The Storyteller.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7874, 17 July 1905, Page 4

The Storyteller.

C i: MAILMAN

. ,i, ilieu. *get up, ma'am," the i au suul. "1 in ' atl ' i ,'i.v • ; like a glue-pot, ">"• 1: i 41'uvci alioatl of us. 1 ' Willi a ii ilie rcius vi'l ' Rll away-

i ~ ." we are off. , in. iiniaiiisa shaip-laccti man, . ,| up an a .'iul-b<w;ui 'eiV'd oil- * i j.'.i. He sits Kißßerly forward ~u!ky." Well he may, for , a.,s puvious sittings ul esgs (or :--rs w.vcs, living along the road, 1 u-:i as boxes of finery and new i. - for the races, which must be *•.=! <<!>• .

i nut for the mud, ma'am," , , me. Just then a clod comes t; i n my face, ami thc mailr. in .ves ,he traces of it lor me ' v. n handkerchief. ;i.uv ilo you manage with one , in iry wet weather'.'" I ask. Uii. 1 hitch a horse on the oH liii a pair of spare traces and .. A..liu. for a swmgle-bar. The a- ■ liti's-..' runs a bit wild sometimes ' 1 : ,it through to time. . Last .. it was so wet, and the ground ■ that I couldn't get over v.. : the sulky—had to leave it balfu!i ! . vvde one of the hors-es 21) .. is, carrying ihe maittnags." ■■reu\ hart lite?" I hazard. That's right," he replies. "I'm eiety day. In this sort of Hi r I get in at ten o'clock at In, and leave at (our next mora- ■; : ; ought to start at three hy ; • is. Next day I don't start till .i.i i dinner, st> I sleep the round of t:: clock properly. Vie pull up to drop the Ti-ti-Bung it ..iih,.g into a box at the station

'.hi -lones is particular ahout his r il," remarks my driver. "Blowed i. he didn't report mc to the post:'.j lei once because I left it on ; ground." xt we came to "Old Smarty's" : etioii, where a rusty kerosene tin ■ 'i.iil.d to a tree. Tlie mailman ■ > not pull up, but tosses a buni" of letters and papers over the

i)ui they 50!" he says. "Old :-:r.ui'ty puts on enough Wing for a 1 '(hi r hi Parliament." 'i illybnng Spring, on the Cfo:iiuin water reserve, arc camped • ; s horse waggons, and bullock In one waggon, which is ! ' ' a man and a woman and • liiililren. f tliut turnout?" the mailman mtxs "That's a Victorian cockie : > 10 take up, or go share-farm-.l the squatters are keen on -!•- across the Murray, looking for •'v„i,s , reckon l fey do fetter •••'"s than Ibe Cornstalks. - ' 'V'; are those two little carts?" are spielers' turnouts going 'a rjivs. They are tablc-carls .•la>i:is 'sweat' on." • a man carrying a swag. ; a> .i 3a» tin case under his arm. niJilnuii tells me he is a "cove ; nic;ures." i-i envelopes the ranges. The ■!i the paddocks is long and .m i beaten down by the rain. <' ! ratyints scuttled from one in another. The trunks of 1 k trees are a rich moist • . iJifl the scent of the blossom • i.i; >o us as we drive along. ' '• I' |>ublichou.se neit takes my ■ ' * a registered racecourse - i'!- .'" the mailman volunteers, "'"'"'stand is that hough shed, ii 'Tr s the judge's box. Last i f records of the Wrights cot • 1 !>y the rain, so that thrv ' '» 1 fll t'other from which. 1 i>x it was « Murphy gets a 1 "iwd together on Rosing Day." v,v I sw a roaring fire 'l'its. Curtains and taMe- ' I'd, with prcat bunches of ' ii.ithemunis in glasses on the Ail looks cosy and warm, as ; ' - r v were a smart housekeeper | I"' .1 pretty home that is," I • 1 ... ;:s we pass a cottage sur- ■ I') acacia trees. The garden • 1 <>f colour. • ' i» Hill the Digger's house. • ' I'l'-nty of money; found a ' " -''■ lat the New Rush digilis missus fs spending it ■' ■ » ilress. They have one ! t'iror. She ran out when I • ' ir of younp horses in the and threw a packet of I I Taikers in front of them, t : 1:" to market properly We i", n"T °' Rourke < n <o a gitei i iu|i ,if Water." h , Ull "' r ,pll i" that time," I a:, S; yw; ** a «" fcc