C.J. Dennis, Rose of Spadgers - Part 1

Rose of Spadgers

C.J. Dennis

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Barrett (Charles) Bushland Babies, 15 illustrations

Bell (Leigh) Colin's Story Book

Bryant (J.) Great Events in Australian History

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Mack (Louise) Teens: a Story of Australian Schoolgirls

Mackness (Constance) Gem of the Flat

Pedley (Ethel C.) Dot and the Kangaroo

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Abbott (J.H.M.) Castle Vane: an Australian Novel

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Paterson (A.B., "Banjo") An Outback Marriage

Paterson (A.B., "Banjo") Three Elephant Power

Riemann (H.E.) Nor'-West o' West

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Dennis (C.J.) The Songs of a Sentimental Blke

Dennis (C.J.) Rose of Spadgers: Sequel to "Ginger Mick"

Kendall (Henry) Selected Poems
Lawson (Henry) Humorous Verses

Lawson (Henry) Popular Verses

Lawson (Henry) Winnowed Verse

Paterson (A.B., "Banjo") Snowy River

Paterson (A.B., "Banjo") Rio Grande

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Paterson (A.B., "Banjo") Old Bush Songs

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Barton (G.B.) The True Story of Margaret Catchpole

Boxall (G.E) History of the Australian Bushrangers, 2 vols.

Fitzgerald (J.D.) Famous Australian Crimes, 2 vols.

Illustration - see original document
A SEQUEL TO "GINGER MICK"
ROSE

OF

SPADGERS

C.J.Dennis

Author of THE SENTIMENTAL BLOKE,

GINGER MICK, THE GLUGS OF GOSH,
 ETC.

 ROSE OF SPADGERS

ROSE OF SPADGERS

A SEQUEL TO "GINGER MICK"

BY 

C.J.DENNIS

Author of The Sentimental Bloke, Backblock

Ballads, Doreen, etc.

Second Edition

AUSTRALIA:

CORNSTALK PUBLISHING COMPANY

ARNOLD PLACE, SYDNEY

1924

Wholly set up and printed in Australia by

Eagle Press Ltd., Sydney.

1924

Registered by the Postmaster-General for trans-

mission through the post as a book.

Obtainable in Great Britain at the British Australian Book-

store, 51 High Holborn, London, W.C.1., the Bookstall in the

Central Hall of Australia House, Strand, W.C., and from

all other Booksellers; and (wholesale only) from the Australian

Book Company, 16 Farringdon Avenue, London, E.C.4.

Dramatic, Cinema, Broadcasting and all other

rights are reserved. 

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

I've crawled; I've eaten dirt; I've lied a treat; . . .       9

THE FALTERING KNIGHT

It knocks me can in, this 'ere game uv

life—. . .      18

TERMARTER SORCE

It was n't kid stakes. I 'ad no crook

lurk . . .          31

A HOLY WAR

"Young friend!" . . . . I tries to duck,

but miss the bus . . .  45

NOCTURNE

I'm standin' at the corner uv the Lane . . . 57

THE CRUSADERS

"Peter the 'Ermit was a 'oly bloke," . . .     71

" 'AVE A 'EART!"" 'Ere! 'Ave a 'eart!" 'e sez. "Why,

love a duck!. . .        83

ROSE

Ah, wot's the use?" she sez. "Lea' me

alone! . . .      95

CONTENTS

THE KNIGHT'S RETURN

The conq'rin 'ero! Me? Yes, I don't

think . . .       107

THE ALSO-RAN

I know I'm dull. I know I got a brain . . .     117

A WOMAN'S WAY

Women is strange. You take my tip;

I'm wise . . .       125

"STONE THE CROWS"

"Why, stone the crows!" 'e sez. "I like

'er style, . . .       135

LISTENER'S LUCK

"My sort," she sez, "don't meet no fairy

prince." . . .    141

THE DANCE

"Heirlum," 'e sez. "I've 'ad the trousiz

pressed . . .     151

SPIKE WEGG

Me photer's in the papers! 'Oly wars! . . .    159

NARCISSUS

A man's a mug. I've worked the 'ole

thing out . . .     169

THE GLOSSARY       177

INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION

I've crawled; I've eaten dirt; I've lied a treat;

I've dodged the cops an' led a double life;

I've readied up wild tales to tell me wife,

W'ich afterwards I've 'ad to take an' eat

Red raw. Aw, I been goin' it to beat

A big massed band: mixin' with sin an' strife,

Gettin' me bellers punchered with a knife

An' all but endin' up in Russell Street.

I've mixed it —with the blessin' uv the church—

Down there In Spadgers, fightin' mad, an' blind

With 'oly rage. I've 'ad full leaf to smirch

Me tongue with sich rude words as come to mind,

Becos I 'ated leavin' in the lurch

Wot Ginger Mick, me cobber, left be'ind.

10   

ROSE OF SPADGERS

Don't git me wrong. I never went an' planned

No gory all-in scraps or double deals.

But one thing follered on another 'eels,

Jist like they do in life, until I land

Flop in the soup—su'prised, you un'erstand,

But not averse; jist like a feller feels

'Oo reaches fer the water-jug at meals

An' finds a dinkum gargle in 'is 'and.

Su'prised but not averse. That puts it right

An', if Fate 'as these things all fixed before,

Well, wot's a bloke to do, to 'oo a fight

Was not unwelkim in the days of yore?

Pertickler when 'e knows 'is cause is right

An' 'as a gorspil spruiker to ongcore.

Regardin' morils, I was on a cert;

Fer if I'd missed the step an' fell frum grace

By rudely pushin' in me brother's face

Without no just ixcuse, it might uv 'urt.

But this Spike Wegg—the narsty little squirt!—

Collected 'is becos ther' was no trace

Uv virchoo in the cow. 'Is aims was base

When 'e laid out to tempt a honest skirt.

11

INTRODUCTION    

An' so me arm was strong becoz me cause

Was on the square, an' I don't 'esitate.

The parson bloke, 'e sez all moril laws

They justified me act . . . . But, anyrate,

Before I crools this yarn we better pause

Till I gives you the dope an' git it straight.

Now, Ginger Mick, me cobber, went to war,

An' on Gallipoli, 'e wandered West.

Per'aps, less said about 'is life the best;

It was 'is death that shoved along 'is score.

But that tale's old; an' Ginger ain't no more.

'E done 'is bit an' faded, like the rest

'Oo fought an' fell an' left wot they loved best

In 'opes they'd be dealt fair by pals of yore.

An' all Mick left was Rose. "Look after Rose.

Mafeesh!" 'e sez when 'e was on the brink.

An' there was thousan's like 'im, I suppose.

I ain't no morilizer fer to think

Wot others ort to do; I only knows

I 'ad me job, frum w'ich I durstn't shrink.

12     
ROSE OF SPADGERS

Unless you 'ave a beat down Spadgers way

I don't ixpect you ever met with Rose.

She don't move in yer circle, I suppose,

Or call to bite a bun upon yer Day.

An' if yeh got a intro, I dare say

Yeh'd take it snifty an' turn up yer nose.

Now that we don't need Micks to fight our foes

Them an' their Roses 'as to fade away.

They 'ave to simmer down an' not ubtrude,

Now we are safe an' finished with the war.

We don't intend to be unkind or rude

Or crayfish on the things we said before

Uv our brave boys. An', as fer gratichood,

Well, there's a Guv'mint, ain't there? Wot's it for?

But Mick buzzed orf too quick to wed a bride

An' leave a widder doo fer Guv'mint aid.

Spite uv ole Spadgers, Rose was still a maid;

An' spite uv Spadgers, she still 'as 'er pride

That wouldn't let 'er whimper if she tried,

Or profit by 'er misery, an' trade

On Mick's departin' an' the noise it made.

I know 'er, An' I know she'd sooner died.

13

INTRODUCTION     

I know 'er, But to them that never knows,

An' never tries to know the 'earts an' ways

Uv common folk, there was n't much to Rose

That called fer any speshul loud 'Oorays—

Nothin' 'eroic. She's jist "one uv those"—

One uv the ruck that don't attract our gaze.

I guess you was n't born down Spadgers way,

Or spent yer child'ood in the gutter there

Jist runnin' wild, or dragged up be the 'air

Till you was fit to earn a bit of pay

By honest toil or—any other way.

You never 'ad to battle to keep square,

Or learn, first 'and, uv every trap an' snare

That life 'as waiting' for yeh day by day.

But I 'ave read about a flower that grows

Once in a while upon a 'eap uv muck.

It ain't the flower's own choosin', I suppose,

An' bein' sweet an' pure is jist its luck.

There's 'uman blooms I've knowed the like uv

those,

Strugglin' in weeds; an' struth! I like their pluck.