The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1893-08-18
MISS HELEN.
Her Part In an Australian Minors
Pathetic Romance.

Rowdy! IT'S no word for it-too gen.
tcel by half. We were as wicked a set.
st our diggin's. rs New South Wales
could show-no slight thing. IL the
worlds kettle had been set on the boil,
we'd have come 10 the top as prime
hcum-truth, and no lie, mate. But
amongst us was a man dubbed 1.-THE
squire" because, though he Jared like
the rest of us. lived and dressed just as
we did, vet there was that in him which
stamped him as of quite different
breed. Swells out Of luck are to be
found by the bushel in Australia; still.
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 il; we worked not far
off each other. I cant say liked him.
though he was wonderfully quiet and
civil spoken, but cold as ice, and hard
Is nails; a 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 bit to me.
pra'aps because. though didn't set up
either for a swell or a saint, wasn't
quite SO bad as the worst in Green Val
lev Creek had been respectfully
brought up. the son of small farmer
in Kent: but didn't go in for respect
ability myself; il never agreed with
me: SO l was sent adrift at last with
fifty pounds in my pocket, and the
world before me. There was a fresh
stampede towards Australia at the
time. and | Joined the general rush
and scramble: and as | say, when |
had settled down at my claim the
squire" and 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
a best she might They dwelt in
small shanty in the midst of many
pines, a poor, rough place, far apart
fpom the other huts; a queer frame for
such stately picture of woman-a
lady, with the same superior bearing
visible in her father. I'D walked thai
way with 1.-The squire" once. and she
ran out to meet him The sight of her
struck me all Of heap. SO unexpected
in the lonely spot. where there was ne
other company than the bright-wingeo
birds. no other sound than the STIR OF
the windy trees. She was tall, the color
of wild roses in her cheeks, Heaven
blue in her eyes Her dress, dark ane
close-fitting, had none of the fiashy or
naments that women such as we take
MP with cram on; her hair. coiles
smoothly about her head, shone like
black satin
This is one of my-chums, my dear,
said 1.-The squire" with his soft voic'
and his hard smile.
Since then. had hung about the log
house often, labor ended. ! fetched
water, got in sticks, cleaned boots, o
did such odd jobs which were not fit TO
her and said no word; but she foun'
me out in a brace of shakes, and grew
used to and was thankful for such he'll
rs could give, knowing that mean
no harm, though / startled her at frs
"a great Orson of a chap in my roug
gear.
One evening / came on her watching
in the cleaning. How cerie it wa
there underneath the trees; the win
soughcd through the branches, bring
ing dash of rain; deluge was in tn
black clouds sweeping across the sky
II am anxious about my father sh
said. looking like a tall white lily tina
81 ehn-aH intn Nh
wrong pot. and touching my big earti
stained fingers with her fine slim hane
81 am always anxious about hin
though. since knowing you, have ne
felt so absolutely distressed, for ! al
glad to recollect that you are with
his call. You would stand between hil
and harm, think"
.Why. yes, miss; make your min
easy on that score: 'twould be dor
with a will. But what harm is like
come. that you need furry
..Oh. but. Mr.. Straightways. IT
such n hard. dreadful life for him.
And for you, miss
.Ah, but will not think of mysel
that would never do" she answere
quickly. And. going indoors. she begs
to tidy the scrap OF room, thus tr
ing to rout her terrors-
'.Ned.'' she cried. stopping sudden
(hcr father always called me sol,
had such curious dream last night.
dreamed that / went down into q
little valley beyond the wood al
there l saw my father lying on Z
grass sound asleep-so sound that
could not wake him-while the ell
tiers Of wild flowers sprang up so hi
that they hid him, and ] heard
pines in the distance chanting solen
kind of litany. was crying when
woke"
You are too much alone, miss, q
grow nervous"
Perhaps. And then-I am troubl
about his journey to Goulburn tome
row. and his taking 50 much val
with him"
Goulburn. as ! suppose cverybo
knows, is the chief place in the sou'
ern gold-mining district; we all we
there at times to get our gains weigh'
or changed. or banked.
my father has been very forum;