ll to the ground, but just
then neither of the men could spare a hand to pick it up. At length,
by superior strength, the stockman brought his enemy to the ground.
He then grasped the thick, matted hair with one hand, and thus
holding the black's head close to the ground, he reached with the
other hand for the tomahawk, and with one fierce blow buried the
blade in the savage's brain. Even then he did not feel quite sure of
his safety. He had an idea that it was very difficult to kill
blackfellows outright, that theywere like American 'possums, and were
apt to come to life again after they had been killed, and ought to be
dead. So to finish his work well, he hacked at the neck with the
tomahawk until he had severed the head completely from the body; then
taking the head by the hair, he threw it as far as he could to the
other side of the track. By this time he began to feel faint from
loss of blood, so he mounted his horse and galloped to Joe Kermode's
hut.

When Joe had performed his duties of a good Samaritan to the stranger
he mounted his horse, and rode to the field of battle. He found the
headless body of the black man, the head at the other side of the
track, the tomahawk, the piece of tobacco, the rug, and the
firestick. Joe and the shepherd buried the body; the white man
survived.

THE GOVERNMENT STROKE.

"The Government Stroke" is a term often used in the colonies, and
indicates a lazy and inefficient manner of performing any kind of
labour. It originated with the convicts. When a man is forced to
work through fear of the lash, and receives no wages, it is quite
natural and reasonable that he should exert himself as little as
possible. If you were to reason with him, and urge him to work
harder at, for instance, breaking road metal, in order that the
public might have good roads to travel on, and show him what a great
satisfaction it should be to know that his labours would confer a
lasting benefit on his fellow creatures; that, though it might appear
a little hard on him individually, he should raise his thoughts to a
higher level, and labour for the good of humanity in general, he
would very likely say, "Do you take me for a fool?" But if you gave
him three dozen lashes for his laziness he will see, or at least
feel, that your argument has some force in it. As a matter of fact
men work for some present or future benefit for themselves. The
saint who sells all he has to give to the poor, d