LETTERS FROM THE LITTLE FOLK.

Otago Witness, Issue 2894, 25 August 1909, Page 83

LETTERS FROM THE LITTLE FOLK.

lf»tt»:— We write for the benefit of others, not fer ourselves. $jgT No letter to conlain more than 450 words.

DeaT Dot, — As it is a long time since 1^ wrote you a letter I think it is about timo I made a fresh start. 3lj birthday was on August 1, and lam 12 years old. Since I last wrote we have moved further up th« hill. We have a lovely view of tb*> Kaißcrai Valley how our pkc-6. Our football team has played four matches this season, and has won the lot. We are going to have a jumble sale in our school in October, a>ad we are all basy making- things for it. As it is bedtime I will oloce- now. —Yours truly. JACK HORNER. Dear Dot,— This is my first letter to your page I hope you will let me become one oi your Little "Folk. I have a big grey cat named Tioi. Ar e are milking tv.o cows, -which we call Daisy and Dolly. And I have read a number of little story books. The v nines of them ?Te— '"The Palace of Luxury," "Uncle Tcia's- Cabin," "The Coe* of '» promise," "Little Dolly Forbes," and a great number of others. I think "I will close now. With love -to all '.he D.L.F., not forgetting yemr^^nwtog^^ [I have tried to think what -"The Palace of Luxury" can be about, Marigold. Tie title gives scope for many stories. Pleased to make the acquaint.ines of both Tim and youi self.— DOT.! Dear Dot,— lt is stme time since I last wrote to your pa,~p. I have been keeping mvrh. better lately, and been learning to walk on crutches. I have be«u learnmg two or three sons* lately, and will soon know them. Snowdrift has been keeping fine since h* left the hospital I have sent over to England for «om-a post-oards, and expeo* them in • week or two. Our baby will be a year old on ti-e 23rd of this month, *na I have only seen her about six times, lne students had a fine time cf it on Weonesday and paraded through the ward in fancy dress. I got a Russian fivepenny stamp off a man in our w*rd, and have sent it in the envelope. As I hf.ve no more news I will conclude With love to Queen Maud, Str?'and Snowdrixft, not forgetting your-self.-Yours truly, . MO ZART [Glad to hear from you again M"*"*- J£ you not collect stamps yourself? Or is this II Bussian a gift to the page-* .be sent to a.ny stamp enthusiast who needs it.' DOT.] * Dar Dot.-This is my first letter to your Ll tens. W« have Sunday school _h«re every Sunday, and religious instruction every Thursday. The minister comes a long way to talk io us, so don't you Uink we should listen to what, he says? We by* W » very mild winter, ands m some of the gar±BL ta tf.. IS [Three mates should help to make ud for the quietness of your township. Arid you do listen to what the rmnwter has to say, I have no doubt, Spring Flower.— DOT.] Dear Dat,— This is my first letter to your happy band. lam ?*ven years of age. and 2TS the Second Vnmßr^Bohccf.ljloto Sunday school very regularly IWe **o cri<rters writing to your page. Their N.V.r. s +V»ink I will f x op- Wilh Jove to l^eopara Si? TheWhiteW of H-elwood Queen of the Floors, CYour first letter is welcome. War^ermgr WilUfl You wj^ be a good trio of writers. . - DO^ :! , wt. ' Dear Dot,-I ha.vent been at .sclioo I the* two or three days, for I was in lU-health, Tl thought when I waa at home T could write a few lines to you, aa I wouia n*ve »time «ny other d«y W* are having very wet weather out here just now but I don't hink H will last long. Lan tit a pUasure to think that the cold winter has P gone away and the sprin, h« come again with its nice flowers We ha%e the vfoMs and DnnuoMW out vi bloom ju.t now, but. <he d»fficdils are just conung out of the of then are m^.j-W* j ""[Sorry to hear you have not been up j selves Jh »'ir*iy not the time to become unwell.—DOT.] Dear Dcrf,-I once more lako up the pen and p a .per to write you a few lines The weather* is cold ju B t now V« «c milking three cows. I will ♦ell you a lew the Fsmily," and a fe* others. lam m the Second Standa,rd at school now Uith all the L.F. Dew Dot— Spring Is wjth us again, and the grass is looking quite green. me fruit trees have already started to bud, and we are in hopes of having early fruit. The farmers are all busy ploughing down about V^» r-ow. iuid wh*n you go out all you can see is bare black paddocks, and I can tell you. Dot. they do not look at all nice , I enWd S.S.W. very much this year, and I thought "Lore? Avermore,' 'Dark Clouds and Silver Lininf?." "The Pioneers Tale, and "Shadows of the Dawn" especially good. I have never managed to write a story tor SS W. yet, but I might pluck up courage enough io do bo by next year. Well, Dot. as I have not any newe this time I wili try and give you a description of a booQc -vV.ich I have read, exiled "The Man of the House," by Pansy. It begins in the home of a poor widow woman called Mrs Stone

and her two children, Reuben -and Eliza- I both, who was called Beth, for she wan such a little creature that no on© ever thought of calling her by he* full name. Their home was a little place, dingy and dreary. Mrs Stono took in sewing boys' shirts, which she got fr-cm one of the wholesale stares in tho cuy, and Beth, although -sh© was only a little girl, could overhand the seams suso. hem tbe edges and take many stitches* r the course of the day -to help her iK^th^.- As for Reuben, being the man of ihe house, he was usually on the j street all day looking for odd jobs to earn money to help to keep his mother and sister. He never went to school, as his jacket was out *! the elbows and his shces were through at the toes, and he had nothing 1 ■extra. to -wear to k^ap him -warm, except an old plaid shawl of his mother's, and he did not like to vre^or that, because the other boysi called him "Dutchy," so on very cold days he always did all his errands in the evenings, when the boys wouldn't notice the shawl. Beth never went to . school either for the very same reason that kept Reuben -at home. On the night when th© story opens Beth anl hex moliier are busily engaged sowing. It was getting dark and cotd, also the fire was getting low, too— in fact, they always shut the dampers so as to save all the coal 'they could. B-sfch pulled out the damper and poked the few dull coals so as to warm her cold hands. "Oh, mother!" she sa:d, "I wish we could have- something warm for tea.-, Have you forgotten? It is Reuben's birthday!" "No, I have not," her niot.ber answered. I, rn«ant to have something nice, but as I did not get these shirts done that plan, had io be eiven up." Reuben at this tiaie was in the street, and -all the nrcr.«y he had got for the day was five cents, out just when Reuben was going home a gentleman called to him.ironi the other side of the street, and asfcad him *a hold his horse, and he gave him a quarter for- doing so. . -Now, Reuben thought himself quite rich, jndhe walked to a l*mp so as to have c good lcok at the money, and instead of being a. quarter it was a shining lOdol piece, so Reuben went after the gentleman and gave it back to him, for although he was poor he was honsst. • When Reuben got home that night Beth had * piece of 11 n f w8 Af !^ him. It was that a lsdy called Mise Hunter had taken the rooms opposite to theirs. Now. Miss Hunter was very kind to them, and often got Reuben to run errands for her. Shortly after this Reuben got' work in the country, and he liked^the work vexy much The name of the «**» h * SSeT&r was Mr Borrows and he had Sed^ nn hoV?o«'h oV?o«' & &SS gav^him some money and a little house fS&a SSftt. - his/her a W for there was plenty of work '«*•«. to da, and Miss Hunter went and lived »og them, 100. Ar.d n^w we will lew* The M*n'of the House/'-Yours tnUg y rl have enjoyed the story, Wy Sue. It J«« i ««1» *ax page «*»e more~DL.F. described briefly books they are interested in.-DOT.] Dear Dot,-We had the threshing moll here absut * month ago, and had * busy time of it. Three stacks of oats and five of gUss were threshed. We had the chaffcutter and the drain plough, too. There were a Mmtar of 5 pull it. Several people saw the light of lie supposed airship. lam learning to ride now. I ride Dick-he is very qmet, and can JTat a good trot. Igo round and count fh. sbeep^ When I .was out^ °«c day I saw a sheep on its back, co I got offljKj and y went up to put xt o^^-Y^ Tit must have been a fine sight— those 12 horses all harnessed to the one plough.— DOT.] Dear Dot,— This is my first tetter to your page. My sister, Love Lies Bleeding 11, is aleo writing to you to-night. The men here are beginning to cart the grain to the railway station to b* sent away. I like working among the sheep and watching the shearers. lam eight years old, and (un in • the First Standard. I think this is all I can say in my first letter. — Yours truly, THE PLOUGHMAN'S FRIEND[GIftd- to heur from you, Ploughman's 1 Friend. You must tell me something more about the sheep next time you write.— DOT.] Dear Dot, — I have once again made an attempt to write to your page. I suppose you will be thinking I have forgotten you, but thet is not. the case. I must thank the D.L.F. girls who sent me the postcards, and they will be thinking I *m never going to answer their post-cards. I met a number of D.L.F. * good while ago at the rounder match. I will now name the ones I met: A White Rose of Hazel Wood. A Wild Rose, A Bunchf of Blue Violets, and Queen of the FlowearS. My brother, The Ploughman's Friend, is writing to you tonight- Have you had a letter from Wild Eelin lately? I think this is all I oan say to-nigbt. With best love to all the D.L.F., Yours tra3v ijC)VE LIES BLEBD ikg 11. Dear Dot,— l received my badge .safely, and was very pleased with it. We are having very cold wind up here. Our parrot can say a good fes words now. We haven t had very much snow up here this winter. I like reading the D.L.F. letters m the Witness. I hare a post-card album and a g<-od fo'v post-cards in it. I think I will draw this letter to a close- With lore to all the L.F., not forgetting yo^jjjgfg^™ [You have asked me to send you postcards, Scottie. 1 presume you mean autocards.—DOT.] Dear Dot,-I again take up my pen to write you a few lines. The weather has be*n Pretty bad. On Saturday and Sunday it hailed, rained, and blew, also on Saturday morning some snow was on fene ground. The airship is all the talk here. Auntie has nine dear little cbickens-e^ white .and three brown ones.— but I think the white onVs are the prettiest when they are young. There are not many flowers out yet, bu the spring flowers will soon be l°wfr. fu?* as I was trying to think what I would write liraa sticking my finger m my mouth, and out jumped something. Wh*i <io you thank it was? Why. it was a tooth. Now, I musTsLp. With love to Granddad' ! jGttt Dolly Daydream, Sea Egg, and Mary Bell,— Yours truly, c^j^Ry 18 , [It wouldn't do to put your finger i*y°« mouth often at that price, would it?— DOT.] Dear Dot,— l have not written to you for a long timo, ««s I have not been •well. I have another letter from A Miner's Led. Dear Dot, one week I did not look at the Witness, mnd A Miner's Lad noticed that one of th 9 D L F. bad wanted to change *uto-curaß. Please tell them I will. I*m back at d»ncin*g, learning Ihe sailor's hornpipe, wni I danced at the Caledonian Society's concert. It has been very cold here. It <wa& frosty

[ this morning. We have a library at our day -school. I took part in the concert on jtirn>pir« Day, and was the one who- held the banner with Eng.*iid on it. I will now close, as it is bediiir^. — Yours truly, I COHSrfTALK. [Dj I understand thai you know the ones who desire to exchange auio-carde, ox do you with to kno\ who they are? If the former, then they will probably see your letter, and will read of your willingness to exchange. — DOT.] Dear Dot, — We m > taught about broken limbs,. . acd . how to treat snake-bites, and other u&etul things to know. If we cannot. treat what we «i« told to do we are kept; iv till we learn 'how to do it. The mra© is not -working well now. It is getting time to go hunting again. I have not been out hunting tnis time yet. A boy named William Mitchell fell oft a horse and. broke his -arm in two places. The boy and his brother got on the horse together without any bridle. The h-orse, instead of going up the road, turned down the road. The biggest boy told his brother to jump off, but the little boy still " kept hold of hia brother. The big boy went to jumo off, when his leg got caught round his iittle brother, and they both fell off:. Then the little brother cnei, and said, "I broke my arm! I broke my arm!" Mrs Mitchell sent the big boy up to th shop to ring: up the dector. " When the doctor came he ordered -him to,tihe hospital fft once. Hia *.tiu as so bad that the doctors had to cut his arm off to snve his life. He is in. the Ikospital now, and ia very bad. Th* Mount JLeira cricket tetun is' playing th© Fig Trea cricket team in the final. The Mou^nt Keira team is winning, so far as the. match has gone. They have been playin® for three faat.urdays now. I am in the Fourth Standard at school. lam Hi years old. We are expecting the inspector any day now. The other day three boys were oat shooting rabbits. Two of the boys trore. twin brothers nam-ed Cook. Stan Cook was running to get- a shot at a rabbit, and his brother George xan in front of him. Stan stumbled, and hJB gun went off and shot George- in the back. They were about a hundred yards away from the mine, and the other boy, when he saw him killed, ran to the mine and told some of the men thai were working there. Then they came and brought a stretcher and carried him home, and he was buried on Sunday' at 2 o'clock. There was a big funeral, over a mile long. His poor brother is very much grieved about' it, as they were twins, and only 18 yeara old. There hns been a school of arts built at Mount Keira. It vas opened with ad*nc'a and «uppor on June 26. There were about 200- people, and they danced untia 5 o'clock in the morning. We have had) two days' rain, anc" it is raining yet. This ia all I have to saj this time. With lovet to a/11 D.If.F. and yourself,— Yours truly, A MINER'S LAD. [Well, my Miner's I»ad, you hare given us tragedy this time, and no mistake. Iho pa those kind of things don't often, happen in* your part of the world — DOT.] Beat Dot, — I have not written to the peg© for a good while, so I thought I'd better write soon, but I really h*ve nothing interesting to say. When I was staying a* Palmerston North last Christmas aoinei friends and myself, ctrove one day into Feilding, where 1 went into a fruiterer's shop. I was served by a Chinese woman dressed) very -peculiarly in loo&e blue trousera and* a white jacket. I had heard thait she had a baby,, and I asked, to see it. Her husband brought it into the «h6p. I caw that it had a rather wobbly head, and was altogether a funny little thine- I went to the "Jack and Jill" pantomime, and< I liked oh© dancing and th© la,st scene, "The inarch of the jewels," very much. I love reading 1 , and have' just finished an interesting book called "Eight CJousins." I wonder if any D.L.F. have .read it? Now I must close. With lave to Frost Maiden and Irema,— Your truly, • CREAM PUFF. [Please, -what is a wobbly head, Creant Puff? Are you thinking of the littleChinese gods that -nod their heads up and down?— DOT.] Dear Dot, — I 'was glad to see my first letter in the page. %We are ihaving very good weather here just how for this time ofl the year. There seems to be such a number of new writers to your pa,»& every week. My brother reads the letter* to me. The Cornet is my cousin. He lives not very far from us. lam glad A Miner's Daughter has vrrrtten to the page. She told 'I? she would do so a few weeks ago. She- goes* to school with us, and is a favourite wvtli us all. I will now. close. With love to all the D.I/.F.,~Yours truly, GOLD DUSTDear Dot,— There are eight D.L.F. i» Maerewhenua now, and I hope there will be mere. The Comet is mj cousin, and jb* is 1C months younger +h«t» me. I had much pleasure in reading the stories in S.S.W., but the ones I liked best were:— "Ellie'e Adventure*' and "An Old Man Flood." ' I think they were both' very good. There has been great excitement caused through this airship that is supposed to have been seen. Some of our frinds have seen, it, but I did -.oi. see it, aa I was not watching. Chatterbox -is setting all the L.F. ■a good example by .writing so often to the page. Th© Miner's Daughter, Sleepy Wee Daisy, and Fireman have written since I last wrote. Chips, I saw your photo in the Witness, and I want you 4o write to n». — Yours truly, TH.fi STAR OF BRUNSWICK.

[I have no doubt Chips will iread your letter, Star cf Brunswick, but I would advise you to eend him a little note first oi all.— DOT.] I>ear Dot,. — Spring is here now with its fresh balmy mornings, and the birds, as they sit on the tree-tops, seem to greet the morning by singing. Soon we will be m*king our way to the nice, shingly beath, witfa its borders of yellow eands washed by the summer's eurf. This township is nestled s>mong tbe hills, and the long line of purple hills, called the Kakanui Ranges, with their white mountain paths appearing and disappearing up the rugged aides, look picturesque. The shady dells of Glencoet also form a conspicuous feature in Herbert's ecenery, and is » favourite picnic resort, because of its nice shady nooks and soenery.. It is even a pleasure to see ibe -river flowing down ■ between the high: banks, which are covered with bracken fern. Dear uo% tbe ferns are beautiful with their la»g« frond*, but they grow beet in moist place*,.. Even although they have no flowers theyt have a particular kind of beauty. Some of the different kinds ot fern are . the Mamaku bracken, bat X think the maidenhair is, prettiest. The silver tree fern occasionally grows fo about 40ft irr~ height, crowned -with superb heads of sweeping! fronds. By what I have read the Maoris used to eat the creeping underground stems of the bracken and the pulpy pith of the Mamaku. I would not care for that. I think it kind of th<» Hampden D.li.F" to ask the surrounding D.L.F. to -their picnic, and I hope it is » success. Hampdeo

' DX-F. seem to have plenty of news to tell you, Dot, but in this little township nothing very important happens. I have read a good few books, some of which I aiviee I others who have not read them to read. These are "Cupid's Chains," which tells about the evil some people do, and which we oouM hardly imagine civilisedEturopeans to be capable of. It is about bushrangers. Another on* is "The White Lady from BOazelwood." I hope Frost Meiden is not angry with me for being so slow in answering her poetcard Well, Dot, I shall close. With best love 4o Primrose, Lola, Only a Girl, and Une Pomme Roeee, — Yours truly*, A WHITE ROSE FROM HAZEI/WOOD. Dear Dot, — I was pleased to see my letter .in iprint. The overbridge at the Dunedin Railway Station will not be long before it & up- When it is finished and open for traffic it will be a great convenience for those living en the reclaimed ground, and also for the hands working at foundries and factories. They will be able to reach, home earlier than now, for they have to w*lk round Rafctray street. There has been a lot of talk about airships visiting Otago. j I wonder if they are real or someone "playing 'practical jokes ? — Yours truly, - YMA. Dear Dot, — As this » my first letter to your page will you please let me join your happy band? lam 16 years of age, and have paaeed my examinations. Although ; I am a China boy, still I think you will , let me join in writing letters to you, I have- a little brother about seven year's of age-. He went to echooL too,' but as some of the boys teased him he did not like going. Ac; I know a little English- I will • try to tteach -bins *11 I know. I like New ' Zealand very much, but I would sooner J live int my own native land. I "like readI ing the letters farom the Little Folk as well jas you, D»t. As lam sleepy I must close I now. With love to all the D.L.F., not forgetting yourself. — Yours truly, . WAHSZPO. i [I am pleased to hear from you, W*hszpo, . and hope you will writ^ to me often. All | my Little Folk will be interested to read your* letters, I am sure. — DOT.] < Deair Dot, — As Luccda has just handed me 1 over writing materials with instructions to i keep her company, and as her word is law, i I . suppose I'll have to scribble something. i News has all gone out of my head. Even i my old pipe refuses to draw, and I am getting desperate, for while I have scrawled these few lines Luceda has dashed off two pages without stopping for breath, and she's only started. I was on the track stony broke when ray last letter appeared, but I got a job a tew days after in time to see the Witness and gain the remark from my boss, "Humph, likes a bit of blow, anyhow." I bav<e turned amateur gardener, cfirpenter, etc., these days under Shasta's expert guidance, and being wet to-day I • brought my tools inside the house and' proceeded to knock up a couple of forms. ! I had never made one before, so you can ! guess the result. My bench was a chair, •and placing the board through the bach I nailed or* leg on satisfactorily, and instead of taking the other end out of the chair back I drove ihe other leg on* too, only to discover that I had my choice of sme-shing the chair or taking my form to pieces again. .That's the result of talking and working ait the same time. Well, Dot, I've been worrying my brains over the sentence you imposed on me for silence, "but I'm not much further ahead than when I started. Perhaps am account of the flaxmilling industry would be of interest. If so, I could describe it in my next letter, but I'll just fill this one up as best I can. Life has changed for me lately, and I am well within the 'bounds of civilisation, and what with the influence of Shasta, ! Luceda, and Mairs I am getting gradually j "broken in." But when you've heard "The I beat of the off-shore wind and the thresh of ! the deep-sea rain" it's hard to think of i Gettling down for a while, for to me the I rough life is the * best in the long run. There's one thing about it I'll admit, that it teaches one to appreciate the comforts of a good home. The best times of all. though were when I was contract swamp-draining in the King Country. Up at 2 o'eloeil in t>ho morning in. the long summer days — if we didn't get up then tJae mosquitoes drowe u« out — and often working till 9 at night. We would snatch a« hour or two's sleep in the middle of th« day, and with the glass at something well over the century An the shade one needs a rest. Stripped to the waist, pants cut off at the kneea, «nd slashing at roots in black mud, where every stroke brings a shower of inky darkness from head to heel, with one man constantly on at the augur- We blasted almost eveTy foot of the drains in parts. You can judge times were lively. As regards tucker we made our own damper — th«t is, flour aild waiter baked xn. the ashes, and generally "of indiarubber texture. Sout thistles boiled for vegetables, and rabbits and cc's forming the substantial <part of our bill of faxeryou will see we lived high. Our method of' cooking eels may be of interest to campersout. Pass a long titree stick right through the eel, which is not skinned. Plant it at an angle alongside the fire, turning it when necessary. The skir. peels off, and there is a feed fit for a king. And then there is the joy of the glorious pay days — off to town with ouir cheques, and never b*ck again till they were gone. Long nights spent bobbing for eels with a rabbit's leg tied ou the end of,- a pole, with a fight to follow if someone got a smack from, an eel swung out in a hurry , hours of fighting mosquitoes with a candle and towels, and, above all, the freedom of the "back of beyond." Wall, 'IXit, I am afraid I will be exceeding the limit, but before I stop I want to shako up our country members a bit. Don't be afraid that we'll laugh ait your papers. I'm only a oountry member myself, although I am living in Inveroargill just now, and I want to see my comrades give a bit more support to the o!d club. Well, I got this far several days ago, and haven't finished yet. Our social svening came oft all right, and we had a good time- I have got to shift back to the wilds again on Monday, and it will be a change after being in town for a while. With best wishes to all my L.F. friends. — Yxuts truly, THE HELMSMAN. [We certainly have to thank Luceda if she was the instigator 'of your letter. Now, when you are away from her influence don't forget to write. I don't want you to suffer from swelled head, but your letters ore very interesting.— DOT.] Dear Dot, — I will be very pleased if you will accept me as one of your Little Folk. I am eight, years old, and not such a badlooking little chap on the whole. My brother and I have three miles and ft-half to go to school, co on very wet days we have to ' stop et home. We like going to school, and have some fine games at football. We have a pet goat, four dogs, four cats, five horses, and lots of sheep and cattle. A-s this if my first letter I will stop now. With much love, — Yours truly, BOBSfGoate are always humourists, are they , not, Bobs? Is your 3, I wonder, or ie it a sober eerious goat? Write agair soon.— 1 DOT.J

Dear Dot, — I was very pleased to sea my first letter in print, and it is witi great pleasure I omce again take up my pen to write a few more lines. As you said, Dot, there is plenty to tell you about Rotorua and the North Island, but I think I shall leave that till later on. We have been having very wet -weather here lately, and I find it very cold in the roomings and evenings after the milder climate of Auckland. There is a very nioe beach i«re and a friend and I often go for long walks there, which I enjoy very much. I must now bring this short letter to a close. — HINEMOA.

Yours truly,

Dear Dot, — I think it is high time that I '■wrote another letter to the page. lam back in Duneidin once again, but I am not sure if it will be for v good or not. I hope # will be for good, I had a good *imd coming down from Chriatchurch in the express. It was a lovely fine day, but a littla too warm. I met a few D.L-F. comrades on the Oamaru. station, «nd I managed to have a few minutes' chat with them. After about seven minutes' talking the well-known call, "Be seated, please," waa heard ringing along -the station, and them I had to bid my comrades good-bye for the present, and the express mov«d away once more. The rest of the journey was very quiet, and at 4.80 we arrived at Dunedin. After I had seen to my luggage I went up to my friend's place, and after tea quite a little surprise awaited me. It was a. surprise $>axty got :uj> for me. I enjoyed myself, I can assure vcu. , I had a rest on Friday, on account of the D.fc.F. social in "the evening- ~I wae down on the programmei<y » bagpipe selection. I was a little nervous *t first, but I was all right when I got started. I en-joyed my'relf fairly welll at the social, and I left at am early hour of the morning. I was pleased to see such a large gathering there, and I am sure the D.L.F. social of 1909, was a success. I am sure the committee worked very hard to make it a success, and I hope the next one will be as good. There was rather an exciting; time here on July 1. An. empty house caught fire, just four doors above where I am Irving, and it caused great excitement. At about five minutes to 1 I heard someone calling out "Fire." I got up and asked where, and the young lady said next door. That was enough for me. I was outside in less than two minu'tss, and I found it was higher up the street. Someone' had gone to give the alarm, and i-t was nearly a quarter-past 1 when the fire engine arrived. They could not save the house, a« it had too good a hold, and the heat caused the top house of the terrace to burn. Just when they put the hoße on to it the waiter went off for neeirly three minutes. Then I thought the whole terrace was doomed 1 , but when the water came on again it saved the situation. In the meantime the people were busy getting tibeir belongings out, as the police said the whole block was going, bu>t tbe brigade kept the top house in check, so there was no damage done to the remaining houses. The brigade stopped there until half-past 2 to make sure everything was safe, and at S o'clock everything was as quiet as if nothing had happened. I jha.V9 been to the club frwice since I hssvie •been in town., and I am very sorry to see the club in the present^ condition. I hope members will roll up 'amd not let it go dawn fox the want of support, as it wonild ba a pity to see it' fall through, after being active for 0o long. Now, Dot, I will conclude. "With basts wishes to yourself, Giulia, Tasma, Molly, Firefly, and all ray D.L.P 1 . friends and coinTades, — Yours truly, NED DEJ VINE.

FI am pleased to hear from you again. The address you require will have reached you by this time.— DOT.]

Deax Dot,— This is the first letter I have writtan to you. lam nine yeais old. and and «m in the Third Standard at school. Tli© farmers about here are busy sowing crops now. This is all the news this time. — Yours truly, JOHNNY FROM THE SHOTOVER.

fPerhaps you will tell me more next time you write. You have certainly eencfc me a very short note "this time. — DOT."]

D*ai Dot,— This is my first letter to your page, and I hope yon wSI let mo join your happy band. Spring has cam© round again, and the violets and daffodils are in flower. We have had a very mild winter. Grown-up folk say it is the mildest they have exoeidftiioed in thes« paii«. Igo to fi 3 hool, "and am in the Fifth S*nderd. As this is my first attempt I -wxll close. With love fc> all Little Folk wad jjurself,— DORIGEN.

Yours truly,

[You must iell me something about Garston, Dorigen. Pleased to receive your first letter.— DOT.]

Dear Dot,— l have not written to the page for a long time, but take up my pen' now to write a f«w lines. We have had a lovely- winter this year in. comparison to last. There is a dance held here every week, and I always go. My mother and I went for a «Jri7e to-day, "but it was rather cold. I have left school since I last wrote to the page. There are very few children going to this school, but 'they have a very nice teacher. Love to New Zealand Maiden. — Yours truly,

MADEMOISELLE GENEE,

Dear Dot, — It is raining very heavily here to-night, and it is vewy oodd- There is an oil launch- sut Tmtuku just now, axid it is owned by Mr Fraser Hq intends fishing there. It ia the second time he has been ro-.ind. The first time he caught 40 giroper. That was a good catch, wasn't 't? The mysterious airship has been seen down here on several occasions. The first time my mother and sister saw it, and some neighbours sa>w it a few days la+er. I wonder if it is some foreign spies having a look at our xich little country — it seems very much like it. The D.L.F. Page is growing very fast. There are a good few Catlins L.F. writing to the page now I see. Our cows are milking again now, so I will be kept pretty busy from now on to nest autumn, anil that is a long way off. I don't think I have any more news this time. With love to Holly Malonc, Taxituku Maid, and Rock Ros-e, — Your 3 truly, L 0> T G POINT.

[Don't you think those foreign spies could do better travelling round in a comfortable train, Long Pcint?— DOT]

Dear Dot, — Ifc is not very nire weather down hero. All the spring flowers arc coming out. The daffodils are coming up fhrcugh the ground. We are planting seeds in "our school gardens now. The bin-ds are all flying about now. It wall soon be bird-nesting time. Nearly every nice sunny morning you can hear the thrush sing scan© sweet notes. Ii will soon be summer. It was very windy to-day. The trees are getting green again. The frost is neaily all away- I like '.valkdng to school -when the roads *re dry. There is plenty of mud down here. This is all I can, say just MILDBED.

now. — Yours truly.

Dcra Dot,— This is m> first letter to your page. May I join your happy band? I am 13 yeara of age-, and my biithday is on February 13. My sister is writing to you

te-mght, and my eldest brother is thinking of writing to you. lam in the Sixth Standard. I saw a number of D.L.F. to-day. Killarney and Challis -were her© to-day. Now I think I will stop. With love to all the Little Folk,— Yours truly,

BARE MAR-

[I wonder where you got your strange non* da plunge from. Have I spelt it correctly? I shall be glad to hear from your brother, too.— DOT.]

Dear Dot, — This is ray first letter to your page, and I , hope to become one of your Little Folk. I»m 11 years old, and lam in the Fifth. Standard. I know a number of D.Ii.F. at my school. My birthday is on March 16. Npw I "will stop. Hoping to write to you again, — Yours truly, VAMTT. [You, too, I welcome to our page, Vanity —DOT-]

Dear Dot,— lt was a lovely day to-day, but it wap very frosty this mornin.'g. I went rabbiting to-day, and I oaugbt one. I chased up another one, but it went underneath a culvert, and I did 1 not see it again. We have got holidays from school, as it is the end otf our quarterly examination. I have been doing some gardening lately. It is a great game, Dot. I haven't seen any of these airships flying «bout yst. There is a concert «n in Winton to-night. The Winton Church choir are going to sing "The Holy City." I have read » few books, called "The Cruise ol the Golden Wwro, '"Tom, Brown's Schooldays," "Harry L»uder," and many others. Draughts is a great game about here, Dot, especially when there is nothing else to do. There is going to be -a school concert at Winton on September 29. It in a long way off yet. We play many games at school, but we soon get sick of the same games over «nd over againWe had a very good winter, but a while ago Ibere was very rough weather for about three days. I think we are going to have winter in spring and spring in winter. That will be a change.— Yours truly, CAOTERBUBY BELL.

[Is there such a book as "Harry Lauder," Canterbury Bell? I have heard of the singer.— DOT.]

Dear Dot, — I was at Sunday school today. We had a school concert. There is a draughts club down here. Some of the flowers onre out now. We have got chiakens out. This is flc<wer-plaiiting time. The dairy factory *s still taking in milkWe have * sawmill near here. Two or three farmers have sold out, and are lea-v-inv the district. With love to all the D.L.F.,— Yours truly, ROSAMUND.

Dear Dot,— Here I am Again. We are having very damp weather, but have had no snow this winter. I like watching the snow falling. I h*.ve & little sister. She is nearly three months old. Her name is Gladys. There are eight children • going to school, and we have a new teacher. She is teaching me the piano. I have two little kittens — one is jet black, except far one white Bpot, and the other is black and white. Tlisgj is a- kingfisher in the bush near our house, and I have often watched nim> to Bee if lie catches little birds', but I have never seen him trouble th>am yet. I have often seen him darting at the water to oatch fish. The native robins are getting very scarce, also the tui. We have some very nice fowls. They are the silver wy.an-do-ttes. When we a.ro feeding them crowds of sparrows come and «at the feed with them. — Yours tiuly.

MOUNTAIN LILY.

[Thank you 9o much for your post-car.d, Mv-untain Lily. It is very beautiful, and has created a desire in me to see Lake Manepoixri some day. — DOT.]

Deai- Dot, — Spring has come at last. I urn glad winter is over. I have finished reading "Alice in Wonderland." I like it, although it is only a dream, and I liked where the old cat laughed at Alice, and where the queen was always growling at the people. lam just reading a letter from my uncle, so I will not be able to -write a long letter to your page* I have just finished •writing a. composition, about springtime. I am -veTy tired to-night, because I have baan playing skipping with. Leopard Lily and Only a Girl. I know a good few of the L.F.— about ia I think. I have two little kittens'. I call a grey one Topsy and the white one Brighteyes, and- it likea sitting on the rug at the door and catching birds and mice. I was at my uncle's wedding' yesterday, wnd I was away from school for a day, I think I will have to Btop now, ac I have four oihiea letters to write, and it is getting late. "With love to Wild Hose and Early Bird, — Yours truly. TJNE POMME ROSEE.

fl hope you don't mind the accent being left out of your ramie, but unfoi tunatedy some of our linotype machines are too serious and businesslike to be troubled with accents. We sha.ll have to imagine it is there.— DOT.]

Dear Dot, — Orepuki ia stirred up everywhere on account of -the smelting- works. People are all after black sand «nd platinum. Men are pegging off claims on the beach also. Our cow- died about a month ago. She fell down at the gate, and couldn't get up Again. The Orepuki footballers defeated Otautau by 12 points to 3. We have started to play cricket at school now, but I think we shoudd be pleying football. My friemu Ohipa haa been very ill this las* month, -and we miss him at school very much. People are pi«pariug the ground for seed now, i-.s it is spring. Our examination is on the 16th of this month (August). SOPRANO.

— Yours truly,

[Yes, poor Chips has had a bad time. I heatrct from him a week ox two ago. — DOT.I

Dear Bat,— This is my first letter I*> your page. May I becoitv© «n« of your I/.F.? I was 10 years old on the 7th of this month, and I am in the Fourth Standard. I have three brothers and » sister. lam very fond of reading and fancy woirk My sister and I have a flower garden, tut there aro not rcany flowers out jut* r.ow. We get the Witness every week, and I hfce reading tho L.F. Page. With love to all LF.. — Y^urs tiuiy

MOTHER'^ GIEL.

[You will coon have some spring flowers in'ycur garden. I suppose^ Mother's Gar 1. Let mo hear from you again eoon.— AHJJ..J

Dear Dot,— lt is a long time since I -wrote to the page. lam in Standard II IWJW. I havo a littla brother now. I will dose OltlvE.

now. — Youts truly,

[You have -written me quite a short letter, Olive, but still enpugh to let me know you are gettir.g on well. — DOT.]

Dear Dot,— What *> you think? Our pig ate red paint, and he did not die. I have got eomo new fcuots, but no socks. We have a dray, and our horse Bonnio kicks the shafts My ink baa run out, so I must SCROOGE.

stop. — Yours truly,

[Poor pigey!— DOT.]

Dear Dot — I do not think 7. would be writing this Letter if it were not for eeeing caio written by an old schoolmate of mine torho has been writing to the page for nearly

10 years. It is almost tv.o yeara ago since I wrote my last letter. At the time of writing I was at sea in a sailing ship tayins to do » little- bit of sailorising. Scsno of these times I will write about some of my trips i» sailer and steamer. The latter I -like better, because you have not to rough it so .rften. About 12 nroßths ago I left the sea. to work ashore. Ido not altogether care about the sea, but I prefer it as far as life is concerned. I am at present about 30 miles from Dunedin in a Government situation, which I have taken to very quietly, on account of its loneliness. It is a small country, place. I was at a dance on the 16th, and enjoyed it very much, especially in the last h*lf, when I fell in with an old schoolmate. The time then passed very quickly, as we talked about times that will come again n«> more. Wihere I «m there is plenty of frost ia the mornings, and wfiien I go out of the house I often feel like taking the v blankets with me. Here at night time toti have the roaT of the sea on the rocks aaad the sand to put you off to sleep. Sometimes we gc pig-hunting about 10 miles from here, and real good sport it is. Well, Do** as time is getting on I will now draw to a close. With love to Nita»— Yours truly, THE MA.RINER.

[You will be sure to write again soon and fell us some of your experiences, by sea. Glad you have 'tarred up agftirf.— DoTJ

Dear Pot,— l am in Standard HI now. The,6i*xwwn«tdon took place last Monday. All Ifie cSildTen -pfeSß^d'buf one boy. &be inspector kissed mci' «nd said I was a^gqod ,girl. Wt *l»ter was ill, bu£»pwi she is getttjfe WtteY: ->I have 4wo' bxottieW%nd three sSlters. Wffcre having good*wseafiher, hut we never see ice or snow here, anariuie grass giows- a little all the.-.wint«x*: :v< *£)ur inepectof told us a funny story about *he Maori and the mustard. . Here it i*. .After the Waikato war a number of chiefs were invited to a feast im Auckland. One of the chiefs saw what he thought was • amall pot of yellow jam on the table, so he took * spoonful and swallowed it. Soon another chief saw his tears flowing, and -asked what he was crying for. "I am crying," he said, "because my old mother is dead. uJhe second chief then helped himself to the yellow jam, and Soon he was in tears. The first then turned end asked, "What «re you crying for?" "I am crying for you, because vout mother is dead," was the reply. — Yours truly. NIKAU.

Dear Dot,— We are having rather rough weather just now, and it h«s been very cold and showery to-diay. We hed been " having lovely dry weather up till lac* week, and the roads were getting nice and dry,, but they are as bad as ever again. Well, spring is here again, and the days are beginning to lengthen. I feel sort of sorry that winter is going away, because thi© nice long evenings are going, too. Ido a lot of reading in winter, and think it is Jovely to sit before a big log fire with a book. But I like the summer, too, because we get to a number of picnics. Have you ever been to the Catlins Blowhole, Dot? I intended writing and telling you about \it, but I fancy somebody has" described it already. I have just finished reading "jßichard Bruce," by Charles Sheldon. I have also read "Adam Bede and "St. Elmo.'; I' liked, the . former very much, but did not oara about the latter one. I am- going to\read "Westward Ho!" -when I have 'time. I have joined the "Victoria League, and am* to get correspondence from England. If the letters are interesting I will send them to. the page~ — that' is, if you approve of it.. The letters are to be about England. I enjoyed reading the letters of S.S.W. very much. I thought of writing a story, but that is «• far as I .got. — Yours truly, DOUBLE DAHLIA.

[If you have "Westward Ho!" to read you have a treat before you, Double Dahlia. Yes, if yoxir correspondents letters are in c taresting I should "Be glad to make use of them. You are quite right, someone did describe the Blowhole- three months ago, but we should like to hear about it from you« I have seen it .twice myself.— DOT.]

Dear Dot,— There lias been a few changes since th~en, I can assure you,, as I wa» going to school when I last wrote, but xKnr I ua growing old and tough as the years roll on. What a mild winter we have had this year! but we may get snow yet, so we had better not talk too much. I have not seen the wonderful airship yet, but would like to. I wonder where it cornea from. I think it is just acme /big stars a ntun-ber of tho people see, because there waa on* eld gentleman out in front of our house here the other night looking at a star for about two hours; and he reckoned it was the airship; so if that's all the people see there is no cause for alarm or excitement. Won't it b& grand) when the long days come round again and; the cold frosts and rain wend their way to tibe lands across the sea? # What «f number of new writers there are joining the fage 3ay by day, and the o]d writer* are ynig out, too, and those old' familiar names are replaced by new signatures. I like to read the page occasion ally and to look back, upon the bygone days. It seems years since I wrote last, but now that I have regained courage I hope to continue. We have the : train running from Waikaka now, and what an improvement upon the ooaoh. I didn't travel much in it. The next time you. are. down south, Dot, you'll have to take a trip up in the Waikaka exprsesi so that you can go back to Dunedin and say you have had the pleasure or a ride on the Waakaka railway. You have only about half a dozentunnels to condescend to. Well-, dear Dot, as tim<e will not permit me to continue B will draw my letter to n conclusion. With* kind regards to all the L.F., — Yours truly, WALTERINA.

[I hope you will continue to write more often, Walterina. lam afraid I shall not be able to journey in the Waikaka, express for some time yet. — DOT.]

Dear Dot, — I was pleased to see my first letter in print. As it is- raining this morning I cannot go out. I think I will tell you about a poultry show that was held/ here. Well, some of my playmates and myself bad some fun. One daj a fowl go 6 away, and the man who owned" it asked ua to try. to catch it. After a long chaee we caught it, and we brought it to the man, and he said he would let us in free. There was a dunce here not very long ago. Mg black cat has gone away, and I can't find! her anywhere. Dot, ia there any • L.F. up this way? Igo to the High School, and I like it very much. I think 'this is all I can say just now. Wri>tib best wishes to all the L.F.,— Yours truly, LITTLE SHAMROCKS.

[Your town is not well represented in ouia page. At the moment I' don't remember any from Nelson, except yourself, who has been writing recently.— DOT.]

Dear Dot,— This ia my first letter do youu page. I have left Hcnool nearly four months. Tbero is snow on the ground! just now, an<j it looks as if it were not all over yet. I have started a book, but I have not finished! it. I went with my father yesterday to help him to put up a fence. I have tfareif cousins writing, but I have not seen a letier

from them for » long time. I know a good many D.L.F. round about here. Hoping to see this letter in print, — Tours truly, A BUNCH OF FLOWERS. U .welcome you to Dot-dom.— T>OTJ

AUTOS AND POST-CAKDS.

Mopart (Master D. L. Brnton, Dunedin Hospital, Great King street) would like to exchange autos and post-cards with any D.L.P. willing. Sure replies. Lady Sue (Miss O'Brien, Slope Point P. 0., Southland) . would like to exchange post-cards with Longwood Blossom, Sea Egg, Eosebud, The Mouse, Howdy Enough, and any others ■willing. Une Fomme Hosee (Miss E. Forbes* ©aro of Mr J. B. Forbes, Herbert) wishes to exebange post-cards with Nita, I*oia, Longdale Lassie, and any ether L.F. willing. Walterin-a (Walterina Mary Kean, Sunnyside, W«ikak» P. 0., Southland) would like to exchange post-cards with any Xr.F. who are willing. Coloured ones preferred.

D.L.F. AUTOS. Autos sent to Socrttie.

D.L.F. BADGESBadge sent to Kidding Nod.