by Stories from the Archive | Feb 3, 2023 | Short story
by Ada A Kidgell (1869-1949) Ada A Holman (née Kidgell), wife of the first “Labour” premier of New South Wales, published the following story in 1898, when she was only 19. Set more than ten years in the author’s future, the story not only predicts...
by Stories from the Archive | Dec 2, 2022 | Short story
Jessie Catherine Couvreur (1848-1897), writing as “Tasma”. Published in 1878 in The Australian Ladies’ Annual, “The Rubria Ghost” concerns a young wife, “chained” to an ancient husband, who meets a ghost by moonlight on the...
by Stories from the Archive | Nov 25, 2022 | Short story
by Elizabeth Charlotte Bingmann, aka E C Morrice (1851-1941) A “hoydenish” girl’s plans come awry when she tries to play matchmaker for her sister. Janet Arden laid down the “Sydney Mail” with a sigh. She had been looking at the illustrations of the...
by Stories from the Archive | Oct 28, 2022 | Short story
by Capel Boake (1899-1944) In this short story, a wealthy young man meets, on a steamship trip from South Africa to Melbourne, a not so well-heeled young woman and her mother, who is ambitious for a good marriage for her daughter. He came in early that night after a...
by Stories from the Archive | Oct 21, 2022 | Short story
by Miles Franklin A square post, warped and darkened by weather and time, stands amongst the bushes, beside a great white road, which drops from view behind a broad, sweep pf western horizon. A big iguana blinks his eyes in the noonday glare, as he basks on the grey...
by Stories from the Archive | Oct 14, 2022 | Short story
by Lesbia Keogh (1891-1927) The following short story, written by Lesbia Vennor Harford (née Keogh), was written when the author was only 11 years old. “Angel, darling, you must play outside this afternoon.” The child at the door of the homestead, with its great cool...