AustLit

Double tragedy as a madman murders a prima donna on the night she is to appear, and then stabs himself. The keeper of the insane asylum relates the story of the lunatic's desertion by his fiancee, and opera singer, on the eve of their wedding and how - 20 years later - his victim is the woman's own daughter. Thinly realised. (PB)

Tale of the English army in India and a practical joke played upon a visiting general mistaken for the regiment's stingy major by a fellow officer disguised as an Indian servant. Slight, amusing. (PB)

English tale of a governess hired by a widowed Colonel for his daughters. She nurses them through smallpox as he comes to love her - but she refuses his proposal the same night as she robs him of his priceless family diamonds ... Slight; unusual twist. (PB)

A candle ill-placed by a gunmaker's servant nearly turns a wedding into a funeral. (Treatment of the servant maid rough.) (PB)

Englishman's romance on the boat-train for Ireland is ruined when he and his fair fellow passenger are arrested on arrival at Kingstown and returned to London. 'She' is revealed to be a man and an embezzler. Light. (PB)

US tale of an out-of-work telegraph operator who saves a train from disaster through a message relayed from a spirit. He is rewarded by some rich passengers. Set in a small town in the midst of winter. Slight; narrated five years later when the operator has become a successful businessman. (PB)

English tale of domestic estrangement in provicial society. Ceaseless arguments at last separate a husband and wife but the husband has his revenge by presenting his wife's new gown to her local rival, a widow, who so wins the eye of a visiting prince of Royal blood at the local society garden-party. Marital revenge, light; humour with mysoginist undertones. (PB)

Death of a husband always weakly promising to turn over a new leaf, and blotting them all. (PB)

A London Scotland Yard detective takes on a case in Melbourne and enlists the assistance of the narrator, Sam, recently joined. They investigate (in true Scotland Yard deduction style with errors on the part of the impulsive young detective) the theft of Lady Latimer's jewels on the eve of her wedding to a young captain. The lady's near-bankrupt finances, her fiancee's calculations, her step-daughter's scorn and her own shame result in a suicide as well as recovery of the jewels after chasing a steamer to Adelaide ... (PB)

Cheerful romance of two sisters of a struggling family and a widowed mother in a small town. Through a concert they meet and fall in love with their respective 'fates'. Narrated by the 'ugly duckling' younger sister. Engaging though avowedly commonplace tale. (PB)

Romance renewed on the Melbourne up-country train and strengthened during Doris Erle's sojourn as lady's companion at a rough squatter's house. Dr Ross practises in the township while Miss Earle civilises the household, nursing the invalid mother and taming the rebellious son and daughter. Only rough occasionally drunken Joshua Rae resists her influence, and when his wife dies he even threatens to attack her ... A Chinese cook, cattle hands etc, complete the tale. 'Civilising' includes instituting a private Sunday night prayer service as well as reforming the daughter's dress, manners etc and cleaning and refurbishing the house. Well written with only occasional lapses into the customary narrative conventions of the time. ("Southern Cross" improving.) (PB)