He was a drover, and started squatting here when they were married. The drought ruined him. He had to sacrifice the remnant of his flock and go droving again. He intends to move his family into the nearest town when he comes back; and in the meantime his brother, who lives along the main road, comes over about once a month with provisions. The wife has still a couple of cows, one horse, and a few sheep. The brother- in-law kills one of the latter occasionally, gives her what she needs of it, and takes the rest in return for other provisions.
It must be near one or two o"clock. The fire is burning low. Alligator lies with his head resting on his paws, and watches the wall. He is not a very beautiful dog to look at, and the light shows numerous old wounds where the hair will not grow. He is afraid of nothing on the face of theearth or under it. He will tackle a bullock as readily as he will tackle a flea. He hates all other dogs-except kangaroo- dogs-and has a marked dislike to friends or relations of the family. They seldom call, however. He sometimes makes friends with strangers. He hates snakes, and has killed many, but he will be bitten some day and die; most snake- dogs end that way.
Now and then the bushwoman lays down her work and watches, and listens, and thinks. She has few pleasures to think of as she sits here alone by the fire, on guard against a snake. All days are much the same to her; but on Sunday afternoons she dresses herself, tidies the children, smartens- up baby, and goes for a lonely walk along the bush-track, pushing an old perambulator in front of her. She does this every Sunday. She takes as much care to make herself and the children look smart as she would if she were going to "do the block" in the city. There is nothing to see, however, and not a soul to meet. You might walk for twenty miles along this track without being able to fix a point in your mind, unless you are a bushman.
It must be near daylight now. The room is very close and hot because of the fire. Alligator still watches the wall from time to time. Suddenly he becomes greatly interested; he draws himself a few inches nearer the partition, and a thrill runs through his body. The hair on the back of his neckbegins to bristle, and the battle-light is in his yellow eyes. She knows what this means, and lays her hand on the stick. The lower end of one of the partition slabs has a large crack on both sides. An evil pair of small, bright, bead-like eyes glisten at one of these holes. The snake-a black one-comes slowly out, about a foot, and moves its head up and down. The dog lies still, and the woman sits as one fascinated.
The snake comes out a foot farther. She lifts her stick, and the reptile, as though suddenly aware of danger, sticks his head in through the crack on the other side of the slab, and hurries to get his tail round after him. Alligator springs, and his jaws come together with a snap. He misses this time, for his nose is large and the snake"s body close down in the angle formed by the slabs and the floor. He snaps again as the tail comes round. He has the snake now, and tugs it out eighteen inches. Thud, thud, comes the woman"s club on the ground. Alligator pulls again. Thud, thud. Alligator pulls some more. He has the snake out now-a black brute, five feet long. The head rises to dart about, but the dog has the enemy close to the neck. He is a big, heavy dog, but quick as a terrier. The eldest boy wakes up, seizes his stick, and tries to get out of bed; but his mother forces him back with a grip of iron. Thud, thud-the snake"s back is broken in several places. Thud, thud-its head is crushed, and Alligator"s nose skinned again.
She lifts the mangled reptile on the point of her stick,carries it to the fire, and throws it in; then piles on the wood, and watches the snake burn. The boy and the dog watch too. She lays her hand on the dog"s head, and all the fierce, angry light dies out of his yellow eyes. The younger children are quieted, and presently go to sleep. The boy stands for a moment in his shirt, watching the fire. Presently he looks up to her, sees the tears in her eyes, and, throwing his arms round her neck, exclaims: " Mother, I"ll never go droving."And she hugs him to her breast, and kisses him; and they sit thus together while the sickly daylight breaks over the bush.
- Henry Lawson
Author.-Henry Lawson (1867-1922), perhaps the best-known Australian writer, was born in New South Wales. He worked with his father, who was a farmer and contractor, and he afterwards roamed from town to town as a house-painter, often on foot, over many parts of Australia. Among his prose works are While the Billy Boils, On the Track and Over the Slip-rail (short sketches), Joe Wilson and His Mates, The Children of the Bush. Among his poems, perhaps the best known are In the Days When the World was Wide; When I was King; For Australia; My Army, Oh, My Army; and Faces in the Street.
General Notes.-Where is the scene laid? Draw a plan of the house. What is the season? Who are the characters? This is a sombre story, with little relief. Is it a true picture of bush loneliness? Discuss this, and think of some of the joys of a bush life.
Lesson 7
THE WITCH"S SONG
"Hoity-toity ! Hop-o"-my-thumb ! Tweedledee and Tweedledum ! All hobgoblins come to me,Over the mountains, over the sea; Come in a hurry, come in a crowd, Flying, chattering, shrieking loud;I and my broomstick fidget and call-
Come, hobgoblins, we want you all!
"I have a pot of a mischievous brew; You must do what I tell you to:
Blew through the keyholes, hang to the eaves, Litter the garden with dead brown leaves;Into the houses hustle and run,
Here is mischief and here is fun! Break the china and slam the doors,Crack the windows and scratch the floors,
Let in the cockroaches, mice, and rats, Sit on the family"s Sunday hats; Hiding and stealing everything little, Smashing everything thin and brittle;Teasing the children, tickling their heels- Look at them jumping! Hark to their squeals! Pinch their elbows and pull their hair,Then out again to the gusty air!
