Beyond The Bush, Deep Azure
Blue, Within It And Throughout It, Flooding Sunshine And Golden Ladders
Of Light; And At
Its sun-flecked heart, under that drooping
crimson-starred canopy of soft greygreen, that little company of
bush-folk, standing
Beside that open grave, as Mother Nature, strewing
with flowers the last resting place of one of her children, scattered
gently falling scarlet blossoms into it and about it. Here and there a
dog lay, stretched out in the shade, sniffing in idle curiosity at the
blossoms as they fell, well satisfied with what life had to give just
then; while at their master's feet lay the traveller who was to leave
such haunting memories behind him: William Neaves, born at Woolongong,
with somewhere there a mother going quietly about her work, wondering
vaguely perhaps where her laddie was that day.
Poor mother! Yet, when even that knowledge came to her, it comforted her
in her sorrow to know that a woman had stood beside that grave mourning
for her boy in her name.
Quietly the Maluka read on to the end; and then in the hush that followed
the mate stooped, and, with deep lines hardening rigidly, picked up a
spade. There was no mistaking his purpose; but as he straightened
himself the Dandy's hand was on the spade and the Maluka was speaking.
"Perhaps you'll be good enough to drive the missus back to the house
right away," he was saying, "I think she has had almost more than she can
stand."
The man looked hesitatingly at him.
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