The Penn's Grove record., 1895-06-21

N4<%nA
49, was hisrecreation.
- That was why he
was called Old Roses. 1t was not other
wise inapt, for there was something
antique about him, though he wasn't
old ; a flavor, an old-fashioned repose
and self-possession. He was inspector
of tanks from this God-forsaken coun-
try.
Apart from his duties he kept most
Iy to himself, though when not travel
ing he always went down to O'Fallen'a
Hotel once q day for a cup of tea-tea
kept especially for him; and as he
drank this slowly he talked to Vic, the
barmaid, or to any chance visitors
whom he knew. He never drank with
any one, nor asked any one to drink,
and, strange to say, no n resented
this. As Vic said, she was different. +"
Dicky Merritt, the solicitor, who was
hail-fellow with squatter, homestead
lessee, cocatoo-farmer and shearer,
called him "a lively old buffer"
1t was he, indeed, who gave him the
name of Old Roses. Dickey sometimes
went over to Long Neck Billabong,
where Old Roses lived, for Q reel, as
he put it, and he always carried away
o deep impression of the Inspectors
qualities. "Had his day." said Dickey
in O'Fsllen's sitting-room one night,
Gin marble halls, or I'm a Jack. Run
neck and neck with almighty swells
once. Might live here for o thousand
years and he'd still be the n~onesuch OF
the back blocks. I'd patent him-fle
my caveat for him tomorrow if Icould
bully Old Roses!"
Victoria Bowling, the barmaid, lifted
her chin slightly from her hands, as
she leaned through the opening be-
tween the bar and the sitting-room,
and said: "Mr. Merritt, Old Roses is
o gentleman, and q gentleman is o gen.
tleman till he"
"Till he humps his bluey into the
Never Never Land, Vic? But what do
you know about gentlemen, anyway (
You were born five miles from the
Jumping Sandhills, my dearT"
"Oh, was the quiet reply, ga wo,
man-the commonest woman-knows
q gentleman by instinct. 1t isn't what
they do, it's what they don't do; and
Old Roses doesn't do lots of things
: Fright you are, Victoria; right You
are againl You do the Jumping Sand
hills credit. Old Roses has the root
OF the matter in him-and there you
have It'll"
Dickey had a profound admiration
for Vic. She had brains, was perfect
ly fearless, and every one in the
Wadgery country who visited O'Fal.
lens had q wholesome respect for her
opinion.
I About this time news came that the
Governor, Lord Malice, would pass
through Wadgery on his tour up the
back blocks. A great function wa.
necessary. 1t was arranged. Then
came the question Of the address Of
welcome to be delivered at the ban
quet. Dickey Merritt and the local
doctor were proposed as composers
but they both declared they'd only
snake rot Of it," and suggested Old
Roses.
They went to lay the thing before
him. They found him in his garden,
He greeted them smiling in his enig.
NAUTICAL way, and listened. While
Dickey spoke, q flush slowly passed
owe him, and then Immediately left
him pale; but he stood perfectly still,
his hand leaning against a sandal tree,
and the GOODNESS of his face warmed
up again slowly. His head having
been bent attentively as he listened,
Mey did not see anything unusual.
After a moment Of silence and in
scrutable elaboration, he answered
that he would do a they wished.
Dickey limited that he would require
some information about Lord Malice'a
past career and his family's history,
but he assured them that he did not
need it and his eyes idled somewhat
ironically with Diokey's face.
Whom the two had gone Old Rosei
nt in his room, a handful of letters,
photograph, and q couple of decora.
tions spread out before him; his fn.
gers resting on them, and his look en-.
gagged with a very far horizon.
The Governor came. He was met
outside the township by the citizens
and escorted ina dusty and numer.
GUS csvalcade. They passed the in.
speotion house. The garden was
blooming, and on the roof a flag was
flying. Struck by the singular char.
Acter of the place Lord Malice asked
who lived there, and proposed stop
ping for o moment to make the 40.
qu~aintsnce Of its owner, adding, with
some slight sarcasm, that if the off.
GERS of the Government were too busy
to pay their respects to their Governor,
their Governor must pay his respects
70 them.
But Old Roses was not in the garden
nor in the house, and they left with
put seeing him. He was sitting un-
der a willow at the Billabong, reading
pver and over to himself the address
10 be delivered before the Governor in
the evening. And as he read his face
had a wintry and inhospitable look.
The night came. Old Roses entered
the dining room quietly with the
crowd, far in the Governors wake.
According to his request, he was given
. seat in q distant corner, where he
was quite inoonspicuous. Most of the
men present were in evening dress.
He wore q plain tweed suit, but car
ried q handsome rose in his button
hole. 1t was impossible to put him at
= disadvantage. He looked distin-
guished ms he was. He appeared to be
much interested in Lord Malice. The
early proceedings we're cordial, for the
Governor and his suite made them
selves most agreeable, and talk flowed
Nmiably.
After a time there was a rattle of
kAives and forks, and the Chairman
arose. Then, after a chorus of shear,
hears" there was general silence. The
doorwsys of the rooms we're filed by
the women servants of the hotel. Chiei
among them was Vic, who kept her
eyes mostly on Old Roses. She knew
chat he was to read the address and
lpeak, and she was more interested in
Iim and his neoeAs than in Lord