Australian Tales - Setis

enough for the day, and you have had strength given you to bear all your
troubles: be thankful for that also. This day's trials are past, and you will
not see them again; so as you cannot remedy them by fretting over them,
your wisest plan is to look hopefully to the future, while you strive to
profit by your past mishaps.”
“Yes, sir,” replied Micky; “that's thrue for yez — what's done's done,
and it's not a bit av good grumblin. If I was to howl for a fortnight it
wouldn't rise my brogans from the bottom of the creek, nor sthop me
swag from swimming out to sea; so the best plan I can think av is not to
think av them at all, but to hurry back to my owld berth as fast as I can,
an earn money to buy another rig out, and thin afther I've got it, thry to
take betther care av it. This day's disasters will help to make me more
continted in time to come, an make me thry to kape a good berth when
I've got one, an not be thryin me hand at things I don't know nothin
about.”
“I see, you are a philosopher,” said Mr. Hopewell, smiling.
“Police officer! not a bit av it, sir, nor niver was in my life; I niver had
the good luck to dhrop into sich an aisy billet. I've bin a shepherd more
nor twenty years; an afore that I tried me hand at almost ivery sort av
bush work, barrin bushrangin, an I niver thried that game afore today;
nor I'll niver thry it agin naythir, for it's a villainous trade, that's purty
shure to lead to Jack Ketch's castle at last. I should jist like to tell all the
bhoys in the bush my honest opinion av that cowardly way of getting a
livin.”
“How many years have you been in this colony, Mr. Mahony?” asked
Mr. Hopewell.
“Will ye be afther callin me Micky, sir, if ye plaze? I'm downright
scared when ye call me Misther Mahony, bekase it makes me think av
me poor owld dad, who's dead an gone. Folks used to call him Misther
Mahony on Sundays; and well he desarved it too, poor sowl, for he was
as honest a man as iver peeled a pratee, so he was. Well, sir, I've bin in
this counthry two and thirty year come next March. Ye naydn't axe me
who paid me passage out here; it wasn't me poor owld dad though. I'd a
free passage give me, by order of a larned owld frind av mine at home,
and Governor Darling was recommended to take great care av me, an
mind I didn't catch cowld by being out at night. Whin I got to Sydney, I
was pressed to stay and help to build a large house of accommodation for
other visitors like meself; an there was a good lot in thim days — more's
the pity. Afther a time a frind av the Governor's invited me to go into the
bush wid him; an I was glad enough to go, bekase the cats in Sydney
used to throuble me a good deal. Faith an I soon found there were cats
(wid nine tails) in the bush too; but they didn't bother me quite so often
as they did in Sydney. Well, sir, I've bin in the bush pritty nigh iver
since; and though I says it meself, there isn't a cove this side av the