The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1870-09-09
Selettf0 Sturu.
LOST IN THE SCRUB,
An Australian Adventure.
From Cassell's Magazine.

An Australian Adventure.
From Cassells Magazine.
1.
It might have been at home here in one
of the midland counties. the scene was sc
calm and peaceful. The roughly built cot
tage, with here and there its familiar OBJ
iects-the loud ticking Dutch clock, the
cleanly scrubbed threelegged table, the
big old family bible, the cage of white
wicker, with its ragged-tailed thrush hop
ping from perch to perch; while seated in
the middle of the humble room, before a
tin bucket of water, was an elderly man
with Euglishman written in every feature OF
his rugged, rudy, sun-taHned face as he
bent to his task-that of washing out the
barrel of an old rifle, and making the water
play fountain like from the nipple as he
forced down the cleaning rod, to the intense
delight of couple of rosy children. 1t
might have been here in some sunny coun-
ty, but there was something about the
brightness of the afternoon sun which
streamed in at the open door, in the blue
ness of the sky, the clsarness of the air,
and the scenery around that was not Eng
lish. The flowers that clustered about the
door and nodded around the rough window
frame, and the objects that peeped here
and there from some corner, too, told of a
foreign land; while the huge pines that
shot up arroW-like toward the sky were
such as could be seen nowhere but in Aus
tralia
.ssThe poor brutes have b4en calling you
lass, for the last half hour" said the man,
looking I'D, as tall, fair-haired girl enter
ed the room where he was busy, milking
pail in hand, and stood to watch the talk
with as much interest as the children.
s'They shan't wait any longer, father, ="
said the girl, as she passed slowly through
the door, humming CHEEKY old country
ditty, and was gone.
The gun barrel was taken from the water
and wiped out, and then Samson Harris,
who had left the old country and settled in
the wide, free lands of Australia, set to
work oiling the lock.
"Hallo, what are you back forf' he ex-
CLAIMED as roughly dressed, heavy faced
man came up to the hut door at trot, his
forehead streaming with perspiration,
which had marked its course in lighter
hues through his dust grimed face. Di-
rectly behind him came at an easy Looping
swing, tall, thin, heshless looking native
whose dingy skin did not even shine as he
came into the hut after his companion.
''Blacks out, painted the heavy faced
man, ,seizing the door as if to shut it, at the
came time examining the cap upon the rife
he carried-'tBlacks out, master"
ssBlaeks out, Temp" said Samson;
ssBlacks out? .Pon my word, Tom, never
saw such coward in my life. Now what
in the world were you Jagged for that your
conscience must make you see niger in
his paint behind every tree, or peeping up
above every scrub? Blacks? Poor inof-
fensive beggars. Why, you had your rifle
hadn't you, ready to scare off hundred
This makes six times you've run home
to CRY wolf And you've left those sheep to
take care of themselves" he continued,
forcing the ramrod into its place as he rose
as if to leave the hut.
''Taint wolf this time, master; 'taint In
deed, cried the man earnestly; and then
seeing his masters smile Of incredullty, he
relapsed into look of 5ullen injury, and
stood leaning upon his rife barrel.
Here come along" said Samson.
''Lload up first master, said Tom. "IIs
true, indeed" he exclaimed, once more
seeking to obtain credence for his story.
81 saw scores. Ask Teddy here"
Now Teddy-or, as he was known in his
tribe, -bidgee-stood spear in hand
showing his white teeth, and apparently
listening intently, from the way his nostrils
was -amiss was evident, for leaning his
spear against the wall, he now took off the
ragged blue shirt he wore, unfastened his
girdle, and set free formidable looking
Waddy, or club, before throwing himself
upon the ground to listen.
Samson paused, startled, and though un-
charged, he involuntarily cooked his piece
as Tedd, the black shepherd, leaped up and
exclaimed:
s.Black fellows all a-coming-one-tw
ten hundred"
The next instant he threw himself into
an attitude of attack, poising his spear
ready for hurting it at the first who should
cross the threshold.
ssGet out exclaimed Samson, recovering
himself; 'shere have l lived now two years,
and only seen party or two of the pool
wretches begging, and
s.But they burned Riley's hut and butch.
cred his wife and children" said Tom
earnestly.
"Don't believe it, said Samson sturdily
''only q bugbear made up by some of them
pioneering chaps to frighten newcomers
from going up country and taking claims,
so that they may have the best choice for
themselves.
s'Wallaces boys head was battered in,
said Tom.
f'Gammon," said Samson, who however
could not help looking uneasily towards
the black.
eThen there was Ellis poor gal; yor
know how they served her."
s.Hold your tongue, will you 2" growleC
Samson; "do you want to frightheu the wo
men to death Z" and as ne spoke he clap
ped his hand over the convict servants
mouth, and glanced uneasily toward The
door which led into the interior of the hui
ONE that was unusually large, for dur
ing Samson's pleasant sojourn in this smil
ing wilderness, matters had prospered Will
hun, and bit by bit he had added to hi
dwelling, and found himself compelled t.
make fresh arrangements for his hocks ant
ever multiplying herds.
tDid YOU call 2" said a pleasant voice
and then the door opened, and Samson
comely wife made her appearance.
s.No," said Samson, 81 didn't call but
"Here a come" said Teddy, and al
heard the rapid beat of feet, audible to tn
blacks keen sense some time before. Ion
cooked and raised hiSfife, Samson snatch
ed down a revolver from hook over tn
fire place, knocking down and breaking
little china group of the children IN IN
wood, an ornament brought from the Ia
on Engllsh nome
But the next moment arms were loWere
and Teddy's spear was not thrown, lor {"
men. whose faces were known to all pres
uet, dashed painting into the hut
'tLock out" one of them gaasped, ''Ih
blacks are out"
Snow then, master 2" cried Tom tn
umphantly. ------
''Don't see nothing about blacker thai
your face, neighbor,'" said Samson dryly
as he turned to one of his visitors. "Ain'
peither of you killed, are your
The man did not answer, but turning u
the sleeve ofhis WOODEN shirt to the eiboI
showed a long. jagged, but superf1eia
scratch from the upper joint to the wrist
with the blood drying fast. but still stand
in beads upon the lips of the wound.
al might have been" said the new com
er grimly, 'sif the fellow who threw tn
spear that made that long scratch, had bee