Los Angeles herald., 1910-08-28
IN LEISURE MOMENTS
Ny Dear Boys and Girls:

My Dear Boys and Girls:
Your letters and pictures pleased
me so much this week. 1 am sure
that it is not just because you are so
dear to me that 1 see the improve
ment in your work. Each week 1 love
every one of you more than ever be-
fore.
School will begin soon, and 1 often
wonder if you are glad or if you wish
vacation would last forever, as heard
a little girl say the other day. 1 am
quite sure; though, that you will be
much happier than you expected when
you go back and meet all your little
friends again.
But please. dear nieces and nephews,
don't forget me with all your gayety,
lessons and chores. / am sure you
can find time to write to me often,
and 1 will try as hard as can to make
the topics interesting to you.
During vacation probably some of
you have gone with your mother or
a friend as she called upon sick peo-
pie or took provisions and food to poor
families. There might have been one
incident which impressed you very
much and which you will never forget.
In your play time comes frequently
when it is necessary for one child to
be lenient with the other. 1 have no.
ticed little acts of self-sacrifice which
meant so much to the child. Perhaps
you have noticed these little things,
nd hox T
want you to tell me all about them,
for they interest me so much. One day
last week 1 went to the beach. l love
to sit on the sand and watch the
waves, for they have a fascination;
have you ever noticed it? Soon, how
ever, my attention was drawn to the
bathers, battling with the waves, and
the little children who, too timid to
risk the big waves, padded on the
edge, and their little screams Of min
gled terror and delight as the waves
washed over their feet were a pleasure
to hear. / Immediately thought of my
own nephews and nieces, and thought
you would like to draw pictures like
that for me. How many of you waded
in the little stream back of the grove
where we had our picnic? l thought
of the same thing when I saw some
OF the little children wading there.
l have the most beautiful picture in
my mind now, and 1 will try to make
you see it, too: t@
One time, oh! SO many years ago,
we started out with a large camp
wagon, the kind used so commonly in
the mountains of the middle west, for
a day among the pines. 1t was our
custom to look for a spot where no
one else had been. After travelling for
about three hours we left the road and
tramped over the spicily scented pine
needles until we found big, bold
dashing river which swirled around an
embankment about ten feet high. 1t
was covered with a mass of wild
grapes, choke cherries, and wild rasp-
berries. OF course, to complete our
luncheon we must have a basket of
this delicious fruit, and we had to
brave the merry stream to get them.
Oh, what fun! Pretty soon we saw
a bold little water snake that was
angry with us for disturbing his abode
We chased him all the way up stream
with forked sticks.
Use your imagination in the unfin-
ished story contest. 1 have thought
of so many things which might have
happened to little Ethel there by the
Wishing Well. 1 am sure it will sug-
gest many things to You, too. Let me
hear from you next week.