Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1899-06-27

"Coms. al up your sisss and drisf while
whsisvcr's the damage I'll psy. s
% be sssy and FREE while you'rs drinking
I'm man n you don't nsss svsry dAy."
They were doubtless right 20 far ~
the last assertion. considered In . per-
sonaI sense. was concerned Still. the
kind Of man these conyivisl old 6sh had
special reference 10 was . man lin
themselves, who came in with his efo0
or Rl50 check, az the case mIgnt be,
after long spell Of bush work for some
slusttsI. or after q long overland trip
with some droves. and who, handing it
over the bar TO the publican. sad, ~
cay, old stick In the mud, just keep
this ere and let's know when It's done.
win yer" Then straightway cried 10
the boys: Breast the bar, ye sons of
Aaron, breast the bari Nominate yer
p'isins and give II name" And this
would last for four or Ave days. or
maybe, il the publican was not quite %
unscrupulous as the generality Of pub
licans, for q week or even ten dayA
This was their beau ideal Of man
the sort u man you didn't meet with
every day!
Shortly after I entered an old organ
ette was placed on the counter and some
wonderful gyrations called dancing were
described TO the strains OF the "Dsvil's
March" Another and perhaps the most
popular Of the innocent little smuse-
ments indulged in by this typicsl happy
family was that of having q friendly
spar without the aid Of boring gloves
on the slightest pretext On tho COM
pletion Of one Of these rounds, which.
with due regard TO the proprieties, was
always fought outside. the party who
had come OFT '.second best" was obliged
TO set up the drinks all round Thsss
little incidents were rather encouraged
than otherwise. m
Entering into conversation with one
or two members Of the company who
seemed in rather less bemuddled con-
dition than their fellows. learned that
not few Of those present were simply
delayed there until the thunderstosms
had properly set in, 20 that they might
surmount certain dry stages on the un-
certain track leading 70 the newly dis
covered goldfields in Western Australia.
OF course, the chief topic Of conversa-
tion was the arrest which had been
made that afternoon. ! found that a..
though popular feeling was dead against
the supposed murderer. still, from the
fact that the man, by name Dan
Smythe. who had laid the information.
bore the reputation Of being "a crooked
one even TO his own mates" the crowd
on the whole was open 70 conviction
As I knew the indirect influence Of
public opinion, even on q police trial
in such q part Of the world. and NOT
wishing the witnesses for the prosecu-
ton TO have the moral support or tho
encouragement Of that all important
community. I expressed my opinion
pretty freely regarding the trumped up
nature of the case. A E5 note was soon
spent In shouting" for the company,
and I 80 far sacrificed myself and self
respect AZ b perpetrate certain digres-
sions in the vocal line for their especial
benefit They seemed to like II, but
then there is no accounting for tastes.
When the fun" was at its height
slipped ont and made my way back TO
q grassy rise overlooking the river.
where the gentle breeze would blow
away the mosquitoes, and where the
air was fresh and cool. There | intend.
ed to camp for the night Ny horse.
only little way OF. was cropping the
rice grass.