Fate Deals A Bad Hand

What Happened To Frank The Hunter

Life is thrilling in the isolated country of the Far North. Tragedy succeeds comedy with the swiftness of the eagle's flight. Such a tale is that of Frank the Hunter, which "N.M." tells below.

Half a dozen of us sat at our ease on the cool verandah of an hotel in Darwin, and in between the rounds of drinks that came fast and furious, reminiscences were exchanged of those old droving days when big money was made and cheques were knocked down with reckless abandon.

The company reminded me of my previous visit to Darwin, when Frank Hooper had literally painted the town red, spending as though he had the Bank of England behind him, and buying expensive presents for the barmaids and waitresses.

'Wonder where big Frank Hooper is these times?' I asked of Joe Henry, then spelling from buffalo shooting until the wet season was over. 'What! Mean to tell me none of you heard what happened to Frank Hooper?' exclaimed Henry in surprise. 'I thought all Darwin knew about poor Frank, although he tried to keep it a secret. Anyway, plenty of others know, and as Frank is beyond redemption, poor fellow. I know he wouldn't mine me telling the story '

'It's three years last Christmas since Frank came in and started throwing his money about like a millionaire. You were in town then, Tom; you'd remember some of Frank's record shouts?' I admitted I did, remarking how offended Frank would get if any others in the party tried to shout, it was Frank's party and he cared little who joined in but only he must do the spending. I'd left Darwin before Frank Hooper's jubilee had ended, so knew nothing of the manner of its ending.

'Well, there's a bottom to every well,' continued Joe Henry, 'and after a whirlwind month of reckless spending and heavy drinking, the hangers-on began to desert the very generous 'whale' that had been in the bay. You can't beat a hum for finding out when the money is running out. and I thought myself that Frank was broke.'

'You remember Molly, who used to be barmaid at the —— ? Well, one morning I was discussing Frank with her, and had intimated that I wouldn't see Frank stuck.' 'Frank's not broke,' Molly said producing a roll of notes, but not saying whether it was his or hers. 'You tell Frank I want to see him urgently in the morning, and try and bring him along before he's had any drink.'

'As you'd remember, Molly was a superior sort of a girl, and I couldn't see what reason she had for wanting Frank, but having promised, and asking no questions, I dug Frank out early next morning and brought him along to Molly.'

'Molly was in the bar when we arrived, and, asking us what we'd have, nodded to me to get out of the way after I'd swallowed my drink. How long Frank remained I don't know, but when I met him after breakfast, he'd spruced himself up, and, although sick and sorry looking, he said he was going on the water waggon. I asked him if he was short of money, but, shaking his head and tapping his pocket. Frank said he had plenty.'

'Now, as you know, a man can't drink hard like Frank had been doing for weeks and then go straight off it without suffering, and, to cut a long story short, I might mention that Frank got a bad touch of the D.T.'s. He was in such a state that I thought he'd never recover and Doctor —— and I spent many a long hour at Frank's bed.

Eventually he recovered, and one day when he was convalescing, Frank put a proposition up to me. ' 'I want to make some money quickly,' Frank had said, 'and if you're agreeable. I'll bring my plant and half a dozen black boys and go in with you.' Frank had done a good deal of buffalo shooting, and I was only too glad to have him as a mate. The upshot of it was, Frank and I left Darwin together.'

'We'd been out on the Adelaide River for about four months and had secured about fifteen hundred pounds worth of hides. Rain had held us up for a few days and as the horses were getting a bit low in condition. I suggested to Frank that we pack the hides to the coast and go for a spell.'

'Hang on a bit longer, Joe.' Frank had said, 'I want to have a thousand pounds clear. There's a little farm I intend to buy down in the south and with a thousand I can buy out my brother's interest. And I'm going to marry Molly and settle down.'

'The farm part didn't come as a surprise as Frank had mentioned it before, but I could hardly credit it when Frank said he intended marrying Molly. As some of you know, Frank was one of the best fellows in the world, but I couldn't imagine he and Molly in double harness. How ever, to please Frank and knowing he'd take it as an insult if I offered him a loan, I agreed to carry on. In less than a month a half share in the hides would be more than sufficient for Frank's purpose.'

'We transported the hides to some luggers for transhipment at Darwin, and with plenty of time, at our disposal before returns came from the south for our hides, we went by easy stages to Darwin.'

"One morning I noticed Frank placing a bandage on his hand, and on enquiry I was told that he'd got a 'bit of a scratch!' 'A bit of rag will keep the flies away,' Frank had said."

"We'd arrived at the Crossing about forty miles from Darwin, and before turning in that night Frank said he'd ride on in the morning. 'I've got a couple of letters I wan to write,' Frank had said, 'and if you don't mind I'll make a daylight start.' "

'I knew something had been troubling Frank, but not wishing to appear inquisitive I had refrained from asking any questions.'

" 'Go, by all means,' I told him. I said I'd paddock all the horses at a place I had just outside the town. In the morning, as Frank rode off, I told him not to drink all the beer until I got in. I never saw Frank again!"

'But what . . . .' I interrupted, thinking Joe had finished. 'I'm coming to that,' continued Joe. 'It was three days later that I reached Darwin. When I went to the hotel, where Frank usually stayed, no one there knew anything of him. He hadn't shown up. In a bit of a quandary. I went along to where I expected to find Molly, but I learnt that she had left the day previously by the out-going boat. Naturally I suspected that Frank and Molly had gone off together, and just as I was about to ask for information, a constable I knew walked in and told me I was wanted at the police station. More mysterious than ever, I thought, as I walked away with the constable.'

'At the station the sergeant handed me a letter, remarking that the contents were known to him, Frank having written it in his presence. But before I opened the envelope the sergeant told me of poor Frank. Suicide! I can imagine that to be your thoughts, as it was mine. But no, the outcome was to be worse.'

"Frank had gone straight to the police station on his arrival in Darwin just alter dusk, and to the sergeant he exposed his hand and, in a husky whisper said. 'Leprosy, sergeant.' "

'Well, there's little more to tell,' and Joe nodded his approval as I tinkled the bell for drinks. 'Frank knew he was doomed, and he hadn't the heart to go and see Molly. Before leaving at daylight by lugger for the Channel Island Leper Hospital, Frank wrote two letters, one to Molly the other to me. I was to keep his plant, sell the horses or do as I wished, and his half share of the hides was to be handed to Molly.'

'I've still got Frank's horses, hoping he might one day return, but I had a hard job tracing Molly. It appears that on reading Frank's letter she had given notice and left next day without giving any address. As last I managed to locate the girl and forwarded along my cheque for just under eleven hundred pounds.'

'Whew! A bit of a windfall for Molly.' I said, remembering the impression the girl had created in my mind.

'Just where you're wrong, Tom,' Joe said, as he reached for his drink. 'Molly sent it back to me and asked me to bank it for Frank in case he should get cured. That money is earning interest now for Frank, and we'll drink a toast to both Molly and Frank, the finest couple I've ever met.'

As we drank, my thoughts went to poor Hooper, one of the unfortunates who'd gone on a journey, with death the only relief from his suffering.

The names used in this story are fictitious. -"N.M."

Bush Wedding

Way back in the '60's, my father, a young, unmarried man, was parson of a small church in Ipswich, Queens land. He was asked to marry a young couple at a place named Unumgar. All he knew was that it was a long, and very rough, ride of many miles through deep bush.

He arrived (having a good bump of locality) to find a large number of people gathered for the ceremony, and the bride, bridesmaids, and groom all in full regalia and waiting for his appearance. Almost without a rest he was ushered in to begin the service. He had opened the Prayer Book, and in the silence, was about to start.

Suddenly a thought struck him. Leaning over, he murmured to the host, who looked rather startled, 'I suppose we are in Queensland?' he asked, and was told that they were in New South Wales, some miles over the border.' He closed the Prayer Book. 'I'm sorry,' he said, 'but I only have a licence to marry in Queensland.' For a while there was consternation. Then a bright idea occurred to some body.

'Why not ride into Queensland, and be married there?' It meant a distance of about 15 miles by a bridle track, for the country was almost impassably rough, only riders being able to go. Horses were run up and saddled with all speed. The bride, almost in tears, refused to forego the wearing of her wedding dress, so she and her maids were bundled off to change into habits, while their pretty frocks were packed in a hamper, and handed over to the best man to carry. Then the whole party, parson and all, went off helter skelter through the rough scrub, into Queensland.

They found a clearing amongst the timber, and while it was made shipshape by the young men, the girls changed into their lacy frocks, and soon a ring of people were taking part in the first wedding ceremony ever held among white people in that part of the world. Surely a strange sight in the primeval bush.

But no good story must run perfectly smoothly. Suddenly, just as the ceremony was concluded (fortunately), it was discovered that the place was swarming with leeches. Everybody, bride and bridegroom, father and mother, parson and friends, all ran to cover, and hiding behind bushes and logs, withdrew plump and reluctant leeches from ankles and legs, and then without more ado, sprang on to their horses, and scampered off as fast as they could go, to the wedding breakfast awaiting them, 15 miles away.