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

Otago Witness, Issue 2983, 17 May 1911, Page 89

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

Motto, "Excelsior." The customary weekly meeting of the above club was held in the looms, .Y.M.C.A. T&y street on Wednesday tvea-

inig, the 3rd fnst., at 8 o'clock The chair was occupied by the president (Shasta), and the attendance was fair. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and duly confirmed. Business in connection with out annual social wias also discussed —'Open Meeting.— No doubt the printed syllabus has taken effect. In any ease, we had a good soipply of papers xn hand, with the result that a very profitable and enjoyable evening waa spent. Those who did not bring papers themselves were earnestly employed in reading the essays 6ent in, so no one was allowed to languish in idleness. —Harry in Invercargill.— "Thoughts at Random" and "Off to _ the Central " were two welcome contributions from the Nestorion Harry. In the first paper one is [inclined to feel that the Rev. Harry, D.D., is exhorting the D.L.F. congregation to batter thing's. In the second we discover that Harry is just Harry—that is, somebody one can call by his first name, a person who has " forgotten to grow up.'' But as Dot wishes Hatr.ry's " Thoughts at Random " to go back to the page for publication, I will not make any extracts. —lndian Chief Communes With Nature.— In a paper entitled "My Commune With Nature," Indian Chief explains how he had heaxd once more " the call of the wild.'' That is, I suppose, one of the drawbacks of being at one time a personality among the Redskins. His descriptions of the back country of Central Otago possessed the genuine " local colour," and the paper contained many intimate touches of Nature which could only be approached and understood by an Indian Chief. —R. E. W.'s Confidences. — R. E. W., with a paper entitled " A Day at Munroe's Bush," made hetr first bow to •a local D.L.F. audience, and she was certainly well received, her contribution abounding in a quaint and obvious humour, which was apparently as innocent as it was refreshing. The paper described the doings—and also undoings—of a party of girls who spsnt a "day out" at a delightful place near Wyndbam. There was bush, and a river to wade in, and R. E. W. certainly appreciated this river, for there she " fell in" in a double sense. Some of her mates also got very wet, and thus philosophically does R. E. W. explain the remedy resorted to: —We took off all our wet clothes, and put our coats on. You never saw such a party of ' funny customera.' " But the whole paper is one in which this D.L.F. Marie Bashkirtseff exchanges confidences. Indeed, at times she becomes epigrammatic, but she gives a real impression of the typical New Zealand " backfisch" when she states: " One of my weakest points is whipped cream and sponge cake." And again: "Somebody spilled tea on somebody else's best skirt, and there was war." The club is waiting for such another bright, crisp, and spontaneously humorous contribution from Marie 8., alias R. E. W. —LV.a, With a Cause.—

"Be Patient and This Too Shall Pass,'' wias the title of a clever sermon by Lola, holding up the cause of the "old woman" against the " new woman,." But Lola's " old woman" is such a loftily toned individual that I think she is still non-existent. Indeed, the ideal Lola girl would be considerably " newer " than the " new" girls who serve as artists' models to the draughtsmen of first-class magazines. What I mean is that Lola has no patience with the " new woman." The result is that the " old woman" gets crediut for much she cannot lay claim to, and the "mew woman" has simply to walk the plank, and while Lola criticises she admonishes us to be patient, for " this " (the new" woman) too shall pass. —Mamys, the Indefatigable.—

" A Peep at Palestine " discovered Marnys in pleasanit vein. While listening to her paper we could feel the glory and glamour of the " changeless East," and fully realise that charm which is inseparable from the Holy Land. It is needless to state that Marnys' paper was decidedly well written. —The Other Contributor.— This happened to be Lavengro, and his paper was egregious on account of it£ rhymes. These hod special reference to the club and to clubites, and personalities always amuse. —Readers.— Those who exhibited elocutionary ability during the evening were Shasta, Luceda, Midgie, Iris, Christabel, and Octava. —Personal. — It has been stated that Lola has not teen well lately, and that her son Phil, who met with a slight 'accident some time ago, is net about yet. We wish these two enthusiastic D.L.F. a speedy recovery The usual weekly meeting of the above club was held in the rooms, Y.M.C.A. Buildings, Tay street, on Wednesday evening, 10th inert., at 8 o'clock. Shasta (president) occupied the chair, and the minutes of the previous meeting were read and duly confirmed. Owing to pressure of business the debate, " Should Invercarglll Have a Free Reading Room?" was postponed to some future occasion, the date of which will be arranged later on. Those who sent in paners will please take note. The annual social was generally discussed, with the result that we are enabled this week to illuminate, the; advertising' columns of the page. LAVENGRO. Secretary. Address: 200 Spey street, InveToargill.