The original of The Sentimental Bloke, which, by the way, is now in its fourth edition, was a young Australian, a plumber who plumbed at the Chow-joints in Little Bourke. Dennis knew him six years ago, and is ready to take his Great Australian Blanky that the bloke was sentimental. The plumber "took up horse-training as a hobby." His biographer acknowledges that his slang is correctly reported, with, of course, some additions from other sources since Dennis lost him. Yes, the sad truth is that Dennis has lost his sentimental bloke. Possibly, like his cobber, Ginger Mick, he may have gone to the war. If not, he ought to be preserved in the Mitchell Library.

The Bulletin, 30 December 1915, red page