AustLit

On Christmas, and the child's heart in humanity, and love that makes Christmas truly celebratory and kind. (PB)

A neglected waif, raised by a drunken thief and rag-and-bone man and his wife, is rescued from his terrible life by an honest neighbouring family. They leave the suburbs for a country holiday on New Year, planning to apprentice the youth to an honest farmer. His drunken 'father' follows him and threatens to shoot first him then the beautiful young daughter of his kindly benefactors if the waif does not help him rob the family and the farmer. The youth dies when he is shot saving the girl from the bullet - and the thief dies drunk when a tree branch falls on him ... (PB)

An escaped convict discovers a stranded and abandoned ship full of whale oil after a storm. With the help of some assigned convicts and some escapees he refloats the ship and renames her the Stormy Petrel. Need for provisions drive them to Hobart but their sale of the oil for cash prompts recognition from another ship. They murder the captain and mate and flee the harbour under fire. Further attempts at Maria Island and at the naval supply station at George Town on the Tamar River. A storm wrecks the boat on the cliffs of King's Island and drowns the crew at last, a capture crew-member telling their tale. (PB)

Family tale set near Dartmoor around Christmas. A mother grieves for her son wrongly convicted of forgery. His sister also grieves but fears also that her suitor, the prison governor, will refuse to marry her when he discovers her brother is a convict. An escape from the prison proves to be her brother - whom she shelters. Sacrificing her engagement to save him. Fortunately the governor discovers the truth and carries a pardon in his pocket based on the brother's false criminal friend's deathbed confession. (PB)

Romance of a contented pragmatic London poultry merchant who suspects his wife of unfaithfulness when he discovers she regularly meets another man in his absence. He hires a private detective to watch her - and with his help, on Christmas Day, discovers the man is her father, emigrated to Australia for many years to escape a charge of murder. His innocence is proved with the help of a hypnotist who uncovers the truth from a woman who witnessed the murder years before. (PB)

An itinerant conjuror in England narrates his Christmas experience years before when, unable to earn his Christmas dinner, he strikes a bargain with a poacher to have his dog kill his guinea pigs and appeal to the public for money to replace the 'trained' animals. They were not trained but he made a profit and bought the dog as insurance for future hard times. Notes the increasing sophistication of his audience and difficulty surviving as itinerant entertainer. (PB)

Two contrasting Christmases in a mansion - one with happy child and tree, the next with her coffin. Poorest home happier if children there, etc. (PB)

English village tale of Guy Fawkes Night. The bonfire is never held there since the year an effigy of the disliked parson was burnt by the villagers - but the parson was literally burnt to death saving a farmer's wife and new-born child from a consequent fire their house. (PB)

Father and son disagree when the son refuses to marry the heiress chosen for him in his uncle's will and them loses £25 000. He is prevented from going to the diggings at Coolgardie by his infant sister's near drowning and his awakened love for the governess who helps save her. The governess is also the heiress - anonymity chosen to see if she was loved for herself. An easy-going mother and a slightly bitter old maid complete the picture. (PB)

Station romance set in Gippsland. Ronald Winter, Rugby-educated station manager and his brother Harry work on a station in time of drought. Ronald loves the owner's daughter Olive. He finds and saves her from a runaway horse in treacherous swampland but she is very ill with mental shock etc. He rides through a bushfire to fetch the doctor for her - but dies as he attempts to return the same way. Olive dies at the same moment, his name on her lips. Ronald dies in Harry's arms. Themes of true bravery, self-sacrifice for love, a doctor's understanding through recent loss of his own wife and child. (PB)

A private detective is hired by the owner of an ironworks to discover who is forging the cheques which have been cashed from his account - suspecting his son. The detective - with the help of a carefree young Irishman who becomes his partner - tracks the cheques to the niece of the owner who has the cooperation on the shady manager of the South Yarra branch - they face each other privately. She ends up in the convent. Father and son are reunited. (PB)

An editor's nightmare of mix-ups between the departments of his paper when her falls asleep after bringing out the paper single-handedly over Christmas. (PB)