Pat Ritter. Books

[patritter]

Thank you dub: Here is the page for today. I will be absent until 22nd July 2021:

'The Suffragette' - Page 3:

'Joe's right Hannah. You take everything easy. You'll need to stop work, come stay with me when Joe is working. I'll take good care of you.' Martha explained.
'I'll do no such thing. I'll continue to work as long as I can.' Hannah touched her belly. 'Little bub and I will be right.' Hannah said, using her stern teacher voice.
Noise of rain falling on the roof stopped their conversation. Nat stood, walked to the front veranda. Rain fell heavier smelling of sweet aroma. Nat smiled. ‘Have a look at this Joe. Not only your wife is having a baby, rain. Falling heavy. Drought may be over.’ Nat shouted over the noise of the rain falling on the roof.
Everyone joined Nat on the veranda not believing after six years of the greatest drought in Australian history, rain poured down in torrents. Noise almost deafening. All four allowed the rain to splash onto their faces drawing in odours of freshness.
‘This is not a shower Joe. Look at those dark clouds on the horizon. Rain.’ Words exploded from Nat’s mouth.
Over the next couple of hours rain continued. ‘If this rain keeps up. We won’t be able to go home.’ Martha told her family.
‘Don’t worry Mother we need rain. Always a place for you and Pa here at our place.’ Hannah assured her mother of a safe place to wait out the rain.
Nat sat silent. Thoughts of a previous downpour; like this one caused Cunnamulla to be isolated for weeks until water flowed down Warrego River into Darling River. ‘Thank you, Hannah, for putting up with us. Haven’t seen this amount of rain since I was a young fella. Isolated the town for weeks.’ Nat replied in a concerned voice.
A knock on the front door caused Joe to investigate. Who would be out in this weather? He thought. Opening the front door Keith, Daisy, Desi, Little Daisy stood drenched from the weather. ‘Come in. Come in.’ Joe ushered his friends into his home closing the door to keep the rain and wind out.

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Hannah and Martha rushed to the family. ‘Come closer to the stove to dry off. Joe, dry clothes for our friends. Otherwise they’ll die of a death of cold.’ Joe rushed off to gather clothing for his friends.
Warming beside the stove Keith’s teeth chattered. ‘Tried to ride to town. Coongoola almost washed away. Only place here. Can we stay here until the rain stops?’ His voice pleading.
‘You are always welcome in our home.’ Hannah told them. Joe arrived with towels and clothes for his friends. After changing to dry clothes, they clustered close to the stove to warm their bodies. ‘How about something to eat?’ Hannah finished. Their friends nodded in agreement.
‘I’ll do this. Can’t have you doing too much in your condition.’ Martha stepped up beside Hannah to take control. ‘Take a seat with Daisy by the table. I’ll attend to the meal.’
‘Hannah. Why is your mother so concerned about your condition?’ Daisy asked her friend, a frown on her face.
‘I’m pregnant.’ Excitement curled in her voice sharing this news with everyone.
Daisy jumped to her feet, wrapped her arms around Hannah’s shoulder, squeezed, tears filled her eyes. ‘This is wonderful news. Congratulations. I’ll be here for you.’ Daisy released her hold.
Keith leaned across the table to shake Joe’s hand, ‘Congratulations my friend. You’re to be a father.’ A knock sounded on the front door.
‘Bloody hell. We never receive visitors. Now everyone wants to visit us. Like Norah’s Ark. All we need now is rain for forty days and forty nights.’ Joe stood to answer the knock.
Billy Campbell stood at the doorway soaked to his skin. Rubbing his boots on the front mat. ‘Billy, come in my friend.’ He entered the warm kitchen.

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‘Hi everyone. Pleased you’re all here. Need your help.’ Billy blurted removing his water-soaked hat.
‘What’s up.’ Joe asked.
‘Cunnamulla is flooding. Huge wall of water coming down from north. If we don’t build the banks up before the water arrives. Trouble.’ Billy answered with a rush.
‘Can I help Dad?’ Desi asked. ‘I’m old enough to help.’ Desi, fourteen-year-old strong lad employed with his father on the railway as a Nipper stared his father in the eyes. His father nodded in agreement. Desi’s smile spread across his face in acknowledgement his help needed.
‘What can we do Billy?’ Nat asked speaking as a statesman.
‘Is something I’m missing here? Everyone is happy about something. I realise we need rain.’ Billy admonished. A look of bewilderment spread across his face.
‘Hannah is pregnant.’ Joe blurted out.
Billy’s eyes brightened, walked over to Hannah, threw his arms around her. ‘Good on you Hannah. I’m happy for you and Joe.’ Billy shook Joe’s hand congratulating him on becoming a father.
‘Before you all take off; what about eating something.’ Martha expressed. All took their place around the table whilst Martha dished up stew onto plates for the gathering. She made tea for everyone. ‘Have you enough bread Hannah to make sandwiches for the men whilst they work?’
Hannah pointed to the bread container hanging from the ceiling loaded with fresh cooked bread she baked the previous day not aware at the time bread would come in handy. ‘Joe, would you slice some meat from the shoulder of mutton please. I’ll help mother prepare the food for you to take.’ Joe followed up to cut slices of mutton for sandwiches.
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‘I’ll help Martha. Hannah. You sit.’ Daisy broadcasted in a loud voice to make Hannah relax.
With everything prepared, Joe put his raincoat and hat on. Nat followed suit. Joe handed Keith a spare raincoat. Another spare fitted Desi. They all left not knowing when they’d return. Joe kissed Hannah before they left reassuring her, he’d return when the job finished.
Joe walked to the stable harassed Nat’s horse to the sulky. All men climbed into the sulky whilst Desi rode on the buckboard. Joe headed for the river. Rain splashed against their faces. They pulled their hats down to stop the rain splashing their eyes. Dark clouds caused an earie sight forecasting rain to continue.
‘We haven’t seen the last of this rain.’ Nat shouted to Joe who drove onward toward the river bank. Piecing his eyes through the rain Nat sighted men gathered along the riverbank at the end of Stockyard Street. Sergeant Gray with other police officers mixed with men from the town. Joe stopped at the gathering. They all climbed down from the sulky.
Rain appeared to beat down harder. Nat walked to Sergeant Gray. ‘Bloody wet Sergeant.’ Nat shouted to the lawman who put his hand out to shake. ‘What do you want us to do?’ Nat shouted.
‘Thought you might like to take charge Nat. I’ll take my officers up the river to check the river height whilst you and the others try to stop the water entering the town.’ Sergeant Gray instructed.
Alex from the hotel stepped forward said to Nat. ‘Why don’t you gather at my hotel to work out a plan how you’re going to save Cunnamulla.’
‘Thank you, Alex. Bloody good idea.’ Nat shouted to the crowd gathered nearby. ‘Alex has offered his hotel for a place to meet to discuss how we’re going to stop the water from entering Cunnamulla. We’ll meet you all at Alex’s hotel.’

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Men left to gather at the hotel.
‘Good on you Nat. We’ll look after everything up the river then meet you at the hotel.’ Sergeant Gray said, mounted his horse headed north out of sight.
Without hesitation men met at Alex’s hotel. Around fifty. Old with young. Nat called everyone to order. Noise stopped from everyone discussing how the water should be stopped from flooding their town. ‘Can we have a head count before we start?’ Nat asked.
‘I’ll count them.’ Joe replied. Joe counted each person in the lounge area of the hotel. ‘Fifty-one counting myself, Billy, Keith, Desi.’ Joe told Nat.
‘Can you break up into three groups. Around seventeen in each group’. Nat instructed. Moving into three separate groups spread across the room. ‘Choose a leader in each group. Each leader report to me.’ Nat ordered.
Joe, Billy, Keith became selected leaders of their group stepped forward to stand beside Nat. ‘Does anyone have any waggonettes?’ Nat asked in a loud voice.
‘I’ve got three at my stables if you want them. Horses too Nat.’ Livery Stable owner answered.
‘I want two men from each group to go to the Livery Stables, harness the waggonettes and horses. Choice two from each group.’ Nat commanded. After these men were selected from each group Billy stepped forward with Desi standing beside him.
‘I’ll take Desi with me. His expertise in driving the horses and waggonette will be useful.’ Billy explained.
‘Okay. Would the others wait for the waggonettes and horses to arrive outside the hotel? Gather shovels. Plan is to have half of these remaining groups at the sandhills filling waggonettes whilst the other half at the river bank empty each waggonette. Each driver will remain to drive their waggonette to and from the sandhill to the river bank. If any person becomes exhausted, take a rest. Don’t kill yourself. Any questions?’ Shouted Nat. No answers came, everyone nodded. So far, so good, thought Nat. Everyone left the hotel to attend to his instructions.

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Alex said to Nat, ‘I’ll arrange food and drink to be delivered to the men. Going to be a tough night to stop the water.’ Alex left to speak with his staff.
Nat said to Alex, ‘I’ll tell the women about your arrangements. They’ll want to help. Don’t let Hannah do too much. She’s pregnant.’ Alex’s faced flashed the biggest smile Nat had ever seen. Alex nodded in agreement.
Nat walked to Hannah’s home a couple of houses away. Walked into the kitchen all ladies with Little Daisy seated at the table sipping on tea. ‘Okay, you lot. Over fifty men have gathered to help block the water from entering the town. Alec arranged his staff to make sandwiches and tea to feed the crew. He needs help.’ Nat commanded.
Without saying a word each lady rose, gathered their garments, raincoats, left by the rear door to walk to the hotel. Nat followed.
Alec said as Hannah entered the kitchen, ‘Congratulations Hannah on the news. You take things steady. They’re plenty of others to help.’ Hannah smiled her usual smile realised her father had already told Alex about her pregnancy.
‘I need to leave to find out what’s going on. Catch up with you all later.’ Nat farewelled his friends, left the hotel, boarded the sulky Joe left behind. At the sandhill more men than the number counted at the hotel.
Keith walked over to the sulky, ‘I dug up a couple of relies who want to help. Their families are well and truly dry.’ He told Nat whose smile showed appreciation to his aboriginal friend and families.
Nat climbed down from the sulky walked with Keith to the gathering of men ready to shovel sand into the waggonettes when they arrived. Darkness fell over the town, rain continued heavily. Nat’s thoughts of his fellow townsfolk ready and willing to help in saving their town delighted him to the core.

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'The Suffragette' - Page 9:

Noise of horses sounded when Keith called out, ‘here are the waggonettes.’ First one driven by his son Desi seated beside him Billy. Desi stopped his waggonette alongside of a huge sandhill with room for men to shovel sand into the waggonette. Without any word men hurried to the waggonette, gathered shovels from the base, started shovelling sand onto the base of the waggonette.
Desi steadied the horses whilst men filled the waggonette to the brim. Nat called after the waggonette reached the limit, ‘Okay Desi and Billy. Take this lot to the river.’
After the first waggonette left, a second pulled into the place vacated by the first. The procession continued.

Chapter 2

Sergeant Gray arrived at the hotel. Nat returned with five exhausted men. ‘How’d you go Sergeant?’ Nat asked.
‘Bloody hell Nat. Worse than we imagined. At ten-mile, water, height of twenty or more feet in a wall heading slowly toward the town. How’s the bank building going?’ Sergeant Gray asked when Daisy bought him a round of sandwiches with a pannikin of tea. ‘Thank you, Daisy.’ Sergeant Gray told Daisy accepting these refreshments.
‘Take a seat Sergeant. Eat your food. I’ll fill you in on what we’re doing while you eat.’ Nat said. Sergeant Gray ate the sandwiches, sipped on his tea listened to Nat. ‘Fifty men with three waggonettes each separated into two groups. One group filling a waggonette at the sandhill, returning to the river, whilst the other half build the levy to stop water entering our town. When anyone is exhausted, another takes their place. So far, working like a well-oiled machine. I haven’t got a clue how we’re going to keep going through this rain and darkness.’ Nat explained.
‘Have you asked Keith if he has any ideas. Aboriginal people understand the dark.’ Sergeant Gray expressed.
Nat thought about the law enforcement’s comment aboriginals understand the dark never thinking if this possible. ‘I’ll go speak with Keith. Hope you’re right Sergeant.’ Nat farewelled his friend to find Keith.
Rain continued falling causing wheel ruts to deepen in soft roadways. Nat approached Keith at the sandhill who shovelled sand onto a waiting waggonette. ‘Keith.’ Nat yelled toward Keith who looked at Nat on hearing his name. Nat waved him to where he stood beneath a tree as shelter from the rain. When Keith joined Nat, ‘how’s everything going? You need a break. Can you come with me?’ Nat asked. Keith nodded. Followed Nat to the sulky climbed aboard. Nat drove the sulky to the hotel.
After climbing down Keith and Nat entered the kitchen of the hotel. ‘Martha, would you have a hot cuppa with something to eat for Keith please.’
Martha replied, ‘you bet your life I have.’ Martha prepared a pannikin of tea. Daisy soon arrived with a bowl of cooked stew handed the bowl to her husband.
‘After you’ve had something to eat; I want to discuss something important with you.’ Nat told his friend who pushed a piece of bread soaked with stew into his mouth. Nodded. More pleased to escape the pouring rain to replenish his stomach.
Keith completed his small meal walked to where Nat stood beside Sergeant Gray. ‘Keith. Better.’ Nat asked.
Keith rubbed his tummy. ‘Good tucker. Better.’