ALICE'S LETTER TO HER REAPERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2051, 15 June 1893, Page 45

ALICE'S LETTER TO HER READERS.

Do you notice that a boy would rather get into mischief, and bear the punishment afterwards, than keep oufc of mischief to escape the consequences ? Girls, as a rule, in fear of the punishment, deny themselves the pleasure of insubordination. To be in disgrace with her teachers at school, or parents at home, is to seven out of ten girls too high a price to pay for the gratification gained by the pleasure that is prohibited, while ifc seems second nature to the boy to be denied and to rebel, to transgress and to be discovered, to be discovered and to be punished. He goes through this experience so frequently that it becomes second nature to him. Ha does not bo much dread the discovery as there being no opportunity to transgress. Gradually and by slow degrees more license is allowed him than to his' sister, because it iB so much more difficult to keep him out o£ mischief, until at length unconsciously a different code of ethics is set up in the same home for the boy and girl. What is of common occurrence in the case of the boy is a very grave offence in that of his sister. Ifc may or may not be right, this education of the two from a different moral standpoint — I shall not discuss that part of the question — bufc whether ifc be so or nofc, the results are obvious. In those homes where ifc is everlastingly heard that "it is unladylike for a girl to run," that she is a " tomboy " if she departs from a grown-up demureness thafc does not come natural at 13 years, where every natural impulse of the young animal is repressed as sinful, or at least improper, how can it be wondered at if the girls become either? one of two things — hypocrites; or little Miss Prudes, who at a very early age learn to sifc in judgment, on the less subdued but quite as innocent, acts of their little sisters 1 Boys — happy boys — may speak their minds, and that pretty emphatically, one to another without being known all over the neighbourhood as "bold little things." They can blacken one another's eyes, and otherwise express themselves in a more or less forcible manner with regard to the actions of their mates, without being cast into outer darkness by the boy world ; but a girl may nofc go the length of refusing to play wich a ghl companion without being stigmatised as "a nasty disagreeable thing " ; and so on through life.

Men do not all profess to love one another. They may even dare to seem stand-off without making a life-long enemy of the man they do not care to know intimately. Then why cannot we be allowed something like the same degree of honesty 1 If a woman candidly admits thafc she does nofc like another woman, the hearers immediately surmise that the dislike ranst arise from some reiy serious cause. Bufc surely ib is possible for women, as it is for men, to respecfc, and even admire, where they do nofc feel personally attracted. No, wo scarcely dare to do it. We are so much charmed with some of our owe sex that wo could almoafc stop them on the street and tell them so, bufc we must waifc for an introduction. Others again whom we do know we should like to got away from, bufc we do not dare. It is po proper and correct fco know them. 12 adds" to the strength of our respectability. To choose our friends would make us very cappy, bufc we should be considered "peculiar," perhaps "Bohemian"; and only one woman in a "hundred dare risk such an awful ordeal. As we were nob "allowed, when we were girls, for fear of tearing cur clothes, to climb the fence where our brother Tom Bafc astride enjoying the broader prospect, so now, for fear of adverse criticism, we must stay in the little section of our environment. We musfc sifc and smile at Mrs Position, although her antagonistic magnetism is making pins and needles down our back, while we are dying for a chat with Miss Nobody, whom we like with all our heart. I suppose a man ntver considers how happy he is to be able to go up to another man, regardless of his public standing, and say, slapping him heartily on the back, Halloa I old mat?, hojv are jou 1 " He does that every day. His acquaintance may have a law case ponding, os: one !jusb over, three or four little things may be'known ti hi 3 disfavour, but men viho like him maydare do ko without comment. We dare nofc do so with our friends. We can only promise to drink tea with them, or walk with them, or bow to them so long as everybody approves "of ,'everylhiug they do, or have ever been supposed to have done. We were only allowed as children, to play with the

always be as thoughtful for your welfare.— Dot.] - Dear Dot, — I am a black and white Cat, and my name is Toby. Although I live in the bush I now go very seldom in search of birds or rabbits. One evening I went; oufc jusfc for a pleasant walk, and I came to a rabbit hole. I was just; going to step in, when behold something caught my foot. After a few vain efforts I managed to gefc this something oufc of the ground, with my foot stuck fast in ifc. Oh, the pain— ifc was dreadful. However, I managed to hop home ; but, alas ! my mistress had gone to bed, so I had fco waifc until the morning before I could be relieved. Oh, I shall never forget that night if I live fco be 101 years old. Such a night I hope I shall never spend again. When morning came, this something, called a " trap," was taken off my foot and ifc was a relief. But my poor foot remained bad for more than a week. So you see, dear Dot, though my mistress does not, that that is the reason I don't go out much now. My mistress jsays lam lazy because I don't go oufc and catch rabbits like other cats, but I never intend to go rabbiting again. There is a nasty young dog kept here, and he is a regular tease. His name is Joe. He does think a lot of himself, though what he has to be proud of 1 really do not know. If he were pretty, like me, I would not say anything, but he is nofc. He says thafc some day if you will let me write again to you (but he does not think you will) he will put a note in my letter, but you would not allow that, would you ? Please, Dot, may I write again? So good-bye, dear Dot, as this is all at present. — Yours truly,

[Yes, Toby, you may write again, and Joe may put a note in your letter. Did you write with the injured foot ? — Dot.]

Dear Dot, — We are four schoolmates going to the Ofcatara Bush School. We are all four helping to compose this letter, but as ifc would be impossible for us all to write it, we have selected one. We are going to describe the place where we live. Otatara Bush is situated on the left bank of the Oreti river, between six and seven miles from Invercargill. It is not a very large place, and as the houses are very scattered, it gives one the impression of being even smaller than it really is. Most of the land about here is covered with bush, and in some parts it is very pretty. The inhabitants of Obafcara are mostly farmers, and as Invercargill is the nearest town, it is there they go to get their supplies and sell their butter and other produce. The only shop that Ofcatara Bush can boast of is a small store near the school. We have lately had an addition put to our school, and it is quite large compared to what ifc used to be. Perhaps the little folks will wonder how we find time to write a letter at school, so we are going to tell them. We agreed to go into the bush by ourselves, and write ifc without being disturbed by anyone. At present we are standing on a small piece of ground surrounded by manuka scrub. We are sending four riddleß-rone from each of us.

named Ellen and Polly. My little sister has a doll ; will you please give me a name for ifc. We have a pretty cockatoo, which can say almost anything. — Yours truly, C. R. [Call the doll alter the writer of the first letter, Fern. — Dor.] Dear Dot, — We have a red and white calf ; will you please give me a name for it. Ifc is a heifer. I am sending you a piece of poetry called Wicked Willie. i. Willie was a wicked boy, Snubbed his poor old mother ; Willie was a dreadful boy, Quarrelled with his brother ; Willie was a spiteful boy, Often pinched his sister ; Once he gave her such a blow, Raised a great big blister ! n. Willy was a sulky boy, Sadly plagued his cousins ; Often broke folks' window panes, Throwing stones by dozens ', Often worried little girls, Bullied smaller bo3'S ; Often broke their biggest dolls, Jumped upon their toys. nr. If he smelled a smoking tarfc, Willie longed to steal it ; If he saw a pulpy peach, Willie tried to peel it ; Could he reach a new plum cake, Greedy Willie picked it ; If he spied a pot of jam, Dirty Willie licked it. IV. If he saw a poor old dog, Wicked Willie whacked it ; If it had a spot of white, Silly Willie blacked it ; If he saw a sleeping cat, Horrid Willie kicked it ; If he caught a pretty moth, Cruel Willie pricked it. v. If his pony would not trot, Angry W illie thrashed it ; If he saw a clinging snail, Thoughtless Willie smashed it ; If he found a sparrow's nest, Unkind Willie hid it. All the mischief ever done, Eolks knew Willie did it. VI. No one liked that horrid boy, Can you wonder at it ? IS one who saw his ugly head Ever tried to pat it. No one took him for a ride, Polks too gladly skipped him ; No one gave him bats or balls, No one ever " tipped " him. VII. No one taught him how to skate, Or to play at cricket ; No one helped him if helsfcuck In a prickly thicket. Oh, no ! for the boys all said Willie loved to tease them, And that, if he got the chance, Willie would not please them.

He was present at many fierce conflicts in the Ifcalo-Austrian war, and accompanied the Abyssinian and Ashantee expeditions. He also passed unscathed through the FrancoGerman war and the Carlist war in Spain.

Doubtless few arc aware thafc Mr John Dillon, the well-known Irish member of Parliament — and son of the late Mr John Dillon, M.P., of '48 fame — is a licentiate of the Royal College of Surgeons, Ireland. But such is the case, Mr Dillon, who was born in '51, having studied for the medical profession. He has never practised.

The Duke of Argyll possesses a "strange avenue of trees upon his estate on the banks of Loch Fyne. Every tree has been planted by some distinguished person. Whenever any remarkable guest visits Inverary Castle, the Duke invites them to plant a tree in this avenue. An inscription is placed on each tree, showing when and by whom ifc was planted. Julius Bettihn, a teacher in the village of Grosspeisten, has recently celebrated his 50fch anniversary in office. Siocs the year 1630 bis ancestors have been teachers in the same village, and, curious to say, every member has been over 50 years in office, and, what is more remarkable, every one of them has celebrated his golden wedding.

No one is a more fierce opponent of the sweating system, and a more earnest worker on behalf of charitable movements, than Dr Hermann Adler, Chief Kabbi of the United Jewish Congregations of the British Empire. The doctor is a grave, dignified, studiouslooking gentleman, 54 years of age. He is a B.A. of London University and Doctor of Philosophy of Leipsic.

DrWestcott, Bishop of Durham, wears a cross on his breast, an exact copy of one found in the tomb of bis groat predecessor, St. Outhbert. While, however, the latter is of gold, richly jewelled, Dr Westcofcfc's cross is of iron, Ifc was presented to him on his consecration as a bishop, and Dr Wescott, having a dislike to jewellery, iron was chosen as the material of .which the cross should be formed. njFrom the name of a mountain near the famous Canadian Pacific railway, Lord Mount Stephen, a prosperous colonist, took his Recent title, and he worked hard from the first for the succees of that monster enterprise. Yet not so long ago it was a tossup whether it could be completed. The treasury was empty, everyone had put in nearly Ms all, and at a Montreal Board meeting the message arrived that "unless £60,000 js found to-day we are done." A certain director stepped out to his lawyer, and returned in half an hour with the money, his wife having consented to reduce her settlement by that amount.

good little girls. If we disobeyed, we got whipped, or sent to bed without any tea, and it has grown up in our bones, or if it has not, and we are brave enough to show our honesty and love, we still get chastised with cold glances, uplifted eyebrows, and superior smiles. But ■with the boy instinct to do as he likes and bear the consequences, a man is not only more honest in his friendship, but carries his desire for pleasure to its fulfilment, no matter what the result may be. Many things are lawful, but are not expedient. However, if the law be not offended, expediency frequently goes for little, for instinct and training have so long prompted him to please himself that he does it, better pleased to doifcandto bear the punishment afterwards than to deny himself and save himself the stick. Short of actual disgrace the worldly man does not often pause, but very much of what looks to him like bravery is selfishness. He knows that his punishment will be light, and he takes full advantage of the knowledge. Were he branded as a woman would be for a hundredth part of his offences, shut off, shut out, despised, suspected, in spite of life-long atonement, bis royal highness man would linger more frequently before he leaped, lest he should land himself in the same slough of despond that some of his actions have landed others that have trusted him. True bravery does not consist of rushing into danger, but in rescuing others, or restraining others from harm, and when the education of the boy insists upon that, and the social punishment of the man is equal to that of the woman who departs from high rectitude, then will men endeavour to guide their steps accordingly ; but it is the absence of disgrace from a boy's punishment that makes it so easy to bear, and the absence of social disgrace that makes him so ready to "bear the consequences" of pleasing himself. A man can realise what it is to the girl child to be regarded as "a wicked little girl " — to be disgraced before a whole school, and made to feel the heavy burden of shame for tbe commission of some act for which he, as a schoolboy, got the stick, and winked at his smiling and sympathising companions as he went back to his seat. Men never realise it— seldom think of it. To be overwhelmed and burdened with shame is a contingency so very remote as a punishment of heavier sins than their sisters commit, that they act thoughtlessly for themselves, and speak thoughtlessly of those whom by nature and honour they should defend. Nothing but a grave Bin against the law, when all men shun him and leave vacant the place that he as their comrade was wont to fill, can teach a man the sense of utter desolation and abandonment that women and men teach their erring sisters. " He is a good fellow in spite of his faults," men say of men ; but who says so of .women 1 She falls by one act, and all other acts of goodness and unselfishness, of wisdom and courage, are regarded simply as cloaks to cover an evil life. Women could tell some pitiful tales if they would of their weary struggles to surmount adverse criticism. If men spent half as much genuine nobility in the attempt to overcome their false steps as some women do they would be regarded as heroes. The wonder is, with so much against them, that these women do not oftener give in wholly, tired of seeking justice and of suing for kindness which is theirs by right, while men live a double life most of their days and are accounted worthy to occupy the highest positions in the land. On Monday Mrs Garret had a number of people to afternoon tea, but owing to the weather not nearly so many turned up as was expected. Among those who were present were Mesdames Roberts, Sise, Ulrich, Gibson, Hazlett, and Misses Roberts, Ulrich, Gibson, Sise, Rattray, and many more. On Tuesday afternoon Mrs Henry Mackenzie had a few of Miss Backhouse's special friends to bid farewell to that lady, who was on the point of leaving for Sydney/ The same afternoon the Misses Farquhar gave a large musical, there being quite 70 people present. Some good musical selections were contributed by Mrs Theomin, Mrs Dowling, Miss Farquhar, Miss Reynolds, and Miss Roberts. The tea-table made a pretty picture, beautifully decorated as it was with yellow and white and large dishes of white chrysanthemums. Among the guests were Mrs Dowling, wearing a stylish costume of black handsomely trimmed with jet; Miss E. E. Farquhar, heliotrope cashmere, with sleeves and yoke of silk; Miss Violet Farquhar, stylish blue costume with white feather trimming, corselet bodies, the neck and sleeves being white Surah; Mrs Sievwright, fawn coloured cloak with trimmings of jet and 'black lace, black velvet poke bonnet ; Mrs Hart, brown costume, cape to match, trimmed with feather trimmings and jet; Lady Stout, pretty brown and yellow costume, brown bonnet ; Mrs H. MacNeil, short corduroy, relieved with corselet of jet, and velvet trimmings; Mrs Roberts, brown cloth with vest and trimmings of pink, braided with brown, large brown hat and feathers ; Mrs Mac Lean, black costume, trimmings of pink veiled in black ; Mrs Ogston, green costume, large silk sleeves, and green hat; Mrs Finch, dark blue costume, pretty little black and white bonnet; Miss Reynolds, dark green, long black jacket with beaver trimmings, and green hat; Miss Ziele, smart dress of dark blue trimmed with tartan velvet, large blue hat sflad feathers ; Miss Stephenson, brown crepon with brown velvet trimmings, vest of pale blue, brown hat ; Mis 3A. Roberts, green costume, white felt poke bonnet ; Miss J. Gilkison, black j costume with trimmings of jet on electric blue velvet ; Miss L. Mackerras, grey tweed and small black hat; Mrs Sargood, blue cloth, long blue cape, with velvet yoke trimmed with fur; Mrs Jowitt, grey cloth trimmed with brown velvet and piped with pale blue; Miss M. Reynolds, dark blue serge, with skirt and jacket to match. Also present were Mesdames Cantrel, Kennedy, Fergus, J. Mac Lean, Ogston, Moore, Hyams, Graham, Denniston', and the Misses Reynolds, Law, Roberts (3), G. Robert?, Scott, Mackerras, Moss, aud others.

On Tuesday night the Kaihanga Club met at Mrs Sinclair-Thomson's, Mrs Pym being chairwoman for the evening. About 40 members were present, and a very pleasant evening was spent. The programme was a work of art, being most beautifully illustrated by a member of the club. The items were a song by Mrs Monkman, a piano solo by Miss Roberts, a violin solo

to all the debutantes of the year. Among those present were Misses Mills, E. Ulrich, K. Neill, Lily Roberts, Gould, and Wright. The same evening Mrs Hales gave a euchre party to a number of young people, at which there were present Mrs Jowitt, Miss Macassey, Mis 3L. Mackerras, Miss Scott, Miss Hart, Miss Tui Stephenson, and others. Friday was a great day for afternoon teas, and as there were several going on at the same time in various parts of the town, a number went from one to another, although the day was very wet. Notwithstanding the snow quite 50 were at Mrs Spencs's. Several musical items were given. Miss Gwen. Roberts contributed a piano solo, and songs were given by Mrs J. Mills and Miss E. Maclaren. So many wore cloaks that few costumes were visible. Miss Spence wore a pretty brown dress with lace trimmings; Mrs G. Morris, a shot blue dress, trimmed with bands of electric blue velvet, and black jet hat; Mrs Melland, black dress with blue trimmings; Miss K. Neill, black dress trimmed with crushed strawberry, veiled in black lace ; Miss Gould, stylish tweed, with long green cloth jacket and green hat. There were also present, Mesdames Mills, Ogston, Mackenzie, Ferguson, Bridgman, W. Neill, Boyd, Dymock, Stephenson, Sinclair-Thom-son, A. W. Morris, Misses Maclaren, Rattray, Morris, Cargill, Hodgkinp, and Dymock.

Another tea was given at Miss Gilkiaon's, at which there were quite GO people present. Miss Gilkison wore a pretty grey costume ; Miss J. Gilkison, a heliotrope and pink. Among those present were a great many of those who were at Mrs Spence's. Mrs Larnach wore a brown velvet with beaver trimming'!, brown hat to match ; Mrs Richardson (Timaru), grey tweed, sealskin jacket ; Mr 3 IS. C. Reynolds, blue and red costume, little bonnet to match; Miss Hodgkins, stylish grey tweed braided with black. There were also present, Mesdames A. W. Morris, G. Morris, Ritchie, Thomson, Preston, Dymock, Murray, Ogstoa, Ridings, Melland, Turton, Kennedy, H. MacNeil, Hart, Denniston, and the Misses Macandrew, Farquhav, Morris, Scott, Burns, Roberts, and Staphenson.

The same evening M'ss Zielogave a euchre party, at which about 36 were present, The

Glover, pretty white dress; Miss Scott, ruby jacket bodice, black skirt, cream sash ; Miss Corbefct, maroon jacket bodice, black skirt ; Miss Ankey, white and pink skirt, fawn bodice ; Miss M'Namara, maroon dress; Miss Aitken, navy blue costume : Miss Brownlie, black grenadine, cream vest ; Miss Stevenson, maroon costume ; Miss Carr, black, tastefully trimmed with pale pink ; Mrs Trwin, brown tweed, long jacket bodice ; Mrs Clark, ruby and black costume, fan to match ; Mrs Stewart, tweed costume, trimmings of navy blue silk, fan to match ; Mrs Breeze, fawn dress, velvet ribbon trimmings, fan to match ; Mra Ken, buttercup Liberty silk,_ swansdown trimmings, fan to match. At midnight refreshments were served, dancing being resumed and carried on with spirit into the small hqms afterwards, songs and step dances intervening. Excellent music was provided by Miss Murray, Messrs Garrick and Corbett.— Waiwerian.