to the mountainous country wherein is situated the only real cit£_in "this strange country. Hours of Ifeautnul mountain scenery andi then we arrive at a beautiful green vale fringed with dark pine and spruce forests. Guatamala Itself is a prosperous town but the poor Indian peasants seem to have a very hard time of it. Every day they march into the markets with staggering loads of produce, vegetables, fruit, poultry and even pigs and calves are sometimes strapped to tiieir backs. They are very religious and no one would dream of pass ing the great Spanish cathedral without saying a prayer. Let us get aboard the train again and get away to our next port of call. Yes, •we are oniy an hour or two away from Salvador, a pretty coastal coun try with good harbours and a thriving tradle with the north. We stop at St. Vincente, and have our midday tea. Every body here seems tlressed in their brightest clothes for it is the holiday of Saint Selina :and all the good people of San Sal"vacHor are out to make the best of it. Even ths Indians join in the dancing Sn the streets and every now and fthen groups of pretty girls come singing along the street throwing flowers tcf right and left. Let .us spend the day here and pass on to Honduras next week. I'm sure you will all find it interesting. Peter tthe Whaler. \

OUR STORY THE RAG DOLL Tt was very quiet and shadowy in 'the nursery. The Rag Doll sat on a -chair where Annabel had left her, ; and stared brightly into the fire with her button eyes. She felt quite : sure that Annabel would come and .fetch her, and take her up to bed with her as usual, although it was long past nine, and the moon shone brightly through the frilly curtains. Presently a low, whispering sound 'could be heard in the top cupboard, followed by a steady Hop, flop, Hop, as though several people Avere jumping from the top shelf on to the lloor. The cupboard door, already ajar, was pushed further open iind Teddy Bear peered out. "It's all right!" he called and Golliwog, Belinda and Peach Blossom followed him into the room. They 'crowded around the Rag Doll. "Hullo," growled Teddy Bear. "What are you doing here?" asked 'Golliwog, with a large grin. "Has Annabel forgotten you?" asked Belinda. She was made of china, and when sh.e bent forward she said J 'Mama' in a squeaky voice. "I know what has happened!!" trilled Peach Blossom, who was the daintiest thing you ever saw. "Annabel had a party this evening. She told me all «&<ir"it and the pretty bine dress she was going to- wear. She can't have thought about poor old Rag Doll in her excitement. Never mind, Rag Doll,, we'll look after you.' ' "Oh, no," she said, "Annabel won't forget me," and she went on ■wagging her head at them very gravely. "Rag Doll shall tell us a story]." said Peach Blossom. "Annabel has a bed-time story every night, I know" The rest thought it an excellent Idea. They climbed back into the cupboard. "Make it short, please," begged Golliwog. "I'm rather sleepy." So the Rag Doll gazed thoughtfully into the fire again, and then spoke in a loud voice, because it was a long way up to the shelf.

Aboard for the Goodwill Cruise

"This is the stoiw Annabel likes best," she said, ''and I think 1 do too. "Once upon a time, in a far-ofT land, there lived a beautiful Princess who had the curliest hair, and the whitest skin, and the rosiest cheeks that were ever seen. She was very clever, too. She could dance and ride, and do all her lessons, and throw a ball higher than anyone else. But there wa.'i one thing that she couldn't do, and that was sing. "Now the country over which her father was king was called the Land of Song. All his subjects had beautiful voices; musical competitions were always being held, and the Queen herself sang at all the concerts "Imagine the dismay, then, when the Court Musician went to the King and said, "Sire, I regret to inform you that although your daughter is more beautiful than any maiden in the land, yet, when she tries to sing, she croaks like a frog." "She would sit by the hour listening to her singing-birds, and trying in vain to learn the secret of their silvery notes. Then one evening, she slipped out of the palace, and was wandering sadly up the mountain side, when she heard someone singing close by. The Princess looked up and saw that it was a beggar girl with her hands stretched out to the sunset. "Beggar girl," cried! the Princess, 'why do you sing like that?' " 'Because everything is so beautiful, and I can't help it.' "The Princess looked aroun'd her. For the first lime she noticed how lovely the countryside was, and her heart went out to it in admiration and joy. Then, quite naturally, the golden notes burst from her lips, and she sang and sang as if she would never stop. v The Rag Doll had .scarcely finished her story, when she heard the iight sound of feet in the passage outside. Quietly the door opened. By the light of the fire a sleepy lit"tle girl made her way across the room to the chair where she had left the Rag Doll. Then picking her up and holding her very close, crept softly out again.

LAST WEEK'S COMPETITION HOLIDAY ESSAY There was only one answer to this. I think you must have all been having too good a time to write to me. The only ticket goes t<p Stewardess Sylvia Sims whose letter appears below. F.T.W. My holidays began when I was taken to a farm in Waimana. The Waimana river flows through the farm so my cousins and 1 spent most of our time there. One Thursday morning we went to the cheese factory on the back of the lorry. Although, it was a bit cool we thoroughly enjoyed it. The {irst put into, a big trough which weighed it, then a lever was pulled and the milk ilqwed into a big vat from which it flowed to other vats to be made into cheese. The farm is of 500 acres a lot of which is hills. One" day wc .went sledging and as I wasn't used to it, my first ride was an utter failure. I vowed I would never go down again. Another attraction was going in the lorry down the back to get gravel. (I had a hand! in it but wasn't too good). At nights we would sit over the gramophone playing perhaps half a dozen records over and over again, instead of playing some of the others It was to my great disappointment that I had to leave but holidays can't last forever. ODDS AND ENI?S Meteorologists A course in weather forecasting is offered at the University of New Hampshire. The students are taught to describe the weather at least J2 hours in advance. Sweden Approximate!}" 15,500 travellers visited Sweden last year, as compared with 9700 in 1935. Durable Phone Books A telephone book in a public booth in London lasts six months. In certain New York booths four days is the limit.