OCR | |
 | On our selection Rudd, Steele (A.H.Davis) (1868-1935) Uni[...] |
| [...]ian Etexts 1890-1909 short stories prose fiction On our selection Sydney The Bulletin Newspaper 1899 |
| [Dedication] PIONEERS OF AUSTRALIA! To You “Who Gave Our Country Birth;” to the memory of You whose name[...]deeds of fortitude and daring were never engraved on tablet or tombstone; to You who strove through th[...]away; to You who have no place in the history of our Country so far as it is yet written; to Yo[...] |
| Contents CONTENTS, PAGE, CHAPTER I, STARTING THE SELECTION 1 CHAPTER II, OUR FIRST HARVEST 8 CHAPTER III, BEFORE WE GOT THE DE[...]4 CHAPTER XIV, WHEN DAN CAME HOME 124 CHAPTER XV, OUR CIRCUS 132 CHAPTER XVI, WHEN JOE WAS IN CH[...] |
| On Our Selection. |
| Chapter I. Starting the Selection. IT'S twenty years ago now since we settled on the Creek. Twenty years! I remember well the day we came from Stanthorpe, onon; and everyone had to keep outside that day till it was dry. There were no locks on the doors: pegs were put in to keep them fast at[...]r we could easily see through them anybody coming on horseback. Joe and I used to play at counting the[...]Mother and us out to see the paddock and the flat on the other side of the gully that he was going to[...]as no fence round the paddock, but he pointed out on a tree the surveyor's marks, showing the boundary of our ground. It must have been fine land, the way Dad talked about it! There was very valuable timber on it, too, so he said; and he showed us a place, among some rocks on a ridge, where he was sure gold would be found, b[...]ent back that evening and turned over every stone on the ridge, but we did n't find any gold. No mist[...]ember how Mother, when she was alone, used to sit on a log, where the lane is now, and cry for[...] |
| [...]me to put it in; so we laboured the harder. With our combined male and female forces and the aid of a[...]ing armfuls of sticks, while the clothes clung to our backs with a muddy perspiration. Sometimes Dan an[...]ve wanted to know why Dad did n't take up a place on the plain, where there were no trees to grub and[...]ly over; Dan had finished, and was taking it easy on the sofa, when Joe said: “T say, Dad, w[...] |
| [...]then came a problem that could n't be worked-out on a draught-board. I have already said that we had n't any draught horses; indeed, the only thing on the selection like a horse was an old “tuppy” mare t[...] |
| Chapter I. Our First Harvest IF there is anything worse than bu[...]ng the last of the grain when Fred Dwyer appeared on the scene. Dad stopped and talked with him while we (Dan, Dave and myself) sat on our hoe-handles, like kangaroos onon to speak of places he knew of where they preferre[...]o you know about it?” Dan answered quietly: “On'y this, that it's nothing but tomfoolery, this ho[...]s all round. The corn continued to grow—so did our hopes, but a lot faster. Pulling |
| [...]” with hoes was but child's play—we liked it. Our thoughts were all on the boots; 'twas months months since we had pulled on a pair. Every night, in bed, we decided twenty ti[...]four acres of corn ripened. He went, and returned on the day Tom and Bill were born—twins. Maybe his[...]did n't take long to pull it, but Dad had to put on his considering-cap when we came to the question[...]Yes, when it was shelled! We had to shell it with our hands, and what a time we had! For the first half[...]next day, talk about blisters! we could n't close our hands for them, and our faces had to go without a wash for a fortnight.[...]stomer when we went in, so he told Dad to “hold on a bit”. Dad felt very pleased—so did I.[...]peechless, and looked sick. He went home and sat on a block and stared into the fire with his[...] |
| fire. That was our first harvest. |
| Chapter 111. Before We Got The Deeds OUR selection adjoined a sheep-run on the Darling Downs, and boasted of few and scant i[...]e best legs of any trousers that might be hanging on the log reserved as a clothes-line, then leave in[...]he expected. All we got out of it was a bag of flour—I do n't know what the storekeeper got.[...] |
| [...]dinner that day. The girls did n't want to lay it on the table at first, but Mother said he would n't[...]it was n't often he got any poultry. He tramped on again, and the girls were very glad he did n't kn[...]was good feed, but she was n't one that fattened on grass. Birds took kindly to her—crows mostly—[...]ever rode her) they used to follow, and would fly on ahead to wait in a tree and “caw” when he was[...]'t know any more, but he stopped swearing and sat on a stump looking at a patch of barley they had des[...]sized the table into Mother's lap, and everything on it smashed except the tin-plates and the pints. The lamp fell on Dad, too, and the melted fat scalded his a[...] |
| the deeds. Anderson left, and Dad sat on the edge of the sofa and seemed to be counting the grains on a corn-cob that he lifted from the floor, while Mother sat looking at a kangaroo-tail on the table and did n't notice the cat drag it off.[...]himself manipulated an old bell that he had found on a bullock's grave, and made a splendid noise with[...]tampede. Emelina was back, anyway, with the swag on, but Dad was n't. We caught her, and Dave pointed[...]ened. Dan found Dad, with his shirt off, at a pub on the main road, wanting to fight the publican for[...]to come home. Two men brought him home that night on a sheep-hurdle, and he gave up the idea of[...] |
| [...]Anderson many and many times after that borrowed our dray. Now Dad regularly curses the deeds[...] |
| [...]own the hole shovelling up the dirt; Joe squatted on the brink catching flies and letting them go agai[...]terhole, cried out that the grass paddock was all on fire. “So it is, Dad!” said Joe, slowly but s[...]ecause the day before he had ridden fifteen miles on a poor horse, bare-back. When near the fire Dad s[...]t's no use,” said Dad at last, placing his hand on his head, and throwing down his bough. We[...] |
| Dad reflected, while Dan felt the edge on the axe with his thumb. Dad said, “Won't Missu[...]until he dropped the butt-end of a heavy sapling on his foot, which made him hop about on one leg and say that he was sick and tired of the[...]out if she had taken any. I don't know if it was on account of Dan arguing with him, or if it[...] |
| [...]the storekeeper let us have another bag of flour on credit. And what a change that bag of flour wroug[...]w to make a new kind. He roasted a slice of bread on the fire till it was like a black coal, then pour[...]Dad himself wore a pair of boots with soles tied on with wire; and Mother fell sick. Dad did all he could—waited on her, and talked hopefully of the fortune w[...] |
| [...]branding— anything rather than work and starve on the selection. That's fifteen years ago, and Dad is still on the farm. |
| [...]IT had been a bleak July day, and as night came on a bitter westerly howled through the trees. Cold![...]lf had fancied the other one day that Dad hung it on a post as a mark to go by while ploughing. “My[...]remarked to Mrs. Brown— who sat, cold-looking, on the sofa—as he staggered inside with an immense[...]as nothing in Dad's eyes. Mrs. Brown had been at our place five or six days. Old Brown called o[...] |
| [...]it—and the grass as well. What they would start on next—ourselves or the cart- harness—was n't q[...]bled along in the dark one behind the other, with our hands stuffed into our trousers. Dad was in the lead, and poor Joe, bare[...]d bootless, in the rear. Now and again he tramped on a Bathurst-burr, and, in sitting down to extract[...]der, and blew and blew. Dave, in pausing to wait on Joe, would mutter: “To hell with everything! W[...]” Dad could n't see very well in the dark, and on this night could n't see at all, so he walked up[...]aking most of it with him. “That's one wallaby on the wheat, anyway,” Dave muttered, and w[...] |
| [...]earied of heaving fire-sticks at the enemy we sat on our heels and cursed the wind, and the winter, and th[...]all. Dave could n't make him out. The night wore on. By-and-by there was a sharp rattle of wires, the[...]e. At dawn he appeared again, with a broad smile on his face, and told us that mother had got another[...]. Then we knew why Mrs. Brown had been staying at our place. |
| [...]e fire—all except Joe. He was mousing. He stood on the sofa with one ear to the wall in a listening[...]r—layers of newspapers that had been pasted one on the other for years until they were an inch thick[...]he fire-place—Dave at the other with his elbows on his knees and his chin resting in his palms. “[...]” No one heeded him. “Would your Mother's go on you?” “Might,” and Dave spat into the fire. “Anyway,” Dad went on, “we must have a go at this handicap with the o[...]shanty-keeper at the Overhaul—seven miles from our selection. They were the first of the kind held in t[...] |
| [...]ould say, “great breeding; look at the shoulder on her, and the loin she has; and where did ever you[...]hance in the race, Dad reckoned, was a small sore on her back about the size of a foal's foot. She had had that sore for upwards of ten years to our knowledge, but Dad hoped to have it cured before[...]d fat. Every day, along with Dad, we would stand on the fence near the house to watch Dave gallop Bes[...]nd apply more burnt-leather and fat to her back. On the morning preceding the race Dad decided[...] |
| [...]might have been five, and there was a stony ridge on the way. We mounted the fence and waited. Tommy[...]op it, you fool!” he shouted. But Dave sat down on her for the final effort and applied the hide fas[...]e ground, and over sh! e went— crash! Dave fell on his head and lay spread out, motionless. We picked him up and carried him inside, and when Mother saw blood on him she fainted straight off without waiting to k[...]ter spending fully an hour trying in vain to pull on Mother's elastic-side boots, decided to ride in h[...]if anything happened the blame would for ever be on his head. We arrived at the Overhaul in good tim[...]andicap!” was at last sung out, and Dad, saddle on arm, advanced to where Dave was walking Be[...] |
| [...]mped down and pulled them off—leaving his socks on. More than a dozen horses went out, and when the starter said “Off!” did n't they go! Our eyes at once followed Bess. Dave was at her right[...]k of the course you could see the whole of Kyle's selection and two of Jerry Keefe's hay- stacks between her[...]nner, Dad was n't to be found anywhere. Dave sat on the grass quite exhausted. “Ain't y' goin' to p[...]” he said, taking off his hat and striking Bess on the rump with it; “besh bred mare in the worl'.[...]t say anything; he could n't. “Eh?” Dad went on; “say sh'ain't? L'ere—ever y' name is—betch[...]eed and fatten the rogues and vagabonds that live on the sport. |
| [...]f grease, grass, and fragments of dry gum-leaves. On his head were two old felt hats—one sewn inside the other. On his back a shirt made from a piece of blue blanke[...]flew up and shaved her left ear. She put the tea on the ground and went in search of eggs for dinner.[...]ed” the last time we killed.) The tea remained on the ground. Chips fell into it. The dog saw it. H[...]ked the cup over with her nose; then she sat down on it, while the family joyously gathered round the saucer. Still the man chopped on. Mother returned—without any eggs. She[...] |
| [...]ng slightly. “ They're in the wood!” he went on. “Ha, ha! I've got them. They'll never get out;[...]en began to cry. The chain for hanging the kettle on started swinging to and fro. Mother's knees gave[...]. Sal shook her, and slapped her, and threw water on her till she sat up and stared about. Then Joe st[...], and asked him what he meant by keeping a madman onon, now!” Dad said, pointing to the rails.[...] |
| [...]s holding some eggs in her apron. Dad was leaning onon his shoulder to cut burr. Middle of summer. Dad[...]” “Mind, Mother!” Sal shrieked, jumping up on the sofa. Mother screamed and mounted the table.[...]safe and drank up some milk which had been spilt on the floor. Mother saw its full length and groaned[...]ed Sal, gathering up her skirts and dancing about on the sofa. Mother squealed hysterically. Joe app[...]her and Sal ran off for Dad. Jack fixed his eyes on the snake and continued muttering to himse[...] |
| [...]together. Finally, he killed the snake and put it on the fire; and Joe and the cat watched it wriggle on the hot coals. Meanwhile, Jack, bare-headed, rus[...]r little Bill, and tumbled through the wire-fence on to the broad of his back. He roared like a wild b[...]. “Oh, of course it's nonsense,” Mother went on; “everything I say is nonsense. It won't be nonsense when you come home some day and find us all on the floor with our throats cut.” “Pshaw!” Dad answered[...] |
| [...]“Tt's no use bein' afraid of him,” Dad went on. “We must go and bounce him, that's all.[...] |
| [...]nd Sal were ironing came to the door with the axe on his shoulder. They dropped the irons and shrank[...]He took no notice of them, but, moving stealthily on tip-toes, approached the bedroom door and peeped[...]eeps no Sunday; knows no companion; lives chiefly on meat and machine oil; domiciles in the bar[...] |
| [...]Hut. WE always looked forward to Sunday. It was our day of sport. Once, I remember, we thought it wou[...]d; war declared against the marsupial; and a hunt on a grand scale arranged for this particular Sabbat[...]bourhood hunted the kangaroo every Sunday, but “on their own,” and always on foot, which had its fatigues. This was to be a raid en masse and on horseback. The whole country-side was to assemble[...]kangaroo-dogs! We were not ready. The crowd sat on their horses and waited at the slip- rails. Dogs trooped into the yard by the dozen. One pounced on a fowl; another lamed the pig; a trio put the cat[...]with Mother who should open the safe. Dad loosed our three, and pleased they were to feel themselves f[...]ide experience in dogs and coursing “at home” on his grandfather's large estates, and always found[...]Dave, showing a neat seat, rode out of the yard on Bess, fresh and fat and fit to run for a kingdom.[...]as if feeling his way, and paused again. Joe was on his back behind the saddle. Dad tugged hard at the |
| [...]d Farmer what he afterwards called “a sollicker on the tail.” Again he kicked him. Still Farmer st[...]son and old Brown, and down rolled Joe and Farmer on the other side of the fence. The others leant aga[...]did he would be a dead man now. A little further on the huntsmen sighted a mob of kangaroos. J[...] |
| [...]aroo; and as he raised himself to his full height on his toes and tail he looked formidable—a grand[...]ad was disgusted. He and Joe approached the enemy on Farmer. Dad carried a short stick. The “old man[...]n Dad, and, half jumping, half falling, he landed on the ground, and set out speedily for a tree. Dad[...]heavy thuds! The kangaroo retaliated, putting Dad on the defensive. Dad displayed remarkable supplenes[...]Dad breathed freely again. He was acting entirely on the defensive, but an awful consciousness[...] |
| [...]louds, Brindle and five or six other dogs pounced on the “old man.” The rest may be imagined. Dad lay on the ground to recover his wind, and when he mount[...]d for home, Paddy Maloney was triumphantly seated on the carcase of the fallen enemy, exultingl[...] |
| [...]the plough-handles, and, with one tremendous pull on the reins, Dave would haul them back on to their rumps. Then he would rush |
| up and kick the colt on the root of the tail, and if that did n't make hi[...]mething, it caused him to rear ! up and fall back on the plough and snort and strain and struggle till there was not a stitch left on him but the winkers. Now, if Dave was noted for[...]was fairly up, swear with distinction and effect. On this occasion he swore through the whole afternoo[...]and left lying. It clung to him. He hopped along on one leg, trying to kick it off; still it clung to[...]confusion. Dave abused Joe remorselessly. “Go on!” he howled, waving in the air a fistful of gra[...]ou're only a damn nuisance.” Joe's eyes rested on the fistful of grass. They lit up suddenly. “L[...]hes and scars. He looked at it again; then he sat on the beam of the plough, pale and miserable-lookin[...]got bit by a adder—a sudden-death adder—right on top o' the finger.” How Mother screamed! “My[...]ear! oh dear! oh dear!” Joe had not calculated on this injunction. He dropped his head and said sul[...]he could say another word a tin-dish left a dinge on the back of his skull that will accompany[...] |
| on her hat and ran for Maloney. Meanwhile Dave took the horses out, walked inside, and threw himself on the sofa without uttering a word. He felt ill. M[...]he knife and beckoned to his man, who was looking on from the door. They both took a firm hold[...] |
| [...]was n't a struggle left in him. They placed him on the sofa again, Maloney keeping him awake with a[...], ol' wom'n!” Dad mumbled, and dropped his chin on his chest. Maloney began to take another[...] |
| [...]og stretched across the doorway. A child's bonnet on the floor— the child out in the sun. Two horse[...]in his power to persuade Farmer to get up and go on with the ploughing. I don't know if Dad knew anyt[...]ved. “W-w-wuz they at him, Dad?” Dad turned on him, trembling with rage. “Oh, you son[...] |
| which struck him on the back as he made away. But nothing short of tw[...]did Dad, or had been taken in by him oftener; but on this occasion Dad was in no easy or benevolent fr[...]. Then, saying that Mick would come for the horse on the day following, and after offering a little gratuitous advice on seed-wheat and pig-sticking, the Donovans left. |
| [...]the bushes. He was n't dead, because when Joe sat on him he moved. “There he is,” said Dad, grinning. Mick remained seated on his horse, bewildered-looking, staring first at F[...]mbers of a few fowls that for months had insisted on roosting on the cross-beam. Mrs. Maloney was arguing[...] |
| [...]her. Dad was uncommunicative. There was something on his mind. He waited till the company had gone, th[...]Dave. They were outside, in the dark, and leant on the dray. Dad said in a low voice: “He's come a[...]he preferred to be silent. “Then,” Dad went on, “clear out of this as fast as you can go, an' think y'rself lucky.” He cleared, but on foot. Dad gazed after him, and, as he lef[...] |
| [...]re before.” “It's only fancy,” Mother went on. “And you've been brooding and brooding till it[...]nto the fire. Dad's inclination was to leave the selection, but Mother pleaded for another trial of it—just one more. She had wonderful faith in the selection, had Mother. She pleaded until the fire bu[...] |
| [...]k. Any of us but Joe—he was sent only once, and on that occasion he stayed at Anderson's to breakfast, and on his way back successfully burnt out two grass pad[...]have such a horse. Smith offered to exchange for our roan saddle mare —one we found running in the lane, and advertised as being in our paddock, and no one claimed it. Dad exchanged. H[...]the chains. Dad touched him again. Then he stood on his fore-legs and threw about a hundredweight of[...]he furrow. Dad took the scraper again, welted him on the rump, dug it into his back-bone, prodded him[...]l him out of it.” Shall I ever forget the look on Dad's face! He brandished the scraper and sprang[...]and examined them. No teeth were there. He looked on the ground round about—none there either. He lo[...]phantly, and joyously rolled in the dam where all our water came from, drinking-water included. |
| [...]turned very pale. Joe said: “There's “Q.P.” on his saddle-cloth; what's that for, Dad?” But he did n't answer—he was thinking hard. “And,” Joe went on, “there's somethin' sticking out of his pocket— Dave thinks it'll be 'ancuffs.” Dad shuddered. On the way to the house Joe wished to speak about th[...]horse and nobody claims him, can't I put my brand on him?” The policeman jerked back his head[...] |
| finding something on a chain one day. He had never seen anything like[...]ngs. He observed that whenever Jacob Lipp came to our place he always, when going home, ran along the f[...]e Lipps had newly arrived from Germany, and their selection adjoined ours. Jacob was their “eldest”, abou[...]ering, jolly-faced youth he was. He often came to our place and followed Joe about. Joe never cared muc[...]re unadulterated Australian. Still Jacob insisted on talking and telling Joe his private affairs. Thi[...]er. Joe had an idea. He would set the steel-trap on a wire-post and catch Jacob. He set it. Jacob sta[...]e it before! He sprang in the air—threw himself on the ground like a roped brumby—jumped up again[...]thought he must have gone mad and ran after him. Our Mother fairly tore after her. Dad and Dave[...] |
| [...]as though every farmer in every farming district on earth had had a heavy crop, for the market[...] |
| Chapter XII. Kate's Wedding. OUR selection was a great place for dancing. We could all dance[...]ushed in he had to bail it out. Dad always looked on the dark side of things. He had no ear for music[...]me miserable when it might have been the metriest on earth. Sometimes it happened that he had to throw[...]instrument down immediately he would tear it from our hands and pitch it outside. If we did lay[...] |
| [...]t learnt. She taught Sal. Sal taught Dave, and so on. Sandy Taylor was Kate's tutor. He passed our place every evening going to his selection, where he used to sleep at night (fulfilling cond[...]cing. Sandy was a fine dancer himself, very light on his feet and easy to waltz with—so the girls ma[...]pommel of his saddle, he would sound a full blast on it as a preliminary. Then he would strike up “T[...]day night, and only Kate and Dave were asked from our place. Dave was very pleased to be invited; it wa[...]d erect, then he bowed gracefully to the saplings on his right, then to the stumps and trees on his left, and humming a tune, ambled across a sma[...]ing him in wonder from behind a fence, bolted for our place. “Mrs. Rudd! Mrs. Rudd!” he sho[...] |
| [...]out it, and were very pleased it would be held in our own house, because all of us could go then. None[...]in a bucket of mixture, with a stack of cow-dung on one side, and a heap of sand and the shovel on the other. Dave and Joe were burning a cow[...] |
| [...]Kate and Sandy. Dave whistled and piled more wood on the dead cow. Mother came out and called Dave and[...]uld n't go, but sent Joe. Dave threw another log on the cow, then thought he would see what was going on inside. He stood at the window and looked in. He[...]in. There were Dad, Joe, and the lot of them down on their marrow-bones saying something after the par[...]roo-dog slipped in and grabbed all the fresh meat on the table; but Dave managed to kick him in the ri[...]got a big stack of rye from it. The wedding was on a Wednesday, and at three o'clock in the afternoo[...]one who came in to dinner; the others mostly sat on their heels in a row and waited in the sha[...] |
| [...]only three notes out of it; but Jim Burke jumped on his horse and went home for his accordion.[...] |
| [...]o sleep upon the floor inside the house. The iron on the skillion cracked and sweated—so did Dad and[...]knew it meant half-an-hour in the shade fixing it on again. “Anyway,” Dad went on, “we'll go to dinner now.” On the way to the house he several times looked at t[...]” he said, casting an eager glare at everything on the table. “She tried to jump and got stuck on the fence, and broke it all down. On'y I could n't get anything, I'd er broke 'er head—there was n't a thing, on'y dead cornstalks and cow-dung about.” T[...] |
| [...]t in, and put it in the safe—I don't know where on earth to put the meat, I'm sure; if I put it in a[...]isappeared down the yard. Eggs were not plentiful on our selection, because we too often had to eat the hens when th[...]four were as many as we ever saw at one time. So on this day, when Joe appeared with a hatful, there[...]e eggs fell out of the hat and went off “pop” on the floor. Dave nearly upset the table, he rose[...]t him. Joe must have had a fine nerve. “That's on'y one bad 'n',” he said, taking the rest[...] |
| [...]ullock was reaching for his waistcoat, which hung on a branch of a low tree. Dad sang out. The bullock[...]to it been a little longer, he might have trodden on them and pulled it back, but he did n't. Joe deem[...]g over his face as though a spring had broken out on top of his head. Dad jumped a log and trie[...] |
| [...]d, as there was no fat in the house, Dad squatted on the floor and read by the firelight. He plodded[...], and threw out those strange sobs and moans that on wild nights bring terror to the hearts of bush ch[...]he slabs. Old Bob said he would go before it came on, and started into the inky darkness. “It's com[...]st it; Dave stood to the front one; and Sarah sat on the sofa with her arms around Mother, telling her[...]mmenced to give. Several times the ends rose (and our hair too) and fell back into place again w[...] |
| [...]. Then the wind went down and it rained— rained on us all night. Next morning Joe had been to the n[...]llow! ” Joe asked what could We planted him on his own selection beneath a gum-tree, where for years and ye[...] |
| [...]e Home. ONE night after the threshing. Dad lying onour family, took down his slate with a hint of schola[...]gs—a.... A, Dad? We've not done any at a; she's on'y showed us per!” “ Per bushel, then![...] |
| [...]igher than Dad. Dad was delighted. He put a fire on, made tea, and he and Dan talked till near daybre[...]nd; he would have him remain and help to work the selection. But Dan only shook his head and laughed. Dan ac[...]ose by, and talked to Dad from there as he passed on his rounds. Sometimes Dan used to forget to talk[...]have a good camp. Dan went. He stretched himself on the sofa, and smoked and spat on the floor and played the concertina—an old one[...]iggins it was the old man saw in a game like that on a hot day; and return to the sofa, tired. But eve[...]going away. One day Anderson's cows wandered into our yard and surrounded the hay-stack. Dad saw[...] |
| [...]s leg, clean th! roug h the house. Dan found the selection pretty slow—so he told Mother—and thought he[...]the collar off Captain the brute tramped heavily on his toe, and took the nail off. Supper was n't re[...]about the room. Dad stood at the door and looked on, with blood in his eye. “Look here!” he thun[...]Dad was hot. “Out of this!” (placing his hand on Dan, and shoving him). “You've loafed long enough on me! Off y' go t' th' devil!” Dan went o[...] |
| Chapter XV. Our Circus. DAVE had been to town and came home full of circus. He sat on the ground beside the tubs while Mother and Sal w[...]Joe's estimation. Raining. All of us inside. Sal on the sofa playing the concertina; Dad squatting on the edge of a flat stone at the corner of the fireplace; Dave on another opposite; both gazing into the fire, whic[...]t her cheek, also enjoying the music. Sal played on until the concertina broke. Then there was a sile[...]r than the dog. One day a circus-tent went up in our yard. It attracted a lot of notice. Two of the Johnsons and old Anderson and others rode in on draught- horses and inspected it. And Smit[...] |
| [...]ght up with. Everyone in the district knew about our circus, and longed for the opening night. It came[...]ragged Ned into the dressing-room and punched him on the nose. Paddy Maloney made a speech. He said: “Well, the next item on the programme'll knock y' bandy. Keep quiet, you[...]he ring, pulling at a string. There was something on the string. “Come on!” Joe said, tugging. The “something” would[...]garoo was heaved in through the doorway, and fell on its head and raised the dust. A great many[...] |
| into the bedroom, and sprang on the bed among a lot of babies and women's hats.[...]and Dave and “Podgy,” the pet sheep, rode out on Nugget. Podgy sat with hind-legs astride the hors[...]caught in his clothes and made trouble. Dave hung on one side of the horse and the sheep dangled on the other. Dave sang out, so did Podgy. An[...] |
| [...]ow long the cat would live. The Rev. Macpherson, on his way to christen M'Kenzie's baby, called in fo[...]e glided silently up the yard. Anderson, passing on his old bay mare, heard the noise, and cam[...] |
| [...]rson,” he cried, rushing inside again. “Come on then,” Anderson said, “we'll take off his fin[...]on took hold of him and placed the wounded finger on a block, and Dad faced him with the hammer and a[...]though, and with Sal's assistance held his finger on the block till Dad carefully rested the chisel on it and brought the hammer down. It did n't sever[...]said he could. He slept in Dave's bed; Dave slept on the sofa. “If Joe ain't dead, and wuz t[...] |
| [...]inning awhile, then stood up, and started pulling on his trousers, which he drew from under his pillow. He had put one leg into them when his eyes rested on a pair of black feet uncovered at the foot of the[...]oud of his male prerogatives. He looked after the selection, minded the corn, kept Anderson's and Dwyer's and[...]It was while Joe was in charge that Casey came to our place. A starved- looking, toothless littl[...] |
| [...]gain and drove the cows away, and mended the wire on his way back. At sundown Casey was cutting more[...]n we were at supper he brought it in and put some on the fire, and went out again slowly. Mother and[...]h us altogether. He took a lively interest in the selection. The house, he said, was in the wrong plac[...] |
| [...]out lustily. Every day saw Casey more at home at our place. He was a very kind man, and most obliging.[...]not to be in a hurry about returning it. Joe got on well with Casey. Casey's views on hard work were the same as Joe's. Hard work, Joe thought, was n't necessary on a selection. Casey knew a thing or two—so he said. One fin[...]is long, brown arm. Casey came again and fastened on to Dwyer. Joe mounted the stockyard. Dwyer seized Casey with both hands; then there was a struggle—on Casey's part. Dwyer lifted him up and carried him away and set him down on his back, then hastened to the rails. But before[...]nd gasped. Dwyer stared about. A plough-rein hung on the yard. Dwyer reached for it. Casey yell[...] |
| [...]he sheet. For three weeks Casey was an invalid at our place. He would have been invalided there for the[...]os were getting scarce where he was camped; while our paddocks were full of them. Joe started a mob nea[...]a week since he'd had a billyful—Joe told him. On the morning of the third day the barn-door[...] |
| [...]louder, and wrung her hands; but it had no effect on Bluey. He was a good dog, was Bluey! At last, Mo[...]s he went. Then the kangaroo raised itself slowly on to its hands and knees. It was very white[...] |
| [...]DAD used to say that Shingle Hut was the finest selection on Darling Downs; but we never could see anything fi[...]it, or he would n't have stood feasting his eyes on the wooded waste after he had knocked off work of[...]he used to say, “it's a fortune in itself. Hold on till the country gets populated, and firewood is[...]ct of Government land—mostly mountains—marked on the map as the Great Dividing Range. Splendid cou[...]d, after supper, Dad and Dave were outside, lying on some bags. They had been grubbing that day, and w[...]he stars; Dave upon his stomach, his head resting on his arms. Both silent. One of the draught-[...] |
| [...]y than that out there for cattle? Why” (turning on his side and facing Dave) “with a thousand acre[...]sich in a very few years.” Dave raised himself on his elbow. “Y airs—with cattle,” he said.[...]ouple of wires round it, put every cow we've here on it straight away; get another one or two when the[...]let alone. Look at Murphy, for instance. Started on that place with two young heifers—those two old[...]ut the fat bullocks, whip them into town, and get our seven and eight pounds a head for them.” “Th[...]n' about after cattle,” Dave said. “Yes, get our seven and eight pounds, maybe nine or ten pounds a-piece. And could ever we do that pottering about on the place?” Dad leaned over further and[...] |
| [...]asked Mother what he had said. Mother was seated on the sofa, troubled-looking. “He must be paid b[...]sting into tears, “or the place'll be sold over our heads.” Dad stood with his back to the fire-pl[...]nd locked behind him, watching the flies swarming on the table. Dave came in. He understood the situa[...]his finger, reflecting. Little Bill put his head on Mother's lap, and asked for a piece of bread. ...[...]” Dad went outside and Dave followed. They sat on their heels, their backs to the barn, thou[...] |
| [...]ar enough, too! But, then, that was all mere talk on Dad's part. He /oved the selection. To every inch— every stick of it—he was devo[...]llup and, with Mother by the hand and little Bill on his back, stalk into town to hang round and abuse[...]etch him.” “Oh, I'll fetch 'im.” And Dave, on the strength of having made a valuable suggestion[...]the sofa and stretched himself upon it. Dad went on thinking awhile. “How much,” he at las[...] |
| [...]s. “To begin with, how many bears do you reckon on getting in a day?” “In a day” reflectively[...]up and down beside Dad, with the plough-reins in our hands, flies in our eyes and burr in our feet—finished being the target for Dad's blasph[...]through the trees, till warned by Dad to “keep our eyes about;” then we settled down, and Joe found the first bear. It was on an ironbark tree, around the base of which we soo[...]nd crawled cautiously along the limb the bear was on |
| [...]rselves with heavy sticks and waited. The dog sat on his tail and stared and whined at the bear. The l[...]g was in a hurry. He sprang in the air and landed on his back. But Dave had to make another nick or tw[...]og jumped to meet it. He met it, and was laid out on the grass. The bear scrambled to its feet and mad[...]ough, but we wandered far before we found another on a tree that Dave could climb, and, when we did, somehow or other the limb broke when he put his weight on it, and down he came, bear and all. Of cou[...] |
| [...]of wheat was the turning-point in the history of our selection. Things somehow seemed to go better; and Dad's fa[...]s rattle he would start to flinch. Put the cloth on his back—folded or otherwise—and, no matter h[...]anything to it. He just flinched—made the skin on his back—where there was any— quiver. Throw onon a six-year-old sore, or if you had an aversion to[...]when Joe stirred him up—rattled a piece of rock on |
| [...]ossom's foal got staked. Another day Dad was out on Ned, looking for the red heifer, and came across[...]he earth and stared as if he had never seen a man on horseback before. The young fellow sat on a log and stared too. The pup ran behind a[...] |
| [...]ith a strap, looking straight ahead. The man hung on. “Come 'long,” Dad said. The pup barked. “[...]piece of it came off; then Ned stumbled and went on his head. “What the devi!” Dad said, looking[...]s unreliable. You could n't reckon with certainty on getting her to start. All depended on the humour she was in and the direction you wishe[...]e was off helter-skelter. If it was n't, she'd go on strike—put her head down and chew the bit. Then, when you'd get to work on her with a waddy—which we always did—she'd wa[...], it was with a rush, and, if the slip-rails were on the ground, she'd refuse to take them. She'd stan[...]ecause he fell over Sandy and Kate. They had come on a visit, and were sleeping on the floor in the front room. We also heard[...] |
| [...]r head and switched her tail. Dad rattled a waddy on her and jammed his heels hard against her ribs. S[...]head and cow-kicked. Then he coaxed her. “Come on, old girl,” he said; “come on,”—and patted her on the neck. She liked being patted. That exasperated Dad. He hit her on the head with his fist. Joe ran out with a[...] |
| [...]he had had no wheat). “Why, once a farmer gets on at all he's the most independent man in the whole[...]a reflective turn of mind. “Jusso,” Dad went on, “but he must use his head; it's all in th' hea[...]D— ad!”—'t was Sal's voice) “ought t' get on where there's land like this.” “ Land[...] |
| on the road. “ Damn it! said Dad, glaring at Moth[...]nt Anderson £5; and improved Shingle Hut; and so on; very little of the £200 was left. Mother spoke[...]is hut to start his fire with, and a mile further on Smith's dog was barking furiously. He was a famou[...]at Eastbrook before mid- day. The old station was on its last legs. “The flags were flying half-mast[...]wd of people were there. Cart-horses with harness on, and a lot of tired-looking saddle-hacks, covered[...]them home. Rows of unshaven men were seated high on the rails of the yards. The yards were fil[...] |
| [...]saw Andy Percil with one. Most of the men seated on the rails jumped down into an empty yard and stoo[...]: “How much for the imported cow, Silky? No. 1 onon Dad, who was trying to find her number in the cat[...]our years old, by The Duke out of Dolly, to calve on the eighth of next month,” said the auctioneer.[...]t £12. Bidding became lively. Dave had his eye on the men with the beer—he was thirsty. He[...] |
| on sev'n poun'?” “ Twenny (hic) quid, ” Dave[...]hed “Dummy” threatened to carry the yard away on her back, and Dad ordered them off. Dad secured[...]so wild as she seemed, and when Dad went to work on her with a big stick she walked into the b[...] |
| [...]“Dummy” to her senses with a few heavy kicks on her nose, and proceeded to milk her again. “Dum[...]Joe owned a pet calf about a week old which lived on water and a long rope. Dad told him to fetch it t[...]n shillings and bought a goat, which Johnson shot on his cultivation and made Dad drag away. |
| [...]tal calculation. Then he fixed his eyes longingly on the one remaining scone, and ate faster and faste[...]nd a pint of tea in his hand—as far as the door on its back, and there scraped him off and spilled t[...]s commotion. Dave finished his tea at a gulp, put on his hat, and left by the back-door. Dad would hav[...]ted, and so was lost. Mother was restless—‘‘on pins and needles.” “And there ain't a bite t[...]ntist. Only Joe was unconcerned. He was employed on the last scone. He commenced it slowly. He wished[...]lovingly over it. Mother's eyes happened to rest on him. Her face brightened. She flew at Joe and cried: “Give me that scone!—put it back on the table this minute!” Joe became conc[...] |
| [...]any, and implored Mother not to put herself about on his account. He only required a cup of tea—noth[...]were threshing their wheat, and had borrowed all our crockery and cutlery—everybody's, in fact, in t[...]for the use of the men. Such was the custom round our way. But the minister did n't mind. On the contrary, he commended everybody for fellowsh[...]t it was a faithful steed. It stood there leaning on its forehead against a post. There was a brief si[...]an was glad—to get away. He found Mother seated on the ironbark table in the kitchen. They di[...] |
| [...]apered wall. Dad jumped round. A row of jackasses on a tree near by laughed merrily. Dad looked[...] |
| [...]ck-yard—his brown arms and bearded chin resting on a middle-rail—passively watching Dave an[...] |
| [...]g-block. They caught him then and put the saddle. On. Callaghan trembled. When the girths were tighten[...]oy.” “'8 all right, Dave; 's all right—git on!” From Paddy Maloney, impatiently. Padd[...] |
| [...]foot in the stirrup when his restless eye settled on a wire-splice in the crupper—also Dad's handiwo[...]t, what are y' {raid o', boy? That'll hold—jump on.” Paddy said: “ Now, Dave, while I've 'is 'e[...]stirrup, gripped the side of the pommel, and was on before you could say “Woolloongabba.”[...] |
| [...]—and he looked like dropping. Paddy hit himself on the leg, and vehemently invited Dave to “Look,[...]d put the fire out, and split the table, and fell on the sofa and the beds. Rain fell also, bu[...] |
| [...]h!” The kangaroo-dog had coiled himself snugly on a bag before the fire. Dad kicked him savagely an[...]y. The dog walked in at the back door and dropped on |
| [...]hen he had another squint at Dad's tooth. “Sit on the floor here,” he said, “cand I won't be a[...]im to fasten the sinew round it. The, twisting it on his wrist, he began to “hang on” with both hands. Dad struggled and groaned—t[...]e ground, two huge, ugly old teeth left Dad's jaw on the end of that sinew. “Holy!” cried the den[...]e was a fight under the table. Dad sat in a lump on the floor propping himself up with his hands; his head dropped forward, and he spat feebly on the floor. The pressman laughed and slapped Dad on the back, and asked “How do you feel, ol[...] |
| [...]s enjoyed her. The pressman wanted salt. None was on the table. Dad told Joe to run and get some—to[...]the pressman gave a jump that rattled the things on the table. “Oh-h-h! ... /'ve got it now!” he[...]went to the fire. Dad laughed some more. We ate on. The pressman continued to moan. Dad turned on his seat. “What paper, mister, do you say you c[...]he was layin’ in the gully, afore I knocked 'er on the head.” Canty, the storekeeper, look[...] |
| [...]. His face was flushed and wild- looking. “Come on out of this—for God's sake!” he said t[...] |
| [...]anged to accommodate her, month about, and it was our turn. And did n't Mother just load us up how we w[...]log for the fire, and we all helped him throw it on—all except the schoolmistress. Poor thing! She[...]omehow we did n't feel quite at home; but Dad got on well. He talked away learnedly to Miss Ribbone ab[...]feet, knocking over the box she had been sitting on, and stood for a time as though she had seen a gh[...]h her and seated her again, and Dad fixed his eye on |
| He was a small dog, a dog that was always on the watch—for meat; a shrewd, intelligent beast[...]st have put all the blessed blankets in the house on the school- teacher's bed. I don't know what she had on her own, but we only had the old bag-quilt and a[...]kirts, and other remnants of the family wardrobe, on ours. In the middle of the night, the whol[...] |
| [...]And did ever y' see such a object?” Mother went on. “The hands an' arms on her! Dear me! Why, I do believe if our Sal was to give her one squeeze she'd kill her. O[...]d Mother, pointing to a couple of dresses hanging on a nail — “she wears them on week-days, no less; and here” (raising the lid[...]ore did y'ever see such tucks and frills and lace on a night-shirt? Why, you'd think 't were for goin'[...]a pair of brand new stays, besides the ones she's on her back. Clothes!—she's nothin’ else but clo[...]nd said he thought there must have been something on that brush. Miss Ribbone did n't stay the[...] |
| [...]ONE evening a raggedly-dressed man, with a swag on his back, a bear- skin cap on his head, and a sheath-knife in his belt, came to our place and took possession of the barn. Dad ordere[...]t; and the man with the bear-skin cap passed from our minds. Church service was to be held at our selection. It was the first occasion, in fact, that the Gospel had come to disturb the contentedly irreligious mind of our neighbourhood. Service was to open at 3 p.m.; at[...]Nothing but bustle and hurry. Buttons to be sewn on Dave's shirt; Dad's pants—washed the night before and left on the clothes-line all night to bleach—lost; Litt[...]ed and fumbled till he lost patience; then he sat on the bed and railed at the women, and wished that[...]he went outside. The people commenced to arrive on horseback and in drays. The women went on to the verandah with their babies; the men[...] |
| [...]ed in the side-boards of the dray and placed them on boxes for seat accommodation, the clergyman await[...]People smiled. Then a team of bullocks appeared on the road. The driver drawled, “Wa-a-a-y!” and[...]ve a cove here,” he said, “that I found lying on |
| [...]d in a while the man opened his eyes. They rested on Dad, who was bending benignly over him. He seemed[...]barn. They carried the man inside and placed him on the sofa. But soon he took a turn. He sank quickl[...]. But the clergyman drew his own conclusions; and on the following Sunday, at Nobby-Nobby, he preached a stirring sermon on that touching bequest of the man with the[...] |
| [...]Sandy, whom we had only seen once since they went on their selection, were to be home. Dave, who was away shearing for[...]ver logs and stumps, and they would have fastened on the horses only the horses were fat and fresh and[...]might have thought Noah's ark had been emptied at our selection. Two days to Christmas. The sun getting low. An[...]squinting through the rails; little Bill perched on one of the round posts, nursing the steel and a l[...]th heat and excitement, and fixed a running noose on one end of it. Then— “Hunt 'em round![...] |
| [...]slowly in the centre, like a ring-master, his eye on the cow; a coil of rope was in this left hand, an[...]ed about her. Dad's blood was up. He was hanging on to the rope, his heels ploughing the dust, and th[...]-post, and pulled—pulled like sailors. Dad hung on close to the cow's head, while Joe kicked her wit[...]il and held the axe above the cow's head: “Hang on there now!” They closed their eyes and s[...] |
| [...]seated behind a well-filled pillow-slip strapped on the front of her saddle; Sandy with the baby in f[...]ned. Then they got back to the baby and disagreed on the question of family likeness. Kate thought the[...]ggested and promptly rejected. They could n't hit on a suitable one, and Kate would n't have an[...] |
| [...]ster whirled Sal and Paddy Maloney. And Paddy was on his mettle. He was lifting Sal off her feet. But[...]. That ended the tussle; and Paddy spread himself on the floor, his back to the wall, his legs extending to the centre of the room, his chin on his chest, and rested. Then enjoyment at[...] |
TXT | |
| On our selection Rudd, Steele (A.H.Davis) (1868-1935)[...] |
| [...]Etexts 1890-1909 short stories prose fiction On our selection Sydney The Bulletin Newspaper 1899 |
| [Dedication] PIONEERS OF AUSTRALIA! To You “Who Gave Our Country Birth;” to the memory of You whose name[...]deeds of fortitude and daring were never engraved on tablet or tombstone; to You who strove through th[...]away; to You who have no place in the history of our Country so far as it is yet written; to Yo[...] |
| [...]PAGE. CHAPTER I. STARTING THE SELECTION 1 CHAPTER II. OUR FIRST HARVEST 8 CHAP[...]E HOME 124 CHAPTER XV. OUR CIRCUS 132[...] |
| On Our Selection. |
| Chapter I. Starting the Selection. IT'S twenty years ago now since we settled on the Creek. Twenty years! I remember well the day we came from Stanthorpe, onon; and everyone had to keep outside that day till it was dry. There were no locks on the doors: pegs were put in to keep them fast at[...]r we could easily see through them anybody coming on horseback. Joe and I used to play at counting the[...]Mother and us out to see the paddock and the flat on the other side of the gully that he was going to[...]as no fence round the paddock, but he pointed out on a tree the surveyor's marks, showing the boundary of our ground. It must have been fine land, the way Dad talked about it! There was very valuable timber on it, too, so he said; and he showed us a place, among some rocks on a ridge, where he was sure gold would be found, b[...]ent back that evening and turned over every stone on the ridge, but we did n't find any gold. No mis[...]ember how Mother, when she was alone, used to sit on a log, where the lane is now, and cry for[...] |
| [...]e to put it in; so we laboured the harder. With our combined male and female forces and the aid of a[...]ing armfuls of sticks, while the clothes clung to our backs with a muddy perspiration. Sometimes Dan an[...]ve wanted to know why Dad did n't take up a place on the plain, where there were no trees to grub and[...]ly over; Dan had finished, and was taking it easy on the sofa, when Joe said: “I say, Dad,[...] |
| [...]then came a problem that could n't be worked-out on a draught-board. I have already said that we had n't any draught horses; indeed, the only thing on the selection like a horse was an old “tuppy” mare t[...] |
| Chapter II. Our First Harvest IF there is anything worse than[...]ng the last of the grain when Fred Dwyer appeared on the scene. Dad stopped and talked with him while we (Dan, Dave and myself) sat on our hoe-handles, like kangaroos on their tails, and killed flies. Terrible were the[...]said Dwyer; “I hope it do.” Then Dad went on to speak of places he knew of where they preferre[...]you know about it?” Dan answered quietly: “On'y this, that it's nothing but tomfoolery, this ho[...]all round. The corn continued to grow—so did our hopes, but a lot faster. Pulling |
| [...]” with hoes was but child's play—we liked it. Our thoughts were all on the boots; 'twas months months since we had pulled on a pair. Every night, in bed, we decided twenty ti[...]four acres of corn ripened. He went, and returned on the day Tom and Bill were born—twins. Maybe his[...]did n't take long to pull it, but Dad had to put on his considering-cap when we came to the question[...]Yes, when it was shelled! We had to shell it with our hands, and what a time we had! For the first half[...]next day, talk about blisters! we could n't close our hands for them, and our faces had to go without a wash for a fortnight.[...]stomer when we went in, so he told Dad to “hold on a bit”. Dad felt very pleased—so did I.[...]eechless, and looked sick. He went home and sat on a block and stared into the fire with his[...] |
| fire. That was our first harvest. |
| Chapter III. Before We Got The Deeds OUR selection adjoined a sheep-run on the Darling Downs, and boasted of few and scant i[...]e best legs of any trousers that might be hanging on the log reserved as a clothes-line, then l[...] |
| [...]dinner that day. The girls did n't want to lay it on the table at first, but Mother said he would n't[...]it was n't often he got any poultry. He tramped on again, and the girls were very glad he did n't kn[...]was good feed, but she was n't one that fattened on grass. Birds took kindly to her—crows mostly—[...]ever rode her) they used to follow, and would fly on ahead to wait in a tree and “caw” when he was[...]'t know any more, but he stopped swearing and sat on a stump looking at a patch of barley they had des[...]sized the table into Mother's lap, and everything on it smashed except the tin-plates and the pints. The lamp fell on Dad, too, and the melted fat scalded his a[...] |
| the deeds. Anderson left, and Dad sat on the edge of the sofa and seemed to be counting the grains on a corn-cob that he lifted from the floor, while Mother sat looking at a kangaroo-tail on the table and did n't notice the cat drag it off.[...]himself manipulated an old bell that he had found on a bullock's grave, and made a splendid noise with[...]ampede. Emelina was back, anyway, with the swag on, but Dad was n't. We caught her, and Dave pointed[...]ened. Dan found Dad, with his shirt off, at a pub on the main road, wanting to fight the publican for[...]to come home. Two men brought him home that night on a sheep-hurdle, and he gave up the idea of[...] |
| [...]Anderson many and many times after that borrowed our dray. Now Dad regularly curses the deeds[...] |
| [...]own the hole shovelling up the dirt; Joe squatted on the brink catching flies and letting them go agai[...]terhole, cried out that the grass paddock was all on fire. “So it is, Dad!” said Joe, slowly but s[...]ecause the day before he had ridden fifteen miles on a poor horse, bare-back. When near the fire Dad s[...]t's no use,” said Dad at last, placing his hand on his head, and throwing down his bough. We[...] |
| Dad reflected, while Dan felt the edge on the axe with his thumb. Dad said, “Won't Miss[...]until he dropped the butt-end of a heavy sapling on his foot, which made him hop about on one leg and say that he was sick and tired of the[...]ut if she had taken any. I don't know if it was on account of Dan arguing with him, or if it[...] |
| [...]the storekeeper let us have another bag of flour on credit. And what a change that bag of flour wroug[...]w to make a new kind. He roasted a slice of bread on the fire till it was like a black coal, then pour[...]Dad himself wore a pair of boots with soles tied on with wire; and Mother fell sick. Dad did all he could—waited on her, and talked hopefully of the fortune w[...] |
| [...]branding— anything rather than work and starve on the selection. That's fifteen years ago, and Dad is still on the farm. |
| [...]IT had been a bleak July day, and as night came on a bitter westerly howled through the trees. Cold![...]lf had fancied the other one day that Dad hung it on a post as a mark to go by while ploughing. “M[...]remarked to Mrs. Brown— who sat, cold-looking, on the sofa—as he staggered inside with an immense[...]s nothing in Dad's eyes. Mrs. Brown had been at our place five or six days. Old Brown called o[...] |
| [...]it—and the grass as well. What they would start on next—ourselves or the cart- harness—was n't q[...]bled along in the dark one behind the other, with our hands stuffed into our trousers. Dad was in the lead, and poor Joe, bare[...]d bootless, in the rear. Now and again he tramped on a Bathurst-burr, and, in sitting down to extract[...]er, and blew and blew. Dave, in pausing to wait onon this night could n't see at all, so he walked up[...]king most of it with him. “That's one wallaby on the wheat, anyway,” Dave muttered, and w[...] |
| [...]earied of heaving fire-sticks at the enemy we sat on our heels and cursed the wind, and the winter, and th[...]ll. Dave could n't make him out. The night wore on. By-and-by there was a sharp rattle of wires, the[...]. At dawn he appeared again, with a broad smile on his face, and told us that mother had got another[...]. Then we knew why Mrs. Brown had been staying at our place. |
| [...]e fire—all except Joe. He was mousing. He stood on the sofa with one ear to the wall in a listening[...]r—layers of newspapers that had been pasted one on the other for years until they were an inch thick[...]he fire-place—Dave at the other with his elbows onon you?” “Might,” and Dave spat into the fire. “Anyway,” Dad went on, “we must have a go at this handicap with the o[...]shanty-keeper at the Overhaul—seven miles from our selection. They were the first of the kind held in t[...] |
| [...]ould say, “great breeding; look at the shoulder on her, and the loin she has; and where did ever you[...]hance in the race, Dad reckoned, was a small sore on her back about the size of a foal's foot. She had had that sore for upwards of ten years to our knowledge, but Dad hoped to have it cured before[...]fat. Every day, along with Dad, we would stand on the fence near the house to watch Dave gallop Bes[...]apply more burnt-leather and fat to her back. On the morning preceding the race Dad decided[...] |
| [...]might have been five, and there was a stony ridge on the way. We mounted the fence and waited. Tomm[...]op it, you fool!” he shouted. But Dave sat down on her for the final effort and applied the hide fas[...]e ground, and over sh! e went— crash! Dave fell on his head and lay spread out, motionless. We picked him up and carried him inside, and when Mother saw blood on him she fainted straight off without waiting to k[...]ter spending fully an hour trying in vain to pull on Mother's elastic-side boots, decided to ride in h[...]if anything happened the blame would for ever be on his head. We arrived at the Overhaul in good ti[...]andicap!” was at last sung out, and Dad, saddle on arm, advanced to where Dave was walking Be[...] |
| [...]mped down and pulled them off—leaving his socks on. More than a dozen horses went out, and when the starter said “Off!” did n't they go! Our eyes at once followed Bess. Dave was at her right[...]k of the course you could see the whole of Kyle's selection and two of Jerry Keefe's hay- stacks between her[...]er, Dad was n't to be found anywhere. Dave sat on the grass quite exhausted. “Ain't y' goin' to p[...]” he said, taking off his hat and striking Bess on the rump with it; “besh bred mare in the worl'.[...]say anything; he could n't. “Eh?” Dad went on; “say sh'ain't? L'ere—ever y' name is—betch[...]eed and fatten the rogues and vagabonds that live on the sport. |
| [...]f grease, grass, and fragments of dry gum-leaves. On his head were two old felt hats—one sewn inside the other. On his back a shirt made from a piece of blue blanke[...]flew up and shaved her left ear. She put the tea on the ground and went in search of eggs for dinner.[...]d” the last time we killed.) The tea remained on the ground. Chips fell into it. The dog saw it. H[...]ked the cup over with her nose; then she sat down on it, while the family joyously gathered round the saucer. Still the man chopped on. Mother returned—without any eggs. She[...] |
| [...]g slightly. “ They're in the wood!” he went on. “Ha, ha! I've got them. They'll never get out;[...]en began to cry. The chain for hanging the kettle on started swinging to and fro. Mother's knees gave[...]. Sal shook her, and slapped her, and threw water on her till she sat up and stared about. Then Joe st[...], and asked him what he meant by keeping a madman onon, now!” Dad said, pointing to the rails.[...] |
| [...]s holding some eggs in her apron. Dad was leaning ononon the sofa. Mother screamed and mounted the table.[...]safe and drank up some milk which had been spilt on the floor. Mother saw its full length and groaned[...]ed Sal, gathering up her skirts and dancing about on the sofa. Mother squealed hysterically. Joe a[...]er and Sal ran off for Dad. Jack fixed his eyes on the snake and continued muttering to himse[...] |
| [...]together. Finally, he killed the snake and put it on the fire; and Joe and the cat watched it wriggle on the hot coals. Meanwhile, Jack, bare-headed, ru[...]r little Bill, and tumbled through the wire-fence on to the broad of his back. He roared like a wild b[...]“Oh, of course it's nonsense,” Mother went on; “everything I say is nonsense. It won't be nonsense when you come home some day and find us all on the floor with our throats cut.” “Pshaw!” Dad answere[...] |
| [...]“It's no use bein' afraid of him,” Dad went on. “We must go and bounce him, that's all.[...] |
| [...]nd Sal were ironing came to the door with the axe on his shoulder. They dropped the irons and shran[...]He took no notice of them, but, moving stealthily on tip-toes, approached the bedroom door and peeped[...]eeps no Sunday; knows no companion; lives chiefly on meat and machine oil; domiciles in the bar[...] |
| [...]Hut. WE always looked forward to Sunday. It was our day of sport. Once, I remember, we thought it wou[...]d; war declared against the marsupial; and a hunt on a grand scale arranged for this particular Sabbat[...]bourhood hunted the kangaroo every Sunday, but “on their own,” and always on foot, which had its fatigues. This was to be a raid en masse and on horseback. The whole country-side was to assemble[...]kangaroo-dogs! We were not ready. The crowd sat on their horses and waited at the slip- rails. Dogs trooped into the yard by the dozen. One pounced on a fowl; another lamed the pig; a trio put the cat[...]ith Mother who should open the safe. Dad loosed our three, and pleased they were to feel themselves f[...]ide experience in dogs and coursing “at home” on his grandfather's large estates, and always found[...]Dave, showing a neat seat, rode out of the yard on Bess, fresh and fat and fit to run for a kingdom.[...]as if feeling his way, and paused again. Joe was on his back behind the saddle. Dad tugged hard at the |
| [...]d Farmer what he afterwards called “a sollicker on the tail.” Again he kicked him. Still Farmer st[...]son and old Brown, and down rolled Joe and Farmer on the other side of the fence. The others leant aga[...]id he would be a dead man now. A little further on the huntsmen sighted a mob of kangaroos. J[...] |
| [...]aroo; and as he raised himself to his full height on his toes and tail he looked formidable—a grand[...]ad was disgusted. He and Joe approached the enemy on Farmer. Dad carried a short stick. The “old man[...]n Dad, and, half jumping, half falling, he landed on the ground, and set out speedily for a tree. Dad[...]heavy thuds! The kangaroo retaliated, putting Dad on the defensive. Dad displayed remarkable supplenes[...]Dad breathed freely again. He was acting entirely on the defensive, but an awful consciousness[...] |
| [...]louds, Brindle and five or six other dogs pounced on the “old man.” The rest may be imagined. Dad lay on the ground to recover his wind, and when he mount[...]d for home, Paddy Maloney was triumphantly seated on the carcase of the fallen enemy, exultingl[...] |
| [...]the plough-handles, and, with one tremendous pull on the reins, Dave would haul them back on to their rumps. Then he would rush |
| up and kick the colt on the root of the tail, and if that did n't make hi[...]mething, it caused him to rear ! up and fall back on the plough and snort and strain and struggle till there was not a stitch left on him but the winkers. Now, if Dave was noted for[...]was fairly up, swear with distinction and effect. On this occasion he swore through the whole afternoo[...]and left lying. It clung to him. He hopped along on one leg, trying to kick it off; still it clung to[...]confusion. Dave abused Joe remorselessly. “Go on!” he howled, waving in the air a fistful of gra[...]u're only a damn nuisance.” Joe's eyes rested onon the beam of the plough, pale and miserable-lookin[...]got bit by a adder—a sudden-death adder—right on top o' the finger.” How Mother screamed! “[...]ar! oh dear! oh dear!” Joe had not calculated on this injunction. He dropped his head and said sul[...]he could say another word a tin-dish left a dinge on the back of his skull that will accompany[...] |
| on her hat and ran for Maloney. Meanwhile Dave took the horses out, walked inside, and threw himself on the sofa without uttering a word. He felt ill.[...]he knife and beckoned to his man, who was looking on from the door. They both took a firm hold[...] |
| [...]was n't a struggle left in him. They placed him on the sofa again, Maloney keeping him awake with a[...], ol' wom'n!” Dad mumbled, and dropped his chin on his chest. Maloney began to take another[...] |
| [...]og stretched across the doorway. A child's bonnet on the floor— the child out in the sun. Two horsem[...]in his power to persuade Farmer to get up and go on with the ploughing. I don't know if Dad knew anyt[...]d. “W-w-wuz they at him, Dad?” Dad turned on him, trembling with rage. “Oh, you son[...] |
| which struck him on the back as he made away. But nothing short of tw[...]did Dad, or had been taken in by him oftener; but on this occasion Dad was in no easy or benevolent fr[...]. Then, saying that Mick would come for the horse on the day following, and after offering a little gratuitous advice on seed-wheat and pig-sticking, the Donovans left. |
| [...]the bushes. He was n't dead, because when Joe sat on him he moved. “There he is,” said Dad, grinning. Mick remained seated on his horse, bewildered-looking, staring first at F[...]mbers of a few fowls that for months had insisted on roosting on the cross-beam. Mrs. Maloney was arguin[...] |
| [...]her. Dad was uncommunicative. There was something on his mind. He waited till the company had gone, th[...]Dave. They were outside, in the dark, and leant on the dray. Dad said in a low voice: “He's come a[...]he preferred to be silent. “Then,” Dad went on, “clear out of this as fast as you can go, an' think y'rself lucky.” He cleared, but on foot. Dad gazed after him, and, as he le[...] |
| [...]e before.” “It's only fancy,” Mother went on. “And you've been brooding and brooding till it[...]to the fire. Dad's inclination was to leave the selection, but Mother pleaded for another trial of it—just one more. She had wonderful faith in the selection, had Mother. She pleaded until the fire bu[...] |
| [...]k. Any of us but Joe—he was sent only once, and on that occasion he stayed at Anderson's to breakfast, and on his way back successfully burnt out two grass pad[...]have such a horse. Smith offered to exchange for our roan saddle mare —one we found running in the lane, and advertised as being in our paddock, and no one claimed it. Dad exchanged.[...]the chains. Dad touched him again. Then he stood on his fore-legs and threw about a hundredweight of[...]he furrow. Dad took the scraper again, welted him on the rump, dug it into his back-bone, prodded him[...]him out of it.” Shall I ever forget the look on Dad's face! He brandished the scraper and sprang[...]and examined them. No teeth were there. He looked on the ground round about—none there either. He lo[...]phantly, and joyously rolled in the dam where all our water came from, drinking-water included. |
| [...]turned very pale. Joe said: “There's “Q.P.” on his saddle-cloth; what's that for, Dad?” But he did n't answer—he was thinking hard. “And,” Joe went on, “there's somethin' sticking out of his pocket— Dave thinks it'll be 'ancuffs.” Dad shuddered. On the way to the house Joe wished to speak about th[...]horse and nobody claims him, can't I put my brand on him?” The policeman jerked back his head[...] |
| finding something on a chain one day. He had never seen anything like[...]ngs. He observed that whenever Jacob Lipp came to our place he always, when going home, ran along the f[...]e Lipps had newly arrived from Germany, and their selection adjoined ours. Jacob was their “eldest”, abou[...]ering, jolly-faced youth he was. He often came to our place and followed Joe about. Joe never cared muc[...]re unadulterated Australian. Still Jacob insisted on talking and telling Joe his private affairs. Th[...]r. Joe had an idea. He would set the steel-trap on a wire-post and catch Jacob. He set it. Jacob sta[...]e it before! He sprang in the air—threw himself on the ground like a roped brumby—jumped up again[...]thought he must have gone mad and ran after him. Our Mother fairly tore after her. Dad and Dave[...] |
| [...]as though every farmer in every farming district on earth had had a heavy crop, for the market[...] |
| Chapter XII. Kate's Wedding. OUR selection was a great place for dancing. We could all dance[...]ushed in he had to bail it out. Dad always looked on the dark side of things. He had no ear for music[...]me miserable when it might have been the merriest on earth. Sometimes it happened that he had to throw[...]instrument down immediately he would tear it from our hands and pitch it outside. If we did lay[...] |
| [...]t learnt. She taught Sal. Sal taught Dave, and so on. Sandy Taylor was Kate's tutor. He passed our place every evening going to his selection, where he used to sleep at night (fulfilling cond[...]cing. Sandy was a fine dancer himself, very light on his feet and easy to waltz with—so the girls ma[...]pommel of his saddle, he would sound a full blast on it as a preliminary. Then he would strike up “T[...]day night, and only Kate and Dave were asked from our place. Dave was very pleased to be invited; it wa[...]d erect, then he bowed gracefully to the saplings on his right, then to the stumps and trees on his left, and humming a tune, ambled across a sma[...]ing him in wonder from behind a fence, bolted for our place. “Mrs. Rudd! Mrs. Rudd!” he sh[...] |
| [...]out it, and were very pleased it would be held in our own house, because all of us could go then. None[...]in a bucket of mixture, with a stack of cow-dung on one side, and a heap of sand and the shovel on the other. Dave and Joe were burning a cow[...] |
| [...]Kate and Sandy. Dave whistled and piled more wood on the dead cow. Mother came out and called Dave and[...]d n't go, but sent Joe. Dave threw another log on the cow, then thought he would see what was going on inside. He stood at the window and looked in.[...]in. There were Dad, Joe, and the lot of them down on their marrow-bones saying something after the par[...]roo-dog slipped in and grabbed all the fresh meat on the table; but Dave managed to kick him in the ri[...]ot a big stack of rye from it. The wedding was on a Wednesday, and at three o'clock in the afternoo[...]one who came in to dinner; the others mostly sat on their heels in a row and waited in the sha[...] |
| [...]only three notes out of it; but Jim Burke jumped on his horse and went home for his accordion.[...] |
| [...]o sleep upon the floor inside the house. The iron on the skillion cracked and sweated—so did Dad and[...]knew it meant half-an-hour in the shade fixing it on again. “Anyway,” Dad went on, “we'll go to dinner now.” On the way to the house he several times looked at t[...]” he said, casting an eager glare at everything on the table. “She tried to jump and got stuck on the fence, and broke it all down. On'y I could n't get anything, I'd er broke 'er head—there was n't a thing, on'y dead cornstalks and cow-dung about.” T[...] |
| [...]t in, and put it in the safe—I don't know where on earth to put the meat, I'm sure; if I put it in a[...]isappeared down the yard. Eggs were not plentiful on our selection, because we too often had to eat the hens when th[...]four were as many as we ever saw at one time. So on this day, when Joe appeared with a hatful, there[...]e eggs fell out of the hat and went off “pop” on the floor. Dave nearly upset the table, he rose[...]him. Joe must have had a fine nerve. “That's on'y one bad 'n',” he said, taking the rest[...] |
| [...]ullock was reaching for his waistcoat, which hung on a branch of a low tree. Dad sang out. The bullock[...]to it been a little longer, he might have trodden on them and pulled it back, but he did n't. Joe deem[...]g over his face as though a spring had broken out on top of his head. Dad jumped a log and trie[...] |
| [...]d, as there was no fat in the house, Dad squatted on the floor and read by the firelight. He plodded[...], and threw out those strange sobs and moans that on wild nights bring terror to the hearts of bush ch[...]he slabs. Old Bob said he would go before it came on, and started into the inky darkness. “It's co[...]st it; Dave stood to the front one; and Sarah sat on the sofa with her arms around Mother, telling her[...]mmenced to give. Several times the ends rose (and our hair too) and fell back into place again w[...] |
| [...]. Then the wind went down and it rained— rained on us all night. Next morning Joe had been to the[...]'t know the news about old Bob. We planted him on his own selection beneath a gum-tree, where for years and ye[...] |
| [...]Home. ONE night after the threshing. Dad lying onour family, took down his slate with a hint of schola[...]gs—a.... A, Dad? We've not done any at a; she's on'y showed us per! ” “ Per bushel, the[...] |
| [...]gher than Dad. Dad was delighted. He put a fire on, made tea, and he and Dan talked till near daybre[...]nd; he would have him remain and help to work the selection. But Dan only shook his head and laughed. Dan a[...]ose by, and talked to Dad from there as he passed on his rounds. Sometimes Dan used to forget to talk[...]have a good camp. Dan went. He stretched himself on the sofa, and smoked and spat on the floor and played the concertina—an old one[...]iggins it was the old man saw in a game like that on a hot day; and return to the sofa, tired. But eve[...]going away. One day Anderson's cows wandered into our yard and surrounded the hay-stack. Dad saw[...] |
| [...]leg, clean th! roug h the house. Dan found the selection pretty slow—so he told Mother—and thought he[...]the collar off Captain the brute tramped heavily on his toe, and took the nail off. Supper was n't re[...]about the room. Dad stood at the door and looked on, with blood in his eye. “Look here!” he thu[...]Dad was hot. “Out of this!” (placing his hand on Dan, and shoving him). “You've loafed long enough on me! Off y' go t' th' devil!” Dan went[...] |
| Chapter XV. Our Circus. DAVE had been to town and came home full of circus. He sat on the ground beside the tubs while Mother and Sal w[...]oe's estimation. Raining. All of us inside. Sal on the sofa playing the concertina; Dad squatting on the edge of a flat stone at the corner of the fireplace; Dave on another opposite; both gazing into the fire, whic[...]her cheek, also enjoying the music. Sal played on until the concertina broke. Then there was a sile[...]than the dog. One day a circus-tent went up in our yard. It attracted a lot of notice. Two of the Johnsons and old Anderson and others rode in on draught- horses and inspected it. And Smit[...] |
| [...]ht up with. Everyone in the district knew about our circus, and longed for the opening night. It came[...]ragged Ned into the dressing-room and punched him on the nose. Paddy Maloney made a speech. He said: “Well, the next item on the programme'll knock y' bandy. Keep quiet, you[...]he ring, pulling at a string. There was something on the string. “Come on!” Joe said, tugging. The “something” would[...]garoo was heaved in through the doorway, and fell on its head and raised the dust. A great many[...] |
| into the bedroom, and sprang on the bed among a lot of babies and women's hats.[...]and Dave and “Podgy,” the pet sheep, rode out on Nugget. Podgy sat with hind-legs astride the hors[...]caught in his clothes and made trouble. Dave hung on one side of the horse and the sheep dangled on the other. Dave sang out, so did Podgy. An[...] |
| [...]w long the cat would live. The Rev. Macpherson, on his way to christen M'Kenzie's baby, called in fo[...]glided silently up the yard. Anderson, passing on his old bay mare, heard the noise, and cam[...] |
| [...]son,” he cried, rushing inside again. “Come on then,” Anderson said, “we'll take off his fin[...]on took hold of him and placed the wounded finger on a block, and Dad faced him with the hammer and a[...]though, and with Sal's assistance held his finger on the block till Dad carefully rested the chisel on it and brought the hammer down. It did n't sever[...]said he could. He slept in Dave's bed; Dave slept on the sofa. “If Joe ain't dead, and wuz[...] |
| [...]inning awhile, then stood up, and started pulling on his trousers, which he drew from under his pillow. He had put one leg into them when his eyes rested on a pair of black feet uncovered at the foot of the[...]oud of his male prerogatives. He looked after the selection, minded the corn, kept Anderson's and Dwyer's and[...]It was while Joe was in charge that Casey came to our place. A starved- looking, toothless littl[...] |
| [...]gain and drove the cows away, and mended the wire on his way back. At sundown Casey was cutting mor[...]n we were at supper he brought it in and put some on the fire, and went out again slowly. Mother an[...]h us altogether. He took a lively interest in the selection. The house, he said, was in the wrong plac[...] |
| [...]ut lustily. Every day saw Casey more at home at our place. He was a very kind man, and most obliging.[...]ot to be in a hurry about returning it. Joe got on well with Casey. Casey's views on hard work were the same as Joe's. Hard work, Joe thought, was n't necessary on a selection. Casey knew a thing or two—so he said. One fi[...]is long, brown arm. Casey came again and fastened on to Dwyer. Joe mounted the stockyard. Dwyer seized Casey with both hands; then there was a struggle—on Casey's part. Dwyer lifted him up and carried him away and set him down on his back, then hastened to the rails. But before[...]nd gasped. Dwyer stared about. A plough-rein hung on the yard. Dwyer reached for it. Casey yell[...] |
| [...]he sheet. For three weeks Casey was an invalid at our place. He would have been invalided there for the[...]os were getting scarce where he was camped; while our paddocks were full of them. Joe started a mob nea[...]a week since he'd had a billyful—Joe told him. On the morning of the third day the barn-door[...] |
| [...]louder, and wrung her hands; but it had no effect on Bluey. He was a good dog, was Bluey! At last, M[...]s he went. Then the kangaroo raised itself slowly on to its hands and knees. It was very white[...] |
| [...]DAD used to say that Shingle Hut was the finest selection on Darling Downs; but we never could see anything fi[...]it, or he would n't have stood feasting his eyes on the wooded waste after he had knocked off work of[...]he used to say, “it's a fortune in itself. Hold on till the country gets populated, and firewood is[...]ct of Government land—mostly mountains—marked on the map as the Great Dividing Range. Splendid cou[...]d, after supper, Dad and Dave were outside, lying on some bags. They had been grubbing that day, and w[...]he stars; Dave upon his stomach, his head resting on his arms. Both silent. One of the draught-[...] |
| [...]y than that out there for cattle? Why” (turning on his side and facing Dave) “with a thousand acre[...]ch in a very few years.” Dave raised himself on his elbow. “Yairs—with cattle,” he said.[...]ouple of wires round it, put every cow we've here on it straight away; get another one or two when the[...]let alone. Look at Murphy, for instance. Started on that place with two young heifers—those two old[...]ut the fat bullocks, whip them into town, and get our seven and eight pounds a head for them.” “[...]about after cattle,” Dave said. “Yes, get our seven and eight pounds, maybe nine or ten pounds a-piece. And could ever we do that pottering about on the place?” Dad leaned over further and[...] |
| [...]asked Mother what he had said. Mother was seated on the sofa, troubled-looking. “He must be paid[...]sting into tears, “or the place'll be sold over our heads.” Dad stood with his back to the fire-p[...]nd locked behind him, watching the flies swarming on the table. Dave came in. He understood the situ[...]is finger, reflecting. Little Bill put his head onon their heels, their backs to the barn, thou[...] |
| [...]ar enough, too! But, then, that was all mere talk on Dad's part. He loved the selection. To every inch— every stick of it—he was devo[...]llup and, with Mother by the hand and little Bill on his back, stalk into town to hang round and abuse[...]ch him.” “Oh, I'll fetch 'im.” And Dave, on the strength of having made a valuable suggestion[...]e sofa and stretched himself upon it. Dad went on thinking awhile. “How much,” he at las[...] |
| [...]s. “To begin with, how many bears do you reckon on getting in a day?” “In a day”—reflectiv[...]up and down beside Dad, with the plough-reins in our hands, flies in our eyes and burr in our feet—finished being the target for Dad's blasph[...]through the trees, till warned by Dad to “keep our eyes about;” then we settled down, and Joe found the first bear. It was on an ironbark tree, around the base of which we soo[...]nd crawled cautiously along the limb the bear was on |
| [...]rselves with heavy sticks and waited. The dog sat on his tail and stared and whined at the bear. The l[...]g was in a hurry. He sprang in the air and landed on his back. But Dave had to make another nick or tw[...]og jumped to meet it. He met it, and was laid out on the grass. The bear scrambled to its feet and mad[...]ough, but we wandered far before we found another on a tree that Dave could climb, and, when we did, somehow or other the limb broke when he put his weight on it, and down he came, bear and all. Of cou[...] |
| [...]of wheat was the turning-point in the history of our selection. Things somehow seemed to go better; and Dad's fa[...]es rattle he would start to flinch. Put the cloth on his back—folded or otherwise—and, no matter h[...]anything to it. He just flinched—made the skin on his back—where there was any— quiver. Throw onon a six-year-old sore, or if you had an aversion to[...]when Joe stirred him up—rattled a piece of rock on |
| [...]ssom's foal got staked. Another day Dad was out on Ned, looking for the red heifer, and came across[...]he earth and stared as if he had never seen a man on horseback before. The young fellow sat on a log and stared too. The pup ran behind a[...] |
| [...]ith a strap, looking straight ahead. The man hung on. “Come 'long,” Dad said. The pup barked. “[...]piece of it came off; then Ned stumbled and went on his head. “What the devil——!” Dad said, l[...]s unreliable. You could n't reckon with certainty on getting her to start. All depended on the humour she was in and the direction you wishe[...]e was off helter-skelter. If it was n't, she'd go on strike—put her head down and chew the bit. Then, when you'd get to work on her with a waddy—which we always did—she'd wa[...], it was with a rush, and, if the slip-rails were on the ground, she'd refuse to take them. She'd stan[...]ecause he fell over Sandy and Kate. They had come on a visit, and were sleeping on the floor in the front room. We also heard[...] |
| [...]r head and switched her tail. Dad rattled a waddy on her and jammed his heels hard against her ribs. S[...]head and cow-kicked. Then he coaxed her. “Come on, old girl,” he said; “come on,”—and patted her on the neck. She liked being patted. That exasperated Dad. He hit her on the head with his fist. Joe ran out with a[...] |
| [...]he had had no wheat). “Why, once a farmer gets on at all he's the most independent man in the whole[...]reflective turn of mind. “Jusso,” Dad went on, “but he must use his head; it's all in th' hea[...]D— ad!”—'t was Sal's voice) “ought t' get on where there's land like this.” “ Lan[...] |
| on the road. “ Damn it!” said Dad, glaring at[...]nt Anderson £5; and improved Shingle Hut; and so on; very little of the £200 was left. Mother spo[...]is hut to start his fire with, and a mile further on Smith's dog was barking furiously. He was a famou[...]at Eastbrook before mid- day. The old station was on its last legs. “The flags were flying half-mast[...]wd of people were there. Cart-horses with harness on, and a lot of tired-looking saddle-hacks, covered[...]them home. Rows of unshaven men were seated high on the rails of the yards. The yards were fil[...] |
| [...]saw Andy Percil with one. Most of the men seated on the rails jumped down into an empty yard and stoo[...]“How much for the imported cow, Silky? No. 1 onon Dad, who was trying to find her number in the cat[...]our years old, by The Duke out of Dolly, to calve onon the men with the beer—he was thirsty. He[...] |
| on sev'n poun'?” “ Twenny (hic) quid, ” Dave[...]hed “Dummy” threatened to carry the yard away on her back, and Dad ordered them off. Dad secured[...]so wild as she seemed, and when Dad went to work on her with a big stick she walked into the b[...] |
| [...]“Dummy” to her senses with a few heavy kicks on her nose, and proceeded to milk her again. “Dum[...]Joe owned a pet calf about a week old which lived on water and a long rope. Dad told him to fetch it t[...]n shillings and bought a goat, which Johnson shot on his cultivation and made Dad drag away. |
| [...]tal calculation. Then he fixed his eyes longingly on the one remaining scone, and ate faster and faste[...]nd a pint of tea in his hand—as far as the door on its back, and there scraped him off and spilled t[...]s commotion. Dave finished his tea at a gulp, put on his hat, and left by the back-door. Dad would hav[...]itated, and so was lost. Mother was restless—“on pins and needles.” “And there ain't a bite[...]tist. Only Joe was unconcerned. He was employed on the last scone. He commenced it slowly. He wished[...]lovingly over it. Mother's eyes happened to rest on him. Her face brightened. She flew at Joe and cried: “Give me that scone!—put it back on the table this minute!” Joe became con[...] |
| [...]any, and implored Mother not to put herself about on his account. He only required a cup of tea—noth[...]were threshing their wheat, and had borrowed all our crockery and cutlery—everybody's, in fact, in t[...]for the use of the men. Such was the custom round our way. But the minister did n't mind. On the contrary, he commended everybody for fellowsh[...]t it was a faithful steed. It stood there leaning on its forehead against a post. There was a brief si[...]an was glad—to get away. He found Mother seated on the ironbark table in the kitchen. They di[...] |
| [...]apered wall. Dad jumped round. A row of jackasses on a tree near by laughed merrily. Dad looked[...] |
| [...]ck-yard—his brown arms and bearded chin resting on a middle-rail—passively watching Dave an[...] |
| [...]g-block. They caught him then and put the saddle. On. Callaghan trembled. When the girths were tighten[...]y.” “'S all right, Dave; 's all right—git on!” From Paddy Maloney, impatiently. Pad[...] |
| [...]foot in the stirrup when his restless eye settled on a wire-splice in the crupper—also Dad's handiwo[...], what are y' 'fraid o', boy? That'll hold—jump on.” Paddy said: “ Now, Dave, while I've 'is '[...]stirrup, gripped the side of the pommel, and was on before you could say “Woolloongabba.”[...] |
| [...]—and he looked like dropping. Paddy hit himself on the leg, and vehemently invited Dave to “Look,[...]d put the fire out, and split the table, and fell on the sofa and the beds. Rain fell also, b[...] |
| [...]!” The kangaroo-dog had coiled himself snugly on a bag before the fire. Dad kicked him savagely an[...]y. The dog walked in at the back door and dropped on |
| [...]en he had another squint at Dad's tooth. “Sit on the floor here,” he said, “and I won't be a s[...]im to fasten the sinew round it. The, twisting it on his wrist, he began to “hang on” with both hands. Dad struggled and groaned—t[...]e ground, two huge, ugly old teeth left Dad's jaw on the end of that sinew. “Holy!” cried the de[...]was a fight under the table. Dad sat in a lump on the floor propping himself up with his hands; his head dropped forward, and he spat feebly on the floor. The pressman laughed and slapped Dad on the back, and asked “How do you feel, ol[...] |
| [...]s enjoyed her. The pressman wanted salt. None was on the table. Dad told Joe to run and get some—to[...]the pressman gave a jump that rattled the things on the table. “Oh-h-h! ... I've got it now!” h[...]went to the fire. Dad laughed some more. We ate on. The pressman continued to moan. Dad turned on his seat. “What paper, mister, do you say you c[...]she was layin' in the gully, afore I knocked 'er on the head.” Canty, the storekeeper, loo[...] |
| [...]. His face was flushed and wild- looking. “Come on out of this—for God's sake!” he said t[...] |
| [...]anged to accommodate her, month about, and it was our turn. And did n't Mother just load us up how we w[...]log for the fire, and we all helped him throw it on—all except the schoolmistress. Poor thing! She[...]omehow we did n't feel quite at home; but Dad got on well. He talked away learnedly to Miss Ribbone ab[...]feet, knocking over the box she had been sitting on, and stood for a time as though she had seen a gh[...]h her and seated her again, and Dad fixed his eye on Joe. “Did n't I tell you,” he said,[...] |
| He was a small dog, a dog that was always on the watch—for meat; a shrewd, intelligent beast[...]st have put all the blessed blankets in the house on the school- teacher's bed. I don't know what she had on her own, but we only had the old bag-quilt and a[...]kirts, and other remnants of the family wardrobe, on ours. In the middle of the night, the whol[...] |
| [...]And did ever y' see such a object?” Mother went on. “The hands an' arms on her! Dear me! Why, I do believe if our Sal was to give her one squeeze she'd kill her. O[...]d Mother, pointing to a couple of dresses hanging on a nail — “she wears them on week-days, no less; and here” (raising the lid[...]ore did y'ever see such tucks and frills and lace on a night-shirt? Why, you'd think 't were for goin'[...]a pair of brand new stays, besides the ones she's on her back. Clothes!—she's nothin' else but cloth[...]nd said he thought there must have been something on that brush. Miss Ribbone did n't stay th[...] |
| [...]ONE evening a raggedly-dressed man, with a swag on his back, a bear- skin cap on his head, and a sheath-knife in his belt, came to our place and took possession of the barn. Dad ordere[...]t; and the man with the bear-skin cap passed from our minds. Church service was to be held at our selection. It was the first occasion, in fact, that the Gospel had come to disturb the contentedly irreligious mind of our neighbourhood. Service was to open at 3 p.m.; at[...]Nothing but bustle and hurry. Buttons to be sewn on Dave's shirt; Dad's pants—washed the night before and left on the clothes-line all night to bleach—lost; Litt[...]ed and fumbled till he lost patience; then he sat on the bed and railed at the women, and wished that[...]he went outside. The people commenced to arrive on horseback and in drays. The women went on to the verandah with their babies; the men[...] |
| [...]ed in the side-boards of the dray and placed them on boxes for seat accommodation, the clergyman await[...]People smiled. Then a team of bullocks appeared onon the —— plain. Gawd knows what's up wit[...] |
| [...]d in a while the man opened his eyes. They rested on Dad, who was bending benignly over him. He seemed[...]arn. They carried the man inside and placed him on the sofa. But soon he took a turn. He sank quickl[...]. But the clergyman drew his own conclusions; and on the following Sunday, at Nobby-Nobby, he preached a stirring sermon on that touching bequest of the man with the[...] |
| [...]Sandy, whom we had only seen once since they went on their selection, were to be home. Dave, who was away shearing for[...]ver logs and stumps, and they would have fastened on the horses only the horses were fat and fresh and[...]might have thought Noah's ark had been emptied at our selection. Two days to Christmas. The sun getting low. A[...]squinting through the rails; little Bill perched on one of the round posts, nursing the steel and a l[...]th heat and excitement, and fixed a running noose on one end of it. Then— “Hunt 'em roun[...] |
| [...]slowly in the centre, like a ring-master, his eye on the cow; a coil of rope was in this left hand, an[...]d about her. Dad's blood was up. He was hanging on to the rope, his heels ploughing the dust, and th[...]-post, and pulled—pulled like sailors. Dad hung on close to the cow's head, while Joe kicked her wit[...]il and held the axe above the cow's head: “Hang on there now!” They closed their eyes and s[...] |
| [...]seated behind a well-filled pillow-slip strapped on the front of her saddle; Sandy with the baby in f[...]ned. Then they got back to the baby and disagreed on the question of family likeness. Kate thought the[...]ggested and promptly rejected. They could n't hit on a suitable one, and Kate would n't have an[...] |
| [...]ster whirled Sal and Paddy Maloney. And Paddy was on his mettle. He was lifting Sal off her feet. But[...]. That ended the tussle; and Paddy spread himself on the floor, his back to the wall, his legs extending to the centre of the room, his chin on his chest, and rested. Then enjoyment at[...] |
A.H.Davis, 1868-1935, On our selection (1998). University of Sydney Library, accessed 06/10/2024, https://digital.library.sydney.edu.au/nodes/view/12130