Item 01: Florence Holloway diary, 1 September 1917-31 October 1918 - Page 340

[Page 340]

Aboriginalities
Made in Australia
Barnes Linseed Oil

The Happy Exile
(For The Bulletin)

Some trees were hidden by hedges tall, and some leaned over the winding track.
The sea-wind muttered till evenfall, and the shivering tree-tops answered back.
The tapering Cyprus-stems were bent, and feathery palms swayed to and fro,
But portly and tall and well content a gum-tree sang in the afterglow:

"I felt forlorn in my sapling days, when a dense and motley company
Of strange trees fashioned a selfish maze to banish the light of day from me.
But soon I learned I was born to rise and bustle my branches wide and high,
And trees were shrubs in my laughing eyes when I gazed with glee on the open sky.

"Then war swooped down on a startled earth, and men marched out of the North and East.
The big guns shattered the voice of mirth and death sat down to a lengthy feast.
I waited long, while the men crawled back, all haggard and worn and battle-spent,
And shells crashed down on the tree-fringed track, till the sky was dark with discontent.

"And out of the South and West there rose the clash and clamor of men that fought.
I saw the glimmering steel flash close, and the glint of blood in their eyes I caught.
And under my leafy limbs they swayed, then hurtled by in a cursing flood,
But ere they'd vanished saw the blade that spattered my bole with Turkish blood.

"The fight rolled north, and after a while tall men strolled over and peered at me,
And one man gave me a friendly smile and said
'Ole man, you're a bluegum-tree!'
Then around about my roots they sat: their laughter severed my heart from gloom,
While out of the band of each man's hat there blossomed a trailing emu plume.

"They pillowed their heads on weary arms, and they made my sap within me leap –
They spoke of bluegum forests and farms, and yarned of corn and cattle and sheep.
They kindled a blaze with leaves I'd shed, and boiled their billies within my shade –
I listened intent to all they said till the falling sun began to fade.

"I listened until I'd surely learned of boundless forests beyond the sea.
From men who'd travelled and toiled and burned the leaves of many a bluegum-tree.
The wind made moan through my limbs at length, and my green leaves lisped 'Remain, remain!'
But each man rose in his goodly strength and said, 'Farewell till we meet again!'

"They rode away through the languid night and left me alone to muse and sigh,
But the sea-breeze brought me keen delight till my branches sang to the starry sky.
Oh, never before such men I'd seen behind a blade or a loaded gun,
And I shall ever be glad to screen their weary heads from the burning sun.

"Whenever they pass my way again I'll shake my leaves in the fragrant breeze,
And under my welcome arms they'll fain forget their troubles, and sit at ease.
Their yarns shall riddle my heart with glee, for they are true to the land afar
That sent them over the Indian sea to win their spurs at the game of war."

Palestine. Gerardy.

Notice scrawled on the wall of his hut by a Bananaland timber-getter:-
You all take this notice. I have gone to fight the Germans, and I don't know when I'm coming back, somebody chip round my humpy against grass fire. All my bullocks is sold except Sambo, him with the cockhorn. Anyone finding him can sell him to the – butcher and mind the money till I come back.
Sambo has been collected and his price (£11 16s.) banked against the boss's return. The humpy is regularly chipped round, and anyone who interfered with the old waggon rusting outside, or the gear piled against the wall, would have to fight the whole district.

[See image for drawing by Oswald Frybridge, with the following remarks.]
"Is the lady of the house in?"
"Yes; what do you want?"
"Tell 'er a gentleman 'as called ter see 'er."