Jim of the Hills

llows on the wing
Made a man feel kind an' peaceful with their cheery twittering.

As I watched their graceful wheelin' with a pleasant sort of feelin' Old man Pike pulled out his ticker, an' the mill-hands made a ring.

There was gold upon the wattle an' the blackwood was in bud, An' I felt the call for action fairly sizzin' in my blood.

Murray comes on like a bull;
Both his eyes with spleen are full.

Let him have it - left an' right. . . .
Pike is bustin' with delight. . . .
Right eye once and left eye twice -
Then he grabs me like a vice. . . .

Down into the dust we go -
Bull-dog grip and short-arm blow.

It was Spring! Mad Spring! Just to feel him clutch an' cling Told me plain that life was pelendid an' my strength a precious thing.

On the sawdust heap we scrambled, while the fellows yelled an' gambled On the fight; an' Ben loosed curse-words in a never-endin' string.

Oh, I glimpsed the soft sky shinin' and I smelled the fresh-c