Children's Column.

Digger (Invercargill RSA), Issue 32, 22 October 1920, Page 12

Children's Column.

(By J. W. Seller).

(By "Dick," Round Hill).

(By "Ralph," aged 11.)

MATER'S LETTER BOX. Mater invites children to send in stories for this column, or correspondence which will be replied to through these columns. All matter to be clearly written in ink, and one one side of the paper only. Name, age, and address, must be always given, and correspondence directed to "Mater," care of Editor, "The Digger," T3ox 310, Invercargill. JIMMY' S TALKING BIRD.

Jimmy is a new friend of mine. He lives at Saltwick, a fishing villiage on the East Coast. In the glorious summer-time the place is crowded with visitors, who love to sit on the cliffs overlcoking the North Sea. During the Great War Jimmy often sat there watching the convoys go north and south. It was whilst sitting there that the great event happened which leads me to write this story. This was in the year before the war began. WWn Jimmy was quite a little fellow he h sA plenty of toys. The prime favourite was a model schooner fashioned for him by his' Uncle Bob, who is captain of the s.s. Europa. Jimmy's father keeps a provision shop, or( rather, the shop keeps him, and Jimmy's mother and the rest of the family. So Jimmy get a full share of sweets and chocs — a very full share, as he is the only boy in the house. One afternoon Jimmy went to Sam WeL ford's home to see a remarkably clever paiTot. Sam's father .is also a captain in the merchant service, and had brought the bird from Brazil. It quite startled Jimmy by asking in peremptory fashion, " Wh» are you?" "James Johnson," he repli»d. Whereat the parrot chuckled and ejaculated, "What a lark, 0, my hat, whai »■ lark !" It ^ave further evidence of its talking pow«W, and Jiin went home brimming oves1 with interest in its wondrous clevernestk "rfad, will you buy me a talking bird like Sam Welfqrd's?" "Some day, perhaps, my son," his father replied evasively, hoping this would sitence the boy. "But I want one now, dad." "Oh do you? And 1 want a great many things that I cannot have— you must iearn to wait, my son." "I would give all my playthings for a talking bird," lamented Jimmy. "Very likely you will get one when your ship comes in." "You always say that, dad, When is it coming?" "Some fine day, my boy." It was a fine day when the thihg happened. The shop was closed for the weekly half-holiday; and Mr Johnson and Jimmy were sitting on Saltwick Nab Ipoking at some coasting steamers. Suddenly there flew towards them a strangelooking bird. It alighted close by, and tumed out to be a grey parrot with a powerful black beak. The bird was quite friendly, and toolc a biscuit from Mr Johnson's fingers. "Catch it, dad," whispered Jimmy.

The bird hopped on to Mr Johnson's hand. "May we take it home and keep it for always?" Jimmy inquired. "I don't see any objections, my boy. 'It lias evidently escaped from some passing v,essel." Polly settled down -quite happily in her new • quarters. She was both vivacious and voracious. Her favourite formula was, "Give Polly a bun!" When Jimmy teased her she screamed loudly, "Naughty boy! Maughty boy!' She also learnt to say, "Shop! Mr Johnson," and would call thus repeatedly when a customer entered. It was just after midnight. Mr Johnson and all the family were sound asleep. Mrs Johnson wa.s awoke by Polly's voice screaming out in an agitated manner, "Shop! Mr Johnson." She roused her husband, who quickly wTent to the head of the stairs and called out, "What is the matter, Polly ?" "Shop! Mr Johnson," replied the bird, and added immediately, "Naughty boy! Naughty hoy!" The tradesman got a light, slipped on - his dressing-gown, and descended to the shop. Standing in the middle of the floor as if petrified was a youth of the village. "What are you doing here?" stemly demanded Mr Johnson. In trembling and broken tones the lad replied, "I don't know." "You are up to no good. I've a mind to give you in charge oi the police, " aeverely threatened the tradesman.

"Give him a bun. Give him a bun," said Polly. Mr Johnson could not refrain fron? laughing, and in more gracious tones he said, "If you will tell me honestly what you intended doing I promiae not to be hard with you." The youth frankly confessed that he had entered the shop for the purpose of obtaining either money or goods to help him out of a difficulty. He expressed sorrow for his wroug-doing. and asked to be forgiven. Polly listened with head on one side, and gravely commented, "Naughty boy! Naughty boy!" "Come to me in the morning at 10 o'clock, and we will talk matters over, and I will see if I can help you," promised Mr Johnson. The youth did. Mr Johnson was convinced of his real coritrition^ and gave him some wise advice. "You have , got to make a new start and go straight," said he. 'Ere long Mr Johnson found a situafton for him,. in which, I am pleased to say he is making good. WHY THE WILLOWS WEEP. (By "Hal," Round Hill.) One day, as the queen of the willows was walking beside a stream with Her maids, she said : '.'Don't you think, maidens, that the stream'48 would look much prettier if there were some willows growing along the bank?" So when the k'ing ca-me home the queen told him what she wanted. "You shall have your wish," answered the king, and he set his men to work planting slips, seeing they grew, and seeing that no harmful insects came near . They also built a throne for the queen to use during the warm weather. It happened at this time that the queen had a baby son. One day when the child was five years old,' the queen was sitting on her throne by the willows, when news came for her to hurry to the palace. The child, during her absence, walked down to the edge of the water, overhalanced and fell in. The willows tried to catch it, but alas, too late. The willows bent over the stream and wept for the child and for the grief of the parents, and that is why the willows are always weeping. EMILY' S PLUCK.

Once upon a time there lived a girl called Emily Grant. She was not very pr.etty and she was of a shy, rather retiring, disposition. She hadn't many friends, for the simple reason that few understood her, and most people thought she was a milksop. One day when Emily was about tnirteen years pld there was a school picnic to a rocky headland. There was a big crowd present, including Emily. Everyone had heen enjoying the day very much, and Emily had wandered off by herself, and was indulging in a dream as usual, when she heard the happy laughter of some children near her. She looked round and saw half-dozen little girls playing near the edge of the cliff with a long rope.

"Come away from there, 'children," she said in her old-fashioned way, "or perhaps you will tumble over." Then she ceased to think of them. This was foolish of her; she should have made them come a bit further from the edge of the cliff. As it was, the children disregarded her and continued their play. Suddenly Emily heard a piercing scream, she leapt to her feet and running towards the children saw something which made her heart almost stand still. One of the little girls had fallen over the cliff and there she was, some twelve feet below them, clutching to a piece oi jutting rock which she- had managed to catch hold of as she fell .Poor little mite, she couldn't hold on there for long. Emily looked down and saw that if someone were able to scramble down, there was a ledge about two feet below the child, and once someone reached this ledge the child could be lifted on to it, and so he savpd. To wait until someone came would be madness as the terrified child couldn't hold to the rock much longer. Wiihout a thought for' her own safety, anu with a mute prayer for help, she began cHmbing downwards. She soon reached the ledge, just in time to catch the child as she fainted. By this time some men had reached the cliff, they let down a rope and Emily firmly knotted it under the arms of the unconscious child, who was quickly drawn to safety. Then they dropped down the rope again and Emily tied it round herself and she too was drawn to safety. The child, except for the ahock she had received, was unhurt, and Emily had only a f«w slight bruises. Every one praised Emily for her brave deed and afterwarda she had plenty of friends, for people saw

that even if she was shy and quiet, !-.0£ had a noble spirit. A KING'S AD VENTURE.

One day when he was out-hunting, young King Arnold lost himself. He caught sight of a deer vanishing behinJ ; him and fode back in pursuit. Soon -the shades of riight began to come on and Arnold found himself in the heart of the forest, many miles from the nearest track., At midnight the moon shone down on a dusty, travel-staiiied courier urging his tired horse towardg the capital ^ Jy c.f Arnold 's kingdom. On arriving theie he demanded an interview with the k:ng or his prime minister. "The king ycnt out hunting to-day and has not ^ et Teturned ; but the prime minister vvul see you." Thfe courier's message v as, "Duke Alphonso, the king's nephew, is coming with a large force to take t! e throne." Next day Alphonso arrived at the city and established himself king. After a month it was discov,ered that the soldiers (Alphonso's men) were being secretly killed and soon Alphonso himself disappeared and iKng Arnold was found in his place. Next evening Arnold addressed his people and told them what had happened after he left the palace to go hunting. He told them how he lost himself; how he disco-'. ered the secret of making oneself invisible; how he found Alphonso had usurpe.I the throne ; how he poisoned the soldiers' beer ; and how he had captured Alphonso. Having finished his speech, Arnold ordered his men: "Bring forth the pns oner !" "What shall he done with him?" he asked his people. "Hang him!""was the reply. Sfiortly afterwards the unfortunate Duke Alphonso was hanged.