Ralph Stock

Name: South of the Line — The Preposterous Partner
Author: Ralph Stock

South of the Line — The Preposterous Partner (1922)

Summary

“South of the Line — The Preposterous Partner”, published in 1922, is a work by Ralph Stock. It explores elements such as Creswell, Soames and Joyce.

Quotes from South of the Line — The Preposterous Partner (Ralph Stock)

Ralph Stock, South of the Line — The Preposterous Partner (1922)

“ No one knew, except Joyce Helliar, what manner of fever it was that consumed Bob Creswell, and she kept that knowledge to herself. It was doubtful if Nambye would understand. Few men suffer from overscrupulousness, and that was what ailed Creswell. Two years ago the flick of a coin had decided whether he or his partner Soames should go to the War. Soames had won, and Creswell had never forgotten it. Soames was to fight his country's enemies; Creswell was to fight nothing more romantic than the Queensland bush and a bank overdraft. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Ralph Stock, South of the Line — The Preposterous Partner (1922)

“ Joyce did not answer. What could she say? That he, Creswell, would have found time to write under any circumstances? That it was not his fault, but his misfortune that he was not "over there," too, and that he was paying for it doublefold? In short, that Creswell was worth three of Soames, anyhow? When is it possible for a woman to say what is in her mind? And so Joyce Helliar did not answer. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Ralph Stock, South of the Line — The Preposterous Partner (1922)

“ He had taken to talking to himself of late, though he had no notion of it. A man has little time for noticing anything besides his work when he battles with the Queensland bush.
"Not so bad," he added judicially, inspecting the churned-up earth and root ends that were all that the dynamite charge had left of a six-foot eucalyptus stump. "Not so bad."
With hardly a pause, he went on to the next, a stubborn bloodwood, and opened the attack with a crowbar. It was killing work, and it was killing Creswell, though he would have been the first to ridicule such a suggestion. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Ralph Stock, South of the Line — The Preposterous Partner (1922)

“ If a crazy "new chum" chose to work himself to death in the bush, whose business was it but his own? That was Nambye's attitude. Such a thing had happened before, and would no doubt happen again, until the over-zealous pioneer realized that the correct method of acquiring a pineapple plantation is to relieve his neighbours of their played-out acres at a fancy figure. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Ralph Stock, South of the Line — The Preposterous Partner (1922)

“ That was all he had to go upon, and he had gone upon it to such effect that five acres were already bearing, another five of virgin bush were cleared and ready for the plow, the overdraft was at least stationary, Joyce was as well as a perfectly healthy young woman can be, and he had reduced himself to the semblance of a scarecrow. A fool? Perhaps; but some men are built like that.
Joyce dismounted at the edge of the clearing, a cool white figure against the sweltering background of the bush, and coo-ee'd twice before Creswell looked up and came shambling toward her. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Ralph Stock, South of the Line — The Preposterous Partner (1922)

“ The young pines were coming on, weren't they? First crop in another three months, and then—down with the overdraft! She followed his gaunt, restless figure between the rows, and watched the pleasure lighting his eyes when she made an admiring comment. She found that—"Clem would like to see that" pleased him most.
He even demonstrated for her benefit, and with child-like pride, the workings of the latest addition to the corrugated-iron humpy [1] on the top of the hill a real live shower-bath, consisting of a riddled kerosene tin filled with water and hoisted by a rope and pulley. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Ralph Stock, South of the Line — The Preposterous Partner (1922)

“ He turned and looked into her tear-filled eyes, which caused him to look away again.
"More than half my fault," he jerked out. "Might have known that slope was a bit too steep. The other will be better—when it's cleared." ”

Ralph Stock

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Quotes from South of the Line — The Preposterous Partner (Ralph Stock)

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