Pat Ritter. Books

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'Tilbaroo Station' - Page 13:

'This has been the best New Year’s Eve I’ve ever had.' Hannah whispered in Joe's ear. 'Best time ever. To think we only married a week ago.' She kissed her husband.
After breakfast, they bid farewell to Martha, Nat and Ma, left to return to Cunnamulla. Hannah leaned on Joe's shoulder whilst he drove. Nat’s horse secured by reins tied to the rear of the sulky.
'How long has Pa given you before you return?' Hannah asked.
'Until the end of the month, he told me. Nothings to be done until I find out more about cost of getting bores on the different properties. I suppose with the bore on ‘Tilbaroo Station’ I’ll fix fences so Nat put his sheep on the place. Plenty of grass. With no rain forecast, winter in a couple of months. Makes sense. What do you think?' He asked his wife whose eyes closed, slight noise of snoring escaped her nostrils. 'Ah, don't worry. I'll work something out.' Joe muttered to himself.
Arriving in Cunnamulla Joe pulled the sulky up at the rear of the house. Hannah's eyes opened.
'Are we home Joe?'
'Yes, wait here. I'll help you down.' Joe walked to the other side of the sulky to help Hannah down. 'I'll put the horses in the stables, feed them. Won't be long.' Hannah nodded walked to the rear door of the house. She disappeared inside.
Joe finished his tasks, carried their belongings into the home instantly smelling the odour of freshly cooked chops and gravy. He walked to his wife, wrapped his arms around her waist kissed her on the lips.
'Go. Wash up. I'll have lunch ready in a jiffy.' Joe hurried off to wash.
After lunch he told Hannah he'll visit Alex at the hotel to find out if anyone drilled bores in the area. She had much to do. She didn't want her husband getting under her feet.

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'Tilbaroo Station' - Page 14:

'Thought you'd still be on your honeymoon,' Alex called when Joe entered the bar. He quickly poured a tumbler of beer placed in front of him. 'This one, on the house. Welcome home.' A smile spread across his face.
Joe drank the amber coloured fluid, wiped his lips with the back of his hand. 'Thanks Alex. Great to be back.'
'You still on your honeymoon?' Alex asked.
'We spent a week at ‘Tilbaroo Station’. Had a good look about discovered a bore. You wouldn't have any idea who drills bores. Do you?' His question directed to Alex or anyone within hearing.
'Ole Billy Campbell. He's the only person around here who does that type of work.'
'Where can I find him?' Joe asked finishing his drink.
'Normally comes in around five. I'll tell him you're looking for him.'
Joe finished his drink, farewelled Alex returned home where he found Hannah seated at the kitchen table enjoying a cuppa.
'Do you want one?' She asked when he walked into the kitchen.
'Don't mind if I do.' Joe poured himself a cup of tea from the teapot sat beside his wife. 'Alex told me ole Billy Campbell drills bores. He'll tell him I want to speak with him.'
'Joe, can we sit on our swing on the front veranda after our dinner tonight.'
'Yes, of course. We're still on our honeymoon.' He smiled drank his tea.
After finishing their dinner, washed the dishes, they sat on the swing on the front veranda. Night clear sky, stars shining brightly.
'Joe, I want you to build our home on ‘Tilbaroo Station’ exactly how you built this one.'
'Exactly! This one is small compared to what I had in mind.'

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'Tilbaroo Station' - Page 15:

'This one would do fine. A shame we can't lift our home from here replace the same house on the property.' Hannah curled up to Joe who wrapped his arm around her shoulders.
'Before I do anything, I'll need to ask Jack when he has time to build our home.'
'Can't you build the house?' Hannah questioned. 'You did a good job with Pa’s shearing sheds.'
'This is our home for life Hannah. I'll help Jack as I did this one, but honestly I think he should build our dream home.' Fancy Hannah wanting me to build our home. Jack will build our home. I'm certain.
'Okay ask Jack.'
'What about the costs?' Joe asked.
'I've saved enough money to pay Jack. Timber is free, only costs will be Jack. You work for free. Time for bed.' Hannah took his hand. They retired for the night.
Over the next couple of days Joe met with ole Billy Campbell at the hotel. After shaking hands Joe said. 'I own ‘Tilbaroo Station’. Found a bore near the back boundary.’
‘Ah. Let me think. Would've been about ten years ago using ‘Canadian Bill’.' His thoughts swung back to the time. 'Russell Clarke owned the place then. He burned to death in a fire last year. If my memory serves me correct.' Ole Billy Campbell wasn't ole as in age, everyone thought him by ole because his family had been in the area since Cunnamulla began.
‘Canadian Bill’. Who’s he?’ Joe queried.
‘A steam powered drilling machine I use ‘Canadian Bill’ to bore for water. Can go down a thousand feet.’
'I didn’t realise. Have you met Russell Clarke?' Joe asked in an inquisitive voice.
'Bloody oath mate. He was the best water diviner in the whole country. I remember.' Billy placed his hand to his forehead as if forcing a memory to the front of his mind. 'Yeah, he was good at his job. His ole man didn't think so, always put him down, thought he was a nutter. Russell had a gift for finding water. He held in his hands a branch like fork started walking around paddocks. Suddenly his hands began to pull toward the ground. He'd stop. Ask your father-in-law. Russell found water on his place years ago.' Billy broke from his trance.

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'Tilbaroo Station' - Page 16:

‘I asked Nat. He couldn’t remember.’ Joe intercepted. 'What happened after his father died left him the property?' Joe asked.
'Russell wasn't like his ole man. Wasn't a cockie. He hated the land, only wanted to be a water diviner. Used to drink a lot. In the end, I suppose he had enough. Done himself in.' Billy returned to drinking his beer.
'I found him after the homestead burnt down.'
'You weren't the mongrel who told him to leave?' Billy said angrily.
'Yes. I spoke with him the day before. He told me he'd leave the next morning. I suppose he changed his mind. I worked shearing sheep on the property about five years ago. The conditions wages shocking.'
'I called in the night before the fire. He'd been drinking. Told me some prick came by to tell him to leave.' Billy started to move away when Joe placed his hand on his forearm.
'Hold on mate. I'm sorry about your friend. Honestly he squatted. Nat Young owned the place. I'm his Overseer. He told me to tell him he wanted him off the place. I was only doing my job.' Joe explained released his grip on Billy's forearm.
'That's a different story to what Russell told me. Knowing him as I did his drinking took up most of his life. What can I do for you?' Billy started to relax with Joe.
'Nat Young wants bores on each of his properties. Nine properties to be exact. Can you do the job?'
'Only trouble is to find water. I'll tell you what I'll do. On the grapevine, word is a Great Artesian Water Basin under the ground. Some tell me you only need to drill under the ground anywhere in this area water spurts out like a fountain. I can try. A water diviner would be a great advantage.'
'Apart from the person you spoke about. I haven't a clue who divines water. If what you say is correct we may not need a diviner. What equipment do you have?' Joe asked pleased to be working with Billy rather than fight against him.
'Don't worry, I've got all the drilling equipment we need. You show me the area. When do I start?' Billy smiled drank the rest of his beer.
'By the end of the month. Our first property is 'Kahmoo Station' about ten miles west of Cunnamulla on the Eulo Road. Already a bore near the homestead. We need another in the paddock.'
'I'll be at ‘Kahmoo Station’ by the end of the month.'
'Good, I'll tell Nat to expect you.' They said their farewells.

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'Tilbaroo Station' - Page 17:

Chapter 3

One evening before returning to 'Kahmoo Station' to start work, Joe and Hannah sat on their swing on the front veranda in the early evening. His thoughts gave him a bright idea to design a delver by using tough weathered branches of a gidgee tree coupled to harnessed horses to delve a drain to water the stock across paddocks. Each drain began at the bore head finished when the drain stopped. This delver, a steel tongue fastened to a forked branch of a gidgee tree. Toughest timber in the outback. In his mind's eye the delver appeared in shape. Delighted with his idea, enthusiasm overflowed took Hannah by surprise.
'What’re you thinking?' Each read the other's mind.
Joe turned to Hannah with a smile wide across his face.
'Hannah, I've thought of a brilliant idea to water the stock. In the morning, I'll go to the blacksmith, have him build me a delver tongue. I imagine the delver in my mind.' He pointed to his temple.
'Is that all.' Hannah expressed. 'Come on, getting late. We'd better go to bed before your brain explodes.'
‘Only problem is. Where to find a water diviner.'
'Young Ryan Carlson, in my class at school, walks around the paddock with a fork stick in his hands. Kids at school think he's a little strange until he showed them how to find water. Now he's the most popular in class.'
'How old is this kid?' Joe asked.
'About ten. I think he turns eleven shortly because we're having a birthday party for him at school. His father is chief engineer hired to build the rail line from Charleville to Cunnamulla. Joe, we'll have the train at our doorstep. Won't that be great!' Hannah's enthusiasm showed on her face.
Joe thought about this information, a ten-year-old having the power to divine water almost swept the idea from his mind, 'Can I meet this young lad?'
'I suppose so. I'd imagine he'll be at school tomorrow. I’ll ask.'
'I'd love to meet him, speak with his father. If what you say is right. I need his help to find water on your father's properties. Hannah, this may be a blessing in disguise.' He leaned across kissed her on the cheek. 'Let's go to bed.'
Early the following morning Joe visited the local blacksmith to explain his latest idea of making a delver tongue. At first, the blacksmith couldn't understand what Joe required until he drew a sketch in the dirt.

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'Tilbaroo Station' - Page 18:

'I understand what you want. I'll go ahead, make the steel tongue. Shouldn't be too difficult.'
When Hannah returned home after school excitement bubbled over in her when she met Joe in the kitchen.
'Joe, I asked Ryan. His parents are camped at the railway camp ten miles north of Cunnamulla on the sand hill near the Warrego River.'
'Hannah, that's wonderful news. Let's go. I want to meet this young fella especially his parents.'
After harnessing Joker to the sulky, they drove north of Cunnamulla.
'This is where Billy Wells held the stage up all those years ago. Would you believe I was only eighteen at the time, going to school? Seems like a lifetime ago. Now here we are happily married. I have the man of my dreams. Who would've thought.' Hannah smiled to herself, put her arm through her husband's free arm leaned over kissed his cheek.
'Just think Hannah. If Billy hadn’t robbed the stagecoach. I never would've met you or married you. He's not a bad fellow once you understand him. My time in St Helena Island Prison where I met him, he always treated me with respect also kept our secret between Joe Ryan and me.'
'That's water under the bridge now Joe. Let's find out if Ryan Carlson can find water for you and Pa.'
They approached Coongoola railway siding as far as the line had been built toward Cunnamulla surrounded by tents used by the workers for accommodation. A voice called from among the children gathered together to welcome the newcomers. 'Miss Young.'
'Hello Ryan. I’m now Mrs Gibson. This is my husband Mr Gibson.' Hannah smiled stepping down from the sulky once Joe stopped. Ryan extending his hand to help her down. His smile always made Hannah weak at the knees showing he wouldn't have any problem attracting friends.

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'Tilbaroo Station' - Page 19:

Ryan soon introduced his parents to Hannah. 'This is my mother and father.' Joe came to stand beside her.
Joe shook hands with Ryan's father, 'Joe Gibson, Hannah's husband.'
'Glad to meet you, Todd Carlson. My wife Melinda.'
'Pleased to meet you both.' Joe tilted his hat to Melinda.
'Would you like to stay for a cuppa?' Melinda asked in a warm welcome voice. 'We don't often receive visitors’ way out here. Especially Ryan's teacher. He's always speaking about 'Miss Young' did this 'Miss Young' did that. You are now Mrs Gibson. Congratulations'.
'Yes, delighted. We'd be pleased to join you in a cuppa.' Hannah smiled. The two women went inside the tent whilst Todd and Joe sat on a stump near the fire at the front.
'I won't beat about the bush Todd. I've come to speak to you about Ryan.' Joe expressed in an inviting voice.
'What's he done wrong now.' Todd's expression puzzled Joe because he didn’t visit to dob in the boy but ask for his help.
'No! Ryan's done nothing wrong. In fact, I want to ask you about his gift for finding water.'
'Ah that! Yeah, he's always walking around with a bloody fork stick in the hands. Annoys the crap out of me. Even sleeps with the bloody thing. I wonder at times if water divining effects his thinking. Mind you, since we've been building this railway line camping at different locations he's always found water.'
'I want to ask you if Ryan may help us find water on our properties. This year is going to be hotter than ever before. If we don't find water for our stock, they will die.' Joe explained.
'You want my Ryan to work for you on your property to find water.' Todd said in an inquisitive voice. 'I'm sorry but I can't allow Ryan to be exploited. What he does is between us. Yes, he's found water. Thankfully each time he's told me where to dig, not deep. What gift he has. I'm certainly not allowing my son to be exploited because of this crazy so called gift.' Todd strongly expressed.