Pat Ritter. Books

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'The Year That Never Was' - Page 3:

‘Have you any plans for 1899?’ Hannah asked her husband who sat silent beside her on their swing.
‘Plenty. First, I want to enjoy our time together before I return to work for your father. Shearing is a couple of months away. This drought has thrown a spanner into the works. We’ve hired more men to cut mulga to feed the sheep. Keith rounded up some of his relatives living in the camp where he and Daisy once lived, to cut mulga for the sheep.’ Joe expressed to Hannah.
‘Since the train starts here at Cunnamulla. Do you think, one day travel to Brisbane to visit Todd, Melinda and Ryan?’ She asked, tears filled her eyes, her throat thick with emotion.
Joe wrapped his arms around Hannah’s shaking shoulders. ‘Yes, my love. After shearing is over I’m certain your father would allow me time off to visit the Carlson family.’ A light bulb illuminated in Joe’s mind. ‘I’ve got an idea. What about you ask your parents if they want to come with us to visit your grandparents who are getting on in years.’ Joe expressed.
‘You are a genius Joe.’ Hannah kissed him on the lips. ‘I’ll make the arrangements with Mother to make a visit. Pa would love to visit his parents again before they became too old. This is why I love you so much. You’re always thinking of others, not yourself.’ Hannah lay her head against her husband’s shoulder.
‘Anything to please the love of my life.’ Joe whispered kissing the crown of her head. Goes my plan for building our shearing shed and yards. Have to worry about building them next year.
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Nat and Martha agreed to Joe’s idea to travel with them to Brisbane after shearing completed. Joe worked from daylight until dark through the shearing period. This time taking half the time to shear the sheep because of overhead shearing equipment with machine driven hand pieces instead of hand shearing. Hannah arranged tickets for travel on the train from Cunnamulla to Brisbane.
Beginning first week in June they boarded the steam train at Cunnamulla Railway Station. A board smile spread across her face. She leaned over kissed Joe on the lips, ‘I love you.’ Joe smiled, returned the kiss.
Pulling out of Cunnamulla Railway Station Hannah said to Joe, ‘I’ve never travelled by train this far west. When I was eighteen years old, went to Brisbane to school was the last time I travelled by train. Such a long time ago.’ She pondered. ‘Do you think we’ll stop at Coongoola Railway Siding to catch up with Daisy, Desi, Keith and Little Daisy?’ She asked.
‘I hope so. I think the train stops for water to keep the steam going.’ Joe answered.
Martha and Nat sat across from Joe and Hannah in their carriage. Most of the train filled with passengers excited to be journeying from the final stop west to the first stop in Brisbane. A loud whistle sounded indicating the train about to start their journey. A journey for the next couple of days stopping at Railway Stations with Refreshment Rooms for passengers to partake of refreshments on their journey east.
Leaving Cunnamulla Railway Station they commenced their journey. After about twenty minutes Hannah said to Joe. ‘Look Joe. The place Billy Wells held the stagecoach up the morning I returned to school. How life has changed. If Mr Shirley hadn’t been a passenger on the stagecoach.’ Hannah stopped to reflect about this life changing event. Mr Shirley started her career as a school teacher in Cunnamulla. ‘My life would’ve been different. I’d never have found you.’ Her eyes sparkled with joy.
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‘You’ll never overcome being held up by Billy Wells. Will you? I told you he’s a good fella. When we were imprisoned at St Helena Island Prison together, never ever told a sole I wasn't Joe Ryan. He’d done the crime; still doing the time. You’ve got to try to forgive him Hannah.’ Joe explained. The train travelled along to the sway and roll of the carriage.
‘What he did Joe; frightened me out of my wits. Stealing Joe’s ring from around my neck was the final straw. I’ll try to forgive him.’ Hannah’s sombre mood reflected to the time of the stagecoach hold-up almost a decade before.

Approaching Coongoola Railway Siding Hannah pulled down the window, wind brushed past her face, fragments of coal stung her eyes when she placed her head through the open window to look toward Coongoola Railway Siding hoping to meet her friends. She blinked. ‘They’re here Joe.’ Hannah waved her hands trying to catch the attention of her friends when the train slowed to a stop.
‘G’day you lot.’ Daisy called, ran to the doorway after the train came to a halt.
‘A five-minute stop to refill the water to the main engine of the train.’ A loud voice echoed from the rear of the train.
Daisy hugged Hannah when they met on the ground.
‘Give me a go Hannah. We haven’t got much time.’ Hannah released her hold on Daisy for her mother to embrace Daisy. ‘I’ve missed you so much.’ Martha told her friend.
After everyone greeted each other Daisy handed Hannah a basket. ‘Here’s some bush tucker I made for your trip. Kangaroo tail strew. Aboriginal damper. Berry pie for later when you grow hungry. Say hi to Melinda, Todd and Ryan from us.’
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Hannah took the basket of food from Daisy. ‘Thank you, Daisy. You needed have gone to this trouble. I’ll return the basket on our return.’
‘No trouble. Keep the basket. May come in handy. I make them from grass.’ Daisy replied, threw her arms around Hannah’s shoulders. ‘Have a safe trip.’ She released her hold.
After their farewells the conductor shouted. ‘All aboard’. Everyone returned to their seats waving from the open windows on the train until the train disappeared into the distance.
‘What have we here?’ Martha asked Hannah looking at the basket of food placed on the seat beside her.
‘Daisy made this basket from grass Mother.’ Hannah showed her mother the craft of how Daisy made the basket. She opened the lid to release a strong odour of delicious food.
‘Wonder what she cooked this time. Hope goanna. I love goanna.’ Martha expressed drawing an odour into her nostrils not similar to food she cooked.
‘Kangaroo tail stew.’ Hannah explained.
‘How’re we going to eat the stew?’ Her mother asked bewildered.
‘Daisy cooked an aboriginal damper.’ Hannah broke up the damper into lumps, dumped one piece into the container holding the kangaroo tail stew, soaked the piece of damper, drawing the piece to her open mouth. The flavour exploded inside her mouth. She’d never experienced anything like this before. A delicious tasting lump of damper soaked throughout filled her mouth. She swallowed this delectable food, handed the container to her mother who copied Hannah’s act of soaking the damper, swallowing, seated back on the seat savouring the new delicious food to her delight.
Joe and Nat didn’t worry about manners in front of other passengers, picked through the stew with their fingers, withdrew a knuckle of kangaroo tail, sucked on the juicy meat, eyes brightened. 'Wow!' They each expressed. With plenty of food remaining Hannah offered the remainder of the pot to nearby passengers.
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IMPORTANT NOTICE: I WILL BE ABSENT UNTIL 2ND MARCH 2021. GOING ON A MYSTERY TOUR.

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‘How delicious.’ Martha told Hannah. ‘What else did Daisy put in her basket?’ Martha asked.
Hannah lifted a berry pie to show her mother. ‘How can we slice the pie?’ Hannah asked.
Joe produced his pocket knife. ‘Use my knife. I bar first piece.’ His hand held in front for first piece of pie.
Hannah opened Joe’s knife, sliced into the firm pastry, through berries to cut a slice for her husband which she handed to him. ‘Here’s your piece Joe. Leave enough for everyone.’ Joe took his piece pushed the piece into his mouth leaving a moaning sound whilst swallowing.
‘Not as good as your pie Dear. Still good enough to eat.’ A smile spread across his face.
Hannah sliced more of the pie handed a slice to her parents and other passengers in their carriage.
With most of the food dispatched enjoyed by everyone Joe placed his hat over his face, leaned into his seat to sleep.
‘You’re like an old goanna Joe. Once you’ve had a feed, time for a sleep.’ Hannah scolded her husband. Snores erupted from beneath Joe’s hat showed Hannah she wasted her time scolding him.

Charleville Railway Station came into view. Much like Cunnamulla Railway Station, smaller in comparison, the train stopped at the platform. Joe, Hannah, Martha and Nat departed the train to visit the toilet, then Refreshment Room. A thirty minute stop before continuing on with their journey.
Seated at a table for four, a waitress approached their table to take their order. A pot of tea, sandwiches their order.
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They each commented how full their stomachs were from the food provided by Daisy. Time went by quicker than anticipated. Re-entering the train to take their seats the train puffed sufficient steam to continue their journey.
‘Plenty of grass down this way.’ Nat remarked to Joe. ‘Pity we didn’t have some of this good grass at home.’
‘Looks good.’ Joe answered. Visions of green Mitchell grass plains flowing through the breeze in paddocks at ‘Tilbaroo Station’ flashed through his mind. ‘After we have rain. Our country will look as good if not better. If we ever have rain again.’ Joe remarked.
‘One day rain will come. We’re getting closer day by day.’ Nat said in a positive tone.
‘Hope so Nat. Wish rain pours down in bucket fulls while we’re away to take us through winter into spring.’ Joe finished.

Day fell into night. With a swaying of the carriages, sound of the puffing billy, most passengers wrapped in blankets slept. Breakfast stop Toowoomba after daylight. Township of Toowoomba built on the edge of Great Divine Range east of Darling Downs most populated town west of Brisbane. Passengers had an opportunity to either remain on the train or be a passenger in a stagecoach driven to the bottom of the range to again met the train after descending the steep decline from Toowoomba. Nat, Martha, Hannah and Joe decided to ride the stagecoach from Toowoomba Railway Station to the bottom of the range.
After a hearty breakfast at Toowoomba Railway Refreshment Rooms they boarded the stagecoach for their trip down the range.
‘This is a change from sitting on those hard seats in the train.’ Hannah said to Joe.
‘Isn’t this country different to home?’ Joe said in disbelief.
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'The Year That Never Was' - Page 9:

‘They receive more rain here, this side of the Great Dividing Range.’ Nat answered.
Throughout their trip from Toowoomba to Gatton, a town at the bottom of the range, spectacular country, green with pastures never seen before by Nat or Joe filled their minds with ideas of grandeur. If this similar rainfall fell on their properties, Joe thought. Both men closed their eyes imagining how their properties would look after the same amount of rain fell similar to this area.
Arrival at Gatton, a salad bowl for growing vegetables, plus other foods to feed the population closer to the coast, they departed from the stagecoach. Filled with ideas of how pleasant the journey to understand different ways of living. Both Nat and Joe never wanted to live in this part of the world. They were sheep people. This area did not have any use for their fine fleeced animals.
Boarding the train seated in the same seats; they journeyed onto Brisbane to stop at Roma Street Railway Station. George and Gloria stood on the platform waiting. Smiles and ter erupted from Martha and Hannah pleased again to be in the company of their parents and grandparents. After a warm welcome, hugs and kisses, they journeyed to Spring Hill to their home.
‘I suppose you’re all exhausted after a long journey. I’ll made a cuppa.’ Gloria expressed, pleased to have her family gathered together again. ‘Your friend Melinda contacted me yesterday Hannah. After you’ve settled she wants to meet for supper.’ Gloria announced whilst waiting for the kettle to boil.
‘I’ve missed her so much Nan. Didn’t think I would’ve. Are they doing well. How is Ryan?’ Hannah asked whilst helping her grandmother make a cuppa. Gloria baked biscuits for her visitors.
‘Wonderful. She’ll tell you when you have supper. I wouldn't want to steal her thunder. Everyone ready.’ Gloria yelled to the others to join them in the kitchen. ‘How long are you staying? You can stay as long as you want.’ She corrected.
‘We haven’t a time. After shearing, also the great drought, we all wanted to visit. If everything is okay.’ Martha said.
‘You stay as long as possible. I’m afraid I’m too long in the tooth now to visit you all in Cunnamulla.’ George stated.
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