Pat Ritter. Books

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'The Shearer' - Page 69:
‘Thank you.’ Hannah left the office and followed the attendant’s directions to finally arrive at the address showing a sign: ‘Ma’s Guest House’ in front of a house. She walked to the front door and knocked.
‘Comin - hold your horses!’ Ma opened the front door and before her stood a beautiful female, ‘can I help you – do I know you?’ Ma asked.
‘No, I’m Hannah Young, a friend of Joe Ryan, the shearer. He told me he lives here when he’s in town.’ She said nervously.
‘Well, don’t stand there - come inside. If you’re a friend of Joe, you’re a friend of mine.’ They entered Ma’s home. A strong aroma of freshly cooked baking snaked its way toward Hannah’s nostrils.
‘Is that fresh baked bread I can smell?’ Hannah asked.
‘Yes, I bake daily. Would you like a cuppa and a trick slice with jam?’ Asked Ma.
‘Oh yes, please.’ Hannah replied excitedly. Her mouth watered with the thought of fresh cooked bread and jam.
‘Take a seat and I’ll make us a cuppa and you can tell me how much of a friend you are with my Joe.’ Ma sliced a couple of thick pieces of freshly cooked bread, spread a heavy layer of butter and thick layer of strawberry jam. ‘How do you have your tea, dear?’ Ma asked, as she prepared the cuppa.
‘With milk please, straight from the pot, thank you.’ Hannah replied in a soft sweet voice as she laid her overnight bag on the floor beside her. She felt comfortable in Ma’s presence and the warmth from the stove gave a cosy feeling. She relaxed for the first time since Joe left her father’s property. Ma filled a china cup with tea from the tea pot covered by a crocheted cover to retain the heat. ‘Thank you,’ Hannah replied when Ma placed two thick pieces of freshly baked bread and jam on a plate in front of her.
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'The Shearer' - Page 70:

‘Now tell me how you are a friend of Joe’s. I’m eager to know how he has kept this secret from me,’ Ma inquired.
‘We met at my father’s property about three weeks ago where he was shearing. I know I love him and I know he loves me. Joe gave me his ring to show he loves me here, I wear it on this necklace around my neck.’ Hannah removed the necklace and handed the ring to Ma. ‘My father doesn’t want him back or for me to see Joe again.’ Tears welled in Hannah’s eyes.
Ma held the ring and identified it to be Joe’s with the initials JR embroidered on the face. ‘Your father owns Kahmoo Station?’ She asked, concerned. Why her father being a grazier wouldn’t want Joe to mix with Hannah, fancy a shearer mixing blood with her daughter, poor Hannah! ‘It’s Joe’s ring alright. He must be fair dinkum because he wouldn’t hand this ring to anyone.’
‘Joe loves me and I will always treasure this ring and wear it with pride and love for him. My grandfather established the family property after he settled in the district almost forty years ago. He and Nan lived in a tent whilst Grandfather built the homestead and shearing shed with his bare hands. Grandfather eventually handed down the property to Pa and now lives in Brisbane. I’m afraid Pa doesn’t like me mixing with the hired help but I don’t care because I love Joe and he loves me.’ Hannah explained wiped her eyes with a handkerchief.
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'The Shearer' - Page 71:

‘Tell me how you fell in love with my Joe?’ Joe left her only three weeks ago and didn’t mention anything about a woman named Hannah.
‘He arrived to shear the sheep at my father’s property a few weeks back. I was home on holidays and decided to help Pa with the shearing. One morning I rode my horse to the shearing shed, saw this fellow seated on the back steps of the shearing quarters. I can’t explain why it was love at first sight I suppose. His wavy hair, bright eyes – I don’t know, this feeling came over me, a warm feeling of love, I guess. I dismounted and walked up to him. He introduced himself as Joe Ryan. Then my father bellowed at me and I left him standing at the bottom of the steps’.
‘You’ve only known Joe a few weeks?’ Ma asked, frowning.
‘Yes, we’ve already declared our love for one another. The night before Joe left to go to the next property, he told me he loved me. He said to write and leave mail at your house. I wanted to meet you because Joe spoke fondly of you. I can see why he treats you as though you’re his mother.’ Hannah explained.
‘Joe holds a huge part of my heart. I pray for him each night to keep him safe. He’s been living here for a couple of years and comes and goes when he’s away shearing.’ Ma took a sip of her tea.
Hannah swallowed a piece of bread ‘This is lovely, thank you. I love fresh cooked bread. I was wondering if by chance I could spend this time with you to get to know you better before I head to Roma in the next couple of days? I won’t be a burden, I promise.’
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'The Shearer' - Page 72:

‘The only room I have available is Joe’s. I keep it clean and tidy for when he returns so you are welcome to stay in his room?’
‘Yes please. Nothing would suit me more,’ Hannah replied cheerfully. Ma wanted Hannah to stay for a couple of days to get to know her better also and not often had she another woman’s company.
‘Well, that’s that then, you’ll stay in Joe’s room. Did you hear about Bluey Simpson?’ Ma asked.
‘No – he left with Joe to go to the next property to shear. What happened? Did anything happen to Joe?’
‘Timmy Gall who works at the hospital came to cut firewood for me the other day. He told me the policeman from Eulo bought in a shearer named Bluey Simpson who’d been bitten by a snake. The story goes Joe was with him when they were crossing Moonjaree Creek in the flood and a mulga snake bit Bluey on the neck. Bluey died almost instantly.’
‘Joe was there you say?’ Hannah looked directly at Ma, shocked.
‘So the story goes and I got it from the horse’s mouth. Timmy works at the hospital and helped unload Bluey from the buggy to the morgue. It’s not gossip, but you know what gossip is like in this town - you’ve only got to sneeze at the top of town and by the time the story reaches down here the person died of influenza and the whole bloody town races to the doctor thinking its an epidemic.’ Ma scoffed and both ed.
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'The Shearer' - Page 73:

‘Bluey was one of the shearers who worked at Pa’s property a couple of weeks ago. Joe beat him to become ‘gun’ shearer.’
‘Now I don’t know how Joe became involved. I couldn’t get anymore information, that’s all he knew,’ Ma said.
Hannah sat silently thinking of the story told to her by Ma. She couldn’t believe Bluey Simpson was dead, bitten by a snake, a bloody mulga snake of all snakes. ‘Ma – would I be able to have a lay down for awhile? This news has shocked me. I need to rest and gather my thoughts.’ Hannah felt light headed.
‘Yes, by all means, I’ll show you to Joe’s room, come this way.’ Ma stood, gathered Hannah’s luggage and carried it to Joe’s room. ‘Here is the room. It’s not much but it’s comfortable.’ Ma placed Hannah’s luggage on the floor and left.
Hannah looked around the small room. There was only a single bed and wardrobe and bare boards covered the floor. ‘This is where Joe sleeps’ and breathed in a smell of his presence. She lay on the bed and soon closed her eyes, her dreams of Joe and Bluey’s death.
When she awoke, the smell of fresh cooked biscuits filled her nostrils. She arose from the bed and followed the smell to the kitchen. ‘Did you have a good sleep?’ Ma asked, looking up at her from where she sat at the kitchen table with a tray filled with freshly cooked biscuits.
‘Yes, thank you. I felt Joe beside me, but it’d be a little cramped on the single bed!’ Hannah giggled.
‘We’ll need to get you two a larger bed if you settle into his bedroom,’ Ma suggested. ‘Would you like a cuppa and a biscuit? I’ve just taken them from the oven, they’re cooling.’
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'The Shearer' - Page 74:

‘Yes please but I’ll make it. I need to earn my keep somehow.’ Hannah gathered a cup and saucer from the cupboard and put them onto the table opposite Ma. ‘Is the tea pot hot?’
‘Sure is – always.’
Hannah prepared a cup of strong tea sat opposite Ma picked up a freshly cooked biscuit to chew the edge. ‘Can I have another?’
‘Of course, have as many as you want,’ Ma answered. Hannah took another biscuit and quickly devoured it.
‘Ma, have you any parchment with a nib and ink so I can write a letter to Joe?’ Hannah asked.
‘Yes on top of the cupboard, there should be sufficient ink left.’ Ma answered.
Hannah finished her cup-of-tea, ‘leave it there, you attend to your writing, I’ll wash these things before we have lunch. You go on and do your writing in the quiet of Joe’s bedroom if you want.’ Ma told Hannah.
Hannah picked up the bottle of ink, nib and holder, parchment and rushed off to Joe’s bedroom to write her letter. She had so much to tell him.

My Dearest Joe,

You may be surprised to read this letter for I am staying in your bedroom at Ma’s home. She is a delightful person and I know why you think of her as your mother. I’ve shown her your ring (or should I say our ring) she was delighted when I told her about how much we love one another.

I’m saddened to hear about Bluey Simpson. I’m pleased nothing happened to you for I don’t know what I would do if I couldn’t see you again.

I’ve told Pa how much I love you, but I don’t think he’ll ever realise how much I do. I’m still his little girl. We parted without waving which tells me he’s still angry at me for telling him about you.

I hope this letter finds you well my love. In a couple of days I’m off to Brisbane and after I finish my schooling I hope to return to Cunnamulla as a teacher.

Your Dearest Love

Hannah.
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'The Shearer' - Page 75:

Hannah completed the letter, folded and sealed it with wax. She returned to the kitchen and handed it to Ma, ‘Can you hand this to Joe when he’s next in town? I’ll leave you my address in Brisbane. You never know he may want to write to me.’ Ma placed it under a jar on top of a cupboard.
Two days passed quickly, Ma spending as much time as she could in Hannah’s company, parading her around the different shops in town and boasting of how they were friends. When the time arrived for Hannah to leave, she wrapped her arms around the lady’s shoulder and squeezed. ‘Ma how can I thank you for this time we’ve had together, I’ve loved it.’ Tears dwelled in Ma’s eyes. She choked with emotion and couldn’t get the words out of how she really felt about Hannah. Her Joe was indeed lucky.
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