THE WENDY HUT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 27 July 1929, Page 10

THE WENDY HUT

Everyone is familiar with the phrase ‘■From John o’Grqat’s to Lands End”. Im(. perhaps some of my Tin kites do not know the story of. John o’Urout. For their benefit I "ill tell it. During tlie reign of James tlie Fourth ot Scotland came three brothers from Holland, called o’Groat. One was John, another Malcolm, and another Gavin. Tlie three bought the lands of Warse and Dtmgisbay, where they and, their families lived quite happily. Their sons married in due course, and eventually there were eight families of o’Groat in the district. The families were quite good friends, and every year flirty all met in tlie house first inhabited by John, Mv.lcolm and Gavin. After a time, however, a dispute arose as to who was to take the head of the table at these family re-unions, and "'ho was to precede the others from the room.. John, the wise, said lie would think tilings over and have a solution of the difficulty next time they met. And then he set about building an apartment with eight sides! He put a door and a window in each side, and placed a round oak table in tlie centre if the room. Everyone being seated at the round table at the next re-union, there was no question of who should sit at the head. And, since there were eight doors, all the families could go from the room at the same moment—thus there was nothing left lo quarrel about! This building was ever afterwards called John o’Groal’s house. —Wendy. MAKING DOLL’S HOUSE FURNITURE Several Tinkitcs have written for instruction's for making Doll’s Hcuise Furniture, so this week we will tell you how to fashion ji divan and an armchair for Mrs Doll’s drawingroom. You will only iicerl some cardboard, a little cotton wool, and some scraps, ofgay chintz, so the materials Will not cost much! The divan is made on the foundation of a small flat cardboard box —one about 4 inches long, 2.1 inches wide, and roughly an inch high; see diagram A. Cut a cork into four equal slices, and glue one piece on to each of the four bottom corners of the box to form feet foi’ the divan. Now arrange two or three layers of cotton wool across the top of the box, cut a piece of chintz half an inch bigger all round and lay this over the cotton wool, stitching it on firmly. The next thing is to cut a strip of chintz, half us long again as the circumference of the box and an inch and a half deep. Make a wee hem along one edge, join the two short sides together, turn in the other long edge, and gather this up to fit tightly round the box. Regulate the fulness carefully as you go,

ami sew the frill all round the edge of Hie divan. You can make a wee bolster cushion, and if you’ve any other scraps of material you might 7 i'ashiou one or two square cushions as well. . To make Mrs Doll’s easy-chair, cut a strip of thin card, !) indies long and l : { inches wide—diagram 15. Join the two short sides together with paperclips, and then cut the back of the chair, like diagram C. Cover both sides of this card with chintz, slip it down inside the circular card B, and fasten the two together with more clips. .Diagram E shows you exactly how to manage this. Cut a circle of cardboard to lit across 15, for a seat; pad the top with cotton wool and cover it with chintz, then push it into position, and keep it firm with two or three stitches where needed. Cut a strip of chintz 2 inches long, and one-and-a-half times the circumference of the circular card, 15; hem the bottom, join the short sides, gather the top, and sew it round the chair. You can stitch a coloured cord round all the edges if the joins show too much. Then, with a fat cushion in a contrasting colour arranged in the chair, you have finished ever such an attractive addition to the doll’s furnishing scheme. —Wendy’s Dressmaker. ANNE’S DILEMMA A TALE FOB TINY TINKITES Aline had the word "dilemma” on the brain; il laid been 'explained to her at school, and she kept saying to herself: “A vexatious position, a. difficult choice.” When she went to bed, it was still miming through her head. “Mother it!” she cried at last. “1 don’t suppose I shall ever be in one.” The next moment sbe was ill a perfectly awful dilemma ! There she was, standing mi a plank which stretched across the clouds, and she couldn’t turn back, and she- couldn't go on, because there wasn’t anything to go on to! "This must be a dilemma!” cried Anne in dismay. “Not. quite," replied a voice, and a cloud came lloaiiug up to the end of

tlic plnuk. “I’ll take you homo if you’ll tell mo your mime.” The very queerest little head, somc.tliiug like a ladybird’s peeped out of the cloud, mid Anne said:, “Oh thank you, I’m Anile.” “Which Aunc? Anne Who?” Anne didn’t know! She knew she was neither Sister Anne 'nor Queen Anne, but that was no good. “Then I am in a dilemma,” she wailed. ‘Tm a'fraid so,” nodded the head. The thought of staying on that,plank for ever was most unpleasant, and Anne thought of ail the Anncs she had ever heard of, but she 'knew quite well that she was not any of uieiii. Then an idea came to her. “Listen,” she cried, “did you ever hear of the Ladybird who flew away home because her house was on fire, and children gone —all ’eept one, whose name was Anne? 1 must be that Anne!” The. next moment she was home in bed. “Was it a dilemma or only a nightmare?” she thought.- “Anyway I’m not the Anne who erept under the frying pan. I wonder what became of her in her dilemma?” THE BILLY BOYS’ TRICK CORNER A PUZZLE KNOT Interest in this trick depends very much on the way it is done, your clever "patter,” and so forth. You need

only a large handkerchief, which is to be tied once, as shown in the diagram allowing the middle part to fall over Hie back of the left haiid. One corner of the handkerchief is 'held by the linger and thumb of the left hand, and the opposite corner with the right hand. Now, so long as the middle part of the handkerchief rests oh the back of the left hand and the corners are held as described, the knot remains tied; and while the end of the handkerchief is held with the left hand, as in the diagram, anyone can be allowed to pull hard at the other corner and still the knot remains tied.

The “patter” should lead up to this point, until the people in the “audience” are fully satisfied that the knot really is tied tightly. Now explain that you will hold the two ends of the knotted handkerchief (as shown in the diagram) and, at the word of command, will cause tho knots instantly to untie. Pull sharply upon the two corners, and at the same moment drop the left wrist, thus releasing the loop and allowing the handkerchief to open out—perfectly free of knots. TOADSTOOL TOWN The Goblins live in Toadstool Town! You’ll see them running tip and down Between the houses round and low—(Each house a Toadstool big, you kiiow!) And Toadstool Town on Market Day Is such a busy place, they say!

Tlie Goblin Mothers —merry folk!— All think their housework quite a joke! They laugh and gossip cheerfully, While baking pollen scones for tea. And if a Party’s being planned, Each friendly soul will lend a hand. The Goblin Children, full of fun, Get in the way of everyone. They play at leap-frog in the street, And tangle lip old Goblins’ feet. Put no one ever seems to care, And everybody’s happy there! TINE’S CROSS-WORD PUZZLE Last week wc drew a quail for'you, and hid his name in the puzzle. I hope you all found it! This is the solution of the puzzle;— ACROSS t 1. Vehicle. (Cab). 5. Title. (Sir). S. To begin. (Originate). 11. Compass point. (NE). 12. Number. (One). 13. Sea-goiug vessel (abb). (S.S.). Hi. A row. (Tier). 18, Something that soothes. (Balm). 10. Hidden name. (Quail). 20. A colour. (Blue). 22. An implement. (Tool). 24. Rests. (Lies). 25. Certain. (Sure). 20. Slippery fish. (Eel). 27. Another colon;'. (Red). DOWN .1. Policeman. (Constable). 2. Part of verb ‘to be.’ (Are). 3. Prefix meaning ‘double.’ (Bi). 4. Metal. (Tin)? 5. British Dominion (abb). (S.A.). (i. Possessive pronoun. (Its). 7. Was similar to. (Resembled). 0. Depart. (Go). 10. Compass point. (NE). 14. Continuation (of a story)..(Sequel). 15. Courage and bravery. (Valour). 17. Regrets.' (Rues). 18. Small pieces. (Bits). 21. Untruth. (Lie). 23. Metallic substance. (Ore). Now we are going to havo a simple puzzle, so that my Tiniojs may try it. Of course, the older boys and girls must do it as well—but I am particui larly anxious to know how the littlcst ones get on with it. You see a picture beside the puzzle, which may suggest to you the name of an English'town. The town name is also hidden in the puzzle, so you ought to manage it quite well. Clues:— ACROSS 1. Make glossy. 5. Tree. (i. Not in. 7. Conjunction, 10. Exclamation of sorrow. 13. Hidden name. Hi. Pronoun. 17. Sorrow. 18. Pronoun. 20. Answers. • DOWN 1. Deep hole. 2. Same as 7 across. 3. Therefore. 4. The Wendy 7. Not young. 8. Tatter. 0. A flower. jO. Some. 11. A cutting tool. 12. Scott's.' 14. Exclamation. 15. Preposition. IS. Not down. 10. Same as 3 down.