Tom Hungerford: A STORY OF THE EARLY DAYS OF THE OTAGO GOLDFIELDS.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 258, 9 January 1873, Page 9

Tom Hungerford: A STORY OF THE EARLY DAYS OF THE OTAGO GOLDFIELDS.

By William Baldwin.

Chapter XVII. — Retrospective. The English mail had iust arrived a* Waitahuna, and men were hurrying to and from the post-office, eager fi r news fro tii ttieir far off homes. Outwardly i:< the eye 'h°ve may perhaps be but lir.e cf cc v .'ernfji> iisoernible in these rrreu's o'ejre tnev r.s they receive their le'-tfciS an.! :cr:?t >.neni away hurriedly our of sirht — !iun:eily and with seem;rc M nc.':i;?rr. ; but could you see into ;.vr u:ii;os: hearts, you would find -here g- aileness and love, and a yearning desire to mister the contents of these ?o -ing missives. By-and-bye, my friend, "when no human eye >is on them, this seeming unconcern • will ' disappear quiokly and these treasures will ■be resd and re-read carefully, with softened hearts — aye, and mayhap with moistened eyes. By-and-bye they will sit in their solitary tents, with emotions welling up within them, as memory dwells on the dear ones faraway and the old, remembered spots — emotions pne, aud sacred, and enobbling as those 'f the devotee prostrated before the shrine. When we last saw. Tom Hungerford, he was lying bound hand and foot in the tent of those miscreants, Burgess and Kelly ; but we left him, it may perhaps be remembered, in no danger, seeing that with the capture of the gang had come, as a matter of course, his immediate release. He is now sitting in his own room once more, sound in wind and limb, reading over one of his home letters, some half a dozen of which are lying before him 011 his table unopened. It was a rather a luug letter, written in a- lady's hand, amVerossed after the fashion of ladies' letters. It is a letter that evidently has in it much of interest to Tom, who is sitting there devouring its contents oblivious of everything else beside. As I have just swjfcl,,it was rather a long letter, and lusbjr' very likely prove wearisome in the reading, but, even so, I have decided to give it at full length, just as written, without the alteration of a single word or phrase. I have so decided because the letter will of itself help to explain some matters connected with Tom Hungerford's past life — matters which need explanation before this history comes to a close. Clounties, Dunmanaway, September sth. 1861. Mr deakest Tom, — It is now nearly two months since T have heard from you, and I . c&uiiuti ten you how very, very unhappy 1 have been in consequence. You know, de xr Tom, you are the only one now I have in' the •world — you and Aunt Martha ; and she, dear soul, though she says but little,and that little is meant to cheer me up, is very nearly as unhappy at heart as I am. But, if I go on in this way, you will think I am Warning you, when in retlity I blame the irregularity of the post-office. My last letter was written to you from Dublin ; but shortly after the writing of it we started for here. We have now been at home for a fortnight, and you cannot think how nice the dear, old place looks, nor how glad I am to .be back agair. < Our return was quite sudden, and a month sooner than we intended, and, though Aunt Martha has never said so, I cannot help thinking I have been the cause of this disarrangement of her plans. The truth of the matter is [ had a proposal. There ; what do you say to that ? After all, you see I needn't die pn old maid, if I like. And who do you think has honored me? Now mind you mustn't laugh, for I wont have my sacred feelings xr..:de lu;ht of ; no, not even by you.- Joking srart. towwer, I must tell you that Mr. '■"-e.rge Bu:klev was good enough to do me the ncrxr *„c oner to m.ke me his wife. - '' H--r,2g 3 -v;_ v oftV to make Mary r." v, if 2 ;" r;cjiaira>'d Tom in amazez'i :-~t. zr. ro*.vir.£ (leva the letter violently oz the -o.)Af> ivnd springing to his feet. ■'< C--'~r^e Bu^kiev, curse him, the low , ?:&L-.r.-, oov/ ci .re he?' he continued as I r.e R-alked up and down the rootn with .apid strides, full of fierce wrath. "We must have sunk low, very low indeed, when he dared to presume as far as that. Well its all of a piece, all of a piece," he repeated.*- "He and his father have robbed us of all we had, and now they want to rob us- of our self retpeefc. The hound thought, no doubt," he added ironically, "he was ws doing a magnanimous thing in offering to provide for one of the family out of our property. But it's well for him I wasn't there, or I'd make him remember his presumption the longest day he lived. I would, by heaven !" I know how surprised you will be on reading this, (the lebfcer went on to say) but your surprise will not be- sp .great as was mine, lvly meeting him was quite casual, at a party given by the Newenhams. Now that his father is a member of Parliament, of course they are asked out to "places where, one would never expect to see them. Aunt Martha was very indignant about the matter -when I told her of it ; and lam quite certain that it was owing to it that she left Dublin two days afterwards. " George Buckley !" she exclaimed in horror. "Ah ! my dear, I am sure I really don't what is coming over the world. I know this, it certainly is noi the same world it was when I was a young girl. Why, in my time, if that young man, or any of "his naraey had dared to insult the humblest member of our family in the way he insulted you, it's shot he'd have been, my dear. Aye, and by my faith, it's little your dear father or your poor pnele George would have thought of taking his life for it either. But I suppose it's all right. I suppose," she added, with hypocritical resignation, " we are now come down bo low in the world that any beggar's brat can turn round and insult us with impunity." By-the-bye, |hear one of the young Buckley's is in Otago. ' . Mr_ Johnston was, as usual, very kind and attentive to us during our stay in Dublin. He spent several evenings with ua, talking a good deal to my aunt about the property.

She bids me tell you that Mr. Johnston is still sanguine of success, and to repeat," her offer of placing at your disposal all she has to carry on the lawsuit. Mr. Murphy, the new Attorney-General, views the matter favorably. Mr. Johnston says, but he thinks it will not stop short of the House of Lords. For my part, my dear Tom, I cannot help thinking it* would be very much wiser on your part to give up all idea of prosecuting/ your claim to the old place. I cannot help 1 thinking, .it would be wiser to do so, and I am quite sure you would be all the happier, But I know how useless it is my speaking ia this way. ■; " Useless," repeated Tom, " I should think it was useless. Mary is a dear, good, honest girl, as good as gold and as honest as the day," he muttered to him : self; "but she always was timid, even for a girl. Give #ip my claim to the old place! No, hj heavens, that I won't as long as I have hands to worewith or a breath left in my body. Allow a sneaking blackguard, a low, pettifogging attorney like that fellow Buckley deprive me of what is rightfully mine ! I should be a poor, weak, despicable creature indeed were I to do anything of the kind. No, Mr. Cornelius Buckley, I have not done with you vet, I can tell you that." Then he continued his reading of the letter. I do wish you could make some money and come back to us!, for you don't know how we weary to see you. Mick Dwyer came up last evening to know if we had any tidings of Tim. Tell him they are all well. Aunt % Martha is as kind a3 ever. * She has not, I am sorry to^.say, been very well of late, having been confined to her room for some days ; but Dr. Townsend says there is nothing serious the matter. Scarcely a day passes but someixf your old friends are asking after you. It was only yesterday that Air. Morris rode up to make enquiries He says his brother Harry is going out to Auckland in a month or two, and hopes meet you. I won't ask you to write regularly, for I know you will strive to do so as far as in you lies. Aunt Martha bids me send you her best love, and she hopes yon will accept her offer and come back as soon as possible. Aly own love J need not send you, for you always, have it. — I am, my dearest Tom, ever your affectionate sister, Mary Hungerford. Tom Hungerford read this letter of his sister's through a second time, and, haviug re-read it, he put it carefully back into its own envelope again ; then he took up those other letters lying before him on his table, ami set about mastering their contents. But with these* other letters we have nothing whatever to do, aud will therefore leave him at his occupation while we add a word or two of our own, explaining such matters as may require explanation in this one of Miss Hungerford's. The Hungerfords were a very old family in the South of Ireland. 1 cannot now exactly remember how many generations of ancestors they could boast of; but I do know this, that Miss Martha Hunge-ford, Tom's maiden aunt, was ace <stoinerl, when she got npoh the theme, to carry ypu away ' bacic in the family genealogical tree fir 1 eyond the time of the Conquest. She could tell you the names and titles of the particular Hungerfiords who ha«l accompamed William of Norrnand) in his filibustering expedition, tracing the history of the family through each successive reign down to Elizabeth's time. In Elizabeth's time, Miss Hungerford, forsaking England and the elder branch of the family, took you across to Ireland in the train of the .ad venturous Hubert Hungerford, who, by doughty deeds and knightly devoir, won himself the' broad lands of Anahogue. On^ Hutigerford had been Lord Clv-mcellor of Ireland -, one had iieen a Chief Justice of the King's Bench ; another a Baron of the Exchequen ;_=an<l— a-fovirbh-a Provost dfTrinity Collfge, Dnblin. Jls to members of Parliament and. high sheriffs of the county, they had been as thick as blackberries in the family. Ye?, they came of a good old stock, did tlie Hungerford?, and, as a matter of course, like all the good old Irish stock, they bad been keen sportsmen, and lavish to profusion in their living. The. Anaboguejfox hounds wei'e the besl in the county, but- a costly heirloom to the family. The Anahogue lands were broad, and the Anahogue rent-roll a long one ; but no rent-roll, no matter how long, could stand for ever the demands made upon it by the Hungerfords ; and when James Hungerford, Tom's father, came into possession, he became the owner of a heavily encumbered property. The Irish famine set in shortly after ; but the fox hounds were continued at Anahngue, notwithstanding the famine; and though no rents were paid, the style of living was lavish as ever. Woe betide the man who ventured to' surest to Jame's *Hung*erford the. necessity for retrenchment. His agent, an old friend* and an honest; man, ventured, indeed, upon some' suggestion or another of the kind, but, though he could say ino\e to James* Hungerford than any other man living, his friendly offices were so received that he threw up his agency there and then, and never again put his ftxit inside Anahogue 'during his friend's lifetime. Then the*ageney passed into the hands of one Cornelius Buckley — a keen, shrewd, clever fellow — an attorney in a neighboring-town--a smooth, plausible man, vvhn made things pleasant to his employer, as far as the keeping him supplied with money went: A year or two previously to the opening of this story, James Hungerford had been killed out hunting. His affairs, upon examination, were found to be in a state of hopeless confusion. The property was mortgaged to its full value, or very nearly so, and was sold in the

Encumbered Estates Court. There was nothing., so very wonderful in this, indeed it was only what might have i been expected; but it was unexpected, and a matter for wonderment that the priucipal creditor of the estate should be none other than the small provincial attorney, Mr. Cornelius Buckley. But when it became known that he had actually purchased the property, people stood aghast. Con Buckley the owner of Anahogue 1 why, it seemed almost incredible. So it was, however; and when the debts were paid, and everything wound up, four thousand pounds was all there was left for tjhe two children, Tom and Mary. He and his sister, meanwhile, took up their residence with a maiden aunt, and as soon as their grief had somewhat subsided, it was decided that Tom should go into a profession. But just about this time, and before he could carry out his decision, he received a letter that entirely changed his future life. This vletteivwas from a Mr. Johnston, a barrister, residing in Dublin, and an old friend of the family's. Mr. Johnston stated in his letter that he had carefully gone into the matter, and had no doubt in his own mind that i Buckley bad not dealt honestly with his old friend James Hungerford. " How," he asked, " could the man have made so much money ? "Where did these thousands of pounds, for which be held security over Anahogue, come from ? only from his'practice ? but what was the practice of a small provincial attorney ? Of course, you cannot now prove his dishonesty," added Mr. Johnston, " but you can, I think, upset his purchase, and I think, also, under the circumstances, you are perfectly justified in doing so. The Encumbered Estates Court Act specially provides that the agent of a property cannot become the purchaser of any property for which be is acting in that capacity. True, Buckley resigned his agency a day or two before the sale, but this was manifestly an evasion never contemplated. You bad better come up to Dublin, and we will have a consultation," added Mr. Johnston, in ..conclusion. Tom accordingly went up to Dublin," and the consultation wss held. The Solicitor-General coincided with Mr. Johnston's 'views, whilst Mr. Sergeant Sullivan took the opposite side of the question. There was one tiling certain, however, that a large sum of money would be required to carry on the suit.. Miss Hungerford was for carrying on the suit at onee r offering to stake her all on the issue; and Mary, though averse to leeal proceedings, placed her money at Tom's disposal ; but Tom would not hear of it. " No, aunt," he said in reply to Miss Hungerford's offer, " I cannot do that. It's very, very Mud-el" »*yeu, and I do feel truly grateful, - but I cannot accept your offer. . Never fear. I'll carry on the suit, please (rod, if I .live ; but I'll risk nobody's money but my own." And- in so saying, in declining to risk his aunt's money and his sister^ in this "uncertain issue, Tom was acting as any honorable man wonld have acted under the circumstances. The risking; of hi 3 own money was, of course, a different thing altogether; but his own money was quite inadequate to carry on the undertaking with — was inadequate to do more, in fact, than pay the preliminary expenses. What, then, was to do ? He thought the matter over day after day, and Week after week ; but think as he would, he could find no way out of the difficulty. Fortified with the Solicitor-G-enerat's opin,on, he sough,t the assistance of several' respectable solicitors ; but they each and all declined, under the circumstances, to take up the case for him. One firm, indeed, offered to take up the case, provided five thousand pounds were lodged to their credit, and this was the most liberal offer he "Had made him. As a last resource, he decided upon going to New Zealand, -hoping in this new country to fall across some profitable investment that might in the course of a few years bring him in a sufficient sum wherewith to return and prosecute his lawsuit.

One noteworthy feature of the Christmas and New Year's holidays in Tuapeka is, that during the whole of the period of their continuance, not a single individual was arrested by the police for drunkenness. Those who look upon the bright side of things, hail this sober observance of the festive season as a sign of advancing civilization--and improved morals ; while cynics put it down to want of the needful to procure intoxicating beverages. We understand'that His Honor the Superintendent and the Secretary for the Gold- - fields, will their projected tour through the province during the present month. The Break-'ein- All claim, Winding Creek, still continues to yield - splendidly. Owing to the scarcity of water, only one shaft can at present be worked. I The Gabriels Gaily Quartz Mining Company resumed breaking out stone and crushing on Tuesday. -.-' _ . Hollowxifs Ointment. — Throat Affections. —All the varieties of these distressing complaints may be readily and effectively-treated by rubbing this Ointment twice a day upon the neck and chest, and supporting the chest by suitable nourishment. By this simple means, diptheria, ulcerated and relaxed throat, irritation of the windpipe, quiusy, and all glandular enlargements will have their progress arrested, and the destruction they have caused repaired. Holloway's Ointment is'th'e most trustworthy remedy for all internal and external throat ailments, and may be safely and effectively employed in every case, without regard to season, sex, age, or constitution. It is highly extolled for its ready cureß of* spasmodic coughs, chronic hoarseness, and all disagreeable discharges from the throat and nose.