AT THE-DUNEDIN HIGH SCHOOL FROM THE BACK BLOCKS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2250, 15 April 1897, Page 51

AT THE- DUNEDIN HIGH SCHOOL FROM THE BACK BLOCKS.

LETTER THE FOUKTH.

Bly Deah Cousin, — How do you like your High School ? I hear that you are great swell", and thafc you go about with Eton suits, top hat?, and silyer-mouoted canes everyday. Is thafc true P I also heard something elge about you boys that takea the chine off your grandeur. I don't; wonder you haven't told me, your greatest chum, about ifc. If I had been in your place I should have kept ib dark altogether. I'll tell you- later on what I mean. I am enjoying imself very much on Saturdays and Sundays. The other five days I am worked like a white slave. The amount of lessons I get through is something terrible. Anyone would think that tbe house master would make

a fuss about ifc, becans?, of course, the more « lellow hag r>> learn tho more he must eat. II 11I 1 had a letter from dad yestorday, and he saya that I write a good deal about my play, but ha would like to hear a little more about uiy work. He srenis to expect; mo to do the master's work; 88 well as my ov«u. lam learning a great denl ilown here that hasn't got to be paid for. This is a spleudid place for picking up information. I don't mean in school, but outside things, such an rowing, and shipping, and printing, and f-hooting. If you like I will change with you nexb >ear. It must be awfully slow where there's only a river. Oh ! bub I forgot ; I take back that offer — I wouldn't go to your school for anything. I had a box from home last week Ifc was as much as I could do to carry it up fivm the railway station. The worst of Dunedin is that ifc is so hilly ; you c&n't go more than a couple of chains in auv direction, excepting in tha main street, without going up or down hill. I am getting quite thin, doing bo much climbing. I tihvar walked bo much in the whole of my life before as I have doDe since I came here. This is what c*me in the box — (it left home at 7 in the morning and gob hew? at 9 nfc nighfc ; of courae I was at the abatioa to rae<:fc it) : — On fcho top wa9 a cardboard box of grape? and a. layer of apples ; theu a layer of my favourite anchovy sandwicbes thab mother must have cut very parly in the morning, because they were quits fresh ; then more apples— the little golden pippins eff my own tree ; then so-ne lollies ; and, last oi all, a three-decker cake with pink aud while icing. On the top t>f the cake, stuck into the icing, was a Beecham's pill box, with 27 threepenny pieces in it, and each of the kids had put a threepenny pi(-ce into the cake. As dad is churchwarden lie say-s he is going to collecball the fhreeppnuy pieces he caa aud send b&em out of Canterbury ink* Otago. We had gripping fun for thre« evenings. If you had only been here ih wculd ha\e been perfect I wonder wby we. were separated. We could have had no e:id ot ad ventures down here, ju»t an fche.v hid iv the "Boys' Own." I blame Unrlo Harry for ib *)1. I hoard him 6ay cn«i duv to dad, "If thes'j bois are nob separated and sent to school they wjII develop into regular young rsbbiters, in.i uever be lit for anything else, 'i'hty fchiuk of nothing but Iheir guns, horse*, and i!ogs." I oid tbinU- that -when wo pissed the tiixt-.h we should be free for a coupla of years. However, ifc ended in your beingsent across the stiaits, v.mi mo dovui hero. Aud I'm beginning to think I got the h<»sfc of it. I jdinsd the cadet corps three weeks »go. They would'ut let mo in »t. first because I was an iach too short ; as if that made m-y diffeiv>ice to shooting. I wasn't used to the rifle, aad ifc whs prclty hard at firsb to shoot; at a nUtioDiuy tding like st tnrgeb. After snooting rabbi's and hares running, my guv wanted to travel ; but I am doing much better now. lam going fcj try hard to geo ray ntiiriß cub on one place here, and that ii thii chimpiou cup for shooting. Mother ways she doesn't miisd paying for ifc if 1 geb it cus therf', but she can't f nccuyage ;ur to break the rules. Are you allowed to cub your name ttboufc? If you are uofc, you must gat infco an awful lot; of trouble. Two of the masters from Duneain are going up to our part of the world. Mr Moufcgomery, from f he High B<ho>l, ih going ro G<-raldir.e. I think we oughfc to h*,ve n. h*!f holiday when he gren, to *cc him off ?.nd give him three cheers. IF mother Hen! down another box wo migh!. give him a. supper. I don't wonder ttoy want; lo go, for this is a dreadful plucc for rain, aivi ifc always rains more on Saturday than any other day. Now this in what I want to know, and micd you answer the truth : Do you gtfc caved with «, slipper (it your scbocl ? I can't believe ifc ; bub fchay sxy ib'g a f acb. I should be ashamed. Wo have a proper cane here, and ifc stings, I c».n tell you. I don't pretend I like ifc, because I don't; — I haH". it. We stuff exercise bcoks, enpp, hnndkechie's, and urylhiug we can get hold of into our kuiclcrbockerH, snd ifc takes a good deal off tbe sting. But, gocduess! fanoy top hats, Eton Buifcs, and — the slipper ! for A High School Boy. P.S — I say, i« ifc your own slipper, or do they keep a suoply on hand ? The House, Dutodio.