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           Thiswastrue;themainbusinesswasessentiallytosurvivebetweenonegoodyearandthenext,wheneveritmightbe.Noonecouldpredicttherain.TherewasamaninBrisbanecalledInigoJoneswhowasn’tbadatlong-rangeweatherpredictions,usinganovelconceptofsunspotactivity,butoutontheblack-soilplainsnooneputmuchcredenceinwhathehadtosay.LetSydneyandMelbournebridespetitionhimforforecasts;theblack-soilplainsmenwouldstickwiththatoldsensationintheirbones.

           Inthewinterof1932thedrystormscameback,alongwithbittercold,butthelushgrasskeptdusttoaminimumandthefliesweren’tasnumerousasusual.Noconsolationtothefreshlyshornsheep,whichshiveredmiserably.Mrs.DominicO’Rourke,wholivedinawoodenhouseofnoparticulardistinction,adoredtoentertainvisitorsfromSydney;oneofthehighlightsofhertourprogramwaspayingacallatDroghedahomestead,toshowhervisitorsthatevenoutontheblack-soilplainssomepeoplelivedgraciously.Andthesubjectwouldalwaysturntothoseskinny,drowned-rat-lookingsheep,lefttofacethewinterminusthefive-andsix-inch-longfleecestheywouldhavegrownbythetimesummerheatarrived.But,asPaddysaidgravelytoonesuchvisitor,itmadeforbetterwool.Thewoolwasthething,notthesheep.NotlongafterhemadethatstatementaletterappearedintheSydneyMorningHerald,demandingpromptparliamentarylegislationtoendwhatitcalled"graziercruelty."PoorMrs.O’Rourkewashorrified,butPaddylaugheduntilhissidesached.