A Tough, Bushranging Yarn.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3617, 30 July 1880, Page 2

A Tough, Bushranging Yarn.

[By Veedant ]

" Talking about bushrangers " said a friend of mine the other evening, "I'll ?!! *°? a true yarn * Can you wait. All right, pull your chair op to the fire pass that toddy along and I'll sail on." I did what.my friend required, and retting the heel of his slipper on the mantle piece, he commenced. "In the early dayi of Australia, when no one thought of anything but gold, a young lawyer from' England arrired in Melbourne and commenced the practise of his profession*. But in these days, people would Ski litigate, which young Harry X t. soon found out, so,purchasing,the para* phernalia of a digger he started to tr* his luck on one of the up country, goldfialds. He camped in a pleasant glade about a mile from the main camp,; but near which ran the bullock track, along which patted the store from the capital to-the diggers. Well, Harry found that:he could not make any money at gold-digging, and not being over scrupulous;: tried to think of-some other method of railing the wind. One day he heard casually that a banker from Melbourne was shortly expected to arrive with some £40,000 or or £50,000 of coin with him to buy up the produce of the claims at Bluejacket flat. He immediately formed the desperate resolve of sticking jm the bank, and in pursuance of his dishonest intention, on the day the banker wai expected,'he lay in wait with his shooting irons ready. Presently he heard the sound of wheels, and saw the cravtoyfnee of the banker approaching.. "Bail up cried Harry, looking as stern as a Bed Kelly. His. order was at once complied with, the driver appearing to be in a great state of fear., His trepidation, however, was exceeded by that of the poor old banker, when ; Harry, covered his head with his shooter,'and politely requested him " to chuck out thembags., • This was done, and Harry noticing fine smoking cap on the old buffer!* } fcald pate appropriated it; and placing it on bis curly locks grinned sardonically at the banker, saying ••• How do y<» like me now you old devil." '■■'. The young bwhranger then turned his attention to the Jehu and said, "Say mate, drive like , for if my mates stick you up and find you havrTno coin, there'll be one cabby and one banker miMi?,£ £ Melbowne; -Now; 3Kve like ——. But there was no necessity to admomshhim farther; he made the horses go as they never went before, and the conveyance was speedily out of sight. "Here s a pretty go,'r chuckled Harry as he- planted the bags of sovereigns in a - hollow tree. He then bethpught himself of the smoking cap, which, if.foun&ia'bit possesipn might get Wm int<» £o»ble, so he threw it on the.irM-stJfcr^ ww disappears from the: scene, tentpoMrily. A few hours after thit bold pieoe of brigandage a party of weary miners were neanng Blue Jacket Flat, and theforemost of them noticed the smoking eapson^the road and "snavelled" it. On arrival at the, camp he put it on his head, and went about .bragging of the fine present he had received by the mail from, his; gal in;;the old country. Imagine his; astonishment when next day he was arrested for robbiwr the banker! Well,, the poor fellow was taken to Melbourne, and as both the banker and the cabby swore he was the robber, his statement about, findingithe cap was evidently looked on«a too thin. The judge was just fumbling round for the fatal black cap in which to pronounce the sentence of death on the unfortunate prisoner, when a richly-dressed handsome young lawyer rushed into the Court exclaiming " Hold! that man is innocent." The judge said it was rather a late period to come forward to defend the.man, but our friend, Harry X— .appealedto the jury if jt was: even to late: to pave a man s life. The twelve solemn, good men and true, put their heads together and decided to hear what, the young man had to say. Harry asked for the smoking-cap, and placing it on his head, edged np to where the banker and his flunkey were seated, saying, in an undertone;"Howdo you like me now, you olddevilP" The banker thereupon jnmped up in a great state of excitement ana said, " That's the robber, your Honor. John, John, look at him," and he danced round in the exsoer* ance of his delight. "Silence," cried Harry. " Your Honor, that man an hoar ago in that box swore that the prisoner was the robber; he how lays it wms me, and in a few minutes he will be accusing your Honor. I ask you to order his arrest for perjury." The unfortunate banker did two years for his supposed orime, while. Harry went home and nude a splash with his ill-gotten gains. v