tiffs with St. John in the Police Court. A more brow-beating bully never sat on the Bench, and if he only heard a reporter speaking above his breath, he would coarsely order him to "shut u p " or he would have him turned out. O n c e he was on the point of relegating Byrne to the lock-up for a high crime of this kind, but at the last m o m e n t changed his mind, and did not. Byrne in consequence was resolved to have it out with him even in his o w n Court, if ever he had the chance, and a chance came sooner and easier than expected. O n e day the Major's temper was sorely tried through a dissatisfied suitor questioning the justice of a decision, whereat St. John, with an oath, swore if he uttered another tittle he would have him r a m m e d into the watch-house. Byrne, w h o was by, waited until the Police Magistrate had retired, and then obtained from another Justice a s u m m o n s against St. John for swearing in Court. T h e Major was fined 5s., and never forgave his prosecutor. It was surmised that through his influence Byrne lost his billet soon after. Possessed, however, of certain friendly influences, he soon managed to procure the appointment of Corporation Rate-collector, m u c h to the disgust of the Herald, in which it was denounced as a gross job. Byrne,finallybolted, leaving two townspeople, w h o were so good-naturedly foolish as to become security for him, to square up the deficiency with the Corporation. Fie was subsequently heard of in distant parts, and in one of the "fifties"returned for a short time incog, to the colony, when he finally disappeared and was never afterwards heard of. There are n o w in Victoria several families of position matrimonially connected with this long-forgotten runaway. was employed on the Patriot at a very early date. He was well-disposed to do a good day's work, but did not m u c h fancy knocking about. Plant him in the Supreme Court and he could grind like a writing-mill for twelve orfifteenhours, turning out the most legible M S . by the quire, and then he would jog h o m e to his hotel (he always lodged at one), pack away a "meat tea" that would serve another for days, absorb a more than liberal allowance of " half-an-half" —then tuck himself in the blankets, and be "as happy as a king" until morning. H e was connected off and on with various papers for several years, but as the years accumulated so his thirst increased. His sprees were more frequent, and at length no dependence could be placed on him. After the gold discoveries he was obliged to quit Melbourne, and he lived, or rather existed, by odd jobs on some provincial journal, shepherding, or hut-keeping, but mostly on that most precarious of walks in colonial life conventionally termed "the wallaby track." Twice every year he m a d e his way to town, and called upon an old Press friend, who, on such occasions, usually presented him with half-a-sovereign, which poor Corp looked forward to with the certainty of an annuitant drawing a dividend of Government Stock. W h e n the days of adversity fell upon Corp, Finn m a n y a time helped the hand that befriended him m a n y a long day before at the old forgotten Criminal Sessions, and thefirsttime Corp arrived from the country he was told that every half-year trip he m a d e there should be a half-sovereign ready for him, to eat it or drink it, or do what he liked with it. T h e annuitant so lived for some twenty years, and the benefactor, w h o is still alive, has often told the queer story.
WILLIAM CORP
G. D. BOURSIQUOT, referred to in the editorial group, made his first appearance as a journalist in the capacity of reporter for the Herald. H e was a spruce, stylish-looking fellow, w h o paid more attention to fashion of his shirt collar, the tie of his cravat, and the sit of his vest, than his fellows. H e was never without a bell-topper, and a ring or two on hisfingers,and prided himself on his reputation as a lady-killer. His forte on a newspaper was light, airy sketching, and smartly got up police paragraphs, though when he passed to the higher grade he carried heavier metal. H e was an amateur actor, and performed occasionally on the boards of the " Pavilion," thefirsttheatre in Melbourne. A propensity for what is in play-going parlance known as "gagging," which he usually overdid, sometimes got him into a scrape, and once when this kind of interpolation drifted into the region of indelicacy, he and Cavenagh had a row over it, and the Herald knew him no more. Boursiquot was very partial to any attractive young lady connected with the early theatricals, and his attention to some of them was of a decidedly pronounced character. After leaving the Herald
