THE STORY-TELLER.

Evening Post, Volume LXXI, Issue 47, 24 February 1906, Page 10

THE STORY-TELLER.

Back at Our Selection, By Steeie Rudd. "' fAubhor of "On Our Selection. 11 - "Ou New,, gdl fi olJo»J.F"' t Saftdy'i, Sole. / tion» $h, : M$) ?t? t \ t r, „■ (Copyright merved V the' Author.) XI.-MARTIN MCLOAHY'S Pl<3B. Two buyers were scouring our dl« trlob, giying high prices' for fat pigs They purchased' thirty-four from us and sis from Martlir'' Mulcahf, i bachelor eking^ oub a hard lonely, ox^st tnco down (?n,'tte hob swelterifl^-plnin/ ot the Darling Downs, Martin gob ex cited over hid prospects— ''twas the flrsi lob of porkers he had ralsod— undrush ed into dur yard early iiexfc. morning , t< know if Dave. or Joe or^cmiio one weulc give him it'tand to cdtt them to th< railway yard and truck tat the buyetw 'Days was norry he couldn't' assist bin — so ww Jos. Thair hands wore* ful with the h«n<Jliog of their, own. Martli was in distress, and stood scratching hii head through his thin felb hut. Dad cain« out, and asked what wtu the mutter. Jo* explained. "-, ./, ., "Wett, s Dad said, "I{H help him/ Martin damurred. -, "1 wouldn't ftxpeoijb from ypu. Mr. !Rudd." he said, remembering Dad had once been a- Member of Parliament. But Dad was nob a> snob. "Tub, tub," he *&id, and went, inside, «nd pub on an old hat, ' ' "" *\ ' . "You're fne man for the country," Martin said, when Dad returned. (Martin had a flattering way with him when lie liked.) Then they both went off together* As they crowed the -paddocks Martin explained that he had kept his horsta in the yard all night, and would- httv* been able to make an early «t»rt, onlj thab old Began passing' by .before daylight, saw them, and thinking they had been left there by mistake, threw the jlipraif down' and lob them; Out; , "They're down be tha grafts trees/ 1 Martin added, "an* if you don't mind, WU go round thtifc way, an,' drive th«m up before' ttt." ' • ' "Very well/ very well,' r Dad" answer^ ed cheerfully, and followed Martin on » /our-mllff trutnp through long web gruss, over broken gullies' and melon holts, and unlongsfc acres and acres of Btvthurst bun- and Scotch - thistles, and beds ol weeds and rubbish,! Whs^fl . snakes and h»res and knng»roo-rais and all the vermin of the earth übounddcHtt nny numDadvbegari' to! -ffefe tiled. V\ ' - "Oonfoimd'ifcF hej^qultf^reak out »b Intervals, as 'he'etumblea <: al6hg after Martini "what'th' devil ■did the fellei want letting th 1 horses out fort" And Martin, without pausing or turnins his head, would explain the reason air over again. "Bufc hi had 1 mo v righfc/.'?l!ad'. '.would BhoutflwtAV'to throw jdown-aiaibtllW-inato'ii nliproilft, and leb his hoi'ses out." And •Martin would agree with -Dad, and to keep him in good humour would curse old Repp fluently and with violence. There were times when Martin used to show a lot of tact. At lost they found the horaes, and hunted them to the yard Jttgb about dinkier time. The "brutes were in a ' sppr< tive- mood, and raced up and stood waiting "with" their tails elevated. Martin urged Dad to a run so a« to be up in time to block them coming out of the yard. But they didn't come' oub, of the yard; They didn't go into- the yard. Ther couldn't get in. Someone had been there since Martin had left, and pub the fails up. Martin efcnick himself on the thigh wibh thejialm. of his hand, and jwore earnestly. Dad grmrted, and said that the sUprails of a yard should always is leffe down; - • •> » - ' , - "WelUiKs a holy terror,''- Martla murmured. ;Theu, after thinking rhard, h« told Dad to walk up quiebly and throw the slipralls dbwn'ag'ftfii; and he^duld; block the horses himself it they, broke back. Dad stalked up quietly, and threw ■ftni'faiT'dkiwA: * The lotffld- of Ift startled iU anlmal/i, wid away they -went ab full gallop. Martin threw; up /his arms and shouted ab them to stop, They went faster. They nearly run over Martin, and weed down the pkfa till they were only fliito «pflcks, moving in the distafloe. Martm followed in yurjuib ' Dad fixed tho sliprails, and Bobtied along after Martta with an angry jcowi on, hia face. ' - , • . Another hour, and; they were back with the horses,, and -this, tlme ; secured them in the yard, , ' . ( . "Ji Vi kVrwn it »««»* all .thin miani* about," Dud said, removing iii' hat. and. wiping tho ter«pi»tion. itotA Ms forehead with a latge coloured ihandkerchirf— "l wouldn't' a come for "WSw gob 'm miri ibitijtiAft 'Martin answered soothftgly, j'and In lav* '«m caughfc " and haaauwsed white yodielooW, an' iv half an hour we*lli w loaded an? i away," -- ; *lw ease he Mtieipated, Tlw, black wire Jiad not had a pair, of winkers on since' «b» had had the foal, and she tfttOrted'ond '.rushed and poked, her head into tho c6wbail and- into every, hol« and AOtnttr ot ike yaid fa a good koUA hoflf-runtU Dad wanted "to linow 'Vhafc th' devil was th 1 ' ns» of tWnkin' of takln' pigsto ttfe railway with a fool of a thing Tike her." Bub Martin explained It Vas the foal that was doing it, and assured him she would be Ht vight a« rain" when they, got loaded «ad going. . ■ s ' They Hldn'b get loaded, for another tour— not until Dad had wasted a lot of ptot&nHy da th* plg«, and had fallen down ueyeral times under them in the sty. and broken 'several waddles on them, «nd left the imprmt of 'his big right foot on the ribs of almost every porker. And they didn't get going until the black mare had bucked all round the humpy in the • shafts, and buried the point ol one in the ttttdqtiarteM of the leader, and tun the ■wheel of the dray through ths waterr.atk. and bumped the side oub of the dwelling with ths tailboard, and 110% until iMartin had found some wlvo and green tide, and mended all theharneis again, "Hw th' devil do you oxpeob to get to the railway tonight with a mad maro like thatf' Dad rav«d, "MhVll never pttll," ' , But Martin , reckoned she would be J'orrlghb drekeley," and patted tho trimb^ Sing beast on the neck. ; * ■ She's collar-iwoud, that's all. She'll, nettle down soon as we get out 'the gat«,' r lie «iJd, Martin hud a lot of confidence In the black mare, , He adjusted tho reins, and patttotf the fcrute again, turned to Dad, ' "Now, If you Jump up behind the pigs (the pigs wero enclosed in a rough palling frame open at the top like a small gnrden, and which wa« as deep as Dad was tallj I'll walk and drive." Dad hesitated and suspiciously eyed the rickety, reckless old dray, with its extravagant- bandages of , wire and greenhide; then looked at tbe'hor««i, and wid— "Maybe it .would be better if 1 drove," But Martin wouldn't hear of Dud driving. • , ' ' ' ' "No, no, no." ho said, " 'ti# a long tilstanco to (Wtt.ah) ', walk i« eight ml— (Wa-ab) miles j you jump up." ' " Dad looked iiskanoe «t tho feverish restless black mil re, and again at the frnc< ' turn! shafts ami ' plugged wheels, titan •lowly ancf reluctantly crawled, tip '- Into ', the bask of the dray «nd stood Dfhlnd fa "ajp."<

"Now then," Martin said, addressing the horns; and touching them lightly with tlio rains. Both animals started, the 'leader, «t*a prance, the black mare' with a- bound and a buck, Martin ran b«BKi<i them holding the reins and keep* ing their heads straight for tho open gate, Dad gob a feeling Into hi* head that the whole turft-oub wwr.goljig to.'jjkee* underhim,'ontl beenmo alai'ffl«cl. ( "Confound It t ' Hold them I hold thorn man I" he yelled. gartltt was doing hk best— so w«re the horses. Dad glanced round to s«e if there was any t chance 'of Jumping off • with' safety. There was no chanco.' Then ho appealet to the animals. • „ v . • , ■ ■ "Wft-ay, hoMt», ' wn'-ay there 1 ," ha shouted. -Jusk here one of the wheels struck tha%gatepo9b withVa, lodd' bauft, and tho dray and the pigs and Dad wer< for the moment on the verge of eternity, i ''Stop them, man, and let me' down I Confound you-i" Dad ronrod, clinging to the "cage," Bub Martin - swung tho Mm round 'lnto the road,- and kop* them going, and with nothing Wok> her bub ope". P ulna the black mare settled down. , "Bhe'a orrlghb now," Martin called out. unon.the black mare, or upon her prune, 1% «M«P*hlon «lth«p. bS saw nSthlng but the steep bnnks of .the creek looininp ftlwad, and. was 1 thinking^ W neck; 8 Martin eused up when he came to the «e«k to kt the hoMu gob their wind, that other bankt lJ .■&<! asked, statins ftt the cutting; with deep concern. g Jtortln [n his owr hearb had a deal 4 pf doubb about lb,< bub-iald they would •manago ib easy/J 'then' started them into it. ■ "Cftreful, now," Dnd shouted, as the 4rav began to dweend, "careful." u«% ht i ri fH *l«ht, M Mwtta answered, hanging on to tha mare's head. * , "} u \ filW tumbled tuuTrolltd ab'bub 1 and •«*w4«a Jo tho;front('the I<«v «da gdlna downhill) of the "cage." and the btocl mote staggered under the extra weight, B go/ •«f%,/<l ?W n. '„Th 8 w ft tor in the th *J*& a* It, Martin call.ed^Wa.ay.", The animals 'Va-«yed." fo n am. P A&i Vmsd the V «H«'° Martin looked at Dad, and snld- /. Oef ift' with the pigs/ and keep tflem from cortftng back when we're troS? «P/ fc H •#•• Keep .thorn well up in /ronb of the "cage." • ,=" ' , pod demurred again. - '; j Damn It," ho growled,, "can't you Wft^withoub tte'gettlttir la tharo)". «Vi,T w '?/i Matitn saioV persu^sivflly. .WP^Jflooaw.liApk'to the tail end «ojnff\,p,tbe bank, and the woighMJijgltf Its n, fool, of a'waytdjtorliifffyhrtf to a tailway, ■ ajiyhow,^'^ 'grunted, and olimbed. up ( sHffly,, and $$#&' the Then Martin dldn'b' lbse'Wy time. He gathered the jteiiis together , again, and Jumped on thobftok of the black mare. What, th' devil nro y 1 dojngr' Do,d : 'Ws "Hm," , 'iftartln' 1 answered calmly, "and I mlghb an well get over dry us soakin' wet/ 7 "Confound it I Bold on bill. I ceb down, you fool of a, fellow." And Dad nitide an effort to descend. But Martin •poko to tho horses, ".Qib erp," he said, and the black mate, who had nover ibedn brokw- to,- saddle, feeling j something (utrida her, bounded through the water qnd started, up .the opposjto bank at full gallop. Martin- clung 'to her )iko > an ourang-outang, and cursed the leader for not keeping In front. ' Dttd »liung .on to the " cage,'* and kleked afthe porkers; and cursed. Martin at the top of nis voice. , '(•[ > \ >< , Another bound or two from the black mare, and the dray , would 'hdve" been anded safely oub of the cutting, but somehow on other, Just whei> it was in the steopest plaoo tho catch of it- -it was a,iUp-dmy— go..loosa, ib.,,wi>n<i •without- un^ wafnlng, «nd'/ihi»';:'"oageV and Dad and all the pigs toppled back and landed the water. , '*, " r ', • "Good girl', good girl," Martin called out, complimenting tho mare on' her )orformance ( as she ' reached 'the. top, Then he said, "Wa-ay-,"' and. looked smilingly round to soe how Dad was getting on. Martin saw Dad wasn't on at all. '< ' i "Oh my,- my I" he murmured, and amounted, and rushed down the cuting. Dad was thore" wrestling witji a heavy porker .right in the middle of the stream. 'The other, pigi woro promiscuously poking about the ban)« ' > Martin took in tho -situation .at a glance. '' ' ', ,'-"*" "Hold him, hold him, I ' -fie shouted, "till I bring a rein.",, ■ ' "Hold him be dashed," Dad 'answered, releasing his grip of the' worker's ear, and delivering tho brute a Tarew'ell kToK iin the flanks. Then ho waded out, of; the water, and called 'Martin a lunatic, and -said he should- be in. the asylum/ " Well, I can't understand how It happened," 'Martin murmured, returning to, the dray. / , "It happened," Dad tnorted, "because a fopf. was driving." \ Martin said no more, bub' straightened the dray in silence, and, waited till ■ Dad cooled down, and was amenable to reason. Then he made a suggestion. ; "Ryan's place.". lie «oid, "is not far along. We'll get tho pigs AOgothcr, and if you drive them, I'll take the dray, ana we can load them' there," i • Dad swore somo moro at Martin, then sulkily wont with him after the pigs. Ab Ryan's— -with' tho assistance of two other men—they reloaded the porkers and started again, and reached the railway without further mishap. < 'ibo buyertf bad finished trucking, and wero' just turning away. "Book yout dray up to. that , truck there," one of them said, pointing to a wagon thab was almost packed wibh pijrs--"ttnd lift bhetn In* carefully. l? The buyers- then crossed over to tho hotel. 'Martin, after ,a lot of pushing and grunting, and swearing, in- which Dad oinod heartily, worked' tho dray Into tosltion. Then he pushed back the slidng door of the truck, and ■ commenced trucking. Everything wont stnoothly. Thero was only one more plgto Hfb In, "The last, thank Ood," Pad ' sold, as ■<M<trtJn caught ' the ' brute by tho oar. hen Dad gripped tho oth«r oar/ and ockod hands with 'Martin under the broto's belly, ; , • t , ' "tfow then." Martin said, and th»y were Just going to ,heavo Ib into the truck when something disturbed the black maro, and she Jumped forward, and Dad and Martin and, the porker fell in a iiruiJKliMg heap on tho ground. 11 Wa.«y!"' 'Martin shouted to tho mitfo. , • > ' ' ', ■ The pjg found Its loga'flrsb, and made o« up the Hnir Martin rose and pursued hlm * elf togother &*& hobbled after Martin. 1 « . i noi i/ un^ n « f or about two hundred, Nothing bub ,p7n mot his eyes. S»m ( W ** a . hMlted io> ™> who was still, hohb Inr along. , . , pidjookfldround then, and saw a long ™te o<l JBO 'I [9MHmt fl'ty in all.rewhing from< within a couple of yards w Mmsolf to bhe door of th« railway Dad's two arms wont up like a pair of railway signal., and hft mouth and eyes opened wide. Thon ho turnod with a sayuge glare to Martin. But Dad closed with a, snap hk« t» iprina imp, wd ho ruihid through the fence, ab<i