the air was a hint of the scent of the jonquils and violets, so early
in that temperate region. Grandma Clay must not be forgotten, for in
her immaculate silk-cloth dress and cape, her bonnet of the best
material, and her "lastings," with her spectacles in one hand and her
properly-prized electoral right in the other, and her irreproachable
respectability oozing from her every action, she could not be
overlooked. As she neared the door the gentlemen and younger ladies
crowding there politely stood back and cancelled their turn in her
favour; and Mrs Martha Clay, a flush on her cheeks, a flash in her
eyes, and with her splendidly active, upright figure carried
valiantly, at the age of seventy-five, disappeared within the
polling-booth to cast her first vote for the State Parliament.
What a girl she must have been in those far-off teens when she had
handled a team of five in Cobb & Co.'s lumbering coaches, when her
curls, blowing in the rain and wind, had been bronze, when with a
feather-weight bound she could spring from the high box-seat to the
ground! Lucky Jim Clay, to have held such vigorous love and splendid
personality all his own. All his own to this late day, for the old
dame returning said to me, "This is a great day to me, and I only wish
that Jim Clay had lived to see me vote;" and there was a pathetic
quiver in the old voice inexpressibly sweet to the ear of one
believing in true love.
After Grandma Clay there was myself--a widely different type of voter.
In one way it did not matter whether I voted or not. Neither candidate
had a clear-cut policy to rescue public affairs from their chaotic
state. The electors themselves had no definite idea what they
required, but this was in no way alarming--all the materials for
national prosperity were at hand, presently matters would evolve, and
the demand for able statesmen would be filled when the demand grew
clearly defined.
Which man would do most for women and children was also immaterial;
the mere fact of women no longer being redressless creatures, but
invested with rights of full citizenship, was even at that early stage
having its effect. Politicians were trimming their sails to catch the
great female vote by announcing their readiness to make issues of
questions relative to the peculiar welfare of the big bulk of the
human race represented by women and children. Inspired by women's
newly-granted power of electing a real representative of their
demands, would-be M.P.'s were hastening in one session to insert in
their platform planks which much-vaunted "womanly influence" had been
unable to get there during generations of masculine chivalry and
feminine disenfranchisement.
Let the women vote!
As Grandma Clay expressed it, "It ain't what things actually are, it's
all they stand for." For this reason I meant to exercise my right.
A sovereign in itself may not be much, but to a starving man within
reach of shops see what it means in twenty shillings' worth of food.
Similarly the right to vote in a self-governed country meant many a
mile in the upward evolution of mankind.
Countless brave women and good men had sacrificed all that for which
the human heart hankers, that women should be raised to this estate,
and what a coward and insolent ignoramus would I be to lightly
consider what had been so dearly bought and hard fought! And so
thinking I presented my right, received my ballot-paper, and though
not bothering to meddle with either candidate's name, I folded it
correctly, and for the sake of all that stood behind and ahead of the
right to perform this simple action, dropped it in the ballot-box.
It closed at six o'clock, and then came a lull till the first returns
should have time to come in. The candidates were not in Noonoon but
Townend, where the head polling-booth was situated, though nothing
could have exceeded the excitement in Noonoon.
Grandma said she would wait quietly at home till next day to hear the
result, but at nine o'clock the strains of a band, the glow of the
town-lights like a red jewel through the night, and the sound of
distant cheering proved too enticing to us two left alone in the
house, so we locked it up, put the pony in the sulky, and sallied
forth into the winter night, which in this genial climate was pleasant
in an over-jacket added to one's ordinary indoor attire.
We had the road to ourselves, for the strings of vehicles from which
it was seldom free were all ahead of us.
The candidates had tiny globes of electric light representing their
colours hung across the street from their respective committee rooms,
and the proprietor of 'The Noonoon Advertiser' had a splendid placard
erected on his office balcony and well lighted by electricity, on
which the names of members were pasted as they were elected, and in
view of this had gathered one of the most good-humoured crowds
imaginable. Irrespective of party, the hoisting of each name was
wildly cheered by the embryo electors who, being at that time of life
when to yell is a joy, took the opportunity of doing so in full.
Leaving grandma in charge of the vehicle I got out to reconnoitre, and
slipped in among the crowd desiring to be unobserved, but that was
impossible; a good-tempered man invariably discovered me behind him,
and insisted upon putting me forward where there was a better view of
the numbers and names.
"Let the women have a show. This is their first election and it ought
to be their night," and similarly good-natured remarks in conjunction
with a little "chyacking" from either party as the numbers fluctuated,
were to be heard on all sides.
Where were all the insults and ignominy that opponents of women
franchise had been fearfully anticipating for women if they should
consent to lower themselves by going to the polling-booth? If one
excepted the discomfort that non-smokers have to suffer in any crowd
owing to the indulgence of this selfish, disgusting, and absolutely
idiotic vice, it was one of the best-mannered crowds I have been
among.
I espied Larry and Carry carefully among the shades of the trees on
the outskirts of the gathering, and even in the teeth of a political
crisis not so thoroughly "up-to-date" that they could forego a
revival of the old, old story that will outlive voting and many other
customs of many other times.
Among the crowd of mercurial and lustily cheering boys was my friend
Andrew, and a little farther on, lo! the knight himself. A motor cap
was jammed on his warm curls, and a football guernsey displayed the
proportions of his broad chest as his Chesterfield fell open, while
with a gaiety and freedom he lacked when addressing girls he exchanged
comments with some other young fellows, evidently fellow-motorists.
My feeble pulse quickened out of sympathy with Dawn as I caught sight
of him. It was easy to understand the hastened throb of her heart upon
first becoming aware of his presence. Who has not known what it is to
unexpectedly recognise the turn of a certain profile or the
characteristic carriage of a pair of shoulders, meaning more to the
inner heart than had a meteor flashed across the sky? Most of us have
known some one whose smile could make heaven or whose indifference
could spell hell to us, and those who by some fortuitous circumstances
have spent their life without encountering either one or both these
experiences, are still sufficiently human to regret having missed
them, and to understand how much it could have meant.
Had Dawn's blue eyes yet discovered the goodly sight?
When I presently found her the light in them betrayed that they had.
Her face shone with the inward gladness of a princess when she has
come into view of a desired kingdom--whether it shall endure or be
destroyed and replaced by the greyness of disappointment, depends upon
the prince reciprocating and making her queen of his heart.
"Dora" Eweword was in attendance, so I despatched him to ascertain if
grandma were all right, and took advantage of his absence to say--
"I see Ernest has returned to see the result of Leslie Walker's
candidature."
"Then it's a wonder he didn't stay in Townend. They'll know the
results there sooner," she replied with studied indifference.
Our pony fell sound asleep where she stood and in spite of the
cheering, as though she were well acquainted with women taking a live
interest in an election. We let her sleep till twelve, when to
grandma's disappointment Leslie Walker was more than a hundred votes
behind. There were yet other returns to come in, but these were not
large enough to alter present results.
When we left the street was still crowded and the cheering unabatedly
vigorous.
On our way home grandma remarked with satisfaction that Dawn seemed to
be regarding Eweword sensibly at last, and I seized the opening to
inquire if she were really anxious that the girl should marry him.
"I am if she couldn't get no one better," replied the old lady, and I
considered that this condition saved the situation.
III.
The poll had been taken on a Saturday, and on Monday both the elected
and defeated candidates appeared in Noonoon to return thanks.
The former came into town at the head of a long cortége of vehicles,
and with the red, white, and blue parasols very prominently in
evidence. The streets were hung with bunting, and at night the newly
elected M.P. was lifted into a buggy in which he was drawn through the
streets by youths, at the head of a glorified procession led by a
brass band; and there were not only little boys covered with
electioneering tickets from top to toe and yelling as they marched and
waved flags, but also little girls, now equally with their brothers,
electors to be. More power to them and their emancipation!
It came on to rain, so black umbrellas, big and business-like, went up
by dozens around the three special ones, and became an amusing feature
of the train of miscellaneous people who came to a halt within earshot
of a balcony in the main street. Henderson was carried upstairs on
some enthusiasts' shoulders, and when landed there followed the usual
"gassating" and flattery--the re-elected member being presented with a
gorgeous bouquet of red, white, and blue flowers.
A little farther up the street the Walkerites also held a
"corroboree," where graceful thanks were returned by the Opposition
candidate, who was overloaded with offerings of blue and white violets
and narcissi, and amid great enthusiasm dragged in a buggy to the
railway station.
As they came down the street, though they had the intention of giving
three cheers for the victors as they passed, the rabble could not be
expected to anticipate such nicety of feeling, and some young
irresponsibles attempted to form a barricade across the route.
"Charge!" was then called out by some braw young Walkerites in the
lead, and mild confusion followed.
I was knocked on to the wheel of Leslie Walker's buggy, from whence I
was rescued by an old gentleman, himself minus his pipe and cap, but
good-humouredly laughing--
"My word! aren't the other side dying hard?"
"Take care you and I do not also die hard," I replied, stepping out of
the way of an idiot lad, who, dressed as a jester in Walker's colours,
was sitting on a horse whose progress was blocked by the crowd, which
began jibing at the rider.
Dawn, indignant at this, dashed forward like a beauteous and
infuriated Queen Boadicea, her cheeks red from excitement and the
winter air, and with her grandmother's flash in her eyes, exclaimed as
she took the bridle rein--
"Cowards, to torment a poor fellow!"
She attempted to lead the animal through, but the torches of the band
were put before it and the indispensable red, white, and blue parasols
swirled in its face, till it reared and plunged frantically, catching
the excited girl a blow on the shoulder with its chest. She must
inevitably have been knocked down in the street and been trampled upon
but for the intervention of a hand so timely that it seemed it must
have been on guard.
Noonoon was by no means an architectural town, and the ugliness of its
always dirty, uneven streets was now accentuated by the mud and rain,
but the picture under the dripping flags shown up by the torches of
the band was very pretty.
The sturdy young athlete thus triumphantly in the right place at a
necessitous moment, held his precious burden with ease and delight,
and though she was not in any way hurt she did not seem in a hurry to
relinquish the arm so willingly and proudly protecting her. The
expression on the young man's face as he bent over the beautiful girl
was a revelation to some interested observers but not to me.
Oh, lucky young lady! to be thus opportunely and romantically saved
from a painful and humiliating if not serious accident!
Oh, happy knight! to be thus at hand at the psychologic moment!
And where was "Dora" Eweword then?
And where was _my_ rescuer? Apparently he had forgotten that he had
rescued me, or that to have done so was of moment.
Ah, neither of us were in the heyday of youth, and 'tis only during
that roseate period that we extract the full enchantment of being
alive, and only by looking back from paler days that we understand how
intense were the joys gone by.
TWENTY-FOUR.
LITTLE ODDS AND ENDS OF LIFE.
The electioneering over, the town fell to a dulness inconceivable, and
from which it seemed nothing short of an earthquake could resuscitate
it. So great was the lack of entertainment that the doings of the
famous Mrs Dr Tinker regained prominence, and the old complaints
against the inability of the council to better the roads awoke and
cried again.
Two days following Dawn's rescue from the accident, Ernest called upon
me, and occupying one of the stiff chairs before the fireplace under
the Gorgonean representations of Jim Clay, looked hopelessly
self-conscious and inclined to blush like a schoolboy every time the
door opened, but Dawn did not make her appearance. I knew he had come
hoping that in averting the accident he had been able to illustrate
his friendliness towards her, and that she would now meet him as of
old, so that the little incident of the wash-up water could be
explained and buried. At last, taking pity on the very natural young
hope that was being deferred, I excused myself and went in quest of
Dawn, and found her in her room sewing with ostentatious industry.
"Dawn, won't you come down and speak to Ernest, he has called to see
how you are after your adventure," I said with perfect truth, though
as a matter of fact he had studiously refrained from mentioning her.
"Oh, please don't ask me to go down," she implored excitedly; "you
seem to have forgotten!"
"Forgotten what?"
"That dish of water," she faltered with changing colour, "and then he
saved me so cleverly from being trampled on! If he had ridden over me
I wouldn't have cared, as it would have made things square; but as it
is, can't you understand that I'd rather _die_ than see him?" said she
in the exaggerated language of the day, and burying her face in her
hands.
"I can better understand that you are _dying_ to see him," I returned,
pulling her head on to my shoulder; "but never mind, you'll see him
some other day, and it will all come straight in time."
I forbore to press her farther, but that Ernest might not be too
discouraged I gave him some splendid oranges Andrew had picked for me,
and said--
"Miss Dawn kept these for you, but as she is not visible this
afternoon I am going to make the presentation."
His face perceptibly brightened, and also noticeable was the brisk way
he terminated his call upon learning that there was no prospect of
seeing Dawn that day. I watched him bounding along the path to the
bridge carrying the oranges in his handkerchief, and watched also by
another pair of eyes from an upstairs window.
Carry left us during that week, and as she had now fixed her
wedding-day the tax of wedding presents had to be met. Grandma, in
bidding her good-bye, presented her with a generous cheque, and paid
her a fine compliment.
"I wish you well wherever you go, for I never saw another young
woman--unless it was meself when I was young--who could lick you at
anythink."
Carry's departure put the cap on our quietude at Clay's, but soon a
movement transpired to stir the stagnation.
The out-voted electors of Noonoon were so galled by their defeat that
they ignored the British law under which it was their boast to live,
and refused to acknowledge that the man who had been voted in by the
majority was constitutionally their representative in parliament. They
also failed to see that he would serve the purpose quite as well as
the other man, and to publish their sentiments more fully, determined
to tender Leslie Walker a complimentary entertainment of some kind,
and present him with a piece of plate, not as the other side had it,
in token of his defeat, but owing to the fact that he was actually the
representative of Noonoon town, having in that place polled higher
than his opponent. The presentation took the shape of a silver
epergne. This to a man who probably did not know what to do with those
he already possessed, a wealthy stranger who had contested the
electorate for his own glory! Had he been a struggling townsman, who,
at a loss to his business, had put up in hopes of benefiting his
country, to have paid his expenses might have shown a commendable
spirit, but this was such a pure and simple example of greasing the
fatted sow, that even those who had supported him openly rebelled,
Grandma Clay among them.
"Well, that's the way women crawl to a man because he's got a smooth
tongue and a little polish," sneered Uncle Jake.
"And some of the men hadn't gumption to get the proper right to vote
for their man who flew the publican's flag and truckled to the
tag-rag," chuckled grandma, who was delighted to prove that this
illustration of crawl had originated with the men.
Nevertheless it was decided to present the epergne at a select concert
or musical evening, with Mr and Mrs Leslie Walker sitting on the
platform, where the audience could gloat upon them. Dawn was asked to
contribute to the programme, and relieved her feelings to me
forthwith.
"The silly, crawling, ignorant fools!" she exclaimed. "The first item
on the programme is a solo by Miss Clay!!!" says the chairman, "and
I'll come forward and squark. 'Next item, a recitation by Mrs
Thing-amebob.' Can't you just imagine it?" she said in inimitable and
exasperated caricature from the folds of her silk kimono. "Good
heavens! to give a man like that an amateur concert like ours! Do you
know, they say he is the best amateur tenor in Australia, and his wife
was a comic opera singer before she married--so a girl was telling me
where I get my singing lessons. You'd think even the galoots of
Noonoon wouldn't be so leather-headed but they'd know their length
well enough not to make fools of themselves in this way! _I_ know; why
can't they know too? They like these things themselves, and think
others ought to like them too. What do they want to be licking
Walker's boots at all for? We all voted and worked for him; that was
enough! It will just show you the way people will crawl to a bit of
money! Oh dear, how Walker must be grinning in his sleeve! I _won't_
sing for them!"
But she was not to escape so easily. A member of the committee asked
grandma "Would she allow her granddaughter to contribute a solo?"
"Of course!" said the old lady. "Ain't I getting her singing lessons
to that end?" and down went the girl's name on the programme, and
there was war in the Clay household on that account.
"I can't sing yet," protested Dawn. "I can't sing in the old style,
and can't manage the new style yet."
"Rubbish!" said grandma, who could not be got to grasp the intricacies
of voice production. "What am I payin' good money away for? It's near
three months now, and nothing to show for it yet. If you can't sing
now, you ought to give it best at once; and if you can't sing a song
for Mr Walker, and show him you've got a better voice than some, I
think it common-sense to stop your lessons at the end of the quarter."
"My teacher wouldn't let me sing."
"And who's the most to do with you, your teacher or me, pray? Who's
_he_ to say when you shan't sing or the other thing?" and thus she
decided the point; but Dawn each night dwelt upon the trouble, while I
sought to comfort her.
"It is best to sing to the people who know all about singing. They
will see you have a good voice and appreciate it far more than could
the ignorant."
A fortnight had to elapse before the date of the concert, and during
that time Carry's successor arrived in the form of a stout "general,"
as Dawn averred she had sufficient companion in me, and that a kitchen
woman was preferable to a lady help.
The pruning of a portion of the vineyard, which had been delayed by
electioneering matters till now, also took place during this time, and
Andrew and Uncle Jake, when working in the far corner, made the
extraordinary discovery of an odontologic gold plate of the best
quality and in perfect order. The find created quite a sensation.
As grandma said, it bore evidence that some one had been stealing
grapes during the season, for any person legitimately in the vineyard
would have instituted a search for such a valuable piece of property,
and for a person who could afford such a first-class gold plate to
steal grapes, showed what _some people_ were. It did indeed, for this
person had been wont to clandestinely enter her premises to perpetrate
a far lower grade of crime than pilfering her grapes or destroying her
vineyard. The incident trickled into the columns of 'The Noonoon
Advertiser,' in conjunction with the facetious remark that the invader
would have had to take a lot of grapes to compensate him for what he
had lost; and it was further stated that the article being useless
except to him--its size bespoke it a man's--for whom it had been
modelled, he could have it upon giving satisfactory proof that he was
the owner.
Needless to say, Mr Pornsch did not claim his property, and this
souvenir was the last we heard of him. Andrew took it to Mr S. Messre,
dentist, the man who had seemed to consider it unprofessional that to
fill my teeth should take time, and with him the lad bargained that in
return for the plate he was to tinker up those teeth whose aching I
had allayed with the carbolic acid prescribed for me by the other
dentist.
Dawn and I chuckled in secret, sent a copy of 'The Noonoon Advertiser'
to Carry, and remarked that it was an ill wind that blew no one any
good.
During the fortnight preceding the concert, Ernest Breslaw called at
Clay's several times to see me, and saw me unattended by any extras in
the form of a beautiful young girl, for Dawn blushingly avoided him.
He had to fall back on such outside skirmishing as rowing me on the
river, and though there was no longer an impending election to furnish
him with excuse for loitering in Noonoon, he did not speak of
deserting it in a hurry. He had reached that degree of amorous
collapse when he could manage to shadow the haunts of his desired
young lady regardless of circumstances, and grandma began to suspect
that his attentions had a little more staying power than those of the
week-end admirer.
Seeing that the "red-headed mug" had reappeared, in the hope of
permanently extirpating him "Dora" Eweword was anxious to announce his
engagement, but with threats of immediate extermination if he should
so much as give a hint of it, Dawn kept him in abeyance, and
altogether behaved so erratically that Andrew candidly published his
belief that she had gone "ratty."
Ernest proffered himself as our escort to the Walker presentation, but
Eweword having previously secured Dawn, Breslaw had to be satisfied
with my company. I had already presented Andrew with a ticket, and as
I could not now discard him, I resolved to ignore the injunctions to
be found in etiquette books, and accept attentions from two gentlemen
at once. Thus it happened that I, at the despised grey-haired stage,
sat in state with a most attentive cavalier on either hand, while
handsome young ladies sat all alone.
We had entered September, and the early flowers had lifted their heads
on every hand in this valley, where they grew in profusion, and that
evening were in evidence at women's throats, in men's coats, and in
young girls' hair. The stage was a bower of heavenly scented bloom,
and many among the audience held bouquets the size of a broccoli in
readiness for presentation to the guests of the evening.