A LETTER FROM DAISY PRIMROSE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2545, 24 December 1902, Page 75

A LETTER FROM DAISY PRIMROSE.

OUR FIRST I)AY IN PERTH AND ARRIVAL AT THE CONVENT. A_lbany, W.A., JTovember, 1902. Dear Dot and Little Folk,— Despite our late arrival, we were astir with ihe first peep of dawn, our young hearts fairly bounding -with joy on awakening and finding ourselves in the gay city of Perth. Hastily dressing ourselves, we went to our window, opened it, and threw it up, happy to find it overlooked one of the main thoroughfares — viz., "Wellington street, and stood directly opposite the Market square (» massive red brick building beside the railway station). Already the. various carts, laden with fish, fruit, and vegetables, to say nothing of the butchers' and dairymen's vans, were rattling up before the different entrances, disposing of their gooda and driving away again "before the great buZsf of everyday life began. From where we were we could see the railway bridges and extensive station house, where the different electric lights were still burning, not yet having been extinguished ; and the large sign far up the other end of the street bearing the inscription: Market," which afterwards proved to bo a jecond-hand (oi, as my brother styled it, » "Johnny-all-sorts") shop. As soon as we ' heard the servanta «jtir downstairs, we were out in a minute and over to the markets to buy some sweetmeats. Wkj we had satisfied our curiosity and viewed everything therein, from the butchers' mart to the fortune teller's nook, we caina back, to find breakfast ready. It -did seem, strange to be able to sit to eat in peace without jerking oui hands -invariably backwards and forwards to brush the flies away, as we were wont to do on the goldfields. But if Perth did lack this post she made up for it in other ways — viz., the plague of bugs and fleas that haunts newcomers to the town. If you go out for a walk you come home and find ! your linen swarming with the fleps, which are J said to be living in the sand. I won't attempt lo broach the bug subject; suffice it to say 1 they exist in the ckanest and newest homes there, so that they, too, must live in the earth. After reading thi3, you will not wonder at us rising with the first peep of dawn, will you? Later on I have a West Australian's conversation concerning the different species of fleas Ito retail to you. Quite an interesting topic, highly characteristic of this person's expansive brain, I can assure you. But -to return to out present subject. Breakfast over, we took a walk up into the centre of the town and with interest viewed the great buildings in Hay and Barrack streets, afterwards turning down into St. George's terrace to the post office. Opposite tiiis we soon espied the spacious grounds of the Botanical Gardens, gaily decorated in all the most vividcoloured flowers, upon which the various hoses were playing freely. One glance at it brought back the memory of my dear old native town's (Dunedin) gardens, and the happy clays wo apent playing there in our youth. Crossing over, we entered the grounds, which adjoin [ the grounds of Governxnent.House^nd had a% I look around, firiall> passing -out the lower gate I and corning out by. tlie water's edge. k How j delicious toe fw.su River, fringed with its | green banks and 'innumerable, boathouses, ap- | peared to .us theaj .Everything- seemed so cool nad appreciable atter the hot plains of Coolgardie. Retracing our steps tc our hotel, we changed our attire for a cooler one, for the heat of the day was fast becoming evident, and going to the railway station we took ths 11 a.m. train for Subiaco. where we had been told the Convent Boarding School was situated. On arriving there we found we had been misinformed, | for on climbing the steep drive that led up to the large building we had espied from the station w-e found it to be a boys' orphanage. The happy little fellows were playing on the asphalt playground when we arrived, and it seemed a wonder their little feet were not burned on the hot ground. But the sister in charge said that they had been used to that in their infancy, and if boots and stockings were put on them they would take them off again. Apparently they thrived well on this free and easy manner of living, for they were the picture of health and as plump as children could wish to be. Accepting the sister's invitafion to come inside and rest ourselves, we entered the long drawing room and sat down, afterwards partaking of the cool beverage she brought us tc drink. We did not detain her long.'however, for she had much to do with her little chaiges, and, returning to the station, we took the next train back to Perth, which landed us in good time for dinner. The earlier part of the afternoon was spent in TnaVirif: purchases, we having at last found out the right direction in which to go to find the Loretto Convent Young Ladies' Boarding School, and at about 4 p.m. we made our way up Hay street, at the top of which, in the centre of the street, stands the R. C. Catfiedral, the -streets turning off at each cojaier of the spacious grounds, and the convent standing immediately behind. It is a beautiful old cathedral, covered with the green ivy so predominant a feature about every antique house of worship, and a spire reaching up so high intr the air .that on looking up at it the top seems but a. tiny point. It pan. be seep, from *»v pan*. *£ JWK J>T»«

beauty of the interior of thejchurcE is bejoncl _ the power of my 'pen -to describe/ its altar lpeing a particularly striking figure of magnificence in architecture, carving, and deco J ration, images in marble of the ■blessed Virgin' and our Saviour standing high .above the' holy) table, the topmost parts almost reaching tho stained glass windows. Two doors, on- either side operi-frdm the semi-circular altar into .the vestries, much costly velvet and embroidered!" work being in evidence. At the buck of tha cathedral, directly above 'the entrance, is the choir stand. About 30 orphan girls, attired ia simple grey homespun dresses and sailor hats, usually form the chief part of the choir, ami' some of them have very sweet voices, too. On the right-hand side of the cathedral, in the tnrning-off street, is tho monastery, opposite to which is the orphans' school; still farther around the girls' orphanage, and ,then Loretto Convent, a capacious fed brick building with, gable ends and Gothic windows. The boarding school stands at the rear of this again, the chief entrance to the latter being through an iron gate on the left-hand side. A brick wallstands all around 'the convent grounds, ami the front gate is generally kept locked" except on visiting days, when one of the orphan girls is in attendance to admit visitors^ Having rung the bell on the side of the gate, a nun directly afterwards made her appearance in the i entrance porch, and after anlocking the gnte, ushered mother, Baronia, andXinto ,the srfctingL I rconj.~{a beautifullyrfurnishecL apartment)," la - [ await the Mother Superior. This -latter, per 8?&; I after learning our business, escorte^uaTcV^ " to the boarding- school, -, where we misI leave -of mother' for the night; buLnofc witLVn*r'feeling sad at heart,, for .it was the first.' tjrvs" ; on Tec'ord that ;wcl -Had been' .parted' from "h-sc for more than 12 h"6uf3l. And such* a-b'oai'tjv ing school, Dot! ".Every things was ,on" vft« ; highest scale' and' of the most' costly; or«S£?^, i Ko pen could describe it properly,' and J .inde<j-.£ I'm not going to even try to_aclihis;lfet' > .^» ; That must fill th« pages of my-fcext> letter." But ' before; ending this, Ijjhpuld^lik* tol't^S .Nut's mind mt rest re my meeting "-jvifh' CSr, which He" says is amistake._^The latter-pers-a will no 'doubt recollect being ' -in-tro'duced ' K» mother and myself by Sergeant. Black, .when the Fif th/Contingent were going, to 1 the '..war. In company mnth three or four other troopers, the meeting "took place in the Geisha -'-Tea rooms, without either of us „recbgriisingv t lui other as a.-DiL.l?i When Sergjeant^Black w returning to Africa- in' the'-Eighta. Contingent, ; l ; was expressing :myrregret at hot' having matour member, when he laughingly exclaimed: ".You did meet Con. Don't you remember ma introducing "you to Trooper Eayne in the Geisha. Tea rooms ,when we went through in theFifth?" So if.there is any mistake' the-persdijr to blame is Sergeant Black, whom I am sura , did not ."labour under any mistake." Then when the Ninth Contingent was passing through Albany,- while walking up- the street with mother. I was! suddenly accosted by a young lieutenant who addressed me in this- manner: "How d'ye do, 'Daisy Primrose?" Thinking ythat it may have been one- of the-in-valided Seventh members returning again, T willingly answered' him, whereupon he commenced chatting, by-and-bye shaking hands with ua,.and bidding us good-bye before I had even learned his identity. .The following week the Witness arrived with Con's -photoin it,"an<K the announcement of hisieiurn with the Ninth. ' Contingent. After , carefully .looking.- at- ii k I turned to TnotKer, exclaiming, "Why, "this- is the photo of the r lieutenant^that 'came ,up and - spoke.to me.* It -must have been Con* mothers So there is the case ip full, Nrit. I hope you ' didn't think I slighted you when I did notkeep my promise, but it was really trio wet, as you- will recollect, to go down >on the jetty that evening. Will the DJIi.F. who requested my autograph and did not receive it kindly send me theirs if they have not^already done so, and I shall be pleased to return mine and Baronia's to them. They must forgive- me not, sending earlier, hut I had quite forgotten half their names, and as most of the papers had been, posted away, I could not see who desired autos. With fond love to all (and what has^ccome of Another Soldier's Lass?), — Yours truly, DAISY PKIMBOSE.