THE PICNIC AT LAKE WAIROLA.

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

THE PICNIC AT LAKE WAIROLA.

Dear Dot, — I hope you will forgive this intrusion on your valuable space, since, by special request of some of the most prominent members of the L.F. band, I was asked to fulfil the role of scribe by giving you a description of our famous little L.F. picnic at AVaihola on the 23rJ. Well, really, Dot, as my memory for names is rather- treacherous, and descriptions are altogether out of my province, I'm afraid I shall make but a pcor shape at it, so I hope any unintentional blunder I make will be overlooked. Picture to yourself, Dot, a si'iooth road, a bike with racing handles and a high gear, with a figure" /of uncertain proportions mounted on it, in the distance, and a furious gale right astern ; picture this, and you have Q. F. to the " t y ' making his way from Balcmtha to the scene of action, with that uncontrollable desire to be first in tho field. I tell you, Dot, I felt that I was hovering on the verge of some new campaign when I sighted Lake Waihola; but when I reached the "rendezvous my spirits sank below zero, for, alas, not a sorry L.F. Co . u J d - * find- However, my lucky star was still in the ascendant, for while leaning against the picket fence on the platform pondering on the uncertainty of wild goose chases, a L.F. badge suddenly confronted me. I tell you I moved instinctively and with a celerity that surprised rue to shake the hand of the wesrer of that badge, who proved to he none other than our own wes Jessica, accompanied by her anate Pe-cy Prim. You can imagine what a differen* -aspect the sight of those two^L.F. put on thh:gs, for were we not three strong, and with a chance of some more rolling up in ths train, -which was then due. Sure -enough, when Ihe rattler did come, and the people thronged the platform, we could detect badges all over the place, and presently our arms were nearly shaken from their sockets and our minds in a state of •utter collapse from dint of shaking hands and at the same time trying to retain f;i our memories the perplexing nojns de plume of those to whom we were introduced. Fortunately we survived all these little formalities without being exhausted, and presently =we gathered in a happy throng, "wending our way to the chosen spot, each carrying billies, baskets, and various other articles of picnicking warfare, containing materials warranted to tempt even_ the poorest appetite. After reaching our destination and disposing of our numerous burdens the air was suddenly filled with most amusing yells and criss, from which we could plainly gather the articulations of "Boil the Silly,' "Hungry" etc. JSTow- here was a chance for some w^-uld-be hero to gain distinction straight aw»y ; so with a view to gain the good graces of the anxious ones I set to work with the -air of a fellow who knew all about it to get a fire on the job ; but, alas. Dot, just my luck! — that fire simply wouldn't gee, and refused my repeated attempts to start it, xmtil at hist Texas' Jack came on the scene, and, together with hisiparticular friend the tomahawk, showed mcli wrinkle in making a fire. In the meantime The Duke's Aniuser, owing to the absence of a duke to amuse, was amusing everybody, paying special attention to her titled -friend little Lortf Plunket. who, by the way, proved himsslf to be a regular lady's man. By this time T. D. A. had managed to organise a game of ring cushion. Texas and I, however, did not enter into this, as we had already struck an allian.ee, and with united efforts were tijanp to increase the temperature of that anxiously-watched billy, which took a lot of stoking^brzing -Jo the howling- -wind. our ears were smitten with deifenirisr exclamations of "The billy is boiling!" "The billy is boiling!" and then, oh, Dot, you ought to have seen the scatter — members of the hat>py band were staring billywards from all directions. Now m the selection of games there -was a slight variety of opinion, and when some proposed to go down the lake gathering bu^ushes ethers disagreed : but, look here. Dot. it was surprising how each -individual L.F's. ideas corresponded on this one occasion. We seemed inulunlly bent on drinking the contents of that billy, which we eventually did, and also wrought havoc among the pastry and sponge-cake, etc. Lunch disppsed of, we started a game known as kiss-in-the-ring. The most remarkable feature in this same is the fact that, instead of kissing in the ring, the girls invariEbly tried their utmost to get as far nway from the ring as possible, but few of them pot very far, with the exception of Jes=ica, Lady Dun-da-s, and Areta, who were regular goers. While this game was progressing the appearance of a solitary cyclist, somewhat weaiy and travelstained, caused a little excitement, and presently the members of the band starred gesticulating in a somewhat insane manner, at the same time singing out at the highest possible pitch of their voices. "Here's Harry!" "Hullo, Harry!" etc. AH eyes were turned towards the newcomer, and, sure enough, it was poor old Harry, mounted on his two--vrh&elecL steed, liis clusiy form allowing out against ihe sky-line after riding from Dunedin against a howling gale, expressly to attend the picnic. ('Hope you've overcome the affects, Harry, old chap.) It struck me forcibly how enthusiastic the L.F. were in proclaiming Harry's arrival, and ho in turn seemed io be overjoyed at the idea of being among his L.F. chums once more. I faiicy at this stage of affairs the kiss-in-the-ring business fell through, as the greater bulk of the girl L.F. were sparring around and waitiu~ on Harry, each striving to excel the other in their pleasing little attentions. The next item was agame of rounflers. but this did not reign very long, for one of the boyF — I fancy it was Go Hon, though I'm not quite sure — hit the ball, and made it "go hon " so much that we failed to discover it again. All this time Texas might be sepn in -the background brandishing his formidable hatchet, mi?ius his coat, and his sleeves rolled up, exposing his mighty arms, and briskly engaged preparing the tea for TCo. 2 lurx-h Presently there was another earnest rush for the billy a.r>d baskets, and after a few moments the pressure on the inside of these receptacles was considerably lightened. After this we had a game at forfeits, which wps highly amusing. However, some of the girl* failed to perform the various little commissions that fell to their lot. For instance, one who was ordered to kiss the handles on Harry's bike was making off to

<lo it when Fred and Didn't You Knew promptly seized a handle each, so she had to kis3 them instead. Hard luck, wasn't it, Dot? The next excitement was the AVitness photographer and his camera, Harry arranging ths group. AVell, Dot, at this stage there was a general scramble for hat«, capes, etc., after which the girls worked a regular transformation scene among themselves in Older to be able to look into the camera with a clear conscience. During tha snapping process we noticed Mr Guy standing for a moment or two in apparent doubt, first looking at his box of tricks, then at us, as if trying to mentally calculate whether the camera could really stand the shock. I fancy the second timo he looked he must have noticed Jessica smiling, and so he decided to chance it after all. After this performance we all -straggled alojig to the station in a very irregular string, each one vigorously giving vent to the sentiments which that eventful day had aroused within our bosoms — regular "Irish Parliament," ycu know . everybody talking and nobody listening. At this point T. D. A. sugge&ted to give three cheers for the up-country L.F., who at that time were standing in a sorry group only four strong — namely, Jessica, Percy Prim, Jessamy, and the Queer Fellow. Suddenly the air was filled, with the united efforts of dozens of town L.F. in a series of "Hip-hip, hurrsys," etc., to which we tried to retaliate, but without much success. Thus ended our famous little picnic, Dot, the memories of which will remain in our minds for naaay a, day. Of course we were forced to admit th?t the wind was howling that day, but since the success of our picnic was undoubted it mattered not; or at all events Ihsre was one L.F. came away that impression, and that was — Yours truly, QUEER FELLOW.