Pat Ritter. Books

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'Click Go The Shears' - Page 74:

‘Many I expect but no one comes to mind.’
‘Billy Wells, he recognised me after a couple of years admitted I wasn’t you. My eyes are a different colour to your eyes. Our secret is safe with him.’
‘Are you sure, don’t forget he robbed the stagecoach and stole Hannah’s necklace and ring?’ Joe Ryan replied in disbelief.
‘He’ll be right, we formed quite a bond in there, it’s a shame he’s a stagecoach robber but nothing we can do about that. Speaking of Hannah, you heard anything from her since you left Cunnamulla?’
‘Ah, no, after you were arrested I went to Ma’s house and explained what happened between us. Ma got righteous and told me she never wanted me near her again. Why?’
‘Because Hannah came to speak with me before I left Cunnamulla and I told her to take care of your horse. She said she would until I returned to Cunnamulla.’
‘I got no qualms about Hannah having the horse, she’ll take good care, don't worry about that. I won’t be returning to Cunnamulla, if ever. I want to stick around here to help out these shearers. Nothing's changed since the last strike and word around town there’s going to be another strike soon. I might even run for parliament.’ Joe Ryan explained.

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‘If that’s the case, I’m getting out of here as soon as I can. Three years in St Helena Island Prison was enough for me and I never want to go back.’
‘How are you off for money?’
‘Got none. Didn’t earn anything in prison.’
Joe dug into his pocket and extracted twenty pound notes, ‘here is five hundred pounds, here.’ he handed the wad of notes to Joe.
‘Wait a minute, I can’t take this.’
‘Take it! I won most of it when Jackie Howe broke the Australian record for shearing the most number of sheep in one day. Only a small portion of what I owe you. That’s all the money except for some change. I’ll get by. Should be enough to re-start your life. It's only a pittance for what you did.’ Relief flowed through Joe's body when his friend folded the money and placed it into his coat pocket.
‘Ah, thanks, thanks a lot. I had no idea of how I was going to survive until I got a job. This will keep me going until I get one. I intend to return to Cunnamulla and meet Hannah. If you don’t mind.’
‘Mate, after what happened, I wish you the best of luck, and say ‘hi’ to her when you meet her and tell her ‘I’m sorry’ for how everything worked out.’
‘After I was arrested she came to the police station and we spoke. She told me about us swapping places and wanted to make things right.

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I told her to forget about what I’d done and to ‘get on with her life’. I noticed you walking along the side of the river when Constable Fitzgerald escorted me to Charleville. Thought I was a goner a few times because he spoke about the time you helped him with Bluey Simpson when loading Bluey onto the wagon after you uncovered his body.’ Joe expressed in a hushed voice, he couldn’t believe how his life had turned out this way. He never would've imagined, served a term of imprisonment and to do it for another person. Must’ve had rocks in my head to do what I did! He pondered and smiled.
‘Joe, honestly I truly appreciate everything you did for me. I am a coward, and if at anytime in the future I can help you in anyway, I owe you, mate,’ Joe’s said in a sincere voice.
‘Hopefully we never go through the past three years again. A good bed would be a blessing because six of us had a hammock each in only one cell for the whole time. I’ll never forget these fellows; they are the heroes, and each one kept me alive.’
‘Got anywhere to stay?’
‘No – I’m heading back to the train and sleep in the carriage. I want to be on the train when it leaves in the morning. Thanks for your generosity. This is enough money to keep me going until I find work. I want to go to Cunnamulla and meet Hannah. I still can’t get her soft voice out of my head when we last spoke more than three years ago.’ Joe shared his thoughts.

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‘I wish you the best of luck. She is one of a kind. Hope you both find one another and live happily ever after. Goodbye Joe, I’ll be seeing you, don’t forget I owe you one.’ They shook hands. Joe Gibson left the bar to walk to the railway station across the road a free man with his own identity.

By December 1894 the shearers attempted to organise another strike fizzled out before it got started. It was around the same time A.B. (Banjo) Paterson composed the lyrics of Waltzing Matilda at Dagworth Station after he heard about the violent death of a striking shearer:

Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong,
Under the shade of a coolibah tree,
And he sang as he watched and waited 'til his billy boiled
"Who'll come a-waltzing, Matilda, with me?"
Along came a jumbuck to drink at the billabong,
Up jumped the swagman and grabbed him with glee,
And he sang as he stowed that jumbuck in his tucker bag,
"You'll come a-waltzing, Matilda, with me".
Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda
Who'll come a-waltzing, Matilda, with me
And he sang as he watched and waited 'til his billy boiled,
"Who'll come a-waltzing, Matilda, with me?"
Up rode the squatter, mounted on his thoroughbred,
Down came the troopers, one, two, three,
"Whose is that jumbuck you've got in your tucker bag?"
"You'll come a-waltzing, Matilda, with me".
Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda
Who'll come a-waltzing, Matilda, with me
And he sang as he watched and waited 'til his billy boiled,
"Who'll come a-waltzing, Matilda, with me?"
Up jumped the swagman, leapt into the billabong,
"You'll never catch me alive," said he,
And his ghost may be heard as you pass by the billabong,
"Who'll come a-waltzing, Matilda, with me".
Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda
Who'll come a-waltzing, Matilda, with me
And he sang as he watched and waited 'til his billy boiled,
"Who'll come a-waltzing, Matilda, with me?"

After losing the strike, the unions, and others in Queensland formed ‘Labour Electoral Leagues’ which later became the ‘Labour Party’ and eventually the ‘Australian Labor Party’. Joe Ryan became the first ‘Labour’ representative in any government, anywhere in the world. Labour Day is an official day set aside beginning 6 May 1891 when striking shearers and bush workers marched in Barcaldine on May Day, linking May Day with Labour Day.

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'Click Go The Shears' - Page 78:

Chapter 9

Hannah woke; smoke burned her eyes. Ma’s Guest House was alight, fire raged through the ancient wooden building. She’d been in a deep sleep and to wake to this catastrophe became a nightmare. Smoke filled her bedroom, her thoughts only on Ma and if she was okay. She tried to call out. No sound came out of her mouth. Her mouth dry.
She pushed the blankets and sheet away and sprung from her bed dragging a blanket, wrapped it around her shoulders and head to cover her face to stop inhaling smoke. Thick smoke enveloped her body which stopped her seeing the way to the bedroom door. Reaching the door she turned the knob to open it. Heat rushed her, she called out as loud as she could, ‘Ma, Ma, where are you?’
Sound of a squeaky voice, ‘over here.’ Ma reached for Hannah who threw the blanket over their heads. Hannah held onto Ma around the waist and carried her to the front of the house. The front door opened, Hannah couldn’t see who opened the door until she recognised Alex from the hotel.

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‘Hurry,’ Alex took Ma wrapped in a blanket whilst Hannah followed. ‘Are there any body else inside’, Alex shouted once they were on the footpath and clear of the fire.
‘Yes, Mr Cummings, his bedroom is across from mine.’ Hannah shouted. Alex left the women and ran into the burning building. ‘Alex, it’s too hot, you’ll get yourself killed’, Hannah forced the words from her mouth through fits of coughing.
Within a couple of minutes Alex returned dragging a man. He saved Mr Cummings life. On the footpath many of the townsfolk gathered. A fire always aroused the curiosity of people in any country town. A coat wrapped around her shoulders. She stared into the eyes of the person who gave her his coat, ‘thought you might want this. Stop you being cold.’ The stranger said in a soft sincere voice.
She remembered the voice. Hannah stared into the eyes of this stranger, ‘thank you,’ she nodded. ‘Are you Joe?’ She squeaked continued to stare at the stranger’s face.
‘Yes, you must be Hannah; I’ll never forget your voice. Last time we spoke, almost four years ago.’ Joe couldn’t believe meeting Hannah under these circumstances. He’d been staying at the Railway Hotel when Alex called. ‘Fire!’
‘I’ve got to get Joker.’ Hannah screamed throwing the coat from her shoulders and ran toward the back of the house. Her horse Joker stabled in the bottom paddock behind Ma’s Guest House. She felt someone beside her as she ran. Blaze from the fire fully engulfed Ma’s Guest House. There was nothing anyone could’ve done to stop the home burn to the ground.

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‘I’ll help you,’ Joe called to Hannah. Both increased their pace to reach the stable at the bottom portion of Ma’s property. Joker galloped around the small enclosure, fear in his eyes. Hannah reached the gate, swiftly unlatched it and threw the gate wide open almost breaking from its hinges. Joker pushed through the space and galloped away from the inferno.
‘He’ll be right. I’ll find him later when he settles down.’ Joe still held the coat, ‘I might want your coat now.’ Joe placed it around her shoulders, her body shook and Joe thought Hannah may be going into shock. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders, holding her tight against his chest; she wept and sobbed, ‘thank you. I’ve got to find Ma.’
They returned to the footpath, Ma stood almost paralysed watching the remains of her home burn to the ground. ‘Ma,’ Hannah wrapped her arms around her, ‘everything will be alright,' she assured her, 'we’re alive,’ her voice soothing and whispered into Ma’s ear, ‘I’m here.’
‘Ma, you and Hannah, follow me.’ Alex commanded, he took hold of both their arms and led them away from their home. Nothing could be done until morning when the damage would be assessed. Ma and Hannah willingly left with Alex and walked to his hotel.