Поющие в терновнике

           He’salwaysgoingtobeclosertoJustine.WhyisitthateverytimeIthinkI’vegotmylifeundercontrol,somethinghappens?Ididn’taskforthiswarorthisdrought,butI’vegotthem.

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           PerhapsitwasaswellDroghedawashavingsuchahardtimeofit.Ifthingshadbeeneasier,JackandHughiewouldhavebeenofftoenlistinasecond.Asitwas,theyhadnochoicebuttobuckledownandsalvagewhattheycouldoutofthedroughtwhichwouldcometobecalledtheGreatDrought.Overamillionsquaremilesofcrop-andstock-bearinglandwasaffected,fromsouthernVictoriatothewaist-highMitchellgrasslandsoftheNorthernTerritory.

           Butthewarrivaledthedroughtforattention.WiththetwinsinNorthAfrica,thehomesteadpeoplefollowedthatcampaignwithpainfuleagernessasitpushedandpulledbackandforthacrossLibya.Theirheritagewasworkingclass,sotheywereardentLaborsupportersandloathedthepresentgovernment,Liberalbynamebutconservativebynature.WheninAugustof1941RobertGordonMenziessteppeddown,admittinghecouldn’tgovern,theywerejubilant,andwhenonOctober3rdtheLaborleaderJohnCurtinwasaskedtoformagovernment,itwasthebestnewsDroghedahadheardinyears.

           Allthrough1940and1941uneaseaboutJapanhadbeengrowing,especiallyafterRooseveltandChurchillcutoffherpetroleumsupplies.