DIGGER SMITH

by

C. J. Dennis

Illustrated by

Hal Gye

1918

(rev. 1919)

TO THE A.I.F.

CONTENTS

"Before the war," she sighs. "Before the war"...

"If I'd 'a' played me Jack on that there Ten..."

"I've knowed ole Flood this last five year or more..."

"'E calls me Digger; that's 'ow 'e begins ..."

"I've seen so much uv dirt an' grime ...."

"'Taint my idea uv argument to call a man a fool ..."

"My oath!" the Duchess sez. "You'd not ixpect ..."

"'Oo is that girl," sez Digger Smith . . .

"Why do they do it? I dunno..."

"I wash me 'ands uv 'im," I tells 'em, straight ...

I wondered wot was doin'. First I seen ...

"Now, be the Hokey Fly!" sez Peter Begg ...

"Dreamin'?" I sez to Digger Smith . . .

I. BEFORE THE WAR

Before the War

EFORE the war," she sighs. "Before the war."

Then blinks 'er eyes, an' tries to work a smile.

"Ole scenes," she sez, "don't look the same no more.

Ole ways," she sez, "seems to 'ave changed their style,

The pleasures that we 'ad don't seem worth while--

Them simple joys that passed an hour away--

An' troubles, that we used to so revile,

'Ow small they look," she sez. "'Ow small to-day.

"This war!" sighs ole Mar Flood. An' when I seen

The ole girl sittin' in our parlour there,

Tellin' 'er troubles to my wife, Doreen,

As though the talkin' eased 'er load uv care,

I thinks uv mothers, 'ere an' everywhere,

Smilin' a bit while they are grievin' sore

For grown-up babies, fightin' Over There;

An' then I 'ears 'em sigh, "Before the war."

My wife 'as took the social 'abit bad.

I ain't averse--one more new word I've learned--

Averse to tea, when tea is to be 'ad;

An' when it comes I reckon that it's earned.

It's jist a drink, as fur as I'm concerned,

Good for a bloke that's toilin' on the land;

But when a caller comes, 'ere I am turned

Into a social butterfly, off-'and.

Then drinkin' tea becomes an 'oly rite.

So's I won't bring the fam'ly to disgrace

I gits a bit uv coachin' overnight

On ridin' winners in this bun-fed race.

I 'ave to change me shirt, an' wash me face,

An' look reel neat, from me waist up at least,

An' sling remarks in at the proper place,

An' not makes noises drinkin', like a beast.

"'Ave some more cake. Another slice, now do.

An' won't yeh 'ave a second cup uv tea?

'Ow is the children?" Ar, it makes me blue!

This boodoor 'abit ain't no good to me.

I likes to take me tucker plain an' free:

Tea an' a chunk out on the job for choice,

So I can stoke with no one there to see.

Besides, I 'aven't got no comp'ny voice.

Uv course, I've 'ad it all out with the wife.

I argues that there's work that must be done,

An' tells 'er that I 'ates this tony life.

She sez there's jooties that we must not shun.

You bet that ends it; so I joins the fun,

An' puts 'em all at ease with silly grins--

Slings bits uv repartee like "'Ave a bun,"

An' passes bread an' butter, for me sins.

Since I've been marri'd, say, I've chucked some things,

An' learned a whole lot more to fill the space.

I've slung all slang; crook words 'ave taken wings,

An' I 'ave learned to entertain with grace.

But when ole Missus Flood comes round our place

I don't object to 'er, for all 'er sighs;

Becos I likes 'er ways, I likes 'er face,

An', most uv all, she 'as them mother's eyes.

"Before the war," she sighs, the poor ole girl.

'Er talk it gets me thinkin' in between,

While I'm assistin' at this social whirl. . . .

She comes across for comfort to Doreen,

To talk about the things that might 'ave been

If Syd 'ad not been killed at Suvla Bay,

Or Jim not done a bunk at seventeen,

An' not been 'eard uv since 'e went away.

They 'ave a little farm right next to us--

'Er an' 'er 'usband--where they live alone.

Spite uv 'er cares, she ain't the sort to fuss

Or serve up sudden tears an' sob an' moan,

An' since I've known 'er some'ow I 'ave grown

To see in 'er, an' all the grief she's bore,

A million brave ole mothers 'oo 'ave known

Deep sorrer since them days before the war.

"Before the war," she sez. "Yeh mind our Syd?

Poor lad. . . . But then, yeh never met young Jim--

'Im 'oo was charged with things 'e never did.

Ah, both uv you'd 'ave been reel chums with 'im.

'Igh-spirited 'e was, a perfect limb.

It's six long years now since 'e went away

Ay, drove away." 'Er poor ole eyes git dim.

"That was," she sighs, "that was me blackest day.

"Me blackest day!Wot am I sayin' now?

There was the day the parson come to tell

The news about our Syd. . . . An', yet, some'ow . . . .

My little Jim!" She pauses for a spell. . . .

"Your 'olly'ocks is doin' reely well,"

She sez, an' battles 'ard to brighten up.

"An' them there pinks uv yours, 'ow sweet they smell.

An'--Thanks! I think I will 'ave one more cup."

As fur as I can get the strength uv it,

Them Floods 'ave 'ad a reel tough row to hoe.

First off, young Jim, 'oo plays it 'igh a bit,

Narks the ole man a treat, an' slings the show.

Then come the war, an' Syd 'e 'as to go.

'E run 'is final up at Suvla Bay--

One uv the Aussies I was proud to know.

An' Jim's cracked 'ardy since 'e went away.

'Er Jim! These mothers! Lord, they're all the same.

I wonder if Doreen will be that kind..

Syd was the son 'oo played the reel man's game;

But Jim 'oo sloped an' left no word be'ind,

His is the picter shinin' in 'er mind.

'Igh-spirited! I've 'eard that tale before.

I sometimes think she'd take it rather kind

To 'ear that 'is 'igh spirits run to war.

"Before the war," she sez. "Ah, times was good.

The little farm out there, an' jist us four

Workin' to make a decent liveli'ood.

Our Syd an' Jim! . . . Poor Jim! It grieves me sore;

For Dad won't 'ave 'im mentioned 'ome no more.

'E's 'urt, I know, cos 'e thinks Jim 'urt me.

As if 'e could, the bonny boy I bore. . . .

But I must off 'ome now, an' git Dad's tea."

I seen 'er to the gate. (Take it frum me,

I'm some perlite.) She sez, "Yeh mustn't mind

Me talkin' so uv Jim, but when I see

Your face it brings 'im back; 'e's jist your kind.

Not quite so 'an'some, p'r'aps, nor so refined.

I've got some toys uv 'is," she sez. "But there--

This is ole woman's talk, an' you be'ind

With all yer work, an' little time to spare."

She gives me 'and a squeeze an' turns away,

Sobbin', I thort; but when she looks be'ind,

Smilin', an' wavin', like she felt reel gay,

I wonders 'ow the women works that blind,

An' jist waves back; then goes inside to find

A lookin'-glass, an' takes a reel good look. . . .

"'Not quite so 'an'some, p'r'aps, nor so refined!'

Gawd 'elp yeh, Jim," I thinks. "Yeh must be crook."

II. DUMMY BRIDGE

Dummy Bridge

F I'd 'a' played me Jack on that there Ten,"

Sez Peter Begg, "I might 'a' made the lot."

"'Ow could yeh?" barks ole Poole. "'Ow' could yeh, when

I 'ad me Queen be'ind?" Sez Begg, "Wot rot!

I slung away me King to take that trick.
Which one! Say, ain't yer 'ead a trifle thick?

Now, don't yeh see that when I plays me King

I give yer Queen a chance, an' lost the slam."

But Poole, 'e sez 'e don't see no sich thing,

So Begg gits 'ot, an' starts to loose a "Damn."

'E twigs the missus jist in time to check,
An' makes it "Dash," an' gits red down 'is neck.

There's me an' Peter Begg, an' ole man Poole--

Neighbours uv mine, that farm a bit close by--

Jist once a week or so we makes a school,

An' gives this game uv Dummy Bridge a fly.

Doreen, she 'as 'er sewin' be the fire,
The kid's in bed; an' 'ere's me 'eart's desire.

'Ome-comfort, peace, the picter uv me wife

'Appy at work, me neighbours gathered round

All friendly-like--wot more is there in life?

I've searched a bit, but, better I ain't found.

Doreen, she seems content, but in 'er eye
I've seen reel pity when the talk gits 'igh.

This ev'nin' we 'ad started off reel 'ot:

Two little slams, an' Poole, without a score,

Still lookin' sore about the cards 'e'd got--

When, sudden-like, a knock comes to the door.

"A visitor," growls Begg, "to crool our game."
An' looks at me, as though I was to blame.

Jist as Doreen goes out, I seen 'er grin.

"Deal 'em up quick!" I whispers. "Grab yer 'and,

An' look reel occupied when they comes in.

Per'aps they'll 'ave the sense to understand.

If it's a man, maybe 'e'll make a four;
But if"--Then Missus Flood comes in the door.

'Twas ole Mar Flood, 'er face wrapped in a smile.

"Now, boys," she sez, "don't let me spoil yer game.

I'll jist chat with Doreen a little while;

But if yeh stop I'll be ashamed I came."

An' then she waves a letter in 'er 'and.
Sez she, "Our Jim's a soldier! Ain't it grand?"

"Good boy," sez Poole. "Let's see.I make it 'earts."

"Doubled!" shouts Begg. . . . "An' 'e's been in a fight,"

Sez Missus Flood, "out in them furrin' parts.

French, I suppose. I can't pronounce it right.

'E's been once wounded, somewhere in the leg. . . ."
"'Ere, Bill! Yeh gone to sleep?" asks Peter Begg.

I plays me Queen uv Spades; an' plays 'er bad.

Begg snorts. . . . "My boy," sighs Missus Flood. "My Jim." . . .

"King 'ere," laughs Poole. "That's the last Spade I 'ad." . . .

Doreen she smiles: "I'm glad yeh've 'eard from 'im.". . .

"We're done," groans Begg. "Why did yeh nurse yer Ace?". . .
"My Jim!" An' there was sunlight in 'er face.

"I always thought a lot uv Jim, I did,"

Sez Begg. "'E does yeh credit. 'Ere, your deal."

"That's so," sez Poole. "'E was an all-right kid.

No trumps? I'm sorry that's the way yeh feel.

'Twill take yeh all yer time to make the book." . . .
An' then Doreen sends me a wireless look.

I gets the S.O.S.; but Begg is keen.

"My deal," 'e yaps. "Wot rotten cards I get."

Ole Missus Flood sits closer to Doreen.

"The best," she whispers, "I ain't told yeh yet."

I strains me ears, an' leads me King uv Trumps.
"Ace 'ere!" grins Begg. Poole throws 'is Queen--an' thumps.

"That saves me Jack!" 'owls Begg. "Tough luck, ole sport." . . .

Sez Missus Flood, "Jim's won a medal too

For doin' somethin' brave at Bullycourt." . . .

"Play on, play on," growls Begg. "It's up to you."

Then I reneges, an' trumps me partner's Ace,
An' Poole gets sudden murder in 'is face.

"I'm sick uv this 'ere game," 'e grunts. "It's tame."

"Righto," I chips. "Suppose we toss it in?"

Begg don't say nothin'; so we sling the game.

On my wife's face I twigs a tiny grin.

"Finished?" sez she, su'prised. 'Well, p'r'aps it's right.
It looks to me like 'earts was trumps to-night."

An' so they was. An', say, the game was grand.

Two hours we sat while that ole mother told

About 'er Jim, 'is letter in 'er 'and,

An', on 'er face, a glowin' look that rolled

The miles all up that lie 'twixt France an' 'ere,
An' found 'er son, an' brought 'im very near.

A game uv Bridge it was, with 'earts for trumps.

We was the dummies, sittin' silent there.

I knoo the men, like me, was feelin' chumps:

Foolin' with cards while this was in the air.

It took Doreen to shove us in our place;
An' mother 'eld the lot, right from the Ace.

She told us 'ow 'e said 'e'd writ before,

An' 'ow the letters must lave gone astray;

An' 'ow the stern ole father still was sore,

But looked like 'e'd be soft'nin', day by day;

'Ow pride in Jim peeps out be'ind 'is frown,
An' 'ow the ole fool 'opes to 'ide it down.

"I knoo," she sez. "I never doubted Jim.

But wot could any mother say or do

When pryin' folks asked wot become uv 'im,

But drop 'er eyes an' say she never knoo.

Now I can lift me 'ead to that sly glance,
An' say, 'Jim's fightin', with the rest, in France.'"

An' when she's gone, us four we don't require

No gossipin' to keep us in imploy.

Ole Poole sits starin' 'ard into the fire.

I guessed that 'e was thinkin' uv 'is boy,

'Oo's been right in it from the very start;
An' Poole was thinkin' uv a father's part.

An' then 'e speaks: "This war 'as turned us 'ard.

Suppose, four year ago, yeh said to me

That I'd sit 'eedless, starin' at a card

While that ole mother told--Good Lord!" sez 'e

"It takes the women for to put us wise
To playin' games in war-time," an' 'e sighs.

An' 'ere Doren sets out ot put 'im right.

"There's games an' games," she sez."When women starts

A hand at Bridge like she 'as played to-night

It's Nature teachin' 'em to make it 'earts.

The other suits are yours," she sez; "but then,
That's as it should be, seein' you are men."

"Maybe," sez Poole; an' both gits up to go.

I stands beside the door when they are gone,

Watchin' their lantern swingin' to an' fro,

An' 'ears Begg's voice as they goes trudgin' on:

"If you 'ad led that Queen we might 'ave made. . . ."
"Rubbidge!" shouts Poole."You mucked it with yer Spade!"

III. DAD

Dad

've knowed ole Flood this last five year or more;
I knoo 'im when 'is Syd went to the war.

A proud ole man 'e was. But I've watched 'im,

An' seen 'is look when people spoke uv Jim:

As sour a look as most coves want to see.
It made me glad that this 'ere Jim weren't me.

I sized up Flood the first day that we met--
Stubborn as blazes when 'is mind is set,

Ole-fashioned in 'is looks an' in 'is ways,

Believin' it is honesty that pays;

An' still dead set, in spite uv bumps 'e's got,
To keep on honest if it pays or not.

Poor ole Dad Flood, 'e is too old to fight
By close on thirty year; but, if I'm right

About 'is doin's an' about 'is grit,

'E's done a fair bit over 'is fair bit.

They are too old to fight, but, all the same,
'Is kind's quite young enough to play the game.

I've 'eard it called, this war--an' it's the truth--
I've 'eard it called the sacrifice uv youth.

An' all this land 'as reckernized it too,

An' gives the boys the praises that is doo.

I've 'eard the cheers for ev'ry fightin' lad;
But, up to now, I ain't 'eard none for Dad.

Ole Flood, an' all 'is kind throughout the land,
They ain't been 'eralded with no brass band,

Or been much thought about; but, take my tip,

The war 'as found 'em with a stiffened lip,

'Umpin' a load they thought they'd dropped for good,
Crackin' reel 'ardy, an'--jist sawin' wood.

Dad Flood, 'is back is bent, 'is strength is gone;
'E'd done 'is bit before this war come on.

At sixty-five 'e thought 'is work was done;

'E gave the farmin' over to 'is son,

An' jist sat back in peace, with 'is ole wife,
To spend content the ev'nin' uv 'is life.

Then come the war. An' when Syd 'esitates
Between the ole folk an' 'is fightin' mates,

The ole man goes outside an' grabs a hoe.

Sez 'e, "Yeh want to, an' yeh ought to go.

Wot's stoppin' yeh?" 'E straightens 'is ole frame.
"Ain't I farmed long enough to know the game?"

There weren't no more to say. An' Syd went--West:
Into the sunset with ole Aussie's best.

But no one ever 'eard no groans from Dad.

Though all 'is pride an' 'ope was in that lad

'E showed no sign excep' to grow more grim.
'Is son was gone--an' it was up to 'im.

One day last month when I was down at Flood's
I seen 'im strugglin' with a bag uv spuds.

"Look 'ere," I sez, "you let me spell yeh, Dad.

You 'umpin' loads like that's a bit too bad."

'E gives a grunt that's more than 'arf a groan.
"Wot's up?" 'e snaps. "Got no work uv yer own?"

That's 'im. But I've been tippin' that the pace
Would tell; an' when 'is wife comes to our place,

An' sez that Dad is ill an' took to bed,

Flat out with work--though that ain't wot she said--

I ain't su'prised; an' tells 'er when I'm thro'
I'll come across an' see wot I can do.

I went across, an'--I come back again.
Strike me! it's no use reas'nin' with some men.

Stubborn ole cows! I'm sick uv them ole fools.

The way 'e yells, "Keep yer 'ands off my tools!"

Yeh'd think I was a thief. 'Is missus said
I'd better slope, or 'e'd be out uv bed.

'E 'eard us talkin' through the open door.
"'Oo's that?" 'e croaks, altho' 'e tries to roar.

An' when 'is wife ixplains it's only me

To 'elp a bit: "I want no charity!"

'E barks. "I'll do me work meself, yeh 'ear?"
An' then 'e gits so snarky that I clear.

But 'e'll do me. I like the ole boy's nerve.
We don't do nothin' that 'e don't deserve;

But me an' Peter Begg an' ole man Poole,

We fairly 'as our work cut out to fool

The sly ole fox, when we sneaks down each day
An' works a while to keep things under way.

We digs a bit, an' ploughs a bit, an' chops
The wood, an' does the needful to 'is crops.

We does it soft, an' when 'e 'ears a row

'Is missus tells 'im it's the dog or cow.

'E sez that it's queer noises for a pup.
An'--there'll be ructions when ole Flood gits up.

It ain't all overwork that's laid 'im out.
Ole Pride in 'im is fightin' 'ard with Doubt.

To-day 'is wife sez, "Somethin's strange in 'im,

For in 'is sleep sometimes 'e calls for Jim.

It's six long years," she sez, an' stops to shake
'Er 'ead. "But 'e don't mention 'im awake."

Dad Flood. I thought 'im jist a stiff-necked fool
Before the war; but, as I sez to Poole,

This war 'as tested more than fightin' men.

But, say, 'e is an 'oly terror when

Friends try to 'elp 'im earn a bite an' sup.
Oh, there'll be 'Ell to pay when 'e gits up!