Burke Manuscript

Burke Manuscript: Page 132

Transcript

Old William Meddings was a blacksmith in the fifties on the site of the Papanui Hotel. He put an addition to his dwelling house and applied for a license. After some time he got it, and rejoiced Papanui by opening it with a dance. There were some queer cards, bushmen &c one sort and another in that neighbourhood. Flashburne, amongst them, a practical joker. Old Medding, while still blacksmithing, used to fatten up pigs, one was a boomer. It was killed and hung up in an outhouse. The blacksmith, a big, country Englishman, was proud of his “peg”. “Come in and see my peg – Isn’t it a grand ‘un” he would proudly ask. It hung for a day or two. One morning the “peg” had gone away into the unknown. The boys had “conveyed” it. It was never again seen, but a good deal heard of. Old Mr Medding often remarked that he would like to know &c “He’d take it out of his skin!”. Those were old time practical jokes. They would now be hanging matters. The old pub was the Sawyers Arms kept by Harry Rose, an old English character. At times he had a very rough squad to deal with. A good many solid men made a start in Papanui bush, and many a one made a living afterwards grubbing up the roots.

In the sixties one Jack [blank] lived about the Styx. He was a hard boiled egg. He ordered a farm dray from [blank] on six month’s credit. Eight months not paid. Draymaker “Jack, when are you going to settle for the dray?” “Well, I am sorry for you. I filed this morning. Have a drop of beer”. This in the Sawyer’s Arms. “Have they gone up yet?” “No.” “Well, Jack, let us have it back. They won’t be any the wiser.” “It’s too risky.” “You might do it for me. Here, have another drop of beer.” “Oh! Dam I don’t like seeing you lose your money. Give us a receipt for it that it was yours all the time, only lent to me.” He gave it. “Get a horse and take it away”. Done. All over. “Look here! I haven’t filed. But you don’t palm off a green wood dray on Jack – It’ll want soaking for the next three months. I ain’t hurt it!”