ON AN AUSTRALIAN FARM.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 7 June 1910, Page 4

ON AN AUSTRALIAN FARM.

A Serial Story By 44 STEELE RUDD." CHAPTER XL AT THE THEATRE DOOR. I'olly and Tilly, with "clouds" over their heads and I'm is in t.lioir liai;']«,, joined .Janu'.s mill l'oter on 1!:.' ground floor o-l itlie hotel. .Janien i: jiiirod ol the lull! porters tue ua\ t:> tlic theatre. . . "Art l you going to His Ma.jesi;v'y.y" tiic lifuiil- porter asked. ' J'.i.iiit's wasn't (|iiite surf. _ "Hi.n't go theft'; he might kick us out. Iln! Ha! ' tniiii I etci. Th;-, piii'iti'T grinned a.t IVter, and sniil ,advisedly to .lannis: "In Australia' is (in at His Majesty s, aikl it's splendid, I believe, sir. lake nnv df It luxe trains (point mm to the HaVing head that were moving (IF mi;' bv one), they'll drop you righlt a.t the door. Corner o W ?«lker and Itnb Streets." ,rallies thanked him, and led. the way cut. They bad just reached the :'.n of llu« steps when old t |'s voice rung out 1)I'lli ltd them. ••lf'inld on. All' in acoinin 1 wo'th yiMV." he cried. draggling his nail'(••!,ii. hat over his ears as he hurried along. . , . "J|,a! Ha! Ha! Here's I'allher coming!" PV-ter yelled delimit fdly. "I knc'W he couldn't stay behind." The porters, standing with folded funis in the doorway chuckled to !konselves at the lob-sidid, innim.'l that old .John descended th.' i-lteps. ''Vower Mouther and Maria say tV'Y (loaned wan.t I." he s;till in explanation. "so Ah'in eronii.n' along wi' vow." Polly said she was glad he had (leci 'e I to join tliein. "We're all going to His Majesitv'is T'lif-it re. Father." T;|l.v rema iked che 'i'fidly. "A ])lav called ' lu Australi.ii.' such a good one, f believe, is to b" on ito-night." "Oh-h." said old John, walking 11• 11uc between his two daughters, "lint we I),'. in Australia, ba.iuit us?" ".\i. in Father." P"to'r said, '•where all the cenvi'-ts use:! to pull in teams instead cf horses." "S'h. IVter!" I'olly lacrlied. "In. I.li'e. cities, van know. you should only tn llf ."bent convict* in whispers." "I believe this is ;i ij;reat. play, thouirli." .I'Miies remark"-.] as i thev in"ii't"l the triiia. And Peter, strikiiij: hini'-'lt' where l'> : s money ha-: wis huekled about his body, said with a chuckle: "lii's there yet. Father, have vcu <11!+ yours?" "Oh, Ali'v" r . r ot 'n," th" parent .answered. "Xo 'n has arobbed me yr-t. lad." "The worst of mine is." Peter went on. "I can't met at it without taking off my chl'iies. You'll have to pay for me at the theatre, leather!" "•Just what we thought!" Tilly exclaimed in;liL r nif.tly. "Now, dt n't von, lather; let him (!:;• it himself." "ff >'11 si: mice on everyone all the time lie's here." .James informed his ' >'it, "and carry heme every shilling he's got en him. He's as nif'ii as a nionev lon-do'i - ." "He tbet so. lad?' Y'd J,,],,, ;,<-'kel LT:c'!-!nin'"iiredly of Peter. "Ha! ITa ! Ila! ' was Peter's aps-w-.-r. "Ha !Ha! Ha ! That'c just wha'- -Limes would dc himself." I h'ev s.'cieczed their way ir/to a crowded tram, and ne\f.' moim- 1 were j>rnnelled through the bright and crowded streets. Old .John.and •lames and Pollv iind Tillv found J si ats too ther, hut Peter was relegated to the end ol the carrkf'e, whore lie was compelled i!-n take his ro'-> standing up. I lie ticket collect' r passed alonn-. ' 1 "'es paid (Vr four, pti t.mng Peter to finance lii.s own j"re. Peter shook his head and hi'<:b(v| i\t f ( l ]e collectf!l*. .I;uik\snudtred his vkters and they smiled in I'h l (h're -fi:m ni IVter. "I haven-'t- any money," Peter said finite loud, and attracted the ett''ition ct till l -asseimers. The f I'ector tcok tint his note bi:ok_ and pencil, and said : "_\<.ur name and address, 'dease!" " I!' i; s niv Father," Piter a.nx-w-ere '. p-in + Min; to old J-hn, "he'll p'.v lor me." "Oh-h, ali-h." f,i,l old .J () ] ltl 1 iii»>.>!mi<4 lor his purse, when the '•■'lleofor made the drnnnd. "he h»ts_o' ""inr'v, hts o' it. hilt be l<ee |:: nil here, yon km ,v." and "i* app. h.M'self : m M n , ri *|,s. Ibe co 1.-t— smiled and said : Al.-nd ,| sr..'-tiii.r i-e.U-ed, r si,,v • po''e. 1 lahke tihet." and old ■•'".in handi:! out a ci. ; n. |);is.se!iii;.:'r.s who ororheard "I" •'"•ln's explanatian turned their eyes on Peter ai: ' veiled, and cue <>t them sa;d 111 .ii loud voice: "He's 'rom tlic (•.ui.try, I'll lay (I „id." I'dlv and Idly nil: '. t , f i each ether J", w,S!l,fl 011 of the "Vmv'd win tk'et- .bet," old. .John <'<ille:! onl to the man. "He'.s ~ coontry man ralit enoof, a.n' All should kin.w, 'cause Ali'm hi.s lather. .as like eiiidi other," the 1 " 1!S Kre-oii flats." \Vhile S( >,„ n 0 f t | !u , >il , ssell „ w . s la"u;aed, and others smiled, ' tho tl am shopped belore .the. theatre and "'ir friends Pepped out, I he usual crowd of -all sm'ts that li'C(|iii'iit the theatres were nssembl'Ht a bout Hie doors. A band , f ill-dad, readv-witted my urchiiis tlie.ied .round old ■J on 11. ""'•'.v 'IS in. Mister!" tliev i.np'.ored padietically of .him. old .Jfdin didn't finite understand. M'at wer' it. lads? n |, 0 i, If|llir . ul hendinm down Jiis ear to tliem. Hie bay.s were m sad distress. Ou .1 ain't had a bit ter eU all cay. Mister!" o„e said. Another J f." Some more c;sed her appeal to be "paid in. Old -John s heart went out t'» tilie yoiitliful impostors. He frave one a shilling nnd caused a lie) . he recipient was Immediately set upon and plundered bv .a number of his companions. 01:1 • cin Proceeded to form kimsidf i?\* i "f ''"npiliation. ( Xah Mien, mehds," he. c,id jt ~ • Lr,M i! ' t( ' +''»■■" v.ii, ; let have , , TiU 'V !'-'t l"'»| ''"H'-e if. n,„;l 1„, j:,_ , '•'•"« d like a w;il. iln flvinm thrrairrli .serul). "WeM, pay us in. tc»," MiV-t " a 'ai,', '"l T' iP i' 1 " lni,t (,! ' 1 -a.,am, anii.l his lica.it w.-s tau'dK'd Cllf'O lIHM'C,. lJ£rl'' !I,( Tdi - t,,e -'' re , a " in ' p ried anxiously, hurry." '" * S(ut if Ue Somefinr. con.inected with the nlav- '" "se nur e a raid on th- street a fibs, and tiliev fled in nil drier--CM5 s "» > J "> "Five of us," ..aid old John in ■ansu or to tlie nnii at tko tickn'. Ii I l'e nfficml handed out t,!xnclvots and tb e chauire w>'i a ] 0 11 d pill" 3, i'l 'm' 1 ' lo,in :,,k1 ,lis party Pirter-d the the,.il^re. rt was n , na j,j h nhZi fill ? of,'!., ii fil,jl '» f lHarder, and • r .n they were connna. The p-al-„„1 ,i ~ " uore 'whistlini?. Tu i m " hn£r . for ;M, O curtain. • diess circle ir.as ablaze wiitli J- wellory hare skin, frizzled hair, and gen toed people,.

Old John from li is plaeo in the ] stalls ghwecl all abou nt for several I sect nd.s. "Well, All never-" lie lnurmured in admiration. "What a lot of -faces," Polly gasped. Tilly, who had been to a smaller the,altre twice before, tried to impress the others wiltli her iiidiffertMii"e to the scene hy ronuainiii"; .silent. Belt Peter was puzzled. "'l'm bhvwed if I can see where tihev act," he said. "Cain you, Father ? " "Ah wer' just alookin'," -Jii.s parent answered. The erc'hostra opened. The music had a vHblo olFedb i n Polly end Tillv. They eoutd'u't keep 'l':il!. Thev seemed to he- itching to rise and da.nce to if. "Blow that," Peter nrolcsted. "1 w n ri'i lo see them ant!" Peter was tie! a musician. (XY.xt iii'vtalnient on Thursday). ii■ iiii nm —MiiMii—wi mi\ in