MY FIRST RAILWAY TRIP.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 December 1920, Page 3 (Supplement)

MY FIRST RAILWAY TRIP.

FIRST PRIZE.

(Nellie Fleming, Oaonui; aged 13 years.)

Dear Mr. Editor, —I am a little girl who lives on the sea side of Mt. Egmont, so you must not laugh when I tell you that when mother took me with her on a visit to the Palmerston Show that was the most interesting day in my life. I had never seen a train before, you Bee.

We had a nice motor to take us to Hawera, and all the way there it was new and interesting. We drove up to the station, and just at first I was a little disappointed to find there was no .train there. Nothing but two long iron snakes, all shiny on the top, but mother told me that we were early, and that the train had not come in yet. Then w,e walked up and down the big verandah called a platfoi-in, and I looked at all the pictures. There was one of Mt. Cook, and some views of the high mountains in the South Island, and there were a lot of advertisements with nice pictures. 1 was looking at one of them when I heard such a loud whistle that I nearly dropped down, and when I looted round our train was steaming in.

Such a lot >of carriages there were, and all full of people, some of them looking out of the windows, and some standing on the little platforms at the end- of the carriages. When the train stopped most of the people who were standing on the platforms jumped off, and mother and I got on. The inside of the carriage was beautiful. I got a seat next to the window, but mother said I was not to put my head out, as it js very dangerous. After a few minutes we were off—at first very slowly, and then faster and faster, and soon we turned round a corner and Hawera was out of sight. Oh! it was nice. I wish I could tell you of all the interesting things we saw along the line, but my letter would be so long that it would fill your whole paper. We passed through a number of towns —Patea, .Wanganui, Marton, Feilding* Near Marton some people were reaping a large field of wheat with a machine that tied the wheat up in bundles called sheaves. The field was quite close to the line, and we qould see the beautiful corn falling down in front of the machine, and the big sheaves being dropped off on the other side. After wo left Fcilding we passed a place called Bunnythorpe. and mother said that was where our "Glaxo" was made. Soon afterwards we reached Palmerston.

I intended to have told you, Mr. Editor, about the show, but I have written so much about my first train journey that now I must just tell you in as few words as I can. I think the side-shows were the best. There were places where you got rings to throw on sticks, and all sorts Cjf things. If yon managed to throw round the articles they would be yours. There was also a funny fat man blowing beautiful bubbles nf glass and pulling and twisting them to form pretty things. In one place' you could buy sharp sticks to throw at "Kaiser Bill", and I managed to hit him such a smack. It was not - long after that till fatrter came home and told us the war was over.

Really, I think I will have to tell you about the real show next time I write, Mr. Editor. I am sure you will see by this long letter that the' day I went to Palmerston Show with mother was "The Most Interesting Day in My Life".