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VOL. XV.
THE TIMES.
Ai Independent Family Newspaper,
IS PUBU3HBD BVERT TUBSDAT BT
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tlon.
geledt Poetry.
.TWO JOURNEYS.
"I goon a Journey fur a way,"
He said-and he stooped and kissed me then
"Over the ocean for many a day
uuoa-uye, ana ne Kissea me once again.
Rut nnlv ft fnw abnrt ninnt.Tn. boil flpH.
j - . - 1
Whan again I answered my husband's kiss i
"I could not tarry away," he said)
" There Ib never a land as fair as this."
Again I stood by my husband's side.
" I go on a Journey, sweet, to-day )
Over the river the boatmen glide
Good bye j I shall linger long away i"
"Ah, he will come back soon, I know,"
I said, as I stooped for the parting kiss :
41 lie cannot tarry, he told me so.
There is never a land so fair as this."
But many a month and many a year
Have flown since my darling went away.
Will he never come back to meet me here ?
Has he found the region of perfect day 1
Over the ocean he went and came t
Over the river, and lingers there I
Ob, pallid boatman I call my name
Show me the regltfh so wondrous fair.
A Dog Worth Having.
THE episode I am going to relate oc
curred not far from the township of
Horsham, Victoria. Where the exact
locality is I have no intention of divulg
ing ; but if any of my readers are ac
quainted with the part of the world I
refer to they will remember that there
exists one or two large streams within
the wide radius I have named. Beside
one of these rivers there was standing
about twenty years ago a hut, which
was known at the Homestead aB Deep
Water station ; and it is here that my
lot placed me aB hut-keeper. I lived at
the Deep Water Btation for two years.
If readers of the following story wish
to know who I am I will gratify their
urlosity so far as to state that I was
born in the the north of England. My
father was a retired tradesman. He
ave me a fair education, but I never
fulfilled the expectation formed of me.
This night, while I write, I can show
nothing to prove that I ever succeeded
4n the world. I am a poor clerk, strug
gling for a bare existence, and sometimes
truggllng with a wild, strong impulse
to wander and work through the country
as I often did before, near the scene of
my former experience. I like the red
sunset and the wild plains as much as
-ever ; I like the glow of the sunlight
Among the gnarled, queer trees ; I like
the rippling of the water the waving,
shadowy grass of the silent bill, the
bright, still moon, the wilderness away
from towns; I like Australian life, but
not among the dusty streets or near to
white, sweltering roads. For twelve
years I followed these Impulses faith
fully and enjoyed my brush life; with
little profit, It Is true, but with much
pleasure. All that I have to show for
my wandering hardships, as I write, is
a long, ugly scar across my breast, and I
am going to tell you how I got it.
I remember I was sitting at the hut
(the Deep Water hut) one summer after
noon, looking for the coming of " Long
Mat." The sun was passing away
blood-red behind a range of dim, blue
hills ; long shadows were rapidly spread
ing; the deep-water hole had lost the
light ; the hills behind the river were
just tipped with a crimson glory, aud
stars seemed drooping like silver specks
on the paling sky. " Long Mat," the
shepherd, was later than usual. .
The darkness had not quite fallen
before I recognized the bleating of the
Hock in the distance, and soon after the
white fleeces of the sheep slowly appear
NEW BLOOMFIELD, TUESDAY, MAY 17, 1881.
ed from out the sombre shadows of the
trees. I had just walked inside the hut
to prepare supper, when the mullled fall
of a horse's feet became audible. I knew
the canter well, aud came to the door to
await the arrival of Mr. 8 , the owner
of the station. He galloped up to the
hut, and with a cheerful " Good even
ing, Bill," aud as usual came inside to
ask me if I wanted anything, and to
light his pipe.
" I can't stay long with you this time,
Bill," he said, pleasantly, but with a
little anxiety ; "the black fellows are
about again. I hope your gun Is in
order. Do you want any powder or
lead?"
" We have quite enough," I replied,
"both for Mat and myself; but there's
no bullets; I'll run them to-morrow.
Mat's rather late this evening, but the
flock's not far off; they'll be home in a
quarter of an hour. I saw them pass
the belt before you came."
At this instant the shadow of a man
darkened the door and Mat entered.
" Good evening," he said quietly, to
Mr. B and myself. ".The sheep's
feedin' home all right, stir, but there's a
few inlssln'. One of my marked ewes
is gone, and I cau't see two of the
crawlers."
"You'll pick them ip to-morrow,
Mat," replied the strong, pleasant voice
of the squatter. " Bill says you've got
enough powder and lead. The blacks
are about; do you know that?"
Without waiting for an answer, Mr.
8 proceeded to undo his horse, and
was about to mount, when Mat said :
" I guess you had better stop to-night,
sir."
"WhyV"
" Injuns Is close up. One of them
sheep I spoke of was speared.'1
" I heard there were black fellows
about," said Mr. S , delaying to
mount, "but the ride is safe euough ;
I've got my rifle with me."
"They're too close," responded the
shepherd, after filling a panikln of tea,
and, contrary to his custom, standing
his gun against the table.
We looked at him inquiringly. He
kept his eyes wandering over and
around the flocks, while he explained.
" Wall, you see, sir, after seein' the
spear wound on the crawler, I looked
about me purty sharp, but couldn't see
nothin' till I was leavln' the belt there,
when I sighted one of the varmints
wrlgglln' through the grass like a snake.
I was goln' to give him a ball, but saw
another wriggle in his wake, and then
another; and," continued the narrator,
with something like a glow of expecta
tion, "they ain't far off now, I reckon."
He had scarcely uttered the words
when he lifted both hands and struck
Mr. S full on the cheBt with enough
force to drive him fb the extreme end of
the hut. At the same Instant a spear
whizzed through the open doorway and
quivered in the slabs behind.
" By gum"
More remarks were drowned by a loud
quivering snort from the poor horse ; a
moment after and he rolled heavily
across the hut door, completely blocking
up the entrance.
Mat muttered away : " First-rate for
us coons I Ye'd better bar de door, Bill !
Doctor! Doctor I Doctor I Pst,pstl Here,
lad." The dog leaped on the shepherd.
" By gum," he said, " I thought he was
outside."
By this time Mr. S was coolly
reconnolteting through the loopholes.
He had let down the window, and was
preparing for action as unconcernedly
as the shepherd.
These quiet, brave men Inspired me
with confidence, aud I remembered
thinking, as I threw water on the Are,
so as to extinguish all light, that the
black fellows had met with their match.
By this time the moon was up and the
light was gradually growing on the
landscupe. At first we could discern
the outlines of the trees, and then, as
the night withered, the white, seared
gratis between the shadows. There was
a long time of silence. Mat, Mr. S
and myself had our barrels through the
loopholes, and were closely watching for
any movement outside. The convulsive
shuddering of the horse had ceased, and
there was a painful silence. The squat
ter and Mat were like two statues, and
notwithstanding the quiet breathing of
the dog and the croaking of the frogs
along the river, there seemed to be a
frightful significance in the silence that
was brooding above these sounds. Every
Instant I was expecting a rush from the
outside, but there was not a sign nor
sound to betray the presence of any
enemy. The sheep were camping quiet
ly round the hurdles. Silence the
bright moon the white fleeces mingling
with the color of the grass the still
shadows ' of the trees the tau black
forest the spectral tracery of the
branches in the moonlight. The silence
was terrible. One of the outside wethers
rose and walked forward a few yards,
then commenced stamping quickly on
the ground.
" Blame my eyes 1" said Mat, for the
first time breaking the silence, "if the
Ole Parson hain't sighted one of the
blacks."
The " Ole Parson" was a putrlarch
wether that was afflicted with the foot
rot, and usually fed on his knees.
"Bo he has; and by gum there's a
crowd the whole tribe hev come to
visit. Not enough In shade boss," con
tinued Mat, after another Interval, and
in a hard-whispering tone.
The next moment the first report rang
out into myriad echoes. A shrill death
shout followed, aB the dark figure of a
man leaped with a sudden force from
the ambush and fell prone, gurgling out
blood and broken words.
" Now, boss," said Mat, looking out,
but Btill charging; "Fifty yards to the
right of the hurdle."
Boss (Mr. 8 )changed the direction
of the gun aud fired. The human figure
seemed to sink down so quickly, so
calmly, so helplessly, that I felt a
strange thrill of pity.
" He's fixed safe as houses; let's physic
auother or two, and maybe they will
make tracks," again muttered the shep
herd in a tone of suppressed glee. "Cook,
why the deuce don't you shoot V Bqulnt
round that block to the right of the
wattle."
Looking In the direction indicated by
Mat, whose eyes seemed everywhere, I
saw the figure of a man partially visible
against the ground. He was evidently
sheltering himself from the other two
guns, but owing to my silence hitherto,
he must have been of the opinion that
the portion of the hut where I stood was
unoccupied. For an Instant I could see
nothing through the smoke, but it
cleared almost immediately. Just as
the shepherd said, " Don't shoot again
he's fixed," I saw the poor wretch stag
gering wildly toward the hut and then
falling with a dull Bound. God forgive,
it was very like murder. This was the
first life I had ever taken. The next
thing I remember was Mr. S asking
me if I had run any bullets.
"Not one."
" Have you any in the hut ?"
"Not one."
Mat informed us that we were
"tree'd," much iu the same way as he
would tell the overseer that the rations
were short. He quietly pulled his gun
from the loophole, saying: "I've only
one more pull to keep our skins whole.
We'll hev to trust to Doctor."
Mat's dog Doctor was partly a Bmlth
fleld and partly a Newfoundland. He
had been trained by him to all kinds of
tricks. Among others, be repeatedly
took messages to the station when at
tached to bis collar, and I presume this
was the object Mat had In view when
referring to him as capable of relief.
" Mister, d'ye think you klu write a
mlssage in the dark, or by the moon
light, asklu' the hands at the Homestead
to come this wayV No time to lose;
I see the blacks dodging round the hut.
Bill, knock away the low part of the
rotten slab behind your back. Here,
Doctor."
The message was scrawled and fasten
ed to Doctor's collar In a little less than
a minute, and the noble bruto, who
seemed to know the danger, stood anx
iously trembling till the preparations
were "completed.
Asa before stated, the hut stood close to
the stream, and from the rear the bank
sloped abruptly toward the water. The
American for the first time seemed
affected. When the men fell under our
shots there was not the slightest change
perceptible in his voice; but the few
words he spoke to his dog were broken
and singularly soft. I'll be sworn there
were tears in the man's eyes. Every
thing being at last prepared, he spot
upon the dog's muzzle, held his head
close to his cheek for a moment, and
then pressed him quickly out of the
hole and away down the shelving bank.
We listened anxiously for a time, aud
then there arose a wild jabbering for a
minute; the next instant we detected a
yelp of pain.
"My God!" said I, involuntarily,
"the Doctor's speared."
"No, he ain't I" snapped Mat. .' He's
only touched an' no more. He'll do
It."
"He must be quick, then," said Mr.
8 , "the black fiends have struck a
light somewhere, and they are going to
burn ua out. Look!".
Our eyes were "now intently scannlug
the movements of the savages through
the little loopholes, and we saw a flam
ing brand whizzing through the air and
scattering sparks in all directions. It
fell on the stringy bark roof over our
heads. Another and another came, but
it did not appear to us that auy of them
had taken eflect.
By this time the black fellows had
gathered courage. Believing our am
uultlon was expended, many of them
had left the cover and might be Been flit
ting about like specters. They had kin
led a fire some distance off, and across
its glare shadows were constantly fall
lug. The lire brands were thrown no
longer; some fresh mode of attack was
preparing. Our suspense continued a
loug period ( nearly half an hour ), dur
ing which time not a word was spoken
by any of us ; our sole dependence was
the Doctor, and if help did not soon
arrive it was certain that we could And
no escape from the demons who were
trying to coin paeis our destruction.
" Now, look, slick," whispered Mat.
" I see their game ; going to give us fits.
How's the moon 1 well aback of the,
hut, I guess. Bill, stick your cabbage
tree on a pillow, and hold it at the open
window when I tell you. I'll just go
out and bid them good eveniDg. Don't
bar the door after me,mlnster, but when
I show them my heels, open It. You
see we can't spare amunltiou."
While speaking Mat unbarred the
door. He slipped out noiselessly as he
concluded the sentence.
Through the slabs he said to me:
" D'ye se that fellow with the blazing
log t When he gets close to the wat
tle open the window and prop up the
pillow. Take care of the spears your
self." As soon as the black fellow came to
the point Indicated. I opened the long,
little shutter with some noise and held
up the dummy. In a moment a dozen
spears passed through the aperture, and
I let the window fall as though one of
us was mortally wounded.
There was a wild shout without. At
this time the black fellow who carried
the log was within a few yards of the
but, and I beard Mat preparing for his
move outside. Looking out as quickly
as I could, I had just time to Bee his tall
figure emerge beyond the shade as the
butt end of his gun fell crashing on the
head of the fire-bearer. The door was
opened as Mat turned ; it required but
one or two bounds to take him to the
door, but the savages were ' too quick
for him with their spears. He staggered
through the entrance and fell just as he
cleared the threshold.
" Caught it in the thigh, I guess," be
exclaimed, as he slowly recovered him
self and painfully struggled to the win
dow. " Don't mind the spear," he re
marked to me as I . approached him,
It's better as It is till help comes."
" If it ever does," thought I.
The American's sortie, I believe, had
a disastrous tiled, for the black fellows
seemed to conclude at once that our am
unition was expended aud they throng
ed around the hut without caring to
shelter themselves.
In a short time the crackling of the
flumes ou the roof put an end to our
trouble. The hut was on fire and there
was nothing left us but an attempt to
dash out and clear the aborigines. I
proposed this, but Mr. 8 would
not try without Mat, aud underneath
the blazing roof, with clubbed guns,
we grimly awaited the final attack.
The American's rifle rested in the loop
hole where he had first taken up his po
sition. " There' the worst of them," Mat
said, looking along the weapon ; "he's
coming up with a log to . stave in the
NO. 20.
door. He'll never do It;" and our last
bullet brought down the ringleader.
There was consternation and a hurri
ed consultation. After a lapse of about
five minutes, the whole force of the be
siegers rushed shrieking on our little
garrison. A moment's surge outside
and the door fell back as Mr. 8 'a
gun swung down on the crowding sav
ages with terrific force, felling two of
the foremost like oxen. I remember a
wild struggle with our guns and fists.
Mat and the squatter towered above
their opponents like giants, fighting
with terrible energy. The black fellows
had forced me to the ground ; one was
shortening the grasp of the spear to
drive It through my body, when I felt a
gush of blood spouting over my face
and chest, just as the savage fell on me
mortally wounded. Then I remember
the hurrah outside, and the cracking of
rifles.
" That was a good back-handed blow,
boss," said Mat, faintly ; " I guess the
cook's got another squeak. D'ye hear
that? Hooray! Knowed the Doctor
would do It," said he, with renewed
energy, "take that." Aud then I heard
the dull sound of another blow, and a
low moan of pain, as the station-hands
rushed In. The Doctor soon recovered.
Bo did Mat, who is now one of the rich
est men in the colonies. I well, I have
a large scar across my breast.
A Rather Novel Sect.
The Rev. Mr. White, of New Hamp
shire, has founded a religious sect called
Augelio Believers. They believe In the
disposition of angels to visit earth's
people, if they were only properly en
couraged. His object Is to restore the
old sociability between human and an
gel lo beings. In a sermon lately White
said it would not surprise him -to have
angels call upon him at any time, and "
he held himself in readiness to give
them a welcome. Three boys resolved
that White's faith should be rewarded.
One of them borrowed three of bis sis
ter's night gowns, and got three pairs of
chicken wings, which were fastened on
the shoulders of the white garments.
With some other fixings by way of
disguise, the boys went at night to the
cottage of White. They knocked, and
said they were angels. He examined
their wings and raiment, and was satis,
fled. They were hungry, and asked for
kid. White had no kid. A fatted calf
would do. White had no calf, and offer
ed them pork, at which they turned up
their noses. Borne cold chicken was set
before them, and hard cider, and they
were enjoying the repast when Mrs.
White came in. She was suspicious,
and examined the flowing garments, on
which she saw the name " Blodgett"
marked. " Ole man," she cried, " I've
washed all three o' them night gowns
afore." The Whites locked the door,
took oft Jhe angelic robes, used up two
broomsticks on the boys, and turned
them out to go home like common
mortals.
Noah Webster.
Noah Webster came very near being
Washington's private secretary. Borne
old letters show it. It was about 1783,
when Noah Webster was teaching
school, that a mutual friend applied to
him to take the position of tutor and
private secretary in the family of Wash
ington. A correspondence was begun
and five or six letters were exchanged,
Washington stipulating that the appli
cant should keep his books, teach three
children (the Custls children, probably)
and act as his secretary. Mr. Webster
insisted that he must have some time for
private study, and, more than all, that
he must be allowed to marry, which I
hope Is not a singular ambition in a
young man. The great soldier and the
great lexicographer did not make a bar
gain, and perhaps the world gained"
dictionary and lost a statesman.
t3T0n of the punishments in vogue
in Russia la known as the " red herring
torture," and is practiced by feeding the
miserable victims on salted fish, and de
nying them water to drink until they
will consent to make statement incrim
inating themselves and others.
nr I think it best not to dispute
where there is no probability of con.
vinclng.