DUNEDIN CLUB NOTES AND CRITICISMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2674, 14 June 1905, Page 73

DUNEDIN CLUB NOTES AND CRITICISMS.

" One man may speak the universal mind." — Evidently the advent of Quago is creating no little excitement in the L.F. circles of Dunedin, and L.F. here are all on the gui vive for him. But you cannot catch a weasel asleep nor Quago napping. If club members will turn up at 7 p.m. sharp at the club they might see a, portrait of themselves in these notes. Though so many members have been suspected, it is perhaps just that my clubmates should know that no suspicions yet have hit the true mark; so perhaps they might well desist from instituting further search, and busy themselves in bringing the club more towards perfection. —It has come to ray knowledge that the L.F. Committee has been so pushed for time that it has had to hold its committee meetings in. the open air on Saturday evenings. Business in the midst oi pleasure, I presume! One caii easily imagine the following. — —Scene: Five yards fiom the noithern corner of the Octagon. — — Time : Saturday evemug, 8.5 p.m. — Harry, president (without hib hammer of authority), surrounded by th 2 fair ones and "*• dark ones of his committee, situated on the footpath, discussing committee matters. People pass to and fro, looking at the badges, and going on their way m wonder. Along comes a policeman, who sings ouc. "Now, then; move on!" '"Oh' please, sir, this is the D.L.J?. Coimnittee meeting," expostulates one of our fair members, and she bestows gratuitously such a beaming smile upon the immon of the law that he actually walks off, his face wreathed with soniethiiig which so closely resembled a smile that it could almost be guaranteed to be one if policemen were allowed to wear one -while in uniform. —Of all the old writers now actually engaged in the club, perhaps the favourite is our dear old friend. Black Watch. His name takes our memory back to those remembered days when the Imperial troops visited Dunedin, and when the page was in its zenith. Black Watch is now vice-president of the clvb — a position that he fills with credit, — < and no doubt when the time comes the club ' will honour his exertions for it by creating S him its president. No one better deserves that honour. i — If April's open meeting proved almost a failure, surely May's amply compensate! in the matter of papers. No less than 14 papeis

were announced — two being from our old clubmate Texas Jack. Surely the pi"3sident, who, himself an old writer, has always stood up for them, has ample reason to be proud of the number of papers sent in by old writeis. Of tho list of contributors (13), the old writers were Boy, Fra Diavolo, Texas Jack, Jessie, Jennie Deans, Harry, Black Watch, and Roby. Surely no greater reason can be urged for our president's contention that the old writers are the mainstay of the club. — In one respect at lenst the newer Dunedm writers to the page must admit the superiority of their brethren of former year 5 -. I refer to the wearing of badges. What in the days of the Imperial troops' and the Duke's visits was looked upon a* the greatest of honours is now regarded by city L.F. in the light o£ a. painful duty that must be shirked a.s often as possible. This is very unfair to our country L.F., who when they visit town like to keep a good lookout for badges. Surely if C.C.M., T.D.A., Harry, Black Watch, and Texas Jack are not ashamed to show their badges prominently, lesser writers ou°ht not. It is the bounden duty of each member of the club, as well as of each official, to display the badges, and feel a special pude in being privileged to do so. — Strange it is that oftentimes a tiiflmg cause has such a widespread effect. One evening two of our members (Lihanfels and Bluebell IV by name), having regard to the coldness of the evening, bethought themselves of bringing some cpyenne lozenaes for gratuitous distribution among their feilow-menibei3. The effect was magical, if not electrical. The members of the sterner sex, unable to control their feelings, yet unwilling to give way to them in front of their fair comrades, hesitated a moment or two before taking action. Then with a cry that thulled the hearts of those that heard it, each of them besought the most effectual remedy for a burning throat. Go Hon leaned overboard, ond called on those present to mark him down a3 only being f=oasick. Ned furtively wiped hi^, sti earning ovea and sank with a sigh of exhaustion into his seat. Didn't You Knew and Harry made a simultaneous rush for a drop of water. Scobie, born acrobat as he is, outraged all our sense of equilibrium by standing m the middle of the floor, dancing on one log, while the other and his two arms vibrated towards the ceiling. Lester sank down exhausted on the form, thrusting his handkerchief into his mouth and halfway down his throat; while Bert tried to hide his tears under a chair. Has it n<A h^eu truly said, "Little things amuse small minds." On die. — — That all country L.F. are expected to bring a supply of their autographs on Fndav, 16uh June, as a means of introduction to their city cousins. — That Vance prefers a fall from av other chap's bike rather than one from l.io own — especially near Waihola. — That Areta sitting m the cieok rcrcinJs ns of the small bey who thought to memorise

Tennyson's "Brook" by wading in one. Ah-em !

— That Fred confesses himself to be "quite a ladies' man." At last social he praised Mignonette (his Honolulu lady) sky high, but his Otago lady seems to have been foigotten as yet.

— That Microbe at last social complained of being out of work. Has he been looking for woik so eagerly that he foigets to turn up at the club?

— That the general chorus of L.F. was "Billy, I 'ardly knew yer," when Brother Bill made his first appearance in a hard hat on the evening of May 27. Take note, ye chroniclers, for of such trifling events is the history of a great man made up.

— That no one yet has seen Lady Dundas minus her beaming Witness smile. It can charm even a. policeman.

— That Quago jvill not forget Keta's warm pie at the club's social. It will symbolise the reception we will accord her.

QUAGO