Man from Snowy River and Other Verses, The

<h2> The All Right 'Un </h2> <p>He came from 'further out',<br/> That land of heat and drought<br/> And dust and gravel.<br/> He got a touch of sun,<br/> And rested at the run<br/> Until his cure was done,<br/> And he could travel.<br/> <br/> When spring had decked the plain,<br/> He flitted off again<br/> As flit the swallows.<br/> And from that western land,<br/> When many months were spanned,<br/> A letter came to hand,<br/> Which read as follows:<br/> <br/> 'Dear sir, I take my pen<br/> In hopes that all your men<br/> And you are hearty.<br/> You think that I've forgot<br/> Your kindness, Mr. Scott,<br/> Oh, no, dear sir, I'm not<br/> That sort of party.<br/> <br/> 'You sometimes bet, I know,<br/> Well, now you'll have a show<br/> The 'books' to frighten.<br/> Up here at Wingadee<br/> Young Billy Fife and me<br/> We're training Strife, and he<br/> Is a all right 'un.<br/> <br/> 'Just now we're running byes,<br/> But, sir, first time he tries<br/> I'll send you word of.<br/> And running 'on the crook'<br/> Their measures we have took,<br/> It is the deadest hook<br/> You ever heard of.<br/> <br/> 'So when we lets him go,<br/> Why, then, I'll let you know,<br/> And you can have a show<br/> To put a mite on.<br/> Now, sir, my leave I'll take,<br/> Yours truly, William Blake.<br/> P.S. &mdash; Make no mistake,<br/> <i>HE'S A ALL RIGHT 'UN</i>.'<br/> <br/> . . . . .<br/> <br/> By next week's <i>RIVERINE</i><br/> I saw my friend had been<br/> A bit too cunning.<br/> I read: 'The racehorse Strife<br/> And jockey William Fife<br/> Disqualified for life &mdash;<br/> Suspicious running.'<br/> <br/> But though they spoilt his game,<br/> I reckon all the same<br/> I fairly ought to claim<br/> My friend a white 'un.<br/> For though he wasn't straight,<br/> His deeds would indicate<br/> His heart at any rate<br/> Was 'a all right 'un'.<br/></p> <p><SPAN name="link2H_4_0032" id="link2H_4_0032"></SPAN></p> <div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />