BROTHERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2666, 19 April 1905, Page 79

BROTHERS.

Paper read at t| s open meeting of the D.L.F.

Literaiy and Debating Club, by Darky.

Some girls I know don't put much value on. their own brothers ; and sometimes, I grant, not without good cause; but I fancy we never see our brothers at their best till we see ihem pay attention to another fellow's sister. It is then, and not till then, that we realise what a treasure we have in our brothers. When we hear them assuring some other girl that such and such a thing is a pleasure to do, we stand ?far off and exclaim, "What an obliging fellow my brother is!" But when we ask perhaps the same thing the next day, and get the repb, "Oh, bother!" we are somewhat surprised. I remember seeing in a comic paper some time ago two pictures entitled "Helped by her own brother" and "Helped by some ether girl's brother." In the first picture a young lady was standing orT a stepping stone, in the middle of a stream, and a little nipper was just behind with his? head right on to her back, ready to give her a push across. It reminded one of how we read of a goat butting a person. This, of course, was her own brother. In the nest picture we see the same young lady standing on the same stone, and a young man holding her hand, ready to pull her across very gallantly. Needless to say, this was not her own brother. While all this is true, Ido not mean to say it is always the brother's fault, for I believe if we sisters took pains to meet them in many little ways that would: cost but little laboxir we would reao a harvest that would make our little self-denials & Labour of love. descend to everyday life: l have a little brother here who is at the present moment making such a noise thai: I verily believe it would be a labour of love to give him a whipping and send him to bed But will he regard it in ths>.t light? I think not, so I won't consult him.) When we find a girl doing up little buttonholes of flowers for other girls' brothers, we look with surprise when we see her own brother without one, but naturally she leaves that to some other girl. When we girls see our brothers become awfully affectionate, we can readily guess that they want something, and if the next day they are not poking round wanting a "starcher" or something of the kind my name is not Darky (as a matter of fact, it is not). But, then, of course, they are continually doing little things for U3 which we car. never hope to repay. (At least, that is what they tell us, and, of course, they- are so awfully truthful that it would be sacrilege tc» disbelieve them.) To give them their due, I believe they possess a much higher code of honour than we do, and although I say it with reluctance, they are truer in their friendships, for we never find them saying, "Don't let it go any further" when telling a secret. It is not necessary, for it never does; but we find that quite a common sentence among girls. Elder brothers are all right, and from experience I can say if we go the right way about it we can mostly get all we want from them, but hardly in the way my brother described in his paper. It only needs a little flattery, or it depends a lot on their nature. Younger brothers — that is, if they are a good deal younger — are the most horrible little nuisances, and are good for nothing bvtt giving cheek, and they are adepts at that. On the whole, brothers are a splendid institution, and are, I believe, equally as good as a bad father to us. If I wore to get the pick of a dozen, bi others or a dozen sisters, I would most certainly have the brothers; but may the saints preserve anyone from either fate. Having had five brothers, one ought to know them and their ways, but you can never tell the next silly thing they will do — anything from falling off a bike to getting married. In conclusion, I might say we can't do anything to improve them, for they were made perfect, and perfect they remain ; and wa simply could not do without them, for after all they are "our brothers."

— A fhs-petalled flower, nearly a yard 1 in diameter, Is found in the Philippine Islands. The buds at a distance look like gigantio cabbage heads. A single flower has been known to weigh 221b.

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