A LETTER FRAE WULLIE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2400, 1 March 1900, Page 61

A LETTER FRAE WULLIE.

Dear Dot, — I wis wi' Wellwisher, an' saw the Rough Riders gang awa. Wellwisher an' a frien' couldna get near tae hear the speeches : i' the square, as we hadna o:iy tickets, an' they j wudna tak money — no' even gold, for tae le.t I W'ellwisher or onyone in, so we fell back awfu| doon on it, an' Wellwisher says soit o' laughin' like, " There's nae chance for ye, ' Wullie, unless yer a reporter," so I dinna ken ■ ■what made me dae it, Dot, but I walkit richt ( up an' said I wis a reporter. "A what?" | says the rna-n, an' I telt him I wis Dot's re- ; porter ? An' whit div ye think, Dot ? Ho says ' " Pass in ! " I heard a' the speeches, an' Wellwisher wantit me tae write oot a big report for the kind editor, but I was feared it niicht be ower lang an' no' quid enough. I wis rieht i' front o' the Rough Riders, an' near the wee boys an' girls wavin' the pretty coloured flags. The speakers were gran', Dot, es- | pecially the meenister wha spoke, an' Mr Car- ; roll, M.H.R., vfha telt the contingent tae bore ' holes i' the Boers tae let the shadow o' en- : lightenment inta Africa. I followed the sod- ' gers awa' doon tae the boat, an' special tickets were wantit for tae get near tae tak' quid bye . o' the Ridars. But I thocht o' you, Dot, an' j got through a hole' i' the fence, for I didna v want tae miss onything, an' wis chased by a bobby armed wi' a big oar, but I dodged him a' richt. I wish I wis gangin' tae the Trans- ! vaal, Dot. I wud like tae gang as your an' ; the wee folk's war correspondent. 1 think j mitb.er might let me gang. I could fight an' i then write about it at nicht, an' draw pictur's j o' us cuttin' barb wire fences an' a' that. I [ ■wud like tae fight i' revenge o' the Highlanders i they killed, an' for the Boers bein' mean an' j Laudin' up a white hankie, an' no fightin' j fair. I send a wee letter tae Chrystol H., Dot, J for faither -wrote up askin' me tae >dae it as , he likit her letter awfu' much. So quid bye, ! Dot. — Your ever lovin' wee boj', WULLIE. j [So you have begun your reporting career j already, Wullie. Well, you have made a very i good start, laddie, for it is not everyone who i could get into a " send off" as Dot's reporter, j So you, too, are stricken with the war fever. I do not blame 3'ou for wishing to revenge the fearful catastrophe that befell the brave Highlanders, but even if you were big enough I. am. doubtful about your arriving in time now to be of much use. Now that our brave men have begun work in earnest I hope we shall soon see the Boers submit, and thus end the war. The letter to Chrystal will probably find a'place next week. — DOT.]