ONE OF THE WEALTHY LOWER ORDERS.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2005, 8 June 1875, Page 2

ONE OF THE WEALTHY LOWER ORDERS.

The Ballarat correspondent of 'the Pleasant Creek News writes :—ln a certain part of the Colony of Victoria resides a wealthy squatter, who counts . his gold .by thousands and scores./of thousands. On {he border of his estate" lives a widow with one son and-two or*three almost baby girls. The\ widows usually makes a few pounds each season*, by, the sale of ketchup manufactured on the premises from mushrooms, which grow plentifully in the district. About ten dayi ago, the old woman with her infant boy - went out collecting the edible fungi on the" land surrounding the hut, and strolling on the squatter's estate, gathered a sack of' mushrooms from a meadow quite four miles, away from the home station, and where * hitherto the mushrooms had always been allowed to rot, there being bouhtifnl supplies at other and nearer spots for the use of the station folk, if required? While, the gatherng.was going on the squatter came up* on horseback and wished to 1 be,informed if Mrs knew she was ateal-"" his property. In.Tain-thejjoor' oldUoul pleaded and explained. -"The;wool ling;, was obdurate. Taking a, Bible from hii coat pocket he recited the commandment " Thou shalt not. steal," lectured: the mother, and then threatened to horsewhip - the boy, who on his kneesbegged the great man's pardon and to carry the bag of mushrooms to the home station, dis« tant, as .stated, about four miles. The"\. old woman's tears' now had a little effect on the squatter. " W.ell^Mw So and So - I'tellyou what I'll do, I can't"afibrft to" hare my mushrooms stolen, and don't 1 wish to send you and your son to gaol. -'I * suppose if I stop J your ketchup busineti you'll starve and I'll .hare T to keep job; so look here, you can gather muihroonb, but must bring them to the house, and the s foreman.shall weigh, them. ,-I'Jl let. you haye them at 5s per cwt." Then, turning .his horse's, head; he was heard tp say, sotto voce, to his attendant—an brer* seer—"D—n it,' I'm too aoft, but t can't stand women's tears'."