HEAD BY WILLOW BROOK AT THE INVERCARGILL D.L.F. SOCIAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2728, 27 June 1906, Page 83

HEAD BY WILLOW BROOK AT THE INVERCARGILL D.L.F. SOCIAL.

-ODE TO DEAR DOT.

(From her Southern Friends.) If Dot were oaly hare to see The gladness- of her folk to-night. No doubt her heart, like ours, would bo A true reflection of delight. Yet though W9 may not se«- her face, Nor mark the sunny smile that glows Throughout" her page, we'll still be glad. Because, of course, we know she knows. We know she knows we're here to-night, Her southern children proud and true, And that true lovers never meet Without the sunlight pespmg through. She called us to her years ago — The tasks sne set were simple things. These tasks advanced with passing years, Liko rivers fed iirnn tiny springs. Aided by straggling hooks and crooks, Wo spelt her out . our childish joys, She shared them all in queenly style, And made us happy girls and boys. Thus led we learned to roam afield, Seeking thi* treasure trove that lies On spendthrift Nature's jewelled breast. In stream 1 : and vales, and hills and skies. We brought her tales that no one learn Save those that know the haunts of youth. We found for her 'mid mos3 and fern Those homely-fashioned germs of truth, That grow as do the rata seeds, Beyond fh-j trodden ways of men, Hiding, till after forests need Their critnson-tinted shades again. So, twining thoughts like daisy chains, We found for her in every vale Some tiny flower or 'onely weed To point the moral of our tale. No mountain breeze could bend the boughs, No drooping frond the sireani could stir, No silver right, no radiant morn, But soH'ewhere held a thought for her. Even fate that breaks the circle hero Spread thoughts of her across the main, For those who dream of home afar Entwined their dreaming into her name. So we are gathered here to-night, Her pouthern lovers, glad and strong. On Aspiration's winding path, To chase the happy hours along. And though wo wish Queen Dot were here, To see now merry winter goes With those who lore her, we'll be glad Because full well we know she knows. — BIONDEL. Invexcargill, June 20; 1906. [Indeed, she does. Blondel, and she finds it an extremely difficult task to express her sincere and heartfelt thanks for all the kindnesses showered upon her and the editor by the Southland L.F. friends. It is wonderful to think of what the members of our band have done this year. The work of the year has given Dot considerable anxiety. The success of the two socials was assured from the beginning; not so the bays, however, and herein lay the cause for anxiety. At the beginning of the movement it seemed asufficiently big undertaking ,Jor the L.F., ecatteredj as th.ej_ ere, all over tie cojmtijj

to get together- a sufficient quantity of ex* hibits to make even one interesting bay, and it is therefore all the more gratifying to' know that the success of both bays exceeded the most sanguine anticipations of everyone concerned, and that in each case the bay was continually surrounded by large numbers of interested spectators. I have to heartily thank the indefatigable and enthusiastic workers connected with both bays r for tha splendid effort they have made in the interests of the page, and I am sure the bays will be a pleasant memory for thousands of people, young and eld, who have passed an til too brief half hour in inspecting their contents. 1 shall not mention individual workers, for, a3 Blondel points out, "there ai - e so many to mention, but to them special mention is a little matter so long as they are working in a good cause." I feel sure they have all had a genera! reward in the success of their efforts, and that the bays will cement the strong bonds of union existing through the ranks of the D.L F. in both centres.— DOT.]