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           FatherRalphfilledthebreachbyplunderingtheGillanbonelibrary,hisownandtheconvent’sshelves,andfoundtohisastonishmentthatbeforehewasdonehehadorganizedawholeBushcirculatinglibraryviaBlueyWilliamsandthemailtruck.Itwasperpetuallyloadedwithbooks—worn,thumbedvolumeswhichtraveleddownthetracksbetweenDroghedaandBugela,Dibban-DibbanandBraichyPwll,CunnamuttaandEach-Uisge,seizedupongratefullybymindsstarvedforsustenanceandescape.Treasuredstorieswerealwaysreturnedwithgreatreluctance,butFatherRalphandthenunskeptacarefulrecordofwhatbooksstayedlongestwhere,thenFatherRalphwouldordercopiesthroughtheGillynewsagencyandblandlychargethemtoMaryCarsonasdonationstotheHolyCrossBushBibliophilicSociety.

           Thosewerethedayswhenabookwasluckytocontainachastekiss,whenthesenseswerenevertitillatedbyeroticpassages,sothatthedemarcationlinebetweenbooksmeantforadultsandthosemeantforolderchildrenwaslessstrictlydrawn,andtherewasnodisgraceforamanofPaddy’sagetolovebestthebookshischildrenalsoadored:DotandtheKangaroo,theBillabongseriesaboutJimandNorahandWally,Mrs.AeneasGunn’simmortalWeoftheNever-Never.InthekitchenatnighttheywouldtaketurnstoreadthepoemsofBanjoPatersonandC.J.Dennisoutloud,thrillingtotherideof"TheManfromSnowyRiver,"orlaughingwith"TheSentimentalBloke"andhisDoreen,orwipingawaysurreptitioustearsshedforJohnO’Hara’s"LaughingMary."