2011 - Theses - Flinders University

Photograph courtesy of Mary Woods. Used with permission.The two men shoulder the larger items, while Jim fiddles with his keys at the storeroomdoor until the padlock springs back and the goods can be piled in the close dark interior.There are extra stores this time, so close to Christmas, ready for the Christmas bonus to thecommunity, thanks to the Aborigines Protector. Jim waves, with the smile he uses in thedaylight on his face, then he lets his cheeks sag and the corners of his mouth level out as heturns with the mail bag towards the dim quiet of his hut. He takes it inside alone to sort itscontents, with several pairs of eyes watching the door close behind him. Leslie Harvey in themail truck, filling in this time for Merty Lewis, knits his brow as he watches the missionaryretreat in silence. He presses his hat firmly down on his head, and continues pulling off smalltied parcels some of the men have ordered. ‘Ah well,’ he reasons to himself, ‘that one’s amissionary, and you never can quite tell what’s in their heads. Still, that nicely smelling letterwith the graceful hand might bring him some Christmas cheer all the way from England!’123