A LETTER FROM CERES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2707, 31 January 1906, Page 82

A LETTER FROM CERES.

Dear Dot,— Please allow me, as one oi votu* loyal subjects, to oongratuJ&te you on"the» marvellous success tnd prosperity which have characterised duriog the year just past the htt.e kingdom over which you are the beloved ruler. ihe progress, made is not only wonderful, it is so.id, and is already aiming at works of no mean order. The onward march of the debating clubs alone is something of which to be proud; their sphere of work, far from remaining stationary, as might be supposed, seems to be opening up with the giesateft rapidity, and new aims and ideas are lolloping each other m qu.ck succession. The c ui>s during the past year .have grown, in popularity and stiength, and the quality of worn done has reached a very high standard, and what is the keynote of all this? It plainly tells us thut strenuous efforts have and are b?ing made to follow up the successes a. ready achieved The bays, tnumpln of what D.L.F. can do, will bub add another gem to the brightness of Queen, Dot's ciown, ana then, too, there is" our initial step into the world of letters, the magazine, but of it let it be sufficient to an accomplished fact, and will bat herald! the corning successes of m?Jiy of Dot's loyal children in the i:car future. Long live, Queen Dot; may our page ever flourish, and continue to do the good work which it 19 domg to-day. There lias been such it variety of entertainments, etc. T in local IJ.L.F_. circles during the past month that one hardly knows where to bogin to describe them. First of all, there was the concert in aid of the magzine , but of it let it be sufficient to say that it was most successful, and as one of the audience remarked, "exceedingly enjoynb'.e " Then we had a representative gathering at the party given by our worthy \icepresident R.ma, and which was voted by one and all to have eclipsed all previous D.L.F. gatherings. Jt was truly delightful. Although my hohdajs were hunted I managed to pay a flying visit to Dunedin, and spent a most enjoyab'e time. Need I say that one of my first acts on reaching your city was to visit the Witness office, and under the guidance of our kind editor I was shown through the various printing departments, and was greatly interested in all I saw. After spending a delightful hour in, the office I was loathe to leave Where is Dot' ; I asked myself over and over again, and although I kept my eyes open I could! i-ome to no satisfactory conclusion as to Dot's whereabouts. Oh, Dot, if I only had seen you for a moment, how much pleasure it would have afforded your poor little Cores. I was just reading the other day in a"h 'bid Witness where Aguinaldo was describing an interview he had with Dot while, visiting Dunedin, and I sadly contrasted Tiis good fortune with mine. But - never mind, theeditor was "io-iiijcj to me, ancl I am sure he sympathised with jn-e in my endeavours to see Queen Dot, so thai I shall ever associate tlie pleasantest of pleasant memories with my first visit to- the "Witness office. While in Dunedin I also atfendefl the club meeting-, and ppent a very enjoyable evening, and with such energetic D.L.F. a? Harry, Tomahawk, T. D. A., C. C. M , and many other? whose prquaintauce I had the plcasuie 01 making, the Dunedin club shou'd haie a great future before it. My first \lslt to Dunedin as a D.L F. I sha'l always lcmpmber with the greatest pleasure. On Tup=cUv evening at the club ir> Duneciin, and tha following evening found ni p back again m the Invercaigill clubroom But. alas, it \va<3 my last meeting as secrotaiy of ihe club and, indeed, as a lcgu'ar attendpr. Need I say how porrj I was to leave my DLF chum-! Ard the chib which I had <-een grow fiom. si vei\ humble beginning, and a'thouph htivn>£ to contend against many di°nd\ ai'tajres, arrive at what it is now— a rirlit to Dot and the pa? 0 The good old club; may it krg continue its prosperous career, and add gem after t;cm to the brightness of our b«lovefl queen! rrnwn Rixent'y I had the pleasure of feeing some 1 pally beautiful woik v>luth if to go to swelL the exhibits for the Invprcargi '1 bay, and while on this «-übje< t may I say that although P.L F have come forward loyally to support the bays I think at least one hundred natnes couM be co-rcfortsbly atWsJ to Zc.^'j/es and Brenda'' lists, and sq a supporter o^S (he proposal let hip appeal to you, comiade<; to lally round this our first attempt 111 all your strength, and make the respective bays net only a success but a triumph — a veritable wonder to the outside public, who are unacquainted with the highways antl byWJVB of our little kingdom of D L.F.-dom. To comrade Riina. and Mr Walker in theii

sad bereavement I extend my sincerest sympathy. Their loss was indeed a sad one. And now, Dot, before closing alow me to congratulate the members of the Invercargiil club on their selection of office-bearers for the coming year. With such D.L.F. filling the various offices I am prepared to see the club, go ahead by leaps and bounds, and under the careful guidance of our beloved patron Blondel it is safe to say that the year 1906 will be a record one for the Invercargill Club. "With kindest regards to Dot, the editor, and all D.L.F. comrades.— Yours truly, CEEES. [I am sure everyone will agree with me in adding one more name to the factors whioh will tend to keep the Invercarsill Club steadily progressing— that of Ceres himself. It may be asked, How can that be when Ceres will only be able to attend the meetings occasionally? but the reply is simple: the good work "done by Ceres in the past Will live in the future, and office-bearers and members alike will, I ieel sure, strive to emulate his good example. Do you not think so, Southland L.F.? Rima. has indeed my -sincerest sympathy— and thaj of all the L.*. from the North Cape to the Bluff— in her sad bereavement, and I trust that the knowledge that the hearts of thousands of L.F. go out to her in her trouble will t< some extent allevnrfe the cross which she has feeen called on to bear.— DOT.]