The Storyteller.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7914, 1 September 1905, Page 4

The Storyteller.

A Station Roii&eM.

He was la station roustabout, nmed the "Strong Lad," in derision by tho other bants He had been Mat'up by a Sydney registry, in tegpoose to a request lor a sirens lad, to milk, {room, and he generally ■Mful.

i He proved to bv weedy, uudetsiied, and a product of the city. The only things he seemed able to do thoroughly were 10 play a mouth-oi-gaa, sing in a key, an I laugh at bis misfortunes in a light-hearted ' lashion—much to the disgust oi i- **Hainstay," the boss boundary rider, who took life seriously. "Young chap." he would remark, "I'd get a move on myself if I were JOB— you're too slow. Why don't you get up them hoists, eh '!" Strong Lad had his head muffled «p in a ginger-coloured woollen cloud L mod wore * thick pair of driving Tglwes. S "Go on," he said ; "1 ain't going |;- to bust myself. It's that dark you ■ ean't see the 'orses in tU' paddock till you fall over 'em—a cove ain't ; got a possible, Billy.'j He ran up the scale on the mouthorgan. r "Ku, don't you call me Billy," rwled. Mainstay. "It'll be all right Uie toss gets you playing mouthorgans this time of day." "Can't do! it earlier, William,'' , grinned Strong Lad ; "and he's got * w catch me first." Off he slouched . through the wet grass. ; M I don't like station life," he rei nuked, "Cows to milk, 'orses to i , Wfl|lle, wood tr»;truiuc, knives it» ! ■. ctem. and boots 1o shine. It fair : ! Jfcats me what the .boss and them . "Other coves want with shiny boots, ; 'riding about in the scrub. Give us * ft greengrocer's cart every lime. I'm •orry I ever left it" ,i The mistress had a good word for < turn, tfecause he was good-natured ; he was a delicate-looking lad, and he suffered from neuralgia. Ute children liked him ; he was nevtr too busy to have a lark with the nippers, he said. The baby used to •row after bim as be passed. Strong Lad would say to the red-haired «p*c, "Give us lhat tjicre youi(gr, ■ter." Then he would toss it up, , ', -and play with it till the worried i . 'nursemaid, who had a brood of un- ' \ mly children to attend to gazed adL niringly at him, as if he were a hero. , As no one cared much for the nurse and Strong Lad had few friends, the , two became chums. T The nurse used to mend Strong ; Lad's clothes, and attend to him j j when he had neuralgia. He would ;; bring her packets of conversation 10l- ', . lies from the township, putting them ; OB the nursery window-sill. Then he " would pofc% in bis hoad, and say „ sheepishly : I. M Sayi Ginger, 'crc's somethin' I from town." Then he would *-jerk his elbow in the direction of tho i«weets, and make off. i At last it struck the Strong Lad - that Ginger's wardrobe was not very s «rtensive, so be began to make preXWBAs, to ber. One time lie bought Jew a ''lace collar - r another a pink i parasol, which made the other sertUnta- jeer, so Ginger gave np the ! t»y parasol, tied it up in soft paEfer wrappings, and hid it awav., When the servants had Iheir" usual '.Saturday night's dance in thcschool- ■ loom, Strong Lad was in great force lor, besides being a good concertina Iftajet, he was an excellent dancer, jand a practised master or ceremon'\m. He was in his element as he HHrected the "coves" to take their [partners for the next circular waliz-

To see iiiw dancing the Yarsoviana was a liberal education. One Hung troubled him , Ginger ik-vit attended llje dancer. "What, ain't you co:..ing to tl'C darnce '-" he demanded one night. "Why?' "Ain't go l no shoes," she faltered. "I'll fix thai," said Strong Lad. For Hit' next dance lie presented her with a pair of canvas tennis-shoes, and ltd her in triumph to the ballroom. They danced every dance together. Strong Lad called Ginger "Lcrweisc," and .she called him Percy, thai being the name bestowed upon imn at the baptismal font. In the waiter the Strong Lad was gtnerally in the kitchen, sealul Ivy the great fireplace, playing the Highland ding on his beloved mouth-or-pin. When he tiled of lhat he produced a twopenny song hook, and sang a verse or two in a wield nasal voice, composing the tune as he went along. Occasionally, if he found any line much to his taste, he would pause, slap his leg, and repeal it over awl over again. The mistress said to him one. wintcry night. ''You are certainly getting the best you can out of your life." (To be continu'd.)