Digger Smith | Page 5

grinnin', an' 'e sez, quite carm,?'E's come to do a bit around the farm."
The tale don't sound too good to me at all.?"If 'e's a crook," I sez, "'e wants a fall.?Maybe 'e's dilly. I'll go down an' see.
'E'll grin at me?When I 'ave done, if 'e needs dealin' with."?So I goes down to interview this Smith.
'E 'ad a fork out in the tater patch.?Sez 'e, "Why 'ello, Digger. Got a match?"?"Digger?" I sez. "Well, you ain't digger 'ere.
You better clear.?You ought to know that you can't dig them spuds.?They don't belong to you; they're ole Dad Flood's."
"Can't I?" 'e grins. "I'll do the best I can,?Considerin' I'm only 'arf a man.?Give us a light. I can't get none from Flood,
An' mine is dud."?I parts; an' 'e stands grinnin' at me still;?An' then 'e sez, "'Ave yeh fergot me, Bill?"
I looks, an' seen a tough bloke, short an' thin.?Then, Lord! I recomembers that ole grin.?"It's little Smith!" I 'owls, "uv Collin'wood.
Lad, this is good!?Last time I seen yeh, you an' Ginger Mick?Was 'owling rags, out on yer final kick."
"Yer on to it," 'e sez. "Nex' day we sailed.?Now 'arf uv me's back 'ome, an' 'arf they nailed.?An' Mick. . . . Ar, well, Fritz took me down a peg."
'E waves 'is leg.?"It ain't too bad," 'e sez, with 'is ole smile;?"But when I starts to dig it cramps me style.
"But I ain't grouchin'. It was worth the fun.?We 'ad some picnic stoushin' Brother 'Un--?The only fight I've 'ad that some John 'Op
Don't come an' stop.?They pulled me leg a treat, but, all the same,?There's nothin' over 'ere to beat the game.
"An' now," 'e sez, "I'm 'ere to do a job?I promised, if it was me luck to lob?Back 'ome before me mate," 'e sez, an' then,
'E grins again.?"As clear as mud," I sez. "But I can't work?Me brains to 'old yer pace. Say, wot's the lurk?"
So then 'e puts me wise. It seems that 'im?An' this 'ere Flood--I tips it must be Jim--?Was cobbers up in France, an' things occurred.
(I got 'is word?Things did occur up there). But, anyway,?Seems Flood done somethin' good for 'im one day.
Then Smith 'e promised if 'e came back 'ome?Before 'is cobber o'er the flamin' foam,?'E'd see the ole folks 'ere, an' 'e agreed,
If there was need,?'E'd stay an' do a bit around the farm?So long as 'e 'ad one sound, dinkum arm.
"So, 'ere I am," 'e sez, an' grins again.?"A promise is a promise 'mong us men."?Sez I, "You come along up to the 'ouse.
Ole Dad won't rouse?When once 'e's got yer strength, an' as for Mar,?She'll kiss yeh when she finds out 'oo yeh are."
So we goes up, an' finds 'em both fair dazed?About this little Smith; they think 'e's crazed.?I tells the tale in words they understand;
Then it was grand?To see Dad grab Smith's 'and an' pump it good,?An' Mar, she kissed 'im, like I said she would.
Mar sez 'e must be starved, an' right away?The kettle's on, she's busy with a tray.?An', when I left, this Digger Smith 'e looked
Like 'e was booked?For keeps, with tea an' bread an' beef inside.?"Our little Willie's 'ome," 'e grins, "an' dried."
V. WEST
West
"I'VE seen so much uv dirt an' grime?I'm mad to 'ave things clean.?I've seen so much uv death," 'e said--?"So many cobbers lyin' dead--?You won't know wot I mean;?But, lad, I've 'ad so much uv strife?I want things straightened in my life.
"I've seen so much uv 'ate," 'e said--?"Mad 'ate an' silly rage--?I'm yearnin' for clear thoughts," said 'e.?"Kindness an' love seem good to me.?I want a new, white page?To start all over, clean an' good,?An' live me life as reel men should."
We're sittin' talkin' by the fence,?The sun's jist goin' down,?Paintin' the sky all gold an' pink.?Said 'e, "When it's like that, I think--"?An' then 'e stops to frown.?Said 'e, "I think, when it's jist so,?Uv . . . . God or somethin': I dunno.
"I ain't seen much uv God," said 'e;?"Not 'ere nor Over There;?But, partly wot I've seen an' read,?An' partly wot the padre said,?It gits me when I stare?Out West when it's like that is now.?There must be somethin' else--some'ow.
"I've thought a lot," said Digger Smith--?"Out There I thought a lot.?I thought uv death, an' all the rest,?An' uv me mates, good mates gone West;?An' it ain't much I've got;?But things get movin' in me 'ead?When I look over there," 'e said.
'E's got me beat, 'as little Smith.?I knoo 'im years ago?I knoo 'im as a reel tough boy?'Oo roughed it up with 'oly joy;?But now, well, I dunno.?An' when I ask Mar Flood she sighs--?An' sez 'e's got the Anzac eyes.
She sez 'e's got them soldier's eyes?That makes 'er own eyes wet.?An' we must give 'im wholesome food?An' lead 'is thoughts to somethin' good?An' never let 'im fret.?But