Part 9 (1/2)

Music, more or less sweet, is discoursed by an accordion. The M.C., who usually takes his duties very seriously, bellows his orders at intervals. Perhaps it is ”S'lect y'r pa-ardners f'r a walce.” Then is Bill seen slouching shamefacedly up to Ethel or Maude, ”'Ow erbout gittin' up with us f'r this one?” Maude giggles, squirms, and finally says, ”Oh, all right.” They go through the dance amid a fire of such witticisms as, ”'Ello, Bill, when's it comin' orf?” or, ”Nar then, Mord, I'll tell y'r mar!” Bill, not a very brilliant controversialist, contents himself with, ”Ah! garn!” while Maude, with high disdain, answers, ”D'y' think I'd 'ave him? Pooh!” So poor Bill feels sat on.

Now and then you see big men like Pardy bending nearly double, painfully ”treading the mazy” with bits of kids of twelve or thereabout, as there are often not ladies enough to go round. Now and again the chatter of voices is stilled and we hear, ”Mr. Ransome will oblige the comp'ny with a song.” Mr. Ransome forthwith proceeds to oblige, in a voice hoa.r.s.e from long and fervent swearing at refractory bullocks, and is inclined to crack on the high notes. He gives us ”Eileen Alannah.” Later on, Mr.

Furney also obliges. He is short and spare, and, to the great astonishment of his audience, renders ”Let me like a soldier fall,” in a roaring ba.s.so that makes the roof rattle.

As eleven o'clock strikes certain of us slide off, collect sticks, build a fire, and suspend a kerosene tin of water over the blaze. When that is boiled there is a general yell of ”Supper,” and hampers, which the ladies have generously provided, are opened, and their hidden wealth of sandwiches and cake revealed. The community have by general levy long ago acc.u.mulated a large stock of crockery, specially for such ceremonies at the present. The catering is all arranged beforehand. Mrs. A. brings tea, sugar and milk. Mrs. B. some sandwiches, and so on. There is always more than the company can a.s.similate, and this surplus it is the custom to divide among any far-out bachelors who may be present--a gift most acceptable, as I know from experience.

One notices that the gentlemen, no matter how rough in their work-a-day world, are naturally chivalrous, and take care to see every lady provided for before commencing to imbibe tea themselves.

It is midnight now, and those who have plenty of cows, and little a.s.sistance, slide off home. The others resume dancing with more vigour than ever. Mr. Daney obliges with several songs. He is a bit of a dandy, got up to kill in a chocolate-coloured suit, dark blue waistcoat and cerise tie. He has rather a pimply face, a perpetual grin and damp-looking, wispy, straw-coloured hair. He is nervous and continuously wipes his hands on a handkerchief held for the purpose. He is a fair tenor, much inclined to tremolo. His first number, ”To a manshun in the cit-e-e-e,” etc., is received with much applause, which moves him to a second effort, ”Please, Mr. Conductor, don-putmeyoff the ter-rain,”

which is also taken kindly. Rubbing his hands harder than ever, he comes up to us, a broad smile on his rather weak face, ”Ah! I'm makin' myself popular, ain't I?” Poor ”Algy's” songs always run to sugary sentiment, so of course, ”Don't go down in the mine, daddy,” is his closing piece.

Give him his due though, he could work; but, being easily bamboozled, it was usually for someone else, with little profit to himself. He was also an excellent hand among the cows.

About 3 a.m. the party breaks up, and you see the hurricane lamps, like dancing fireflies, disappearing in the scrub, many of the people to go right on milking as soon as their glad rags are off, and get a few hours' sleep after breakfast.

Another time, perhaps at the annual break-up of the school just before Christmas, all hands a.s.semble at the school-house for a picnic. The school reserve is like a miniature saddling paddock at race time. The ladies are all there, clad in their best; scores of happy, laughing kiddies romping round, also togged up, and the men folk in soberer hues, but all in their best. All forget their worries and try to pretend they are children again; and the onlooker smiles at the sight of bearded men and stout ladies playing ”Jolly Miller,” ”Puss-in-the-corner,” and so on, until he finds the infectious spirit of the day seize him, and he too joins in.

The schoolmaster presently puts the children through their paces under the parents' eagle eyes, and prizes are distributed--not without some murmurs and vague insinuations of favouritism from the mothers of the unsuccessful. Plenty of cash having been collected by weeks of busy canva.s.sing, the winners obtain substantial rewards at running, jumping, climbing, etc. The ladies, as usual, provide the more solid portion of the bountiful spread, but there are always plenty of lollies, fruit and aerated waters besides.

Usually a bloke with a camera happens along some time in the afternoon, and then for a few minutes everyone loses his or her individuality, and combines in one hideous smirk with the conventional idea of looking pleasant. The long warm day draws to a close, and the kids, tired out, start off home, some to early bed, others to change hurriedly into muddy duds and milk cows. The milking is rushed through this evening, and the elders re-congregate at the school for a dance, which lasts until the ”wee sma' hours ayont the twal!”

It all sounds simple enough in the telling, but go and live in the Bush a short time, and then see how you will enjoy these unceremonious little reunions; and contrast that feeling with the blase indifference with which, when living in town, you attended a theatre or some other entertainment. Towns? Not on your life! Give me the great, quiet, hospitable Bush. The life is more natural, less strained--more human.

CHAPTER XVIII.

BURNING OFF.

It was time to burn-off. Since Braun's paddock would inevitably go when I fired, Braun himself, with philosophic acceptance of the fact, had dismantled the old barn and told me to go ahead. However, he had rented his paddock to old Pardy for a few months, and that nuisance had his bullocks there.

Like a d.a.m.ned a.s.s, I went to give him notice that I intended to burn.

Cripes! Wasn't there a storm! ”---- ---- it!! You burn, and see what I'll do. Only bit of (sanguinary) gra.s.s I can get in the (luridly fiery improper) district, and now ---- ----!!!”

I reminded him of the possibility that rain might come any day, and the Rainy Season was due to burst on us in a fortnight. No use. The old cow wouldn't hear of any compromise. If I burnt he'd blanky well burn _me_.

”Selfish old rotter!” I muttered, and retired in dudgeon. I, of course, wasn't selfish. I went to see old Paddy, and took him and Barker into my confidence.

”Yer a fool,” said Paddy. ”If yer don't fire now, yer'll lose yer charnst, and then yer'll be ----'d (ruined). Fat lot Pardy'll care ef y'are! 'E's only got a few bullocks, and they won't starve. Whips o'

gra.s.s on th' road, and ef y' don't git y'r burn, y'll be like Barney's bull. Don't say nothin'. Just burn.” Sensible advice.

Then Barker: ”Well, me little frogs whisker” (I winced), ”if I was you, I'd burn, and if thar-role snake's ears” (I writhed) ”ses owt, just scruff 'im.” Not so good, this, I thought, seeing that Pardy weighed fifteen stone, and I nine and a half.

However, in spite of their opinion, I pusillanimously decided to hold off for a fortnight, and then fire without notice. They agreed to come and help me, but opined they wouldn't be wanted, as it would be raining before then. A week went by with only a light thunderstorm; then the sky commenced banking up every night, to the southward. On the tenth day the bank came up to the zenith, with mutterings of thunder in the distance.

Off I went to Barker's camp, and got there sweating.

”Come on, blokes; I'm burnin' to-morrow. Blast Pardy. We'll burn the gra.s.s round the hut to-night.”

”Too late, I'm feared,” said Paddy, looking at the sky. ”But we'll come, anyhow. Got 'ny tucker?”