LETTERS FROM THE LITTLE FOLK

Otago Witness, Issue 2569, 10 June 1903, Page 73

LETTERS FROM THE LITTLE FOLK

Hotto.— We write for the benefit of others, not for oui selves. Dear Dot,— Wo have just got rid of the threshers this morning, t>nd I can tell you we hadn't them veiy 'oug. They aie very personal in the vmy they Hlk to each other. One would cay, "Wei!, Cur'y, how a<c you geUing on'" while another wou.d rcto-t, '-Don't call him Cnr'y; call h-m Bildy." liut it did not matter to Cur'v. eypprertly, for he iook it m good part, and I have heard them cay that they could never make him argry. This morning they sent me out to call them to breakfast, so I went to the barn door and made a great row ■n-ith n stone ar.d K-id, "Breakfast's ready l " One of them said, "Right!" and another said "Oh, I'll be there," ant 1 . Within 10 minutes some of them stepped in for brep'rfaH Now I must tell you about a rnp re haa to Gore We lose about 5 o'clock. Some we'it to milk, and the rest cookad breakfasf, and did nil the odd jobs A3 soon as breakfast was o\ er my mother and I did the dishes, while the rczl got ready and yoked up the horses. Within a quarter of an hour we were out on the load. It was them about half-past 6 or 7 o'tlo.k, fid ns it was very frosty ar.d the ran w?s not un, it was too sharp for us to enjoy the drive. After we had gone sis or seven miles, we could tec the people .making their way to their urual occupations. 111 the little village the smithy v/as putting up smoke, and everyone seemed quite busy. As we were very cold we got cut to walk a little. After we had ivalkeJ about half a mile •we got into tlie buggy again, and made off as quickly as possible. When wo got within a lew miles cf Coo we could ecs the dredges iTorking, and aho a coil mine, at which two lioise3 and a man were busy trying to extract coal. These took cur attention greatly, and I had never seen a toa! mn.e before. AM the wr.y <kr.vn to Gore we cou'd ccc how the crops varied, some quite gretn and tho sheep eating them off, v.lale others had good hoavy crops ■which the owners were stuc'-mp FOO3 a f t<?rthi3 ■we ic-a-ched o^r lon^-1 okc '-!cr des'ii all jii Having uuyoKd the hoists, v. c thought that v/e would go into the hotel and wait till dmi'er was ready. WhJe waiting, wo went up'tairs and did up our hair. Soon after we came down and got a warm from the fi-e, ant 1 then went 111 to dinner. As we had dinner in East Gore, wo ■went do.vn the Mem street and across the river into thai pjit of tLe to.vn. Ac:r,,= tl.e nvci we saw vanous thirgs that aUiac'xyl our aticnlio'i. After beiiig theie a while wo wert and got oui phc'.os Ukea. After this we feptnt a while in the town buying eatables and Laving a lcok at the cheap sales. While thoe I met ILeona. Soon afterwards we insult: for home. Our horses went all right tii! we got se" m or eight wiles out of Goie. Then we grot \ery anxious, for tho me that was in ou>- bu^py appeared to be very tireJ; but tlse oilier one seemed to ipauk a'.ong. On oar way home I got out io walk, and while wa'kiug I fathered snowberries, and oh, Dot, they wre delicious. "We soon got tired of walking, =o we got into the buggy and drove off, and by tire time we got near our house it was pitch dark — =o dark that father and I had a great job finckiig the gate at the road ai d then the one through the Daddork. Wh"n we got home and into the houcC I r nn:d my sho^s were o\er tho tops in mu'l. for I had stepped into a number of Tpuddle ho'>> 2 Ju^t as we weie sitting down to tea a great gu^t of wind and ram came, ni.d I can tell \on we were 1c I tony f or being lueide About thr:c months n_;o I ""eut mv auto, to three little folk, v '.10 sent me theirs a day or two s.. 00,o 0, with no stunii\ on tin- <>i.'. e'ope. I yips very near benti-jii" !>^ck lhe letter unclaimed, as twice a>> miu-h had to be paid e n m the shap« of a U le. As the -.an p D.L F. v.ero known to do the fajmo thin? 1 core, <<tid a3 I treated thf-m decpiit'y, I thi'i'c they mi^'ut lnvi> ietnrne<l the compliment. With love ti lv, Etln.j, Locknagar, Dot, and the cthto!. Yours truly. PIXKAPE J LE. [That is ceitaiu'v not r.-^lit, P-reapple. though I fieouently ha'.e to sii'j.u.t to the sair.e thing, and win 1 ; I don't mil d =>j iiu,l'i ji ij lug the dolKieiit po-J..');e I ceita u'v o'^i. t to t ; >c fine it entails. It is to be ho t .r,l i'w L F who cent >ou the unstamped Itt'ei v. 11 \ La. \ca have to any abo.'t it, and liot ie >cat liie offu.ee —DOT.] i>ear Dot, — We had four da\s ''10m school at Easter. On Good Fiiday another gn 1 aJid I n;ade up oui minds to go up to her brother'? claim. We left home at 7 a m., and went it>ui:d the liver to see the scenery. We reached a place called tlie Devil's Staircase at 20 minutes io 8. Standing on the ton of it \ou weu J .d think vow would never reach the bottom , but •we e ot down all right. Tt is just s. narrow track, end if you were to fall you would go over a great precipice. We scon came to the Prirce Arthur dredge, but did nov cr.ll at it. svs the men were just foirg to work. We traveled on till we came to a rock called Eeli's Uork It is a big rock thr.t we had to walk round, rrd it wtis dreadfully slippery, but we iiniisgcd to get round it all I'ght. We v c^t cl .'jj a 1 ' <-

■while longer, -when my friend =ail, "We hivo a dangerous place to go ron:id now" , but I said I did not care as long as we got to the , claim, as I was anxious to so* it When we come to tho place, I saw my friend catch hold of a -rope, and r-he told mo we had to go round the rock oa this rope. I felt a little bit scared, but she weni round fiist. and then I wcut after her. The river wt.s just underneath U3. Aft^r wo got round the rock with the rope wo h.-'d to walk lound another one; so dor't yo-i think we were plucky to tack'e it, Dot > We had about an hour and a-half's good waUing still before we reached tho clrnn. We did rot take a ret, ard sot to our destination at 10 o'clock, fo v.-c d.d not do fo brd. When we got on the top of a large hill we caw the claim, and called out to -the rr~n to come for us, as we wcie on the oprosifc <• de of the river to them. We got ilov/n the bif lull, and my friend's brother was there to take us aero— in the- chair. After we got aciow, he took us down to their hut, and made v* a cup of tea, vihjch vie enjoyed' very much. After we u?d a. hclle rest we went down to the cl?mi Well, Dot, I suppose I hud belter tell you what sort of a claim it is. It is a. bydiauhc claim. We we.c veiy lucky to strike v.ash-np day. Wo were down in the claim all the morning, but m the i-fterroou we went up to tlio dam. It is fautli a hill to chmb ; but two of the boys were v iUj. us, so we could not turn back. It is such a. nice pltce where the dam is. We tmned oa soma water, and then went bavk to the claim. When v/e v.eie back a few minutes they got ready to \va-,h up. Aiid, oil, Dot, such lovely coarse gold it was! Well, v.o watched all the performance of el-caning the gold. About 6 o'clock we w«nt up to the hut, and Lad tea. Wo .stopped m the hut till 8 o'clock, then we left to go round to the liolel, where we were to sls>y that night. We got to the liolel at 9 o'clock, and went to bed, and I thoroughly enjoyed my night's rose, as I was a, little bit tired after my day's journey. Tho next morning we made a start for homo m a waggon; but we wort quit-c a different way home, for v, c came do«rn the Sicippera road. It looked si'ch a dangerous road. There is a place halfway down the lost 1 , caJled tho Sadd'e. It is nearly all downhill from t'.ie Sadd'e to where I live. We reached home at 1 o'clock, thoroughly tired, and glad to got back once nvoie On Tuesday two oUifiS came v.ith v* to the top of Ben Lomond. Wo left home at G o'rlo<-k in the luorning, walked to Quenstown, arc! starter! to chmb at about liali-<>as<, 7 Wo were told there was r.o wood near, so the boy who was with us earned a lot of wood to the hut which is at the Saddle, but it 13 quite f different paddle to th* other one I ha\e mentioned. We thought we wore n?ver going to reach the Saddle, but at about 9 o'clock we saw th<? hut, and whoa we got to it we li'id lunch. We rhd not stay Ion;; at the hut, as it looked like rtsn ; ■•o we 'Lifted once lr.oio to climb. When va got a little way up Ben Lomond we saw a lot of people coming, bul we went fir>t to the top. It v«3 very <yi'd o:i t'uc too. but we pot a lovely view. Having seen s>il the- splits we sUrted to descend, and when V7e got (''.own to the hut we found four pco)/!" there, and wh'ie we wr-rc inside a few moie ..ame. theie being 14 of us altogether. :>o vo la<l ." '^ood t.me. Wp sta\"<d for a while, and then left for l.onve. Thr^e of ua came down the cie^k to gather feuis. and wr got a Rood few. a-'d minp ;uo itoa'i.i; "iVididly. We pot down to Oiucr-'ovn sit fi o'clock, and waited till 8 o'clock, the,' a joiim; man cam' 1 in to m^et us with a b'-g^v ..' A pair, j nid he d'o\fl us light tn the frn'f, winch was very kind ff him. So that ends n-v Fsi?tcr holidays. The other day. wliiV tuy fiii-na and I w<»ro at Ahiv.loimi »o li u^lit u « vc:'<l po to Lake Haye«." b«cau-- -.lie lutl >->re furncw there. We w.-nt out on th» Ijkf Un p rov> ),<<.'. as my friend pot fr.fjhtonp.l, we had to pn bni k While *c Rpre the re T t;ot an nfodud on to our ex-wn'er. Boy Wo are goin? to h<i\.-> a ro.ioert «o T.,li!p Rrip'if Evr-= or X.itv J.ff wi'l 1>? wiitme ai.d 1 o 1 ! ) n ir v< v a'l ,t'n it it With love to all Uw LF vo-n-elf, p'd do kind old i'i I ! tor,— Your" tru' ■•, ISLK OF BKATTY fYo« n .T" li"mmi.i" qn.le a imu i.irr-' I-=S of Be ut\ , i' d\( v on '1 ctr'.a,' i\ 1p ! r^'vlu si pel -•■tirinrT It must be agi chp.b u,j Dm. Lomond -DOT] Dear D t,— l ha o '>^"n cuncii. r.i'j! to-Jju. ni:d wlipii 1 v..vs fi%i"<i t!ie san on a rail up ' i ilie wall I i il n-v hr>; or \^ th t'i.-> h.inw c- m d of course I did tot iuu and di]< it m l.nl, \ stiff, aiui row I have to put up \.itii tli» <n?\e-oi!-!Ko-» I had lo ?l >, car'v O'l ar.ount of I'ie tmib°i -it bci' g net I liad h icj^li t pi<» f>f it sa«in? thi> «r)d Sine- I ir^t v. :'>*■> I iiave 1-jd a luj; tr>t" m ,i.fter two rows vli.i'i h 1 - HULK to mv gra^di'io'Ji'er Jt v^as t'nougii in"? broil:" l's t Jie!ei-r '= = tl'at tl n set 1051 V,r-t v.o went 101 a tr.)tnp up ?. bill, nrd win's « who t!ie:c we lud a raocl fee<l of riWu'i v.hich we chopped down with an axe. We did not <^et th^ cc '. s. but the 1 cxt d.v ■wa wont aguin, oi J after c< n\irg to the fmt of the hill my broth-r j>ror.o= d '.o hunt t'i • hi.it>i> ,>art oi niy gr.jt'ir'ot^er'- K T t-n' d Tiicr- we found them, and 1-. r l 11 hnf> job to -ct them 1 oine. We ha\ c hi\ beaui.Mil wfptV'r 1 t-i c '""Ut 1 ow v.c ara rrnUii _' v > for it To-r . ht 1^ Lbcnt i u .-_ (o d(r-,\ Mi. .t ' 011 cnu d I'iic^.' ( f, aiA' it ifc bo.,-1 > ' '1 'di^d" '1 II 'ci 1 I]' r"',ch ? . 1 I -,'rll-rW'V I: t. . ', •. ' lP - . 1 -cr n } Hi.-.' iL 1 . the. _'.i. but 1' \ = id\'-.'.d

"Mim" irsiead of '"O.faster." With love to Tiiie Blue, Moss Koso, and Red Ooss, not forgetting youraelf and the editor, — Youis tiuly, KIKAU.

[You only gave your initial, Nikau, and it might stand for Agnes or for Archie, so I gave Ag-..9S the benefit of the doirbt, and it appears I marie a mistake However, as you were only siirtjsc-d at being taken for a girl i. did not matter— DOT.]

De ir Do', — After a great deal of consideration I have decided to bothei yon with another lcU:r. The consideinig arose from the fact of 50.1.3 o:id else taking my ncm do plums, but a c it is ever a year since I penned my last letter, -ii d my successor has written since, and hei uglit to the name has not been disputed, I think it i& only fair that I should find another. The vun'rr is lcund, v. lth it? cole- hcily mom rigs, and no seem to have had very little or jio suiiimcr. Since last writing to ;ou my elder sister has gone to Australia to live with my une'e, and we 1111=3 her vry much. Dear Dot, I must tell you about a bie^c'.e ude I went for a month or so ago I left at 7 o'c'ock in the evening, to ride to a place eight, miles away. 1 got there quite safely, staved with my fnends ii, while, and when I started for home it was 9 o'clock, and quite dark. As my friends had no bicycle I had to go alone, and you may be suie I \vo"d?icd when I v.ou'd get Lome when after I had gone about two miles I <J I had punctured the back tyre. I got off, aiid while I was trying to fls it in the dark a gentleman came a'.ong on a bike and asked if li 3 could assist mo He woiked at it for a while, and then said he thought it would bs i:gkt, but, oh, dear, I had not gone half a mile whfi it was as bad as ever. I roc 1'?1 '? on as bast I couM for a while, but it was so rough that I hud to get off and walk. It was 11 o'clock when I got home, and they did barrack me when I told them what had happened, as they had tried to persuade me not to go alone. I have only Trcen for one ude mnce, and that in daylight, so that I could see where I was going, and not get a puncture. Dear Rosc-a-Bud, I v/as so soiry to see by tlua week's Witness that you had lost your ruothei , and can fully sympathise with you, as I, too, lost my mother thiee yc&is ngo. It m quite trjo that we never know a mother's worth till we lose her, as no one car fili her place, no matter how gc-od they may b;. With love 1o ali the L.F. and yoursc'f. Do', — Yours truly, CLOEIXE. [That 13 very true, Clonne, and possibly your words rri.iy induce some thoughtless L F. to be m-oie considerate of their mother I*,1 *, and not to complain if they have to assist in the housework or <Io not get all their own wa; — DOT.] Dc.u- Dot -- I mi goT£ to give" you a description of lianiner Spung« It is a pietiv "f ( !c p'acs 'itu.it r i.l abo'U 9! mile? from Christchurch, ard is entirely surrounded by hills. The sanatorium Pud the lodge are tv. o of the principal buildup. In the moiling it is very amusing to tes tLe people, both young ard old, hobbling aloj'g with their sticks, trying to reach ths biUis Iher. are two kinds of baths, an<? Lot ai.<] the o";!icr cod. The ]>ot baths ale taken by those suffering from sciatica g(-ut, etc. Ther3 is a cieek tliat flows through Hannier r.r.med Dug Cre-.k, and tins creek there 1a ,i, 'ovoly wateifull, \Mti. sv diop 01 auout 12: t With love to Vera Lilha3 .-lid Maid of Killeeiu, ;>^d r.ot foigetting \ ouiself,— Yours tiu'y, 10KKAD0H"iI. [I am rot qui'^ =ii"> that it "-liou'd rot be Toicaloi 111. but :( 1-0 no rfuubt i.un.ber t" o v ill ■uo 1 let i.s knov. I loi 'l suppose the ptop'L' 01 tiii-.* >n d ' rnU hes tliiii: it ver\ iinii'*- ! 1 to i.H.e to hcbij c v.<> •; to tie batii — DOT.] TJkar Dot,^ Tlic li;n\ef=t '• l.ito t'i'= yrar, and oiily n fey. nViout here hii\e t' 'ir crop thushrcl yet Oir li-ib j'e lajng \v ry few o_-^-< just 1 ovr. We arc on'v g"tting thiee or four in a day Jii'-t fanc\ ' i-j^? are 1- fen.l p doze Floiodoia won't' foe' vcw v' c unf' itil>'e v hen the heard ul.it tliose tAo girls were s yig tibcut ]i"i u i i:br' % ''a I .''l'vid not like to ha\e L -or l'tr I wp, going 10 try an 4 get to Ditr-eeli-i f or fi \ i: -r 4m:, but I <Wt think 1 tan f^rt 1o ■• S 1 ■<::• I Ij^t wro'c, I h.no got ai ol!:o sisl"' c^'i° \.'!l he a w?c!< o'd tc m.irov.- 1 iglit Vi '<h !m "t > pII the I. F not forj.e''.''ng M.'irs.o't .md Mr Ktiito- - Yon r « tru'v, X -'SI i- R {Tl ••j;° •r o c good c'"'i! d^.T^r lui'ii that 11' Dunedni. KfcsUr. L. -t \ i/. t^cv wpi.- 2s 2d, but as jnc^t people's hf"3 w 1 bvj'in to lay i.'oro ! tc I fifin 10-, LQ doult thfj -a .ll come ii..«j uon.— DO'i J Dour D0.,-llire I an .>jju\ turuing up i.'.l o. good i^en^y , but of eoiii=f I v/i.i.t, to be cit ef tu.- cou.mon I1 0 Da.>-y Pnr^-.oio 1..-, .i-.'t the- 1 --U. .» <-''\r i I l,a;- slie will get 0:1 a-s ■. oil t' 1 ill H School She must lra\o h."d Li'h 1m <- , A t!i • boards school, I i-uonidn'l ni.nd ii I -acic l^arJing ihero, too I couldn't he'"> lau^hii y v.'aer I wr.s reading Bleedirg Hturt's letter wlien she said that "there was a gl-ost at Jr\ cicti?.!) " Well, Dot, I have revcr come acuS' a.n\bocly yrt v 10 h?s really b»en 1"'B ph.Ts* but I h.,\\ c heard of ptcp'e rurni'-.g iron a. whi'c hor^e All the tsn;?, I thiiik tlic-re -a one, for 1 licarJ that were three or '.car rc=o.is ill from the v t the? ?ot. J «?~»i htird of m<Ti nnnnur I'rnihim Ore r'r-c il '-;ht ni^ht iry mate and I 1 c.* k'.rolunz Ca .11 the rci.d 1.-ughi:g a-'.l jok-

ing, saying ■what we would do and say if the. ghost cttme, tut as I was looking round on ail eides, and Baying "There he is!" trying to fughten ttfy tsate, behold! something came running towards us in white. I thought it was a little girl with a white pinafore; but lo' it stopped in front of us, and if you had only heard the screams, Dot— well, jou would have declared we were being murdered. After all, vt turned out to be my mate's brother with a sheet over him, and the screams turned into laughter. So, Dot, you see girls scream for nothing at all. Mo3t of the farmers down this way have got theii oats stacked. Shooting is all the go just now. I hate when the, shooung season comes, for the boys leave their guns here ard their ammunition somewhere else. Really, tilings seem to be everywhere. Sffnie of the L.F. say that brothers are teases. Well, I shouldn't mind if mine were teases instead of growlers; I can tell, you I am alwayg glad to see them going to work in the morning 3 and sony when they cmi. 1 h<"mc. I see you have a Detective on j"our line, Dot. I do.it know liow the L F find out these things, but I am looking forward to that premised letter from Dct I. However, Dora Grey made me rove the wiser, nn'y I hope vow won't leave us in that way, lVt This is all I have to say just now; in f*ct, t me's up, a.d I can only make my bcw. With love to all the L F., not forgetting yturse.f and iLe kird editor, — Ycurs truly.

[Xo, C.s. I have been ico long with you to lefre }ou in that way. When the n'J^iral Dot ret rfl, xhe pa^e was a small affair, and the let'ers were few in iiiir'ber, fo there was no occy.on to n^entiou the chrnge. Hoy. ever, it would be a very different matter now. — DOT.]

Dci.r Do* — I have just been laid up for a ccap.e of weeks with a bad fcot, havinsr met v it'i an accident while o;it shooting near Green Hi j s with a: other chap. We verl into the bi '"•a, ah'l when I was stant 1 m; with the muzzle of tL<" nfie on ni> 'cot toe I thought I lircl the eva at ha'f-coc'i. c o, to make c ure I pointed il-o pun avay and pullet! iho tugger (without looking at the hammer, as I shou d have done}; 1/Ut I cou.d i.ot have piessed it hard enough, for I just put the mii77.'e of the rifle back on my boot again, a.»d while I wac fooling about v.-.'h the tugsjT th»-c v. r<= n sharp report ancT r slinging sen=atior. in my .'cot, .v d I dropped the nfl*, and looking at my boot I saw a hole throu?h t'.is toe of my btot. I sa.d to iry n.afp, "I hare put a bul'el through my foot." He did not know whether to believe it oi - not ; but when I showed him tii** hole in the bootwell, I think I got a frieht, oat he got a bi-^er oro, for lie turned all the co'ouia of tie rainbow, and gasped, "Oh!" svs if it was he who had cone it. "Well, to make a, lorg story short, I whipped" off my boot and s'ockmg, and tied a haiidkeichief round my foot, and we Uien made for home us quickly as n.y foot would allow, and a3 I had over two mi'es and a-ha'.f to go, you can imagine vhat it was like. Well, it is a good job it v.as a r.flp instead of a shotgun, as I h'cL got into the h?bit of always resting 'Lhe gun on the toe of my 1 c~,t, and if it had been a ''lotgun it wmi'd h.ive blown the ercl of my f' ot off. A »c'ioonoi v.as burrt at tl'a Bluff a ffv weeks aj,o, and I was in the Biuft that n^ght, so I ws.s in luck's way. I saw the file from the start, for I i an on to the whan" as s-oon as the bennue cxp'oJed, for it vas that that started th= fho I shou'd have had over two miles to walk if 1 had i,ot bepn in the Bhiff at the tm>e. By tb" time I got on t 1 c i\ha>-f she was blszing ouit of the cpbm, for tho benzine was stov. ed under the cabin. Well, a rope was passed fiom the schooner to the b?ach, and a crowd of n:en hauled her in to the beaclt as far as she wou'd come, a/id the Fire Brigads p'avctl water on to h-r-r ; but it was no use, for the fire had a good held, ai.d so she w?s burnt to the watri's edge. When the fire had been going for about half an hour, one or two lockets went off, and all tho people ran out of haim's way except one d r uuken man who stood at the water's edge and «aid, "Let 'em all com<"." And then they did come, for a case of fueworks went off at once, and they made a fine s»if»lit. Some of the crew were sleeping when the fire started, and they escaped without their c'othes. She was a fine little auxiliary schooner, valued at .£2OOO, and was only msured for £1000. She had just been limit at Auckland to go down to the Campbell Islands. I =cc the strike ir Victoria has euded, bvr I should ktre liked to ha\ c seen the men get their rights. It was not a Etrike for moie pay, they had fubrnitted to a reduction of wages rome time a?o, and rcu th" Victorian Government have deprived them of their liberty by "topping them ha-, 'ng any connection with the TiacW [lali. Now. if tho Victorian Go\eminent, as Sir Joseph V.'aid sdid. lidd rtopped them 15 \eara ago, when the railway men first joined the Trader HaU, it would not have been so bad, but to '•top tliem niter they h«tl been in it 15 ye .us was not right. The fieezu<^ works are- in full swinf ur. here, find thp Q hoep are being slaughteicd wholesale. — Ycnn truly, tilikum! [Well, Tilikum, I am very pleased to sea you ha\o formed a decided opinion ori th« Victorian strike, although I don't agree with your \,e\v of the matter. New Zealand Government officials vre not allowed to join political organiidiO"\ ■.vndi 10 one will say th^y are h"rdiy donlt by, and vet tl'at was a'l the Victorian l ill way people had to complain of A Government official in the North Island was dismissed by Sir Joseph Ward's Government for be.ng a ni-embar of » Farmois' Union, winch ii'iea'ly not r. political institution, and yet no cino blamed the Government, but lor douig the same thing op a big scale the Victonan (io\cnme'it is condemned by some New Zea\iiidLn —DOT.] l?(ir Dot — May another Mtt'e fo'k jo.n yrur hap;;v band ' It is but late'y that I lia\e beer "le ■-•) intc-rf f rd m your page. ITithcrto Dii^V Pii!)iro-~c I-,1 '-, Ifttfrs have pffordod ire ibe X r,.te^t p'"asure of a'l The plain on which I ! !i c is nnoundpd I>\ hi"s and mouutains. In Miiiimer one is nble to c^mi) them, when ■ !o\c>'y \ ie\v 1-, obl.uiiable ot the plain with it cdi 1 ).a-luros ur, J golden cops, ai.d tho r'\er '.l'dng l'l and o\'\ In wmtrr, hcv.evei, r\f>i\t!">ig is drc j '\. Tt-d r.othmg a Icviates the ii'OiioU •. \ of )'i oi s /Mid root"! psc»pt the si ow-r'.ul mount j us .'i the noith. Jptk Fiost ha> b"e l very «-ve>c t'rs Aveek. On Friday (he ♦htrnio 'irti'i if-^isteied 13deg of frost, and it 1..L- "io* /i/i-J I have a pet cheep, but 1 <. !.."i l>?^onif quite a.:' c to the knowWge that h° la.v bunt, %o I have to have my wits about me when appro i< I'ipg him. I h-ave also a <iii .idjr l.'tle pie. hoi'ud. Ho prefers a soft I "(1 ii.sid • to a .st aw bed nulside, so it is very ..Pjliv v, to w.illli Lo\, »l\ly he tries to cnte;. 11l- knows i'!ut fol'ov , if he is seen. With )-nid icg.irJs to all the L.F., joiuself, and tin ediio/, — Voiira tru'> , FOULATA. [Tliat is a da^ge^ous accomph. q hment of \our pet, sheep. FoulaU, wr if it commenced^ a;iy of its pranks on a little child the results in^ht be &ciiouj. It wou'd be v;ise to turn it out aruoiig tho other sheep ho that it mi°ht forget its power. The greyhound evidently knows tho most comfoi table place.— DOT.] De^T Do*, — Hen> is another writer for you, ./id I hope : l will not think me a nuisal C , r. f il, e [fji'r a'way 11 . c ny I nni, but I don't -«p whf-r; it tomes in. We aie having grand t'n os trurg to write to yen There are three of v, ivrt.ng — ole of v. horn is grumbling over ii ppp, while the oil ers are laughing, so I dov't kpcw what port qf letters we shall write jcu Ho^Tcvpr, I hope, foil will manage to read lacjn. We vie Laving drevlful weather, and

the sea is very TO-ugh and stormy. The boats were not able to go out thess last few dajs. I am still plodding away at school, but hope ta leave it very soon, and then I suppose I shalL have to start and fight the battles of this world. After all, our schooldays are the happiest, though we do i.efc appreciate them so fully as vc3 should. Yesterday was Empire Day, and; our school wa3 clased in honour of it. I intended to spend the day in "writing to you, but; a mate came up and dragged me out to go| shooting with him in tho bush. We wanekred about all the morning without seeing a bird. Up in the Karo ; o Valley we came across an old dam which belonged to the gold diggers years ngo. There was some water in it, and" wo saw a tiout, which my mate succeeded in shooting. It was a good «ized fiah. We then nisclo tracks for home, and had <=oine dinner. Theie are some \e>.y love'y spots down here, and tho glades are all beanhmliy covered w.th ferra and taos9. I know a good main- of your .vii'ers Dot, and have speken to a fnv "of them. I hr.ye met C C M. often. I think she 15 veiy lace. and so full of fun, too. Denise affo.\'s v's much amusement, for she does not like 1 icn^ teastd. I lately found out that Caotain Jack" son Bany is an old schoolmate. I hope he wnl send ire his auto., but my informant d dn't ki ow the Ciptam'a adJvcs3, «o I caui ot serdi him nuno fust. With best of love to all. including yourself,— Yours tru''-, ST. XOLAX, [Wha' a stranae tMu^ to sLool — a troi>'. T Lave heard of shoo.. °; vh.'i^s, .St. JN'ols. n, anl e\en sh.uk-i, but tins i= tlie Pi- 1 time I era: heard of a i.out be.i-y ahot.— DOT ] Dear Dot,— l ha.-c jii--t '"ft a \cry iici.-j* kitchen to lia-e a quiet c'l.U wi'h you a'ter nearly two years' " ab^e'.te. 1 cJll it a noisy kit'-hr'i, but I reil'v n:ean tLe : o:sy inmates— t-.vo p.sters a"d two b:oUier=, who "are trying to ppe, or hear, v.-!:o ran make t!.o mest r,oi>.e. I li.ivc bea ' picking u;j " nil to-day, ard th? ]-.ot,.to^s .ire i:eir!y all du<r r.cw, so that's a blessing to me. S.nce I laa^ wro^c I have foiir-d out iv i.-v D L F., and a'--o made the arqnair.t.ince of a ,cw I know f-ome girls who change their names every time they, are fou: d out. I don't intend to change mi.ie, as I !>m not asliamed of it, and I wou'd 1 ct pliiM-ip* it to plep-e riiv o'-.0, rot even :iu-ei'". Some people can be tlmuqh'Jess souielinics, Dot. There's my sis'er she saw me up a bi-oatl'.eaf tree, a id she said. "Ilal'o, Butterfly, locking for fuchsias^" Rather thoughtless, eh, Dot 9 This place woi 't be so quiet 111 the writer now as they aie going to hold dancirg c!rc--^3 That will be all right for those who dance, a.'d for the learneis, too. We are expecting visitors fiom up I,olth in a week or two, and we intend giving them a lively tin.fc. I am pleased to s>ae tber" is to be an O. W. W. again, and I hope to see letters from nil our old writer^. lam an o'd writer myself, us it' 3 aver nire vtais since I first wiote, but my letters wou'd be in the shade beside tl-^;o of 'other O. W. Well, there is nothing ilka trvmg. so I may make an attempt next time. Now, Dot, tins le'ter is lei.gtlicm 3, r.rd tint 1 oi<=^ in the kitchen is £,oi.e. AH that can I*> hpard is tho flock tukipg and a gentle sroia from my bj-J-oom I mint pull B.s nc^e ta ■3top it, and I n<u«t slop this nonsense al=o. With l)«<-t w-shea for the &ucre=s of tha 0. ~\V. W , an^ with fondest io\e to all, I s'l^li sign nnoeh' once moie, --Yours truly. BUTTEEF T [Onr Bntlerflv ha=; miisod two sen3or£, r.c( doubt on account of tho bad weatlier wo heva cxpeuenced. Probably she has been lubeinating 111 the bush, though this is a rather queen time for her to wake up if that is the ca=e. She' will certam'y ba^e'eome in O. W W.— DOT... Dear Dot, — It n now t.uoh a long time silica I lnatsent \ou a letter tliat T hardly know what to wute about; but that Comes fiom i,ot seeing the \Vitnc3s regulaily. Noticmg, however, Boadicea's kind letter of sympathy, I thought I would write inc6 thank all the L.F. who vere so kind as to scud! tl eir sympathy to my pareuta and tnyst'f nil our recent sad loss. I thanked all the D.L F. private'y who sent me thpir kind message of sympathy, but a.s some L.F expressed •' r condo!cic€} through the page, I no-,v • '<; them veiv much indeed- It 13 in the La trouble that you find youi fuends. Dear h • . you would haidly credit Hie gap my de...brother has left behind him. Some si3te.2 =>y that brotheis are a imisance, but doi/t wisll thcci too fur away, for you may lose them, scon enough, and it is then you knov/ t 1 eir value. We are getting the winter weuih-r rather cailv in town th s year, buo wa : u> j be thankful for the jam, as soi.ie of the rodents m the subui h<; were rather .short of «jt?-. It scpiiis lather soon, though, for the piclie season to 1c1 c ovei. We seem to have had tw.h :i shoit s,ie!l of i'iup weather for such outirg*. Is va3 a pity the Mos-jiel L F thought of tlieir picnic so !a (^ ;u the season , but nevertlielc 4 they weie fortunate 111 having a beautiiul day. I do hope llie-re was h. bt<» niuater of sill (ho little fo'k living rcurd about T thought wiion I vias at Maid of Athena's place that I might, meet some L.F., but evidently ihey are scarco in that district, but of cour-re my l.in« wm pretty well occupied in mining M. of Athens, for I must say she was a very trying patient. However, .t w»a foitunat« I ha-ppened to bo the one sent oil*, to nurse her, qrs it is very s<l'lom I chance to have a D.L.F. sis a patieufc Btadicea t^lks about; me being at the head of ii' y profes'ion some day, but that d«y seema II loiig way off. It takes a lot of learning before \ou can become a perfect miri-e, and you hava to «tu*ly fui years uejore you are even allowed to take a ta-i' I really think that a nui3e'? occupatioi 13 one of the hardest that, a woman can undertake, and it 10quuea v. cry a'tong neive to go through a'l that ha 3to bo done Ouipage t,een 1 to be losmtj n.ost of il-> best wl'tei-, i "t fo.ne of our youn<i correspondents must huiry and grow jp, tlrit they may take tinplace of those who ha c letircd I hee another L F. has taken mv mm dc j)!"me, but T think I can lay claim to h.i\ii'<r the n«ine nr=t, aa I had been writing foi about thrc2 j-curs befari thin o'her Holly Hedge appeared. I think it, 13 a. pity when theie are t'vo of the one name, as it confu-CM pecp'e sonrdnics. A number of D.L F. seem to give a lot of thought and a. lot of guesses, too, as to who Dot may be , but I don't think they would wony long ovei that were they in my place, as I happen to see Dot c try day (unless I have a case cut of town 1 ) , £.a jcu are pretty well known to me. Dot, though, of coux c c when you pass me jou would never gi'ecs that I v.as one of your flock. What Wnbly sad news we hive had lately ofStr Hector Macdonald, the fonious general v.c"all made such a fuss over whdi he -, lsited New Zealand about two years ago. It is a pity lhati such a. cloud hangs over hi? death, but I supl.ose 111 time the m>sLery will all be cleared* ay.ay. No one could have imagined that he> would take his own life iike that, as he eeemedj siich a perfect example of wha-t a soldier shouldj be. It must have been a terrible blow, to atllf, the Scotch people, not only those at Homo, but^ the ones in Dunedin as well. What a blessing; that the Alorning-tou trama ate running agaui'^ The stoppage was a gTeat inconvenience to thai people up that way; but that is nothing com-j pi. led mth the lO3S the company sustainedi through the fire. It must have been a grand]

"Pbcebo, dearest, tell, oh, tell mo," why-, do you use the^e awful bter-1 contrr-anc"-" Try tho New Century Soft Rubb'.r Ilain 1 Curler.}.