PETER PAN’S

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20923, 30 September 1939, Page 21 (Supplement)

PETER PAN’S

Dulcie Waldon, Tokoroa.— Such a bigwelcome we send lo you, Dulcie, and Peter hopes to have lots more letters rrom you. Yes, you may have Lucy Locket for your pen-name.—Peter Pan. Margaret Laidlaw, Gordonton.— Such a welcome letter yours was, Margaret, and Peter was so pleased to hear from you. Yes, you may huve Sun Flower Tor your pen-name. The rreezias have a lovely pcri'ume, haven’t they?—Peter Pan. The Invisible Man, Hamilton. —Yes, the days are much longer now, aren’t they, The Invisible Man? What a busy time you must have had planting all the potatoes. No, Peter didn’t see the Fijians playing either.—Peter pan. June Gibson, Hillcrest. —Such a lovely neat letters yours was June, and Peter was so pleased to receive It, too. The rrult trees are looking lovely at present, aren’t they? The football season will be over very soon now, won’t It?—Peter Pan. Tootsie, Te Nlata. —What a Jolly time you must have had at the school dance, Tootsie; Peter reels sure you enjoyed it very much. The sunny days soon fly past, don’t they?—Peter Pan. Mexicali Rose, Matangi. —Yes, there are book prizes awarded for the competition winners. Mexicali Rose. The bagpipes are very stirring, aren’t they? Peter loves them very much.— Peter Pan. Daphne Lady, Glen Maeaey. —Such a lovely walk you must have had with your teacher, Daphne Lady, and Peter feels sure you enjoyed every moment of it. How is your garden?—Peter Pan. Daffodil Girl, Glen Massey. —Peter is so sorry to hear that you have had to go to hospital, Daffodil Girl, and he hopes that you are out again now.—Peter Pan. Twilight Fairy, Te Awamutu. —Peter hopes you enjoyed your birthday party very much. Twilight Fairy, and the cake sounds very Interesting too. The aeroplane are very big, aren’t they?—Peter Pan. Gay Marigold, Cambridge. —Such a stranger you are, Gay Marigold, and Peter was so pleased to hear from you again. The spring flowers have such a lovely perfume, haven’t they? Don't forget us for such a long time again, will you?—Peter Texas Lady, Putaruru. —The grass and hedges grow very quickly just how, don’t they, Texas Lad? Do write and tell us more about your flrst-aid classes, won’t you?—Peter Pan. Passion Flower, Auckland. —The days have been beautifully warm lately, haven’t they, Pusslon Flower? The teachers versus pupils match must have been very amusing, Peter thinks.—Peter Pan. Minnie Mouse, Hamilton. —Peter Is so sorry to hear that you are not well, Minnie Mouse, and he hopes that you will soon he better again. Yes, spelling mistakes are counted as well as neatness in the competitions,—Peter Pan. GARDENS Dear Peter Pan, —Just after tea we all went round the garden and I couldn’t help thinking how dull it must be without one. Even If It Is only a wondow-box or a tiny pot plant it’s something to tend and care for. Really, I’ve been down and all round our garden dozens or times each week but I think the more you go round the more you see. Have you ever watched a bare patch of ground for days and days, and then one day a dark green shoot appears, then another and another until we have a tiny plant. Days go by then a bud appears and all this time the plant has been growing bigger and stronger in its reach Tor greater things. Just outside our back porch we have an archway with creeper, or l should say wisteria, and it has flower buds on it this year for the first time, so every fe minutes of the day someone has a look to see if they are any bigger. I love gardens. One doesn’t need to have grand lily pools, sun-dials and bird baths to have the most interesting garden in the world. I always loved that pieces that goes: “ The kiss of the sun for pardon. The song or the birds Tor mirth; You are nearer God's heart in a garden Than anywhere else on earth.” And the older you get I think you seem to realise how true it is. I first saw it when I was in Hamilton one day. My mother and I had some time to spare so we went and had a look around on the banks or the river in the Soldiers’ Memorial Park. Suddenly in a space of lawn

we came across a sun-dial with those words carved on It.

At present everywhere I look I car. see trees that are just a mass or pink blossom. A week or two ag-o there were bare brown branches; then appeared hunches or red-brown buds which burst into the sea of pink tnat seems to be all around Waharoa at present. I suppose next week their place will have been taken by leaves the same as the plum trees. Then later the apple trees will follow. Shakespeare could not have been more correct when he said: “All the world’s a stag-e.” He applies it only to men and women but don’t you think trees and plants are just the same? Somehow 1 don’t think I'd better bother you any more with little tit-bits about ours and other g-ardens. On Wednesday the school is going- to see “ The Mikado.” and as I have read and heard most or the music, I’m sure I am going to enjoy it. As soon as I can T will write and tell you all about It.— Nancy Petch (15). Waharoa. Peter loved your garden letter. Nancy, and he quite agrees with you that a “garden is a love-some thing.” There are so many things or beauty to be round ir we only care to look, aren’t there? But so many or us see. only those things whicn are the most obvious. —Peter Pan. HOLIDAY NEWS Dear Peter Pan, —It is ages since I have written to you, but here I am. Mother and I had throe days in Auckland during the holidays, and we bought most or our

summer materials, and we think they are very nice. Mother bought me one or the latest swing skirts. The last day of our outing we went over to Devonport in the ierry. Later in the arteinoon, my cousin took me down to Cheltenham beach and we had a lovely scramble over the rocks. Aren't Jellyflsh awTul looking creatures? We saw two kinds. One was rairly small and looked as though it contained loosely tangled cotton. My garden is in a bit or a mess at present but it is looking much brighter with daii'odils and one or two jonquils. There are also some grape hyacinths hut not enough to make a show. There are quite a lot or primroses in flower also, and the nectarine tree is breaking into blossom, and I have seen quite a number or other trees in bloom as well. Heather, my young sister, has been away Tor a holiday with her cousins lor a rortnight. She said she had lots or run and would like to go again. Well, Peter Pan, I must go now. so cheerio.—Greek Shepherdess (15), Hamilton. Such an enjoyable holldya you must have had in Auckland, Greek Shepherdess, and Peter reels sure you enjoyed every moment of it. The jelly fish aren’t very pleasant creatures, are they?—Peter Pan. A TOURING HOLIDAY Dear Peter Pan, —I have so much news to tell you that I really don’t know where to begin, but I will tell you about my holiday lirst. I lert for Hawke’s Bay on the train the Friday we broke up and had a lovely

POST BOX.

journey down. When we got to Taumarumii it began to get cold and it was not long be Tore we saw snow. About hair-past eight on the Saturday morning I arrived a' Palmerston North and <q)ent my time looking around the shops there nil about if o’clock, when I caught the train Tor Woodviile. After leaving Palmerston we soon were in the Manawatu Gorg-e, which is really very pretty, the banks being very high and covered with Terns and native bush, while the river runs through between the hills. On reaching Woodviile we had dinner and then went by car to Walpukurau, passing through Dannevirke and many other small towns.

On reaching Takapau I was told It would not be long before 1 tvould be in Waipukurau. The first view I had or the township was from the Pukeora Sanitorium Hill and what I saw was really very pretty. In the background the township made a very colourful picture. The roors being nestled as it were in the trees around and on a hill, while the golden wattle was dotted here and there. In the foreground the Tukl Tukl River wound lazily through the paddocks where the little lambs frisked, and the weeping willow’ trees were Just bursting into bud. Behind lay the snow-capped Ruahine Ranges, which looked very beautiful with the sunshine sinking behind them. The best view’ I had or the mountains was on one moonlight night when the snow lay on them and the sky was so light that their outline was plainly seen. During my holiday I went to Hastings and saw’ Cornwall Park with its emerald green lawns, gay flowers and shimmering little lakes and rountainfs. These gardens are really lovely, Peter, and I was greatly interested in the najttve birds which w T ere caged there. A Tew’ days after this 1 w T ent to Napier and on the way I saw Te Ante Roys’ College, which is a college ror Maori boys and hoys from the Islands. I also saw 2ZII Napier, which Is a very pretty building. Abbotsford Anglican Orphanage in Waipawa ami the Puke Puke Brick Works. A thing which seemed most unusual to me was the fact that along the banks or all the rivers were stopbank* to prevent the floodwaters rrom overflowing. When we reached Napier we went and saw Park Island Cemetery, from which one has a wondeiTul view of the New 7 Zealand coast. Next we went around the wharf and saw the breakwater and then we saw the Wainui leave Tor the Bluff. By this time it was fairly late so we went round the Bluff Head, whirh used to be delude Island before the earthquake, to the Marine Parade and saw the Tom Parker gift fountain in action. This Is wonderful. Peter; the water shoots up in colour and is changing all the time. The ones I liked best were the soft pastelshaded Tan-shaped one and a high red one which shot about 30 feet into the air and looked very much like a tongue or flame. After this we went and saw the Sound Shell, which is used Tor concerts: and then suddenly all the trees lit up, making the Parade look like Fairyland. The Sunday before I came home we went to Porangahau Beach, and on the way we had a most unusual view. From the top of the Kokomoko Hill we saw the blue sea crested with white breakers and behind us we saw the Ruahine Ranges once more. I dare say you have guessed by now that I had a lovely holiday, as 1 was very busy going somewhere and seeing new things every day and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Now for some home news. Our gardens are looking a picture, Peter. In one we have anemones of every colour and they look very gay against the sombre brown or the soil. In another one we have golden daffodils nodding their heads in the breeze and our tulips are beginning to think of showing their beautiful heads again. The nectarine trees are decked in their spring Trocks and also the quince trees. The plum tree, however, has leaves now and on the apple tree T noticed dozens of scarlet buds Just bursting out. On the flowering currant bush the bees are very busy sipping the honey front the flowprs and the oak tree is showing Its young green leaves for another summer. I love the Spring, don’t you, Peter, and I am sure the flowers love the sunshine, for they always look prettier and open wider in the warmth. \Yp have chickens out once again, Peter, and they are such funny little things. Berore they are a few days old they try to fly and some or them can fly, too. The other day I received quite a surprise when I went to pick a little chick up. because he objected strongly and began to peck me. or course, he could not hurt hut I though he was very plucky. I think I had better close now. Peter, so f will say cheerio.—From your loving Circler. Bookworm (15). Frankton. Peter would have loved to have been on your holiday. Bookworm, and such an exciting one it sounds, too. The Napier fountains are truly beautiful, aren’t they? Yes, the gardens are lovely Just now.— Peter Pan.