TAKEN DOWN.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIII, Issue 7957, 6 February 1906, Page 3

TAKEN DOWN.

A SHEARING STORY.

By "Jorgo."

(Specially written for the Wsirarapa Age). The sun poured down on the iron roof of the shed, and Pasna Murpby, from the top of the press box, swore louder than ever. "Ain't no einecuro jumpin' wool day like this yere," said Pasha, as he fixed the lid on the press box, preparatory to pressing the bale. "I gues9," said Pasha's mate, as ha grasped the handle of tho ratchet, "I guess Bill Howden and young Dan Digby don't think it's forty below zero down erlotig there shearin'." "Egad there ciittiii' em' out," he said, as from the top and bottom. of the board two of the shearers lot their sheep through tho portholes. "Bill didu't like Dan cutting one in on him yesterday," remark d Pasha. "His reputation's sorter bust as ringer, 1 guess." I The bell for "smoke-ho" sounded, ' and after the last sheep had been put through the port-hole, the shearers collected iu the press room for a smoko. The tally for tho "smokeho" showed Dan and Bill to have shorn the same number of sheep. Bill, a typical Australian, nad-beei "ringer" of Smifhson'a for many years, and in most of the other sheds on the Darling side. He didn't like the idea of "one of them straggley Noo Zealanders" coming over and cutting a sheep or two more than him. It riled Bill. The letter's . temper • wasn't improved at the count out at smoke-ho. Usually good tempered and jolly, Bill had, since Dao bad taken a "stand" iu the shed, become sulky and violently bad tempered in turys. Dan was a quiet, good natured son of Otago, who had cone over the "other aide" to try his luck in the sheds there. Ho was never considered a "ringer" in the sheds he had e>beared in in Otago, Canterbury and up in the "fattening paddock," as Hawke'a Bay was called. With smaller sheep, . "bare bellies" and rougher shearing allowtl Dan was able to hold his own at Smithson's with Bill Howden. '■■■'■ Dan had gone over to the hut to find a cork to make a "knocker" for bis shears. "The kid's keepin' up to yer Bilium," said Yankee Mao to Bill Howden, when Dan bad gone. "How does yer [like it,£Billum, my boy?" "I'll knock ther. stuffiV out er him this run, you see," replied Bill. "I'm only kiddin' to him," continued Bill as he dipped his tin pannikin in r tbe kerosene tin full of .tea. "I could beat, him easy every time Just, wait till we get on them lambs in the morning. He won't Bee the way 1 go fer smoke." The bell sounded again and the shed was once . more all "bustle and hum." Following up a cry of "Tar here, boy " Bill turned and said to bis mate in the next stand, "I'll shift that durned kid erlong this time. Jack." "Ob, you'll have yer revenge tomorrow, anyway, Bill on them lambs," replied Jack Hawkins, who next to Bill was considered the fastest shearer in the shed In fact, on the tallies so far there was only a sheep or two between the pair. "He'll beat you, Mr Howden." remarked a young fellow named Char lie Howard, a journalist from Melbourne, who was on a visit to Smitbson, his uncle, and who was standing in front of the pair "He's got a better style and cut's cleaner." Bill's lip curled up and he sneered out, "Wait till you're asked for an opinion. You're a Dew chum and don't know nuthin', about shearing." Charlie smiled. He knew himself that shearing and he were not strangers. Bill's blowing had nettled Charlie, and with a remark that "the kid would beat you any day on lambs," Charlie walked down the board to where Dan was shearing. When the next "smoke-ho" came round the tallies showed that the pair were still even as far as sheep shorn were concerned. Bill came in for a good deal of "barrack," in tiew of bis blowing to beat Dan on the run. "Ob," growled Bill, "he got some bare bellies, that's what he got. If he hadn't, I'd a beaten Mm." "He was too much for yer that run anyway, Bill," said Yankee Mao. "Yer like ther rest," replied Bill, "yer don't know nuthin' about shearin'." . Mac was the neatest shearer in the shed, and Bill's remark nettled him. The "kid will bent you every time on lambs, rams, wethers or anything else, Howden," said Mao, sharply. "Will he?" said Bill. "I'll bet yer a fiver I beat bim in ther morning on them there lamhs." "Done," said Mac quickly. He never allowed any one to throw out a bet at him. In his mind, however, he knew that Bill could beat Dan on lambs as the former was an expert at shearing them. But Bill's "tall talk" sickened bim, and he naturally took sides with Dan. The latter heard tbe bet made, and triad to persuade Mao to "back out." "Sonny, if yer come here telling me to back out and show the white feather I'll just bang yer pretty smart," replied Mac, pavagely. "You put yer talking iuto those lambs in ther morning, and never mind erbout me. "In this deal I'm taking your side. "See, sonny." The boss of tbo board, who was of „ a sporting turn of mind —what Aus- ' tralian isn't, even down to shearing?—inwardly made up his mind to be absent in the morning,*so as to "allow tbe boys to have a good go with nothing to hinder them." Charlie Howard heard the bet, smiled, and bethought himself of some oopy to be got out of the incident. In the huts that night the sole topic of conversation was the match between Dan and Bill. It was to be a go from 5.30 o'clock till breakfast time, 7 o'olook. Even the rouseabouts and "yarders up," whose one objeot seemed to be to count up the days before they would see Sydney again, and dwell on the largeness of their obecjues, were interested in the obming "go." JfiTfae morning duly came ronud.

The pens just held about enough sbeop to last the "run." Bill's stand was at the top of the board, and Dan's at the bottom. Bill whs whistling when he took bis place at •lis stand. Ho was picturing what he would do with Mac's fiver when he got to Sydney. A day down at Manly; a good time at "The George;" and a trip over to North Shore; that little girl with the golden ourly hair —Ting-a-liug, away went the beli, and the tussle had commenced. Charlie Howard was there to see the fun, as he called it. Ho was standing opposite Dan when the latter pulled out his first lamb. As ho sat the lamb on his haunches Dan glanced up at Charlie with a look of surprise ou his face. Charlie smiled encouragement and winked. Bang went the port hole door and everybody looked up. Great scot! Dan's lamb was flnishod. Bill wont faster. The latter had hardly got the first aide start«d of the next lamb before Dan was finished again. "What Ho," said Jack Hawkins to Bill, "the kid's going." "I'll wear him down before long," growled Bill. Try as he would ll'U could not wear him down. "The "kid" kept going", and wh?u tho bell rang for breakfast Dan had five more lamb 3 shorn than Bill. To say everyone was astonished would bo putting it mildly. Bill Howden, the great lamb shearer, beaten in a clear run oy an outsider. Nobody ooul;! understand it. "How dia yer do it, Sonny." °aid Yankee Mao to Uau, as the sheep wore boing counted out of the pens. "Don't know," remarked Dan shortly. "Well, all 1 knows is," remarked Mac, "that you've made bill know all about it." Bill carno along the board to Dan. "Souuy," be said, holding out his hand. "Yer too good for me. I used to think myself pretty slick, but f ain't in it with you. Yer boats me, and I don't know how yer done it, 1 oan'L understand i*. All I know is that you've beaten me." * * * * * But what they all didn't know wasjihat Charlie Howard had come down to tho shed in tho night time and taken the belly wool of all tbe lambs in Dan's pen !