In no haste to be gone, they sat about on empty boxes or upturned
barrels exchanging confidences, while weary children plucked at their
skirts. A party of youngsters entered, the tallest of whom could just
see over the counter, and called for shandygaffs. The assistant was for
chasing them off, with hard words. But the storekeeper put, instead, a
stick of barley-sugar into each dirty, outstretched hand, and the imps
retired well content. On their heels came a digger and his lady-love to
choose a wedding-outfit; and all the gaudy finery the store held was
displayed before them. A red velvet dress flounced with satin, a pink
gauze bonnet, white satin shoes and white silk stockings met their
fancy. The dewy-lipped, smutty-lashed Irish girl blushed and dimpled, in
consulting with the shopman upon the stays in which to lace her ample
figure; the digger, whose very pores oozed gold, planked down handfuls
of dust and nuggets, and brushed aside a neat Paisley shawl for one of
yellow satin, the fellow to which he swore to having seen on the back of
the Governor's lady herself. He showered brandy-snaps on the children,
and bought a polka-jacket for a shabby old woman. Then, producing a
bottle of champagne from a sack he bore, he called on those present to
give him, after: "'Er most Gracious little Majesty, God bless 'er!" the:
"'Oly estate of materimony!" The empty bottle smashed for luck, the
couple departed arm-in-arm, carrying their purchases in the sack; and
the rest of the company trooped to the door with them, to wish them joy.

Within the narrow confines of the tent, where red-herrings trailed over
moleskin-shorts, and East India pickles and Hessian boots lay on the top
of sugar and mess-pork; where cheeses rubbed shoulders with tallow
candles, blue and red serge shirts, and captain's biscuits; where
onions, and guernseys, and sardines, fine combs, cigars and bear's-grease,
Windsor soap, tinned coffee and hair oil, revolvers, shovels and
Oxford shoes, lay in one grand miscellany: within the crowded store, as