Bowyang's Philosophy: He Meditates on Money

Publication: Melbourne Herald
Date: 06 November 1926

otel expensive
Melbun,
November 5th.

to the editer of the herald
deer sir, —
i bin avin a bit of a off day
today jist lookin round an in-
joyin the feelin of avin neerly 50
quid of bookmakers munney in
me pocket
bil smith sez i ad awt to bank
it and be safe but i rekin i might
jist as well not ave ut at all as
ave it in a bank
i like to keep that munney
where i can ave a feel of it now
an agen an every time i tuch it
its jist like winnin it awl over
agen
so i jist been lookin round an
there aint no dout that a reel
swank otel like this is the rite
place to see life an there aint
no dout that the more you see of
life the more it maiks a man
think
you wud ardly beleev it but
there is a man stoppin at this
place oo won 5 underd pound at
the racis yesterdee an to ear im
goin on yude think e ad just
berried is favrit dawg an was
ixpectin a visit frum is muther
in lor
e was groustin an grumlin
awl over the place
wot was the matter with im
was that a orse that wud ave
wun im 10 thousand was jist beet
on the post
so e was cursin is luck up ill
an down dail an the 5 underd e

ad wun dident meen no more to
im than a perl neklis to a pig
yude think to ear im tork that
fate ad been reel crool to im
an ere was me oo ad onley
wun 42 quid an feelin i was
king of the erth an the appiest
man in melbun

* * * *

it jist goes to sho you
wot gives wun man reel appi-
ness dont meen nuthin to
another an thats where awl
them cominists an bolshvicks
gits it in the neck
i tell you it maid me think
an the more i thot the more i
see where most of us was barkin
up the rong tree
i remembered the time when i
was a bit of a boy an thripence
wud ave maid me as appy as
larry
it awl depends on wot a man
needs an wot e wants
an the moril is dont need to
mutch an you will get more
than you want an everythink in
the gardin will be luvley
i got thinkin like that so deep
that i rekins ide jist try a bit of
a ixperiment
so i goes out into the street
until i finds a small bit of a boy
with dirty face an ragid close
wot looks orful unhappy an down
on is luck an e is lookin into a pi
ship winder
so i arsts im wud e like a pi
an e sez e wud

an i arsts im wud e like sum
ice creem an choklit an e sez too
tru
so i arsts im wud e like to go
to the pitchers an then e thinks
ime kiddin im an e sez ave a art
mista
but i give im five bob to go an
ave a good time on an if you ad
seen that boys face you wud no
wot blokes must look like wot
gits into even sudden an un-
expextid
an no mater ow i spen the
rest of me winnins ile never git
me munneys wurth like i got
out of that 5 bob
so there you are
five underd quid an gloom
misry an a sore ed
fifty quid an a nice warm
feelin in me pickit an me art
five bob an the ole wurld
changed into pardyse
maiks you think dont it

* * * *

then yesterdee wich was okes
day i was watchin them swank
ladys wot is stoppin at this otel.
they was awl going to the racis
an thay was watchin the
wether an wunderin if they wud
ware ther pritty crape de chin
dresses or ther furs.
an when the storm cum up
the looks of opeless misry on
awl them pretty faces wud maik
a cat laff.

ther arts was as evy as led an
the ole wurld dident ave no joy
in it for them rich dames becos
they cudent go to the okes in
ther pritty close.
an i got to thinkin about my
missus up ome wot about that
time wud be sloppin abowt the
cow yard in er ole print dress an
a bag apron.
an awl she wud need to maik
er reel content wud be for the
fouls to lay 5 or 6 more aigs.
an wen i taik er ome the bit of
neck fur she as been wantin awl
er life an the noo at ime goin to
by out of my winnins she is goin
to be queen o gunns gully an
she is goin to ave a lot more reel
appiness than any swank dame
ever got out of anny okes.
so there you are agen
i ope you will excuse me ritin
down me privit thots so familier
like this but as i say there ant
mutch doin today an i been doin
a lot of speshul thinkin
me an bil is goin to the racis
tomorrer an ome sundee win or
lose
i aint doin anny evy bettin
meself but i opes bil wins a pot
becos when e aint pickin em
pritty frequent e is a orful ard
man to live with
hoppin you are the saim
yures truly
BEN BOWYANG