LETTERS FROM THE LITTLE FOLK.

Otago Witness, Issue 2809, 15 January 1908, Page 83

LETTERS FROM THE LITTLE FOLK.

Motto:— We write for the benefit of otheis,

not for ourselves. Qff-Tso letter to contain more than 450 words,

Dear Dot, — An idle hour provides the »ec«ssary opportunity to sever active connection with the page. Twenty years have Saesed and gone since my infant soul entered upon ita earthly' career,' and to-day I Bra forced to taste one of the sorrows of «ge. For I lay djbwn what has. been one ©f the pleasures of my youth when I cease

my connection with the page. Henceforth Corrnsh as <a D.L.F. must only be "one of nKiny with a past," and with a dim, uncertain future. It seems so long ago since I became a L.F. — so long ago, indeed, that it seems I have carried D.L.F. associations on from childhood's days to youth, and from the joy of .it all I can only hope these same associations will be the undercurrent of my life through all the long yoars to come. Only a little lad once, reading with solemn awe those wonderful letters that in bygone days laid the foundation of the page; later, a boy desiring to emerge from the loneliness of an unnoticed and' unknown observer into the midst of it all; now, having mingled with you all, so regretful at leaving you. The realisation of the child's ambition has been inexpressibly sweet, and. moreover, instructive and edifying. Living in the country, with few friends- and no companions of my own age and tastes, the page and the clubs filled 1 a vacancy as probably nothing else could have done. After several modest letters had figured in print I grew bolder, and essayed to contribute to the clubs, and since then I have regarded it as a special resolution never to let a month pass without communicating with either page or club, ans ofttimes both. In my wildest anticipation 1 !* I never even dreamt of being secretary of the club. It seems such a great divide between the shy laddie trying to understand those letters so much above him and the weekly signature of "Cornish, hon. sec." And the friends I have to thank you for. Dot! Their name is legion. My "guild' of unknown friends" has done more for me than anything I know of. These unseen friends have been so true and loyal, e-nd their correspondence so pure and edifying, that anyone with any dormant principle in him must have found it a high incentive to conform to the sentiments of the writers. There is- a potent influence in the exchange of ideas. I have made a great many friends, ■and I don't know of any enemies*. Through the medium of the page I have met many who otherwise would have been strangers; and although the loss may not have been mutual, it would have been very acute to me. Lately I have neglected the page, but Dot knows the duties of secretary take up moat of my leisure time, and papers to the club take up the rest. Dear Dot, I have little else, to say. I meant this to be a review of- my career, and I find there is little to review. Now, one and all, I shall bid you good-bye, and leave you in the best company I know of — the company of your own good thoughts. I shall ever remain your 1 ' interested well-wisher «md friend, CORNISH (J. M. Henderson, Dunedin, late of Blue Spur, Lawrence).

Dear Dot, — I thought 1 would write another letter to the page before the New Year was in. I think I will describe a pjcnio which my sister and I and some of our giril friends arranged. Tht> day was very hot, and after packing our baskets my sister and I walked to the spot where we wer© to meet our friends. They canie^ up after a, few minutes, and' we started off in high spirits. After a walk of about two miles in the heat we arrived at our destination. After filling our kettle with water at a stream near by, we found, to our dismay, that we had: all forgotten to bring matches. Two of the girls went to a neighbour's to procure some, while the remainder of the party, including myself, busied themselves building the fire and taking out the eatables.. In -due time the others arrived, and after lighting the fira we sat down enis waited for the kettle to" boil. We lad just put the tea into the water and got cur cups out when my sister., who _, was stepping across, suddenly tripped 1 .on the handle of the kettle and upset all the tea. Fortunately we had more tea, and after having procured more water, we made another lot of tea which, luckily, did not suffer any mishap. After we had' finished lunch we want into the bush, and scrambled through tangled undergrowth for - ferns. When we had got as many as we wanted we retraced our steps, and just as the sun was sinking in the west we -reached home after our day of pleasure. We are having glorious weather here at present, and I think wo deserve it, as we have had wet weather for a long time. The school childrn have their holidays just now, and they are very glad. Half of the children were absent from school before the holidays- owing to an epidemio of influenza. We have a pet starling, and he is such a dear little fellow. What a success O.W.W. was! I was pleased to see such a lot of old writera turning up again. Dear Jonquil, you asked me for my auto. I will send it shortly. Love and best wishes to all the L.F., especially Laddie Duloe, Mona, and our Queen, Dot. — Yqurs truly, WYLVA.

[I -wonder what you ell said when the tea was spilt? It was a sever© trial of your patience after your walk in the heat. But I suppose there is never a picnio -without some such little contretemps 1 it all adds to the fun.— DOT.}

Daar Dot, — As I have not written to you for a long time, I thought I would write to you to-day. "We have 20 chickens now. (I( I have a, pet calf, and when, it is lying down I can sit on its bsck. I take % great interest in the- D.L.F. Page. We bare sis weeks' holiday from schooh I got a nice money-box frein, Santa Claus this morning. I had a nice doll given to in© for Christmas. fiVOMSHIRE.

— Yours truly,

• [You must have had a happy Christmas, Devonshire, and I think it was so nice of you to write to me on Christmas Day, in the midst of all the excitement of Santa Claus presents and plum pudding! — DOT.]

Dear Dot, — Christmas has gone, and New Year will soon be here. The flower gardens are looking very nice now, as the flowers are nearly all out. The lambs aT« getting big about here. Our examination is over, and I am glad to say that I jaseed-into a higheT standard. Have you had many Christm&a card's yet, Dot? We have received a good many. We have our Ohriprtnxas holidays now, but I did not go ttway for mine. The days cie Icng, but very hot, and it is nice when one os-n find a 000 l place to read iv» Dear Dot, it is getting late now, so I &nsll have

to close. — Yours truly.

[Indeed, I did receive a great many ChrlstxoaiS cards, Nella; I had) such a pile oi them on my office table from! kind Little Folk who thought of me at Christmas time. — DOT.]

Dear Dot, — I arm only a little hoy, Seven years old, and as this is my first letter, I will not write a long one. One day we o'aiighdi « little bunny in the garden, and "we put it in a small Box. When we had it a few days it gob out, esxd that WSjS the endi of bunny. My brother has a little puppy called Dickie, and! he helped us to catch tunny. We are having our aJx weeks' holidays jijßfc now, and we are having a great time. My edster is helping to write this letter. I hope you wijl have in© as one of your Dot's Little Folk. — Yours truly, J V. ' BUNNY.

[Yes, I shall be very glad to have you for on,« of my; Little Folk. Bu©ny. But I do not <fuite understa-ng whai happened to youx little pef— did Didder «> the ca-tchina

so -well that there was no live bunny left to come back to you?— DOT.]

Dear Dot, — I em staying at Mosgiel juat now with my aunt ; we are having our holidays. I think I shall be staying with Cleg Kelly II for a little while too. I saw Ophir's letter in the page ; she was away at Invercargill for a week. My mother is in Dunedin just now. Jessica is just home from Invereargill, and she is home for good, she sfcys. I got prizes at the Sunday and the day schools this year. The school one was "Curley's Crystal" and the other one vas "The Girl's Empire." I have two books now called "The Girl's Empire." I collect post-cards, Dot, and I have 160 odd ; my cousin, who has not long started. ha 3 87. I shall write again after the holidays. — Yours truly,

BLUE ROCKET,

[I might have known that there would be a letter from Blue Rocket at New Year time: that is the time when all rockets are active, isn't it?— DOT.]

Dear Dot, — We are having six weeks' holidays just now. I have a pet lamb, and I call it Daisy. Our examination was on the 21st of November, and I passed into the Fourth Standard. I have nine autos and 15 post-cards-, ft has been fine weather here lately, but it is windy to-day. One of the Sunday school teachers gave a picnic to the Sunday schoo.l children. We had grand tun rowing in the boat, playing rounders, twos a.nd threes, and "fill the gap." I got a nice book for attending 32 Sundays. The name of it was "Sunday Reading for the Young. ' We are shearing the sheep just now, and have thinned some of our turnips. Our geraniums are out in flower, and they look very pretty. My sister is learning to ride the bicycle, end she sometimes gives me * lide on it. With love to Hydrangea, Moira, Ferny • Tickles. Jonquil, and Janet, — Yours truly, LYDIA

Dear Dot, — I hope you won't be angry at the appearance of a new writer, but my brother was e> member of the page some time ago, and I Became quite interested, and started reading the letters, though I did not have the courage to write; but 1 have got over that now. Well, Dot, I hope you are enjoying the Christmas holidays as much as I am. On Christmas \ Eve I got to bed about 12 o'clock, and it' cost me a great effort to get to bed even at thwt time, for I was having all the nicest things imaginable, such as strawberries and cream, cherries, etc. Well, as this is my first letter, I think I have said enough. I hope that it will find «. place in some corner of the pag-e. — Yours truly,

HARD CASE,

[Think of Dot being angry because a new writer came to the page! Why, she would be angry every day ha.if a dozen times! No, you are welcomed with <a smile, Hard Ca^e.; you will write again, won't you? — DOT.]

Dear Dot,— lt is about two years since I last wrote to you. During ttat time I had a good many days' outing, and have enjoyed myself very mucfu I was. at tne_ regatta last Thursday, and it was a beautiful day; it could not have been better. I was out in) an oil launoh with Actor, and it was just lovely on the water. I know a good many D.L.P. down this way, but there are a good many more that I do not know. We aro milking 50 cows just now, end it means a lot of work. We have to rise at half-past 5 o'clock in the rooming, and we send the milk to the factory, which i» about half a mile away. We are going to get a machine if we find out they are a success. Well, Dot, the rule is that we are only to write on one side of the paper, so I shall have to close. — Yours truly, [You have evidently not quite understood the rule, Burnside, for it does not mean that you axe to use only one sheet of paper. You may use as many as you like, so long as you write on one side of them only. I have added this little footnote to your letter in case other writers are labouring under the same wrong impression. I hope to hear from you again soon. — DOT.]

BURNSIDE,

Dear Dot, — Fading away into the past, becoming like a dim, but very sweet, dream, ia the memory of a holiday which I have recently had to that pretty little place which, bears the name of Island Cliff, and I will now endeavour to give you a brief account of my travels and of the happy time which I spent. I left home early one Sunday morning, and, accompanied by my brother, sister, and a friend, drove to Edievale, our nearest railway station. The morning was perfect, and as the roads were in Very good order and we were all in high spirits, we greatly enjoyed the drive, arriving at our destination just in time to partake of an appetising dinner. In the afternoon we all went to church at Dunrobin. Monday I spent among my old. friends- and relatives' at Dunrobin, and on Tuesday morning I got aboard the train at Edievale, en route for Dunedin. I had an old friend's company to Waipahi, and thus the time passed very quickly. From Waipahd I went with the luggage train to Clinton, where I waited for the express. I fully expected to be met by my chum. Peony Rose, but by some misfortune she had not received the letter I sent her, and was quite unaware of my coming. I was greatly disappointed at not seeing her, so I left rgy luggage in the waiting room, went in search of dinner, and began to reconcile myself to the miserable four hours' wait which \ fully expected I should have. But it wasn't so very miserable after all, for after taking a stroll round the little town I came back and made friends with the girls in the dining rooms (where I had had dinner), and they made the time pass very agreeably. Indeed, I was just a wee bit sorry when the express arrived and I had to bid them good-bye. To m©' it seems there aTe friends wherever you may go, Dot, for before I was comfortably seeted in the train at Clinton a smiling wee lassie espied me and extended to me the hand of friendship. This proved to be Queen of the West, so I had her company to Dunedin, and a merry time we had too,. I ought to be ashamed to confess it, but most of our fun was at the -expense of some of our fellow passengers; but really, Dot. you do see some funny sights when travelling. Queen of the West waa bound for a tour of the North Island, and I do hope she is enjoying her holiday. On my arrival in Dunedin the first familiar face that my gaze fell upon waa that oi my loyal old chum, The Shepherdess's "Fairy, and in a minute or two I was met By niy two cousins. T. S. F. came with us to my aunt's place, and after I had had tea and a general freshening up, she escorted me to the Witness office in order to attend the clufr meeting. Words cannot deseri.be the pleasure I experienced at that meeting. It was worth, travelling over 100 miles to receive such a hearty welcome, and was It not a pleasure to clasp by the hand for the first time my old correspondent Garnish? I think the positions of cnsriimjan and secretary were nobly filled by dro Hop and Cornish; we shall regret very rnuGrL to Jose you, chums. Go Son very kindly offered to take me down to see you tlie next morning, Dot; but, alasl I had Jo lfl&Yfi .with the north express next rnorn-

ing, fondly hoping that I would have the opportunity of seeing you when I returned: but that opportunity never came, and so I felt as if I had lost something that I would have given a good deal to have had. My journey to Oamaru I enjoyed ve-ry much. I greatly admired the scenery, and the sea just delighted my heart. I dearly love the sea and bush, and Seecliff and Waitati fairly won my fancy. Waitati reminded .me of Riverton and of the happy holiday I once had there. About 11 o'clock I reached the beautiful white stone city, where I found my cousin waiting to meet me, and we spent a most enjoyable afternoon looking round the pretty little town. Shortly after 4 o'clock we took the train out to my cousin's homo at Island Cliff, where I remained for three all too short weeks. On our way out we passed the well-known Elderslie Estate, and it is the prettiest homestead that my eyes have ever rested upon. It would take pages to tell you of all the good time t spent with my nine cousins — of the pleasant drives and rides, to say nothing of trying to ride a bicycle, and each time finding myself fondly caressing mother earth. Among the many places- I visited were Tokarahi Tapu, Ngapara, Corrydale, Livingstone, and Duntroon. I spent a most enjoyable evening at a social at Duniroon. But I think the best time of all was when we were all together in the evenings with my cousin playing the piano, and the rest of us joining in the chorus. And I had almost forgotten to tell you of the excellent phonograph selections which we were several times treated to by a near neighbour. Some of the records were so comical; they tickled our fancies for days afterwards. Towards the latter end of my holiday the Oamaru show took place, and four of my cousins and myself, along with several friends, took the train in for it. Did we have a. good time? Well, I rather think we did! The show itself was very good. Some of the events were very interesting; but I think the most exciting time that I had was on the "Ocean Wave." Have you ever had a ride on one, Dot? I liked the sensation. One of my cousins appeared to have a- great love for it, for every time we wanted to find her we just had to go to the "Ocean Wave," and there she was, as if held by. some magnetic power. I saw many D.L.F. at the show, but as I hadn't my badge on that day (the result of buying a new hat) I was too shy to speak. The only one that I made the acquaintance of was Nobody's Pet. One of my cousins and I stayed in for the Volunteer ball in the evening. After seeing our mates_ off, we paid a visit to the gardens, after which we returned to our friend's place, where we were staying that night. By the time we had a little chat and donned our ball dresses our partners were waiting for us, so we set out in high spirits iwith the anticipation of having a good time. And we were not disappointed, for with a first-class floor, faultless music, and plenty of good partrers, who would not enjoy a ball ? We arrived at "Blanket Bay" somewhere about 3 o'clock in the morning, and when we arose — well, it was not quite midday. In the afternoon we stroJled about visiting different places till 4 o'clock, et which time our train was due, and we bade farewell to our kind friends, and. once more journeyed out to Island Cliff. * On' the following- Wednesday I was obliged to say good-bye to Island Cliff and my lively cousins, but one of them came with me, and in his company I had no time to feel lonely, as I no doubt should have done bad I been alone. Our journey to Dunedin was not too comfortable, although we made it pleasant. I was squeezed into a corner with about one square inch of room, and my cousin moat of the time had to stand. At Dunedin we parted for a few days, I going out to Maori Hill with a friend and my cousin staying in 'town. I would like to te.ll you of the good times I had in Duneddn with my dear old friends, but I am conscious of having long ago overstepped the boundary and far eaceeded the word limit, so I must hurry on to the end. On Saturday morning I very reluctantly departed from Dunedin with a sigh for the happy times that were past and gone. At the railway station I was again joined by my cousin, also another cousin, and whose company we had to Tapanui. About 6 o'clock we arrived at Edievale, and here was the end oJ my holiday, the recollection of which will long remain as a very pleasant memory. The rext day (Sunday) my brother diov> over for us, and that evening I was back to home and old friends; they ere al-, ways dearer after an absence, are they not, Dot? I can't close without telling- you how rr.uch I enjoyed Old Writers' Week. I was pleased to see a letter jn. from Meta. - I often used to see her before she was married, and I am glad to hear that she enjoyed living in the North Island. I must also send my greetings to The Shepherdess's .Fairy, I am 'expecting a visit from .you soon, T. S. F\ Now I will close with fond lovs to all. May the New Year be crowded with success for you all, comrades, and for Dot may it be one long harmony of ideal

bliss. — Yours truly,

ANTHEA.

[I am very glad to bear you had such a delightful holiday, Anthea, but I am sorry you were not able to get in to see me. 3 feel that I know your name so well now that I should- be glad to know a little more of the owner. Perhaps next time you wiLl be able to manage a visit to me. — DOT.]

Dear Dot, — This is my first attempt at writing to the D.L.F. Page, and I hope you will not dishearten me by not accepting this letter. I have been spending the first Eection of my holidtya at my uncle's farm, where they are miUsing 11 cows. One day I trie^ to milk a cow, but found it very difficult vork. The weather has been simply horrible, \t being both windy and dry. I think I an? spending my holidays in two other placee *bout which I will write again. — Yours? huly, I LOUD RYAN.

[I shall be glad to hear all about your holidays, Lord Ryan ; I hope you will write again and tell "me how you got on. It is grand to have c real oountry holiday after having been in town all the year, isn't it?— • DOT.]

Dear Dot, — It is too fote to wisb you a "Merry Christmas." but I will hope you have had one, and -wish you Hi_happy New Year. I didn't have a ■very cheery Christmas myself, being in bed -with influenza. I enjoyed reading O.W.W. letters. I have been reading three good books lately — "Children of Gid«on," by Walter Besant; "The Cloister and the Hearth," by Charles Beade; Bn3 "Malcolm," by George Macdonald.— PIVEASH.

Yours truly,

[I don't know the first book you mention, Fiveash, but I know 1 that the other two ore good, er>d am glad that you enjoyed- reading thorn.— DOT.]

Dear Dot, — What a long time it is since I have joined hands with you, as it were, through the medium of the D.L.F. Page. Four wholv years have elapsed since my last letter was -written to the page, and since then % new Dot reigns in the place of ojir former and dearly-loved Dot. Hitherto I have never written for Old Writers' Week, but at Dot's request for Old Writets ip roll tip I have decided to do so. WeU do i rememiper how, when the Witness

came, I used to turn first to the D.L.F, Page to see if any of my favourite writerr had written. Those times axe past, though I still read Dot's comments and answer* to correspondents, and scan over the names of the writers, so, you see, a.!l interest in the page has not quite died out. How to make a letter written to the -page of interest to all alike is rather a difficult matter. On Saturday afternoon a bush fire started about a couple of miles from here. There was a heavy wind, and the fire soon spread, as everything was so dry owing to the recent dry weather. The smoke was horrible during the afternoon and evening, and although we, who Jived on the flat, got a fair share of it, those who lived in the gorge were very much inconvenienced by it. Two? of the settlers in the_ bush had hard work fighting the fire, as it oarne up very doss to their homes'. A number -J>f neighbours assisted them, and they were' working from early on Saturday afternoon till 2 or 3 on, Sunday morning,- when danger was past. The poor animals, the sheep and • cattle, would suffer with the heat and smoke. Last night the fire was still going, and we heard! that the sawmill men had given up hope of saving the sawmill, so they had thrown: the saws and belting into the dam. At time of writing we have not heard how it went with the sawmill, but the rein came down 1 about 3 tbis'morning, and the wind dropped, so very likely the danger to the mill waa averted. After church last night my cousin and I went round by the gorge road,-, so' that we -could view the fire- properly. ' Ho-W very lovely the hills looked with their] twinkling lights. The flameß had died down', and the stumps and half-burnt trees were standing ' bright and red. It put one mi mind of Dunedin by night, when all th« lights axe lit up. One of our friends, wh« lives right in the centre of the scene of th» fire, had a duck sitting on a very special' setting of eggs. The log under which the; duck was sitting caught fire, and they were kept busy pouring x water on the log, as tha duck did not leave her nest. The old duck should be proud of herself if she manages' to hatch those ducklings. I knew a duck, which tried to hatch a duckling out of a stone bottle ; the bottle had to be taken away, before she would leave the nest. Like ci number of people, she was trying to do the. impossible. How very lovely the country ia at present! To-day, after the rain, the fttgrance of the trees and flowers waa delicious. Robed n their mantle of white andl golden blossoms, the kowhais and the hawthorns are making a splendid show. No wonder the tui likes the honey -fron* the kowhai blosoms; it is very palatable: I I tasted some for the first time the other evening. I wonder how many Old Writers will I write since Dot has requested them to dq so? It would take too long to mention all those I would like to see have letters in) but I hope Do€ will be rewarded by q gathering together of all the very Olq Writers, and that her efforts to make thq page a means of pleasure and usefulness to all will be successful. January 2! — and this was written over a month ago in orael to be ready in plenty of, time for * Ola Writers' Week! It is ratfier stale* and b9< hind the times now, but I am sending iti If Dot sees fit to keep it v out it will no J mutter, as Old Writers' Week ia past, and the page is for the young. Concerning tn<aj | mill, which I mentioned in the former part* of my letter, it wae^not burnt; _danger to itt was' averted through the rein coming when* it did, though a fair amount of damage waa done to the tramway. There baa been a> goodn rally of Old Writers this time — better, inf fact, than there has ever been since 010ß Writers' Week .iros started. What a charm"-! ing letter had in! He, like me,-*'thlitkj| ( Dot's answers at the foot of all the .letters.lend an additional charm to the page. Xt. too, read them first, letters 1 afterwards, it very happy New Year to all! — Yours truly; RAGAMUFFIN.

[I am inserting your letter along willi ih« ordinary letters, Ragamuffin, as Old Writers? Week is already a thing of the past;- but it! is too interesting to be thrown aside. I was a- little ' puzzled, to tell the truth, -whe.il 33 came to your mention of the ko-whai iru bloom,, for it seemed to me it was all ovei long ago; but' the totter part of your letfal explained it. I am so glad you sent it in^ even though late.— DOT.]

Dear Dot,— lt seerfls such, a long timf since I last wrote to you. _ My brothers won't leave" me ai*>ne to -write this letter. We are having a pillow fight. I -was at Fortios© on Now Year's Day, at tie sport*, and enjoyed myself thoroughly, although i« was a rough day. I won\some races at thai sports. The rough sea which was running; swamped Mr Elliot's motor^Jaunch %.nd ij< was very hard work getting it ashore again. I was at the Bluff on the 2nd January fop a short "time, bui it was too rough to stayi .long, so I went up to Inveroargill in the afternoon. — Yours truly.

HOUR GLASS.

[Pillow fights and letter-writing can cerjt tainly not be carried on very well together^ end I should think it is the letter T writev who has to give way before long: was it so in your case? — DOT.]

Dear Dot, — Christmas and New Year ar«e now past, and I am> going to give you - an/ account of how I Spent them. School- brokeC up on December 20, and every child received? a prize. There were also three speeded prizes, one for the best writer, one for thai scholar most improved in writing, and one. for good conduct. I got the one for best writing. The names of my rvrizes were "The Ayres of Studleigh" and "Frank Fairlegh." They are both very nice books. On accounfc of the wet weather we were prevented from getting our shearing done before Christmas* so my Christmas was spent et home. Huzel' Stick wes one of our shearers. On the Saturday after Christmas we held our school' picnic at the mouth of the Tokomairiro River. The day proved to be very hoi, co we had great fun bathing, fishing off the rocks, etc. We left the coast at about 5 p.m. and arrived home at abous 7.30 p.ip. The next day my poor face was all sun* burned and blistered. We left home at halfv past 7 on New Year's morning to go tof Bull Creek, a pretty place situated on thff Akatore coast. We go-t there at 10.30 a.m., and watched! the bathers, who were swim-*' rtjing and diving, until dinner - time. After dinner I went and hied a ramble on the" Akatore beach. We left for home at aboutf 6 o'clock. After a very ooTd drive of aboutf 15 miles we arrived home safely. The next' day I went to the Tokomairiro Sunday School picnic, and' enjoyed myeeltvery much. I entered for. two races, and won them both. So ended my Christmas* and New Year. I .sent my auto, to Rondinell'a a month or two ago, but she must not have got it, for she has not sent me her^ yet. I received your Christmas carcf," dear Lola, and sent you one , In which I hope reaches you safely. I gofydiir letter, Carnation,, and jaien'd writing J to you soon."" Aa we' get the Witness, 'when it "is at few weeks old, I have only Teod 'the 1 first lot of O.W.W. letters. .I.^hjojed -them. a,lrv&ry much, especially those, of "Lola, -*Brenda, ; Lfcddie, Texas Jack, and Boadioea. I ant looking forwarji to leading , the next lot. Dffesn't Pat Murphy wrjrte lovely letters? J