HUMORS OF THE BUSH.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 14, 22 August 1911, Page 1

HUMORS OF THE BUSH.

A MISSIONARY'S STORIES. A highly-tentertaining lecture was given in the Christ Church Parist Hall, St. Kiida (\'ic.), by Rev Edmund F. I'elletier, organising secretary of the home mission fund, and rector of St. John's Church, (Jippsland. in South Clippsland was a tree which would accommodate about 20 people, and in this services were held. A further stage in the evolution of the ehurch was the small schoolroom. These rooms were luxurious little places built to accommodate 15, and frequently held 20 during the service. Unfortunately the desks were built to accommodate children, and it did not conduce to the solemnity required in a church service to see some stout parishioner trying to squeeze into his seat, On the walls hung a print of the Death of . Nelson and a plate of the venomous snakes of Victoria. These made the attention wander when the sermon was long or the singing flat. On one occasion the lecturer had been fed fefore the service by a very hospitable woman, and, being unwilling to offend, had eaten everything she pressed upon him. It made liini very drowsy. During the service the organist handed up the hymu to him. It ,was "Art thou weary, art thou languid?" At Grant, in the mountains, which was once a prosperous mining town, there were only five inhabitants. All the houses but five had gone. They had not been carried away—the remaining inhabitants kept up Guy Fawkes Day, and burnt a house each year. Jash was going down to the city. He had never been out of the mountains, and his visit was the talk of 100 square miles of country. One of his friends saw him at the railway station. "Wot yer got yer dancin' pumps for?'' he enquired of the traveller. "Well," replied Jack, "1 s'pose they have a darnee after the show in Melbourne." At Traralgon the guard told Jack to change. "Can't do it, old bloke," said Jack. "Change here!" replied the guard. "I only got what I stand up in," said Jack. This child of (Jippsland fell amongst foot-warmers upon his return journey. He was delighted with them, and kept t>n shaking them to make them hot, An affable man in the carriage with him, seeing him so interested, asked him what he thought of them. " 'Andy things," replied Jack. "I'm the inj ventoiy' said the affable stranger. "See i they've got my initials on 'em —V.R. jMy name's Victor Rogers. You really I ought to have <me. Handy on the I mountains, great things at the foot of (lie ii,.'d on winter nights. (Jood to boil your tea on, too, if you shake 'em long enough. The usual price is 255, but I'll let you have this one for 10s." Jack bought it, and the seller got out a few stations along the line. It took the stationmaster, the guard and' the village policeman an hour to convince Jack that the footwnrnier was the property of the Railway Commissioners.