Money was needed for the laddies who were going--needed for all
sorts of things. To buy them small comforts, and tobacco, and such
things as the government might not be supplying them. And so they
asked me to be their auctioneer.
I played a fine trick upon them there in Christchurch. But I was not
ashamed of myself, and I think they have forgi'en me--those good
bodies at Christchurch!
Here was the way of it. I was auctioneer, you ken--but that was not
enough to keep me from bidding myself. And so I worked them up and
on--and then I bid in the flag for myself for a hundred pounds--five
hundred dollars of American money.
I had my doots about how they'd be taking it to have a stranger carry
their flag away. And so I bided a wee. I stayed that night in
Christchurch, and was to stay longer. I could wait. Above yon town of
Christchurch stretch the Merino Hills. On them graze sheep by the
thousand--and it is from those sheep that the true Merino wool comes.
And in the gutters of Christchurch there flows, all day long, a
stream of water as clear and pure as ever you might hope to see. And
it should be so, for it is from artesian wells that it is pumped.
Aweel, I bided that night and by next day they were murmuring in the
town, and their murmurs came to me. They thought it wasna richt for a
Scotsman to be carrying off their flag--though he'd bought it and
paid for it. And so at last they came to me, and wanted to be buying
back the flag.
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