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that offer instead she put her plump arm around my shoulder and led me downstairs saying I were an angel sent by God.
    In the dining room I discovered a merry fire and a man in a 3 pce. suit doing great damage to a plate of eggs and bacon but apart from him the room were empty. Mrs Shelton sat me at a table near the fire it were set with shining silver knives & forks & cruets & salt & pepper & a sugar bowl with a curved spoon. I knew my mother would have liked it very much.
    Mrs Shelton asked would I prefer cocoa I said yes she asked would I like a breakfast and presented me with a menu. I never seen such a thing before but soon I got the gist of it and used it well. I had begun the day with bread and dripping now I was ordering lamb chops and bacon and kidney it were very tasty. There were carpet on the floor I can see the pattern of the red roses to this day. Mrs Shelton wore a bright yellow dress and a gold bangle on her wrist she wept and smiled and stared at me all the time I ate she said I were the best and bravest boy in the whole world.
    Mr Shelton had been in Seymour overnight but soon arrived in his wagon and rushed into the dining room in his muddy gumboots and oilskin coat. He tried to give me 1/2 a crown but I wouldnt hear of such a thing.
    Mr Shelton were tall and broad with long side whiskers and his thin straight mouth would of looked mean were his eyes not so bright and brimming.
    Is there nothing you wish for boy?
    Nothing.
    It were not true I would have liked a dress for my mother but I didnt know how much one would cost.
    Very well said he then let me shake your hand.
    I took his hand but confess that I were not nearly so noble as my speech suggested. I walked to school in my nice borrowed clothes and a pair of shining pinching boots I were so disappointed I were sick at heart. The following morning a buckboard drew up at the schoolhouse Mr Irving were always fearful of inspectors he got suddenly nervous as a quail.
    Wipe clean your slates he commanded while trying to make some order of his pigpen desk. He were fast with multiplication but very queer and jerky in this crisis and now it didnt help him that his head were big for he couldnt reckon where to hide his fret saw.
    To Caroline Doxcy he said Go to the window see if it is a gentleman with a case. Smartly smartly Caroline.
    He has a parcel.
    Yes but does he have a satchel?
    Oh Sir it is only Dicky Shelton’s father.
    Mr Irving were a king amongst children and didnt like visitors to his castle so he was out the door before the publican could enter. We could hear their voices clearly.
    Damn it Irving roared Mr Shelton I’ll do what I adjectival like.
    The door banged against the wall and Esau Shelton burst inside with the odour of stale hops and raisin wine they was his constant friends.
    Ah children cried he granting us a rare sight of his teeth.
    Mr Irving come following behind rubbing his big pale hands together and telling us unhappily that we must listen to Mr Shelton.
    Now look here little children said Mr Shelton and he placed his brown paper parcel amongst the litter on the teacher’s desk. My son Dick nearly drowned yesterday did you know that? No? My Dick would be in heaven now were it not for someone in this very room.
    The scholars now began to crane their necks and look enquiringly around and Annie seemed she might die folding her hands in her lap and staring ahead with glassy gaze. Jem were 7 yr. and so copied what his older sister done but my barrel chested Maggie never feared it were she who raised her hand.
    It were my big brother Ned.
    The blood rushed to my face.
    Correct said Mr Shelton v. solemn please come and stand up here Ned Kelly.
    I knew he were going to give me the brown paper parcel I had no doubt it contained the respectable clothes I always wanted. As I rose I caught the eye of Caroline Doxcy she smiled at me the 1st time ever. I put my shoulders back and walked up to Mr Irving’s platform.
    Mr Shelton bade me face the