Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-06-10
AN AUSTRALIAN LOVE STORY.
why WestIey, Now u Quiet Resident
of San Francisco, Became n Bush

why WestIey, Now n Quiet Resident
of san Francisco, Became n Bush
ranger.
San Ffancisco Post.l
Westley was impelled to the ca
reer of bushranging mainly by a
desire of revenge and a love of
adventure. He was brought up in
the saddle, and was u first-rate
horseman and stock-rider from the
time he was able to crack a whip.
Australia being oYerrun with cat
tie, a loose freedom prevailed of
branding other peoples stock, and
Wesley took the fatal step and
branded some, too. This was his
first trangression, and into it he
was led by his love for his masters
daughter, a girl of some sixteen
summers, who returned his passion
but was restrained from openly
ayowing it through fear of her pa
rents. He hoped by this unlawful
means to make money and then
claim her hand,
" What do you think ?" she sale
to him one evening as they sat al
supper. "What do you Think"
"What is it?" he asked.
"They want me to marry ole
Brown"
"Westley turned pale. He pu
down his knife and fork. He ha(
supper enough for that evening
The maiden smiled.
"Go on with your SUPPER" sh,
said; "do you think I'd marry
man old enough to be my father?
"He's rich," gasped her lover
"and has sheep and cattle by thou
sands"
"Oh, we shall have sheep ant
cattle when old Brown is dead,
she playfully added, as she trippe'
away in answer to her mother
call.
Westley was met by a stockrider
a friend and companion of his boy
hood, who was, ike himself, goin
to muster the cattle of his em
ployer.h After chatting for som
lltime. his mate told him of a neigh
boring stockrider who had brande
some of other peoples cattle fo
himself, "and what" said he, 81
to prevent us from doing tn
same?" He had unconsciousl
touched a responsive chord, fo
something of the same kind Wa
: passing Westley's own mind nc
long before. That very day operG
tions were begun, and several otht
: mems cattle were branded. Th
+, work went brayely on for sewers
months, and Westley stood fa
4. chance of becoming a cattle ownC
s of some consequence, when on
day, as the hopeful young fellow
were corraling and branding, WI
should ride up but one Brown an
9 two other settlers whose cattle we
being branded. His companio
I escaped and he was arrested al
1 given in custody. He was duI
! tried and convicted, and sentence
to five years penal seryitude wit
hard labor in her Majesty's jail
u Sydney. In Jail he worked SO ha
D that ere long he had to be sent
Z hospital.
i 1t was while patient that Yves
ley formed the resolution of becoI
i, ing a bush-ranger. When co
: yalescent and daily expecting to
/ ordered back to his gang, he co
trived to make his escape. II
very first evening after escaping
happened into q cottage on Bric
field Hill, Sydney, where ne obtal
ed a change Of apparel from t
woman of the house, a fowliT
piece and some ammunition th
do were suspended over the mant
piece. Promising to pay for the
= some day, he started away. BefC
u he had gone a mile on the road
N horseman splendidly mounted {
preached. When Westley point
his gun and ordered him to d
mount and deliver, the order "
instantly obeyed. The briga
- mounted. The high-mettled stC
impatiently champed the bit,
rider gave him rein, and both w
" forty miles from Sydney by m
mr. night, in the dark recesses Of
Ulun Mounfoinc