COSY CORNEP CLUB CORRESPONDENCE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2539, 12 November 1902, Page 65

COSY CORNEP CLUB CORRESPONDENCE.

Gabrielle writes:— "l enjoyed L'lrlandais'a contribution to our last (October) meeting very much, j- and alsc Jack's paper, for I too, yen. a great lover of Mr 3 Ewing's books! Jackanape3 was Jt splendid littl. fellow ! Boy ■Friend's "Friendship" was indeed quite original. . . Unlike Ted, I place Dr Jameson on a much higher level— even beside the great ' Colossus.' One rash *ct only can be placed on record against him, and his life of simple greatness dates from the days when he was only a young country doctor, as every mother of a sick child in Kimberley could testify, . . I am looking forward to your .promised chat on ' The Life of the Bee,' for bees are a hobby of mine." You shall Boon have it, Gabrielle. I wish you had -jaid if you liked "Tennessee's Partner. ' Do you not think it i« beautiful in : ts homely truth and dignity? „ Eve apologues — as do most members o! the Russian tour — for the length of her paper. Never mind, Eve; you sin in company, dear, *nd I am not a " cast-iron President." While enthralled by the dash and vigour of Gabrielle's splendid paper, I thoroughly enjoyed, toe, poking about that quaint little town with you. •fvaufc write :^"S3»t 1 &!khtfal B&&a

his entire ignorance of Russia rendered him unable to plan any tour of his own, and disinclined tc join ours — evidently having - small confidence in oui abilities as guides! "Think of the dangers, .' he says. "If I went skating I might fall through a hole in the ice and be drowned; if I went shooting bears I might get lost or go floating down a river — a solitary figure on a. block of ice, and be rescued, tc live the rest of my UK among the peasants of the far interior " Well, Taffy, it almost serves you right that no one has fulfilled your wish and taken you "a sledge drive over the snow, with shaggy, swift little Russian ponies— bells ringing and stars twinkling merrily. ' No one has told you of those dark, mighty forests, with the wind sighing through them. But you wiH never be able again t< plead ignorance of Russia, lazy Taffy. If you read the travels you would not join. Be sure you join ua at our last meeting. Eve, in hoping that our closing meeting will be a great success, adds: "And do let U3 assemble again after our holidays for another session if it is possible, Emmeline. Half the interest of the Witnes. lies in the C.C.C., I think. [Why, Eve, where dc Civis and Dot come in?] I was much mLerested in your last 'Chat on Books.' . . You have given me my first introduction to ' Tennessee's Partner,' and now I should like tc Tead it all. I hope you will give tis some mor« or Bret Harte's early works; I have often longed to read them, especially ' The Luck of Roaring Camp.' " Yes, soon I will, dear Eve, with pleasure. Gnib. — What an experienci for one not very strong, poor dear! It was a bit horrid, wasn't it ? Give her mj dear love when you write. la not our Russian tour delightful, Gnib? Ye 3, it was an amusing instance of the force of habit. I lite it in its proper form so much better than reversed, and shall always think of it liks that now. The other lias c sort of " pincity," edgy sound U me. Keraxi. — I thank you very heartily tor your long letter, delightful in itself and doubly so from one so busy. It is an aspect that appeals tc me so strongly — always busy! If I were a poet I would write "An. Ode to Idleness" — nay, "Sonnets tc Idleness," "In Praise of Idleness," "The Solace of Idleness." I should become known as " The Jdle Poet" — I should be mo busy! But thank you for your letter and its wealth of taoit ittteteatiag AMteUfißAt mbm fit jriucth

the October one. was! I think I liked Ted's contribution beat, though several others were very interesting indeed." I _think T Muriel, that you -would probably get a book on Temeriffe lace at Braithwaite's Book Arcade, Princes street; or at Miss ClougFa, George street. I am sorry I have not time to find out just now, but will ask in a day or two. Violet, 'so seldom with us in the flesh, so constant in spirit, desires me to " give my warmest thanks to Mountain Bird for her tribute to my character, which does not nearly come up to the standard she -ascribes ; I wish it did!" Then goes on to say a word which I think I should whisper in your ears, sweet friends. The kind and appreciative messages which are sent to me from various readers are not only a great pleasure, but a true help to me. There have been times when I have almost laid away tlie pen, suddenly oppressed with the feeling, " What message can I hope to send out ; •Srhat help possibly give that all readers of this page have not already received?" Yet, perhaps, that very article calls forth its word of sympathy. Sweetbhiar. — Violet asks me to tell you, dear, that she is glad that some chord of sympathy was struck between you m her article entitled "Thy Will be Done." "It was one of those papers which I hesitated to send out," she say's, "though impelled to write it." But we must have some adverse criticism sometimes, Sweetbriar, and one who has always found you a favourite contributor to our club writes: "I was greatly disappointed with the papers by Ted and Sweetbriar at tha Septembei meeting. I never expected to disagree so entirely with two of my favourites." For myself, I think it is delightful to realise how the proceedings of our club are followed with interest, and your various papers read, my dear friends, by strangers to you, who yet look for your names with pleasure > and interest. Indeed, I begin to feel I am entitled to a leather medal for founding the C.C.C.! ) Taffy, in a very amusing letter, regrets that

I hope you will not mind my passing on as occasion offers. I shall certainly send the book, asking you to take your own time in reading, and begging you not to begin it until you have written something for our last meeting. I want Kerani to be present, ' for I always know that one if us may be absent, even if we were sure there would be another session, and yet another. I especially admire the quotations you give me on "The American Nation " ; they are splendid. Grandmother, Fiji. — A correspondent has kindly sent me tlie words you ask for, my dear friend, ami "High Noon" shall appear in next week's "Witness. They are indeed very beautiful lines. I shall try also to find room for the poem yo\ sent me, " Endurance." Inconnu. — How much more silence do you propose to deal out to me, ray once frequent correspondent? And what does your silence mean, I wonder? Does it ask for silence in return? Shall I loos your hand, Inconnu, and let you willingly slip back into the unknown and the silence?