Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-09-14
EV ENING STAR.
A FOOL THE COOPER rs v,

| below:
A boy Of this class has often came up to oul
tent here. One day he came to me, as / wa
sitting on the trunk Of tree near the tent
and, resting his back against it, began to talk
| "a pretty flock OF sheep, that" said he, nod
ding his head towards the hock that he wa.
watching ga pretty flock for q butcher a.
one time-about two hundred Of them"
yes" obseved, go nice little flock
What does the butcher give you day, now
for looking after them? ?''
'.The butcher give me! Why he gives me
nothing; they belong to me and my mate"
What" said L, "a boy like you in business
"Why, as to that" said he. 81 have been
In business good while now;" and so he
went on to tels me his story. Lie was slim,
good-looking lad, Of fourteen or fifteen. He
| was originally from London, but so long ago
he did Lot know frem what part of il. His ia
ther, he said, was down in Melbourne, carting
water, and, as he expressed it, was always
putt n5 his hand into his pocket, not to pull
out money, but to put it in. he himself went
to tie dlggings, and got enough to purchase a
horse and cart. But he had scarcely. got to
work, carting washing-stuff for the diggers,
when the horse was claimed as a stolen one.
This, he said, sickened him of horsefesh; so be
sold his cart, and joined the butcher, his pres
ent partner, in carrying stores to the diggings
in bullock-dray; and next, in fetching cattle
out of New South Wales. The butcher, his
mate, had a station at Yass, in New South
Wales; it was there they went, about three
hundred miles ard when they have sold their
stores, they were going there again.
twas pretty evident that amongst their
various business concerns. he and his mate
kept sly grog-shop; and it was very amusing
to hear him tell how they contriged to trick,
| what he called, "the fools of commissioners.
"0ne day." said he, my mate and went to
deposit some money at the commissioner So
who act as q sort of bankers to the dig GERS
rbut the commissioner on duty would rot take
L. ~ hear" said he. ''that you sell grog."
fOf course" said the boy, "we denied it; but,
as we saw that the commissioner meant to
make search, my mate held him in talk,
while got off as fast as could, and sent the
bullock-driver bottle Of rum, to amuse him
self with while he lay there. Scarcely was he
gone, when, the commissioner came with q po-
Eceman. Police said be, search this store;
/ hear they sell grog.' So the police began,
and turned everything over in the store; and,
of course, found nothing. Because why? the
bullock driver was sitting crowner's quest on
it in the bush Then the commissioner order
ed him to search the tent. Now VIC knew the
policeman well enough, for many was the
glass of grog that We had given him to keep all
close. 'So,' says he. as he passes my u ate, just
II low way like Mate, says he, if you have
any in the bed, don't pull the clothes off, but
only fouzle them about pretty well. But my
mate, said out right loud, as the commissioner
might hear him-'0f with your clothes, police
man! out with the bed! dig up the floor if you
ike, and for every drop of grog you find on my
premises, IL give you an ounce of gold fer it,
SO they pully-hauled everything about and
found nothing;-'cause why! The bullock
driver had it snug in the wattle-scrnb.
This was the point that particularly tickled
the boys fancy. He seemed at one and the
same moment to see the commissioner watch
ing intently for kcg Of rum coming to light,
and the bullock-driver, somewhere in thick
waffle scrub, sitting, what he called crowner's
quest on the kegs, and amusing himself with
a bottle TO his own cheek. And the lad
could not help laughing outright at the double
scene.
when the commissioner saw that there was
nothing, he looked as gruff as a bear at stake;
and he said in lofty proud sort ofway. well,
as ycu can find nothing, police, you can 60
And with that he began to walk in a stately
fashion.
"But now it was our turn to talk; and
pretty talk, assure you, we made of it. Mr..
Commissioner we said, 1T is very well to
charge US with sly grog selling, and come and
turn our store and tent tOpsy turvy; but who
is to set all these things right again, and who
is 10 make US recompense for this scandal OF
respectable tradesmenH
''At this he looked mighty astonished, and
turned very red, '0h, said he, you can soon
put all TO rights again. But my mate said,
Not so Mr.. Commissioner. If we had sold
grog, and you had found it, you would have
seized it, and fined US heavily into the bar
gain; but as you have falsely accused US, we
shall expect at least to be left as good as you
found US Pray where are we to sleep to- night,
everything here being skies and sevens, and
our beds are pulled tOpieces! Where are we
to get our suppers cooked IN this confusion
Where are We to breakfast, L ask
'Well, my man said the commissioner,
what do you want to recompense your
" Twenty pounds, says my mate, boldly.
Twenty pounds that is prepcsterous :"
said the commissioner.
"'Wel, Mr.. Commissioner, said my mate, 'if
you think that too much, then send your own
men, and let them do it; it is all one to US, so
that it is done. But mark me, sir, it must be to
night, and soon, as we shall be suffering from
your unjust suspicion all the time
"Very well" said the commissioner, Il
will send a couple of men, and he marched
away, as proud as peacock. But no men
came; so at night we just put few things in
order bit, got our suppers and went to bed.
In the morning we ups, gets our breakfast,
throws the tools and everything into Statico
again, anu Ou VIC Sct W tuo y.
When we saw him We complained heavily of
nobody being sent, and having to sit up all
night, Ieastwise as long as we could keep awake
and then only resting our heads on tho chop
ping block.
'F'My good fellows said the commissioner,
you make much ado about nothing?' You
might have put all right yourselves before
now
about nothing? nothing?' we broke out,
both at once, nothing. Is having your place
turned topsyturvy, nothing! our business
stopped, nothing? for we can't DO a single
thing. Is the slur cast on us, nothing Moth
ing, sitting up supperless all night? Sir, we
were all right before you came and ransacked
US; and we expect to be set all right again, as
you promised
"'But / have got no men at liberty at pre-.
sent said the commissioner.
"'And are we to wait till you have men,
we asked.
:'sWell, what is the least you viii be salts
fed with to put all right yOurseiyesH 9 now
asked his worshipful commissionership. look
ing coed deal posed. If ten pounds viii do,
viii give you that, and l will give no more
"tWell," !" said my mate, still ll.pulling long
n =.