AustLit

Romance of a young girl's initiation into the world of adulthood, men and marriage - out of the false snares of the New Woman. The proud return of a young girl from school to her mountain home and her advocacy of the New Woman's claims for equality are soon vanquished by her father and a suitor who also returns from mining for 10 years in the West. They displace her new attitudes with arguments and her own incapacities to safely saddle her horse, lift a burning log off the floor or carve a turkey. (PB)

A convict gang of pine getters on the huon River mutiny from overwork and the cruelty of Lieutenant Hinchcliffe. No. 386 kills a soldier and escapes, followed by several others. 386, son of a Dublin merchant, had been mistreated because Hinchcliffe was jealous of the woman who had followed 386 from Dublin. 386 murders Hinchcliffe, goes to Hobart and spends a night in the hostelry run by the woman and her father - neither recognising the other. He is mad, the next day killed another officer and dies while being hunted in the mountains. A free pardon arrives too late. (PB)

Romance with historical basis. Pagani, a famous violinist recovering from fever in a Paris sanatorium attracts disfavour for his solitariness. He emerges just long enough to give a concert for a servant girl to buy free her conscripted lover. He gives her the violin he was cruelly given in the form of wooden shoes for Christmas - which he had made into an instrument. (PB)

A 12 year-old tomboy dresses a doll for the Christmas tree at the local children's hospital giving up cricket with her brother in order to finish it. She pleases him, her mother, a little girl dying in the hospital, and God. (PB)

Literary adventure. A jealous former suitor threatens to foreclose on a poor playwright's wife during her husband's illness from overwork on a nearly completed manuscript. A visit to the theatre weeks later on Christmas Eve as the playwright is recovering reveals his enemy has stolen and sold his manuscript - but recognition and fame follows. Walnut shells play a part. (PB)

A London businessman has the impression of his office safe key secretly taken by a quarrelling married couple in his train carriage. He gives them good marital advice and goes home to a tiff with his own wife over the quality of matches. He stays secretly behind in his own office the next night. (PB)

Domestic tale of Maggie, a young maid's fidelity and love for her poor French mistress. She saves to buy her a Christmas present - a bon bon box in the shape of Napoleon's hat, and saves her and the box from a fire in her mistress' block of flats on Christmas Eve. In hospital her mistress is reunited with her fiancee thought dead in the Franco-Prussian war - and Maggie is promoted to lady's maid. Maggie is compensated for her poverty in the tale by a warm family life - which her exiled mistress does not have; her loving heart; and the freedom from convention which the poor 'enjoy'. (PB)

A gentleman, a popular society bachelor, who has no invitation to Christmas dinner, decides to distribute toys he received in a Christmas present to his laundress' poor family. There he meets the sender, a 'cheery girl' who also practices philanthropy at the mission - they get closer ... he goes to Christmas dinner, and they are married in June. (PB)

Occasional editorial essay urging readers to truly celebrate Christmas with childlike cheer despite the cares and turmoils of the world. (PB)

First person description of the burial of an old man who died at sea - the solemnity and true devoutness of the service, mourners etc. Burial in a sea of icebergs. (PB)

An old Scottish Austrlian farmer disinherits his son when he discovers he has married a woman of ill repute without his permission. The old man is discovered murdered in the morning and his son - who was dunk - is accused of the murder and believes himself guilty. A last minute confession by an old and bankrupt neighbour whose ugly daughter was to marry the murder victim's son till he dropped her, and who was discovered by the old man as he tried to rob him - saves the son from hanging. A faithful old Scottish servant; the abandonment of the son by his new wife when she discovers his disinheritance; and his reform and return to Scotland after his father's murder finish the tale. (PB)

A rolling-mills foreman in a provincial town decides to keep his promise to his mother to take her to a visiting opera company production rather than be part of the party including the beautiful heiress he loves. The lady only admires him the more for it - and romance soon blossoms. (PB)