Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1889-06-20
IHUNDERBOLT

In the good old times"-hy which /
20, the DAYS when we were young
two or three of US, young bushmep, were
staving at Wyalla, the head station of
,ai,hbor. on the marshes of Queens
ionS and New South Wales, and thor
oughly enjoying the hospitality of our
Lindest of hostesses, lady who com
handed the allegiance of every young
faIlow for fifty miles around. Ladies
we're few and far betwe IN in the bush in
tbo.e DAYS, and Mrs. Kaye had at
her cali troop of dsshing light korse-
men. her neighbors aud liege vtssals,
Who would have ridden fast and far at
her behest.
Railways we're afaf off in the "good old
times" and the screech of the locomotive
had then never scared the wild cattle Fin
the granite ranges, nor had the electric
telegraph stridden over the great gray
mains with It's long stills, Hor played
strange music on its Il )lian harp for the
lonely Shepherd to wonder at. A
tourney to Sydney was an affair of a
weeks hard travelling and not to be
undertaken lightly.
On this occasion friend and chum of
mine and were riding down country
together on our way to Maitland, thence
meaning TO take a boat for Sydney, and
We were hating our drst night at Hayes
Wyalla Station. Half q dozen of us we're
sitting in the wide veranda, after tea,
watching the violet light fade from the
great ranges Of mountains visible to the
eastward, across the plain at our feet,
and had announced my intention of
buying a buggy and harness in Sydney
and driving back the two horses which 1
was riding down the country. When, as
in duty bound l asked Mrs. Kaye what
commission | could 40 TOR her in Sgd
ney her lord and master, from behind his
big pipe, warned me:
Don't be too rash, young man! You
may be taken at your word and have
more on your hands than you might bar
gain for"
mo fear" quoth 1 Loyalty.
"Well, you are COOK boy" said Mrs.
Kaye. II have commission. There
is something l want very much. But it
will be 200 much trouble you will not care
to doit for me-"
So of course | vowed that nothing
could possibly be too not or too heavy
for me to bring up country If by so doing
| might Iiease my hostess,
wen, lNtus DIluk NE up Il houcVluHius
"Nnst! A young womanY How on
earth am / to get hold of oneT
OBJ, you foolish fellow! Why go TO
the immigration depot, of course, and
hire one.n
Evidently my host was right and l had
been just a little rash.
"But Mrs Kaye, how am | to choose
one? What do l know about house
maids?
"Oh, jus. brig me up the prettest
girl you can see among them-a nice
looking one. / am sure you know what l
mean"
"Wby, she'n be married in a mouth,
like the last one" says some one.
"Oh, no! The last one squinted. 1t is
only plain women who marry the first
man who asks them; the pretty ones are
much more particu' ar, hey are Hsed to
being made love TO. II Mr.. G, will bring
me up a Lretty girl she will turn up her
moss at anything short of an overseer;
very likely set her cap at one of you
young gentlemen. Besides all the men
on the station will be counting her, and
there is safety in numbers. | have tried
ugly ones until l am ned they will mar
~ anybody, and never last me any time
etau.n
So, under promise OF reward, and hav-
INK 20 endure chat from the mankind
present, engaged to hire and bring up a
country servant maid for Mrs. Kaye Of
NyaNa We made an early start next
morning, my friend and /, each with q
spare horse, making long journeys over
mountains and plain, by Glen lines to
lamwortb, and across the great Liver
pool-Range to Mururrundi, whence by
rail 20 Maitland. One evening on the
NTH day from Wyalla we were steaming
between the towering black cliffs which
form the magnificent entrance TO sgd
ueg Harbor. of Fort Macq uarrie we
passed a beautiful London ship just com
ing TO anchor. We knew by the rows of
heads which lined her bulwarks that she
Was full Of immigrants, and l was wildly
reminded of Mrs. Hayes commission.
Once housed at the club, we scarcely
Anew what to do, the excitement and
Wnlrl of Sydney was 40 pleasant to us.
HoTeyer, We bought some cut tobacco
and paid q visit 20 the outfitters, who, of
course, knew exactly what we wanted and
guaranteed TO renew our respectability
OK appearance 10 a mIraculously short
Nme' Seasons we're good in the good
GA times tallow up" and cattle, both
.a' and store in request, so OF course my
agents were delighted 70 see me and forth
with asked me TO dinner. At my friends
pretty house down at Rose Bay l sat at
gunner next to g charming young matron,
7ao as Sydney matrons often we're in the
good old timesH to bachelor squatters
.'ssh from the bush, was very kind to me,
'ltned 20 my psrplexities abo7t Mrs.
Aa!e- commission, laughed at her theory
ABOUT pretty hsndmaidens and their mat
'luorlal ambitions, and volunteered to
20 with me TO the depot and select q
Nopsa who should fulfil the necessary
conditions.
Ay friend was the wife Of a government
elaelaI, and rs suoh enjoyed certain priv
eyes not g-snted to the General So
1t morning ss9 me at the depot with
ohaPeron, where, certain ceremonies