" When Marsh and Henry met as rival fast bowlers in
a match between Queensland and New South Wales, it was proposed to the
former that he should be introduced to the Queenslander. "What!" he
ejaculated--"that myall? No, thank you. It's quite bad enough to meet
him on the field. Why, the fellow would want to go in to tea with me.
Give him a 'possum." These yarns may be too good to be true, but they at
least illustrate a well-recognised phase of aboriginal character.
"YANKEE CHARLEY"
At rare intervals one finds a black who knows how to drive a bargain.
"Yankee Charley" came, badly wanting a shirt. The only one available
was valued at 2s. 6d., and Charley produced 2s., protesting that that
represented his total capital, the extreme limit of his financial
resources--his uttermost farthing, as it were. At that sum the Boss
disposed of the shirt, for the need of the stranger within his gates
threatened to become shocking, as "Yankee Charley" possessed few of
the "artificial contrivances that hold society together!" Retiring to
the scrub, Charley took off his ruined singlet, came back smiling in his
new shirt, and with delightful candour tendered 6d.
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