THE LAND OF THE SHORN LAMB.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 267, 12 November 1887, Page 11 (Supplement)

THE LAND OF THE SHORN LAMB.

From Welliiipfotti} jto Auckland ou Foot

Aboot a month ago J was i n Welliiigton out of work, and in a penniless condition. Not earing to exist any longer by borrowing small change from acquaintances, I made up ray mind to to Auckland, Friends to help or advise me I had none. As for the sunshine friends, who will favour one with a smile so long as one dresses fairly and ktsps out of the hands of the police, I generally feel incommoded by their styla of reminding one of their financial superiority. I aid not look forward to such a journey as a walking tour, because I knew by bitter experienc 6 how hard it is to be forced to ask for food, or shelter, even when one is ready to tackle any kipd of work, at the lowest and for perhaps the lowest sort of masher. I knew well that some people would delightedly say, " He had to beg his way from Wellington to Auckland." However, I thought it was better to strike for the M Sunny North " than to slave In Wellington. Besides, although I did not intend to go out of my course after work, there was a possibility of obtaining employment I?y the way. I had no swag to carry, not evena rug, the most necessary part of a wallabi'e outfit. The only thing I carried bulky enough to be described as impedimenta was a copy of the Criminal Bill, which the House of Representatives very properly refused to rush through in 1886 at the instance of the Minister of Justice. It was the only available chattel I possessed, and having been brought up to the law, I took it with me to read at night, or while taking a spell on the road. ,

I possessed a suit of store clothes in fair order. Being the only one I had, I wore it. I looked dubiously at my boots, for they were becoming infirm. I feared they would not stand the severe strain of a long journey, in bad weather and on worse roads. Having thoroughly made up my mind to start, I lit my "Cherry" and started one.Monday afternoon. It had been raining heavily in the morning, and I Avaited until the rain had subsided into a gentle cooling Bcofcch mist. I had not proceeded more than a mile before the rain poured down heavily and the wind blew with eucli violence that I was soon wet to the skin. Rather a, bad start and enough to damp one's spirits, as well as clothing. I slushed along until I reached the Lower Hutt, where I unsuccessfully endeavoured to eet " a shake down.' "At the first hotel at which I called I was mot with a curt negative—not by any means a pleasant thing to fall in with. At the next the landlord, after informing me that he was full up, abstractedly stirred up the coals of a nice fire. Somewhat chagrined, for it is not a pleasant thing to tramp along in the dark, weary, hungry, and wet through, I again faced the wind, rain and darkness. After proceeding about 4 miles further 1 reached an hotel kept bya humanitarian, and got a shakedown with blankets, in which I snoozed very comforably till morning. The rain and wind ceasod before dftwn and the morning was , warm and the sky clear, save where a few white-grey clouds rested as if to show its bluenese. Having washed, I started on the road again. 1 had not proceeded far before I came to the conclusion that nolens voleni I must seek