LETTERS FROM THE BACK BLOCKS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2356, 20 April 1899, Page 57

LETTERS FROM THE BACK BLOCKS.

My dear Dot, — There was a most wonderful show of vegetables and fruit at the show, at least that is what all the newspapers are saying — the Press and Canterbury Times, Herald, and Chronicle, and as I shouldn't like the WiCness to be out of it, we must say the samo too. You see the Back Blocks struck out a new line and didn't follow the prevailing fashion of having a summer or winter show but held it in the autumn. Lots of people said, " It's no use trying to get up an autumn show, it's certain to be a failure," but it wasn't— it was a very great success. It made every boy's mouth water to see the grapes and peaches, the apples and Japanese plums, to say nothing of the cakes and other good things. The judges said the vegetables, fruit, and farm roots wero good enough to be shown anywhere. I never saw such big turnips in my life. The purple-top Aberdeens were like great pumpkins, and the pumpkins and marrows were like — well I don't know what We struck out another new line, too. We had a novelty in. the shape of a housekeeper's stall. I expect this will get to bo a very popular thing amongst ladies, especially if the prize is a silver teapot, as it was in this case. There were all kinds of things on the housekeeper's tables and shelves — bottled fruit, syrups, pickles, chutnees, soap, candles, hams, tongues, potted hare, rabbit, cukes, pies, tarts, housekeeper's keys and apron, lollies, biscuits, and dozens of things I can't remember, and everything had to bo made by the exhibitor. Tho second prize was a lovely tray i-10lL — at least I heard several ladies ?ay ib was lovely, I don't pretend to bo a judge of tray cloths. Dad showed some wheat, "Hard Duluth," imported from Canada. Twelve children went in for the big ponies and eight for the little ponies, and you would have laughed, Dot, if you could have Been those kids go when the judge ordered a gallop round the ring. They kicked with their heels against the ponies' sides and used their sticks and whips with a good deal of noise as well. Then there was the bazaar, another attraction. I believe they took a lot of money there, but I hadn't time lo see everything. A chum of mine, a Dunedin High School boy, who was spending his holidays with us, took a prize for trimming a lady's hat. When asked how he came to do it so well, ho said ho had had an awful lot of practice, because he had six sisters, and he always trimmed their dolls' hats and their own Sunday ones for them. I heard one of the ladies asking if all the Dunedin boys were as smart? and he said, "Oh he was considered a duffer amongst them." I don't believo there was a word of truth in it, excepting that ho ha 3 bix sisters. I know that is a fact — poor fellow. I soo "Coo-ec" has again favoured us with 3," welcome letter. I'm suro I'm very much obliged to her for her information about the rabbits. It seems that Steve and I are not so much underpaid in getting threepence a head as we thought we were. Dad say 9 strikers very often find out that they are not so badly off as they think. I haven't done any rabbiting since I struck, and Steve being at school, of course ho hasn't cither ; but I am bo deeply in debt that I am afraid I phall have to givo in soon. I see there's a new girl in this week's Witness called Maggie, who says 8.0.8. thinks that girls aro only meant to wait on boys. Quite the contrary, Dot. lSver since Steve and I were born we have had lo wait on girls. Anyone would think that as I haven't any sisters I ought to have been excused — but no. Elsie and Mabel, Sieve's sisters, have just kept us going, so by this timo we have got quite used to it, and we don't often rebel. It was waiting on a girl that got mo so deeply into debt. This is how it wps: Steve hasn't written for nearly two months, and Mabel began to think he must be dead, or drowned, or something. I told her not to be alarmed, Slev6 wouldn't dio without making a good deal of noise, and we should all hear quick enough : but she made me go up to the office (five miles) lo bend a telegram for her. I borrowed mother's bicycle, and coming back I had the misfortune to get a spill. It wouldn't have mattered if I had been, hurt, but unfortunately I wasn't — it was the bicycle : two spokes broken and tho front wheel buckled. Mother was very angry, and said I must have been trick riding. Mabel said no boy could come off on a smooth level road., unless I had my hands in my pocketo or somo other foolith thing. Now, I vc got to pay for mending il, and where I'm going Lo get the money goodness only knows. And this comes of kindnes* tv a giA. And the best of it is =he had lo wait four days for a leltpr, fc." &teve didn't think it worth whilo lo send a telegram lo say he wasn't dead. He said he had written three or four letters, but always forgot to post them. I

suppose they were in his different suits, so it was quite natural. Thank you very much for giving your consent to put Moses in the Witness. I'll have him taken the very first opportunity. — Yours sincerely, 8.0.8. P.S. — Doesn't the editor want a war correspondent for Samoa? Think of the English and American officers and men getting killed and no one to tell you all about it. 8.0.8. [My dear 8.0.8., surely you are not reacl1 ing the Witness very carefully just now, or you would see that we have had a correspondent at Samoa during all the time of trouble. His descriptions of events have been long enough, I am sure, and how you could have missed them I don't know. If you ever go as war correspondent you will have to keep a sharper look-out c-u current events, or the other correspondents will leave you behind. — DOT.]