A Melancholy Tale.

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 269, 21 March 1894, Page 2

A Melancholy Tale.

We believe that ia their simple hospitality many of the settlers give food and lodging to swaggers and sundowners in. the sublime hope that they may one time or another, "entertain an angel unawares." It is a sweet faith, and knocks Buddhism every time. This phrase- is slangy, but in deatt9g with* some subjects one must do it with ungloved hands. One of these birds of passage, who should be designated swallows not only because they migrate, but for the only other reason which must suggest, itself eveu to the least cynical ofiour many readers, called on a small farmer recently and after pumping out the u>ual tale of the undeserved sufferings of the " poor wurrucking man " was invited inside to have " a good square meal to stretch his skin." His entertainer was kindly but a little rough in his ways. Abundance of well cooked meat, bread, butter, and tea were placed before the swagger, to which he did ample but very descriminating justice. - His host seeing that his guest was doing so well, left the apartment for a little time— really to get the poor fellow a pipe of tobacco— and on returning was astonished to find the "poor waif " greasing his boots with the beautiful fresh butter. Short and sharp were the expletives used. We will not reproduce them, for/ alas ! for the absence of religious teaching in our schools, too, many of our readers know them all— and perhaps some more besides. The swagger looked up with an expression of sadness in his eye — both eyes of course ; but that is the proper way to put it— and said "It's just like you blooming cockatoos, you like to ride about the country in yellow leggings and flash boots, while*Ve, poor fellows, the bone, sinew and intelligence of the country, have to go in lace ups and Prince Alberts." The last being the professional name for toe rags. His host was so overcome with astonishment that he could only ejaculate "Oh, carry me out" and sat down disconsolate. He bad missed the angel again. . ;