AT SCHOOL IN DUNEDIN FROM THE BACK BLOCK.

Otago Witness, Issue 2244, 4 March 1897, Page 51

AT SCHOOL IN DUNEDIN FROM THE BACK BLOCK.

LETTER TUB FIRST. Dear Mother, — I got here at 9.30, got an express, and went up to tbe house. I can assure you that I was not at ali dazed or bewildered at tho bnstle on the Dunedin platform ; in fact, 1 expected eomothiag much more important. Of course it looked very quter to see all the lights on the hills around reaching nearly up to the sky, especially after the Canterbury plains, where if we go up to the top storeys we look, down on the light?. But I expected to ace a great many (.(.range sights, and so I put this down as oi>e of them. Of one thing you may be quite sure : I don't intend anyone to call mo a country bumpkin, and so what surprises me I shall put in my pocket to think about. I put my purse in my hand and my hands in my pockets and fattened ray new watch' to ray shirt studs with a piece of string in case ot pickpockets, ordered an express, and went up to the house. You want to know wh».t I thought of the country aud the journey down? Well, as I had never been in cbe express I thought it was delightful whizzing past the little stations. It was very different to, our slow old train. I enjoyed myself very much looking out of the window at the sea and eaiins? the cakes you gave me. Change of air always did give me an appetite, and as I was getting change of air every minute naturally I was very hungry. I must see and take a bigger supply next time I | travel this line. We reuched Oam aru before I had any idea iwe were near it. I was very sorry I had not ! followed your advice and c:me in the morning train, so that I might have had a few hours to spend in this town. I noticed that they had a breakwater, and I remembered hearing you say there was a ha'penny of jours under it. It (the breakwater) wus under a cape, and although I bad never seen one, I remembered that a cape was a piece of land jutting out infd the sea. Boys who live neur the sea ought to know a great deal more of geography than country ones. j The country was looking very dry, and from [ all I have seen I dou'c believe the Otago sheep I are a bit. better than ours. I now send you a j list of my expense* tines I left you with a. new ! rig out, new watch, and £2 in my pocket to start the world with. I must say, now we are ! parted, I tkiiik it was rather unkind of dad to I insist on my going second-class. I thought on my entrance into society I ought to have beau stnt off iojgtyle. I sh«ll know better what to do when ie comes to be my turn to stait off a boy. He hurt my feelings very much when he , said, "A second-class ticket is quite good ! enough for atrumpery schoolboy. " Igotasecond ticket, but had to pay full fare. I stoo :ed down at the window, but the cheeky clerk said, "None of that, young fellow; I'm up to you>tricks. You've travelled half-price long enough,'" and so I had to pay up 18s 6d.

I found, that it was quite the fashion to eat and read in the train, aud as I did not wish to look different^ from others, I h*d to buy the grapes, papers, and book. Bpsides all this I have hart to g-t cap, hatband, gymnistio shoes, and jersey, and lots of books ; bub of course that is dad's affair, not mine. I have been here cow two days, &nd from all I can see I think I shall be able to make myself fairly comfortable, so I wouldn't worry about me if I were you, mother. The rules are not too strict, excepting one or two, about which I may have something to fay later on. We have aa much as we like to eat, and the beds are splendid. Tell these ousins of mine they didn't know anything about it. They gave me most fearful accounts of what I >hould get to eat, and I haven't had resurrection pie, bone pudding, or horse stew at all. Boarding school must have changed since they were at echool, or else I have lighted on a toff one. As for the masters at the school — they have not had .the pleasure of my acquaintance yet. I hope I shall be favourably impressed with them whea •1^ do meet. I know exactly what to expect from them from reading the Boy* Own. Give / my love to dad and the kids, and for gooduees sake don't let them waddle with tnu of mv

things, and with much love to you, believe me, dear mother, — Your affectionate High School Boy. F.S. — I got an awful scare coming down. I'll tell you about it next time I write.

Train fare Grapes 2pnpsrs - lbonk 1 express cart Pen Nibs Ink ...JEO 18 6 ... 0 0 9 ... 0 0 2 ... 0 1 6 ...0 2 0 ... 0 0 2 ... 0 0 2 ... 0 0 2 £13 5