THE BABY YEAR

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 857, 28 December 1929, Page 27

THE BABY YEAR

All was bustle and excitement In th© Land of Future, for it: was New 1 ear’s Eve, and there was much t b© done. In his palace, on a throne of gold, sat Father Time, clad in long flowing robes of purple, trimmed with ermine and sparkling with jewels. He carried a sceptre and were a golden crown set with gems which flashed and glittered in th© sunset light i he turned his head to speak to one of the velvet-clad pages who intended him

At one end of the long gilded room with its hangings of purple and gold and great arched windows, through which th© sunset light was streaming, suffusing the air with a ruby glow stood the years, clustered together and talking excitedly. The Years were little cherubs with soft downy white wings. folded on their backs, with fair, fluffy curls and wide blue eyes, and in the middle of them, her cheeks flushed with excitement. stood 11*30. “Oh, what kind of a day shall I send?” she was asking. “Send a sunshine and blue one with a crimson sunset and a sky all strew n with banners of golden cloud—then a purple night,” suggested 1932 though. - fully. “When v.y turn comes,” cried 1931. ‘‘l think I'll have a still grey day and a wild night with the wind moaning, and the rain drumming on the roofs. That will surprise the mortals! And she tossed the silver ball with which she had been playing, and laughed gleefully. “No, I think I'll have a lovely purple sunset with a heart of gold, it magictwilight with a starry sky where rose will merge into blue, shading into a green, which will fad© to palest pearl, deepening again to velvety purple pricked with softly glimmering stars—” At last it was nearly midnight and time for the New Year to go. “Come along, 1930!” cried Father Time. “Oh, oh," wailed the Baby Year, trembling with fright. “Oh. I am so nervous- Please, Father Time, couldn’t 1931 go first?” “What!” laughed Father Time, “do you mean that 1931 should follow 1929? No no! That can’t be done. If you are not quick the Old Year will have gone and time will stop, which will mean that the whole world will fall into a i ranee! Quick, little Year! Bon’t be nervous.” Hastily throwing a scarf of woven moonshine over her shoulders, the Now' Year ran forw’ard, followed by her Bays, Hours, Minutes and Seconds and, kneeling at. the foot of the throne, received the blessing of Father Time. Then she ran to the edge of th© Land of Future, where a golden moon-cradle was waiting, and the other Years who had come to bid her good-bye wrapped her in a soft, w'hite cloud and tucked her snugly into the beautiful fairy lullaby ship, which was shaped like a young gold moon, and was raado soft and cuddly inside by piles of fragrant rose petals that had drifted for years on the winds of time. With the farewells of the Future Years in her ears, the little New Year sped through space, the Bays, Hours, Minutes and Seconds flying like a host of wraith-like forms beside her. Th© New Year grew drowsier and drowsier, and at last the long, dark lashes rested on the softly-rounded cheeks and 1930 was asleep. A little time before they reached the earth tliej* passed th© Old Year, who paused in her flight to th© Land of Past to press on Baby Year’s forehead a kiss like the cool breath of the wind or the touch of th© fingers of the rain.

“Bear little sister,” she said, “tonight the people of the earth are making good resolutions for the coming twelve months. Give them courage to keep them, in the 365 days give them that which will make them braver and stronger than they were before. Lei there; be rain, but after it is oyer let the sunshine seem brighter because of it. If you do all this. Father Time will be pleased with you and the mortals, looking back, will think fondly of the joys you have brought them.” Then the moon-cradle reached the earth, the little New Year opened her eyes and her silvery scarf fluttering in the breeze, spread her downy wings and became a thing of the present. Th© dome of the heavens stretched above, and the blossom sweet earth lay below, a pure, strong wind, bringing with it new hopes and high ambitions, blew from the starry sky, and baby breezes rippled over the field*, bearing to her ears the peal of bell*, some loud and clear, others faint and sweet and far away, like some age-old dream of the sleeping hills, as the little New Year’s pink toes touched the earth. ‘ Why,.what a beautiful world!” she said. —Joan Brookfield, aged 13. A PENNY CATCH Put a penny on the table and ask someone to pick it up with two finders. They will, of course, say, “How easy. ” and immediately pick it up with a finger and a thumb—unless, of course they know the trick. You will teli them it is wrong, and pass cn to the next player. It is quite likely that you will catch all the players, and even if someone knows the trick it is not likely he will give, it awav. You will explain afterward that vou said two fingers and they have used a finger and a thumb.