On The Road To Toganmaine (1929)
His packhorse was a pony, and a mountain-bred 'un too,
With mulish ears and hairy, and could stay till all was blue;
The prad he rode was stylish, with a rakish tail and mane,
This old-time mountain shearer on the road to Toganmaine.
The year was Eighty seven, and a winter mighty was,
And many old-time wool-hawks will spin stories of it yet;
He said, "I'm goin' for ringer or I'll bust a belly vein,"
This old-time mountain shearer on the road to Toganmaine.
He said, "I want ter meet 'em, an' just show 'em how to go,
These bloomin' skitin' ringers who would give no man a show ;
I'll back my bloomin' tally tho' this boastin' gives me pain",
Said he, this old-time shearer on his way to Toganmaine.
I knew old Jimmy Tyson and I liked old Jacky Dow
And any man who runs them down, with me can have a row--
I'm goin' to ring the ringers, and you must not think me vain."
Said this happy shearer on the road to Toganmaine.
As years rolled on to meet him t'was indeed a happy treat
To hear him boast of prowess and the ringers he could beat.
"I'm gettin' old and rhuemy, but while health I do retain,
You'll find me o'er in August on the road to Toganmaine."
And later on I met him, just the same old happy bloke,
Though ageing fast and wrinkled, ever ready for a joke;
"Oh soon I expect I'll chuck it for my shearin' is on tbe wane,"
Said this old happy shearer on the road to Toganmaine.
Yes, once again I met him, t'was last August in the rain,
Still boasting of the wonders he would show them just the same,
"Machines ! I never liked 'em, yet how can I complain ?"
Said this old happy shearer on the road to Toganmaine.
Once more he'd faced the hardship but he never reached the shed,
He perished by the roadsides, where the mailman found him dead.
The board has sadly missed him, and the boss may look in vain,
For this old noble shearer who so loved his Toganmaine.
Notes
From the NSW Newspaper the Narromine News and Trangie Advocate Wednesday 9 January 1929 p. 3.