Pat Ritter. Books

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'The Shearer' - Page 104:

‘No. See you early in the morning.’ Miss Wallace faced the blackboard to clear away the day’s lessons.
Hannah farewelled Miss Wallace and walked home to Ma’s Guest House.
‘How was your first day of teaching?’ Ma asked excitedly when Hannah walked into the kitchen.
‘Wonderful! Miss Wallace is a good teacher and the students are precious.’ Hannah smiled.
‘You watch Miss Wallace. I’ve known her since she first arrived here in town and she can be trouble at times. She thinks she’s better than anyone else in town because she’s the school teacher.’ Ma warned Hannah.
‘Don’t forget Ma, this is my first day and I love this job. I’m pleased Mr Shirley gave me this opportunity. I’ll be right I think. What about a cuppa and some of the lovely cake you cooked today?’ Hannah asked aroma filled the kitchen.
‘Yes I thought you’d be hungry when you arrived home. I cooked a sponge cake with strawberry jam in the middle. Know you’d like it.’ Ma made Hannah a cuppa and placed a slice of cake on a plate and placed the plate in front of Hannah.
Hannah took a mouthful of cake. ‘You’re too much Ma this is delicious.’ She drank her tea.
By the final day of the week, Hannah fell into a routine knowing her role as assistant teacher. She loved her job and couldn’t wait to arrive at school to greet her pupils.
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'The Shearer' - Page 105:

Somehow through misadventure, like meeting Mr Shirley and the stagecoach hold-up, her life had fallen into place. She had a wonderful home to live, was in love with Joe and loved Ma’s company at night when they sat talking and sharing their life together.
Hannah had the weekend to recover from her first week’s work but a knock on the front door startled her. ‘Mother!’ She screamed throwing her arms around her mother’s neck and kissing her on the cheek. ‘What’re you doing here?’
‘Can’t I visit my daughter? Are you inviting me into your home?’ Martha asked, released Hannah.
‘Yes, Mother. Do come in, Ma, we have a guest.’ Hannah called. She and Martha walked down the hallway to find Ma standing over the kitchen table rolling the dough flat with a wooden rolling pin. Ma wiped her hands on an apron wrapped around her waist.
‘Martha – so wonderful to see you again,’ Ma gave Martha a hug and kissed her on the cheek. ‘Would you like a cuppa? I’m making scones; they’ll be ready in a jiffy.’
‘Yes thank you, Ma,’ Martha replied, ‘Nat will be back soon. He dropped me off on his way to the stock and station agent. I’d rather be here with you two rather than waiting for him. You know what men are like once they start talking. If it’s not about the weather and how much rain, then it’s about wool prices,’ Martha confessed.
‘In the meantime we girls will catch up with the latest gossip.’ Ma smiled as she prepared a cup of tea for both Martha and Hannah. She opened the oven door and placed the tray into the oven to cook. She stoked the fire with another piece of wood. ‘Shouldn’t be too long.’
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'The Shearer' - Page 106:

‘Hannah, how was your first week at work?’ Martha asked.
‘Oh Mother, I feel blessed to be working there with Miss Wallace and the children. I just love it and can’t wait for Monday to come.’ Hannah said as she sipped her tea. She couldn’t wait for the scones to bake.
‘I have some good news. Nana and Grandfather are coming home for Christmas. I received a letter from Nana and couldn’t wait to tell you. Ma you’re invited.’ Martha said.
‘Is Joe invited Mother?’ Hannah questioned in a stern tone hoping her mother would say ‘Yes’.
‘I don’t know at this time. I thought about Joe. I haven’t met him, but I’m sure he’s a lovely fellow. You know your father’s opinion.’ Martha felt embarrassed to admit she’d mentioned to her husband about inviting Joe. She didn’t have the heart to tell her daughter and Ma the truth her husband didn’t want Joe to set foot on the property ever again. Men can be so stubborn.
‘Mother if Joe can’t attend than I’m not either.’
‘Me neither Martha Joe is like a son to me and if he can’t be there, well thank you for the invitation but I’ll not be there either. These scones should be cooked by now.’ She rose from her chair, opened the oven door, saw the scones a light brown colour, removed the tray from the oven, set the tray on the table and removed them to cool.
‘They smell delicious Ma,’ Martha said, ‘Leave it with me to explain to your father about Joe. I’m certain I’ll persuade him to have all of you home for Christmas Dinner, particularly now his mother and father will be there. I can see your grandfather telling your father about the ‘good ole days’ when times were tough.’ Martha eyed off the scones, aroma snaking into her nostrils.
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Thank you smug. Here is the page for today: 'The Shearer' - Page 107:

Ma broke a scone from the bunch, placed it on a plate and handed the plate to Martha, ‘Here you are Martha, there’s a knife, butter and strawberry jam, help yourself.’ Ma explained handing Martha the plate with a freshly cooked scone.
Martha cut the scone in half, spread a heap of butter together with strawberry jam, picked one half and pushed it into her mouth. ‘This tastes wonderful Ma I’ll need the recipe. Do you mind if I have another?’
‘Have as many as you want. I’ll pack some into a tea towel so you can take them home,’ Ma said. She walked to the cupboard drawer removed a tea towel, returned to the kitchen table and placed the remainder of the scones into the tea towel wrapped them up and tied string around the tea towel to keep them fresh.

A month after Martha’s visit to Ma’s Guest House, a letter arrived addressed to Hannah from her mother. Joe was invited to Christmas Dinner and could the three of them arrive early in the morning so presents could be handed out? A footnote in a scribble told Hannah they looked forward to seeing them again. Information not in the letter of how Martha convinced her husband to change his mind about Joe Ryan.
‘Can’t you see our daughter is deeply in love with Joe?’ She told her husband on their return to the property after he’d picked his wife up from Ma’s Guest House.
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'The Shearer' - Page 108:

‘I know I see the sparkle in her eyes each time his bloody name is mentioned. She had to pick a shearer! Why couldn’t she wait to meet a cocky’s son?’ Nat questioned.
‘You know we have no say in who we fall in love with Dear.’ Martha emphasised strongly. She didn’t want to lose this one.
‘Honestly Martha, what can he provide for her? He’s only a shearer, afterall.’ Nat clicked the horse to a quicker pace.
‘Must I remind you our shearers are the backbone of this country? If we didn’t have shearers how would we get the wool from the back of our sheep?’ I’ll convince him to accept Joe Ryan if it’s the last thing I do.
Nat fell silent. ‘I suppose when you put it like that, we would be in trouble if our sheep weren’t shorn. He is a good shearer. Because he’s ‘gun’ shearer at our property.’
‘So can you put your differences aside and accept Joe, not the shearer, but as the person our daughter fell in love with?’
‘If it pleases you, yes,’ Nat replied. Martha smiled and looked away from her husband.

Joe Ryan finished shearing at Farnham Plains and walked to Eulo to meet Joe Gibson as pre-arranged at the pub. Joe felt great. His mind filled with dreams and ideas of forming a Shearers Union in Queensland. Stepping into the public bar of the Eulo Queen Hotel he sighted his mate, Joe Gibson, sitting at the far end of the bar.
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'The Shearer' - Page 109:

‘G’day mate’, Joe called pleased to see his cobber after a couple of weeks. They shook hands. ‘How did you get on with contacting Spence? I’ll have what he’s having,’ He said to Isabel Gray, known as the Eulo Queen, owner of the hotel, standing behind the bar who he met last time he was in Eulo.
‘Couldn’t reach him mate but I’ve got some better news - take it out of my lot will you Isabel?’ He pointed to the loose change on the bar in front of him. Isabel placed a tumbler of beer in front of Joe Ryan who quickly scooped it up and drank it down in one gulp.
‘Better give me another of these.’ Joe licked his lips to rid the foam. ‘Give my mate here another thanks, Isabel.’ Isabel quickly served both beers and this time Joe Ryan paid. ‘Well, come on I’ve been shearing me arse off for the past couple of weeks and you couldn’t reach him!’
‘Ah…don’t worry, there’s plenty going on up north at Wellshot Station,’ Joe Gibson replied.
‘Where the bloody hell is Wellshot Station?’ Joe asked.
‘South of Ilfracombe. Plenty going on, shearers wouldn’t accept the conditions of the cocky and bloody went on strike.’
‘What a beauty! How did you hear this?’
‘Bush telegraph – good news spreads fast - shearers from all parts marched on Blackall and about six hundred shearers joined in. They started a Queensland Shearer’s Union.’
‘This is great news. Isabel, two more drinks thanks.’ Joe said with a huge smile.
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'The Shearer' - Page 110:

All eyes went to a stranger who entered the bar. His gait straight, clothes soiled, hat pulled over his eyes, ‘Seen him before?’ asked Joe.
‘Never seen him before in my life. Looks like a stranger for these parts.’ Joe Gibson’s eyes followed the stranger as he sat next to where they were seated.
‘G’day.’ Joe Ryan looked at the stranger and put his hand out, ‘I’m Joe Ryan, pleased to meet you.’ The stranger sat silent and looked directly into Joe’s eyes. So this is Joe Ryan, boyfriend of the lass I stole the necklace and ring from. The stranger’s left hand felt for the necklace and ring around his neck and held it firmly.
‘Billy….Billy Wells, pleased to meet you. Joe Ryan was it?’ He shook hands with Joe.
‘This is my mate, Joe Gibson.’ Joe introduced his mate to the stranger who let go of the ring and put his hand out to shake Joe Gibson’s hand. When he leaned across to shake Joe’s hand the necklace and ring swung from the man’s neck. Joe immediately identified his ring and the necklace he’d given to Hannah. Joe jumped to his feet.
‘Where’d you get the ring and necklace?’ Joe roared, grabbing the stranger by the shirt pulling on the necklace and ring. ‘Where did you get this ring?’ His rage was uncontrollable. Holding the stranger with his left hand with a tight grip on the front of the stranger’s shirt, Joe punched the stranger in the face hard with his right fist.
The stranger fell back across a table and chairs landed on the floor. Joe jumped on top of him, punching his face over and over shouting, ‘Where did you get the necklace and ring?’
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