INVERCARGILL D.L.F. LITERARY AND DEBATING CLUB.

Otago Witness, Issue 2949, 21 September 1910, Page 88

INVERCARGILL D.L.F. LITERARY AND DEBATING CLUB.

Motto, "Excelsior." The customary weekly meeting of the above club was held in the rooms, Y.M.C.A. Buildings, Tay street, Invercargill, on Wednesday evening, 14th inst.. at 8 o'clock. Shasta (president) occupied the chair. The minutes of two previous meetings were read and confirmed. It may be well to state that the reason why three consecutive meetings were allowed to lapse was on account of various conspiring circumstances, not in every instance adverse or untoward. Shasta's nursing experiences in the first place accounted for the president, while no fewer than six active members were inveigled away by the Competitions. However, now that health has been restored to the Shasta, household, and considering the .Competitions ancient history, it is not too much to suppose that the club will pursue the noiseless tenor of its way until the Christmas recess or vacationholiday, if you like—is with us. In any case, we had a fair attendance on Wednesday evening. With Midgie in Dunedin, The Helmsman somewhere in the backblocks, Luceda returned home, and Casino goodness knows where, one missed, perhaps, the lustre of those bright particular stare of the local D.L.F. ga'.axy—stars that lent a peculiar distinction to the local night sky, sometimes on Friday evenings, but generally Wednesdays. Smoking Flax also made some apparently rat=h promises—in other words, he said he'd attend, but he did not turn up, and so far we have received no apology. What is the meaning of this, Smoking Flax? —-A Social Evening at Last. — It was arranged that the club hold a ■ocial evening on Thursday, the 29th September, at 8 o'clock. K The evening will take the form of a social and dance. Stewart's Hall, Earn street, beinp engaged for the occasion. The music will be left fn tihe capable hands of Mr Chas. Diverdon, and the catering will be dispensed with tinder the legend, "Ladies: Basket." {Basket with a very big capital.) In order that we may be given a chance to be in extra good fettle' foj. the "hop," no i ordinary club meetine will be held on. the previous evening, Wednesday, 28th September. Games are provided for nondancers, and we have no age limit. Any person who takes enough interest in D.L.F. matters to cause him (or her) to peruse <3iis report is cordially invited to attend. We want you all to come and to bring as many friends alontr with you as you are able'to persuade. We hope to put on some items and make the 6how 6tir generally. Shasta will bo in attendance to make certain you all have a good, Bolivar ■will act in the capacity of M.C., ajnd it is needless to say he will be a big success. Millicent will be in charore of the baskets. and you all know what that means! And —and l -you'll all be there, and you know what that spells also—a jolly good D.L.F time, doesn't it?

—Oar Next MeetingThis will he an "Impromptu Evenine,'' and will 'bo held in the rooms on the 21st inst.. at 8 o'clock. Here is a chance for each and all to distinguish themselves. It would facilitate matters if each member would bring along a subject. This should be written on a 6lip of paper, and clubites should exchange papers at the meeting. Thus you get a chance to speak at a few" minutes' notice on a subject your comrade has nicked for you. Anything will do as a subject. For instance, at this vear's Christohurch Competitions the subjects were "The Hand that Rocks the Cradle ia the Hand that Rules the World" and "Castles in the Air." At Greymouth Competitions, "Mother-in-law" ; at Duned'.n Competitions. "Pride" and "The Gift of Speech : at Invercargill Competitions. "Which is the Greater, Instinct or Reason?" and "Selfishness, the Chief Motive in Modern Life." It- is hoped that ihor* will be a gcod muster, and also that everybody present will have "a run for their money."

—Briar Rose Welcomed.— Shasta- on behalf of the club, extended a very cordial welcome to Bria.r Rof-o. Briar Roso appears to me to be a potential debater, and nor enthusiasm for the page M something of an "open secret."' We consider such litsle amenities of club lite highly encouraging, and _ only wish thev wera an every-week affair. For one i- ; ; mu* the olub' but trooper if part

.f our routine comprises euch functions as he above. Briar Rose is now a clubite. —Baden-Powell Once More.— The President .also drew attention to he presence of Baden-Powell. This motble rose into eminence during the South African war, was lost sight of for some ime, but now returns with the scouts. Che club hopes that Baden-Powell will ;indly consider D.L.F. Club matters to be is highly important as scouting. Let us )a military, and command you to attend n future. —An Open Meeting.— The evening took the form of an open neeting. A selection entitled "A Woman's \nswo>r" was selected and read by Vice>resident Millioent. "A Poet's First poem" was a selection copied by Blue /iolet and read 'by Eolivar. "Must. Meetings" proved to be a humorous skit rom "Punch," which was copied out and >»nt by our consistent if distant (literally, rl course) supporter, West" Coaster. By the ,vay, this selection was not all funny. The election was read by Hermia. The foregoing contributors are thanked 'or their japers. —Original Contributions. — Four essays were received —•"Gossip," by Lady Dye (read by Millioent), being a i-ery scathing attack on that popular feminine pastime. "The evil that men do lives liter them—the good" Lady Dye betrays i very pretty turn of the wrist, jan put all her righteous indignation Into nor literary work. We should like to hear from you again, Lady Dye. "A Day in the Wilde," by Delos, which describea a deerbalking expedition, was decidedly clever. Delos has an eye to th© beauties of Nature* a keen love for outdoor sport, and shares with Lady Dy© a very pretty turn of the wrist—in other words, a suggestion of style. Do vou know what style is, Lady Dye and De'.os? I mean literary style. Well, you often see two persons' doubles, ■ o to speak. By any mathematical law one is no better than the other, and yet on* is distinguished—-he or she has 9tylo. The same thing applies to letters—to literary Draftsmanship. Anybody can write; some caii write with distinction; a few possess stvle. Style may be a gift, it may be gained by laborious and tedious toil; but, oncci attained, it gives a. osrtain personal touch to all a person writes. In short, it discloses individuality. Country Cousin, who can be judged at her best in last week's page by her "Social Evening in a Country Debating Society, contributed "Memories ol Childhood" (read by Lavengro). Th* paper was well received, Mid I think it can qualify as an O.W.W letter. And quite like old times, isn't it': Yes. so it is! Shasta came to light with a paper, "An Old Sixth Reader"—something characteristic, for Shasta is nothing if not reminiscent. An old book or an old garden-plot stirs her to thoughts that often be too deep for bears. Of course, I'm only paraphrasing Wordsworth. Well. Shasta retains her paper, and will probably senc it in for publication after the O.W.W. rush, I hope so. Shasta's habit oi tilting at the "powers that be" is only equal to Don Quixote's historic weakness of dealing likewise with windmills. Some how the "powers that be" and the windmills remain. But oh, how the tilters love to tilt! I'm not going to criticise this paper, "One critic at a time" being my present motto, the purport of which one sees when you hear that Shasta has bios Homed out" as a dramatic critic of. late Fhe is a very keen critic, too, and I'ir afraid if fih© keeps on improving at this rate we'll have to cast her in a leading role for our next D.L.F. production. Indeed, tilings a.re so lively clubwards that nonattendant* are missing more than can be computed by mere £s. d. So please don't miss any more meetings, and also -remember the' social—this is to D.L.F.. clubitcs. non-D.L.F., and non-clubit-ps. Indeed, it is a. message to the- public—the genera oublic. the people of Invercargill. and oi New Zealand. LAVENGRO, Secretary. Address: Lavengro, 158 Lidclel street Invercargill.