THE SHEARERS’ CHRISTMAS JOKE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17729, 26 December 1925, Page 2

THE SHEARERS’ CHRISTMAS JOKE.

(Written for the “Star.’') In the shade .of the water tank the old sheeu dog lay asleep. The sun shone with a heat that is only found in the back country. In the sheep yards nearby a few hundred mountain wethers stood gazing about with frightened eyes. Inside the shearing shed the heat was intense. The galvanised iron roof caught all the sunshine and made the interior like an inferno. The shears quickly stripped the fleeces off and the picking-up boys -worked with a will to get the floors cleared. It was the day before Christmas Eve. As the sun set the last few sheep were released from the shed and all hands turned in early. At daybreak the lorries were loaded; as each team pulled out, a bunch of shearers, wdth their swags, mounted the load, and the long pull to the railhead commenced. At midday Old Bill’s pub Was reached and all hands washed the dust from their throats. The horses-were, watered and the trek was restarted. Nightfall saw the railhead in sight, and an hour later all hands were carrying out a raid on the liquid refreshments that the two local hosteiries kept for such ; an occasion. Shearers from other sheds ' arrived in small parties until midnight, when all hands had worked up a proper Christmas feeling. From Harry’s pub they went to Jim the Bull’s, and from his they went back again to Harry’s. Then confusion arose. The village constable (“Old Mac”) arrived on the scene. The bar lights were extinguished, but old Mac was used to that. He ordered the bar to be shut and the shearers who were celebrating Christmas in their own fashion to go to bed. Such a thing could not be considered, but finally Mac was persuaded that all was quiet, and -• i: — A to the police stronghold a quarter of a mile away. The fun went on ail night, and at daybreak the forty shearers, with little left out of their cheques, turned in. Christmas morning. The village church bell called the faithful to worship. Constable Mac arose and went out to milk the sleepv police cow. The five-acre paddock that was Blossom’s domicile was empty. The gate was closed and the roadside did not show Blossom anywhere in sight. With visions of no milk with which to add zest to the Christmas dinner, Constable Mac returned to his wife with a tale of woe. As his better half was rating him soundly for failing to look after the cow, a noise of a peculiar nature was heard from the lockup, a few’ yards from the back door. Mac, considering what he would dp to the shearers when he caught them, as he was starting to smell a practical joke, tried the door. The bolt and padlock las»- on the ground. A few six inch nails hel4 the door. Inside was Blossom. She emerged with an injured air but little worse for a night in the lock-up. An hour later Mac, attired in full uniform, arrived at the jbub., but his birds had flown. Th 6 coach had left half an hour previously, and the shearers had set out fot new sheds. —G.B.