The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-05-27

in Australia Eos sterling, or over 1920
a month. But | had been thinking the
matter over. There was a very con-
siderable portion of the American
eagle tucked away in my sixteen-year-
old body, and | was too Independent
for any thing. | made up my mind
that would notuseIthe letter of credit
or accept any further assistance from
nav father. l would cast him off. He
had chosen to turn me away from his
home, l said to myself. Never, never
again would | touch a penny of his
money. | would show him whether i
was a good for naught, as he had said.
NV plan was to make fortune in short
order. Then | would return to New
York. and as | unfolded my millions to
the astonished gaze of my stern parent,
l would snap my finger in his face and
cry:
keep thy wealth, sirrah! wish
none of it,
alt gave me great comfort to repeat
these words, and rs thought over my
coming triumph forgot all about my
homesick feelings.
80 dear! don't believe you want
to hear the rest of this story. 1t makes
me blush to think of it. Well, if / must,
here goes.
II very soon found ont that Mel
bourne was full of men who had come
from distant lands to get rich quickly
in the Land of Promise. The city was
fall of strangers of every sort; English
men, IriShmen, Americans. Spaniards,
Cinnamon, and don't know what all. II
was pretty rough crowd, if the truth
must be told. They were all talking of
the gold fields and the sheep pastures,
and 1 soon found out that these were
considered the two royal roads to for
tune mingled with the rough. rest
less crowd, and my ears burned with
the stories | heard of fabulous nuggets
of gold picked up in the new FL Dorado.
Men looked at my smooth, boyish face,
and my stylish clothes, with some
establishment, but they were accustomed
to see all sorts OF men and boys among
them. for the gold fever is by no means
a poor mans disease. and ministers and
miners often worked side by side,
grading for the precious mineral which
makes the world so miserable.
''One day | fell in with smooth,
sleek man who took great interest in
me. told him all about myself and
my plans for astonishing the governor
He said | was a brave fellow, and adj
vised me to join his party. which was
getting ready for the gold fields. was
only too glad to accept. When L woke
hot
new friend had walked off with my
new clothes. my gold watch, my letter
of credit. and all my money, l began to
lose faith in the gold fields The rascal
had left me his well-wOrn clothes, and,
to show that he still had conscience.
he had placed couple of gold sover-
eignS in the vest pocket.
$50 | tried sheep-raising, perforce.
Now. don't think | care to say much
about the two years spent, three hun
dred miles from Melbourne, working
for a farmer at seven English shillingS
Il week. 1t was not a life to brag
about. For young man seeking his
fortune it was not success. If YOU
could have seen Ernest Travers, the
son of rich man, Smelling dried peas,
and helping to wash sheep, and curry
ing horses. all for the princely sum of
4 dollar and a half a week and his
board, / don't think you would have
envied the Prodigal Son a bit. l don't
care to tell how many quarts of tears
shed on those peas, or how many, many
times L vowed that if ever got home
again | would be a good boy for ever
after. l boarded the pennies but they
came slowly.
'One day, after two years of this
life. L threw down my spade where |
was digging, and started on foot for
Do you know what it is
to walk three hundred miles over
rough country? Ihope you never will
When | reached Melbourne my clothes
were in tatters and my shoes were all
uppers. was SO stiff that it took me
an hour to walk half mile, and the
big blisters on my feet often made me
cry with pain, and | was no baby
either. Twas a pretty looking specta-
Gle! On the road a big tramp took
away my little hoard of money, and all
[ had left was few shillings which he
had overlooked. | had intended to 90
home as steerage passenger. Now l
must work my passage.
"But this was not so easy. Sea cap
tains looked at my ragged clothes and
tangled hair, laughed, and said they
didn't want any help
81 slept at tramps' lodging-house-
at best it was almost that. For a six
pence you bought 4 ticket emitting you
to nights lodging. such as it was. [
ate stale rolls. and thought them good.
| had no money to buy better fare with.
Every day | passed the bank to which
had had letters of introduction, but
pride kept me from going in.
Gone night spent my last sixpence
for lodging ticket. By some chance
that night the man who took up the
tic kets passed me by. / kept the ticket
in my pocket, and wondered if could
get another nights lodging out of it.
The next day had nothing to eat
Late in the afternoon | swallowed my
it was all had left to swat
lOw-and went into the bank.
"'Have you any mail for Ernest
Travers? l asked.
''The clerk looked at me curiously.
"'What Ernest Traverse he asked.
81 mentioned my fathers name and
"'Wait moment said the clerk.
He went into an inner office, and |
heard whispering voices and saw curl
Gus faces peering at me through the
glass doors. The room was whirling
around and my head felt liz ht and gid
d. and queer. My heart was beating
wildly. yet wanted to laugh. and all
the while was suffering cruel agonies
of apprehension. o, how hungry 1
wasi
''When the clerk came back and told