AT THE DUNEDIN HIGH SCHOOL FROM THE BACK BLOCKS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2286, 23 December 1897, Page 57

AT THE DUNEDIN HIGH SCHOOL FROM THE BACK BLOCKS.

My' Dear Boys,— "l'm a cheeky yoang imp I " That's what I have been told this week by several people. Of courie, it'B nothing unusual for boys to be told that ; or M »l»zy youpg imp," by way of a change. It 'doesn't • often trouble iv, I'll admi»; but-, still, sometimes we do feel it. It's all because I have been writing a few letters to my frieuda, and "Dot" thought you boys, would liko to see. them, so that you might know what* jolly place the Dunedia High School i*. Sotao "grownup" ba3 been reading our pag» iv the p&per, and has been talking about it, and now the name of the " buck blo3k»".boy has been discovered ; co that I shan't be ablo to write any raore. Of course I had to own up when I was asked. I expected to get *n awful crnaing and impositions, by the dozen, but I didn't. I am glad I wasn't found oufi until lait week. I've had to put up with a lot of chaffing from the boyo, bub that's nothing. If "any of you boys come here you will know a good' deal more about the ichool than I did, coming rb a perfect stranger. If you take my advice you won't bo too bumptious for ft whiio. Ju6t wait and sep what the old boys are like. I haven't found the work hard, considering that everything was fresh. No boy has called me a " country bumpkin " twice. " If 8 quite easy jbo reply, " Yah ! City cad ! " I've had a very nice year. Dad seems quite satiefied with my reports. He thinks every country boy ought- to have * year in town ht it can possibly be managed •' to smarten bim up." I know, a lot I didn't know wbTeo I came down. Pleaty of people didu't know there was a high school here till I to!d them— hadn't even heard of it— and yet instead of being grateful, they call me names. It's no wonder my feelings arehuit; but I hear that lots of writers get called names. "Civis" does sometimes — not ofteD, because people are afraid to. I wonder if anyone was getting afraid of me? I shouldn't think so 1 Nobcdy cares what a boy thinks or B»yp. Some of the boys wonder how I dared to Bpeak of the board of governors, and Judge Edwards cutting his came, and us not liking the Times as much ab the Witness. Bub I felt as if I must h&ve an adventure of some sort going on, or else my cousin Steve would think I had done nothiDg ; and then I didn't suppose anybody but boys and girls would think of reading the Little Folks' Page. It seems they do, and I'm told they enjoy the essays and letters that appear. Next time I take to writing I shall have to remember that. I didn't win the cup— l came out third, which surprised me very much after the disgraceful way I had been shooting, but I got a silver matchbox worth 15?. I shall have my initials cut on it, and always keep it to. remember the High School by. lam awfully fond of shooting. I see by the papers they are trying to bring in a law to prevent any boy under 16 from carrying a gun. What will they do next, I wonder ? I've been using one ever since I waß 11, and it would be awfully hardto give it up now. The worst o£ living in the back blocki, is that I shan't have a chance of going in for any matches. Bub I never worry much over what can't be helped.'. I always find something turns up for the deserving. I expeot I shall get some rabbiting days or shooting parties. I should like to go down south and get a shot at a deer. • I haven't ever seen one. A boy told me there are plenty ia South Otago. When I make my fortune X shall go and see them. I do wish some of the . boys that live in Otago and Southland would 1 write and tell me something about them, Havaj sou eot fr« get" close up ? Ate they thy,? Wfegß

So you do with them when they are dead ? What's the weight of the heaviest ? How many have you shot ? We haven't much game in Canterbury ; only rabbits end bares. We hardly ever see any duc^s .about. ' I sh*li have to take to fishing, I think. 1 have heard people say that after you have caught jour first fish you will alwajs bo fond of ifc. I should have liked to have stayed here another year, but there are my brothers coming on to go to the High School. I expect I shall have to keep up some of my work, and theu if I decide to be a farmer I may go to the Lincoln Agricultural College to learn something of agricultural chemistry. After all I believe I would as Boon be a farmer as anything else. I am Eure I ebould piue away and die if I went infco au offic, and that would be a pity after' having £60 spent on me this year. By the time. l have had my cix weeks' holiday harvest will be co, and then I expect I shall h&ve to be the odd boy that doe 3 all the work ai.d gets all the abuse. If you think of me then you'll ' know what ' I'm doing. Taking out and -bringing in tbe change .of horses for the reapers and binders, carrying out catmeal • and water for the men to drink, picking fruit for mother under a baking sur», and most likely being told at the end of the day that I bave done nothiDg. When you are reading this I chill be on my way home. I've shown these city people that a country bumpkin has eyes and ears, find '■ they don't knov* what he will do or say next. The_ \ ,Btjitor gays be hopes I'll write again if' I meet 'with any adventures or hear anything tbe boys_ would hheto know. If any of you goto Dun- ' edin and look though tbe school, you might ccc' the letters R.EG. which are. the initials of that "cheeky young imp," • A "High School Boy.

LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLKS. Dear Dot, — I read ihe letters in the Little Ftlkb' Page, and I shcu'd like to write one to you. We call the cows that we milk Molly, Pearl, Bluey, and Snowdrop, and the yet lambs ' Hugh, G^org*, Polly, Annie, Lady Vcre de Vtre. Tne pigeonß are called Sun»tt and Sun- - tise. The rooster is dead, and we celled the hens Bridget, Pi lly, Blacky, Mary, aud Mary Ann. Our cat has five' ki teas, fciicl we c*ll them .W*lter, Bther, Mick, Bally, aud Tom. When are you coming np to Merri?ale to see us ? Theie are pig^s in the bush and birds . in the bn-h — robin*, f»i»fc<ul-, bellbirds, pigeon. 1^ . and others. We have a 1 bile b-othtr named John Merrivale, and he has two ' teith. We did not have him l?$li j e*r when Santa Cl-us csme, - Do- jou think that Santa Claus will koow we hays got him this time? There are fl.Wtfrs in the bush. Tom - likes to go for w.\lks up the bill* with f"aca, and so does Andrew. Our hens are leyiug w-li. Have you any pot lambs this y*ar?- We are in a new hosee ; do you thick Santa Claus will know where to fii.d us ? We have no sciiool here yet, but we are going to get one soon. Didn. and mamma teach u'i at home. — Yours tiuly, Topsy Findlay Merrivale, December 8. ■ (agei 7 jears). £1 a.m" iure S»nta Cl-«us knows .all *b mfc your, liitle baby brother, Topsy, and I should not be at all surprised if he leaves a rattle 'for- him on Christmas Eve. He wifl have no difficulty at all in findiug your new heu?e, co do not) forget to bang up- your stocking. No, Topsy, town people don't have lambs.; they Lave to ba content to sep them in the country when they go for a holiday or to set them ia picture books. — Dot'] Dear Dot, — We are two Schoolmates who attend the Otakia School, which has two teachers, whose names are Miss Calder aud Mr filefczies. We have never written to you before, co we thought it* was time to start now. We • *re anxiously wailing for the Christinas holidays to come round and the picnic which we . ad way h have at the close of the school before the Christmas holidays. We both expect 'to ■ enjoy ourselves very much at the coming holidays, as we in teed vi&iting our friends fcr a week or two. Both our parents get the WitBete, and we likexesding the little 1 oiks' letters and the stories very much. Please will you give us names for our two dolls, which are dressed in red aud blue silk, with hats to m-itcb. We will uot write any more this time, 80 good-bj c. — Yours truly, Otakia, December 6. Two Schoolmates. [I -am afraid you will have been anxiously waiting for your letters to appear, but there were no letters in last week, as I had no place given to me. Was it not too bad ? But then there were so m*iy pictures that room cjnld not be found for everything. Call the dolls Ruby and Icig. — Dot ] Dear Dot,— We get the Olajjo Witness every week, and I read the Little Folk*' Page, but Ido not sto many fetters from here. Toe school here was examined by Inspector llicbardton on November 9, and there were bo failures. We . live near the top of Mount Stuart, and if you go_to the top on a flue day you can see Milton, K-iitaugab* Lake, and rnauy other placoa. We have five horses, and three of thfm are ponies. One of them, whose name is Tanty, I often ride. We have about tO chickens already, and are expecting more. My brother has thirte< v young ducks and two old ones. We are m Iking three cows. Their names are Daisy, Snowdrop, and Snowy. We liave two more heifers', named Tulip and Pansy. We have also two male calvts ; please will you give me names for them. I have a black kitten ■with white paws ; please will you give me a name for it also.— Yours truly, • " Rena Fuleseth. Mount Sluart, December 2. [It must be a very fine sight to take in all that eouutry, Rena. Call the calves Duke and ftlarquis and the kitten Diana.— Dot.] Djjar Dot, — I wrote to you a few months Bgo, and I thought I would write again to let you know I had uot forgotten you. Dear- Dot, 3 do not go to school as it is too far for me to ride, the nearest school being 20 miles away ; so 3am taught at home. We have only a brialo track bo far, but we hope to have a coach ruad shortly. Father gets the Witness every week, aud I enjoy reading the little folkb' letter?. I liked that story called " Vera and- the Mermaid " very much. I have no more to tell you at present, so I will say good-bje.— Yours tiuly, • . Mabel Laueik (aged IZ-Jf years). Tutira Lake, Hawko's Bay, November 29, {That .'is a long " way to be .from a school, Mabel, but you are certainly not being neglected at home, as you write very well. — Dor.] ' Ds4uDot,V-I, would like to be one of your little folk?, but this ■\s\ the. first time J have written to yon. The Jacob's Kiver is in flood to-day. We go "to the Thornbury School, and we have only a mile to go. We buve two teachers, and they are very kind to us. There oib seven of u», and five go to school. I w&a ftt Waian with my father for a fortnight. Tfcafc

is where tbe new diggings are. It ia a pretty country, with very high ridges, aud there are all sorts of ferns and trees. My father was | camped at Breakfast Creek, and I helped him to shift along tbe beach to the mouth of the ! W&iau Iliver, and when coming along the beach with the horse and dray we got stuck in a quickgaud, but we got out after a lob of trouble. I enclose four stamps for the Kindergarten Fund. I like reading tbe little folks' letters, aud I shall be pleased to gee mine iv print if you think it good enough. — Yours truly, Mcir C. Templeton (aged 11 years). Thornbury, December 3. ; [That wns a very novel experience for you, Muir, and I suppose you were very much alarmed when the wheels were sinking. It is { fortunate you escaped so well. Thank you for the stampr. — Dot.] Dear Dot, — I am making a vegetable garden, and every day after ichool I go down and dig in it. I hare two brother*, both grown up. Our school was examined on the 20th of November, and I pa?£ed the Third Standard. 1 We used to huve a pet wild pig called Bismarck, but she gob co mischievous that we had to kill her. I have got a pet red ftalf ; will you , please give me a name for it. — Yours truly, Alice Moorhouse (aged 11 jears). Hope" Saddle, December 1. j [You promise to write a very nice hand, j Alice, and you f-hould p^aefcice well to develop ik ' Call tbe calf Ddwdrop. — Dot ] i DfiAß Dot, — I am a fairy, aud can do many ! curious things, of which I will teil you. I once met a little boy, who asked, " How can I be a rich tii -in ? " I said, "1 will enable you to become that, 1 ' so I told him to get me some little^ pebbles. He got them and gave them to me. I laid them by bis. feet and touched them, and they became a million pounds. Then he picked them up, and I told him to follow me. We came to a big rock, and I touched it and it bec*ine a palace. Then he went iv, and I touched some weeds and they became flowers aad trees. — Yours truly, % Mahy CoATESwoRrn ({Standard III). Middlemarch, December 8. [I am afraid tbe little boy would have a bard task carrying tbe million pounds, Mary; but pcrh&pfl the fairy lightened his burden for him. | —Dot.] Dear Dot, — I go to school, and we arc going to have our helid*ys soon. Once I w*s with a boy out shcoting rabbits, and on putting a marble for a charge into the gun it bur.it. Ouce I saw a tiger's cage, and the door was open and tbe tiger r»u about the tent;, and ' then a man came and pat ifc in.— Yours truly, | P. Daly (Standard III). MiddUmirch, December 8 *• [Bubwhathappened twfche little boy, P. ? Did he escape, or was he injured ? — Dot.] • Peak Dot, — I live ia Middlenm-cb, and I have a dog that will carry rabbits. lam in the Third Standard, and tbe sums and spell'iig are bard. We are going to have a picnic at Kokoug* — Yours truly, A. M'Fadyen. Midvlemarch, December 8. [I hope yon all enjoyed yourselves at the K"konga picnic, and that the weather was fine.— Dot.] Dear Dot, — NewZe*land, where we all live, is a pleasant place, and we should be glad our lot is cast hers. In Middlemarch- we have had a grand heavy rait), and the crops are looking well. Ifc Wows too hard, however, and after the rain the wiad quicTcly driea up'tho ground again. If ifc does net ? £.>p it may spoil the crops S Jtne of the turnips are not coming away very well at present.— Yours truly, B. Allan. Middlemarch, December 8. [If it did not blow the ground would remain wet and get etagnant, so that a share of wind is a good tbii g, keepiug everything sweet and clean. — Dor.] Dear Dot, — I milk three cows ; their names are Rosy, Goat, and Emma. We have 14 cows altogether, and we have stveu horses), their name* being Shales, Bjb, Nuggeb, Ntll, Gip, Maud, aud Lucy. We have four foah, and also three white rabbits — oue big one and two little ones. — Yours truly, Henjuy Tisdall. Middlemarch, D. cumber 8. ' [You have plenty of pets to look after, Henry, and I hope you attend t ) your rubbita. —Dot.] Dear Dot, — We have two calves. One is about three weeks old and the other ii about three days. One of them ia named Beaufcy. We have one kitten, aud a dog whose name is Nipper. Tbe river is at the bottom of our place. In summer when the river is low we often wade over to a pretty island. Sometimes tbe river is too deep to wade over to ir, however. Our. picnic is to come rff on December 16. It ia to be at KokoDga. — Yours truly, Maud Cartwjught. Middlemnreh, December 8. [It will have come off before this, Maud, and I iu-pe you enjoyed yours* lyes. I hare h<»d to keep over several other Middlemarch letters till next week. — Dot ] . Dear Dot, — We get the Witneßs every week, aud Ilovo reading the little folks' letters. My brother aud I ride to school, every day. We have each a little pony. Mine is celled Carbine, and nay brother's pony's name is Tommy. I like going to school, becau-e my teacher is very nice. I bave a pet lamb ; will you pleaee give me a name for ifc. My little sister has a beautiful doll that speaks, and it came from England, and she wishes mo very much to ask j ou please Ito give me a name for it. I waß at a very large | patty on Saturday, and we had a grand lot of i strawberries. We can all ride a bicjelo— we all have turns at tiding it. — Yours truly, Bella Wright (aged 12) j [Carbine is a good name for a pony, Bella, bub I suppose Tommy is quite as useful. A doll that speaks ! — what dees she cay ? I see that there are even dolls that drink tea, now — what next, I wonder ? I think Christina— ! ChrißsioJ for short — would be a good name for this clew doll, and you can call tbe l»mb Santa. — Dot.] Dbar Dot, — We have a fairly large house, and I have two brothers and a siatar. My friend has a nigger doll ; please will you give j her a name for it. We have jusfc got a new bicycle, and lam learning to ride. My frieuds and I learn gymnastics at school, and we are going to have a gymnastic concert soon. Igo to a very large school and am in the Sixth Standard. — Yours truly, December 16". Katie Dat (aged 12 years). [£ should think Sambo would be tha best name for a black doll, Katie. — Dot ] j Deui Dot, —A Merry Christmas to Dot and\ to Santa Ciaus aud to all the little folks. Plenty of pndding and crackers. — Yours truly, j December 20. ■ Ernest. [Thank you for your good wiehe*, Ernest. : Tell your brothers that their letters will appear I ne*6 week.— DotJ