[Editor: Published in Over the Sliprails, by Henry Lawson (1900).] A case for the Oracle The Oracle and I were camped together. The Oracle was a bricklayer by trade, and had two or three small contracts on hand. I was “doing a bit of house-painting”. There were a … [Read more...] about A case for the Oracle [short story by Henry Lawson]
year1900
The Darling River [short story by Henry Lawson]
[Editor: Published in Over the Sliprails, by Henry Lawson (1900).] The Darling River The Darling — which is either a muddy gutter or a second Mississippi — is about six times as long as the distance, in a straight line, from its head to its mouth. The state of the river … [Read more...] about The Darling River [short story by Henry Lawson]
The hero of Redclay [short story by Henry Lawson]
[Editor: Published in Over the Sliprails, by Henry Lawson (1900).] The hero of Redclay. The “boss-over-the-board” was leaning with his back to the wall between two shoots, reading a reference handed to him by a green-hand applying for work as picker-up or woolroller — a … [Read more...] about The hero of Redclay [short story by Henry Lawson]
An incident at Stiffner’s [short story by Henry Lawson]
[Editor: Published in Over the Sliprails, by Henry Lawson (1900).] An incident at Stiffner’s They called him “Stiffner” because he used, long before, to get a living by poisoning wild dogs near the Queensland border. The name stuck to him closer than misfortune did, for … [Read more...] about An incident at Stiffner’s [short story by Henry Lawson]
A gentleman sharper and Steelman sharper [short story by Henry Lawson]
[Editor: Published in Over the Sliprails, by Henry Lawson (1900).] A gentleman sharper and Steelman sharper. Steelman and Smith had been staying at the hotel for several days in the dress and character of bushies down for what they considered a spree. The gentleman … [Read more...] about A gentleman sharper and Steelman sharper [short story by Henry Lawson]
The shanty-keeper’s wife [short story by Henry Lawson]
[Editor: Published in Over the Sliprails, by Henry Lawson (1900).] The shanty-keeper’s wife There were about a dozen of us jammed into the coach, on the box seat and hanging on to the roof and tailboard as best we could. We were shearers, bagmen, agents, a squatter, a … [Read more...] about The shanty-keeper’s wife [short story by Henry Lawson]
Preface [by Henry Lawson, in “Over the Sliprails”]
[Editor: Published in Over the Sliprails, by Henry Lawson (1900).] Preface Of the stories in this volume many have already appeared in the columns of the Bulletin. Others appeared originally in the Town and Country Journal, the West Australian and the Western Mail, while … [Read more...] about Preface [by Henry Lawson, in “Over the Sliprails”]
Over the Sliprails [by Henry Lawson, 1900]
[Editor: A book of short stories by Henry Lawson (1900).] Over the Sliprails by Henry Lawson Author of “While the Billy Boils,” “When the World Was Wide and Other Verses,” “On the Track,” “Verses: Popular and Humorous,” &c. Contents [Preface] The … [Read more...] about Over the Sliprails [by Henry Lawson, 1900]
How Steelman told his story [short story, by Henry Lawson]
[Editor: This is a chapter from On the Track (1900) by Henry Lawson.] How Steelman told his story It was Steelman’s humour, in some of his moods, to take Smith into his confidence, as some old bushmen do their dogs. “You’re nearly as good as an intelligent sheep-dog to … [Read more...] about How Steelman told his story [short story, by Henry Lawson]
An oversight of Steelman’s [short story, by Henry Lawson]
[Editor: This is a chapter from On the Track (1900) by Henry Lawson.] An oversight of Steelman’s Steelman and Smith — professional wanderers — were making back for Wellington, down through the wide and rather dreary-looking Hutt Valley. They were broke. They carried their … [Read more...] about An oversight of Steelman’s [short story, by Henry Lawson]
Payable gold [short story, by Henry Lawson]
[Editor: This is a chapter from On the Track (1900) by Henry Lawson.] Payable gold Among the crowds who left the Victorian side for New South Wales about the time Gulgong broke out was an old Ballarat digger named Peter McKenzie. He had married and retired from the mining … [Read more...] about Payable gold [short story, by Henry Lawson]
“A rough shed” [short story, by Henry Lawson]
[Editor: This is a chapter from On the Track (1900) by Henry Lawson.] “A rough shed” A hot, breathless, blinding sunrise — the sun having appeared suddenly above the ragged edge of the barren scrub like a great disc of molten steel. No hint of a morning breeze before it, … [Read more...] about “A rough shed” [short story, by Henry Lawson]
Mr. Smellingscheck [short story, by Henry Lawson]
[Editor: This is a chapter from On the Track (1900) by Henry Lawson.] Mr. Smellingscheck I met him in a sixpenny restaurant — “All meals, 6d. — Good beds, 1s.” That was before sixpenny restaurants rose to a third-class position, and became possibly respectable places to … [Read more...] about Mr. Smellingscheck [short story, by Henry Lawson]
Two larrikins [short story, by Henry Lawson]
[Editor: This is a chapter from On the Track (1900) by Henry Lawson.] Two larrikins “Y’orter do something, Ernie. Yer know how I am. You don’t seem to care. Y’orter to do something.” Stowsher slouched at a greater angle to the greasy door-post, and scowled under his … [Read more...] about Two larrikins [short story, by Henry Lawson]
Meeting old mates [short story, by Henry Lawson]
[Editor: This is a chapter from On the Track (1900) by Henry Lawson. The chapter is comprised of two parts: 1) Tom Smith; 2) Jack Ellis.] Meeting old mates I. Tom Smith You are getting well on in the thirties, and haven’t left off being a fool yet. You have been … [Read more...] about Meeting old mates [short story, by Henry Lawson]
Bill the ventriloquial rooster [short story, by Henry Lawson]
[Editor: This is a chapter from On the Track (1900) by Henry Lawson.] Bill the ventriloquial rooster “When we were up country on the selection, we had a rooster at our place, named Bill,” said Mitchell; “a big mongrel of no particular breed, though the old lady said he … [Read more...] about Bill the ventriloquial rooster [short story, by Henry Lawson]
Mitchell’s jobs [short story, by Henry Lawson]
[Editor: This is a chapter from On the Track (1900) by Henry Lawson.] Mitchell’s jobs “I’m going to knock off work and try to make some money,” said Mitchell, as he jerked the tea-leaves out of his pannikin and reached for the billy. “It’s been the great mistake of my … [Read more...] about Mitchell’s jobs [short story, by Henry Lawson]
No place for a woman [short story, by Henry Lawson]
[Editor: This is a chapter from On the Track (1900) by Henry Lawson.] No place for a woman He had a selection on a long box-scrub siding of the ridges, about half a mile back and up from the coach road. There were no neighbours that I ever heard of, and the nearest “town” … [Read more...] about No place for a woman [short story, by Henry Lawson]
Mitchell on women [short story, by Henry Lawson]
[Editor: This is a chapter from On the Track (1900) by Henry Lawson.] Mitchell on women “All the same,” said Mitchell’s mate, continuing an argument by the camp-fire; “all the same, I think that a woman can stand cold water better than a man. Why, when I was staying in a … [Read more...] about Mitchell on women [short story, by Henry Lawson]
Mitchell on matrimony [short story, by Henry Lawson]
[Editor: This is a chapter from On the Track (1900) by Henry Lawson.] Mitchell on matrimony “I suppose your wife will be glad to see you,” said Mitchell to his mate in their camp by the dam at Hungerford. They were overhauling their swags, and throwing away the blankets, … [Read more...] about Mitchell on matrimony [short story, by Henry Lawson]
“Middleton’s Peter” [short story, by Henry Lawson]
[Editor: This is a chapter from On the Track (1900) by Henry Lawson. This chapter is comprised of three parts: 1) The first born; 2) The only hope; 3) Doc. Wild.] “Middleton’s Peter” I. The first born The struggling squatter is to be found in Australia as well as … [Read more...] about “Middleton’s Peter” [short story, by Henry Lawson]
The iron-bark chip [short story, by Henry Lawson]
[Editor: This is a chapter from On the Track (1900) by Henry Lawson.] The iron-bark chip Dave Regan and party — bush-fencers, tank-sinkers, rough carpenters, &c. — were finishing the third and last culvert of their contract on the last section of the new railway line, and … [Read more...] about The iron-bark chip [short story, by Henry Lawson]
Andy Page’s rival [short story, by Henry Lawson]
[Editor: This is a chapter from On the Track (1900) by Henry Lawson.] Andy Page’s rival Tall and freckled and sandy, Face of a country lout; That was the picture of Andy — Middleton’s rouseabout. On Middleton’s wide dominions Plied the stock-whip and shears; Hadn’t … [Read more...] about Andy Page’s rival [short story, by Henry Lawson]
A vision of Sandy Blight [short story, by Henry Lawson]
[Editor: This is a chapter from On the Track (1900) by Henry Lawson.] A vision of Sandy Blight I’d been humping my back, and crouching and groaning for an hour or so in the darkest corner of the travellers’ hut, tortured by the demon of sandy blight. It was too hot to … [Read more...] about A vision of Sandy Blight [short story, by Henry Lawson]
The songs they used to sing [short story, by Henry Lawson]
[Editor: This is a chapter from On the Track (1900) by Henry Lawson.] The songs they used to sing On the diggings up to twenty odd years ago — and as far back as I can remember — on Lambing Flat, the Pipe Clays, Gulgong, Home Rule, and so through the roaring list; in bark … [Read more...] about The songs they used to sing [short story, by Henry Lawson]