The Confessions of a BeachcomberBanfield, E. J. (Edmund James)
History
The Confessions of a Beachcomber
Banfield, E. J. (Edmund James)
Dunk Island (Qld.); Natural history -- Australia -- Queensland
Mickie and Jinny once paid a visit to town, and Jinny, making an
afternoon call, was invited to have a cup of tea. She said, "Never mind,
Missis. Fire, he no burn." A gas stove was available, and Jinny jumped
and exclaimed as the blue flame sprang from nowhere. Wherever the lady
of the house pleased to apply a match the fire came. Next morning Mickie
was brought round to witness the wonder, Jinny asking--"Missis. You
show 'em Mickie fire jump up all about!"
SLOP TEETH
A lady up North was asked by her black maid, whose face had been
terribly battered by her infuriated husband, to send to the shop for new
teeth, in payment of which she tendered half-a-crown, promising "two
bob more" as wages accumulated. This is a fact, and therefore
comparable with the anecdote which tells that a military bandmaster
demanded the return of a set of teeth supplied at the regiment's expense
to a cornet player who had been granted his discharge.
A FASCINATED BOY
Seas swamped a small cutter as she was beating across the bar of a
Northern river. Exerting themselves to the utmost, the owners, with two
black boys, managed to save the boat, but all the food on board was
ruined, and blankets and clothing saturated. Hungry and dejected the
party prepared to put away the time until the weather calmed. In the
afternoon, fortune smiled. Another cutter came in sight, and with the
assistance of those on shore, managed to get into safety and shelter.
All hands were liberally treated to needful refreshment. "Say when!"
said the cheery Boss, as he poured a revivifying dose of whisky into a
pannikin held by the expectant but shivering boy. The elixir gurgled and
glittered before his fascinated eyes until the pannikin held enough for
two stiff nobblers, without evoking any polite verbal restraint. "My
word!" said the Boss, at last, "that boy can't say when."
AWKWARD CROSS-EXAMINATION
Mickie and Jinny being privileged became familiar, and spoke all sorts
of confidences in the ears of their mistress. Visitors came, an old
friend and her daughters, a blonde and a brunette. The contrast in the
types of the girls puzzled Mickie. He took an early opportunity to
cross-examine one from whom he thought he could obtain confidential
information. "What Gwen sister belonga Glad?" he asked. "Yes, Mickie"
"Same mother?" queried Mickie. "Yes, of course." Then came without
hesitation or reserve the dumbfounding question: "Same father?"
THE ONLY ROCK
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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