MEN I HAVE KNOWN.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 6, Issue 8, 25 January 1895, Page 2

MEN I HAVE KNOWN.

(Specially written for the Pelorus Guardian.) [By Willy Waugh.] MR. GRAYLING. One evening, in (he month of March, 1855,1 was lying at fall length on the grass outside ray hut, which was situated on the Whareama River, on the east coast of the North Island, when I was startled by a voice exclaiming “ Good evening, mate; can you give me a shake-down to-night ? The weather looks very bad, and I hardly like to risk setting up my tent.” I jumped to my feet like a shot, badly seared, as it was seldom we had visitors in those days. I was alone, because my mate’s time had expired, and he had cleared out for pastures new. Taking a hasty look at the stranger, I saw one of those men who prepossess a person in their favour at the first glance, so I replied that I should be glad of his company, especially as I was alone. “ All alone, eh ; how comes that, my lad ? Surely you are too young to be a hatter.”

“I am not a hatter,” I replied sharply. “ I’m a shepherd, and get thirty pounds a year.” “ I beg your pardon, shepherd,” said he, “I did not mean to say you made hats. I came from the diggings, and there we call all men hatters who live alone. But, suppose, you lead the way to your whar£, for the rain will soon fall, and I have things in my swag that I should not like to gut wet.”

We were soon inside, and, as I helped to take his swag off his back, I was struck with its great weight, and remarked that it was more suited for the back of a horse than the back of a man, and boyish like asked him what he bad in it.

Ha smiled at my rude question, and replied good-naturedly “ You shall see for yourself, bye-and-bye; in the meantime I should be glad of something to eat, I am really very hungry.”

I bustled about, and soon bad tea ready, for forty years ago we were not allowed many luxuries on the outstations. Meat and damper twenty one times a week for a change; however, there was plenty of it, and at times we raised a feed of Maori cabbage by way of a treat. The stranger, who told me that his name was Mr Grayling, having washed and spruced himself up, drew a stool up to (he table, and cast his eyes over the contents.

“ Light damper and fat mutton,” he cried. “ Capital fare, flanked with a pannikin of hot tea; an epicure could hardly desire more. Do you say grace, hoy ? Eb, no I Well you are wrong; no man or boy should be ashamed to thank the Creator for Hia good gifts. You were used to saying grace once, I suppose; how came you to leave off, eh ? ”

I replied that I left off shortly after I came to the station, because the men chaffed me so much about it.

“ Did they ? ” said he. “ I should like to have heard them, for I think I should have taught them better manners.” As he spoke be stretched out an arm so strong and muscular and looked so resolute that I felt certain that he could have taught any two of them manners with the greatest ease. “I can hardly blame you,” he continued, “ But, if you had thought of it, there was a way out of your difficulty. You could have said your grace silently, and the men would have been no wiser. However, I will say it tonight, and before we go to bed you shall see the contents of my swag, which, as you observed with truth, is really heavy enough for a horse to carry.”

During our homely meal my guest said he had only just coma from Australia, where he had been collecting ferns. He said he was employed by an English firm, and hoped to get a grand collection in New Zealand. After tea he fi led a capacious wooden pipe, and, while enjoying his smoke, asked me if I knew of a shepherd being wanted in the district, saying that be had been used to sheep in Australia. I then told him that my mate had left, and that if be went to the homestead on the morrow, I had no doubt he would gat the billet. The news pleased him, and he decided to do so, for, he remarked, he could collect ferns and keep a boundary at the same time, the best or rarest samples being found on the highest mountains. While we were talking by dogs barked, and, looking up, I saw Mr Guthrie, the owner, riding up. He came inside for a drink of tea, and seemed to take to Mr Grayling at once. After gome conversation, he engaged him for a year at a salary of sixty pounds. Although the rain was falling in torrents, our boss refused to stay all night, and, mounting his horse, he set out on his wet ride to the homestead. After he had gone Mr Grayling gave full vent to his satisfaction at having secured the situation, and I felt highly delighted also, for there was a charm in his manner that fascinated me. 1 was greatly astonished shortly after when he opened his swag to behold what a motley collection it contained, among which I noticed a small but elegently bound bible, (his he said

was a gift from his mother and be valued it very much. He then entered our bedroom and was soon sweeping and dusting, displaying all the neatness of a woman; indeed, when he had fixed up a few rough shelves and placed his instruments and boobs thereon it did not look like the same room.

“ That will do for to-night,” said he, “ And to-morrow I will regulate our living-room a bit, for I like to see things neat, and now, since we are to be mates, suppose you tell me your name and something about yourself.” I replied that my name was James Redcliff, that I was sent from England three years ago to learn the art of sheep farming, as parlour shepherd, but thinking a little roughing it would do me no harm, and that I might as well earn a few pounds for myself I set straight into work and here I am.

“. Well, James,” said my new mate, “ I think you are acting very wisely, and I think we shall be good friends. Are we on regular rations here or do we draw what provisions we like ? ”

“ Oh, rations of course,” I replied, “ Ten pounds of flour, ditto of meat, two pounds of sugar, and a quarter of a pound of tea per man weekly; but as there are plenty of wild pigs on the run and I like pig-hunting we can say our supply of meat is unlimited.” “ Well, that is something,” said Mr Grayling, “ But 1 know the sugar will be insufficient, as I have a very sweet tooth; however, I suppose we can purchase what more we require at the homestead.”

“ Our tastes are alike,” I replied,. “I like my tea like treacle; but we should not have to trouble the homestead, as we can get sugar without.” “ Where ? ” asked Mr Grayling. “ From Shirley’s accommodation house,” I replied. “ How ? ” said he.

“ Why, exchange flour for it. Shirley will exchange with us, not weight for weight of course, but he does the fair thing.” “I do not understand yet, James; do you mean we can rob Peter to pay Paul ? ”

“No, no!” laughed I. “Before you have been long with me you will find we shall have a good stock of flour on hand saved from our rations, and if wa catch pigs a good stock of beef also, for these stores Mr Shirley is always willing to give fair value in sugar, that is how I propose to work.” * After grazing at me for a few moments in silence, my new mate* remarked, “ You are a clever Jad James, you ought to be a great man by-and-bye, and now what do you say if we have a bit of supper, for as I had no dinner and have been working: since tea I feel the need of some.” After supper the great pipe cameinto play again, and my mate smoked. away in silence. When he had finished he arose and brought out his bible, saying he liked to read a chapter or a Psalm before he turned in. “If you do not mind,” said he, “ I will read aloud,” I said I should be glad if he would, and he read a couple of Psalms. We were up bright and early the next morning, which had turned out nice and fine, for 1 had to show him round his boundary. We enjoyed the walk, and while ha was securing some choice ferns I caught a fat pig, which we carried home between us, turn and turn about. We were very hungry when we got back to the wbav6, but as we had damper and meat cooked it did not taka us long to prepare our dinner. “ It is not quite the fatted calf,” I remarked as we sat down. « No,” said Mr Grayling, “ But it is good enough James, have you not learned yet my lad that it is never so much what is on the table, as the appetite that God gives us that counts, in a feast. I have a splendid hunger upon me, and I feel that I shall be. happy here.” “Judging from your look,” I answered, “You could live happily any-, where, at least, that is what I think.” “ Then you think wrong my lad,” said he, “ I could not exist in a town, they do not suit me.” As he spoke an aspect of unutterable sadness spread o’er his features and altered his whole appearance, this excited my curiosity greatly, and I was going to ask him why, but he said, “Do not ask me anything now lad, I will tell you my story some other time.” (To he Concluded.)