Australian Tales - Setis

his hand to his back so frequently, Charity thought was a slight
eccentricity, but it could by no means be taken as an indication of
weakness, for the unusually bright colour in the parts of his face that
were bare, clearly showed the ruddy glow of health. That his legs were
curved could not be denied, but that was a trifling defect, which she
thought even his handsome beard alone would overbalance. His being
“all of a shake,” indicated a highly sensitive organisation and a becoming
modesty; indeed, she concluded that the man who would not shake a
little under such circumstances must possess an ossified heart, wholly
unimpressible by domestic perfection. Omitting the details of their long
interview (during which a mutual confidence had been exhibited, and a
satisfactory outline of each other's history had been given), I briefly
record, that before the clock struck two their engagement had been
ratified by a true lover's kiss; after which — to the surprise of Biddy
— the happy pair sat down to a homely dinner.
I must hurry past the succeeding ten days of active courtship, merely
noticing that their admiration for each other hourly increased, and as all
needless delay was held to be sheer cruelty, and having neither parents
nor guardians to consult, they mutually agreed to be married on New
Year's Day. In order to save the unnecessary “fuss of inviting a lot of
quizzical friends to their wedding,” they decided to go to Newcastle,
there to get married in a quiet way, then go to Singleton by rail, to revel
in honey moon-shine.
Next Monday morning they joined the seven o'clock steamer, taking as
little luggage with them as possible, to save trouble. The weather was
fine and clear, though a strong N.E. breeze made the vessel pitch and toss
very uncomfortably for a squeamish man. But Charity — who was never
sick — said she enjoyed it amazingly. She playfully remarked, “that her
dear Teddy had entirely lost his colour,” and advised him to go below
and lie down, but he manfully protested against leaving her on deck
alone; so he got some cushions from the cabin, and made her a
comfortable couch on the skylight, then tucked her feet in his railway
wrapper and put his travelling shawl tenderly over her hat, to keep the
spray from spoiling the blue feather. After handing her a copy of the
Sydney Mail to amuse and edify her, he walked about in the fore part of
the ship in order to cure his squeamishness.
There were few fore cabin passengers on board that morning, and those
few were below, for the spray made the deck very moist forward. Mr.
Trout was glad there were no unsympathising eyes to gaze at him, for he
felt woefully sick, and wished to ruminate over the side of the ship, and
watch the bubbles gaily dancing by. Quietly stepping down to the cabin,
unseen by Charity, he got an old tweed coat and vest from his bag, and
returned to the fore deck. He then put on a sailor's tarpaulin jacket (which
was lying on the fore hatch) to keep himself dry, and got as far as he