Henry Lawson

Name: How Steelman told his Story
Author: Henry Lawson

How Steelman told his Story (1900)

Summary

“How Steelman told his Story”, published in 1900, is a work by Henry Lawson. It explores elements such as mug, Smith and brains.

Quotes from How Steelman told his Story (Henry Lawson)

Henry Lawson, How Steelman told his Story (1900)

“ Smith rubbed his head.
“I’d sooner talk to you—or a stump—any day than to one of those silent, suspicious, self-contained, worldly-wise chaps that listen to everything you say—sense and rubbish alike—as if you were trying to get them to take shares in a mine. I drop the man who listens to me all the time and doesn’t seem to get bored. He isn’t safe. He isn’t to be trusted. He mostly wants to grind his axe against yours, and there’s too little profit for me where there are two axes to grind, and no stone—though I’d manage it once, anyhow.” ”

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Source: Wikisource

Henry Lawson, How Steelman told his Story (1900)

“ If you’re bad all the time she can’t stand it for ever, and if you’re good all the time she’ll naturally treat you with contempt. Never explain what you’re going to do, and don’t explain afterwards, if you can help it. If you find yourself between two stools, strike hard for your own self, Smith—strike hard, and you’ll be respected more than if you fought for all the world. Generosity isn’t understood nowadays, and what the people don’t understand is either ‘mad’ or ‘cronk’. Failure has no case, and you can’t build one for it. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Henry Lawson, How Steelman told his Story (1900)

“ IT was Steelman’s humour, in some of his moods, to take Smith into his confidence, as some old bushmen do their dogs. “You’re nearly as good as an intelligent sheep-dog to talk to, Smith— when a man gets tired of thinking to himself and wants a relief. You’re a bit of a mug and a good deal of an idiot, and the chances are that you don’t know what I’m driving at half the time— that’s the main reason why I don’t mind talking to you. You ought to consider yourself honoured; it ain’t every man I take into my confidence, even that far.” ”

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Source: Wikisource

Henry Lawson, How Steelman told his Story (1900)

“ You’ll get neither gratitude nor civility in the end, and be lucky if you escape with a character. (You’ve got no character, Smith; I’m only just supposing you have.) There’s no hatred too bitter for, and nothing too bad to be said of, the mug who turns. The worst yarns about a man are generally started by his own tribe, and the world believes them at once on that very account. Well, the first thing to do in life is to escape from your friends. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Henry Lawson, How Steelman told his Story (1900)

“ The honest softy is more often mistaken for a swindler, and accused of being one, than the out-and-out scamp; and the man that tells the truth too much is set down as an irreclaimable liar. But most of the time crow low and roost high, for it’s a funny world, and you never know what might happen. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Henry Lawson, How Steelman told his Story (1900)

“ If you ever go to work—and miracles have happened before— no matter what your wages are, or how you are treated, you can take it for granted that you’re sweated; act on that to the best of your ability, or you’ll never rise in the world. If you go to see a show on the nod you’ll be found a comfortable seat in a good place; but if you pay the chances are the ticket clerk will tell you a lie, and you’ll have to hustle for standing room. The man that doesn’t ante gets the best of this world; anything he’ll stand is good enough for the man that pays. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Henry Lawson, How Steelman told his Story (1900)

“ If you ever happen to get born again —and it wouldn’t do you much harm—get born with the strength of a bullock and the hide of one as well, and a swelled head, and no brains— at least no more brains than you’ve got now. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Henry Lawson, How Steelman told his Story (1900)

“ If you try to be too sharp you’ll get into gaol sooner or later; if you try to be too honest the chances are that the bailiff will get into your house—if you have one—and make a holy show of you before the neighbours. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Henry Lawson, How Steelman told his Story (1900)

“ This work is also in the public domain in the United States because it was first published outside the United States (and not published in the U.S. within 30 days) , and it was first published before 1989 without complying with U.S. copyright formalities (renewal and/or copyright notice) and it was in the public domain in Australia on the URAA date (January 1, 1996) . This is the combined effect of Australia having joined the Berne Convention in 1928, and of 17 USC 104A with its critical date of January 1, 1996. ”

Henry Lawson

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