Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1894-07-27
4 LUCK-PENNY.
1879.

1917.
IT Is Saturday night on an Australian
gold field. The bar of the Jolly Dig
gers" is crowded.
News has gone abroad that "Dog"
Kellarey has broken out again, and
as he always takes care to have his
little bouts remembered a crowd soon
collects.
On this peculiar Saturday he has set
himself to try conclusions with Kan
CARGO Jack" of the Midas Claim. 1t
is a gorgeous struggle-even old wall
Eyed BILL" who is exacting in such
matters, is compelled to admit that.
They fight anyhow and everywhere,
under tables and under chairs-while
the lamps flare, the dogs bark and the
crowd expresses its admiration in Ian
guage full of picturesque detail.
kangaroo Jack" tires after the TWEEN
ty-sixth round. and his friends carry
him to his tent minus one eye and plus
conclusion Of the brain.
Then, when Dog" Kellarey counts
his broken fingers every one suddenly
remembers the ungrarded state OF his
tent and vanishes into the darkness,
not to reappear until the sound Of the
coach horn is heard on Portuguese
IIal.
The arrival Of the weekly coach, bear
ing her majesty's mails, Is an occasion
of great Importance, and ranks even
before New Finds or Wardcn's decis-
ions.
About IL o'clock the coach creaks and
groans up the street, to pull up before
the flaming lights Of the Jolly Dig
gers" 1t is curious, numbering con-
struction, riding ca leather springs and
drawn by five strong horses-a sort Of
badly brought.up cross between an
antique mourning coach and a dilapi-
dated Indian ghari.
The driver, TO whom Is intrusted the
lives and hereafters Of the half.dozcn
passengers, travels the 240 miles be-
tween the gold fields and civilization
twice weekly, and is always preternat-
urally thirsty. Custom, however, for
bids his leaving the box before he has
seen his horses embarrassed and led
away, and exchanged the usual pleas
antries with his own particular admir-
ers When in due time he does de-
scend, passengers, diggers, loafers and
dogs escort him into the hotel and in
half an hour the excitement is over.
On this occasion, however, it Is des-
tined TO last longer; Dog" Kellarey,
advancing, invites the driver TO take
rcfreshment.
After complying with the request,
that individual gets out to the vehicle,
TO return with n bundle. Then, I'M
wrapping the shawls, he places on the
table Il baby girl. She cannot be more
than two years old. and is fast asleep,
her little head and its pretty curls
pillowed on one tiny arm.
Every exc presses round to look,
with The exception Of DOG" Kellarey,
who has no curiosity in the matter Of
babies. Then questions pour in thick
and fast: Whose Is it," 'Where'd
We get the kiddy, matey" Whose
youngster Is it, Blll?" etc.
Any other man would be bewildcred
not SO with Bill Burns. He says
slowly and solemnly, as If NV ire Of his
unique Importance, For Dog KEEL
larey?"
"What!' shouts that gent aman,
that's a lie, you Bill! Who says the
kids for me?'
II doY' replies the driver. poll
Waites Of Wild Dog showed it aboard,
along with its buds, for yer. The little
'un's father pegged out on Saturday
Flash Dick Of Wild Dog Creek. rs
last words was, Sen the kid to my old
mate Dog" Kellarey;' an so fetched
1T along, and the passengers made up
the fare among 'em, so there's nOthin'
to pay-there"'
"Old Dick pegged out" the Dog"
mumbles slowly-"old Dick pegged out
an sent is kid to mer'
The crowd is so tickled with the idea
that it ventures upon laugh.
The laugh decides him, and stepping
up alongside the sleeping child, he sings
out "the kids mine, an the old man as
laughs agin' 'er laughs agin' me. Now
let's see i'm as Is game to grin"
He has evidently gone home, for no
ones answers.
Sunday morning, and Dog" Kellar-
ey's claim Is the center of attraction
The Little Arrival Of the previous night
| plays about the tent door. The Dog
| fearing harm to her from the crowd OF
visitors, carefully deiies his boundary
and threatens dire penalties ON the head
Of any man who crosses it.
News, news!-great and glortols
news!
News which runs like wiidfre
through the field, which flies from tent
to tent-from the police cells on tho
Hill to Dutch Joe's across the Flat
past the Eureka, down to the Day-dawr
never stopping until every one has
heard it.
Dog Kelhrey's proverbial bad luck
has turned ut last-he has bottomed Oh
the Lead. the new claim has turned VI
trumps with vengeance"
1t is full of gold-specks, specimens
and nuggets. Not nuggets as small rs
peas, but large as teacups. Not here
and there, but in big deep lead, for
tune Mt every drive of the pick.
The Luck-penny who has been sleep
ing in the shadow of the tent, watches
and chuckles ut n piece Of glitterins
mica. In his excitement the Dog