Children's Column.

Digger (Invercargill RSA), Issue 17, 9 July 1920, Page 12

Children's Column.

MATER'S LETTEB BOX. Teddy, N orth Invercargill, -flMaier is pleased to liear from you and trusts to hear from you again. Your writing is very good. — Mater. 'THE BRAVE DOG. P.eter was Ihe name of a big collie dog who lived with a shepherd at a village in Russia. He helped his master to look after the sheep to see that no harm came to them, and to watch for the wolves which often prowled about. One da-y the shepherd did not take Peter with him, for the dog had trapped his foot, and h'e thought it would be''best to give him a nest. The dog waited patiently for his master 's return. The night came on, but the shepherd did not come. Heedless of his wounded foot, the dog set out to find him. He -had to travel a long way before he got to the place where the shepherd was, and his foot was very painful. Eventually he found him. The shepherd had, got so'tired that he satdown on the grass to have a little rest before making his way home, and had fa'llen asleep. A few yards av/ay was a wolf ready to spring on the nian. Th,e dog saw the wolf and immediately sprang at it. The noise of Peter's barking woke the shepherd, who seized his knife and waited his chance to kill him. The wolf managed to get the dog on the ground, and did not see Ihe approach of the shepherd who sta'bbed the wolf, and it rolled over dead. Ihe shepherd took the dcg home, and he will never forget how he saved his life, hut for Peter he would not be aliVe now. Peter is well cared for, and I think he des.erves it, don't you? BETTY'S FAIRY TALE. (By Tedply, North Invercargill). Thore was pnce a little girl named Betty M1 izabeth Brown who had a lovely lilac tr.ee in her garden. One day as she was playing in her garden, what do you think she fouiid? A little fairy crown. It was decorated with beautiful gems. She set it on her golden curls and began to danc'e around. Now, as you know that is the way to summon the fairies. She got a great surpjise. They cried aloud to her and palled her dress in wrath. "You naughty cliild, you've got the crown of our queen on your tousled mortal hair!" "It isn't tousled at all and take the crown!" cried Betty. She threw it in their midst and ran away. They chased her and caught her. They held her and called to.some other fairies, "Bring the fairy flying ship. We'll put her in and send her ,of£ to a far away country. We'll also make her sail for the rest of the summer day." The ship was brought all l'sgged with blowing sails. A thousand fairies lifted her and placed her in the ship and pushed it, and lo ! poor Betty was afloat. The poppi.es in her garden raised up their heads and stared at poor Betty in the boat. Betty held the rope bravely and tried her hardest to steer, and the fairies above watched the frighten-. ed poppies. She had not gone far when she struck a fountain top and the sails came -slowly drifting down and Betty fell ker — splash into deep water. Two hungry turtles ivere swimming there and when they saw Betty, tried to take a bite out of her leg. Some fairies flew and helped her out and wrapped her in a fairy robe. The i'obe was mad,e out of sky blue velvet with suow-white 4ur collar and cuffs. Now you know fairies change their minds just like you or I. They dried her hair by • fanning it and gave her the crown to keep. They th'fcn flew away to fairyland. Betty still keeps the robe and crown. She shows them to all her playmates who won't believe the tale o. how she had a ride and fall. On some moonlight nights she wears the clothes and dances on the ground, nnder her lilac tree to bring the fairies down. Then they dance about with her where no one may se.e, while through the. lilac tree the tiny stars peep.