Two policemen and a Dog

Kimberley July 4th 1898

My dear Joe

You had no occasion to tell one you were in a "thundering" hurry when you wrote your letter of June 11th. Such awful writing it would be difficult to equal even in an infant school! Not only was the writing bad, but there was not any attempt to form letters. Many words were quite illegible. Whatever improvement you have made in other things, you have gone backwards in handwriting. You wrote a much better hand three years ago, than you do now.

I am afraid I shall have to write to Sir Edmund about it, unless I can see some improvement, or at all events some decided effort at improvement. - There - that finishes the "blowing up".

I am glad you have been doing so well in algebra. I wish you would tell me more of what you are doing in school. What you are doing in the workshops, in Electricity - chemistry - and how you like the various sorts of work you go in for. I hope you are working hard at all your studies - never losing sight of the fact, that your future will depend in a great measure on how you employ your time now. Play hard in play time, and work hard in work time. Never be idle, or lounge about doing nothing. In the evening read good useful books, or cultivate some hobby, and work at that. Whatever you go in for, stick to. Don't go in for a lot of things and get tired of them, and leave them off. If you commence a job - finish it. Devote the same pains to the end of it, as you did at the beginning. Never scamp anything.

Did you read that story in the Diamond Fields advertiser about two weeks ago, about the two policemen at Tate, and their dog? You may have overlooked it, so I will try and remember the story.
Two policemen stationed at Tate went out for a day's fishing accompanied by their dog. When they reached the pool they had marked for their operatons, they arranged their rods and tackle and stood for a long time fishing in vain. The fish wouldn't bite; and after a time their patience was exhausted. Rolling up their lines they determined to try Dynamite. "Hullo! here's some fun at last"; said the dog as he pricked his ears and wagged his tail watching his masters arranging the Dynamite charge, the cap, and the fuse. "Anything is better than the deadly monotony of watching people throwing a line into the water and pull it out.

The dog frolicked about barking gleesome barks, as he watched proceedings. The policemen attached a minute fuse with a detonator to a full charge of Dynamite, and lighting it heave it into the pool. "Here's a lark said the dog, I'm wanted to fetch that out - nothing I would like better" - (to be continued in Raymond's letter).
God bless you my dear boy, your loving father Frank Mandy