D.L.F. PASSING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2520, 2 July 1902, Page 82

D.L.F. PASSING NOTES.

Of late the chief topic of conversation amongst both D.L.F. and tbeir elders has ijbcen the projected Coronation and the unfor?tun»te interruption. I need scarcely say how (deep our sympathy is with both the King ana •Queen. Over a year ago we -were in the midst of celebrations marking British successes, which fiook the form either of reliefs of beleaguered (British garrisons of defeats and surrenders pi Boer leaders and their men. The receipt £f the news "of these successes was always th<* fcign»l for the ringing of bells, blowing of thistles, hoisting of flags) proclaiming of holidays, cessation of -work, playing of bands, public speechifying, etc. This state of affairs went on for some time, when it began to dawn upon many people that these incessant holidays were becoming » tax on the community. Shopkeepers found thtt they could only open Jor «ix days; the workman -was reminded of the position of affairs by tho emallness of his weekly wages; school children -were ready to Wdmit that during these times they were leaxnang -practically nothing ; in fact, to sum up, jchings were in a backward condition. Having grasped ihe situation, people remedied putters by onco more regaining their senses Wnd heads, and set to work again. We should, (however, have rejoiced as much as ever over /the Coronation had it sot been for the affliction which necessitated its postponement at the last moment.

• A correspondent writes to me as follows : — "I have watched your work -with sympathetic interest, and am pleased with your last on ambition, but you might have referred to feour Milton's Lycades. I have not the volume Jt>y me at present, but he commends honest )ambition, whose reward is not forthcoming from mean men, but is reserved, and the gift V>f Great Jove himself. 'Vaulting Ambition fchat o'erleaps himself may be despisable, but "1 hold that ambition for truth and virtue is the mainstay of all honourable progress." While thanking him for his kind remarks land- his reference- to Milton, I consider that anything further discussion on the subject of "'Ambition" would simply mean uninteresting reading for the remainder of the D.L.F. How .fliffercnt is the strain of another writer, who jcomplaius that I can well afford to sympathise with Daisy Primrose, insomuch as I have been an the same box myself. Assuming this to be correct, the lid could not have been placed ( very firmly on the box, for I have apparently •jumped out of it. However, coming to tho joint, from this unßynipathetic writer's iejeuarks I can only gather that she but sympathises with things in which she has an mjterest; so I beg leave to refer her to Talfourd, /who says: "Sympathy is the first great lesson ,which man should learn. Unless he learns )to feel for tilings in which he has no personal interest, he can achieve nothing generous or noble."

With regard to the InvercsTg:ll D.L.F. Hospital Cot, I have received some meagre mfor■nation from an Invercargil! D.L.F., which may throw a little light on the subject. it Appears that some difficulty has arisen in procuring a cot worthy of the conditions under (which it is to be placed in the hospital. Auy tnumber of ordinary cots were offered, but none .were thought suitable. Hovrevei, I understand that it was expected that a suitable cot would be procured and placed in the hospital before the end of June. I c*nnot conclude this week's notes without At any rate a passing reference to the coming Old Writers' Week. These events are few and far between, but are always enjoyed and looked forward to by both old and new writers. Let V 3 hope that the coining O.W .W. will be a puccess, and whethei it will be a success or >iot depends on the oft-quoted saying, "Union Is strength." If most of the old writers combine, and determine tc write, at anyrate, a few lines for the comusg 0.W.W., the result Vrill be an unqualified success and credit to the \)ftgo -which the writers of the letters in queslion so well and nob]y represented in past |-«ars. D.L.F. CIVIS.