LETTERS FROM THE LITTLE FOLK.

Otago Witness, Issue 2892, 11 August 1909, Page 83

LETTERS FROM THE LITTLE FOLK.

Mott»-: — We write for the benefit of others, not for ourselves. ! t&'iZa letter to contain more than 450 words. I ■ 1 Dear Dot, — After about seven years' silence I iow take the pleasure of writing tv few lines to the page. Every week I hay? read the letters with interest. Yesteri day my three ..nates, all D.L.F., and I \ made up" our minds that we would write j to the Page this week, so I am keeping my promise. We have had lovely weather these lest -few days. To-day was just like a summer's daj. From church yesterday morning- I went down to my mate's home, and afte 1 * feeding the inner man we went on to the beach, where we met our other mates. W© right along th* beach and came back the bay side. Coming along ! by the bay, the sand ivas up to the top cf our boots. We looked like very little women, I must say it was very tiring. j Well Dot, 1 must tell you about a dance I I was at last week. It was given by our i factoiy manager, who has just returned from his wedding tn». Of course, he got the , usual "tin-canning." Sad to relate, . I missed that part cf the jf-erformaiice, and I also the frrst dance. Our hall was one of th* rooms in the factory, and it only held two couples comfortably^ but very often i there were three up. Our music was splendid—the violin and the accordion, — but the floor was not of the best. Nevertheless, 1 «\erybody seemed to enjoy themselves. I was up at every dance after I went there, sometimes having a girl for a partner. The mvd — we do have mud -bout here — was near'y up to the boct-tops, but I think everybody got horns safely. During- the evening several sonsjs wer<» sung by the local boys,, the girls being too shy to use their sweet voices. I left wben the last dance started (to my sorrow). All the lights but one wont out. so it had to 'be stopped, and time, too, I think, as I didn't get home till 4 o'clock, and then I only had about six minutes' walk. Our M.C. kept things going splendidly. As soniie of the others are going to tell you about the spree, I think I will stop, as between the four of us you ought to get a good description of it. One of my mates went away to Mosgiel to-day to work. I gave her a wave as she passed on the train I enjoyed reading the stories in the last two Peeks' Witnesses. I collect post-cards, and have got 162 now. Just now there are some people looking at them, and my attention is divided between my nost cards and my letter. We have got a lovely lot of violets out just now. I think I have run out of news, so I will have to close, with best love to all the D.L.F., the editor, and yourself, — Yours truly, NITA. [It is wonderful how you can enjoy yourself in spite of difficulties, Nita. A room holding only three couples wouldn't give you much scope for dances. Glad to hear from you again. — DOT.] Dear Dot, — It seems a Jong time since I wrote to you last. We have had some very severe frosts lately, and it is not very plea-, sant going to school in the cold mornings, but as wo have not far to go, and always ha\p a nice fire in cur school, it is not so bad. We had our Sunday school examination the other day, and I went in for Catech!*m. 1 alto went in for the essay. One of the shops which was burnt down by a recent firs Las been rebuilt Soru© more ait also gc:ng to be rebuilt. The last fortnight \>e have l"ad a lot of ram, but tii-e labt day or two has been better. We have not bsen able to do much work in our school garden lately, af- the ground is still \ sry wet. Dolly Paydieam is my cousin. I am fond of reading. Some of the books I have been reading lately «xc "Harold's Friends," "Millicant and Her Cousins," "Little Women and Gocd Wives," '"The Earth Trembled, ' and a few more. I think we are getting a school library, so that will be nice. I must close now with love to Wee Woman and A.W.D.F., Kitty, and all the D.L.F.,— Youi3 truly, SAILOR GIRL. [I trust you will have success in your examination, Sailor Girl. — DOT.] j Dear Dot, — It is a long lime since I last i wrote to your page, but I have again made j a fresh sfctrt. lT.ere are a lot of D.L.F | whom I know about bere. The roacl< are > very bad just now, but they are beginning tj niei.il them. In some places on the r^ad? , the- mud is so deep thai a hor=e can hardlj g-e'e through. The cows wiJi soon be milk- j ing- agaan Theio are about SCO men work- . inj{ on the railway works here just now. The doctor has a very busy time, for he has | a teiribie lot vi cases, to attuid to. '±here j are a lot of people trapping about here ' this winter, for the skins are very \aluable — j Yours truly, | CABBAGE-TREE JACK. [It should be quite lively. Jack, with ail ♦lv.c men worni:'.^ i.i H'.uirapa. — DOT] Dear Dot, — It seems quits a ]oup time ' since I vroto those tv. o word". I ha\e been quite delighted with S.S 'Week this v C ar, I Dot. I think the L.F. did \ery well, don't I you. Dot .-* Sijue wr.tiiig to you lp«t, the [ man up here (or rather some ct them) were ' out <-iic-ot>rg one d»y. md they got tnree j wild cattle, they were — one young bull, a ' ro".\ an<l < 'ltlle calf Mot too bad for one clay's =hootm», was it ' What a lot rf j Little Folk have charged their Jion.=-d^ piv.nic snee I loinsd roi.r h£.p;i> bed. c. d ' 1 (ton'i thviK it i" ri-.'ht is it f:vp> Dot ■wn 2 trivb'c r.o-«:r.» i,i't tiieir re--* X D P. j sr.'l putriji^ :'.) th<>ir -rew one I mote (i I ;,w - fo.- thd Invorcti'-i'l D L F. Cub rot ■very 1c - ; p^'J. i)~>i S"W I sfl it t.> 3-ur'da . ■who e~ *< e h v.ci'Vl rcrd "I lipr'-elf noi' I f-rten mctliu?. s-o I hv« it >Vj -' '° good ei-iUCij Iv> uld >- r it-e one for {he Duncdia Civ i. o) 'j "they i>iiglit think I «a s too j '■j.ic .usihve" ; but if thc7 like I will send!

• in one the next time I send en© to InverI oargill. I would like all my chums who ' owe me letters to hurry up and write as I I might be going away very soon from here. Now, dear Dot, I will close with best love to Gravel, Luoeda, Shasta, — Yours trul>, LONGWOOD BLOSSOM. [My dear Longwood Blossom, I have quoted the word "inquisitive" in your letter, because I am sure you mear something else, but I don't know what it is. Thank you for taking Dot's part with regard to charging noms-de-plume. Perhaps they forget that they practically have to oegin as new writers again. — DOT.] Dear Dot, — As it is quite two years since I last wrote, you will perhaps begin to think that I have lost all interest in the Page, but it is rot so, although I have been a silent member, I am still eager to hear of anj little *hing in connection, with our band. I will just relate some of my doings of the past week. On Wednesday evening (although it was wet and one had to almost swim through the mud) I went to a wedding spree, whicb was held in one of the rooms of the factory. You can imagine how embarrassed 1 I was when, on reaching there, I did not know which part of the building thej were in. All I could see was a number of boys, some standing, others c i^ ln f up on bex * s or a ny other thing which happened to be neai. However, after standing on the road for some time, my feet almost frozen, and lorging to be "hopping" with the rest, someone came to our aid end showed us through to the dancing roonn where we soon became as lively as the rest. My only drawback was? a sore arm, as at thf beginning of every dfcnce I had to be continually telling m* partner that "I've got a sore arm, and all through the evening I could hear remarks such as "Mind your arm." However, despite rain and sore arms, 1 had a most enjoyable time, and landed horn at &ome early hour in the morning, weary snd footsore, and wondering what made people so foolish as to go to dances. When Sunday came I had quite forgotten how tired I was, and after dinner I set off with my chum and two other girl j friends to walk to the extreme end of the beach, some three rubles in length. Having | reached the end, we were not satisfied, but decided to come home on the other side of the beach (as the beach is the shape of a. long, narrow peninsula). So far so good, but we had not gene muoH farther when we found ourselves sinking. On and on we went each clinging to one another, and making ourselves helpless with laughter. We seemed to think we were helping each other by walking with our arms entwined, but as we got further up we had to separate, as wt were sinking to the boot tops, the sand was so soft. My chum was trying to convince us that she had been promotedto long dresses. I am sure if anyone happened to nice' us they would have thought we wore newly out of town and had never seen the beach before. At last we got home, and after having tea am" being refreshed we started off to church, as nappy and lively as ever. Church being over, we came sedately and modestly home, as any refined young lady should do, and so ended our adventurous Sunday. Dear Dot, don't think because I have told you about this one Sunday that we are always like that; it is just when we all get together, which is about once_ in six months; and as one of the girls' is leaving us we thought we would help her to enjoy her last day in this district. Although the country " girl may have to wok harder, she has a freer life than the town girl, and I am sure she is just as happy, if not happier, amongst f he g,Teen fields and herds of cews. Hoping -Nita enjoyed her walk to the beach before *choir piactic-3, — Yours truly. LONGDALE LASSIE. [It is most interesting io read fche different impressions made upon different girls by the same dance. You ha«-« ivritien quite an entertaining letter, Lassie. — DOT.] Dear Dot, — Yesterday as my birthday. I am 13 years old. I went to a friend's place to srend my birthday. Since I last wrote to your page I have a little baby brother. He isn't quite a month old, but he is very good ; you would never know he was in the house. Our old Spaniel died yesterday. He was 13 years old, as old as me. He got his two hind legs smashed with the horse- in the stable. I think he was going from "the stable to the barn. He always walked lame. I think all passed our examination thib year. I tried very hard to pass. I will be in the Fourth Standard. We are still milking one co-vv, and I milk night and morning-. We are having very bad weather just new. — Yours truly, DOLL DINKS. [May I wish you a long series of happy birthdays, Doll Dinks? — DOT.] Dwr Dot, — We are having our winter holidays now ; we are having three weeks. It is a very windy day to-day. I have a little baby brotbei. He is JHsf three weeks old ; he is such a good little fellow. We have a big rat in our house, xid every lime he runs across the ceiling in about two or three days it rains. My sister has 6till got the badge you sent aar ; she is very pleased with it. Doll Dinks is writing too. We have two pigs running about in our paddock, and we arc going to break in a young hor-e. We h«ve got a dear little puppy. Ir is yellow and white We will sotn have soring here now. I do love the spring.— Yours truij', WHITE WINGS. Dear Dot,— l have taken the opportunity to write to you, t* I have nothing else to do to jmupe my«eii. and I have not written to yon for a long time. We are having •> cry yood weather up here, hard trost at < night generally, and nice, sunshiny days. A week or two ago we had several very cold, l°ofy ctays. the sun not being able tc peep" through at all. Our cow calved about •two weeks ago, so now we have plentj of milk. We had our winter holidays three ■ weeks ago, but I did not go anywhere, but i fcu.u^ed myself by going out rabbiting, or 5 any other vay I could. I was dovrn at the , coal mine last Saturday, and I think it is j great fun. On Saturday lasi. Bannockburn plajed a football match against Clyde at j Chdc, but hud no show at all. The quad- 1 rifles started abcut seven weeks ago. but ( there are only two nights more. 1 think I ha- c \.-nttei: a lc:ig-enorgh letter. — Yours truly, BARXEY O'FLAXXAGAX. Dpur Dei, — We have hrd a relieving < teacher for about a month, but our new teiv'whc-.- will bo corning in August. "We have throe cows milKing just now, as one has recently chad My lirde sibter is not } ver\ neil juvt now. as her face is swollen. When are you going to aps-wer my postc<ird. Minnie Grey? It is almost a month f s-ince 1 sent you a post-card, and I have L.-on expecting an answer for a good while. Do hurry up. Winter is slipping- past, and j spmig will poon be here. Winter has been - \e_-v °<.old this year. Although there has ' been u j snow, "there has been plenty of ; irost. s>o I can tell you that we bad some • gnud skating. I will givo you the names of tome books 1 have read : they are — "The { Little Heiress," "The Odds and the Evens," s 'On the Way." and I am reading "Little 8 Women." We got our photos taken at <

school a few days ago. My brother is always talking about "writingr io the page, "but nerei does it. Irenia showed me her D.L.F. badge, tfnd I think it very nice. I was looking over the D.L.F. stories, but did not see Jessica's story in this time. I do not know hear, but I know her brothers and sisters This is all this time. — Yours truly, SCBIBBLEB. Dear Dot,— "V\*e are having very disagree.blo weather just now. On the frosty mornings, when it is time to get up, I feel very much inclined to stay in bed for a while longer. One day, when we were playing hockey at school, the bail hit a girl on the eye. Mr Wragge is going to lecture here on Wednesday night. My sister Edelweiss paints, and has a good number of lovely paintings. One night the back gat© was left open, and oux (horse got through-, and ate half of the carrots out of a pit they were in, and the next night he stood at the gate trying tc get in again. He is a very cunning old fellow, and sill follow dad and put his head over his shoulder and neigh for his feed. Last night, when I was coming home froir school, a) sheep chased me, and I had to run into a paddock. I was at a children's social on Friday night, and got first in a shooting competition. I -was very proud of myself, becaus* I hit the bull's-eye fair in the centre, lona. ia captain of the school hockey team. — Yours truly, m ZITELLA. [You should volunteer as a- sharpshootej in the next war we have, Zitella.— DOT.] Dear Dot,— ll is a very cold day hew to-day, and the wind is very keen. I an \ery short of news just now. I wish MtpU would hurry up and answer my post-card. I have been troubled a good deal with. th« toothache lately, and I can tell- you it v not very good company. There was t bachelors' ball here a few weeks ago, and I had a good time at it. There are » fen more concerts and dances very soon up here, and I think I am going to them. W« ■are just milking one cow just now, and we have to give her hay and turnips, as grass is always scarce in the. winter time. W« have three nice pigs and three horses. I don't get many rides now, as I am not a-t home. The roads are too muddy to go out for bicycle rid*»s just now. There are a lot of girls who have bicycles about her*, and we shall have good times having rides together when the fine weather comes. My | sister is very lazy. She has only written one letter to the page. The farmers about here aTe busy ploughing just now. I write to my cousins in Scotland, and their letters are very interesting to read. My father comes from Perth, and we have a- post-card of the house he was born in. At our school we- have an Empire League, and you can write io a girl in any part of the British Empire. So I joined it, and write to r girl in Bidinburgh. With love to A Telescope, Bell Heath, and my other comrades. — Your* truly, BONNIE JEAX Doar Dot, — It is so long since I last wro-i« ito your page that I almost forget how to wrie to you and what to say. T see by the Witness to-night that there is a picture of somi L.F. taken during show week. I intended going tc the show and L.F. social too -this yea*, but as I have not been weir for a little time, I am now at home for tho winter. However. I cannot forget the we'come I was given ait laat year's social, and how much I enjoyed myeelf.' I will describe a day's outing which my sister and I had not long ago. We left Dunedin by the 8.93 tram south in tho morning, oound for it small countrj etatior between Milton and Lawrence called Raucdlnll. After tray lmg a few miles from town tie air seemed to become juet beautiful and sweet, and I began to think how lovely it ia to g«t away from Dunedin for » little while. When w« arrived at Milton we changed trains, and w« had a great difficulty in obtaining a seat each, a:id after we did get one we were not in the carriage two minutes before we were choking with the heat. So we forced t way through the crush a* best we could, and got to the platforai. After that nofchinp happened until we were nearing Manuka Creek, and then we were caught in a tunnel Oh* nay! didn't we get it! We seemed to cc* hotter and hotter, till we felt as if we would choke before we coul t get aut of the tunnel, but wo hung on long enough to see us through, and then w. coughed an*" laughed till we could hardly stop ourselves. At last we reached our destination, and after spending a fey. hours with our relations we prepared to conic bnck again. Mj cousins tried their best to rcak< us miss the train, but I, at least, was determined to go back to town. However, when w arrived at the •'hut" or station, as it is called, the train went off and left my sister on tho station. The return journey was no* so bad, bxvt I think of all the trains that I have travelled by Milton to Lawrence is tie worst. But I have been tol<? since that I escaped very well, aa sometimes the train stops in the middle of these tunnels to get up steam. You were asking my sister Queen Ena if she had ever been to the caves at Kakahu, near here? No, ehe ha 3 not, but 1 have; but as the caves are fallen in now. w« cannot pick out any names carved Aero except those at tho entrance. Well, Dot, I am afraid I have gone past the limit of pp»ce this time, but I will promise not to do so again if you let me off this time. Witb lpv^ to Early Primrose, Queen of th- May, and Blue Bell ll,— Yours truly. MOUNT COOK LILY. [The oave I was re'erring to was one up the •valley, at the back of what is known as Rocky Point. I don't know that it is known by many people, as it is difficult to find, the entrance being hidden by small trees. — DOT.] Dear Dot, — It was a warm sunshiny day to-day, but there is a, terribly thick mißt to-night. I saw in the Witness gome of the books the chillren have read, and I thought I would tell of some that I have read too: "Caroline Street," "Lonely Lily." and a few more. I ccc the men 'ploughing their farm* ready to plant crops of wheat or oats. 1 received Dewdrop's post-card, and I was very pleased, and I also received Faith* postcard. I think I will stop now. with lov« to Leopard Liiy, Rosetta, Cowboy, Link* of Love. — Yours truly. GRAXDAr?S GIRL. Dear Dot. — I am going to tell you of. a pend off we gave to our cheesemaker on Monday night. It v.-as a lovely evening, but in the morning it came on to rain. The hall was packed, and a few sang eongs, and then the presentation took place, which was a. beautiful silver tea and coffee service. After that dancing started, and was kept up until early in the morning. I think everybody enjoyed themselves. We iiad our examination on th-e 6th of July, and we don't know vet how we got on. My sister has jusrt cfe-me iiom« from a holiday. She was away at Mosgiel.- There are about 34 attending school just now. We are bilking six cows in the morning and one at night, which just came in the other day. We have a little pup. and he is such s tricky little [ellow. I h*ve two pet lambs named Liiy and Beauty. If you are eating an r.pp'e and Lily sees you, she will take the aprsle out of yo«i hand. We will be milking

£1 Snope you nat» reoeivied favourable news ■with zegard fa? your examination, lassie. It is on «nxious time waiting for th« results. — DOT.] Dear Dot, — I was very sorry my last letter was not-in the Witness, but it was my own fault, because I did not see the notice in 4h» Witness, but I will know better next time. I read some of the stories the Little Folk put in the Witness. «nd thought -they ■were very nice. Dear Dot, did you -ever play hopscotch when you went to school. We play "it et our school ? It warms our toes on frosty mornings. Winter will soon be over and warm days come. There is a great number of trees around our doctor's house, and there is an owl in them 1 . It is crying out now, and I would like to see it. I think I will stop now. With love to Leopard Lily and Wild Hose, — Ycurs truly, LINKS OP LOVE. [Your letter was in the Witness all right, Links of Love. Is the owl you speak of a mbrepork or one of the new kind? — DOT.] Deair Dot, — It is very cold up on the hills just now. I had a pet kitten about one year old, but she died a few weeks ago, and I do miss her. Nadab, my address is Marble, care of Mr J. Harraway, Carnarvon street, Belleknowes, Dunedin. I suppose Lady Olive will think I have forgotten her, but" I haven't. I am going to write soon. I think the stories of the olden daya are very nice, and hope to see more like them. Faith is writing to you also. Have you read "Other People's Children" «nd "Helen's Babies"? They are both about the same boys, who always think about their "tummies." — Yours truly, "WARBLE. [I have read "Helen's Babies," Marble, but I have not read the sequel. Some day I must read it.— DOT.] Dear Do#— l liked the S.S.W. stories very much. Mv grandmother oame out in 1880 in the Pladia. They had to live in one room when they first settled, and a curtain was arranged to divide the sleeping room from the living room. The mud was something terrible. One d»y grandma went over to the baker's, and coming back her boot stuck in the mud, so she took it out as best she could, and carried it across the road. When a<ro you going to write again. Winter Bobin? We have not many flowers out just now — only primroses and marguerites. I have read a few more books since I last wrote; the titles are: "Marjory," "Crown Jewel*," and "The Log of a Sea Waif." I will close with love to Lady Olive, Sally, and Lady Minto. — Yours truly, FAITH. [I am sure you enjoyed "The Log" of a Sea Waif." Faith.— DOT.] Dear Dot, — You will wonder what has become of me, it is so long since I last write. We are having lovely weather just now. I liked the stories of the S.S.W. very much. We went to Inveroargill for our Christmas holidays, and I learnt to ride a bike while I j wa9 down tbsre. I had two lovelj white pig-eons, and a, cat caught them and killed \ them.. I have read a good few books. Some | of them are "W-illis the PiHot," "Coral Island," "Ivanhoe," "The Life of Nelson," "Abraham Lincoln," and 1 " From Powder i Monkey to Admiral." Some of them are very rdoe books. We have got two celts, and they are all black. There are not many flowers out just now. — Yours truly. KUKUPA. [ can sympathise with you in the loss of your pigeons, Kukupa. I Temember my own Badness when I found the feathers only of my own pigeons many years ago. — DOT.] Dear Dot, — The spring months will be j here before I see this in print, I suppose, i The flowers have a good start. The prim j roses, pansies^ and wallflowers are bloom* ] ing. and the daffodils, crocuses, and other , bulbous flowers are peeping through the i ground. I have just finished doing up my flower garden. I have put all the picotees and carnations in one bed, the primroses I and pansies in another, and all the tall- j growing floorers in a third'; perhaps they will be easier to keep free of weeds that way. Special Subject Week is now past, and I did enjoy reading the stories. Last Thursday night Mr Clement L. Wragge, the celebrated scientific entertainer, lectured to a large and appreciative audience in the Town Hall. The night was dry and the hall was crowded : all the available seats were occupied, and it was hard to get even standing room.^ Mr Wragge's magnificent slides have bceir gathered from the world's greatest observatories. A number of his photographic plnte-3 were taken at the Lick Observatory and the Yerkes Observatory, Chicago, with which Mr Wragge is in constant communication. He showed us photographs of Jupiter, Sarturn, Uranus, Neptune, Mar 8, Venus, the Belt of Orion, the great Nebula in Orion, the sun, and the moon. The moon was very clear, and we could see the dried up sea-beds,, the shadows of the great mountains, extinct volcanoes, the crater of one very much resembling that of Mount Vesuvius, which ha -also showed us in OTder to let us see how like in some respects the moon is to our earth, j The moon is uninhabited, with "no atmo&- j phere, without moisture, and when the sun- | light is on it is is 30Odeg of h-eat, and very cold, being 250deg below zero, when the earthahine is on it. Mr Wraerge showed us large sunspots and flames in the sun. Sonw I of the names- rise to the enormous height i of 50.000 miles, whilst other protuberances formed clouds which seamed to have been j shot upwards by a kind of explosion. Then he took us away to the Arctic regions, and | showed us the magnificent, icebergs and the | beautiful midnight pun. Th« great Nebula in Orion was exquisite. Where, with the naked eye. one can see only a fow Ertar-, (and sometimes none), on {he photograph it appeared as if you could not put a r>innoini between, and then we were told tliat they were suns much »rrai.pv than cuts. ' Among the mest Ivautiful vio'vs shown w-«»re tll3 mountain- (called the A'p^i A\hen th-c , <;un was sett' ug Veil dr-ar Dot, I have told you all I ran 'pm^Tiv.sr. mi wil' p.iw close." With kindest --/r-tls to -O! Ihe L..F.. especially my er/rrespo.id- > nt= — Y^urs truly, A TELESCOPE [You have Temenibereo the lfture wpII, Telescope, and I am pur.- we shall all enjoy reading your 1-etier.— DOT.] l Dear Dot. — I am pleased to se<» my letter ! in print. There axe a good few D.L.F. I going to our school now. The donkey does i not work much, she is more of a, pet ; but I phe has been bidden, and has been in the sledge. The pet lamb was killed a week or two ago. The school has started again. I j had many games with the Fireman and j Only • Sleepy Daisy, also with The Cornet, in the holidays We are fencing a paddock I off for the pigs to run in. Have you ever | been to Mfcerewhenua? I belong to Dunedin, j but I oame up here for the good of my . health -Your, truly, ! [Xo, Chatterbox, I have never been to . Maerewhenua. You will find a notice under the auto s and .post-card column. — DOT.] Dear Dot. — This is my first letter to your page, and I hope you will accept me as one i o* jour little folk." I read the letters every |

week, and I thought I would Hke to belong to your happy band. I know several D.L.F. up here. TOier© axe a great many little grey birds about the size of wax-eyes up here. Perhaps you could tell me the name of them, Dot? I read the Publio School Column every week, and I think it is very interesting* I must stop now, with love to yourself acd all the Little Folk,— Yours truly, THE DEERSLAYEB,. [I wonder whether the little birds would be grey warblers. They are to be seen only in pairs, though. I am afraid I can't think wha-t other birds they might be.— DOT.] Dear Dot.— l wrote you T>efore>, after I wrote my first letter, but we did not get the Witness that week. Perhaps it was in Will you please tell me if you got the letter. My sister is writing to-night. It is raining to-night. It will be my birthday on August 13, when I ani going to have a party I -will be 10 years old. We have a dear little sister; Rita is her mum. She is seven mon..hs old. In the summer holidays I will send you a kidney fern if I don't forget, as wo will have more time to go into the bush then. We have got a little kitten.' Dear Dot, i»ve you ever been to Napier? It is a very pretty place. The Maria© Parade is about the prettiest part of Nupier. It has trees and seats on ona side, and a concrete fence, with here and there little openings -«s» to the beach on the other I think this is all I have to tell this time — Yours truly, GOLDEN HAIR [I think your last letter appeared all right, Golden Hair. I have not bsen to Napier. You will probably read this on AT nn'P 13> *° I Wisll yy ° U birtlld *y greetings. Dear Dot,— l do not like the wet weather Do you think my writing is good? This is the first time I have -wTrrtten to you. We h»ve such a diear little baby sister, her name is Bite; she has just turned seven months old. I am seven years »nd 10 months old. • We live quite close to the sea, and we can see all the shipping. We have one little brother. Good-bye. — Yours truly, GIPSY MAID. CFor a little girl of seven your -writing is not bad at oil. You won't be satisfied until you have made it beautiful, though, will you, Gipsy Maid?— DOT.] Dear Dot,— l have been intending to write to you for a long time, and, as I have time, I will write you a few lines to-night. We are having very good weather just now for winter time. Our teacher. Miss Ash, is away just now and we have another teacher relieving. Our school examination, is passed, but we have not heard the results yet. We are milking four cows just now, but we soon will be milking more, for w«> intend milking for the new dairy factory at Kennington next summer. We have no little lambs yet, but we will be getting some. I must stop now. — Yours truly, tUEEIN VICTORIA. Dear JDot, — Winter is nearly over. The roads are very muddy now. W« are going to have a concert in the newly-enlarg-ed hall. The school children are going to sing • two songs. The stories of the Special Subject Week were very interesting. Mildred, Mona« 111, Blue Bells of Scotland, and I went for « walk to ,the gold diggings on Sunday. We had great fun. Some bulI locks chased 1 us, and we had to run to get I through a gap. Cactus was up on Sunday when I was away. We are sowing seeds in our school garden now. I think the fever is about hare again. I saw Lily Bell on Sunday. I think I will .close now, with love to Mildred), > Monia, 111, Blue Bells of Scotland, Cactus, Lily Bell, New Zealand Lassie, —Yours truly, KILLABjNEYv Dear Dot, — I am. in Standard VI now, , and I am 13 years old. I have two sisters | and joh© brother going to school. There are i only 18 going to our school. „My two friends visited "me la3t Saturd&y, and we had a I jolly time rabbiting with four dogs. We I caught eight rabbits. There is no man carting rabbits to the station now. Carting stopped on the 2lst of July. We have 14 cows, 13 calves, two horses, and a foal one I year and a-half old. We have three cows milking, iand we feed two calves, — Yours truly, JACK. OF ALL TRADES. Dear' Dot, — I have often thought of writing to you, but have never had courage j enough to write until now. Will you let me join your happy band? I «m nine years old and am in the Second Standard. I like go"ing to school very much. I have one brother, one sister, and three cousins, and we all go to school together. We have not far to ge; it takes as about 15 minutes. Dear Dot, I wonder if you have a little folk -called Monowai, as I would like to havo that for my KD.P. As this is my first letter to the page, I shall close, with love to all, — Yours truly, MONOWAI. [I see no other Monowai on my books. You must have quite a happy time together at school. I must compliment you on the neatness of your letter. — DOT.] j Dear Dot,— This is my first letter to the ! page, and I hope you will accept me- as one of y«ur happy band. I am 13 years of age and am in the Sixth Standard at school. I I know a few Little Folk about here whose | nomes-de-plume are Nerissa, The Cornet I Chatterbox, and Star of Brunswick. I have three sisters and fiv9 brothers, and one of my sisters is working at the dressmaking. I live in a gold-mining district, and my father and brother are miners. There are such a lot of D.L F , and I will mike on-a more. I will try nnd writ© a better letter next time, — Yours truly, THE MINER'S DAUGHTER. [Yes. Masrewhcnua is well represented I wonder how maaiy Little Folk there are U;ero? I am pieascd to euro] you.— DOT.] Dear Dot, — It is now several years since I wrote to the page, but I h&vc always taken a keen interest in D L.F. affairs. There are a good few L F about here Two feft this week— namely, Maidenhair Fern and Keyflov.-er. Ataid-enhair Fein and I were praat mates, and I shall miss her very r uch On Sunday she and I went to cnurch at W. We met two D.L F. mates After church. a<s ;>la:denhair Fern ai:d I v.;erj going to my nunti^'s for dinner, w? ail went along the line together. We made ud our minds to meet in the afternoon at the beach, fcr it was such a nice da-"-, alj though it was winter. We met at half-past | 2. ar.d set out for a walk round the be?ch. I The -tide was cut, ?o t.-s walked to the ' farthest end of Hie Leach any ca us back by the bay The sand was very =oit. and we tank right over the bcot-i..Tr,3. but fctill we enjoyed the walk very much. When we got back to the land again we were very tired, but as we had a long way to walk after tea, it was no u=e giving in. We reached ; home about 7 o'clock after a good day. There was a dance about a mile from here about a week ago. It had been raining for a few days before, so the ro?ds were in a horrible mess. It was fine when we were going down, but it was showery all night, and when we were goinr^ home we had io "swim" through the mud in places, but we enjoyed ourselves very much, although the floor was pretty hard. There is to be a i social here on Tuesday, bo I hops the

weather keeps find until then, as the roads will be dry. The mysterious airship seems to be causing some excitement. It was seen about here the other night, but some people have very little faith in the story. Wt&at splendid weather we have been having for winter, but I suppose, now spring is coming, we will get some bad weather. The new writers are promising to be quite as good as some of the old writers, whose letters were so popular I am very fond of reading, but it is sometimes very hard to get good books in the country. I am reading one now by Bertha Clay entitled "His Wedded Wife," and I find l it very interesting. I think that Charles Garvice and Annie S. Swan are my favourite authors. — Yours truly WBNNA. Dear Dot, — After an interval of about two months I again pern those words. I was in town about one-half of that time. Tne weather here is very unsettled, just like sunshine, rain, frost, and fog all mixed together. The roads are very bad now, riding being hardly safe in some places. There seems to be a good few correspondents to the page— in the Catlins district, for instance, considering the out-of-the-waj 'place it is. Some of the books 1 have read are named as follows: — "Jane Eyre," "Hazell and Sons," "Monica," "Not so Bad After All," "The Whirlwind," and others. I received a letter from Violetta to-night, which I was very pleased to get. Dear Dot, can amy D.L.F., when in town, attend the Litenairy ani Debating Club? Everybody, I think, is waiting for summer. I, for one, am. AH the roads were in a better condition, Cailins would be pretty in the summer time. " 'Nuff" said" is the verdict; so I must close, — Yours truly, CHRISTINA. [The clubs would always welcome any D.L.F. visitors who are staying in either Dunedin or InvercaTgill, I *m sure, Christina.—DOT.] Dear Dot, — We have beem having very foggy weather. As I have not much to tell you, I think I shall tell you the names of some books I have read — "Floss Silverthorn," "Our Lady," "Ivanhoe," "A Queen of Nine Day," "Pilgrim's Progress," "Robinson Crusoe," "The Pathfinder," "The Swiss Family Robinson," "Bred in the Bush," "A Noble Sacrifice," "A Wreath of Indian Storie3," "Frank Martin," and many others. Have you seen the airship, Dot? What I saw was more likely to have been a witch riding in mid-air on a broomstick, with a lamp tied on to one end. I know the meanings of the names of a number of flowers. I must now say good-bye, with love to Mary Bell, Primrose. Dewdnrop, Scotland's Heather, and Forest Dell. — Yours truly, ASCLEPIAS. [Youi list of books is the best I have had for some time, Asclepias. — DOT.] Dear Dot, — It is now some time ago since I wrote to the page, but during the time I had a -rather severe illness. I was a little over five weeks in a, private hospital, where I underwent an operation at the- back of my ear on account of a gathering there. After a two months' stay in Dunedin, a few weeks of which I spent at my aunt's, I am now back at home, sund; quite well again. To-d*y is the first day of spring, and a lovely d*y it has been. It will not be long now till the spring flowers aTe out again, the primroses and the daffodils. The birds are good heralds of spring too, for they seem to know when better days are coming as well as we do. Dunedin is a very nice place in which to spend a holiday, but I do not think I should like to live there altogether. While I was there I went to see the Museum, the Public Library, and the Public Art Gallery. I also went down to the whaTf, where I got on board a large Home boat called the Morayshjre. I had a look through the engine room and 'the stokehole, where all the large furnaces are, and then I went to see the firstclass saloon, which was a very fine place indeed. Most people round here are busy sowing then grain at present. It would be rather a pity if we had another flood j now like the one we had last year; that : would give the farmers some extra trouble, I ! think. Oh, well, Dot, I think I will close now, "although I am always willin'." With kindest regards for all theL.F., — Yours truly, BARKIS. f [It is good to hear you are well again, Barkis, though you have indeed had a bad time. Yes, spring flowers are something to look forward to. I shall await news of the first opening buds from my Little Folk. — DOT.] Dear Dot, — This is my first letter to you, and I would like very much to join your band if you would have me. I am in the Second Standard, and I am nine years old. I will be 10 on the 23rd of September. My sister writes to the D.L.F. Her name is Faded Rose. She is in Oamaru just now. There are 25 coming to our school. — Yours truly, SEA-LION. [Yes, I will have you, Sea-Lion. Tell me something more about yourself next time ypu write. — DOT.] Dear Dot, — We are having lovely weather here just now. Have you seen the airship? It is the talk of Otautau; it has been seen by a good many here. I have not seen it myself, but have heard a great deal about it. I would very much like to see if. I was at a church concert on Wednesday night. It was very nice ; the singers were from Invercargill ; the music wm beautiful. I think I will close now. With best wishes to Kia Ora. Charity. New Zealand Fern, and Star of Hope,— Yours truly, HOPE. [I am sorry about that address, Hope. I will make further inquiries and let you know. —DOT] D-oar Dot, — I was almost forgetting about you, for my mind is bent upon questions to send to the editor of the Children's Encyclopaedia, one of my favourite books. I have got one of them besida me now; it is No. 33, the highest number we have. We are still gliding along our toboggan every night. We axe a3 bad as the airship. I have seen it twice. We put little glass jaxs along the side of the toboggan, propped up on sticks. They look very pretty, for they are all coloured. The colours are red, green, blue, purple, and while. You would think you wer3 goicg to baiig into them aa you are cominsr do*n. but that is not so. I have just finished playing a g-amd called the g,>me of <tfce handkerchief. It is a very exciting gams I suppose a good many of voui- D.L F. ki-.ow how- to play it. It is getting tin.o to &et the table for tea, so I must -.y ,ocd-bye.-Yours truly, [You say "I have see nit twice." What? Tiio airship? Then why not tell us something flbout it. Everybody wants to hear about it and to meet someone v/ho has- seen it. Perhuns you could sohe the ms'Stery.— DOT.] Dear Dot,— After thinking for a long time I have docid<xl to write and ask you if I may join your happy band. I am 13 years old I have two sifters and one brother. We are having a school concert here soon. It is very cold, getting up these mornings. I don't think I will say any more, as it is my first letter. — Yours truly, DEUCE OF DIAMONDS. [Your next letter will tell us something

of the things that interest you most in! life, eh, Deuce of Diamonds ?— DOT.] Dear Dot, — Sines I last wrote many changes have taken place. I have, been away for a holiday. I was in Invercargill, and! had a really good time, and vras very sorry when the train steamed away on Monday morning. I was at the D.L.F. social and dance, and had a gay tirno. I met a gieat number of D.L.F. A few D.L.F. that were present asked me to send them a post-card when I came home, and I huve forgotten thsir addresses. Perhaps they will see my advertisement and send me a post-card. I was also at the Y.M.C.A.'s social, and had a real good time. The only D.L.F. I noticed there was Baden-Powell. I went up the Water Tower, and was very giddy when I got to the top. I was also at the show, and* 1 saw several D.L.F., but I dad not like to speak. There is going to be a bachelors' ball up here on the 13th. I intend going, and I hope I will have a good time. .On Friday night Princess Ann© and I went to the Quadrille Assembly, and had a fine iim-e. I s«w the group of D.L.F. in the Witness. I thought I would have my photo, in in. time for the group, but I am. too la>te now. and will have to wait till the next time. I am reading a very nice book now oalled "The Doctor of Crow's Nest," by Ralph Connor. I think I will close now. With best love to Princess Ann, New Zealander, Baden-Powell, and Luceda,— Youis truly, QUEEN MAUD. Dear Dot, — I was very pleased to see my letter in print, and 1 so I thought I would write again. I was #way for a trip to Melbourne, and enjoyed myself very much. I "was not sick going over there; but I'm a good sailor, and climbed the rigging like a monkey. I got into a few quarrels forplaying tricks on the sailors, but I thought nothing of that — in. fact, I enjoyed it. I am very fond of leading wild stories, but these other stories I have no patience with. I do not know how anyone can take time to read such silly things. I must stop now;. Yours truly, BLIXEY [You flash out, Blixey, and wo are just getting interested when you stop. You must surely have something to tell us about Melbourne.—DOT.] Dear Dot, — I was very pleased) to see my letter in the Witness. My brojthex and I have four rabbit traps between us, and wo set them every night, and w» catch two every morning. The Winton footballers played the Invercargill footballers, and, of course, Winton won. Hurrah for Winton! They won the Galbraith Shield. Some, people saw the supposed airship out at Browns one night last week. Others said it was the footballers returning to Winton with the dazzling shield. Others, again, said it was Jimmie Smith going round his rabbit traps. We aro milking three cows, and we keep the cream and make it into butter and sell it to a grocer. I do not think I will write any more, but I want to know how it is I have not seen any of Gabriel Grub's, Aorangi's, and Robin Hood's letters for such a long time. Hurry up, you lazy girls, and writ© soon,— Yours truly, SHEPHERD LAD. Dear Dot, — I have not written to the page for some time now, so I think it is about time I wrote again. We are to have Arbor Day on the 12th of this month, and we expect to have a good time. I saw c letter from Tartan in the Wieness some time ago; he is my cousin. Your first letter was a very good one, Tartan. "When are you going to write again? I liked the S.S. stories- very much. Boy's story was" a rather funny one, wasn't it? The Bible Class here is holding a meeting every second Wednesday. We have only had three meetings yet, and they have been a great success; we aie to hay© another on the 4th. I have been at every one so far, and I hope to get to the next one too. This is a short letter, Dot, but I cannot write any more this time, as X. have to run with my sister for «» «""■— Yours truly, TEA - ROSE. Dear Dot,— This is my second letter to the page. lam getting on very well a« schooT We had a big fire here early one Monday morning. , There are several pwgi who have seen the airship here West s pictures were here last week, but I did- not go lam going to the next onea that come. There wa^ g~at football^ mate b here last Saturday morning, and I went to it. lma STS Aave to say this Dear Dot,-- Just a few lines to let yott to Hilton for a parade a short time ago^ , ana wsmmm a game myself "^^ iBSEE. -"--"frS'siHHSC .-.,„._ DLF with a number of frien&s>, "^•-^blsS'of swbet apples. Dear Dot,— As I have finished my lessons I thought I would write you a letter. It is very cold down here just now, but I »ap-

pose we will soon have beautiful mornings, as spring is here again. I am very fond of reading: I would read all day and night if I could get the chance. I am reading "What Katy Did Next" just now. Some I have read are "Uncle Tom's Cabin," "Seven Little Australians.' "Miss Bobbie," "Melbourne House," "Daisy," "Daisy in the Field,' and many others. My favourite authors are Ethel Turner and Miss Wertherell My httle sister got badly burned a few weeks ago, and she has only gone back to school to-day. She is quite pleased to get back to school, as she likes school. I did not go anywhere for my winter holidays, but my sister did. I went out some days, but not to atay all night. My sisters are wait ing for me to go to bed 1 , so I will stop. With love to Curly, Erin-go-Bragh, Russian Princess,— Youra truly, LITTLE STAR. H am sorry to hear of your sister's accident, Little Star.— DOT.] Dear Dot, — I had a ride on my brother's bike to-day. My brother and sister were borne to-day. My youngest brother was in the hospital because he had' an abcess on the neck. I am exchanging autos with four D.L.F. I have not got any caits of my own now, but there are two left. We have just got one cow, a bull, and a horse now. The cow's name is Daisy, and the bull's is Billy, and the horse's name is Jack. We have got a funny gardener, and he makes straw houses to protect the flowers, for if the. frost got to them it would kill them. My eldest brother has got a sore, foot; he hurt it last Sunday when he was down at the beach. My sister is just writing to some ol her D.L.F. chums. We have not had our examination yet. I have got 40 post-cards. I do not know many D.L.F. We have not got many dogs to catch the rabbits, so we trap them. My mot ber has got 64 post-cards. Wake up, King Harold. Larrikin Tom, and Hasselas: you have not written to me yet. I think this is all this time. — Yours truly, RACEABOUT. [I wonder whether the gardener would ta*e it as a compliment to be called "funny." Is ho a humourist, or is he a joke in himself?—DOT.] Dtar Dot, — I like reading the L.F. letters, they are very interesting. I am in the Fourth Standard at school, and I am 11 years old. We have had a very good winter. I have a black and white dog, and it will go Jtfter cattle; and I have two kittens. W« have got three oows. I like trapping all right. I have read a good few books, the names of them being "Robinson Crusoe," "The Man of the Hour." "The Mystery of the Clasped Hands," "The Stolen Voyage," "Miss Judith," and many mare. I do not know many L.F. about here. We will start f*chool on Wednesday. It is a nice d«y today. I can think of the big fall of snow we had in 1903. and compare it with this year.— Yours truly, BROOMSTICK. [The question is, Broomstick, whether your dog will bring the cattle in. or does "go after (he cattle" merely mean he chases them for fun.— DOT.] Dear Dot. — Since 1 last wrote to you I have moved to Mosgiel. I am staying a-t jtiy auntie's ; she keeps a fruit fhop. The Sunday before I went to Mosgiel I went for v walk with some of my mates. We went juround the Warrington beach, and we very nearly got smothered in the sand. I do not know if you have ever been to Warringlon—it is a lovely place in the summer. I vent to a ball at Green Island last week. I vent with my cousin and a good few otheT Rirls ; we drove in a ■ drag, and got home about half-past 5. I have no more news to t«ll you, 90*1 will close. — Yours truly. MAIDENHAIR FERN. [You will find Mosgiel a change after Warrington. My last visit to Warrington beach •was a most pleasant one. We rode over from Waitati on horseback, and Taced three or four times the whole length of the beach. —DOT.] Dear Dot, — My brother liked being in the hospital all right, but he was glad to come home again. He was there a week. He is all right again now. My eldest sister is making Molly Malone and me new dresses, and they look very nice. My sister, Biddy Ma-lone, and mv eldest brother were home to-d&y. Biddy "Malono sndr Molly Malone and I went to the beach this afternoon. The flowers are just beginning to come out again. I write to a few D.L.F. Our exam, •will soon be held: 1 don* know if I will pass or no, but I hope so. Wake up, Long■wood Blossom, Lily Blossom. Mother's Goose, and The Princess of Thule: have you forgotten me? With love to Eady Battersea, Frost Maiden. Violette, Peggy Saville, ChryEooma, The Nidding Nod, and Audne Ma«d,-Yours truly, Dear Dot,— lt is a long time since I last ■wrote to you. We have had a fortnight s holiday, and we start school a^ain on Wednesday next. It has been a lovely winter, has it not, Dot? I am 14 years of age, and in the Fifth Standard; my brother is 12 years old, and in the Fourth Standard. We are still milking one cow. Wrth loye to Primrose 11, and Awav^^Tr^-Yours D*ar Dot,— We are still holding our Band of Hop* meetings. Since I last wrote to the •>a<*e our school concert was held. It was hold in the month of June. It was a very night, so that was all right. I* is -he first time we have h»d a school concert ;n winter. I am now in the Sixth Standard nt, school. I like going to school. Alubougn we live two miles from the echool, I only missed one day all through -the winter. I <Io not like missing days frrm school, because we miss so much of the school work, eepe«;ally we who are in the Sixth Standard, ily Hi tie brother started to go to school, bv.t he four.d it too hard for him to travel along tha beach in the cold, frosty mornings. The airship is causing a great deal i i excitement in our township. The gardens down here look very dull without the beautiful flowers. Spring is here now, so we may expect to see the "gardens full of daffodils, narcissi, and 6pring dahlias. It will be lovely to se9 the flowers in bloom again. I "have some lovely books. I have one called "Olive Roscoe." ' It is such a lovely book. I have "two more, one of which is cal'^ed A Girl Among Girls" and the other " Holden •with the Cordf."— Yours truly) PAPA'S DARLING. [That was a good record to put up whsn you live so far from school. It is pleasant to even think of the spring flowers that will soon be blooming in our gardens. — DOT.] Dear Dot, — It is a long time since I wrote to your page, so I thought I would sit down to write you these few lines to let, you know how I am getting on. I have left my place where I was working, because the little boy can w*!k novr, and they said they oould look after him themselves. I have b©en in bed ill for a week or two. \*e have sold our two cows and a calf, and we have got another. I was at Sunday school this morning, acd it wan very hot. I was down at the beach this afternoon with some of- -nry- Iriends. and wh#f 4 l came' 1 home I ■went for » ride on my sifter's bike. We have all got colds at hone here. I have %at 87 post-cards in my .^Kwt-cwd album.

It was very windy yesterday, and I nearly got blown into the creek. My sister Biddy Malone has got 12 mites to ride home on her bike, and my brother has got 20 mil«s to go before he gets to the place where he works. With love to The Frost Maiden Mayflower, Mother's Love, Lady Ba-ttewea! Lady N*ncy, Wayward Eileen, Madeline sS^SSW*** ran,.* ■«. i. MOL LY MALONE. MolYv tn * v 7OUr s^™** collections. SSSuSLSSJ. j We a fine assortment « f Dear Dot -This is my first letter to your nappy band. I am seven years old, and I if if SZ% } haV V mile to walk t0 s^ool S-if w U £. tw ° mil <* to the nearest iownship. We have five pigeons; they are laying ca w gOlDg to bav * a d *y >s raSbitI^ench rabbits roon. We had a pair of white rabbita before, and the dog taught 111 1^ "' and the other °oneSt away W e had our examination a week ago, but I do not know if I have passed. This is all for the first time —Yours truly BIRDXESTER. [I am interested in your rabits. Birdnester J\o» what are French rabbits? I have never heard of them.— DOT.] Dear Dot,— This is my first tetter to yeair page, and I hope you will enrol me as one of your Little. Folk. I am nine years old and I am in the Third Standard at school I don't know any Little Folk, but hope to soon. We have five pigeens. The old mother bttd is sitting. T think I will close now, as I have written a long 'etter. With love to all -the Little Folk and yourself,— Yours irul y' LORD NELSON. [Do you go in for purebred pigeons. Lord Nelson? You don't tell me what kind they are. Glad to enrol you.— DOT.] Dear Dot, — I was very pleaded to see my last letter in the Witness. Three of our hens are laying now, and I still feed them and look after them. TheTe will be some more laying soon. I like gathering the eggs up. Mother killed two roosters the other week, and they were lovely with stuffing in tnem - It was radning on Friday, and it made the roads so muddy. It was a lovely summer's day to-day. The roads are getting dry now, and a good job too. I am knitthta pair of black socks at school, and I have got one done. We have got three little white pups whose eyes are not yet open, besides the two other dogs. I like reading the D.L.F. We always have an exercise to do every night for schcol, besides our other lessons. We have got six rooms in our school. — Yours truly, HEN LASSIE. [It must be quite exciting watching for the increase of eggs each day now that summer is coming on. — DOT.] Dear Dot,— Our hens have started to lay, and we just get enough eggs to keep us going. The Tokoiti School that has just been gelding erected is nearly completed, and has a very fine aspect. It is erected on a email hill which overlooks Tokoiti, and commands a beautiful view of the Tokomairiro Plain. The teacher who oamo to our school was only a relieving teacher, and she has gone to a small school in one of the suburbs of Oamaru. On account of her leaving us we are getting another one from Kartangata School. On Friday last one of my schoolmates and I had to take the place of our last teacher, who went awsy on Thursday, so we had charge of the junior room all day. BCen Lassie and I «re going to Kaitangati on the 7th to stay till Mond>y night. — Youra truly, SWEET PEA. Dear Dot, — It is a long time sines I last wrote to your page. There was a spinsters' ball at Edendale on Friday night, and there were about 80 couples up for the grand march. My birthday waa on the 21st of July. I am 14 years of age. The airship is all the •talk here just now. I went to the final football match between Wyndham and Albion. They played for a banner, Wyndham winning by 12 to 3. Two of the Wyndham players were carried shoulder high off the field. I think this is all just now.— Yours truly THE GHET GOOSE. Dear Dot, — Spring is here once more. We have got some violets and pansies out— dark blue pansies and white violets. Everything is green again; for instance, the poplar trees. Lady Margaret, aren't you going to answer my post-card eveT? And you, too, Black Pansy? We are getting a fair number of eggs just now; about four and a-half dozen a day. I have read a few books lately, tome of which are "An Australian Lassie," "The Black Adventure Book," "Smouldering Fires," and 'The Family at Misrule. Last year my prize was "Trafalgar Refought" ; but it is a boy's book, ard I have not read it yet. I wish it was Christmas, so .hat I could hang up my stocking. There was a thin coat of ice on the ponds this morning. I like skating very much, but I don't like getting my feet wet We are milking only one cow just now, and I usually milk her at nights. I see St. Elmo does not like cats: well, I am not at all like her. because I like cats. I have a beautiful grey and white cat, which is very fond of me. It is a half wild cat, and ccmes horn« once in a while, and each time i I give it a saucer of milk. Cats are good io you if you are good to them, and they are faithful, too, don't you think? — Yours truly, IREMA. [I quite agree with you about cats. Irema. They Kay they are not faithful, but we must not expect too much from Ihcm; besides, the beauty of a nice, clean cat makes up fcr all its unfaithfulness and greed. — Dot.] Dear Dot, — We have had three weeks' holiday, and we spent most of our time in skating on the ice, because we have had a lot of frost. We have a brass band up here, and I tm playing second cornet in the band. There is a gold mine clo^e to our house, and we can se« t'le miners working in the mines through the day.— Yours truly, THE CORNET ["You know it is a rule of mine not to supply names, and I -.mist not break it even in your cass, Cornet, and in spite of the fact that I have just been praising cats. You must have great fun skating.— DOT ] Dear Dot.— We havo lately started playing hockey, and I think it is a grand frame. We are going to play a match against Kurow, and I hop© we win. Since I last wrote our teacher has gone away, and we axe going to get a new one. Ons of the last books I read was " Coral Island." I think it is a grand book. The weather has been beautiful lately. I have started collecting autc=, and I have got five. The traffic bridge ia made now. but the entrance is not made yet We have had some great fun skating this winter, but the ice has all incited now. Some of our neighbours saw the airship last night, but I have not seen it yet. I have got a badge, but it has not got a pin on it. I read Nemesria's suggestion, and I think it is a very gocd one. I like reading tha stories in S.S.W., they are afl very good. My sister and I went to the Hcckcy

Club yesterday, but there was no one there. "With be3t love to Brownie, Lady Leaf. Ruby. Eileen Alannah 11, Topsy 11, Clorroe 11, Christina. Purple Heather. "Wild Kathleen. Sally Horn-er, Sewing Machine, Potato Digger, and Irema, — Yours truly, VIOLETTA. Dear Dot, — This is the first day of spring, and it has turned out to be a lovely day. I did not quite understand what the stories were to be like in the S.S. "Week, so I did not write a story for it. In my last letter I was telling about the "Burning Ghat," and I said that there was so much more to tell that I would write the rest in another letter to you. Well, to go on from where I left off: when each man has let his five handfuis.of water trickle into the moath of the dead, the body is taken to the ''Burning Gbat." Then the same ceremony is performed as I narrated in my other letter. From India the traveller went to Egypt. Here he saw Jerusalem, the Holy City. It is bard for us to think that the Holy City should bs in the hands of the Turks, who ara heathens. I haven't seea the airship yet, but it was seen by several people of my acquaintance pasaing over Island Cliff Station last night, and by Ngapara people the night before. I wish I could see it. Some people think that it is only some toy balloon with a light, as a great many of them were sold. I have been suffering with chilblains all winter but I found a cure for them, and any D.L.F. who wishes to know can read this. Wash the feet in warm water before going to bed. Then get two pieces of cloth and wst an end of each piece in pure cold water. Then wrap the feet round, in these cloths and put a towel over that to ke9p the cloths on. After this, lie down and go to sleep. No doijbt you will think it rather a cold operation, but I assure you that if your feet ajre hot and swollen, cold is very soothing, and the feet have a bath in vapour all night. In the morning remove the cloths, and don't wipe the feet nor put on your stockings until the feet are dry You will notice that the swelling is down and 1 that the feet are better for a long time. I saw a beautiful picture the other night, Dot. The sun had just set, end the sky was still pink, the tops of the next range of mountains were still in the sualigh-t, while the rest of them were spotlessly white. The sky was blue, and very lovely pictures could be made out of the pink feather clouds. Our hens are laying very well just now. "WV get an average of four and a-half dozen eggs a day. That's prettj good, don't you think? We have got cur new teacher now. We had a relieving teacher before for a month. I liked her very much, and was very sorry whsn she went away. — Yours truly. " THE FKOST MAIDEN. [You spoiled your beautiful picture by imagining things of a too prosaic naxure, Frost Maiden. Still, it must have been very fine. I have crossed out your details to pave you from being guilty of writing bathos. Do you know what bathos is? — DOT.] Dear Dot, — Since I last wrote I have been awßy for a holiday to Willow Bnd?e, thT&e and a-half miles from Waimate. I enjoyed my holiday very much. When I left home first I went to Ardgowan and stayed or.c night. Next day I paid a visit to the woollen factory in Oamaru. I took the train that afternoon for Willow Bridge. I had a good time there with one of my oldschoolmates. I visited Waimate. I would not like to live there. I also visited Timaru. but I did not see much of the town, as I returned that afternoon. I noticed they had not such -a good railway station as we have in Oamaru. The train could not be brought up to the platform, as there would h? no time to get it out of the way before the express train came in. The porter brought steps -to the carriages, and we had to cross the lines to get- up to the platform. While I was there I saw a doll which cost £i 193 6d. It was very large and heavy, with large blue eyes, long dark lashes, and long, fair curls. When you moved its head it moved its eyelids. I think it was the prettiest doll I have ever s&en. Tne young lady in the house where we were visiting won it at a prize competition. I have got the book "The Castaways at Disappointment Island." I have not finished reading it yet. .When I have finished it I em going to eend it to the Hinarnoa, the boat my brother ;s; s on. — Youts truly, BROWNIE. [That must have been a most elaborate doll. Brownie — not the kind of doll you ■would want to play with much, but only meant to look at.— DOT. [ AUTOS. AND POST-CARDS. Scribble. (Miss Margaret Bews, Xgapaia, via Oamaru) wishes to exchange pest-cards with Anice and Dolly Dajdieam. Marble (care Mr J. Hariaway, Carnarvon street, Belleknowes, Dunedin) would like to exchange autoa with Bonnie Prince Ctxrhe and St. Elmo. Faith (care Mr J. Harraway, Carnarvon street. Belleknowe I*.1 *. Dunedin) woa'd like to exchange auios. with Mistress Faith. Kukuoa (care Mr J. Harraway. Carnarvon Bliect, Belleknowes. Dunedin) would like to exohauge autos. with Sailor Boy, Mailboy, Warsign, a,nd Lord Nel»:r,j. Chatterbox (Charles Kea.st. care Mrs M. Cooper, Maerewhermia) wou'd like to correspond with any D.L.F. willing. Queen Maud (Irene J Fplton. Mo?*bu-n) ■wishes to exchange post-cards with LucedA. Mother's Help, and any Invercargill L.F wiling. Prompt replies. Irema (Mer:e Howden. I^ard Cliff) would like to exebanpe post-cards or corrcspord w.'th Cre-am Puff, Sally Homer. Bel' Heath. White Heather, and "any other little girl D L.F. willing. Brownie (Mary Wyllie. Wand Cliff via Oamaru) would like to corre^pon^d with Hubv, Purp'e Hoather. Sally Homer, and The L^mo'iphter's N:ece. Will Biddy >talon° kir.dly fp-tk! me an«n'her auto., as I have lost the -one =rhe sent. Aleo, will s-nyone who sent me Iheir auto ard hsve not received mine in Tetui-n kin<l!v let nia know per medium of this column Will Gravel p!ea°e exchange autc= with rr.e Anone wishing to bave ray anlo can cot it by send.ng theirs to A. W. D. F.. the Creamery, Pa'msrpt^n. Otago. Th« Frost Maiden (care P O . T='.and C'iff) would like to correspond or exchange pc=tc&rds with Dolly Daydr?am Rly'la, Cream Puff, and a.ny other" D L.F vr'Alu £. — [For some uns-ccmntabV *-ejf>n I have not the name and addre-s of The Frcst itaide-n in mv book, oonfemipntlv I Ir-wt* ma^ he- iujriross oare P.O . Island C'iff If she wll kindly forward me paj-foularp T will make the r.ctice correct r.ext week.— DOT.] DL F BADGES Bad"^ sent to Bow'-e Jcnn. U;iion Jack. The Grey oose. and C B d.