The state herald. (Holyoke, Logan County, Colo.) 1887-1921, 1912-05-03

n
part OF the world into which
Dame Fashion dare not penetrate.
And above all. a domain dominated
by the terrible bushranger Such
was my earliest conception Of 1t which
still obtains in the minds of thousands
of British people.
And how different is the reality!
The country certainly is spacious and
sparsely inhabited Men also get gold
and rear cattle, but not as once they
did. The days of finding are over.
And ms for Dame Fashion-alas, she
Is too much in evidence. She is more
audacious here than anywhere else.
except It be Paris
But 1t Is OF the bushranger that
propose to write; the bushranger who
was even as late as thirty years ago,
but who now no longer exists, writes
F. c. Spur in the Montreal Weekly
Herald. The staggering villain OF
the time-honored novel who entered
an Australian bar and held up pro-
prietor and patrons and having robbed
them took to the road again-he has
ceased to be.
lecturing engagement took me to
Beechworth. amongst the hills. There
| found our enchanting country full OF
natural wealth and beauty; place
hidden from the eyes OF the crowd.
but sought by tired town-dwellers.
who. weary OF dust and noise aspire
after period OF repose In spot
where the air is a veritable elixir OF
life and where the earth laughs with
flowers and fruits. High as Is Beech
worth. oranges and lemons grow
there.
But despite It's attractions. the town
is beginning to die This is the trag.
edy of Australia-that small towns
which were called into existence
through the finding of gold begin to
perish as soon ms the gold is ex-
hnusted. The mines are closed down.
the miners depart. shopkeepers lose
their patrons. and they. too. are com
PEELED TO put up the shutters.
Gold and bushrangers7 There is an
affinity between the two But for the
presence Of the one. the others would
not have come into existence Beech
worth was once the center OF the OPP
erations OF the most desperate gang
of bushrangers Australia has ever
known.
The Kelly Gang.
| heard the story from the lips of
the oldest inhabitant," vigorous old
Scotsman who has passed his eighty.
fourth year. and who retains clear
memory and youthful spirit. He was
one OF tho magistrates who tried the
members OF the terrible Kelly gang. a"
He pointed out the place where stood
the prison In which the precious
scoundrels were incnrcerated.
with pride he conducted us TO a
rock which is named after him-ln.
grams rock-from which we obtained
n marvellous panorama OF n billy coun'
try extending many miles In every
direction And there. deep down in
tn. dell, lay caves and other hiding
places In which the thieves found
shelter from the hnrassing police and
soldiery We stood in the heart Of
the bushrnngers' country
The story OF that time when told
today makes the flesh SILVER A We
surveyed the beautiful landscape and
shared tho deep tranquility OF bill and
dale. we found II difiicult 10 believe
that only thirty years ago this coun.
try.sidc was at the mercy Of three or
four dcsperndoeu. who kept tho In.
habithn,B In state Of continual Ter.
ror Three or four mcn-lriHhmon-
armed with guns and reyolycrs. raidcd
whore they pleased. killed whom they
pleased. and lived M they pleased
Soldiers. and police alike were foiled
by them. and when they were nj last
taken. II was more by accident than
design. Dick Turpln no far m Eng
land iB concerned. belongs TO n past
age.
Don Qulxoto may be atill wandering
In some rulpc or other amongst tho
Spanish mountains hut that a.
small band Of iriahmen should NJ the
rnd OF the nineteenth century and
upon British territory continue tho oS
ploita OF tho old,world In almost In.
credible
Tho father Of the Rollys-for such
was the nHmo Of tho Fang-was nm
lrlahmnn and Roman Catholic who
rnmo over from tho Emerald Isle with
lha reputation OF bolng an 'iniormer.