AustLit

Meeting between a life assurance agent and a commercial traveller. Humour. (PB)

Interestingly written tale coupled with a description of the convicts' lives in the hulks and their work in the quarries near Sandridge and Williamstown, Victoria in 1856. Stresses the bestial nature of their lives. The hulks were the 'Deborah', 'Sacramento', 'Success', and the 'President'. Chief incident revolves around the escape of 5 convicts and their clever hiding places; the recapture of 4 and the mistaken arrest of the narrator returning from Captain Price's fancy dress ball in Melbourne dressed as a convict. His uncomfortable night in the hulks ends with his release in the morning. Unmistakable atmosphere of reminiscence, especially the introductory and concluding passages setting the author in the area - since become Spottiswoode, in 1888. Story itself has hallmarks of fiction. (PB)

English romance of a railway signalman's unrequited love for a lady in the 1830s. Principally the assistance her gives her suitor - an army captain escaping trial for fighting another officer - to escape from England and the law. Told by the signalman now 70 years old with tenderly humorous references to his youth and innocence. (PB)

A book salesman is taught to mind his manners by a housemaid. Humour. (PB)

A despatch courier wounded in battle against Spanish guerillas is rescued and nursed to health by a mysteriously veiled woman. She rescues him from being immured and leads him through secret passages until she is killed by their pursuers and he sees the ruined beauty his captor had wreaked on her. Vague; atmospheric rather than clear narrative. (PB)

An encounter in a railway carriage in England in the winter of 1887. An Australian returning from Birmingham to London becomes suspicious of his burly travelling companion - and determines to defend himself. A mock-heroic description of the journey resolves with a good humoured conversation between the pair. Humorous self-deprecation. [Includes reference to classical heroes and to marvellous Melbourne.] (PB)

Anecdote of the British politician and his humorous winning over of an opposing voter. (PB)

English romance of calculating rivals. A relatively wealthy tea merchant's widow is rescued from a fortune-hunting suitor by her equally intent fortune-retaining brother, a retired officer living on her income. An elopement cunningly contrived by the suitor is equally cunningly foiled by the brother - but an earnest honest lawyer is the unexpected beneficiary. (PB)

Tale of philanthropy and a child's 'innocent faith'. Easter, a church service, singing and a wounded dove bring financial help to a little city cash-girl and her family of German immigrants. Also praises the establishment of assistance from a ladies club to other cash-girls in need. (PB)

Pleasant romance of St Kilda, Melbourne between the tenor, Signor Galliardi and pretty Bella, his landlady's niece and housekeeper. Narrated by an old bachelor who found the house while searching for lodgings where he could practise his violin all day - his landlady being an unmarried teacher of music and singing. The narrator tends pretty Bella through her jealousy as Galliadi falls in love with a rich and beautiful pupil who - fortunately - jilts him. (PB)

The pretty daughter of a Victorian farmer helps a recently released prisoner to stay on the path of honesty and refuse to assist another thief to rob her father. She is killed when the thief fires at the young man in revenge - but she has her parents adopt him before she dies. (PB)

Conversation between two women at the polling booths if women should get the vote. Humorous dialogue of gossip, clothes, socialising, personal judgements, and mothers neglecting their children for parliament. (PB)