The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1888-10-26
THE LADY G0DIvA." +"

It happened that one summer, Few
years ago, I found myself travelling up the
Barwon River, Just where it commences
to form the boundary between Queens
land and Now South Wales. The weather
was terribly hot and feed fer horses
scarce, so tina: was only too glad to ac-
ccpt the invitation OF q hospitable settler,
IN old acquaintance in digging days
gone by, 10 stay and "spell' for = week or
two, while my horses put on alittle condi-
tion IN kis " II gr;tsscd paddocks-
Ny friend had only recently taken up
ground on tho river; but his next and
nearest nri,hbo-, old Tom Dwyer, who
resiled about nve-and- twenty miles away,
was . settler ot many years standing, and
IL was from him that, toward the end of
my stay, came IN invitation to the we'd
ding festivities OF his only daughter, who
} WIS TO b. married 10 a young cousin, also
a Dryer, who followed tho occupation Of
Grovcr.
As Bray and myself rode along In the
cool ogthc early morning-thowom
aud children Aaviuss set out by moonlight
the night before IN spring cart-he gave
me slight sketch OF the people " bose
hearty invitation we were accepting
~ rum lot, slid my old friend, "a rum
lot, these Dvyers. Not bad neighbovs by
no means, A. least 10 me. 1 speak rs
find. bat people do say that they come it
rather too strong sometimes with the
squatJers' stock, and that young Jim
him as is goin' 20 get switched-anI old
Tom, his uncle, do work the oracle atyveen
'eu. I mind, not 50 long ago, young Jim
he starts up north somewhere with about
a score head o mixers aud their calves,
AID when be comes bacll a-Sin in about
six mouths Il fetched along with him over
300 head o. cattlcl Increase he called EN-
-hR, Eat 4 very smart ly-i j. Jim DTyer;
bat tho EqUatters are getting caretuller
now; sad I'm afraid, IL he don't mind, that
he'll flud himself IN tho logs some o these
fine days. He's got nice bit o. n place
over tho river, on the New South Wales
side, las Jim, Just IN front O Fo-t Dwyer,
AS they call tho old mans camp. You
could Almost chuck n stone from one house
- the other"
So coav,rsin=, after about three hours
steady riding through open box forest
country, fiat and moEotonous, We arrived
at Fort Dwyer''-or Doe-wyer, ~ inyari-
ably pronounced thoresbOuts-a long, low
building, constructed OF hase, roughly
squared logs of nearly iirsproof red eoolH-
bah, or s"4u.p gum, and situated On the
verge rf tho steep clay bsnk, twenty feet
| below which glided sullouly along the
sluggish B.srwOn, then neSriy half - ban
| ker."
A hearty welcome greeted u, and the
| inevitable SO uare face Of spirits was at
| once produced, to which my companion
| did justicsu pied ging the health OF the
| coIapaEy with a brief Well, hore's luck,
| ludsr' Tor my own part, paid my re-
| EprCrS to an immense cask OF honey beer
| which stood under canopy OF green
| bOughs.
There must have been fully 100 people
/ assembled, and the open space just IN
| front Of the house was crowded with bug
/ gics, spriugwagons, wagonettes, and even
! draws: hut the great center OF attraction
! was the stock yard. where Jim Dwyer was
! brsakinEIa TO tho side-saddlc n mare,
| bought in ore Of his recent trips up
! north" and intended as = present for his
bride.
! The rails OF the great stockyard were
/ crowded with tall, cabbage -tree-hatted.
| l9otvd and spurred "Corustalks' and
| s.Eaus.ua men, (natives OF New South
/ Walc- and Queensland reSpectivelyG and
! loud were their cries OF admiration as
| young Dyvyer On the beautiful, and TO my
| eyes, nszTiy thoroughbred black mare,
| Cssutered -ounI and round, while flourish
| ing an old riding skirt about her hanks.
| ''Sue' II do Jim-quiet as q sheep : NJ y
| word she'll carry Annie flying What
| did yer give for her, Jim?" . 4 reg lar
star, an no mistake greeted the young
| man, l!EEtly Jun ping Oh, ne unOuCAleu
| the giIths and put the saddle OF the slip
! rails
/ fancicil that, as the young fellow came
| forward TO shake hands with Bray, hc
| looked cGeasiIy and rather snspiciously
at mo cu5 OF the corner OF one Of his black
! eyes. NJ companion evidently observed
| IL slso, r he said laughingly: w hat
| the - ;.-r, Jims Only n friend of mins
Is tae l...ro on the cross,' And did yUu
! thin : E-- Ts,s trap
..Nla. o. your business, Jack Bray, =
| vas L.ir su-lT reply. Cross or square,
she'- niius TIL s5me one comes along whs
can show n better ri9ht 10 her, an thai
won't happen n = hurry"
We'll well, replip,i Bray, "you nsein'
get crustJ . cOnfounded quick Butshe q
a pretty thing, sure enough. Let's 50
AND have a look az her"
Livery body Esw crowded round tn,
mare. pr.li-iEsS and adniring her Tive
| yeSr Old, Just " exclaimed one. looking IL
her mouth. Rising three, l say" re
| p,sld a1Othor. and u clean skin auC
/ unbranded" D" calculated Bray, at the sans
time passing his hand along tho marei
witLer.
''Jhst's disease can Sooa be cured. >
said Dwyer ~ ith = laugh. I'm goinx [,
clap the J. -. on her now. shove her il
III, otto, boys, while 10 al fetch th'
ir. up" 49,, . ,,o-o--5,-., s,.
r So ., bot, and shes on the cross
r. cu.vgr," whispered Bray, ~ W,
" 1 5aeS toward the house. She
| hs. .lsoN: and though SHE amt fire
| bra ~. t-ere's a half sovereign let IL
| under hC -Ain lust below thu wlther,
felt il quits plain, and wouldn't wondel
| but there's a lot m-re private marks OF
| her a. We can't see
| do Won think, then" I asked, "tha
young Dwyer stole herr"
| Likely enough, likely enough" wa
! the reply
moro about the matter yet.
| Just at this moment shouts Of Here
| the parsonw Here's old Benz drew oui
attention TO a horseman who WAS coming
along the narrow track at q slow canter
As Rev Ben disengRged his long leg
| from the stirrups, the irrepreSsible old
| Dwyer appeared with the greeting CUPS
| tin pint pot half full of rum-vhich sNal
| lowing with scarcely a wink, TO the great
1 admiration of the loOkers-on, the parson
| commencing Jerry to the care OF has host
| stalSel inside. and was soon busy at tho
| lonx table. working away at n couple O
! roast ducES, a ham, and other trlfie:
| washed down with copious drauGhts o
| hot ter. simply telling Annie" that "sh,
! had better make haste and clean herself
50 that he could put her and Jim through
| - he lad TO 20 to Bullarora that evening
| to bury a child for tine Lacies
| II was all over Mt last. Solenly cole
| Ben" had kissed the daTkly flushing
bride and told her TO be c good girl u
| Jiu,-sclsmnly the old man bad disposed
Of another parting cup; and then while
! the womcnkind 6iled his saddle bags witt
| cake, chicken and ham, together with th'
/ generous half OF a square face'-ol
| large. scuars sided bottls-containirE hii
fgsorite summer beverage, old Dwyer