LETTERS FROM THE BACK BLOCKS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2398, 15 February 1900, Page 61

LETTERS FROM THE BACK BLOCKS.

Dear Dot, — Fancy you saying I was in love! 1 never heard anything so ridiculous in my life. !No, indeed; I've got things of very much more importance than that to think of. I don't suppose even the " grown-ups " will bother about falling in love while this patriotic fever is going on. You can't have two kinds of fever at once, you know ; and this Transvaal is a regular epidemic. Even the children have got it pretty badly. I heard of a new way of raising money for the contingent the other day, which might interest some of the back block youngsters. You get one or more musical instruments — it doesn't matter ■what, so long as it will make a low and attract attention; a piece of white calico to represent a flag; a boy in chains; and you will soon get a gathering of small boys. The flag must have some holes cut in it "to represent the Boers firing on the flag of truce. The boy tied up is Kruger, and another boy is Major Robin, leading him. One of the things a boy can sing is "God save the Queen." and very few people will refuse a penny when they aro singing "Confound their politics, Frustrate their knavish tricks." I heard they called themselves the Boys' Brigade, and marched through the streets. I know three fellows who are going in this third contingent and two of the horses. Don't you think it's very hard lines that I can't go, Dot? I'm sure I don't know how the editor can sleep at night when he thinks o! me; but X sivppose he is like all grown-up men — thinks as long as a boy has three good meals and a place to sleep in he ought to be content. Put m a word for me, please, Dot, the next time you see the editor with a smile. I can't go as a volunteer because I'm not old enough or big enough. We've had a boy fiom Christ's College staying with us these Christmas holidays. They sent some old boys, three officers, I think, and one oi two non-coms., in the Erst contingent, and some more in the second, so of course they aro very proul of themselves. Steve didn't know of any going from his college. But we've got Major "Robin. I told this Christchurch boy that it's such a common thing for the Dunedin High School to turn out celebrated nipn that we don't think much of it. Even 1 might have been good enough to go as the Witness war coriespondent if I had 'fc?»yed there long enough. You needn't give my lov,eio the editor, Dot: there's strained relations between us again. Didn't he say at the time of. the American war that he would give me a show when the fighting was nearer home? la love, indeed! Why, if all the girls in the land had jilted me 1 wouldn't feel it so much as I do being left behind, and the third contingent jiist going. — Yours truly,

[I nave mentioned 8.0.8.'s grievance to the editor, and he says this will be a life-long lesson to him not to make rash promises. How was he to know, he asks, that the Boers were going to try to drive the British out of South Africa, and that temptation would thus be put in 8.0.8.'s way? He suggests that 8.0.8. and Moses should head a Boy New Zealand Scouts' Brigade, and oiler their services to Lord Roberts direct, independent of Premier, parents, grown-ups, and all. Even if not in time for the present war, no doubt the names of the^ Boy Scouts would be treasured TTp in the \\ 7 ar Office, and some day an invitation might be sent to reform tha brigade. lam not quite sure about the wisdom of the stiggestion, but then lam not a man. DOT.]