Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1878-04-22
Rachel Lindsay.
A UTH-AUsTRALIAN STORY.

like myself is a sheep-tarmer IN South
Australia:
my dear Jerry,-Lizzie sends her
love, and hopes to see you when shear
ing is over, as usual. If you'll say
what day, I'll fetch you from Ballarat.
Yours affectionately.
Don GARDINER.
~ B.-Just begun to wash the wool.
Lizzie's sister says she has seen my ap-
paratus at Conolly's. but ] don't think
it. Ask Conolly."
Conolly was neighbor of mine, and
he CHANGED to have brought me Don's
letter, and to be lighting his pipe at my
elbow while l read it.
''Conolly," said |, 'do you know any
of Mrs. Gardeners sisters =? She has an
unlimited number, | believe, for l have
met fresh one-sometimes two fresh
ones-every Christmas for about half-a-
dozen years, and here is still another |
never heard of. She appears to be ac-
quainted with you and this neighbor-
HOOD"
30 yes; that's Cinderella, interrupt
ed Conolly, as he abstracted bundle of
newspapers from our joint post-bag and
began to rip the wrapping from them.
Haven't you seen Cinderella? She was
never out of Tasmania, l suppose, until
last spring, when she was staying up
here with the Macdonalds. The Mac
donald girls called her Cinderella be-
cause she had always been the one to
stay at home and keep house while the
others went about. Her proper name is
Rachel. o Jerry, Jerry!" he broke out
suddenly, laughing in what seemed to
be very offensive manner (my proper
name | may mention being Gerald,
''your sister-in-law Lizzie will be too
many for you. She won't let you es-
cape this time. She has kept Rachel
as her last card"
elf marry a woman with such a
name as that, l hope | shall be hen
pecked husband for the rest of my life !"
L retorted angrily, seizing paper-knife
and beginning to tear away at the Aus
tralasian, so as to drown further CONVEX
sation upon what was very sore SUBJ
ject.
My Brother Donald's wife Lizzie, was
as good and kind little woman as ever
breathed, but like many young wives in
happy circumstances, she was match
maker. And being impulsive, ELUSIVE,
and not quite-what shall l call it? |
don't like to say she was not quite a
lady. but that would suggest my mean
ing-she did not pursue her calling
with that tact and judgment which its
delicate nature required. 1 need not
say more, except that she had a number
of spinster sisters, and one only bachelor
relative who lived all by himself in
single blessedness on his own fine and
thriving property, and that | was that
. male victim. | beg pardon of all the
Misses Lindsay for using such term
i / was not a victim as far as they were
: concerned. But did feel it hard thai
l should be laughed at wherever l went
r as the captive knight of half a dozer
y fair ones, when l had never had tn,
: choosing of one of them.
!. When [ received the above letter,
had just seen my last wool-bale packed
on the last bullock -dray and started ol
d its slow journey to Melbourne and tn
e day after I set off myself on my yearl,
l. visit to Don. He was less fortunate il
respect of sheepshearing than l, for liv
l. ing in an exceptionally cool district
. where an exceptionally wet and wintr
ir spring had kept everything behindhand
he had still all his trouble to come.
{: thought of that as | buttoned mysel
W into my Ulster, which l was glad Q
&c that cold morning, though Christina
= was only month off; and l refecte
:. that | should be the only unemploye
ne man at the disposal of the househol
IN until the shearing was over, and foresa
It, (as l thought) the consequences.
Ill made up my mind, however, that
-, would defy Lizzie's Vaccinations in
ho more systematic manner than heretofor
fit May l be forgiven for SO priggish d.
ds termination.
ke 1t was midnight before l reache
' Ballarat, where Don usually met me
IL but upon this occasion | found tel
% :. gram stating that he was too busy
Il leave his farm, and would send for n
of next day. So | had one game of po
at the club and went to bed; and ne.
icy morning enjoyed an hour or two ov
u, u newly arrived English papers and p
,en riodicals, and solitary lunch; and th,
ow the familiar old ramshackle buggy al
yer the beautiful horses Don was famed f
made their appearance, and | set off
ie) the last stage of my journey. When
~, arrived at my destination, it was da
at. and raining heavily and the groom W
ear opened the stable-gate told me that L
at brother had not long come up from t
wash-place and was interviewing shea
ent ers at the hut. was wet and mudd
la5 so | went straight to nay room. witho
his even asking for my sister-in-law. W