The WENDY HUT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 17 January 1931, Page 9

The WENDY HUT

BOYS OF LONG AGO HUGUES Hugues was seven years old when his mother kissed him goodbye, and placed him in the care of a famous baron who was to train him in all chivalrous virtues. The boy was very homesick in liio master’s bleak castle. But even at that early age he knew he was a noble, and if his lip trembled, and his eyes filled with tears, he turned his head the other way that nobody might see his face. At first he was page to the baron’s lady wife. He rode at her side when she went hawking, and soon he became an expert horseman, who loved the chase. When llugues was fifteen, the baron made him his squire. Then the lad went to his own home for a few weeks, and was very proud and gay. It was now his duty to carve in the

dining-hall for his lord and lady, and many a round of beef did Hugues serve on the wooden platters for his master’s guests,, and many a cup of sweet wine did he set before them. Hugues was gay, and his tongue full of wit. But, although the baron loved his young squire and allowed him certain liberties, dijs hand was often heavy, for he demanded absolute obedence. Hugues now carried his master’s lance, accompanied him everywhere, waited upon him hand and foot, and strove to do some valorous deed for him or his lady which would earn a knighthood. At last the great day arrived when Hugues was twenty-one. That morning he rose early, bathed, dressed in white linen, went to the church, and confessed to the priest. Through the night he watched alone in the church before the altar, vowing to himself that all his life he would do right. In the morning there was a great ceremony. Two soldiers testified to Hugues’ courage, a sword was consecrated, and the baron struck the kneeling youth upon the shoulders with his own sword. “Rise, Sir Hugues!” he cried. “Swear that this sword shall be used only in defence of the weak, and oppressed.” With his lips trembling a little, Hugues swore. Then the baron kissed him, girt on his sword, and, with shining eyes and fast-beating heart, Sir Hugues marched from the church, ready to defend his King, his country, or any one in distress who should call upon him as a knight of Christendom for help. , , ■ the unicorn AND THE TINKER’S DAUGHTER Once upon a time a terrible unicorn lived in a forest. No one dared approach it, and, when the King required the forest for pasture land, he sent for his wise men and asked them how he could get rid of the unicorn. It was no good promising the hand of the princess to any young man who destroyed the monster, for many had, tried and failed. The wise men were perplexed. After searching in many books, they discovered that the unicorn could only be destroyed by a-good aiul kind maiden, in whose presence it would lose its fierceness. So all the girls of that land were called together to draw lots, and the lot fell upon the tinker’s daughter. Now the tinker’s daughter was terrified, but she was determined not to show her fear. Tho princess presented her with a spear, and a great company of people conducted her to the forest with much pomp. “The unicorn will lie quietly at your feet and you can strike him at will,” said the King. “It is quite easy.” The tinker’s daughter entered the wood with her head high and her teeth chattering. As soon as she was out of sight of her friends, the unicorn rushed towards her. The poor girl shut her e y es —and when she opened them again, the unicorn was lying at her feet! She looked at his beautiful white coat, his red head, his blue eyes, and the tears ran down her cheeks. “I must do this for my country,” she murmured. And, shutting her eyes again, she lifted the spear and struck the unicorn. Then someone touched her hand, and she opened her eyes and beheld a splendid prince standing beside her. "Sweet maiden,” ho said, “your courage has broken the spell and set me free.” Even when she was a princess, the maiden never told anyone how frightened she had been. She always said that, no matter how dreadful a task appeared, it proved quite easy when attacked with courage. THE STORY OF THE LEATHER APRON Kaweli the blacksmith lived in Persia when Zoliak reigned over the land of roses and nightingales. And Zoliak was

a very evil king. There wns not one good deed that could be counted for him, and the people began to murmur against him. After a time, Zoliak began to be afraid, and he caused a great document to be written, stating that he was a good king and setting forth all the beneficial- things he lnurl done for Persia. This magnificent testimonial was placed upon a table, and Zohak called a number of powerful nobles to sign it. While this business was going on.-Kaweh the blacksmith came to the 1 palace, crying for mercy. Zohak asked j him who had wronged him. “Sixteen of my sons have been taken to appease your serpents, 0 Zoha,k! ” cried the blacksmith. “Now the lasi l one has been fetched!” ’ Kaweh’s rage and grief were so great j that Zohak thought it would be ;> wiser to find some other youth to appease the hunger of his serpents. So he told Kaweh that his son should be given back to him if he signed the document round which the nobles were standing. But when Kaweh knew the words of the document, he rushed out of the palace, tore off his leather apron, and made his way to the market place. There he placed his apron bn a spear, and, using this as a standard, called upon his countrymen to rally round it and deliver Persia from the tyrant. That flag carried them to victory! And for many hundreds of years the standard of Persia was a leather apron decked with gold, precious stones, and embroideries of green and scarlet. WENDY’S LITTLE COOKS ORANGE DESSERT Cut round an orange without breaking the inner skin; place the orange near the stove till it is quite warm, and then the skin will be quite easily reamoved with the handle of a spoon. Take away all pith and pips from the fruit, and make an orange pulp, sweetened with castor sugar. Whip some cream till it is quite stiff, mix it with the pulp, and fill the two halves of the orange skin with this. Roll some icing sugar till it is smooth, and mix it to a thick cream with the juice of a lemon. With a teaspoon place a ring of this on top of the cream in the orange skin- “baskets,” push a little orange peel handle into each, arrange' oh' separate little dishes, and serve as a “surprise” for supper. THE BILLY BOYS’ WORKSHOP A SHELF FOR CHINA ORNAMENTS This useful little shelf, which, is intended to hold small china ornaments, is made front "odd pieces of quarterinch wood. For the hack part A, you will require a piece eleven and a half inches long and three inches wide. Plane this on both sides, and mark out the shape with a pencil. After marking one curved side,.

transfer the shape to the other end of the wood with a piece of tracing paper. Cut round the outline with a fretsaw and smooth the edges with glasspaper. ‘ " , The shelf B is twelve inches long and three inches wide, with rounded front corners. After planing both sides, fix it to the back with four screws at the points indicated. Cut the two supporting brackets from a piece of wood three and a half inches long and two and a half inches wide. Mark the outline of one bracket (C), and, after cutting it out and finishing the edges with glasspaper, place it on the other piece of wood and mark out the shape of the second bracket. Cut this out and finish it in the

same way. Make sure that the top'dndr? hack edges of the brackets are av right " angles to each other. Each bracket, is o fixed to tiie back with three screws, and,!;' to t he shelf with one. screw, as indicated . in tlic two centre diagrams. To complete the shelf, glue -and nail'; on an oblong wooden ornament, about •; i wo and three-quarter inches long and one and a quarter inches wide. .... Give the whole two coats of enamel or varnish stain, and it is ready to-be; presented to mother. —The Hut Car:" pen ter. GUESS MY IDENTITY My first is in supper, but not in.tea; ; My second’s in thou, but not in thee ; i My third is in needle, but not in thread ;,/. My fourth is in elbow, but not in Head; My fifth is in never, but not in now. My sixth is in cat, but not in cow; • ■ ■/. My seventh’s in my, and also in ’mo;,,' My whole is what each of us ought to,he* Answer: A “Sunbeam.” / ••• ; ' TINE’S CROSS-WORD PUZZLE , The letter, we drew last week was I .a ■ G, and the figure! was one. You only had to join the figure to the 'letter to ' make the word “gone” which was hid-., deii in the puzzle. Full solution:— • _ . ACROSS . ; ■'] I. Kind and courteous. (Graeious). 7. Ripped. (Torn).-; ~ 8. Preposition. (At). 10. To live. (Be), i'll Royal monogram. (G.R.).12. Part of the foot. (Toe). 14. Pronoun. (You).;;:; 15. Hidden word. ■ (Gone). 16. Toll wearily. ;,i (Fag).','; 18. Shake (dog’s tail). (Wag).." 20. To| a higher position. (tTp).;;./ 21. Therefore. (SftWi 23. French for “he.” (D)v.:i 24. Refreshing drink. (Lemonade). DOWN , y-lmS 1. Thankful. (Gratafdl)..''; 2. Preposition. (Atyfa; - 3. Short sturdy horse. (G6b).; !, 4. Anger. (Ire). 5. Upon; (On). 6. Strive. (Struggle). 9. As far as. (To). 11. Depart. (Go). 13. You have it boiled for breakfast. ' . . : (Egg)'.. 14. Tree. - (Yew). 17. Monkey. . . ' (Ape), 19 Help. . “ > (Aid)' 21. 'Sapie" as 21 across. (So)V 22. Same as 5 down. / ” (pn ( )\M i This week we have a Tetter ans a* ’; card. See if you can think of the quite oommon English word TClues:— ACROSS 1. Number. . ■ : .. . . 3. Little fish. 5. Hidden word. ■ - 8. To help. 11. British Dominion (abbreviated). 12.. Roipan numeral. 13. . . 14. Give up. ■ >..... 18. Dispose of for money. 20. High mountain.. / jnj 22. Devour. . • ■ vir;: 24.. Amounts paid. > DOWN W 3.; -mc-e • I: Small-casks. 2. Not on. •' >: ’ u •3. Famous Scottish river. • ** 4. Resting places. . S 6. Get up., v7./Polite., i .. . fa 9/ Organ of hearing. 10. Woman in a convent. 15. Catch sight of. k 16. Valley. ' , * 1.7.. Head'covering. •'/ 19. Possessive pronoun. •••'• *; 21. Old-fashioned exclamation. 23. Proposition. , $