The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1893-08-25
MISS HELEN.
Her Part in an Australian Miners
Pathetic Romance.

Rowdy 'Tis no word for it-too gen.
teel by half. We were as wicked a set,
at our diggin's, as New South Wales
could show-no slight thing. If the
worlds kettle had been set on the boil,
we'd have come to the top as prime
scum-truth, and no lie, mate. But
amongst us was man dubbed 1.-The
squire" because, though he Jared like
the rest of us, lived and dressed just as
we did, yet there was that in him which
stamped him as of quite a different
breed Swells out of luck are to be
found by the bushel in Australia; still,
l never came upon his double before or
since. Rumor went that he was bar
onet at home in England, but had been
forced to cut and run; so he tried New
South Wales and the gold diggin's, bent
on succeeding.
l found him at Green Valley creek
when | reached it; we worked not far
off each other. can't say liked him,
though he was wonderfully quiet and
civil spoken, but cold as ice, and hard
as nails; chap who was never tired,
and who never gave in, but plodded on
and on towards his own end, whatever
that might be. But silent as he was,
and selfish, he opened out a bit to me,
pra'aps because, though didn't set up
either for swell or saint, wasn't
quite so bad as the worst in Green Val
ley Creek. / had been respectfully
brought up, the son of a small farmer
in Kent; but didn't go in for respect
ability myself; it never agreed with
me; so I was sent adrift at last with
fifty pounds in my pocket, and the
world before me. There was fresh
stampede towards Australia at the
time, and l joined the general rush
and scramble; and, as | say, when I
had settled down at my claim ''the
squire and I scraped up sort of
friendship.
He did not live alone; his daughter
was with him, though how and when
she reached him none knew; she had
reached him, and bore her strange life
as best she might. They dwelt in a
small shanty in the midst of many
pines, q poor, rough place, far apart
from the other huts; a queer frame for
such stately picture of a woman-a
lady! with the same superior bearing
visible in her father. I'd walked that
way with "the squire" once, and she
ran out to meet him. The sight of her
struck me all of a heap, SO unexpected
in the lonely spot, where there was no
other company than the bright-winged
birds, no other sound than the stir of
the windy trees. She was tall, the color
of wild roses in her cheeks, Heavens
blue in her eyes. Her dress, dark and
close-ftting, had none of the flashy Or
naments that women such as we take
up with cram on; her hair. coiled
smoothly about her head, shone like
black satin.
This is one of my-chums, my DEAR"
said ''the squire with his soft voice
end his hard smile.
Since then. I had hung about the log
house often, labor ended. I fetched
water, got in sticks, cleaned boots, or
did such odd jobs which were not fit for
her and said no word; but she found
me out in brace of shakes, and grew
used to and was thankful for such help
as could give, knowing that I meant
no harm, though 1 startled her at first
"a great Orson of chap in my rough
gear.
One evening came on her watching
in the cleaning. How eerie it was
there underneath the trees; the wind
soughed through the branches, bring
ing dash of rain; a deluge was in the
black clouds sweeping across the sky.
Il am anxious about my father,n she
said, looking like a tall white lily that
somehow had been showed into the
wrong pot, and touching my big earth-
stained fingers with her fine slim hand.
81 am always anxious about him;
though, since knowing you, have not
felt so absolutely distressed, for I am
glad to recollect that you are within
his call. You would stand between him
and harm, think"
"Why, yes, miss; make your mind
easy on that score; 'twould be done
with a will. But what harm is like to
come, that you need 1lurry?"
"Oh, but, Mr.. Straightways, it is
such hard dreadful life for him!"
"And for you, missr'
"Ah! but will not think of myself;
that would never do" she answered,
quickly. And, going indoors, she began
to tidy the scrap of room, thus try
ing to rout her terrors.
"Ned!' she cried, stopping suddenly
(her father always called me SOY, 81
had such curious dream last night I
dreamed that ] went down into the
little valley beyond the wood and
there l saw my father lying on the
grass sound asleep-so sound that
could not wake him-while the clus.
ters of wild flowers sprang up so high
that they hid him, and | heard the
pines in the distance chanting a solemn
kind of litany. l was crying when /
woke"
"You are too much alone, miss, and
grow nervous"
perhaps. And then-I am troubled
about his journey to Goulburn to-mor-
row, and his taking so much value
with him."
Goulburn, as ! suppose everybody
knows, is the chief place in the south.
ern gold,mining district; we all went
there at times to get our gains weighed,
or changed, or banked.
MY father has been very fortunate
lately, has he not?" she asked.
He has had some good finds, miss;
and to-day he got hold of two jolly big
nuggets"
- am glad. VIII he bring them
home This EVENING" What's that?" and
she sprang to the door, fiinging it wide
open, the shine of the lamp behind her
dearest fatherl" she cried, ''is it ycu?"
But she broke off, alarm in her voice:
'Nedl Nedl" for no father was there,