saltbush bill-第9节
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And him dead beat。 Where have you been？
〃Bolted with Jim！ What DO you mean？〃
〃Met the old man with Sambo licked
From running old Bowneck。〃 〃Well； I'm kicked
Ran 'em till Sambo nearly dropped？
What did Jim do when you were stopped？
Did you bolt from father across the plain？
Jim made you get off Crazy Jane！
And father got on； and away again
The two of 'em went to the ranges grim。
Good boy； Jimmy！ Well done； Jim！
They're sure to get them now； of course；
That Tambourine is a spanking horse。
And Crazy Jane is good as gold。
And Jim； they say； rides pretty bold；
Not like your father； but very fair。
Jim will have to follow the mare。〃
〃It never was yet in father's hide
To best my Jim on the mountain…side。
Jim can rally； and Jim can ride。〃
But here again Amelia cried。
。 。 。 。 。
The sound of a whip comes faint and far；
A rattle of hoofs； and here they are；
In all their tameless pride。
The fleet wild horses snort with fear；
And wheel and break as the yard draws near。
Now； Jim the Ringer； ride！
Wheel 'em！ wheel 'em！ Whoa back there； whoa！
And the foam…flakes fly like the driven snow；
As under the whip the horses go
Adown the mountain side。
And Jim； hands down； and teeth firm set；
On a horse that never has failed him yet；
Is after them down the range。
Well ridden！ well ridden！ they wheel whoa back！
And long and loud the stockwhips crack；
Their flying course they change；
〃Steadily does it let Sambo go！
Open those sliprails down below。
Smart！ or you'll be too late。
They'll follow old Sambo up look out！
Wheel that black horse give Sam a clout。
They're in！ Make fast the gate。〃
。 。 。 。 。
The mob is safely in the yard！
The old man mounts delighted guard。
No thought has he but for his prize。
Jim catches poor Amelia's eyes。
〃Will you come after all？ the job is done；
And Crazy Jane is fit to run
For a prince's life now don't say no；
Slip on while the old man's down below
At the inner yard； and away we'll go。
Will you come； my girl？〃 〃I will； you bet；
We'll manage this here elopement yet。〃
。 。 。 。 。
By the winding Wollondilly stands the hut of Ringer Jim。
And his loving little Meely makes a perfect god of him。
He has stalwart sons and daughters； and； I think； before he's done；
There'll be numerous 〃Six…fortys〃 taken on Mylora run。
The Pannikin Poet
There's nothing here sublime；
But just a roving rhyme；
Run off to pass the time；
With nought titanic in
The theme that it supports；
And； though it treats of quarts；
It's bare of golden thoughts
It's just a pannikin。
I think it's rather hard
That each Australian bard
Each wan； poetic card
With thoughts galvanic in
His fiery soul alight；
In wild aerial flight；
Will sit him down and write
About a pannikin。
He makes some new…chum fare
From out his English lair
To hunt the native bear；
That curious mannikin；
And then when times get bad
That wandering English lad
Writes out a message sad
Upon his pannikin：
〃Oh； mother； think of me
Beneath the wattle tree〃
（For you may bet that he
Will drag the wattle in）
〃Oh； mother； here I think
That I shall have to sink；
There ain't a single drink
The water…bottle in。〃
The dingo homeward hies；
The sooty crows uprise
And caw their fierce surprise
A tone Satanic in；
And bearded bushmen tread
Around the sleeper's head
〃See here the bloke is dead！
Now where's his pannikin？〃
They read his words and weep；
And lay him down to sleep
Where wattle…branches sweep；
A style mechanic in；
And； reader； that's the way
The poets of to…day
Spin out their little lay
About a pannikin。
Not on It
The new chum's polo pony was the smartest pony yet
The owner backed it for the Cup for all that he could get。
The books were laying fives to one； in tenners； and you bet
He was on it。
The bell was rung； the nags came out their quality to try；
The band played 〃What Ho！ Robbo！〃 as our hero cantered by；
The people in the Leger Stand cried out； 〃Hi； Mister； Hi！
Are you on it？〃
They watched him as the flag went down； his fate is quickly told
The pony gave a sudden spring； and off the rider rolled。
The pony finished first all right； but then our hero bold
Was not on it。
The Protest
I say 'e ISN'T Remorse！
'Ow do I know？
Saw 'im on Riccarton course
Two year ago！
Think I'd forget any 'orse？
COURSE 'e's The Crow！
Bumper Maginnis and I；
After a 〃go〃；
Walkin' our 'orses to dry；
I says； 〃Hello！
What's that old black goin' by？〃
Bumper says 〃Oh！
That's an old cuddy of Flanagan's
Runs as The Crow！〃
Now they make out 'e's Remorse。
Well； but I KNOW。
Soon as I came on the course
I says 〃'Ello！
'Ere's the old Crow。〃
Once a man's seen any 'orse；
'Course 'e must know。
Sure as there's wood in this table；
I say 'e's The Crow。
（Cross…examined by the Committee。）
'Ow do I know the moke
After one sight？
S'posin' you met a bloke
Down town at night；
Wouldn't you know 'im again when you met 'im？
That's 'IM all right！
What was the brand on 'is 'ide？
_I_ couldn't say；
Brands can be transmogrified。
That ain't the way
It's the LOOK of a 'orse and the way that 'e moves
That I'd know any day。
What was the boy on 'is back？
Why； 'e went past
All of a minute； and off down the track。
〃The 'orse went as fast？〃
True； so 'e did！ But； my eyes； what a treat！
'Ow can I notice the 'ands and the seat
Of each bumble…faced kid of a boy that I meet？
Lor'！ What a question to ast！
（Protest dismissed。）
The Scapegoat
We have all of us read how the Israelites fled
From Egypt with Pharaoh in eager pursuit of 'em；
And Pharaoh's fierce troop were all put 〃in the soup〃
When the water rolled softly o'er every galoot of 'em。
The Jews were so glad when old Pharaoh was 〃had〃
That they sounded their timbrels and capered like mad。
You see he was hated from Jordan to Cairo
Whence comes the expression 〃to buck against faro〃。
For forty long years； 'midst perils and fears
In deserts with never a tramline to follow by；
The Israelite horde went roaming abroad
Like so many sundowners out on the wallaby。
When Moses； who led 'em； and taught 'em； and fed 'em；
Was dying； he murmured 〃A rorty old hoss you are：
I give you command of the whole of the band〃
And handed the Government over to Joshua。
。 。 。 。 。
But Moses told 'em before he died；
〃Wherever you are； whatever betide；
Every year as the time draws near
By lot or by rote choose you a goat；
And let the high priest confess on the beast
The sins of the people； the worst and the least。
Lay your sins on the goat！ Sure the plan ought to suit yer；
Because all your sins are 〃his troubles〃 in future。
Then lead him away to the wilderness black
To die with the weight of your sins on his back：
Of thirst let him perish alone and unshriven；
For thus shall your sins be absolved and forgiven！〃
'Tis needless to say； though it reeked of barbarity；
This scapegoat arrangement gained great popularity。
By this means a Jew； whate'er he might do；
Though he burgled； or murdered； or cheated at loo；
Or meat on Good Friday （a sin most terrific） ate；
Could get his discharge； like a bankrupt's certificate。
（Just here let us note DID THEY CHOOSE THEIR BEST GOAT？
It's food for conjecture； to judge from the picture
By Hunt in the Gallery close to our door； a
Man well might suppose that the scapegoat they chose
Was a long way from being their choicest Angora。
In fact I should think he was one of their weediest；
'Tis a rule that obtains； no matter who reigns；
When making a sacrifice； offer the seediest；
Which accounts for a theory known to my hearers
Who live in the wild by the wattle beguiled；
That a 〃stag〃 makes quite good enough mutton for shearers。）
Be that as it may； as each year passed away；
A scapegoat was led to the desert and freighted
With sin （the poor brute must have been overweighted）
And left there to die as his fancy dictated。
。 。 。 。 。
The day it has come； with trumpet and drum；
With pomp and solemnity fit for the tomb；
They led the old billy…goat off to his doom：
On every hand a reverend band；
Prophets and preachers and elders stand
And the oldest rabBI； with a tear in his eye；
Delivers a sermon to all standing by。
（We haven't his name whether Cohen or Harris； he
No doubt was the 〃poisonest〃 kind of a Pharisee。）
The sermon was marked by a deal of humility
And pointed the fact； with no end of ability；
That being a Gentile's no mark of gentility；
And； according to Samuel；
