A LETTER FROM MAID OF ORLEANS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2556, 11 March 1903, Page 67

A LETTER FROM MAID OF ORLEANS.

Dear Dot,— ln my last letter I was speaking about the buildings I saw. They were too numerous to give you a detailed account of every one, so I shall merely mention them. Government House is a very pretty building; the grounds -by which it is surrounded -adjoin the "Botanic Gardens. The Houses of Parliament ar» very large buildings. They are in-* -busy part of the city, and it is» very crowded; so' the grounds are not laid & as. well as they might' be. St. Mary's (8.C.) Cathedral is « "noble struciuit. it 'hu- a great -number -of spires' aqd /towers, which' make it look lovely. - fhe grounds aiu rounding' it- are, beautifully laid off.' . The foundation stone was" laid in. -1868 by the Be y." John Bedel Folding.- ' My -favourite of *11 is the Australian '. Museum. It is * five-storeyed building, overlooking Hyde. Park (one of the prettiest, parks in Sydney). On entering the main door you go up a flight of beautiful Ztzirble * steps. * The . Colonial Secretary's *€<* is a .auuoufieeat J>ui]&SKt it-jofifiUßiea

a block (square) -of the city itself. There is a guard marching up and down, in front of it day and night. I "was afraid to look at Him in case He would arrest me on suspicion. The Hospital did not take my eye very much. It ia built of atone, and it looks so cold and gloomy— not cheerful, like the Dunedin .Hospital. One day I was out with one of the nurses of the hospital, and I told her Dunedin Hospital was_ far, prettier than the Sydney one, and she said some day she would take me through it, and then. I could give my version. It is said to be very beautiful inside. It is situated in a very nice place, and from it can be seen the lovely Harbour of which Sydney boasts, and the Domain, Hyde Park, and Botanical Gardens. Queen Victoria Markets, a gigantic modern structure, is said to be the finest of its kind in the southern hemisphere. It cost. about three-quarters of a million to build 'it. It has four . entrances. You can go in on one side of the town and come out in- another 'part of "the 'town altogether. I wtfs nearly lost, and only for the aid of a .policeman 'I don't' know where I should' have landed. St. Andrew's Cathedral (C. of E.) is ,a handsome building, situated next to the Town"Hall. It is one of the most magnificent buildings I have seen. Its cost was £60,000.- The Observatory is on Flagstaff Hill, the highest point in Sydney, commanding a fine view- of the city and Harbour. Whenever a steamer enters the harbour a large -ball goes up, by means of some works, to the top of this building-.^ If .you expect a .boat,, and you know ■about what time 'she .is -to arrive, '.all'jrou have to-do_is to cast your .'eyes, to' the Observatory, 'and' see .if'thevbill is'np.'; "This -building is a'lKcovered-iwith." "ivyv -■ The Sydney -University and tho^Medioal School, .which were-' about the last places;of note I saw, have lovely gardens. Among 'the shrubs I "noticed some New Zealand flax bashes'. '.Tber streets are very nar.rowi and 'the buildings' very J high,, 'and on a close/'Bultry day it 'is~ very trying travelling about seeing the sights. I shall tell* you about a drive "I- once went for while I was .in Sydney. I left Home at 10 o'clock in the morning, and it was one of the most glorious mornings that ever shone out of the heavens. I went in the train for five miles, and then I was five minutes in the ferry boat, which landed me in Sydney, where I was to meet my cousin. Again I was on -the ferry boat, which took us seven miles down the Harbour to Manly. This is a pretty little town. It is called the Brighton of Australia. It was here we got into the coach, in .which we were to go for the drive. There were four Horses yoked to the- coach. We jumped up beside the driver, as we thought we should Have a better seat there than, by going inside. - We drove for 18 miles along the sea. beach. ' It was glorious to get a breath of cool, fresh air, after being confined to the smoky, dusty city. We saw a number of steamers away on the horizon. 'We drove through one place where bush fires had raged last year. ' It must have been terrible to see the Huge trees, monarchs of the forest, being destroyed. We reached our destination, a place called Narrabeen, in time for lunch. After seeing all that was to be 'seen in this little seaside resort in two Hours we returned on our homeward journey. After we Had been driving for about two miles I asked the driver to allow me to drive. He was surprised at my request, because he thought I had been "brought up in a town and - didn't understand horses. He was a- bit afraid 'at '- first, but ~he consented, and I '•drove'for five miles.s My poor arms did ache, the reins were so" heavy. We reached Manly , again in. -time for tea, which/ we did sample justice to. * We. .then got" our photos taken, and afterwards had a. walk on the beach. We returned to Sydney, at about- 7 o'clock, and' then;we decided to finish the day. up by going to the theatre. -We went to see Bland Holt, in •Her Majesty's THeatre,~the play being '"The Derby Winner," which was very good. After having some supper we went Home with the' impression that we Had spent a most enjoyable day. The day following a most terrible ; dust storm passed over Sydney. I will tell you about it later on. I must stop, for this time, with love to Luanda, Texas Jack, Old Folk, Dot, and the- editor,— Yours truly, MAID OF OELEANS.