This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1901 Excerpt: ..."I must be going. But that is a beautiful whip o' yours, Martha," she added, her eyes falling on my mother, who stood dejected-like, "and I am sure there will never be such another in Dunstable Weir." Then, nodding to us both, away she tripped before the red had scarce time to die out o' her face. It was just about ...
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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1901 Excerpt: ..."I must be going. But that is a beautiful whip o' yours, Martha," she added, her eyes falling on my mother, who stood dejected-like, "and I am sure there will never be such another in Dunstable Weir." Then, nodding to us both, away she tripped before the red had scarce time to die out o' her face. It was just about then a letter came from the lad, and, though mother was mortal pleased to get the same, it laid a bit heavy on her heart, because 'twasn't no-ways hard to see that things weren't prospering wi' un. The "Back Blocks," as he called the place, and, wherever 'twas, they hadn't seen rain for eighteen months. Father was terrible interested in the hearing o' that, reckoning that ways should be used wi' such weather. It seems that work wasn't easier to get over to there than here, and the lad had done a deal o' tramping. Howsomever, he said, 'less a man got lost in the bush, which from his account was wide-spreading and way less, he hadn't no need to starve, because he could always be sure o' getting a pannikin o' flour and a pinch o' tea from the squatters, they being the squires out to Australia, only the following morning he must walk on, 'twas the walking on that came so cruel hard after a bit. He said that, if it hadn't been for the drought, he reckoned he would have fathomed things better, but he hadn't no fear but that he would get to the bottom o' 'em at last. As for the rest, he said he was glad to have come, because the world was a wonderful place, whether a man prospered or wasn't doing more than jest getting along. Mother was no-ways to be down-hearted, and he sent her a pair o' green-hide hobbles which he had made himself out o' the skin o' a bullock that had died o' thirst. Dunstable Weir had seen hobbles afore...
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