While the Billy Boils (Henry Lawson 1896)

[Editor: This story by Henry Lawson was published in While the Billy Boils (1896).] Mitchell doesn’t believe in the sack ‘If ever I do get a job again,’ said Mitchell, ‘I’ll stick to it while there’s a hand’s turn of work to do, and put a few pounds together. I won’t be … [Read more...] about Mitchell doesn’t believe in the sack [short story by Henry Lawson]

[Editor: This story by Henry Lawson was published in While the Billy Boils (1896).] Remailed There is an old custom prevalent in Australasia — and other parts, too, perhaps, for that matter — which, we think, deserves to be written up. It might not be an ‘honoured’ custom … [Read more...] about Remailed [short story by Henry Lawson]

[Editor: This story by Henry Lawson was published in While the Billy Boils (1896).] Drifted back The stranger walked into the corner grocery with the air of one who had come back after many years to see someone who would be glad to see him. He shed his swag and stood it … [Read more...] about Drifted back [short story by Henry Lawson]

[Editor: This story by Henry Lawson was published in While the Billy Boils (1896).] Another of Mitchell’s plans for the future ‘I’ll get down among the cockies along the Lachlan or some of those rivers,’ said Mitchell, throwing down his swag beneath a big tree. ‘A man … [Read more...] about Another of Mitchell’s plans for the future [short story by Henry Lawson]

[Editor: This story by Henry Lawson was published in While the Billy Boils (1896).] He’d come back The yarn was all lies, I suppose; but it wasn’t bad. A city bushman told it, of course, and he told it in the travellers’ hut. ‘As true’s God hears me I never meant to … [Read more...] about He’d come back [short story by Henry Lawson]

[Editor: This story by Henry Lawson was published in While the Billy Boils (1896).] On the edge of a plain ‘I’d been away from home for eight years,’ said Mitchell to his mate, as they dropped their swags in the mulga shade and sat down. ‘I hadn’t written a letter — kept … [Read more...] about On the edge of a plain [short story by Henry Lawson]

[Editor: This story by Henry Lawson was published in While the Billy Boils (1896).] Stragglers An oblong hut, walled with blue-grey hardwood slabs, adzed at the ends and set horizontally between the round sapling studs; high roof of the eternal galvanised iron. A big … [Read more...] about Stragglers [short story by Henry Lawson]

[Editor: This story by Henry Lawson was published in While the Billy Boils (1896).] Arvie Aspinall’s alarm clock In one of these years a paragraph appeared in a daily paper to the effect that a constable had discovered a little boy asleep on the steps of Grinder Bros.’ … [Read more...] about Arvie Aspinall’s alarm clock [short story by Henry Lawson]

[Editor: This story by Henry Lawson was published in While the Billy Boils (1896).] Going blind I met him in the Full-and-Plenty Dining Rooms. It was a cheap place in the city, with good beds upstairs let at one shilling per night — ‘Board and residence for respectable … [Read more...] about Going blind [short story by Henry Lawson]

[Editor: This story by Henry Lawson was published in While the Billy Boils (1896).] That there dog of mine Macquarie the shearer had met with an accident. To tell the truth, he had been in a drunken row at a wayside shanty, from which he had escaped with three fractured … [Read more...] about That there dog of mine [short story by Henry Lawson]

[Editor: This story by Henry Lawson was published in While the Billy Boils (1896).] A day on a selection The scene is a small New South Wales Western selection, the holder whereof is native-English. His wife is native-Irish. Time, Sunday, about 8 a.m. A used-up-looking … [Read more...] about A day on a selection [short story by Henry Lawson]

[Editor: This story by Henry Lawson was published in While the Billy Boils (1896).] His country — after all The Blenheim coach was descending into the valley of the Avetere River — pronounced Aveterry — from the saddle of Taylor’s Pass. Across the river to the right, the … [Read more...] about His country — after all [short story by Henry Lawson]

[Editor: This story by Henry Lawson was published in While the Billy Boils (1896).] A camp-fire yarn ‘This girl,’ said Mitchell, continuing a yarn to his mate, ‘was about the ugliest girl I ever saw, except one, and I’ll tell you about her directly. The old man had a … [Read more...] about A camp-fire yarn [short story by Henry Lawson]

[Editor: This story by Henry Lawson was published in While the Billy Boils (1896).] Hungerford One of the hungriest cleared roads in New South Wales runs to within a couple of miles of Hungerford, and stops there; then you strike through the scrub to the town. There is no … [Read more...] about Hungerford [short story by Henry Lawson]

[Editor: This story by Henry Lawson was published in While the Billy Boils (1896).] The man who forgot ‘Well, I dunno,’ said Tom Marshall — known as ‘The Oracle’ — ‘I’ve heerd o’ sich cases before: they aint commin, but — I’ve heerd o’ sich cases before,’ and he screwed … [Read more...] about The man who forgot [short story by Henry Lawson]

[Editor: This story by Henry Lawson was published in While the Billy Boils (1896).] When the sun went down Jack Drew sat on the edge of the shaft, with his foot in the loop and one hand on the rope, ready to descend. His elder brother, Tom, stood at one end of the … [Read more...] about When the sun went down [short story by Henry Lawson]

[Editor: This story by Henry Lawson was published in While the Billy Boils (1896).] Stiffner and Jim (thirdly, Bill.) We were tramping down in Canterbury, Maoriland, at the time, swagging it — me and Bill — looking for work on the new railway line. Well, one afternoon, … [Read more...] about Stiffner and Jim (thirdly, Bill) [short story by Henry Lawson]

[Editor: This story by Henry Lawson was published in While the Billy Boils (1896).] Enter Mitchell The Western train had just arrived at Redfern railway-station with a lot of ordinary passengers and one swagman. He was short, and stout, and bow-legged, and freckled, … [Read more...] about Enter Mitchell [short story by Henry Lawson]

[Editor: This story by Henry Lawson was published in While the Billy Boils (1896).] Settling on the land The worst bore in Australia just now is the man who raves about getting the people on the land, and button-holes you in the street with a little scheme of his own. He … [Read more...] about Settling on the land [short story by Henry Lawson]

[Editor: This story by Henry Lawson was published in While the Billy Boils (1896).] An old mate of your father’s You remember when we hurried home from the old bush school how we were sometimes startled by a bearded apparition, who smiled kindly down on us, and whom our … [Read more...] about An old mate of your father’s [short story by Henry Lawson]