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Right up to the settler's door。
〃A waste o' food；〃 said the dour good…wife；
As she took the egg； with a frown；
〃But he gets nae meat； unless ye rin
A paddy…melon down。〃
〃Gae oot； gae oot； my little son Jack；
Wi' your twa…three doggies sma'；
Gin ye come nae back wi' a paddy…melon；
Then come nae back at a'。〃
So little son Jack he raced and he ran；
And he was bare o' the feet；
And soon he captured a paddy…melon；
Was gorged with the stolen wheat。
〃Sit doon； sit doon； my bonny wee man；
To the best that the hoose can do
An omelette made of the emu egg
And a paddy…melon stew。〃
〃'Tis well； 'tis well；〃 said the bonny wee man；
〃I have eaten the wide world's meat；
And the food that is given with right good will
Is the sweetest food to eat。
〃But the night draws on to the Christmas Day
And I must rise and go；
For I have a mighty way to ride
To the land of the Esquimaux。
〃And it's there I must load my sledges up；
With reindeers four…in…hand；
That go to the North； South； East； and West；
To every Christian land。〃
〃Tae the Esquimaux；〃 said the dour good…wife；
〃Ye suit my husband well！
For when he gets up on his journey horse
He's a bit of a liar himsel'。〃
Then out with a laugh went the bonny wee man
To his old horse grazing nigh；
And away like a meteor flash they went
Far off to the Northern sky。
。 。 。 。 。
When the children woke on the Christmas morn
They chattered with might and main
For a sword and gun had little son Jack；
And a braw new doll had Jane；
And a packet o' nails had the twa emus；
But the dour good…wife got nane。
〃In Re a Gentleman； One〃
When an attorney is called before the Full Court to answer
for any alleged misconduct it is not usual to publish his name
until he is found guilty； until then the matter appears in the papers
as 〃In re a Gentleman； One of the Attorneys of the Supreme Court〃；
or； more shortly； 〃In re a Gentleman； One〃。
We see it each day in the paper；
And know that there's mischief in store；
That some unprofessional caper
Has landed a shark on the shore。
We know there'll be plenty of trouble
Before they get through with the fun；
Because he's been coming the double
On clients； has 〃Gentleman； One〃。
Alas！ for the gallant attorney；
Intent upon cutting a dash；
Sets out on life's perilous journey
With rather more cunning than cash。
And fortune at first is inviting
He struts his brief hour in the sun
But； lo！ on the wall is the writing
Of Nemesis； 〃Gentleman； One〃。
For soon he runs short of the dollars；
He fears he must go to the wall；
So Peter's trust…money he collars
To pay off his creditor； Paul；
Then robs right and left for he goes it
In earnest when once he's begun。
Descensus Averni he knows it；
It's easy for 〃Gentleman； One〃。
The crash comes as sure as the seasons；
He loses his coin in a mine；
Or booming in land； or for reasons
Connected with women and wine。
Or maybe the cards or the horses
A share of the damage have done
No matter； the end of the course is
The same： 〃Re a Gentleman； One〃。
He struggles awhile to keep going；
To stave off detection and shame；
But creditors； clamorous growing；
Ere long put an end to the game。
At length the poor soldier of Satan
His course to a finish has run
And just think of Windeyer waiting
To deal with 〃A Gentleman； One〃！
And some face it boldly； and brazen
The shame and the utter disgrace；
While others； more sensitive； hasten
Their names and their deeds to efface。
They snap the frail thread which the Furies
And Fates have so cruelly spun。
May the great Final Judge and His juries
Have mercy on 〃Gentleman； One〃！
The Melting of the Snow
There's a sunny Southern land；
And it's there that I would be
Where the big hills stand；
In the South Countrie！
When the wattles bloom again；
Then it's time for us to go
To the old Monaro country
At the melting of the snow。
To the East or to the West；
Or wherever you may be；
You will find no place
Like the South Countrie。
For the skies are blue above；
And the grass is green below；
In the old Monaro country
At the melting of the snow。
Now the team is in the plough；
And the thrushes start to sing；
And the pigeons on the bough
Sit a…welcoming the Spring。
So come my comrades all；
Let us saddle up and go
To the old Monaro country
At the melting of the snow。
A Dream of the Melbourne Cup
（1886）
Bring me a quart of colonial beer
And some doughy damper to make good cheer；
I must make a heavy dinner；
Heavily dine and heavily sup；
Of indigestible things fill up；
Next month they run the Melbourne Cup；
And I have to dream the winner。
Stoke it in； boys！ the half…cooked ham；
The rich ragout and the charming cham。；
I've got to mix my liquor；
Give me a gander's gaunt hind leg；
Hard and tough as a wooden peg；
And I'll keep it down with a hard…boiled egg；
'Twill make me dream the quicker。
Now I am full of fearful feed；
Now I may dream a race indeed；
In my restless； troubled slumber；
While the night…mares race through my heated brain
And their devil…riders spur amain；
The tip for the Cup will reward my pain；
And I'll spot the winning number。
。 。 。 。 。
Thousands and thousands and thousands more；
Like sands on the white Pacific shore；
The crowding people cluster；
For evermore it's the story old；
While races are bought and backers are sold；
Drawn by the greed of the gain of gold；
In their thousands still they muster。
And the bookies' cries grow fierce and hot；
〃I'll lay the Cup！ The double； if not！〃
〃Five monkeys； Little John； sir！〃
〃Here's fives bar one； I lay； I lay！〃
And so they shout through the livelong day；
And stick to the game that is sure to pay；
While fools put money on； sir！
And now in my dream I seem to go
And bet with a 〃book〃 that I seem to know
A Hebrew money…lender；
A million to five is the price I get
Not bad！ but before I book the bet
The horse's name I clean forget；
Its number and even gender。
Now for the start； and here they come；
And the hoof…strokes roar like a mighty drum
Beat by a hand unsteady；
They come like a rushing； roaring flood；
Hurrah for the speed of the Chester blood；
For Acme is making the pace so good
There are some of 'em done already。
But round the back she begins to tire；
And a mighty shout goes up 〃Crossfire！〃
The magpie jacket's leading；
And Crossfire challenges； fierce and bold；
And the lead she'll have and the lead she'll hold；
But at length gives way to the black and gold；
Which away to the front is speeding。
Carry them on and keep it up
A flying race is the Melbourne Cup；
You must race and stay to win it；
And old Commotion； Victoria's pride；
Now takes the lead with his raking stride；
And a mighty roar goes far and wide
〃There's only Commotion in it！〃
But one draws out from the beaten ruck
And up on the rails by a piece of luck
He comes in a style that's clever；
〃It's Trident！ Trident！ Hurrah for Hales！〃
〃Go at 'em now while their courage fails；〃
〃Trident！ Trident！ for New South Wales！〃
〃The blue and white for ever！〃
Under the whip！ with the ears flat back；
Under the whip！ though the sinews crack；
No sign of the base white feather；
Stick to it now for your breeding's sake；
Stick to it now though your hearts should break；
While the yells and roars make the grand…stand shake；
They come down the straight together。
Trident slowly forges ahead；
The fierce whips cut and the spurs are red；
The pace is undiminished；
Now for the Panics that never fail！
But many a backer's face grows pale
As old Commotion swings his tail
And swerves and the Cup is finished。
。 。 。 。 。
And now in my dream it all comes back：
I bet my coin on the Sydney crack；
A million I've won； no question！
〃Give me my money； you hooked…nosed hog！
Give me my money； bookmaking dog！〃
But he disappeared in a kind of fog；
And I woke with 〃the indigestion〃。
The Gundaroo Bullock
Oh； there's some that breeds the Devon that's as solid as a stone；
And there's some that breeds the brindle which they call the 〃Goulburn Roan〃；
But amongst the breeds of cattle there are very； very few
Like the hairy…whiskered bullock that they bred at Gundaroo。
Far away by Grabben Gullen； where the Murrumbidgee flows；
There's a block of broken countryside where no one ever goes；
For the banks have gripped the squatters； and the free selectors too；
And their stock are always stolen by the men of Gundaroo。
There came a low info