Pat Ritter. Books

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'Tilbaroo Station' - Page 6:

'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.
'We're in no hurry. Are we?' Joe asked Hannah.

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'Tilbaroo Station' - Page 7:

'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 tired because we slept through the afternoon.'
'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.

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'Tilbaroo Station' - Page 8:

'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.
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.

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'Tilbaroo Station' - Page 10:

'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 guest. 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.
'Probably the only one apart from the one we have here. Have no idea when the bore went down. Been giving us a free flow of water for years. We'll need to put bores on each property because to my reckoning we're in for a long hot dry summer with no rain, poor winter.' Nat sat down at the table to a mug of tea with scones on a plate in front of him.

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'Tilbaroo Station' - Page 11:

'Take a seat Joe. A cup of tea with freshly cooked scones will be on the table soon.' Ma told him. Joe followed her directions sat across from Nat who quickly chewed into the scones, slurped on his tea.
‘Anyone drill for water around here?' Joe asked in between eating scones drinking his tea.
'Why don’t you ask around when you're in Cunnamulla? Might be someone. Ask Alex at the pub. We're having a New Year Eve's party here tonight to celebrate 1897.' Nat replied.
'New Year Eve party?' Joe mumbled with a mouth half filled with scone.
'We've invited all the managers, wives, ringers from the properties to bid farewell to 1896. Welcome in 1897. Having the celebration in the shearing shed.' Nat explained.
'Can't wait. Been a long time since I kicked up my heels. We've had a wonderful 1896, got married. Now own a property thanks to you and Martha.' Joe said.
‘We’ve been cooking all week. Can't wait till everyone arrives. In the meantime, Hannah can help with setting the tables whilst you men gather fire wood for a bonfire.' Martha commanded.
'And here I thought I wouldn't need to do anything.' Nat grumbled.
'I'll give you a hand.' Joe rose from his chair. 'Come on Nat or God. Help me.' Both men ed left the kitchen walked to the shearing shed side by side.
Fire roared outside the shearing shed, people arrived with food enough to feed an army, smiling, chatting warm welcomes from everyone. Four men sat on stools, one with an instrument never seen before, another with two spoons in his hand, another using tins drumming with a stick, the other calling everyone to order to dance.

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'Tilbaroo Station' - Page 12:

'Isn't this the best thing which has happened to us except getting married?' Hannah placed her arms around her husband's neck smiled looked deep into Joe’s eyes.
'Hannah, who would've thought this was possible, seeing everyone; us two dancing.' Joe whispered in her ear over the sound of the music which everyone enjoyed especially the playing of the spoons. They danced into the night. Ate supper waiting for magical midnight to arrive.
Suddenly the music stopped. The caller shouted. 'We have ten seconds to midnight everyone. Join your partners on the floor. Help me countdown to midnight.’ Everyone joined hands whilst the announcer shouted in his loudest voice, 'Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one. Happy New Year!' Everyone shouted almost lifting the roof from the shearing shed.
After the crowd quietened, Hannah stared into Joe's eyes started to sing in a golden voice:
'Should Old Acquaintance be forgot,
And never thought upon;
The flames of Love extinguished
And fully past and gone:
Is thy sweet Heart now grown so cold;
That loving Breast of thine;
That thou canst never once reflect
On Old long syne.
Everyone sing the chorus, she shouted:
On old long syne my Jo,
On Old long syne,
That thou canst never once reflect,
On Old long syne.
After celebrating the end 1896 welcoming in 1897 everyone said their farewells.