Travellers

Horowhenua Chronicle, 23 June 1915, Page 3

Travellers

(•Written for The Chronicle.)

Passengers stroiled along the platform, climbed aboard the train. Those in the refreshmentroom hurriedly bolted the last of the sandwich, made a desperate effort to ' swallow tlie scalding tea, and, drawing ' deep breaths to cool ttieir 'blistered mouths, rushed for thefr seats. Bill (ho told us his name in the carriage afterwards), assisted <by his friend, ! climbed on to the platform of the carriage in an unsteady :fasliion. A keen wind was blowing, and his overcoat was buttoned up to iliis chin to ward it off. From one pocket a cork branded with stars protruded, showing thatBill did not rely solely on the coat to keep out the cold. "Goodbye, Bill I" "Goodbye, Jim, old chap. Take caro of yeiself." The rtaiii was moving. Bill turned to enter the carriage. He stood in the doorway for a -brief while surveying 'Che occupants. Some of them froze at once; others pretended to read. Bill singled out a plea-sani-la-ced -man n the centre of the carriage, and lurching forward, stumbling over the foot-warm-ers, sat down heavily alongside of him and commenced to fill his pipe. "'Gotter match. Thanks. By cripes it's a cold night. Been waitin' on tlier platform for ther train larst half hour, and ther preisliin' wind would nearly freeze a bloke. What yer think of tlier war?" "Oh, 1 never have much time to think of it." '•"Weil 1 ain't had much time to think of it this larst week either. Been havin' a holiday in Wellington. Left this inornin' by ther rattler before this one; got off at Paekak for a drink, an' missed it. The train I mean, not tlier drink. Rotten shame pub's so far from tlier station. Trouble you for them matches again. Thanks. Ter night's paper? Thanks." As Bill read the latest war news, the train pulled up with a jerk, and a railway official jbawled : ' 'Parapram! Parapraml" Another traveller entered the carriage, and sat opposite Bill. The latter regarded him attentively for a while, and then, suddenly extending his hand, exclaimed: "Hello Joe! How yer gettin' on?" Joe, with a puzzled expression, took the proffered hand doubtfully. "What! Don't yer know me? Don't yer remember thor bloke what Ead tlier bush-falling contract off old Kelly up ther back of Gisborne 'bout three year ago? Ther block just 'cross ther gully from you?" Joe suddenly remembered, and grasped Bill's hand heartily.

"Why, Bill, it's you! Wher yer been this long time ? Frist time I sighted yer since we collected that £12 diwy at ther Gisborno races. I've been down south since, chewin' porridge in Otago and Southland.'' "I've been up in Taranaki ther larst six inunse. Just linisned a fallin' contract. aii' been havin' a holiday in Wellington tlier larst week." "How's things mp Gisborne way after 1 left." "O pushin' along good-o. Old Kelly , died 'bout twelve munse back. Wasn'ta bad old sort though he always stretched ther chain out. its full length. Old N'oonan, him what kept ther Club up at ther Ten Mile ticked it off too." "He uster sell come hot stuff didn't he ' "Hot! Strike me no name for it. Yer 'ad to hold ther glass with a pair oi tongs while yer was drinkin'. "ilwas like a torchlight procession trampin' down yer throat with hobnailed boots." "Yes," added Joe, who had been trying to warm his feet on a foot-warmer "if these 'ere railway chaps got some of it and filled these fakes they cad foot-waraners with it, a bloke would be able to warm his feet. What became of 'Nikau Paddy ' You know him. He was cooking for ther Williamsons up at ther head of the gully." "Oh yes, I remember faddy. He stayed with Williamson® till they was finished, an' then went down to ther Club, an' stayed there till his cheque was done. Then he aisked Nounan for a beer an' he went sour on him. Faddy told him off an' went out an' laid 'cross ther water race yen know ther one that run round ther back of ther pub, and blocked the water an : turned it off into ther cellar. When there was 'bout two foot of water in it ther old woman went down for something an fell in. "After they pulled her out, old Noon an rushed out to crack Paddy, but Paddy was waitin' for him an 1 landed him one on ther ear: They sent round for the 'John' an' Paddy spent ther night m ther 'cooler/ next day they sent him along for a month. But it's too hot in here, come outside an' get a breatii of fresh air." They both went outside for a while. When they came !bact a tew minutes later, the cork was shoving out rof Bill's other pocket. Bill took out his pipe, anil Joe opened a packet ot cigarettes;,, he offered one to Bill. "No thanks, Joe. i reckon them things takes years off a chap's life. Pipe does me. (To the pleasant-faced man alongside). Trouble yer for them matches again, Mister. Thanks. (To Joe). How far up yer goin". "Only as far as Otaki." "I'm stoppin' there ter night." "Tell yer a moral fer next week's cup." "There ain't no morals on a racecourse, Joe. 1 don't mean horse 'morals', I mean man morals; them what keeps a chap straight. Everyone tries to get round on to ther other chap. I know. I've lost hundreds. How's tlicr old dad doin'P

r "\ot too good lately. Gets ther rheumatics bad." "I'll tell yer a yood cure for tlieiu only cost him ten shilliu's, and' he'll bo as right as pie in a month. Yer know 1 think a lot of yer old dad. He an' my poor mother went to school together. I'd do a lot for him. He'll have to lay up for a while though." "That's flier worst ot it. As soon as he hears that tlier Germans have tlone anytliin', lie gets up an' rushes round an' tolls how they uster baynet thev Russians in ther Cnmeer. He reckons men are not near as good now as the.v were then, or they would have had tlier Germans wiped out long ago-" Late this afternoon, a >ori lad t the Levin public school received a severe kick from a horse. He was attended to by Dr Bryson and then removed to his home.

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