Aunt Roberta’s Family

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 50, 29 January 1932, Page 10

Aunt Roberta’s Family

OUR MOTTO. , When a task is onco begun, Never leave it till it's done; Be tho labour great or small. Do it well—or not at all. Dearest Children, It is great fun to make New Year resolutions —wholehearted und joyous fun oven though you know that before January is out you will probably have forgotten all about them; . • T , , A family of four children I know havo an old thumb-marked exercise book (a prize possession) and in this, year-by-year, they scribble down their resolutionu, and solemnly declare to perform .these to the best of their ability throughout the months ahead. But, alas 1/ tho poor things are tu.ned heedlessly aside, neglected and forgotten before they are even established as regular hubits, and the young folk return to their carefree,nonchalant triumphs of yesterday. But they are always glad to •‘try again,” and on New Year’s Day, at least, they are really enthusiastic about it all, and welcomo it as something wholly ambitious and honourable. Would you like to-take a peep at what they havo scribbled in the book for 1932? These are the resolutions (they make throo ea ilarry: “I shall not chase the bantams any moro. I shall .clean -my teeth throo times a day. I shall not tease Aunt Rob-: erta’s cat.” - i' ‘ , , ,' ~ Julie: “I shall not forget to feed the rabbits. I shall hot eat more tha-n two cakes at tea. (rather a rash promise that; but ono of which mother highly apptoves). I shall try not to be late for school. Tom: “I shall -not pull Julie’s .plaits. I shall do all’my . homework. 1 shall got up early (also a rash promise.)” Babs: “I shall make my bed all by myself. I shall not make the, baby cross. I shall water , the .garden every day, (or when it noeds watering).” ' Heigh-ho 1 I wonder how 'long' these resolutions: will last, don’t you? ; The holidays are almost over, children mine, and lessons loom largely before you onco again. I should just love to hear what .you all did .with yourselves during tho long, happy days.

mended marks in the competitions, including any other, marks gained for recipes, something to make, games, interesting facts, etc.,-a special prize, a* above, will bo awarded.

OUR MAIL BAG. BETTY CHRISTENSEN: I am glad. to hear you so. enjoyed reading the book prizes sent you. \ou must bo quite rich after the -raspberry picking! Wasn’t it a great temptation to oat most of the luscious fruit? I haven't heard from Annie and Ada Dorsot for ages. They must have forgotten me. You have 8 marks, Anna 21, and ■ Esther ’ 19, I.ove and best wishes to all.. . ’ OCEAN SPRAY: Thanks, my dear, for. the nice wiahos. The, weather was fairly cool and fine over Christmas and the New Year, but since it has behaved very badly ! 'Hie heat has . been most trying. I feel liko a spot of greaso I 'lho suggea; tion .is too late, I’m .afraid. Thanks! I hope Ocean Foam will bo ablo to explain her ailenco, don’t you? Much love and the very beet wishes. CHATTERBOX. OCEAN SPRAY says: “Please congratulate Anna Christenson for me on the story entitled, ‘That Shining, Wonderful Star.’ I thought it wea lovely ! Tlio verses also—‘A Pause’ —which she wrote fvero very.good, I thought.”

INTERESTING FACTS. ROSEWOOD.

It has puzzled many people to decide why “the dark wood so highly valued for furniture- should be called rosewood. Its colour certainly does not look much like that of a rose, so we must look for some other reason. Upon asking, we are told that when the tree is first cut, the wood possesses a very strong rose-like fragrance, hence the., name. Thero ' are half a dozen or more kinds of rosewood trees. Tho varieties are found in South America and’ in the East , Indies and neighbouring islands. Sometimes the trees glow so large that planks four feet broad and ten in length can be cut from one of them. These broad planks are principally used to make the tops of pianofortes. When growing iii the forest, tho rosewood tree’is remarkable for its beauty, but such is; its value in manufactures as an ornamental wood, that some of tho forests where it once grow abundantly now have scarcely a single specimen. In Madras, the Government has prudently-had great plantations of thid tree set' out in order to'keep up the supply. * - . MERVYN DALEFIELD (1 mark). SOMETHING TO MAKE. (Contributions are urgently required). A SAFETY-PIN HOLDER. A very pretty safety-pin holder can be made from a piece of "wire 13 inches lonp, some pieces of pink and. green ribbon or silk, a tiny feewpie,. a few safety-pins, and two small flowers. ' First, you bend the wire into tho shape of a heart, and around this wind the grceti ribbon. Put a litle frilled skirt ot, the pink ribbon on the kowpie, and sew it to the part where the wire was jomod. Sew a flower on ' each side of t-lie kewpic. rix two loops of' pink ribbon behind the kewpie—one to hang it up by and the other to hold the'safety-pins.

GAMES.

(More games are required)... 1 ; A GAME FOR THE SEASIDE. Seat your friends in two rows opposite each other on the beach, leaving a space about six feet between them. Tho two .end players opposite each other have a length of. seaweed each, .and at..a signal to start they must jump- up, run down between, tho two lines', and run up the-back again. When they reach the top of the line, they pass the seaweed to the person .who sits next to thorn, who does: the same as tho firsth and each time the seaweed is passed on. ■ The side who is the’ quickost wins. ~. ESTHER , CHRISTENSEN (1 mark).

RECIPES.

(More recipes are required, please.)

CHEESE ROLLS.

2 heaped cups of flour, 2 rounded tea spoons baking powder, pinch of salt and pepper, 1 cup of grated cheese, about X cup of milk. .... , Dredge flour and baking powder. Add cheese, salt and. pepper. Mix to a soft dbugh with milk. Half fill three greased, large-sized baking powder tins. Put. the jids on. Bake in. a moderate oven. Time, about. 30 minutes. I i !. i GINGER BEER. ! To .one gallon of boiling water add lib. No. 1A sugar, X dessertspoon cream of tartar, loz. whole.ginger bruised into small pieces, thinly pared rind of two lemons and the juice. • • , Stand until lukowarm, then add 1 level dessertspoon compressed yeast; stir well, and' stand in a warm place for 24 hours. Strain and bottle, tie the cork in securely. Keep in a warm place for.sevefal days, and then put into' cold water. Ready in 4 or 5 days. .—ECHO (1 mark). LITERARY CORNER. (Contributions—not more than 24 lines of verso, and short paragraphs of prose—are required.) Sent by RONNIE DALEFIELD: THREE OLD LADIES. There was an old lady, all dressed in silk, Who. lived upon lemons and buttermilk; And, thinking the world was a sour old •* place, _ She carried its acid all over her-face. 'Another old lady, all dressed in patches, ; Lived upon nothing but lucifer matches; So the world it m'ado her strangle and cough, And sure as you rubbed her, you sot her off. . . | Another old lady, all sunny and neat, Who lived upon sugar and everything - sweet, Exclaimed, when she heard of their troubles, “I never I” ■ For the world is so nice, I could live on for ever.” WHAT AND WHY? , What is the least valuable thing a man can have? A hole in his pocket-hand-kerchief. * * * * What is always in fashion though always out 'of date ? The letter “f.” w m '* m. What ■ odd number • becomes even whon beheaded? H-evon. ; , .. • J • • * Why is your nose like the letter V in “civility?” Because it comes between two eyos - . ■ .. ■ ~ ♦>' What coin is doubled by taking away half? Hajf-penrty. Why should, unibrehaa“never get lost? Because the umbrella-maker will always recover them. » • .* • • * What did the tennis ball do when the litle boy dropped it? It looked found. •* ' *i Why is the letter “a” like a honeysuckle flower? Because it-is followed by the “b (bee).

OUR MOTTO : " CHARACTER AND PERSEVERANCE ”

RESULTS OF 13th COMPETITIONS. The Book - Prizes awarded below will be posted early in February. LETTER TO AUNT ROBERTA, stating ainis and aspirations for 1932. Senior Division: Book prize:—GRACE DARLING (13 years). . : ■ Highly Commended: Billie Boy, Mervyn Dalefield and Billy Collins. Junior Division: Book prize: RONNIE DALEFIELD (10 years). LIMERICK. Senior Division: Book prizo:—BlLLY COLLINS (just 12 years). Highly Commended: —Mervyn and Arnold Dalefield, Bilile Boy. 33 Junior Division : Book Prizo:-GOLDEN ARROW (11 years). Highly Commended : Ronnie Dalefield and rlazel Collins. AIMS AND ASPIRATIONS FOR 1932. SENIOR DIVISION. PRIZE. Dear Aunt Roberta, Tho old year is gradually drawing to a close. Perhaps our hopes and dreams have been fultiilod, and perhaps thoy have not, but whichever it may be, we still dream for the years to come with the ambition of youth. I- wish to be able to do something that will help tho world to be better anil happier, and, in so doing, carry on the work that our forefathers started. Perhaps the best way to gain this end is to do the daily tasks which seem to bo so monotonous sometimes, for if we wish to attempt a difficult task wo must do the littlo ones first, because they teach us the most. I thnik my motto for 1932 will be: “Bo truthful and kind in word and deed,” for oil people who have helped tho world have : been so. Yours sincerely, 'GRACE DARLING (13 -years). HIGHLY COMMENDED. Dear Aunt Roberta, New Year resolutions ! So easy to make and so hard to keep I As I havo not yet given iny aspirations for the New Year much thought, I will endeavour to compose them now. To begin with, I think if I wore a more regular correspondent, my pen-friends would think better of me, so I must make a point of answering letters promptly, thereby exercising courtesy, ond abolishing procrastination. Under this clause, also, comes my resolve not to let a competition in Aunt Roberta's Pago slip by without an entry from me. (We all remember tho period of "Silent Members,” when tho award of a prize was necessary to draw us back into the limelight). Secondly, I think I must reduce niy I amount of reading by about 50 per cent. | Consequently, I promise myself not to exceed two books per week, on any account, for- it is said a "bookworm” is never an j interesting friend. | I really must set aside twenty minutes, a day to devote to sliort-hand practice, and last, but by no means least of my New Year resolutions, is the Golden Rule, "Do, unto others as you would that they should do unto you.” Indeed, it is a Gplden Rule, and if I can live up to this staunch-, ly, I shall feel it atones for any others'l fail to keep. -.an •< If my resolutions for 1932 interest you, Aunt Roberta, I will advise you, later on in the year-, of how. I am progressing with their fulfilment. I remain, as ever, , . Yours sincerely, ~ - ,j t .: BILLIE BOY (16 years).....; HIGHLY COMMENDED. , Dear Aunt Roberta, Doesn’t it seem strange to think of the, New Year 1932? I do hope it will be a nice one —not like the last, when so many tor-' riblo things happened. I shall bo in the sixth standard at school) and must work hard, so that I will pass the Proficiency exam, at tho end of the year. During the summer holidays, I hope to have a trip to the seaside. I love the sea, and wish that wo had it nearer to Palmerston North. There will be picnics, too, I may be able to enjoy in the long sunny days. > . " At the • Winter Show I hope to enter a competition, and perhaps win a prize. I hope that my mangold crop proves a winner this year, too. I wish our page a bright and successful year, with many new members who will enter for the competitions and win prizes. And I hope that you, Aunt Roberta, will continue writing those clover interesting letters that wo look forward to each week. Wishing you and all tho txiusins a bright and prosperous New Year in 1932. Your little nephew, - MERVYN DALEFIELD (12 years). HIGHLY COMMENDED. Dear Aunt Roberta, Really, I haven’t had any time to think about 1932. I have been so busy with exams, and scouts that the New Year is nearly here, and I have given, it no thought. But still I have my aims. I liopo to succeed in all I undertake. I am going to a secondary school, _ and I trust 1 wil justify my parents’ decision to send me tlhere.

I intend to win my first-lass scout badge, and tlion to become a King scout. Last, but not least, I mean to keep up my connection wiih Our Page. Love from, BILLY COLLINS (just 12 years).

i JUNIOR DIVISION. prize. :: Dear Aunt Roberto,, I hope that the New Year will be a nice one, .with plenty of warm sunny days, although I should liko it to rain sometimes, so that I need not water the garden .very ofton. I hope it will be a nice fine day when we go , for our trip to Plimmertoh in January, and another fine day for our school picnic at the Esplanade. 1 am sorry that our schoolmaster is going away, and wo are to have a hew one, I hope that wo will like him. I shall be in the fourth standard when I go back to school. I hope tho work in that class will not be very'hard, and that I pass at the end of the year. ■ ■ I am going to try and send in entries to all the competitions in our Pago, and perhaps I shall win some more •. lovely books.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a very Happy. New Year. Your loving nephew, ' RONNIE DALEFIELD (10 years).

LIMERICK. SENIOR DIVISION. • ' PRIZE. A pompous inspector of schools, Who thought boys and girls were all fools, Had the shock he deserved, When a pupil observed, “You’re stupidity rivals a mule’s I” . BILLY COLLINS (just 12 yoars).

JUNIOR DIVISION. PRIZE. A pompous inspector of schools, ■Who thought bdys and girls were all fools, Had the shock he . deserved, When a young boy observed That inspectors upset all the rules. GOLDEN ARROW, 11 years). -

OUR SERIAL.

ROB’S BUSHRANGER.

CHAPTER 3 (concluded).

“Four hundred miles from Sydney he came to a spot he considered would bo just tho place to build a station homestead —and there is is, at your service,” sanl Rob’s father, with a wave of tho hand towards the house. “It's a very enhanced Mirribong to what it was when the outback of jiustralia.was associated with romance.

' "lour grahdfather then returned to Sydney, and paid his first year’s rent of ten pounds for the site he had chosen. He tnen purchased 'stock and stores, and engaged a number of men for station work. "Six months later your grandmother, who was a London girl, made the journey, She was very brave to taco the many hardships'. ' For two years she did not soe a white woman.

"In those early days the blacks were a menace. They were more afraid of firearms than ot anything else. They associated guns with the ‘Debbil-del/jil’. “On one occasion, when my father was away, a black mass of humanity, about a thousand strong, surged over tno crest of that hill, making most hideous and fearful noises. I remember it well, Rob, although I was only a Tittle' shaver of four years. The station men rushed up from, the river, and all the firearms in the house were quickly loaded. My mother was sent, with me'in her arms, into the hall, which was considered to be tho safest place. "Through a small porthole in the wall tho men watched the oncoming naked, black forms—faces, limbs and bodies markeu in lines of red and yellow clay. They were armed with a mixed lot of war implements. The natives were truly a warlike mass, and their savage yeliing becamo deafening as they approached nearer and nearer to the homestead.

"The men let them come within, fifty yards or so, without making a sign, and then suddenly they blazed forth on that bluck mass. Tile natives shieked wildly •Debbil-dehbil,’ and rushed off mildly into the bush, leaving the dead and wounded behind them. Tile few who were wounded managed to crawl away, and no doubt rejoined their comrades, before the station uien ventured out into the open. The haJfa dozen dead were buried .” "Where did they bury them?” Rob interrupted. He added reproachiuhy, "you’ve never told me that bit before.” “Over the other side of the river—but, later on, the blacks disinterred the bodies ond took them away.” He laughed at the recollection, but the boy was too interested and preoccupied even to smile. "Ah, dad, these were wonderful days 1” he cried, his eyes shining. "I wish I’d lived then,” he said wistfully. ' His father gave him a sharp glance. The longing in the young voice was ■ unmistak'iable. "'

i : "My son, those were hard times, desperately hard, don’t make any mistake about it,” he said rather grimly. "But we must finish tho ploughing or we’ll have mother on our tracks. Here, Rob, put tho basket ■"and billy away over there." His. thoughts werq in his son as he went on with his work. It troubled him that the boy should be so obsessod with a craving for adventuro that he could not enjoy life as he should have. Had not Rob been the" only one left of four little ones lie would havo thrashed the “kink” out of him.

CHAPTER 4. The' picture of Cobb and Co's, coach that hung in the living-room of the homestead held a great interest for Rob. He never wearied of gazing at it, as he sat opposite to it at meal times. The driver of the coach- reminded him of . his friend. Bill the drover, although, of course, the coach driver was a younger man. Rob imagined that the fair-haired little girl of the picture was his own mother as a child, with her mother, and Undo Harry os a small boy. It thrilled Rob to picture the coach, wtii its six Bpanlcing horses, many, many years ago, sweeping along down the spur —away to where the green of the trees merged into the bluo horizon. He could almost hear the trot and canter of the horses’ feet as they left the miles behind. Green Wing, a famous bushranger of those times (so called because of .the wing of emerald huo he wore in his hat) had stuck up the coach on one occasion when his mother’s mother—then a young woman, just married —had been a passenger. Rob had heard the story many times from his own mother, and it had given the boy the idea for a splendid game, which he played when the lust for adventure would not be denied. • Late in' the afternoon of the day following that when he hud helped his father to plough, Rob saddled hisipony and rode away into the scrub, until he reached the small cave where he kept a bluck moustache, a hat with a green wing in it, also an old' unloaded pistol and a black mack. These were necessary for his game. It took less than a minute to make the desired change in his personal appearanoe, and the boy sprang on his, pony (which was the. colour of the beautiful horse tl*P notorious bushranger rode) in the guise of the famous Green Wing. Ho tore wildly round the small area of scrublese land two or three' times, brandishing his pistol, then rider and chestnut waited in ambush for the coach to pass. At length there came to the bushranger’s ears the sound of horses’ hooves ringing on the hard ground, and the creaking of the swaying ooach as it dashed up the narrow Bteep roadway. Green Wing pulled his jaunty hat Jow over his eyes, adjusted the mask, fingered hiß sweeping black moustache, and then stood at attention, pistol raised. Two or three seconds elapsed, then he rode boldly forth, and hoarsely called to the driver of the coach to “Halt 1” Following the command, came a sharp, “Hands up everyone—and lino up quick and lively in a row!” The bushranger kept the handful ot men and women covered with his pistol as ho deftly pilfered the mail bag and relieved the traveller of their few bundles of luggage* f . Then, still keeping the deadly looking firearm levelled at the passengers’ heads, he demanded that each should deliver up to him any valuable personal belongings they poßeossed, such as monoy, jewels and watches. . , ' , Ho cut a fine handsome figure as he bowed low beforo a pretty young woman (Rob’s own grandmother). Tremblingly, her sweet eyes glistening with tears, she handed to the fearsome bushranger her one niece of jeWcllery—a. diamond ring. He held it lightly between his 'brown fingers, looking from the glittering half-hoop to the lovely face of its owner. Then he said, in hia nakal drawl “Madam, I return this ,nng to you, and he slipped it on her finger. “Fair exchange is no robbery, ’ ho quoted gaily, and, with a bold laugh, beforeTha .astonished gaze of all present, he deftly cut off with the sharp blade of a large pocketknife one of the little golden curls' that fluttered on the smooth, white forehead. Then, with another law bow, he ju.»pcd, on his horse and rode away be continued).

WATCH FOR OUR NEW SERIAL! "THE HOME OF ‘LAME DOGS’” is a tale' about several young Australians and one Maori lad. . It begins with a tragedy and ends with a tragedy, but out of sorrow good comes. . . The first instalment (jf ,this interesting - story will appear on . the 19th February. Don’t miss, it I

CRISPI'ES: Father (to mother): “There’s a piece of ice in my blancmange, dear.’.’ Son (who has been playing cricket) “Not ice. Daddy. I’m afraid it’s a piece of glass from the pantry window!”

’ “Yes,” said the boastful young man, “my family can trace its ancestry farther back than William the Conqueror.”

“I suppose,” sneered his friend, “You’ll bo tolling us that your ancestors were in the Ark?”, “Certainly not,” said the boaster. “My pooplo had a boat of their own.” - * * * *

.Tolinnio - “Mother, wasn’t Adam the first man ?” Mother: “Yes, and Eve tho first woman.”

Johnnio: “Didn’t they have any papa and momma?” Mother: “No, dear.” , v r .Tphnnie: “Were they orphans, Mamma?”

Teacher: “Napoleon once said'there was no such word as ‘Can’t’.” ' .. “Please, teacher, I winder what he would have said if he had tried to'strike a'fnatch on a piece of soap?” i * * * *

“Why did you get up so early, Clara?” asked mother. -. ■ “’Cos I slept all tho sleep I had, mummie,” replied the littlo maid. *#* - *

Sandy had been out with his Jeanoie for a walk, a very long walk, , and had saved himself the expense of pictures or a thoatre, but found they must ride, home, as it was getting rather late. “Jcannio,” he said, ‘.‘what is tho diiterrnce between a taxi and a tram? ' “I don't know, Sandy,” she replied. “Then we’ll take atrum.” said Sandy. * » * * ‘ Jack: “Dad, what are ancestors?” ... Dad : “Well, .I’m one of your ancestors and vour grandfather is another.” .(Jack: “Then why do peopla brag about them?”

i Mother (to Bobby’ :' "Wh^j k ** p hitting the boy next ddor„ Bob y ... Bobby: “Because he won’t be fnenas. mother.” # , V • “Tommy. spell "‘wrong’,” sn,cl W * teacher. • ■ ■ “R-o-n-g,” spelt Tommy. • “That’s wrong.!’,’ said his teacher. “Well,” replied Tommy, that s what you asked me to^ spell!’ 4 * Manager: “Why did you argue with that customer? In this business ‘the customer is always right.” . , . , Salesman : “1 will remember in future. The lady said this was a firm of swindlers.” i