Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1870-09-08
Selected Storm.

An Australian Adventure,
Prom Cassell's Magazine.

It might have been at home here in one
of the midland counties. the scene was so
calm and peaceful. The roughly built cot
tage, with here and there it's familiar OBJ
iects-the loud ticking Dutch clock, the
cleanly scrubbed tbree-legged 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 al elderly man
with EDglishman written in every feature of
his rugged. ruddy, sun-taaned face as be
bent to his task-that of washing out the
barrel Of al old rifle, and making the water
play fountain ike from the nipple as ne
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 sas something about the
brightness Of the afternoon sun which
streaned in at the open door,in the blue
ness of thu sky, the elsarness of the air,
and he scenery around that was not Eng
llsh. 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 o
foreign land; while the huge pines that
shot mp arrow-like toward the sky we're
such as could be seen nowhere but In Aus
tralia
''The poor brutes have bqen calling you
lass, for the ,ast half hour" said the man,
looking up, as q 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.
They shan't wait any longer. father. "
said the girl, as she passed slowly through
the door, humming CHEEKY old country
ditty, ami was gone
This gun barrel was taken from the water
and wiped out, and then Samson Harris.
who had eft the old country and settled in
the wide, free lands Of Australia, set to
work oiling thelock.
ssHallo, what are you back for?" he ex-
CLAIMED as a roughly dressed, heavy faced
man came MP 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, feshless looking native
whose dingy skin did not even shine as he
came into the hut after his companion.
s.Blacks out rented the heavy faced
man, seizing the door as il to shut it, at the
came time examining the cap upon the rife
he carried. -'.Blacks out, master"
ssBlaeks ont, Tcm?" said Samson;
BLACKS out? pom 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; faint In
deed, cried the man earnestly; and then
seeing his masters smile of incredulity, he
relapsed into look of sullen injury, and
stood leaning upon his rifle barrel.
Here come along" said Samson
Load mp first MASTER" said Tom. ''Ti:
true. indeed" he exclaimed, once more
seeking to obtain credence for his story
"I saw scores. Ask Teddy here"
Now Teddy-or, as he was known In hi
tribe, Bidgee- -bidgee-stood spear In hand
showing his white teeth, and apparent.
listening intently, from the way his nostri
expanded and twitched. That something
was arniss was evident, for leaning hi
spear against the wall. he now took off th'
ragged blue shirt he wore, unfastened hi
girdIe, and SET free formidable lookins
waddy. or club, before throwing himsel
upon the ground to listen.
Samson paused, startled, and though un
charged, he involuntarily cooked his piec
as Tedd, the black shepherd. leaped up ant
exclaimed:
oBIack fellows all a-coming
ten hundred"
The next instant he threw himself int
an attitude OF attack, posing his spea
ready for hurting it at the first who shoul
cross the threshold.
s'Get out" exclaimed Samson, recoverin
himself; ..here have lived now two years
and only seen party or two OF the poe
vretches begging, and
"But ley burned Rileys hut and butcl
cred his wife and children" said Tol
earnestly.
"Don't believe it." said Samson sturdil.
"only a bugbear made up by some of thel
pioneering chaps to frighten newcomer
from going up country and taking claim
so that they may have the best choice IL
themselves"
"wallace's boys head was battered in
said Tom,
..Gammon," said Samson, who howev
could not help looking uneasily towar'
the black.
.'Then there was Ellis poor gal; ye
know how they served her.
Hold your tongue, will you 2 growi'
Samson; ''do you want to frightheu the W
men TO death y and as ne spoke he ella
ned his hand over the convict servant
mouth, and glanced uneasily toward Il
door which led into the interior OF the b
--one hat was unusually large, for du
Arg samson's pleasant sojourn In this sm
sr,S wilderness, matters had prospered wi
HIM. and bit by bit he had added to
dwelling. and found himself compelled
make fresh arrangements for his tocks o
ever multiplying herds.
did ron call ?" said pleasant voic
and then the door opened, and Samsol
comely wife made her appearance.
..No." said Samson, 81 didn't call but
s.Here come" said Teddy. and
heard the rapid beat of feet, audible to
blacks keen sense some time before. Tt
cooked and raised his rifle, Samson snate
ed down a revolver from hook over
6re place, knocking down and Drsaklnl
little china group of the children IN
wood, ana ornament brought from the
of English home.
But the next moment arms were love-
and Teddy's spear was not thrown, for
men, whose iaces were known TO All pf
nat, dashed painting into the hut
..Lcof out" one of them gaasped, 81
blacks are out"
NOW then, masterf" cried Tom
umphantly. =,
''Don't sec nothing about olacker I,
vou- face, pe.ghbor," said Samson az!
"a he turned to one Of his visitors. "a
neither of You killed, are your
The man did not answer, but turning
Al. .seeva of his WOODEN shirt to the ell
showed a long, jagged, but superb
scratch from the upper joint to the WI
with the blood drying fast. but still sta
in beads upon the lips of the wound.
II might have BEEN" said the new G.
er crimly, ''if the fellow who threw
spear that made that lons scratch, ,hsd .