“Yes; my father’s head-shepherd at Tanindie. We all live together, my mother and all.”
“And you find you can do your work without the drink?”
“Look there,” said the other, stopping short, and baring his arm. “Feel that; some muscle there, I reckon. That muscle’s grown on unfermented liquors. Me and my four brothers are all just alike. We never trouble the doctor, any of us.”
“Ah!” said Jacob; “I’ve heard strange talk about ‘can’t do without wine;’ ‘can’t do without beer;’ ‘can’t do without spirits;’ ‘heat of the climate makes it needful to make up for wear and tear of body,’ and so on. And then, I’ve seen a many shake their heads and say as young people can’t do without a little now and then ‘to brace up their nerves,’ as they call it, ‘and give a tone to the constitootion.’ I’ve heard a deal of this talk in the old country.”
“‘Plenty gammon, plenty gammon,’ all that, as the black fellows say,” replied the other. “Truth is, people makes artificial wants, and then they must have artificial stimulants. We’re no great scholars in our house, but we gets a good many books even out here in the bush, and reads them at odd times; and we’ve read a great deal of nonsense about young people wanting beer and wine, and such things. If people gets themselves into an unnatural state, they wants unnatural food. But where’s the real need? I don’t believe the world would suffer a pin if all the intoxicating drinks were thrown into the sea to-morrow. Indeed, I’m sure it would be a thousandfold better.”
“I’m sure of the same,” said Jacob. “But I suppose it isn’t all of your trade as thinks so.”
“No, indeed; more’s the pity. There’s plenty about us that loves their drink a vast deal too well. I can tell you strange tales about some of them. I’ve known hardworking fellows, that have kept sober all the year, go up at the year’s end, with all they have saved, to Adelaide, and put it into the publican’s hand, telling him, ‘There, you keep that, and give me drink, as I calls for it, till I’ve drunk it all out.’”
“And I’ll warrant,” said Jacob, “as publicans’ll not be particular as to a gallon or two about giving them the full worth of their brass.”
“Not they, you may be very sure; and as soon as the publican has squeezed them dry, out they go, neck and crop.”
“And don’t that larn ’em better?” asked Jacob.