Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1865-08-17
miscellaneous.
RED JIM.
AN AUSTRALIAN STORY.

Five and twenty years ago it was such a
summer, here in Victoria, as it now is in
.e end Of February, 1865 that is to say,
Tie bush grass lay long and dead amid
IoyelcSs trees, or upon level tiresome
plains the heated air quivcred along the
.w horizon, and danced above the withered
yegdure like the surroundings Of a furnace.
here had been long season of drought.
A.tning but dry water beds, distressed
locks, and wandering cattle, were to be
seen anywhere sometimes the black heavy
masses of smoke would roll along the dis
,ant sky, and cloud the glaring sun to
crimson. Sometimes in the close night, a
flush, far and faint, told that the confagra-
hons which had not yet reached US were
sweeping many an acre Of brush or pasture
land That was a summer | never shall
.l5ct Day after day the dazzling bright
sky the Scorched hills and plains, the wea-
y irritating sense of prostration. |
Watched the poor halfmaddened sheep,
weeks upon weeks, with painful sense Of
duty which is present to me even now
A4egr was little feed they could eat, and
NtiI. -csS Of filthy stagnant water in the sole
-oIcy pool on which they depended as
Their Iastrcsource, Listlessly they coiled
III the shade, and listlessly watched them,
.-t. began to experience a fierce irrita-
~e longing for rain that haunted me day
@a night like coming mania. Some
nights ! threw myself down outside the
nut and tried to sleep but could find no
res, the still hot atmosphere kept up the
never that was coming upon me, and my
>.-@9er was ever broken. l used to envy
~e o'd station horse they had left for my
Use, when l heard him nibbling among the
grass IN the darkness of the night, and
@-0Iung satisfaction that the sun had
.asSed the hazy hills After time l began
weary the walk home, and, taking with
-s al extra supply cf tea and damper,
I''e practice Of camping where the
s"yeP camped visiting my hut only as the
'7aGleS Of the flock led me to its vicinity
-'.~ l IepIenished my stock and left with
'.g sheep again. | am sure had fever,
anu would soon be delerious, for had moth
- 10 relieve the frightful monotony-al-
@''' the same brazen sky, the dead swell
'A7 heat, the mOtionless forest, the
s~'A5e murmurings of the wilderness, like
~I laIAt whlsperings Of sea she'll.
04e night was lying tossing about in
.g 'on3 grass Of box swamp, not a mile
.,," my nut. | chose the place because
~s ground was cooler there than on the
sheltered plain and as l looked up to
', s.:J oq'I starlight, | thought of many of my
r|'sA rcmcmbrances, and soon felt that
#. @as weeping what time they surged up
,ID I"'Iy y and tenderly. How l longed for
~. -.s oeak Ik sky, the cold bracing wind, and
e.. 'S1leety rain Of home ! How / longed
H. ule pattering fall of rain on the win
f., and the winter comforts of the bright
'Astone. Somehow these longings
5,a,, 5,g n my thoughts, ard in a partia
w,rJn r3n l Aeard winter songs again, and loud
'Ifas and laughter.
,wo..ke @N'ke with sudden start to see, moi
t5o; t.5"Gnty yards from me, three men holding
Jont 5+ horses horses and speaking to each other a
snoS ,"S some bush fire | could hardly per
inc r'e myself that was not still dream