Original Tale.

Otago Witness, Issue 571, 8 November 1862, Page 6

Original Tale.

THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF GHKISTOPHBR COXGLKTOtf.

CHAP II 11I 1 Bit XXIX.

HURRVH FOR THE LAND !

The retl-hot demi '04112 was in extacies. T\ x lan-1 of liberty was before him. In coinpirative'v a Ica- hours he would tread its shores, and inhale its bilm. 1 air. Conruimistic visions float through his brain— liberty, equality, and fra-erni y, with plenty to eat a-id drink, an 1 plenty of money t,) spend, are his rightful patrim >ny. tie has bravei the dangers of the ocean to take po-sesMon of it. There it w>s, a faint speck, an almost imperceptible speck, a perfectly invisible speck t) all but the most enthusia-tic eyes— thi land where the a.-istocracy of lab >r rjigned p dominant — wherein the jolly ploughman anl the bare-armed artisan" shared between them the best of nature's spoils. Why. my lads, you c m fall v >on your knees, and seraph up the god with yo ir finger-nails, and no one will be ashanud to shake your dirty hands? But why, why, why? he asks vehemently and excitedly of the audience gathered around him. Because they are lined with gold, aad everybody can get it. In the land before you, is realised the Utopian ideas of the poet who first wrote :—: — The rank is but the guinea stamp ; The man's the gowd for a' that. There one man is as good as another, and better too. There are no fine gentlemen there, my lads; no flunkeyed nobles; ir> sn >bs. The Mouses of Parliament are filled with working msn, who cm tlrnk as well and speak as well (as h s audience can perceive) as any snob or fine gentleman in the universe. Thus, paradoxicdly, spouts the fiery demagogue for an hour| the but of some, and the admiration of many. Not of the Tutty's. oi, no. Those immaculate types of good breeding and gentility were disgusted at the low democratic sentiments propounded by this red-hot demagogue. The support of this promising family, Air. Tutty, senior, attracted by the crowd, and by the sight of an impassioned man waving his arms v olently in the air, condescendingly directed his steps thitherward, and at ived for a few moments lie did not wish to stay, But gracious heavens ! uj was piralyzed. His feet were rooted to the sp>t at the soun Is he heard. Was it possible that such frightful villany existed? (Ie was spoe-:hle s with indignation. Wlv.it ! Common workmen members of parliament— ommon low people to lord it o\ er jjenuine a.istocracy, and to lo >k down upon such blood i- flawed throiuh trie veins of a I'titty! Ra isilism! lie called it scounilrelism ! And re illy, directly he stepped upon Australian shore*, he should point out the red-h > demagogue to the authorities as a dangerou.-* character. F- rhe cm] I not believe — no, he could not be'i ye that such a state of thing* existed. It was utterly in^ompatb'e with th progress of ciulizat : (n— completely invconc'<\ able with the ful'i ment of the mhsi m for vrhich th. ra c of Tutty's were sent into the world. Mrs. Josephine Tutty a -rang; I her gloves and haiuki romel, and putti v the scent b >tt!e to her delicate nose, begg ; i Mr Augustus Tutty to do his best to pu down the nuisance. The sickly looking poo 110 also added his entreaties by a squeaking litt c b irk and every frizzy h ir upon its ba:k p otesteci againat the fiery demigogue's doct.i :e). " The fellow is not far wrong in some things" said Mr. Poach, who was a-i a nused listener to the oration. " There are in th. Parliament a large number of men who atradesmen and speculators, and so ne, the ancedents of whom would not bear the mo; critical anaiyzation. But as for saying there are no stubs — pooh ! pooh ! Every second well-to-do man in the colony is a smb. Anl a snob of t!ie worst character; for ha not o .iy apes the conduct of those whom he strives to e.nulate, bit b^ing ill-educated, parodies ai . exaggerates it."

'• And has t'>ere been no attempt marie to expose the slnllowntss of th^se geut.-y " i asked.

'' Scarcely any. For a greit many raason< —an important one of whicti is that tti re is absolutely no time. Society in Australia ha* but few gr because although it is fully ware of tho importance of dra.ving lines s nnewhi're, it has not sufficient leisure to mark the distinct on-). Everybo Iv has more thiin a ila.\'s work to do in a div\ and tht con.se([uence is a perpetual hurry, luistle, and excitement. witne<se 1 in few other cities in the world. Labour being scarce and wages hi^h. time is necessarily of great valus and as tha-w-hole of the population, with bat few exoepions, have comj out with the intention oi making money, and are bjnt on making it, they set great value upon an ho-ir, and do not die it away. The dig/, r works from sunrise Co sunset— an Australian day is loig, the ■litfht short, consequently he has but scant ime to rest, and -li'ten hoev n begrudges th-s. i'-)r the pursuit he follows is of so excitable <i character, that he works with the feverish haste of a gambler, with the probability ol splen lid weilth luring him on and on. What •vomler that anonvilies exist in a country whert it is not at all stra'ige. that a turn of the sp-ide w>U place a .nan in possession tif greit riches ! Vhat won'ler that one tins s iddenly an ' easily enriched should laun-h i ito exrnva g-inces, Avhk-h are the wonder of sober ii.li.xb.i .ts of I>n r-establi-hed cities ! T.ien he bee lines the prey of the trale mm, wh) entraps him info foolish purchases, anl reap the Rir-»-est of his go >d fortune This »ne digrer is but the type of a numerous class— men who Inve never had money, who have not been educated as t» its pr iper use and value, an ! who, therefore, waste ami squander it with a recklessness which they think is the generosity e<pecialy appertaining to the super or clasj ii wheh their accession to fortune entitles them to move. They think ir an easy matt r, wlie i their weak .is spent, to get more. It mty be so, but I doubt it. But then [am singular in my opinion ; for the mijorUy of the inhabitants have an extravagant idea of t ie resources of the olony, and a decaicme is never dreamt of. Tralesnun, merch n:s, ud sp culator-, who are all of one >hs N ■'har- the same opino.i, * and launch into enterprises un*arrant3l by the rules of sound oommerci-il tr^de. Most of them commence with nothing, a-id Living nothing to lose, have lrrle compunction m n ing others' means in tluir struggle ii|.wir Is T ie whole system of trade is rotten iv the extreme, and purchases are often made anJ siles effected by the mo<t qu. st onable means Some of them realise la g." fortunes; one ol" break, arrange with tlieir creditor*, and commence again. There is but sin ill sain upon their characters by so do'iia*. [tideed if is looked upon as a -mirt piece ol'bu-i ies9 to give one's creditors ha.f-a-crown n the pound, and to adopt every p ssible measure to prove fiat the estate will not afford more, w en in reality it would jay every creditor in full " vi IJut doe-* not this aff.-ct a trale-min's reputation ? " I a->ked wt*nderin^ly. " Not in the slightest Let us suppose n Mr Jenkins to ent^r into business with a few hundred pounds. He speculates largely, sends goods to all parts ol'o 1 ' the country, purchases consignments to arrive, e-tabliahe* stores everywhere. He buys e\ anything oa credit, and sells everything on the same terms. He buysflnur, hw\ boots and' shoes, bn Iding9, h irses, everythitii marketable or purchaseable.For his p r onal use he spends money freely, but not extravaga.itly. Jenkins is a rising man— Jenkins is a deuced clever man of busC ness— Jenkins' bills are taken and discounted without a doubt. Suddenly, without any previous wam.ng, , the creditors are politely requested by & solHtnr to m et on a certain any at a ceitain fla c. Tie canned, Jenkiue sorrowfully, hut not criaguigly ? submits

. — — .— *" ———■——■—■'— < ™*s$ i his aff-iT.n to their noctce. iL- Mas b<?ea speculating largly j n flour, wljbh has fallen, lie has lent money upon city 'property, td winch it is ascertained there is not a good title. He has given credit to Brown up here, Jones down there, ami Robinson somewhere el-e, and the trusted gentlemen are noa 'St. What is to he done? fie is very sorry, but Ms sorrow is of no material use to his creditors. His labilities are forty thousand pounds—his assets really, his assets are tath -r p ohlematical. He has so much disposable property, value so much; bat then there are mort^a^es U p,, n t j le wn() ] e o fjt. fj e has so much\ money in the bink, but there is a bill due to-morrow which will swallow it up every farthing. It is for this reason he has deemed it is duty to cil! them together, •ice , &c, &c, after which Jenkins presents a balance sheet, aud taking a seat and a glass of wine, awaits the result. The discussion is stormy. Jenkins is requested to retire. The dis-ussion then is furious. One creditor sweirs horribly; another creditor swears ditto; all the creditors follow suit. But no tan-rible result is evoked by this method of transacting the business. Jenkins is recilleJ. What does ne propose to do ? ask the creditors. Well, answers Jenkins, very slowly, for this is his trump card, and he must be careful with it, he is per fee. ly powerless to do anything himself, but he has a friend, who will give the creditors two shillings ia the poun'l if they will g.v^ him a full release. There is no doubt that his friend will lose very considerably on the estate, and he only does it out of a friendly feeling feeling for poor Jenkins. Another stormy discussion f >llows Jenkins is asked whether his friend will give half-a-crown in the pound. No, replies Jenkins, he . does not think he will, but il 1 the creditors are likely to come to an arrangement, he may probably be induced to give two shillings and threepence. The creditors being powerless, accept the offer. The money is paid, and Jenkins obtains a receipt in full. Nobody ia surprised to learn, a week afterwards, that Brown, Jones, and Robinson, stump up to Jenkins like men,— and that a good title is found for the city property upon which Jenkins had lent money. An immense stone building is commenced in the heart of the city, and no one thinks a whit the less of Jenkins when they learn that ie is his money that is paying for it, and that he must have otiou-cd his creditors out of thirty thousand lounds at lea-t, without the slightest »omounction. Jenkins is re-admitted into the Highest circle^ and is looked up to as one of he smai test men of business in the colonies. ! So much ior our system of tiade. Look, there ts land beyond." '*v Yes, there it was, a low dark ridge which md sta ted up while Mr Peach was talking. The excitement on board was tremendous. Iwcry man, woman, au I child were bending >ver the bulwarks, and straining their eyes to see what it was like. Invalids became instantly convalescent, and aristocratic gentili 1 y ■suffered a gre.it degradation in the person of M . Tutty, who was busted about by the iiommon rabble, and was too excited to tike notice of it in a becoming way. [ -lach passenger had a pleasant smile to r\ve to his neighbour, anl Kitty even cast i gracious look upon the red headed giant's red-headel wire, who now made her appearince on deck for the first time, and whose ieid, pp ic.d within an immense plush beaver b>rm,r, was a si^ht to b hold. That night the uissengers stopped up late, and received no ivpri-nand from th • skipper, who, elated at 'living made a g od voya ?e, h id no disposition t > scold. Tales were tol I, and songs were mn:* until a late hour. Arrangements were inde to rise early in the morning to see the jilot, who was expected to come on bo.ird at umrise. -Surely enough, there he was— a ■«ttmt, bluff in'in, with a jolly red face, and ittired in a blue coat with gilt buttons. La was looked upon as a kind of land leity by the passengers. "Look at his •'"ace," said some. "There's a splendid :olnr. What a healthy climate it must ( be ! " A rumor ran round the ship that the jnt'ons on his coat were gold, a belief in .vhich many are not disturbed to this day. tie is d.luged with ques i ns. Is there plenty )t gold? Lots of it, my lads, he answers: uid his words are received with a tremendous hurrah! He has bro tght two or three news>a;)ers on board, and these are eagerly seized lid read aloud to ths passengers. Last week's escort from the diggings, sixty thousand Minces ! Hurrah ! Mutton iburpence a pound! 'Hurrah ! Laborers' wages one pound a day ! lur ah ! But this last cheer is not so general is the others, for there are some who exclaim, ' A pound a day ! Little enough too ! " In his way we enter Port Phillip Heads, and ob-i-iin a view of a pretty marine village, which [ am told is Queeuscliffe. Boxes are packed md corded, carpetbags are crammed, and all ire eager to escape from the ship. Scores o vessels from all parts of the world are lying in !I >bson's Bay, and we aye cheered and cheer lustily as, slowly and mijesti ally, we sail >ast them, with our colors waving g-iily in the lir. Mr. Peach has taken upon hiais.lf to i iperintend the whole of our arrangements, md proves- an invaluable friend at this june • ;ire. At length we drop anchor, and night closes roun lus once more. But not the dark lonely n ght we have passed for so many weeks. Thousands of twinkling lights sparkle around us. From the ships and the village-, from the leight of the heavens and the depth of the va'ers, they smile and sparkle cheerily. Ever md anon the soothing sound of the dipping of >ir.s reach our iars. and soft refrains of aonga are heard, and laughs made musical as they Aont ac:oss the .waters. And from every l.arfc in our vessel a grateful prayer ascends 'ir per Is pnsse.l— a grateful prayer and blessing for the great goodness fhat has brought ua to our haven in health and safety. (To be continued.)

A. VoLnsTEEtt Corps Poiso cd.— An ext'-aordi-ary affdi- U reported by the Let-da Mercury. On the '•th of June, rhe iiariey 'Wes UiiJiug) Volunteer 0 >rps visited skipton, under tha com irmd of Captain Fir ter for the purnose of taking parr in a rifle ; nitesli, and on their -n'vival bet weuu fot-ty and fifty iir o>k of hre>i<l and cheese and beer, at fheflhffc .lorse. The niPii who had tnken duwse had not been i) nr on the field bejoro they sver«j Httaclu'd with severe crimp in the Kfco'nach, violent vouihiug, nt-r-Tried .nith great di'pre>bi'»n mill pro tnuion. The lieu were all convoye I back to th« Bl ick Horse, and foir me'licd ireu'l men wee ii attMidance- "' Up-. ,v,\X'U of twenty sivre ewa w-re prompt!} attended >y thpR 1 ge'itlcmen. The inn presented the appnar1 ice of an h K>pir<tl. Mvry lie ir:om was tided with

rusn. suffdi'Mtt excruciating pain, violent vomiting, or vho \v>re in n state of collnp-v, the f-yinptoms of all :ui-imr much alarm to the atteudaut-<. The calm in 1 en<»r_retie action of the Mirsreon , aud the col"Cted yft dt-ep y solicitous bearing of Giptain Forfcer for h ; s me'i, o ily aid• 1 *o h« fea 1>.% o •diirm Fio v three ro five o'clock the trout ot the inn .vi-! crowded wit'i aixiousaut iu.iuiring taccs and r imours of th** d-ath of several meu w**re reported. l\ie nttick, however, uave way to medioal skill, and • Hthe cor ■» except jour wei>* permitted to return home. Ti ese CiWt^ the <!o t',r- h>pe are not daufjeivms. The o«s sof two inon, named Whiteonk ndd Dinsdalo create the greatest feus. Tne suppose i-aus-of i his sud Ie \ attack of the men ia th riot* eating ch"p.se which contained «a irritant poison Ir. was purchased the pr.vl.us day of alii hiy respectable Krocor It i-t au Ain^iican chti^e, ha* notliiug pe. ulia- in its appearance, bub is partially iJojayed. It was tnken t ) the field, and, of the few persons who pirro >k of it, three were nude i'l iv a similar manner. £r was t ken !Jo«t'ssi'm ot' by S w -tin etideut L<wk'* On th" 7th, a ter gating some o1o 1 e-se, three families at Bf. Heli'iis wei*e seize I wita all the' synjpton.s shown by the Buriey corps great si.'knes3, vomiting, nnd comph te prostration. The sufi'erera in this case hava a'l cnmul'-fely reg ivere 1. Funeral of a "Times'" Correspondent ik Paris. — A. consi lerable attendance of notables cona cted with the PaHa pi ess marked the dirge and funeral, on Thursday, at the church of Ptuiippe, of Andrew O'Ueilly, a > former corn-spoadent (for BQine late years supernnuated) of the Twines- He was f'dly eighty years of tige, and is uuderstwd to have had an acquaintanceship with events in Ir«hn>lof the year 1793 ; t.t least, the " Memoirs of a Mitestan,publwhed by Bendy, ftfim his pen, a dozd'n- years ba le poiat in thab dkeqtion,— Qtobe's faiti Corttf* pondent, ■ , : -