Limestone Plains.

Southland Times, Issue 8088, 17 August 1885, Page 3

Limestone Plains.

(VBOM OUB OW» COBBESPONDENT.) We htve been this long time in tmr winter dens ; though not with much lotus eating or . peaceful hibernation, bat grumbling instead, in varying key ; now at the low price of grain, now against the Government and Sir Julins, and the other Destinies in general. Though in the main of a peaceable turn and not extreme Sybarites, we indulge in a growl ; we think it healthy. That we have not vexed your patient ear for some time with any of oar little affairs, is only because we are of a modest undemonstrative nature. When there's nothing flagrant to be run down, or nothing gainful to be run np, we observe the dignity of silence. That is our nature, but probably we lose by it. For I doubt silence is not quite so golden as philosophers aver, Onr rural employments and recreations buve been going on all the same. Too should very soon fiud out if they did hot. If the current of ruial events were to be stemmed bat for a day, urban luxuriousness Would torn pale. There would be sad faces at the back of those superb Leicester chops and the whole train of succulent and savoury noneli that come pouring in upon you. What a onmbrous, round*about, and not al. together delightful process it is by which we teach the poor modicum of protoplasm that we dafly require I One would hardly think tbat neatly all the stir and noise in the world are about what we shall eat and .what we shall put on, And yet we don't make nearly enough of stir and noise. We want some new lines. All the old things are unprofitable. The growing of grain is a failure; dairying is doubtful \ fattening •tock| a delusion J the refrigerator, a snare. The pressure on existence Is making head Kraiost v«. We ate almost inclined to cryOat with the poet-: " Oh, dear ! what will become of as 7 Oh dear I what shall we do 7 We shall die of blue-devils if rome of us Don't nod out something that's new." But we are ungrateful, and have not before oar eye* thejfateof that unfortunate naptain at the gate of Samaria Who tmstednot the word of the prophet when he pr jphesied plec ty . We teemed to have a prop Let that would have opened the windows of heaven with a wave Of his wand} butwa regard uot his saying. Xon can see what the effect nrght be. Twenty per ceat. on the boots and clothes W6 wear by day and on the blankets we wear by night might well induce us to cultivate moderation in our way?, and to think of restoring to their former place of honour the pretty spinning wheel and the village loom. What a saving might be effected that way, Zt was " all for our goots." And why should not every quarten loaf be sold with a Govern* bent penny stamp on it 1 It would make a beautiful addition to the revenue, and pave the way for the restoration to its place by the hearih of the old domestic quern, Tf men were to revert to the simplicity of theie primitive institutions, virtue and peace would supersede 'he present bard collisions. We might have true Saturnian times, and the temple of Janns shut. But we will not thick of tbeo.es like these, Excelsior ! ig our motto. Tbe old things will no more suit us than the wilderness toggeries suited the Jews after they got into their promised land. The Government after all are probably endeavouring after tbe beautiful, the true, and the good, in terms of their religion, but there is a larking something diffusing itself through the public mind that reminds one of Sam Weller's •• veal pie"--* 1 a wery good thing it you know the girl as makes it, and you know there »int n » kittens in it." Is there a kitten in tbe pie? Bat lam off my vein of country tiews— about the weather, ploughing, and ploughing matches, &c. k Very likely it matters not ; you have had enough of them all. Perhaps I ought to mention about that local hope, the dairy at Fairfax, that it is advancing towards being a very fiiished and complete thing, and will be quite ready for its woik by tbe time the essential material is forthcoming. The hope and intention is that theproduccwillbe of the very choicest kind, so M to leave no chance whatever of failure on that score. This is not only feasible, but, from all th* favouring circumstances, it will be almost criminal if it is not so. The weather bat been less relentless, less per* severiagly harassing than usual this season, It is to be hoped it Lai not any wild blasts in reserve before winding up. The aspect of those pretty planets in the weit at present ii very assuring and serene. I don't know what the apparent 4 proximity of Mercury, Venn*, and Jupiter may forebode to astrologers, but the look "of them is pleasant -anyhow.^ Dr Hector has been telling us "Of the approaching eclipse : wbat if« gene/al appearance will be, and some of its particular iofit encc } how beast and bird, they to their nest, these to their Brans? couch, will slink, as tbe shadow deepens. I rememfter an all bat total eclipse myself, when the lower animals generally did seem wonderfully affected Even women, for a brief tpace, if I remember well, almost suspended their pretty prattle under the spell of the universal solemnity . Unfortunately we, who are at the Feersbeba of. the island, cannot have an opportanity of making these delicate observations at this time. There has been a change of dynasty in the realm over which you so worthily, preside. A dutiful "own" should have hastened, to offer his homage. lam afraid lam a sorry delinquent. " Owns " ought to be more circumspect, Pharaohs may come and Pharaohs Ttyffft

handed over with the estate This king that knows itot Joseph doubtless nays, perbnps in a frowning way— 1 ' Ye are idle, go to ; make bricks." Tru*, O kingl We can make bricks, and if we-can't it it not fro-n lack of straw, lam afraid indeed tho straw ia the more obtrnsive con "tiluent in the 1 ale that sometimes re'aohes yon. The late genial master has retired •! wi' bi« /mid cloak aboot him "—carry • ing his mantle put with him, that is to say, it is pleasant to think, with tho intention of hanging it op in the ball for good. There ia a lot of we *r in it yet. So mote it be His successor indeed, has a stout mackintosh of his own, as is fitting in.tbiß land of independence and atmospheric uncertainties. It must be in accordance with the finessff things that these pretty words have come into my mind at this point : primo avulto non deficit alter aureus ;the first part to be taken in a happily moiified sense. .' j&l don't wish* to make this paragraph too long by multiplying rural items. It might have too much of an ear'hy flavour about it, and fall ungratefully on refined and critical tastes. We shall be.jnaking a hew depar- ! tnre directly in bringing out our spring harrows. The -double-furrow is now doing its share as resolutely as if next seas Vs I prices were*already determined by a decree of the Czar.- " : 13th August, 1885.