Week-end Chat

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 95, 8 May 1937, Page 17

Week-end Chat

COUSIN ROSE.

COUNTRY ANDs TOWN.

Saturday, May 8, 1937. Dear ' Everyone, — Hawke's Bay is very beautiful now witb autumn colours tinting tbe trees all about tbe countryside. Sbould tbose wbo live in otber parts of New Zealand cbance to read tbis tbey can believe it to be truo tbat now is the time to visit Hawke's . Bay, wbile tbe leaves are still on tbe trees and tbe countryside ricb in autumn beauty. All about Te Aute tbe trees are gloriously golden, and Te Aute College stands in a setting of trees tbat woiild sqrely gladden tbe heart of Archdeacon Samuel Williams were be aliye to-day. Tbis fine pioneer used llrst to teacb Maori boys in Hastings, and an old resident "spoke recently of bow tbe boys would come to be educated and tben would go back and impart tbeir knowledge of English and reading to tbe heads of the tribes. # ' * # It was interesting to read an article in Jobn o' London about doing tbings we dislike. Tbis would be an interesting subject for discussion by readers. While tbis article ds true it is a curious anomaly tbat if we were courageous enough to face facts we would realise tbat we do many tbings we dislike simply because we are too supine to get out of our groove. Perbaps we do tbings tbat are distasteful because wc are afraid of some one's critacism. To make ourselves into a door-mat is sometimee heroic, but quite often unnecessary. Tbis is wbat Jobn o' London says: — . .

" Wriggle as I may, I bave got to do a good many tbings wbicb I dislike, and tbe number, far from decreasing, seems likely to increase as years go by.. Well, I .dare say it will do me no barm. & At least there will be a valid reason for doing each of tbe things, sometbing tbat makes tbem wortb doing, tbat lnakes me cboose to do tbem, and lurnp the dislike. If I bad not bad tbe absurd doctrine to react from, tbat it was good to do a tbing simply because I disliked it, I sbould in all probability experience no dismay at tbe prospect. No man minds bowing bis neck to tbe yoke for a good cause. Wbat be .does and sbould resent is bowing bis neck simply because tbe yoke is a yoke. "Distasteful tbings are no more good in tbeir own right tban are pain and suffering. Tbe human spirit is so constituted that it can, in special oircumstances, suck good out of pain and suffering, but tbe feat is never anything but a victory, a magical transmutation of base elements into gold, To say tbat it is good for a cbiild to do wbat be dislikes is as sensible as to advise him, to put bis band into boilmg water in order to benefit by tbe pain of the scald. It ds morbid, negative, and tbose wbo preacb it sbould immediately be 'done good to' in tbe terms of tbeir own prescription — made as nasty as possible. 'A little of wbat you fancy does you good' is good sense, and, within limits, good morality." ' "Is tbe modern. woman, under tbe stress of economio condition, to be pusbed out of tbe office into tbe kitchen?" asks a writer in tbe Christian Science Monitor. Mlle. Masaxyk, wbo is head of tbe Ked Cross of Ozechoslovakia and has been associated witb many progressive women 's movements, speaking at tbe recent international conference of social work, went so far as to say tbat sbe believes tbat until women once again become "guardians of tbe hearth" tbere will be no. solution of tbe world economie situation. Tbe following letter is oue that might well be read by tliose wbo make our laws ; • • '* ■ Dear Cousin Rose, — I ,am writing to say that it is high time tbat tbe treatment given to New Eealand sheep dogs sbould be exposed. They are often kept on tbe roads till tbeir feet are bleeding. Tbeir kennels are often in draughty places — under trees. Tbe roofs leab, in many cades, and tbere is inud round the kennels. The days are often insuffieiently fed and are given tbe old ebeep to eat tbat np one else can use. Sbeep dogs are often left on tbe cbains far too long and tbe consequence is they get rheumatism. Eyen men wbo are tond of tbeir dogs keep tbem far too long on tbe cbain and cause thein suffering, Watch tbe dogs at the dog trials or bringing m a big flock of sbeep from tbe back country, and it will strike you tbat tbey have more brains than tbe sbepberds- In ■ tbe early morningp, wben tbe men •look ready to gruxnble, the dogs are never bad tempered but go to work vvith a will. The sbeep dogs are tbe backbone « of the country. 1 ask, 'are they given | fair treatment?' Kennels witb coni crete floors and sound roofs in shelJ tered Spots sbould be insis.ted on by i law, and these breadwinners of our i farms sbould ba accorded consideraJ tion and reasonable regard. I baye I seen one Hawke's Bay farxn witb deJ cent kennels. What da other men i and women readers think about this ? i Yours, etc,, I "NO CRTJELTY," i I • • • J Dear Cousin Rose — ln consequence I of the friendly intercourse long sub- ■ sisting between France and Seotland i — an intercourse tbat was alike poli- * tieal, commercial and social — a J considerable number of words of i I French ofigin crept into the Scottisb J I vernacuiar and thero established ■ I thbmselvea witb a tenacity tbat p

not likely to be relaxed -as long _ as ; the language oontonues to be "eith- ! er written or spoken. Some of these ! are among tbe most raey and char- : .acteristio differences between the . English and the Scotch. It will be suf&eieni to cite — -to "fash one'#; self" to be troubled witb or about ; anything from se facher, to be anger- ' ed.- "douce" gentle, good tempered, courteous from doux, soft. "dour," grim, obdurate, slow to forgive or ; relent from dur, bard. "creel," a fisb basket from creille, a basket. a "gi- ; got" of mutton, from gigot, a leg. "bonnie," beautiful and good froln bon, goOd. "brulzie,'' a fight or diSpute, from e'enthrouiller, to quarrel. •"feallant,'/ a lad, a brave boy from galant, a lover or gallant youth, "braw," fine and brave, bonest and courageous. "dool," sorrow from deuil, mourning. "iaupie," a thougbtless, foolish girl from^ taupe, a mole- "haggfis,'' the Scottish national disb from hachis, ' a bash. "caddie," a young man acting as a porter or messenger, from cadet. "spaule," tbe cboulder from epaule. And scores of other words.-i-*Yours, 6tb'' "LINGUA." sr e • To-morrow is Mother's Day, and we who have mothers or whose mothers have passed away are giving tli#m special thought. Thosq whose mother has passed on may fmd the opportunity of doing eome little kinclness for a living mother who perhaps has lost her family. It sbould be a duy of happy remembrance for tbe unselfish sacrifice that all mothers make for tbeir children. A reader who feels this deeply has sent in a little poem, speeially written: Dear Cousin Rose, — As Sunday will be Mother's Day, I am sending these few original lines in memory of a good mother. MOTHER. We.are told tbere are angels in Heaven, But often, I think I had bere An angel on earth, in jny Mother, To me, she was ev'rything dear. Of herself sbe ne'er thought for a moment, For otbers, sbe brightened life's way, "To giva brings more joy tban ing,"Were some of'tha words sbe would say. But. one morn her pure spirit sped »pwards, An angel in Heaven to be, Wbile to earth, like the cloak of Ehjah, Love's mem'ry was thrown hack to me. Yours truly, "JAN." Thanking you all for your letters nnrl hoping those who have ideas that will help others to lend them in for this column to : — ■