PARADISE 333 



placidly. At dinner-time the latter began to chatter 



volubly, and the mistress of the house, in an outburst of 

 vicarious energy, called from the verandah — "Come, 



Topsy — come, Rosey. You do nothing all day. You 

 two fella talk all the time." 



Rosey — " Yes ; me fella yabber, yabber, plenty — all 

 asame white woman." 



Paradise 



The beliefs of blacks on the subject of." the otherwhere " 

 seem to be varied and adjustable to individual likes and 

 predilections. Some indeed have no faith whatever in 

 statements as to existence following upon death. Others 

 assert that a delightful country is reached after a long and 

 pleasant journey, that there reunion with relatives and 

 friends takes place, and happiness is in store for all, good 

 and bad alike. 



An intelligent boy was asked if after death all went 

 along the same road to the aboriginal paradise. He was 

 reminded that he was a good fellow, and that one of the 

 members of the camp was notoriously a rogue. 



" Mootee go along a you, all asame place ? That fella 

 no good. You good fella." 



"Yes," he answered. "All one track me fella go. 

 Good track — blenty tchugar-bag, blenty hegg, blenty 

 wallaby, close up. You no wan' run about. Catch 'em 

 blenty close up. Bi'mby me go long way. Me come more 

 better country — blenty everything. Father belonga me sit 

 down. He got two good young fella gins. My word, good 

 one gins. He say — ' Hello ! you come up ? You sit down 

 here altogether. Two fella good gins belonga you ! ' " 



This was paradise ! 



