18 JANUARY 1919, Page 16

A CHILD'S CRAVING FOR NATURE. ,

[To THE EDITOR Of THE •. SPECTATOR.")

Stn,—The child-saying with which the following lines conclude was uttered to me by the eldest of a little motherless band. It seems to show how necessary even a little piece of Nature is in the environment of creatures so near to Nature as children

are:-

" Gay were the bairns when teacher came, The board was spread for tea, Bright shone the fire with glow and tisane, Dad was in work, you see.

A ad we've found a house,' spoke ten-year Sue, First-born, and so discreet ' A lovely house all painted new, A ad a Tree at the end of the street!'"