ESPERANTISTS AT HOME.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 72, 24 March 1906, Page 9

ESPERANTISTS AT HOME.

The third annual conference of the London Esperanto Club—an organisation that seeks to introduce a common language for all civilised peoples—took place the other evening at St. Bride's Institute. There were some 300 ardent Espevantists present, but for a time you could hear little but plain Englisi speech. Then it seemed to suddenly dawn upon the guests of the club that they were not paying proper -respect to their entertainers, and Babel ensued. This is the sort of thing you heard: "'Mi venis tien sur Vanguard omnibuso." which may be roughly interpreted, "I came by a Vanguard _us." To this another lady replied: "So did I, aren't they quick —cr —I mean cv vi deziras kaffon?" Politics were on tap also, for you heard such phrases as "Kein vi pensas pir Singoro Axturo Balfour?" which I fancy is a polite Esperantist way of asking "What price Arthur Balfour now." Tea intervened, and forgetful ladies talked after this fashion: "Thank you, i dear—l mean mi dankas yin dv pecoju ■ dv sucras—two lumps; thanks!" Then Mr W. T. Stead got up and talked in English about the beauties of Esperanto and its necessity to an allround entente eordiale among nations. He admitted that reduced to cold print Esperanto looked hideous and unseemly, but when one came to pronounce ■ the words they were liquid and soft— i really pleasing to the ear. Ensued a con- ■ cert, in which all the songs and recitations were delivered in the new language. One lady sang very C-haimingly a i translation of "If thou w=rt blind," ; which certainly gave point to 3£r Stead's i suggestion that we should judge Esper- ■ anto by its appearance in type. , "Se ci estns blinda Mian okullymon . # __Ci forgius por esti kiel ci" looks quite brutal in print, but it sounds , really sweet -when sung by a charming ! young lady. The great aucceu ot the imwgr* «B9g te

. a gentleman named Reeve, who warhled an Esperantised version of _ can't think ob nuthm' else hut you, Lulu." This was really a very pretty number, the effect of the song being quite soothing, in spite of the fact that the printed words reminded one of Latin grammar gone mad. Here is the chorus, or as one should say, the HORO. IE pensas pri- neniu krom vi Lulu Ho, kara, Lv, Ho, ftela Lu. llatene post dormante 511 vekigas ploregante I La kauzo estas Ln, i La tutsoia kauzo estas Ln, Lv, Lu. c l The evening was voted a great success, , but I fancy those wdio went out of .mere curiosity came away unconverted. ' c