ith delight when I thanked
him before all his mates! This was indeed station-life made easy! It
did not take two minutes to light my fire, and in five more I had a
delicious cup of tea and some bread-and-butter all ready for F----. It
was nearly cold, however, by the time I could catch him and make him
drink it. Of course, being a man, instead of saying, "Thank you," or
anything of that sort, he merely remarked, "What nonsense!" but equally
of course, he was very glad to get it, and ate and drank it all up,
returning instantly to his shed.

After this little episode, I set to work to unpack a little, and make
the sitting-room look the least bit more home-like; then I laid the
cloth for breakfast, put out the pie and potted meat, etc. (no words can
say how heartily tired of pies we both were before the week was over),
and arranged everything for breakfast. Then I waylaid one of the
numerous stray "hands" which hang about a station at shearing time, and
got him to fetch me a couple of buckets of water as far as the verandah.
These I conveyed myself into the little sleeping-room, and finished my
toilette at my leisure: tidying it all up afterwards. I wonder if any
one has any idea what hot work it is making a bed? So hot, in fact,
that I resolved in future to be wise enough to finish all these domestic
occupations before I had my bath. The worst of getting up so early
proved to be that by nine o'clock I was very tired, and had nothing else
to do for the remainder of the long, noisy day. As for the meals, they
were wretchedly unsociable; for F---- only came in to snatch a mouthful
or two, standing, and it was of little use trying to make things
comfortable for him. I must confess here, what I would not acknowledge
at the time, that I found it a very long and dull visit. My husband
never had time to speak to me, and when he did, it was only about sheep.
I grew weary of living on cold meat, for it was really too hot to cook;
and my servants used to send me over, every second day, cold fowls or
pies; besides, one seemed to live in a whirl and confusion of dust, and
bleating, and barking. After the day's work was fairly over, F---- used
to rush in, seize a big bath-towel, cry "I am off for a bathe in the
creek," and only return in time for supper and bed. The weather was all
that a sheep-farmer could desire. Bright, sunny, and clear, one lovely
summer day followed another; hot, almost to tropical warmth, without any
risk or fea