The Evansville journal., 1870-07-20
From Casseli's MagSzine.l
LOST In THE SCRUB
AN AuLTRALIAN ADVENTURE.


was so calm and peaceful. The
roughly. built cottage, with here and
there its familiar obiects-the loud
ticking Dutch clock, the cleanly
scrubbed hree legged table, the big
old family Bible, the cage of white
wicker, with its ragged tailed thrush
hopping from perch to perch; while
seated in the middle of the humble
room. before tin bucket of water,
was an elderly man with EDglishmen
written boldly in every feature of his
rugged, ruddy, sun-tanned face as he
the barrel OF an old rifle, and ma
king the water play fountain like
from the nipple as he forced down
the cleauiog rod, to the intense de-
light of couple of rosy children. It
county. but there was something
about the brightness of the afternoon
sun which streamed in at the open
door. In the blueness of the sky, the
clearpess of the air, and the scenery
around, that was not English. The
flowers that clustered about the door
and nodded round the 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 W-like toward the
sky were such as could be seen now
where but IN Australia.
"The poor brutes have called you,
lass, for the last half hour" said the
man, looking up, as tall, fair haired
girl entered the room where he was
busy, milking pail in hand, and stood
to watch the task with as much in
terest as the children.
"They shan't wait any longer. faith
err. said the girl, and she passed
slowly through the door. humming a
cherry old-country ditty, and was
gone.
The gun barrel was taken from the
water. and wiped out, and then Sam.
son Harris, who had left the old
country and settled in the wide, free
lands of Australia, set to work oiling
the clock.
Halo, what are you back for?" he
exclaimed as a roughly dressed, heavy
faced man came up to the hut door at
a trot, his forehead streaming with
perspiration, which had marked its
course in lighter lines through his
dust grimed face. Directly 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 COM
Blacks out" painted the heavy
faced man, seizing the door as if to
shut it. at the same time examining
the cap upon the rife he carried
BLACKS out, master.
"Blaeks ont. Tom2" said Samson;
"blacks out? Pom my word, Tom,
T never saw such a coward in my life
Now what in the world were you lag
ged for that your conscience must
make you see a niger In his paint be-
hind every tree. or peeping up above
every scrub? Blacks! Poor, iuoffen-
sive beggars. Why, you had your
rife. hadn't YOU, ready to scare off
hundred? This makes six times
you've run homo to cry wolf. And
you'ye 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.
indeed" cried the man earnestly: aud
then, seeing his masters smile of in
credulty, he relapsed into lock of
".
his rifle barrel.
Here, come along" said Sampson,
LOAD UP first, master" said Tom.
''Tis 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 his tribe, Bidgee-bidgee-stoOd
spear in hand, showing his white
teeth, and apparently listening intent
ly, from the way IN which bis nos
trils expanded and tWitched. That
something was amiss was evident, for
leaning his spear against the wall he
now took off the ragged blue shirt he
wore, unfastened his glrdle, and set
free formidable looking waddy, or
club. before throwing himself fiat up
on the ground to listen.
Samson paused startled, and though
unchanged, he voluntarily cooked bis
piecs as Teddy. the black shepherd,
ieaped back and exclaimed:
BLACK fellows all -coming-one
-two-ten hundred"
The next instant he threw himself
into an attitude Of attack, poising his
smear ready for hurling at tho nTst
Who should cross the Threshold.
Get out" exclaimed Samson. re-
> himself; "here have / lived
Years, and only seen a party
or the poor wretches. begging,
and
but they burned Rifles hut aud
butchered his wife and children,
said Tom earnestly.
Don't blieve it." said Samson
sturdily; "only bugbear made up by
some of them pioneering chaps tC
frighten new comers from gsing uI
country and taking claims, so thai
they may have best cLoice for them
selves"
"Wallace's boys head was battered
in" said Tom.
''Ganmon.', said Samson, who how
ever could not help looking uneasil!
towards the black.
ssThen there was Ellis's poor gal
you know how they served her"
Hold your tongue. will your
growIed Samson; do you want t.
frighten the women to death? AM
as he spoke he clapped his hand owe
his convict servants mouth, an
glanced uneasily toward the doc
which led into the interior OF the hu
one that was unusually large, TO
during Samson's pleasant sojourn II
this smiling wilderness matters ha'
prospered with him, and bit by bit b
had added to his dwelling. aud foun,
himself compelled to make fresh ar
rangement for his focks and ever
multiplying herds.
Did you call?" said a pIeasan
voice, and then the door opened, an
Samson's comely wife made her ap
pearance.