AustLit

Courtship/domestic. A newly engaged young lady's amateur attempts learning cookery from the Irish cook. Humour. (PB)

Romantic tragedy of a French couple in Victoria in the early 1850s, narrated by the kindly Irish housekeeper who sheltered the wife while the husband was at the diggings. Obviously of good family they had run away to Victoria but unlucky on the diggings, the husband took a job stone-breaking, caught consumption and died - his wife soon following. Their child returned to France with his noble grandfather. Warm, humorous Irish wit a good foil to tragedy. References to the cruelty of the early convict days. (PB)

An English literary cousin visits her Australian relatives. The eldest son's expectations of an ugly dishevelled frump are played upon in a practical joke - but love grows after. Includes brief description of her climb of the literary ladder in London. Pleasant. Slight. (PB)

English society tale of gambling, horse races and unprincipled conduct. An army contractor's rich son inveigles a poor but honest crony into a bet to obtain his family home ... The bet is only saved by suicide of a family friend. (PB)

A naval lieutenant returns his admiral an equal lesson in uniform etiquette. Slight. (PB)

A dying criminal in CArlton, Melbourne, contacts a judge to inform him that he has a son - a criminal. The youth's half-brother frames him for a burglary at the judge's house but the dead criminal's faithful woman and the judge's resignation clear the son and he and his father leave for England. (PB)

Domestic. Mr Wilson's attempt to keep bees ends in disaster - and the maid is stung as well as himself. Humour. In the Spoopendyke vein - Mr Wilson blames Mrs Wilson for all; maid is lampooned etc. (PB)

London tale of a child's appeal to the president of a life insurance company to save her dying father's life with some money before his death. And the old gentleman's kindly response. Sentimental; slight. (PB)

Domestic. Mrs Jones' birthday present to her husband is rudely rejected. Rough humour. (PB)