Chambers's Edinburgh Journal, No. 456: Volume 18, New Series, September 25, 1852Various
History
Chambers's Edinburgh Journal, No. 456: Volume 18, New Series, September 25, 1852
Various
Periodicals
'"REVEREND MADAM--I heard you are the best to send to for a servant,
and I heard our police magistrate say, it was best to leave all to
you; and so I'll just do the same, as his honour says it's the best. I
had a wife once, and so she was too good for me by the far, and it was
God's will, ma'am; but I has a child, ma'am, that I wouldn't see a
straw touch for the world; the boy's only four yeare old: and I has a
snug fifty-acre farm and a town 'lotment, and I has no debts in the
world, and one teem and four bullocks; and I'se ten head oh cattle,
and a share on eight hundred sheep, so I as a rite to a desent
servant, that can wash and cook and make the place decant; and I don't
mind what religion she bey, if she is sober and good, only I'se a
Protestant myself; and the boy I have, I promised the mother on her
death-bed should be a Catholic, and I won't, anyhow, have any
interference in this here matter. That I do like in writing nothing
else, I wouldn't, mam, on any account in the world, be bound to marry;
but I don't wish it altogether to be left out. I'll ge her fourteen
wages, and if she don't like me, and I don't like her, I'll pay her
back to Sydney. I want nothing in the world but what is honest, so
make the agrement as you like, and I'll bide by it. I sends you all
the papers, and you'l now I'm a man wot's to be trusted. I sends you
five pounds; she may get wages first, for I know some of the gals, and
the best on um, to, are not heavy we boxes; and supposing anything
should happen, I would not like it to be said she come here in rags. I
wants, also, a man and his wife; he must be willing to learn to
plough, if he don't now how, and do a good fair day's work at
anything; his wife must be a milker, and ha dustrious woman; I'll give
them as much as they can eat and drink of tea and milk, and, whatever
wages you set my name down for, I'll be bound to pay it. With all the
honer in the world, I'se bound to remain your servant till death."
There was something, remarks Mrs Chisholm, in the character of this
honest bushman, during his colonial residence, to admire; he had
gained his freedom, sent home money to his parents, and, during a long
and tedious illness of twenty months, had attended his sick wife with
patient care. Who would not get up an hour earlier to serve such a
man?--I did, for I knew that early in the morning is the _best_ time
to choose a wife. I went first into the governess-room--all asleep; I
unlocked the Home-door--some dressed, others half-dressed, some too
very cross: I have often remarked, that early in the day is the best
time to judge of a woman's temper; but I wish this to be kept a
secret. I remained half an hour in the Home; I then went through the
tents, could not suit myself, and returned. At the Home-door, I found
a girl at the wash-tub; she was at work with spirit; she was rather
good-looking, very neat and tidy. I went into my office, and
ascertained that, on board ship, her character was good. I desired the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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