"Old Mary"

George Lewis Becke (or Louis Becke; 18 June 1855 - 18 February 1913) was an Australian short-story writer and novelist.Becke was born at Port Macquarie, New South Wales, son of Frederick Becke, Clerk of Petty Sessions and his wife Caroline Matilda, née Beilby. Both parents were born in England. Becke was the youngest of six children and had a tendency to wander; he has stated that before he was 10 he had twice run away from home. The family moved to Hunters Hill, Sydney in 1867 and Becke was educated at Fort Street High School.-Wikipedia