The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933)(about) |
Previous issue
Tuesday 31 December 1867
Next issue
Send to:
|
5 corrections, most recently by anonymous - Show corrections
SHEARERS-PAST AND PRESENT.
The shearer is a man picked out of ten thousand. He is unique. His manners and customs are different to those of other men. He is to be studied like a rare animal. He is an abnormal growth upon the body politic. Shearers now are different beings to what they were some years ago. The shearer of twelve years back was quite another person to the off-handed, well-to-do follow who codescends to take "15s. a hundred" for hacking the wool off your half-bred merinos. The old shearer is given to walking. He is brown, or rather mahogany-colored. His face is seamed with many a wrinkle. His hands are gnarled and knotted with age and labor. He is prone to wearing blue jumpers much opened in the throat, and his brawny, brick-dust colored chest is exposed. he dresses in moleskins. His swag is small. He smokes whenever he does not chew. He always has a tin cap on the bowl of his pipe. He can swear considerably. He has, as a rule, been sent out at his country's expense. He is known by a soubriquet - usually uncom- plimentary. He is familiar in bush publics.
He knocks down his cheque with immense glee. If asked by the " boss" " what brought him out here ?" he will reply, " Setting a fish- pond on fire!" and laugh grimly. He can show
scars on the back. Round the shearers' fire he will not disdain to tell tales of the "other side."
He is terribly learned about sheep. he has a general contempt for the owners of runs, and calls them "blokes," "coves," and "bosses," with prefixed adjectives of unpleasant meanings. He always carries a "billy." He is fond of tea. He will "coil" under a shady tree, some half mile from the home station, until sundown, and then hobble up to the overseer'e hut, when the following dialogue will take place :
Shearer - Evening, Sir.
Overseer. - Smoking and tailing a stock whip.) - Good evening, my man!
Shearer. - Want any hands, Sir ?
Overseer. - (Eyeing shearer slowly over.) Where were you working last?
Shearer.- Bandicoot Plains -(after a pause) -shepherding.
Overseer. - Ha! hum! (to dog) go out o'that Jock. (Looking at shearer.)- Well we don't want any hands just now.
Shearer. - (Trying to look melancholy and shuffling his feet.) Ar ! hum! (Timidly.) Can I stop here to-night, Sir ?
Overseer (Who has been waiting for the ques- tion all along).-Yes ; go down to that hut by
the woolshed!
Shearer (shouldering his swag). -"Thank ye,
sir," (aside) "Hungry-looking cove you ! Salt junk, I'll bet a note."
This shearer cannot read, but he can play euchre with much success. He is cunning in bush lore. He can cook like a Soyer in the rough. He makes "spotted devils," " puff- tilooners," and other quaint compounds of sugar and flour. He despises fences. he has a mortal antipathy to " bullock-punchers." He cannot ride much. He prides himself on his shearing. He can "do" his 160 a day - if you let him. He is great at coiling. He sings bush songs. He detests the police. He is given to swearing that his "tally" is wrong in the shed. He always grumbles. He drinks brandy neat. He can build anything with an axe and a piece of green hide. He is useful, but annoying.
The new Shearer is always " flash." He knows all about racing. He reads " sporting news." He is young and "limber on his pins." He is not bad at a rough-and-tumble fight in a public-house bar. He knows all sorts of dodges at wrestling. He can give "cross buttockers" and " back falls" innumerable. He
does not care for stand-up fights much. He rides, especially buck-jumpors, and he does not care for fences. Is usually decently mounted. A bit of broken-down blood, " bought off a man in Ballarat," or a " young one" from his last station. He drinks, smokes, and curses in equal proportions. he can shear well if he likes. He is apt to "run" his neighbors. He objects much to have his sheep "raddled." He is always suggesting "smoko oh!" and wanting to knock-off. He is proud of his shears, and keeps their points covered with leather. He will, however, always abuse the ones obtainable on the station. He is great on " stones ;" he will buy two or three in the course of a "shed," and two bottles of oil to each stone; he will endeavor to repudiate the same when he is "getting his check." He amuses himself in his leisure moments by cracking stock-whips, at which he is an adept. He is a great hand at getting a good "pen," and is not above slipping a contumacious ram over into his neighbors. He has some prefer- ence for town, and takes his trip to Ballarat every year. He dresses in "store clothes " on Sunday, and if he does not loaf about the kitchen talking to the housemaids, will ride over to the nearest public-house - if thore is one handy. He is either economical or madly ex- travagant, and will either become a well-to-do free-selector, or die of delirium tremens.-Aus
tralasian.
Ins great blessings of mankind aro within us, and within our reach, but wo shut our eyes,
and like people in,^, dark, wo fall foul upon I the very thing wo search for, without finding it.
UNITEBSALIBM will celebrate the 100th anni- versary of its existence in 1870.' x Tht> 'society has now seven newspapers and throe magazines, ?with 7.00 ministors and SOO'organisatiönsr
A WASHKBWOMAN in Milwaukio, known OB Old Kato, died rocently with singular symptoms. The dootors found a number of largo live crabs in hoi' stomaotí. Sho probably drank tho eggs
in water. t '.
THE Daheint tolls a story of Count Bismark whioh amusingly illustrates the well-known fondness of tbo groat minister for a praotioal joke. Ono day, whilo ho was,dining in his hotel nt Frankfort at tho table'd'hote, he ob- served two young ladios sitting opposite to him who wera talking and laughing m a very loud tono. Ho soon porcoivod that thoy wero mak- ing fun of tho company, and that thoir remarks woro ospooially direotod against himself, but he could not understand a word of what thoy. wera saying, as thoy spoko in tho Lottish language, evidently making euro that no one at the table was aoquaintod with it. Although"tho Count was ignorant of tho languago, ho had, however," learnt two or throo Lottish words during a four in Courland, and ho determined to uso his knowlodgo so as to disconcert his fair assailants. Turning to a friend who sat near him ho whispered. " Whon you-hoar mo spoak in a foreign longuogo givo' mo* your watoh-key." Moanwhilo tho ladios wont on talking moro loudly than ovor, and by tho time the dessort was put on the tablo thoir hilarity bad reached its olimax. At longtb, during a pauso after a somowhat heartier burst of laughtor than usual, Count Bismark said quiotly to his .riond, " Dohd man io azlech " (givo mo tho kry). Tho efl'oot was instantanoous ; tho ladios started.as' if thoy woro shot, ond with thoir faoos"covered, with blushos rushod out of tho room. "?"""'".¿V
A TUBTLE hunt is " somo fun," and vtho way it is managed is simple. In fishing for anything you can always tell when a turtle has taken a fancy to your bait, tho boggar koopa on nibbling at it until not a vestago of worra or meat ro- mains. Whon you find it is a turtlo that causes you anxioty, draw it in at once, fix a good bit of BÍUOW of moat on your book, and with ordinary
caro that turtlo will bo on his back on tho bank in a vory fow minutes. Tio a yard or so of twino to ono of tho hind foot, at tho othor ond of tho string fix a cork, and turn tho shelly villain on his feet, when ho will moko direct'for tho wator. Tho cork will iudioato his whore» aboulB, and it is in tho many gyrations it goos through that tho fun consists ; at oil ovonta it kcopa not only that ono but all othor turtles from your bait for tho rest of tho day,
THB SHAMROCK.-Tho logond why this piont was ohoson OB tho national omblom of tho Green Islo is perhaps as littlo known as tho identity of tho plant Itself. It is this :-St. Fatriok, unabla to maka his hearors oomprohond 'tho moaning of the word Trinity, despairingly oast his oyoB on tho ground in prayer for somo moans whoroby "ho might lighten the Gen-
tiles," whon, espying tho' littlo trefoil shamrock, at 1ÙB foot, ho plucked it, and, holding it up on high, pointod lo tho throo loaves on ono Btom as tho omblom of his doctrino, to the easy com- prehension of his listeners. It is, no doubt, one of tho two,British species of oxalls^oa tho Tri folium ropona or Dutoh olovor was not intro duood to Ireland at that oarly period.
ANIMAL SCQAB-MILLS.-A lovo of sweet things is almost uuivorsal. t.,Whoovor saw a. child that did not want moro than tho* motlior ÍB willing to givo it ? It is somothing ukin to absolute necessity to bo always in roadi noBS for Bacaharino food ; and it ia tho languogo of tho organs of digOBtion, demanding it ; and that'is a reason why tho appotito oravos sugar in childhood aud ogo. Our forinacoous food, as broad, yields starch, without whioh the system suffers immonsoly. Soon aftor passing from tho stomach it is mixod with secretions from tho liver and somo othor neighboring ghmdB, whioh change the mass into a sweet posto, Tho livor manufactures a largo amount of sugar daily in ovory human boing. If, thorcforo, tho child im- portunos for sugar and candy, it is bcoauso thoir novor oloyod appotonoy for swoots shows it is noodod; and if it is not givon to thom tho sugar-mill insido, tho liver, is called upon to make up tho dofloionoy. Chemistry shows what tho sugar yields to tho body, and modorn oho mistry, too, demonBtratos why that article is so ossontial to tho maintenonco of vitality and health. Give children sugar, thou, OB it ia all appropriated, and furnishes elements CBSontial to thoir growth and sanitary status. Thoy^ob tain it while nursing from tho maternal fountain ; but whon woancd thoy require*'it from aomo othor source Denying children augor on thoir broad and butter, molasses on thoir pudding, or a stiok of candy whon thoy importuno for it, is withholding from thom the vory matoriol' which must bo olaboratod within thoir bodios by a vital procoss at tho oxponBO of all tho múflales and tiesues of tho body. Givo it to then j and tho othor fluids and matorials aro appropriated for tho general development and woll-boing of tho wholo orgonio structure. Moat of tho grain oating and grasa consuming animals havo thoir food to soma oxtont converted into sugar in tho proooBs of digestion. From the foregoing facts important suggestions follow. Ono is this, viz. : that it is not injurious to ohildron to bo in- dulged in swoot things. Such is the deficiency in tho quantity of sugar manufactured, in somo ngod pooplo that physiciens prosoribó it in largo dooen, and advleo le to bo carriod in tbo pookot habitually, as a romody.
AWKWARD.-A now drama, callod " Sardón apaluB," was latoly announjo'd at tho Thoatro Lyriquo, in Paris, but was postponed on, account of tho illnoss of tho principal actor. A Paris oorrospondont tolls tho following nncodote upon tho subjoot !-M. P-, always reputed a moBt worthy man and most oxcollont husband, ob ecrvod to his wifo in a tono of tho doopost regret tho ovoning whon " Sordanapalus " Bhoulà havo mado his appooronco : " Is it not -voxatioUB ?« With all my oxortions I havo only boon ablo to Boouro a singlo scat at tho Lyriquo, and that a bracket soat. My angel, how can you.bo loft at homo ?" " It is annoying, but no matter ; go mo» ami, and enjoy yoursolf to-night, and to- morrow you will bo ablo to do botter for mb." M, P-, went and did nonreturn until about 3 o'clock in tho morning. " If over I attend a first representation again ! Such long
intorvals between tha*aots I It was intolerable " Tho pioco has sueccodod, howover !" inquired madama, yawning." " Porfootly. Good night." Tho noxt day at breakfast, a friend-instigated, one would soy by an onomy-mado his appear-
ance " Ah, said ho, " how todious that wait- I ing at the Lyriquo last night." M. P inwardly shivorod. " And to think, after all, that the pioeo WOB not played." " Not ployed ?" echoes madame " No ; Montjance was ill, and the wholo thing was postponed." "Where then ?"-but it is timo to draw the ourtain on a Bceno easily imagined and difficult to describo.
WANTED TO KNOW.-Tho color of the mind's oye? The flavor of the eup of bittornoBs? Tho size of a pieco of chalk ? The weight of a load of sorrow ? "Is it murder to drown your sorrows, or to kill time ? Is it bigamy for a married mon to bocomo woddod to his opinions ? Is it dosortion of family for a man to forsake his ovil ways ? Is it suicido if you bury your-
solf in thought, or smothor yoursolf in griof ? <.*
JOKB OH A CONSTABLE.-A outo state oonStable jgjr at Plymouth, mooting a tin poddlor, asked hini*^ if ho had a licenso to soil. " No," was the coolÄ reply. The constable hastened to procure a$j£> warrant, and .after a day's sooroh found" tho's/ offending initoront and brought him before a magistrate. When, as a matter of form, he was asked whether he was guilty, ho quietly
onswored "not guilty." 'J »Not guilty ! Don?''' you peddle goods around here ?" said the judge, "¡ïoa." "Well, then, sir, havo you a license ?" " Oh, yoB."' ''(Why, didn't you tell thié gontle man that you had no lioonBO?" "No, sir,' said the poddlor. " Yes you did," shouted Tip- staff. " No I didn't," quietly roplios the peddlor. ." I say you did," vooiferatos tho oonttablo. " I s-r, I didn't," still persists the peddler. " Well '! what did you toll me, then?" "YouoBkodmo if I had a license to sell, and I told you I hadn't ;
and I havn't a licenso to sell," continues peddler, in an injured tone, " for I want too keep it to podd o with," >$ggr v
A TOUNO lady of Montgomery, who was recently caught smoking a cigar, goTe it as her reason for tho aot, " that it made it smell as though there was a man around."