Pat Ritter. Books

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'Tilbaroo Station' - Page 4:

By late afternoon they arrived. Joe instantly chopped sufficient logs to frame a tent fasten with cord to secure each pole. Canvas covered these poles to create their first home. They both worked together until the sun set.
'That'll do us until tomorrow.' Joe said, 'I'll prepare a bath for you.'
Boiling water in a drum he poured the water into a tub after he placed the tub inside the tent.
‘Hannah. Your bath is ready.' Hannah enjoyed her time in the bath. When finished left the water for her husband to use. Hannah fondly remembered her husband making her a bath before retiring to bed to enjoy their first night as husband and wife.
After cleaning the camp-site Hannah said, 'what about you harness Joker. Show us around this wonderful property we now own.' Joe carried out her instructions. Soon both started off in the direction to the eastern boundary of the property. A beautiful day, clear sky with the sun almost at its zenith. A cool breeze softened the heat.
'I used to work here. Never imagined owning this place.' Joe explained to Hannah.
'Tell me of your experiences here Joe.'
'First time I met Joe Ryan. Funny when I think back on the time. Who would've thought our lives would finish like they have? Obviously, Joe found his life time ambitions whilst I couldn't be happier than to marry the girl of my dreams'. His look toward Hannah showed all his love he possessed in his heart and soul.
'A long time ago Joe.’ Hannah replied. ‘Show me where you shore the sheep. Do you remember?'
'Along here somewhere. Wasn't a shearing shed like your dad’s place, only yards with canvas on the ground. We shore in the open. Even slept in the open. Here, the remains of the yards.' Joe pointed to a set of broken bush built yards.
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'Tilbaroo Station' - Page 5:

'They'll need to be repaired.' His memory flashed to the time shearing sheep in midday heat. Fighting the heat, flies difficult to sleep at night. So long ago, he pondered. Thinking of this time when he first got involved with Joe Ryan. What a fool. Hold on a minute, if he hadn't met Joe than he wouldn't have met Hannah married her. Blessing in disguise, Joe thought.
'We've got plenty of time to fix this place. With me working plus you employed by father, I'm certain we'll do everything. We've got the rest of our lives.' Hannah shared.
Joe looked into the distant mulga trees. Thick Mitchell grass growing knee high. Pastures rolled in Mitchell grass since the property had been destocked.
'We'll take a look over on that hill.' Joe pointed to the eastern boundary.
'How big is this place Joe?' Hannah asked.
'Probably about the size of your father's place, thirty thousand acres. I’ll ask him.' Joe appeared pleased with the type of country he discovered so far, more than sufficient stock feed to graze sheep. More than sufficient timber to build his home plus shearing shed.
They continued making their own track toward a rise to the eastern side of the property.
'What's over here? Looks like a bore. Water is gold in this region. If we have a bore, we’ll have a constant supply of water.' Joe continued toward a pipe with water flowing from the end into a large pool.
After stepping down from the sulky, he walked to the other side to help Hannah down. A large pool of water flooded the ground, a pipe positioned in the centre of the pool discharged water filling the pool to overflowing. Joe couldn't believe his luck.
'Hannah. Do you realise what this means? This is pure gold.' His excitement took Hannah by surprise.
'Why?' She looked at her husband as if he'd gone stark raving mad. She didn't understand his excitement.
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'Tilbaroo Station' - Page 6:

'Water is gold in this country. We can make drains to most paddocks to water stock. Never be short of water. I wonder why the previous owner didn't use the water?' His mind returned to the morning he confronted Mr Clarke about moving from the property. Also, the following morning to find the homestead completely destroyed by fire. Mr Clarke dead. 'Why did he kill himself?' He muttered to himself.
'Joe. What did you say?' Hannah asked thinking the sun might have affected his mind.
'With water here on the property, I can't understand why Mr Clarke, didn't use the water. He told me the day I spoke with him his father left the property to him. He didn't want to be a grazier. He'd sold his sheep to a neighbour.’ Joe's concern about Mr Clarke made Hannah think Joe began to explore into something he shouldn't have.
'Shouldn't you let bygones be bygones. The past is the past Joe. You can do better than Mr Clarke ever did.'
'Anyway, won't hurt to find out what happened in the past. Gives me a bit of history of the place. My memory of working here only shows how hard to work under harsh conditions. A question I want to ask you Hannah.' Joe said.
'What do you want, my husband?' Her face questioned. 'I'm all ears.'
'Instead of building the homestead in place of the old one. What about I build here near this bore. Plenty of water, timber to cut, only problem, a few miles from the road. What do you think?'
‘No problem. I quite like this area. Look at those hills in the back ground. I can picture us seated on the front veranda swing; looking at those rolling hills. Right by me Joe. I didn't want to live where that fellow died anyhow.'
'Right you are then. I'll build our homestead right here.' He marked a cross with his boot on the ground for the position of his new home.
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'Tilbaroo Station' - Page 7:

'We're in no hurry. Are we?' Joe asked Hannah.
'No. Why? We're on our honeymoon. Times our own.'
'Did you bring anything to eat?'
Hannah walked to the sulky to remove a basket containing food she packed for their short trip. 'I thought you'd like a cuppa on the way. I packed lunch. What about building a fire to boil the billy. I'll set out lunch.' Hannah hurried to a nearby patch of grass under a huge gum tree, spread a table cloth on the grass before setting out the food.
Joe quickly built a fire put the billy on to boil. Once the billy boiled, Joe made tea, filled their pannikins sat cross legged beside the table cloth. Hannah prepared a sandwich handed the sandwich to him. Their eyes met, words, 'this is heaven' flowed from their mouths at the same time, both giggled. Their love happiness better than they'd ever been, at this moment, of their newly married life.
After lunch Joe helped Hannah clear the area. Both lay against the trunk of the gum tree.
'Hannah. Thank you for being my wife. I'm the happiest man in the world.' Holding her hand, he leaned across kissed Hannah softly on the lips.
Hannah couldn't reply. Her throat thick with emotion. Tears filled her eyes. She smiled, leaned back against the tree, closed her eyes. Soon fell into dream land. Joe seated beside Hannah leaned his head against the tree trunk, also falling asleep.
A cool breeze woke Joe. He looked at the sun. To his estimations would be around early afternoon. Hannah slept peacefully. He didn't want to wake her from her slumber. She moved, her eyes opened. 'What’s the time?' She asked in a groggy tone.
'I'd estimate about four o'clock. We must've been tied because we slept through the afternoon.'
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'Tilbaroo Station' - Page 8:

'Joe, I don't care. This is delightful, relaxing. Please build my home near this tree.' She smiled leaned across kissed Joe on the cheek.
'Your wish is my command.' He answered.
By the time they returned to their camp the sun set in the western sky. Joe stoked the fire to cook their dinner in a camp oven. Before they left after their wedding Hannah salted sufficient meat to last a week. She packed potatoes, pumpkin, a variety of beans she grew in her garden.
Although this became a strange way to enjoy their honeymoon, Hannah didn't care so long as they were together to enjoy what they did. Joe’s mind filled with ideas, thoughts gathered, to what he needed to do.
'No hurry to fix everything immediately.' Hannah told him reading his thoughts whilst she stirred the vegetables in the camp oven. 'We've got all the time in the world. I want us to spend our honeymoon here to ‘understand one another' without interference from anyone. I do expect Mother, Ma and Pa to visit us before we leave, or we should visit them on our way home to Cunnamulla.' She threw a handful of tea leaves into the boiling water in the billy.
'I'm still getting used to believing you are my wife. I can't believe how everything has come together. Who would've thought we'd marry after what we've been through together.'
'I can't believe myself. Must've been meant to happen. I honestly think I first fell in love with you when I spoke to you through the cell door the morning I visited you at the police station.'
'Yes, thinking back, although I'd never seen you, your voice kept in my mind all through my imprisonment at St Helena Island Prison. Your voice saved me many times. To think we both fell in love at the same time and place. Hannah, this was meant to happen.'
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'Tilbaroo Station' - Page 9:

Chapter 2

After a week of honeymoon bliss Joe and Hannah left their paradise.
'We better call in to visit Ma and your folks.' Joe said.
'I'd like to celebrate New Year with them. We've had a wonderful time here alone. Now time to celebrate the rest of our lives.' Hannah swung her arms around Joe’s neck kissed him sweetly on the lips.
‘If you keep this up we’ll never leave.’ Joe whispered in Hannah’s ear after breaking the kiss.
‘That’s fine by me.’ Hannah loved her husband.
After dismantling their makeshift home, packing, harnessing Joker, Joe helped Hannah upon the seat on the sulky. Climbing beside her, he took the reins to guide Joker toward the front gate. His mind overflowing with ideas of what he needed to do before their next visit.
Arriving at ‘Kahmoo Station’ Nat stood on the front veranda. 'Hi honeymooners. Put the kettle on.' He called to Martha. 'The honeymooners are here.'
Joe pulled up at the front gate helped Hannah down from the sulky.
'We've come to celebrate New Year. Bring on a great 1897.' Joe joked with Nat. 'I'll let Joker loose in the paddock.'
'I'll help. You're both welcome to stay as long as you want.' Nat walked from the veranda met Hannah on the walkway gave her a cuddle. ‘How is married life treating you?' His words nervous never thinking his daughter would ever marry.
'Wonderful Pa. Thank you so much for gifting us ‘Tilbaroo Station’. The place is paradise. We've had a wonderful week relaxing.' She kissed her father on the cheek walked to the steps on the veranda to greet her mother and Ma.
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'Tilbaroo Station' - Page 10:

Nat joined Joe when he released the bridle from Joker's head. Gave him a light tap with the reins on his rump causing him to gallop away before dropping his head to the sweet grass.
'How's married life treating you?' Nat asked.
'Nat. I'm so happy to be married to Hannah. A true gift from heaven.'
'She's a gift from me. If you believe she come from heaven. I must be God.' His face spread into a smile.
'Shall I call you God from now on.' Joe smirked.
'No. Nat will be fine. Any rain while you were on your property?'
'Not a drop. Getting hot for this time of the year. I'll tell you one thing, we found a bore on ‘Tilbaroo Station’.
‘The only time I stepped foot on the place when we found Mr Clarke burnt in the fire.'
‘You never met him before?'
'No. I've lived here all my life but mainly kept to 'Kahmoo Station'. Didn't venture too far only when dad and I looked at properties to purchase.'
‘Can I use a horse from here to ride back from town? I want to leave Joker with Hannah.' Joe explained.
'No trouble. Be my quest. Take mine. He's reliable. Wouldn't hurt him to have a bit of exercise. My old bones can't take much riding these days. I remember when we rode to ‘Tilbaroo Station’ for the fire, I couldn't walk for a couple of days afterward. Take a few weeks break. You deserve time to recover from your honeymoon. Be back final week of January.'
The two men returned to the homestead to be greeted by Martha and Ma.
'Hannah told us about your honeymoon. Found a bore.' Martha blurted out in an excited voice.
'I mentioned the bore to Nat. I don't think many bores are in the area.' Joe explained.
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