[Editor: This story by Henry Lawson was published in While the Billy Boils (1896).] Auld Lang Syne There were ten of us there on the wharf when our first mate left for Maoriland, he having been forced to leave Sydney because he could not get anything like regular graft, … [Read more...] about Auld Lang Syne [short story by Henry Lawson]
While the Billy Boils (Henry Lawson 1896)
Baldy Thompson [short story by Henry Lawson]
[Editor: This story by Henry Lawson was published in While the Billy Boils (1896).] Baldy Thompson Rough, squarish face, curly auburn wig, bushy grey eyebrows and moustache, and grizzly stubble — eyes that reminded one of Dampier the actor. He was a squatter of the old … [Read more...] about Baldy Thompson [short story by Henry Lawson]
The geological spieler [short story by Henry Lawson]
[Editor: This story by Henry Lawson was published in While the Billy Boils (1896).] The geological spieler There’s nothing so interesting as Geology, even to common and ignorant people, especially when you have a bank or the side of a cutting, studded with fossil fish and … [Read more...] about The geological spieler [short story by Henry Lawson]
She wouldn’t speak [short story by Henry Lawson]
[Editor: This story by Henry Lawson was published in While the Billy Boils (1896).] She wouldn’t speak Well, we reached the pub about dinner time, dropped our swags outside, had a drink, and then went into the dinin’-room. There was a lot of jackeroo swells, that had been … [Read more...] about She wouldn’t speak [short story by Henry Lawson]
Bogg of Geebung [short story by Henry Lawson]
[Editor: This story by Henry Lawson was published in While the Billy Boils (1896).] Bogg of Geebung At the local police court, where the subject of this sketch turned up periodically amongst the drunks, he had ‘James’ prefixed to his name for the sake of convenience and … [Read more...] about Bogg of Geebung [short story by Henry Lawson]
‘Brummy Usen’ [short story by Henry Lawson]
[Editor: This story by Henry Lawson was published in While the Billy Boils (1896).] ‘Brummy Usen’ We caught up with an old swagman crossing the plain, and tramped along with him till we came to good shade to have a smoke in. We had got yarning about men getting lost in … [Read more...] about ‘Brummy Usen’ [short story by Henry Lawson]
Jones’s Alley [short story by Henry Lawson]
[Editor: This story by Henry Lawson was published in While the Billy Boils (1896).] Jones’s Alley She lived in Jones’s Alley. She cleaned offices, washed, and nursed from daylight until any time after dark, and filled in her spare time cleaning her own place (which she … [Read more...] about Jones’s Alley [short story by Henry Lawson]
Two dogs and a fence [short story by Henry Lawson]
[Editor: This story by Henry Lawson was published in While the Billy Boils (1896).] Two dogs and a fence ‘Nothing makes a dog madder,’ said Mitchell, ‘than to have another dog come outside his fence and sniff and bark at him through the cracks when he can’t get out. The … [Read more...] about Two dogs and a fence [short story by Henry Lawson]
The story of Malachi [short story by Henry Lawson]
[Editor: This story by Henry Lawson was published in While the Billy Boils (1896).] The story of Malachi Malachi was very tall, very thin, and very round-shouldered, and the sandiness of his hair also cried aloud for an adjective. All the boys considered Malachi the … [Read more...] about The story of Malachi [short story by Henry Lawson]
Coming across — A study in the steerage [short story by Henry Lawson]
[Editor: This story by Henry Lawson was published in While the Billy Boils (1896).] Coming across — A study in the steerage We were delayed for an hour or so inside Sydney Heads, taking passengers from the Oroya, which had just arrived from England and anchored off … [Read more...] about Coming across — A study in the steerage [short story by Henry Lawson]
Our pipes [short story by Henry Lawson]
[Editor: This story by Henry Lawson was published in While the Billy Boils (1896).] Our pipes The moon rose away out on the edge of a smoky plain, seen through a sort of tunnel or arch in the fringe of mulga behind which we were camped — Jack Mitchell and I. The ‘timber’ … [Read more...] about Our pipes [short story by Henry Lawson]
Mitchell: A character sketch [short story by Henry Lawson]
[Editor: This story by Henry Lawson was published in While the Billy Boils (1896).] Mitchell: A character sketch It was a very mean station, and Mitchell thought he had better go himself and beard the overseer for tucker. His mates were for waiting till the overseer went … [Read more...] about Mitchell: A character sketch [short story by Henry Lawson]
In a wet season [short story by Henry Lawson]
[Editor: This story by Henry Lawson was published in While the Billy Boils (1896).] In a wet season It was raining — ‘general rain.’ The train left Bourke, and then there began the long, long agony of scrub and wire fence, with here and there a natural clearing, which … [Read more...] about In a wet season [short story by Henry Lawson]
A visit of condolence [short story by Henry Lawson]
[Editor: This story by Henry Lawson was published in While the Billy Boils (1896).] A visit of condolence ‘Does Arvie live here, old woman?’ ‘Why?’ ‘Strike me dead! carn’t yer answer a civil queschin?’ ‘How dare you talk to me like that, you young larrikin? Be … [Read more...] about A visit of condolence [short story by Henry Lawson]
‘Some Day’ [short story by Henry Lawson]
[Editor: This story by Henry Lawson was published in While the Billy Boils (1896).] ‘Some Day’ The two travellers had yarned late in their camp, and the moon was getting low down through the mulga. Mitchell’s mate had just finished a rather ‘racy’ yarn, but it seemed to … [Read more...] about ‘Some Day’ [short story by Henry Lawson]
His colonial oath [short story by Henry Lawson]
[Editor: This story by Henry Lawson was published in While the Billy Boils (1896).] His colonial oath I lately met an old schoolmate of mine up-country. He was much changed. He was tall and lank, and had the most hideous bristly red beard I ever saw. He was working on his … [Read more...] about His colonial oath [short story by Henry Lawson]
‘Board and residence’ [short story by Henry Lawson]
[Editor: This story by Henry Lawson was published in While the Billy Boils (1896).] ‘Board and residence’ One o’clock on Saturday. The unemployed’s one o’clock on Saturday! Nothing more can be done this week, so you drag yourself wearily and despairingly ‘home,’ with the … [Read more...] about ‘Board and residence’ [short story by Henry Lawson]
An unfinished love story [short story by Henry Lawson]
[Editor: This story by Henry Lawson was published in While the Billy Boils (1896).] An unfinished love story Brook let down the heavy, awkward slip-rails, and the gaunt cattle stumbled through, with aggravating deliberation, and scattered slowly among the ragged native … [Read more...] about An unfinished love story [short story by Henry Lawson]
Steelman’s Pupil [short story by Henry Lawson]
[Editor: This story by Henry Lawson was published in While the Billy Boils (1896).] Steelman’s Pupil Steelman was a hard case, but some said that Smith was harder. Steelman was big and good-looking, and good-natured in his way; he was a ‘spieler,’ pure and simple, but did … [Read more...] about Steelman’s Pupil [short story by Henry Lawson]
Across the Straits [short story by Henry Lawson]
[Editor: This story by Henry Lawson was published in While the Billy Boils (1896).] Across the Straits We crossed Cook’s Straits from Wellington in one of those rusty little iron tanks that go up and down and across there for twenty or thirty years and never get wrecked — … [Read more...] about Across the Straits [short story by Henry Lawson]
‘Dossing out’ and ‘camping’ [short story by Henry Lawson]
[Editor: This story by Henry Lawson was published in While the Billy Boils (1896).] ‘Dossing out’ and ‘camping’ At least two hundred poor beggars were counted sleeping out on the pavements of the main streets of Sydney the other night — grotesque bundles of rags lying … [Read more...] about ‘Dossing out’ and ‘camping’ [short story by Henry Lawson]
The shearing of the cook’s dog [short story by Henry Lawson]
[Editor: This story by Henry Lawson was published in While the Billy Boils (1896).] The shearing of the cook’s dog The dog was a little conservative mongrel poodle, with long dirty white hair all over him — longest and most over his eyes, which glistened through it like … [Read more...] about The shearing of the cook’s dog [short story by Henry Lawson]
An echo from the old bark school [short story by Henry Lawson]
[Editor: This story by Henry Lawson was published in While the Billy Boils (1896).] An echo from the old bark school It was the first Monday after the holidays. The children had taken their seats in the Old Bark School, and the master called out the roll as … [Read more...] about An echo from the old bark school [short story by Henry Lawson]
His father’s mate [short story by Henry Lawson]
[Editor: This story by Henry Lawson was published in While the Billy Boils (1896).] His father’s mate It was Golden Gully still, but golden in name only, unless indeed the yellow mullock heaps or the bloom of the wattle trees on the hillside gave it a claim to the title. … [Read more...] about His father’s mate [short story by Henry Lawson]
Shooting the moon [short story by Henry Lawson]
[Editor: This story by Henry Lawson was published in While the Billy Boils (1896).] Shooting the moon We lay in camp in the fringe of the mulga, and watched the big red, smoky, rising moon out on the edge of the misty plain, and smoked and thought together sociably. Our … [Read more...] about Shooting the moon [short story by Henry Lawson]