A CLOTHIER'S CONVICTION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2664, 5 April 1905, Page 73

A CLOTHIER'S CONVICTION.

Mr F. Cohen, of Willis street, "Welling, ton, is a busy business man, with no timo to wa.^fce on lettor-writing for fun. He tried Rheiuno, ai d was com inced. 3.1r Cohen says: — "'La->t Friday I experienced a very had attack of rheumatic gout — in. fact, so bad that I had to leave business, and being uuable to walk I was assisted to a cab. On arrival at homo I immediately took "a dose of your Rheumo, repeating same every four hours. The pain soon, left, and in the morning I came clown to bu^in-ess as usual. I cannot say too much for the prompt and effectual manner in whioh your Rheumo acts on pain." Rheumo cures every time. Chemists and storeSj 2s 6d and 4s 6d per bottle. *

with the thistles when they are cut, for the benefit of town L.F.— DOT.J

Dear Dot, — A great many things have happened since I last wrota to you, nearly 18

months ago. We have had our share of sorrow, for we have lost our father, and we do miss him so. It is just a year since he died. We left the country then, and came to live in

town, and I should not like to go through the same packing and unpacking again. We found it awkward without a man to help us. I wa= perched up ou a ladder vising the brace and bit, making screw holes to put up .he curtain rods, and I did heave a sigh of relief when they were up; but we are settled now. I like the town D.L.F. very much, arkl we have fine times at the Debating Society's meetings. I felt shy at first, but soon got to know the L.F. I have just been learning to ride a bike — to get on and off properly. I could tumble oft' before, but now I manage a bit. better. Do you know, Dot, I shall have to make the most of my time now, as I have not got quite a year to write to the page, and then I shall figure amongst the retired writers. 1 know I shall always look back with pleasure to the time when I wrote to Dot. My first letter was signed with my own name, and it was not till five years ago that I wrote under a norn de piume. Dear Dot, excuse mistakes, as I have just had to gei up and chase a teasing brother from the room, and another is thumping on the piano. It isn't music, but he thinks it is. He wants me to play, and he will sing, but T think he would bring- the house down. Fortunately, he has got tired of thumping, so peace and quietness reign once more. I like town life verj much, but I shall always want to go back to the country for my holidays, as I have left mates behind whom I shaft always be glad to see. A laughable incident har>poned^ after one of our debates. A few of us D L.F. were standing at the corner of a stroet talking after the meeting. There were five girls and one L.F. boy (I won't give him away, or I might get in for it). A man a bit lighthearted passed us, and he looked at us and said to the L.F. boy, " Aren't you frightened to be with so many girls? I would"; and with that he went over to the Lotel to get something stronger than water. There will be a great time directly when the elections are on, and there will be a few like that man we saw, so I hope prohibition will be earned for Awanw. We had a great time when the Governor was here. He took off his hat to us ; so I have got something to remember. With iove tc the L.F. and yourself,— Yours trul

HAZEL

[I am indeed sorry to hear of your great loss, Ha<3el, and I am sure you will have the sympathy of all the L F. The sight of so many girls with only one boy was evidently quite overpowering to that poor foolish fellow, but I am afraid the help he went for would not do much to' assist him. I hope the boys cheered the Governor lustily when he raiscd'his hat DOT.}

Dear Dot,— l really forget whether I pro- i mised to tell you about a picnic I was invited to or not. Anyway, I am going to tell jou something about it, whether I promiped to do so or not. It was at a pretty little place called Bob's Cove. We left Qucenstown at half-past 10, and reached Bob's Cove about 12 As soon as we were landed we went on a search for fruit, and after a good hunt fcund some cherries. We had a good feed of the cherries, and then we went down and had lunch. After lunch we went away for a' walk, and got a lot of ferns. We trimmed our hats all over with ferns, and then set out for another walk along the beach. As we were walking along my friend Alice slipped and fell into the lake. However, she only got a j fright and a good ducking. 1 helped her out, j and scon we were on our way to the boat so I that she could change her "dress. It was ' lucky for her I had brought another dress ! with me, so that if I happened to faH into j thfc lake I should not have to come home a.-, I did from the last picnic I went to. v/ith my frock all wet. After she had" finished getting her dress changed we went up to where the races were to hs held. I did "not go in for any races, as I knew I should on'y come I first the other end. Alice went in for two, and she came in first in one and second in the other, so s=lie was very lucky. She got a pearl necklace in the first, and a" doll in the second race. After the races were finished we went and had a game of rounders with the rest of the girls. After that we went down and had tea. We had another half hour after I tea before leaving; so we went and got some ' more cherries to eat going down in the boat. We left Bob's Cove at 5 p.m., and reached Q«.censtown about half-past 6. We werp very tired that night, and went to bed at 8 p.m., and did not get up till 9 next morning. With love to English Tabby, Spring lilo.=som, Sunbeam, and all the other D.L.F., not forgetting yourself and the dear old editor, — Yours truly, ' SILVER WAVE." I

Dear Dot, — I propose m this letter to give you a description of a. "night out" at one of oitx 2ari,c backblock &heep station? which took place a. few weeks ago. A week befoTe the appointed night of the dance invitations were 6ent out to nearly every one, yours truly in1 eluded. As night began to close in. I yoked the horse to the buggy, and we were- soon oa c-ikt way to tho station. The buggy was so crowded that I had to- sit on the outside rail cf the seat, and in this precarious position I managed to drive and hang on. Nevertheless' we all reached th© station ' safely, and were coidially welcomed by the head shepherd. Then iill of us adjourned to the dance room, whore we were soon amusing ourselves by choosing partners, which caused a good dpal of fun. Several games were indulged in— such as "sick dolly," "photographs," "musical chairs," and others which I forget at present. Then dancing commenced in real earnest, and was kept up for about two hour?, when supper was announced. Arriving at the supper table, we all sat down to a sumptuous spread. Supper over, the cock was complimented on his excellent pastry, for it really was first class. That finished we all adjourned to the dance loom again, and more da.ncing was indulged in. I got up to dance for the fiist time m my hip, and aftci it was over mv fair partner complimented me on the way I got through it, which had the effect of raising a little Dutch courage in me. Then came the worst part of the night for me — I had to drive some ladies home. As I stood holding the horse by tho head, I could hear the echoes of a song float out on the still night air, and just as the song was sang. I ptaited on my way. Going horaa I still had my previous sent on the rail and lamp iron. After all had alighted. I left the buggy at the hotel, and started to walk back to the dance. I thought the quickest -way was to take a short cut through the storekeeper's yard, so off I started, but befoie I had gone maiiy yards I ian nip against a spring and from that into a barb wire fence. I soon cleared it, as I was anxious to get back. When I arrived at the scene of enjoyment, "musical chairs" was in wull swing. I joined in the fun, and when the music stopped we all made a rush for chairs, and in the confusion I slipped on to the floor, where I sat, much to the amusement of the onlookers. After a few more danoea all again retired to- the supper room" for a final lepast Then we sdl joined hands and sang "Auld ia,ng syne;" and so ended one

<,£ the most enjoyable nights I ever spent in Omarama With kind regards to all the L.F., — Yours truly,

AX OMAEAMA D.L.F

I Dear Dot, — At long !a-t lam keeping my ' piomisc— i.e.. lo write and give jcu an account of the holidays. I got +hia far and then left 'it foi ti\o cr thiee days. I wonder if I'll finish thi« time. I'll try hard. We had seven , ~,isitors for four weeks, so j-ou may have an ' idea wh.it a live'y ume we had On Boxing 1 Day they all went o picnic round to the pa. I rbout 2'j mu.u+eV walk from here. Such a 1 pietty place it is to spend a day. They ! climbel up the bush half way up the mountain, ucd liac l quite a good time I got my pony , and rode down to Uiquhait's Bay, where the ' Wellington landed over 250 people. She brought down an excursion paity from Whangarei, over 500 en beard, but half of that number stayed on board and went outside the head& fishing. They caught 15 hapuka — a veiy iargp fis.li. It was a great business for the picnickers to get on bcarJ. They had all to bs pulled out to the steamer in boats. It v. as a pei feet day for an excursion, and everybody scsmed to have a gcod time. Three of us had a lovely ride one day up to Parua Bas'. It is such a. pretty place. Our horpes were a bit lively, as they had not been ridden rruch before; so we had a fine tinis. Twice cur waiiv went up to Whargarei in an oil launch, a/icl then got a. brake-aaid-four and went for a drive. I was left heie m charge. The first time they drove to Hikurangi, and on their way pa.ased through the Kaino Springs pud tasted, the water. Hikurangi is 11 mi:es out of AVbangarei, and the interesting part of it is the peculiar formation cf the limestone recks. Some are just like castles, but my father says they are not nearly so, good as they wc-re U'.o -\oars sgo. JJpanwhile I shs»il tc'.i veil what I wus un to at home. T went out for <iie mai' in the morning, and came homo iibcu'. •! p.m., got my dog, and went for the cow 5 . I fcund them all But ojc. to off J set ;i> go farther away. I came to a rrck ana s'.od on it, but no cow was to be seen. I thought I would s? 1 * if Ihe cthprs «e>e going Lome, and to mj* surprise «-he wa<« tiieie too. I was jolly gl?d. I mi-kcd ei«ht, and then I went up to the house and p^l tl)o milk through the separator, and on?y took two hours to do ali that About 8 I went down to the stoekyajd to see if I could rind a cow that hal run away from me. I managed 1o get her, and just as I finished milkiiisc, the dog stari^d to bark so I cleared up to the house, and got such a fright. A door was standing open, though I was su.e it i\a? =hut when I went down, "o that put my nerves on the go. J wis glad to hear tha launch leturning. Then there was some fun, for the dingey had b-°en left on shore, and all my strength wouldn't budge it, so the launch came alongside a lnrge rock and a man cams ashore, and wo soon pushed the dingey cut. They were all glad to be home sifter a mast delightful day. The next time they went to Waiiun. Falls. 17 miles out of Whnrjaa.rei. They saj they were lovely, but I haven't been, so I don't know.

Since I wrote iho first sheet cf thi9 I have been to Hikurtingi and Kama, ard both are well worth going to se«. The_ rocks axe leally a pictuie. ard the springs — -I could spend a gcod few weeks there. My uncle and I went to Wher.garei one day and hired a su'ky, and drove cue to the "Whangarei Fells. They are so pretty, falling: over 100 ft into a large basin. so cool and sweet on a sumrnei's day. Both uncle and I could have sat and watched it all day, but we had to hurry back to catch the launch. Such a sun burning 1 got that day, but the falls were worth rt. .Five of n» rode to Oreau Beach one clay. It is six miles away, We had a. love I}*1 }* time, and the breakers were lvauUfu'. but coining home in the niconliaht. was batter still, fievery day a.l the time they vere here we went in bathing. We ail learned to swim and float, and were really quite proud of ourselves. It was delightful bathing m tho hot weather. We did miss them y,-he.n they lefv. and as three of our own finii'v weiit a l the same time, and enly three weie ..eft, instead of thirtaen. you may guess how quiet i+ w-i.%. I hay a good dea! more to tell you. but T shall leave it for another letter, as this one is already long enough. — Yours truly, PRINCESS OF THE FAR NORTH "

Derr Dot, — I shall endeavour to give yen an account of xny holiday, though it was only a fortnight to Hakatararnea. "Well, I left Jlosgiel on March 8 by the 7 a.m. tram, catching 'die 3.15 train to Oamaiu, where 1 arrived a* 11 o'clock. Leaving that place at -1 p.m., I arrived in Hakataramea at about 6.< JO p.m. I met iour D.L.F. girls in the Kurow train, and yon may guoss I looked for them on my return journey. I stayed with an aunt in Hakataramea for three days, then I journeyed 25 miles in a grocer's cart up the Haka Valley to Rocky Point, where I was met by my uncle who drove me to his place, 15 mile 3 "farther on. I left the township with the grocer in the morning at 8 a.m.. reaching my journey's end at 3.30 p.m., after driving 40 miles. On fcunday, my uncle and aunt and cousins and I drove to the top of the Hakataramea Pass about 3600 ft above sea level, where we got a, beautiful view -if the Mackenzie country "We saw Mcaint Cook in ail its grandeur, also Sefcon, lasman, and the Hochstettor dome be^des seveia.l other peaks. Awp<- in the distance we could see Pukaki anu Tekapo .Lakes. It was a magnificent sight to see the Alps covered with snow, which shone and glistened jn different places where the sun struck it. After boiling the billy an d having: lunch, we started for home, very tired after our wa kto the top of the Pass. Straight in front of the Round Hill Station, which place my uncle is m charge of, rises Mount Nessing and from the top of this mountain a beautiful view can be obtained of the surrounding coun?7" ii T a very bri S' h t day, you can see from Akaroa Heads to almost ths Waitaki mouth Jimam and the suriounding places. Geralclir-e snd Temuka, can be very distinctly seen when there is no mast about I did not go to tho top of Mount Nessmg as it takes a. goc-cl two hours to walk up, and I cannot ride, so I had (o be content to stay where I was and long for what wa-s tc me the impassible. When I say that (he Hound Hill Station is about "BCoit above spa Isvel. you will know that there is plenty of fie&h air up there. The station where undo l? shepherding is one of the largest m JN'ew Zealand, containing- about 2-00 000 acres and running about 75.00 C sheep. There is a woolshecl there for 20 sheaiers. I had the pleasure of seeing* sheep dipped for the first time. I shall try to describe a dip fcr the benefit m those -who have never seen one on a largo scale First the sheep are drafted then n any belonging to another station are amongst them, they are put to one side till the owners come for them. Then the station sheep are lun into the dip yards and up a narrow race up a turned incline, which ends off abruptly at a sloped! piece of iron, which goes aown towards the dip. The sheep are pushed down this, and in they go head first. The dip here contains nearly 3000 gallons, and is 50ft long and -lft wide. The sheep have to swim along the dip, on eithe side of which 2 or 3 men stand with long poles with a shaped piece of iron on them. These are called crutches M ith the crutches the men dip the sheep's head under and kelp along any that get exhausted and are sinking. The sheep go up steps out of the dip into dripping pens, tc be

allowed to iliip arc! all the water which runs uf r " them goes Lack into the din. My auntie h.is a lot o[ biking to do htic when the shepherds are up as there arc usually 10 or 11 extia men. and liv.l baker's oven he ds only 2') loave- at <t hu e When I \>-,.s at the top cf th-e pa-<- I gatheie'l some ilax fiowei s, spear-gra--=es- ; a 1 . 1 ' c now i a -he « T't 'i<eni£'ia- ! c es vtie a httle awLvaid to ge' a:.d I Lad lo stand o l (hem to cut them. I ma; mciiticri {hat tlii« station inns from neai Buike's P?«s

16 the "Wsitaki, pbout eight miles above Kuiow. I had good warm clays all the t.me I was at Round Hi.l. Uncle tolrl me that during tlio last big snow in 1903 the snow was .'Jit Bi-i deep all lonnd, r.ncl thai there w<t = a ton be lc°s of sheep caused by the snow. Ihe nea.csfc ljpighbour's is thiee mi es norn Round Hih, and the next again is six miles off, so yon see sthat it is very quiet up there, but I did not feel the leapt bit lonelv — in fa<-<, I was sorry to come sway. I lm:l not "ccix my mice Ja-ck at Ecund liii fci «ix yeais. and hal never seen either of piy aun'.b or any of my corsuib, c o you era. imagine how p'eased I was to see them all. I aso saw buHcc'; waggons with 12 in each team pnd I was ignoiant enough xo think tha*- the &ci cechmg 1 cf ihe brakes w.13 tho belli -.ring of Ihe bill locks. My aunt yave me some edelwois which came from the top cf Moimt Cook. As this is a rather long epistle 1 think I Lad better say good-bye, or I shall be gettir; a srcolcling ;' so with !c"e to all the ciub numbers and the D.L.F. of Georgetown, not forgetting yourself. Dot Yours tru'\ '

CUPID. ! Dear Dot,— l must give you a de«ciipt on of a holiday I had at Taien Beach iecentV , I left he:e at 10 n*i mites to 7 a.m., and o-' t to Wingatui at 8 a.m. It was a dnzzlino- v ?t morning i\hea I left, but I wasn't -ow to timi lwck for love or money. I had a pocj while to wait for the train, but I hadn't to wait long when it arrived, as I was f oon aboard and off. When I got off at Waihola there was, no one there to meet me. I didn't mind much as I soon got a fnend to direct me the roaa to Taien Bca.-h. I had a gcod few miles to walk, but ere 1 got very fa? on r just happ- nod to look round, and the-e what should I «c,- Lut tlus friend nmninatter me wnu a r «ir ot glove-* and a hanrikerciiief. I fe.t myself turn crimson when he told me "'I was a beauty. ' After thai I toon met the friend who was to meet me. I felt pretty tucd after my long walk, but a good cvp of tea' and somo:hing to eat scon drove all thought? of being tired away. J n th» afternoon my °ister and I had a good t:me \alki.ioand laxighii.s about my old school o.iys. After our chat wjs o\ er we all went for a walk to a'i old faim to have a feast of gooseberries; but, alas, therp were not many up tJierc, to wp had to content ourselves with climbing in the window and having a peep in=ide, but l.ot for gooseberries. "We climbed upstaus, and what should I find there but an old Witness with Daisy Primrose's photo in it, so I cut it out and took it home. On Sunday morniug when I got up an i went outside I had a coocl look round at the bush and the sea "that stretched for mlies around. At night you can see Cape Saunders lighthouse from my "friend's place. After breakfast one of my sisters aid I went down the bush to see some old playhouses I built when I went to school. We used to have fine times in those houses, I can tell you. Oiir grandma used to tel us <% She'd burn them down if they weren't m the bush. ' In the afternoon I "went to see Celia, an old schoolmate of mine. \Te had a long talk on D.L.F. matters and many different things. After saying good-bye to Ceiia, I went to peo another of my girl schoolmates. She played the organ, white I sang, and by that time v.c lud to get ready for church. After church my friend and I =c"on got home, and want to bid, and it wasn't long until I was in the " Land of Xod." In the morning I had to say good- bye to my sisters, as they ■were going to school, and I would be away before they came home again. I had to leave in ..the afternoon in order to catch the 7.33 train for Dunedm. "When I got off the train my friend was there to drive me home. Thus ended one of the bost holiday? I ever sce^t. "With love t > Victo-ia. Ariowito, Cupid, Wo-vi-land, Casca-de, and r.dl forgetting your cm dear self, — Yours tru'v,

PUSS IN BOOTS

P.S. — Dear Dot. lam going to gst an an ograph book. I think it -*i!l bo much nicer than having the autos. stuck in a box, and they are so easily lost. — P. in B.

I Dear Dot. — More than six months have flown since la«t I writs to the pags, but my interest has not lessened— in fact, it has I deepened, especially since I have been to Dunedin. T think Dunediu is a lovely place — so full of life compared with the towns farther 1 south. We went down to the Port one day and to Portobello the next. The latter place is, I think, much prettier than the former. We boiled our billy on the little island, but as soon as it was boiled we found if we did not go back at once we would either have to camp on the island or get rather wefc trying to svvini, as the tide was corning in fast; ;o we took our billy and baskets on to the side of a hill, hoping to be safer there, and we thoroughly enjoyed our lunch. My frien'ls and I then went for a walk out lound the bsy. The water was lovely — hardly a ripp!e oa it. We went out to St. Clair one morning for a picnic. It was lovely out there — tlrocean rolling on to big black locks at one end and on to the .sandy beach at the other. It was so nice to see the children wading and playing on the beocli: some were digging sand and building castles, but my sand-digging days are over now. We wait round to the Witnc c s Office to inquire for Dot, but I think ph* wag away for ho".iday=, for I couldn't see her anywhere. The editor was very kind indeed, lie showed us all round the rooms — such a lot of machinery and work. Really, I think the Wi.ness is very cheap (ooly Gel), and thousands of pounds' worth of marhlnery to piint it. T: c oditor showed u s a lot of D.L.F. photos, nr-1 asked me to put ray i:amo in hi<s auto. boo'-. fit wa-3 one c f tiv nlcasantest mornings I spent in Durcdin. I via 1 ? di -appointed at rnt seeing morn D.L L-\ I expected to see evc-.-y hat with a badge m it. I saw a few in Milton, however. Previous to gouig to Duiif>dm I went to Queen=to\vn with my friend, who lives up there. They were busy preparing for tho shearing. Dot, )ust imagine the noi'c 7000 or 8000 sheep would make when they 10-o their lambs in the crowd: wouldn't it be interesting to hear them? Well, Dot, 1 coruruence'l this letter over a month ago. I was waitiiic for some news, but I think I am as badly o*f now a? I was then. lam busy dressing a "nice big doll for a bazaar just now : it is to b3 held in the Kennmgtou Hall. I am looking forward to having a good time there. I wi-h there were more D.L.F. about here; ore feel? fairly lost for L.F. gossip. I have not been to any of the Invercargill meetings yet. I expected to see some L.F. at the Dramatic