Pat Ritter. Books

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'The Shearer' - Page 90:

‘You don’t leave the house much do you?’ Hannah asked.
‘I’ve got far too much work to do looking after my guests and you - cooking, washing, and scrubbing the floors. An old lady like me doesn’t want to go traipsing about the bush when there’s work to be done,’
‘Ma, you’ve got to have time for yourself. I’m certain other guests wouldn’t mind you going out sometime. How old are you, Ma?’ Hannah asked.
‘I’m older than my teeth and why do you want to know my age?’ Ma answered.
‘My grandma, Nana, Pa’s mother, looks your age, that’s all. In fact you look a little like her, similar coloured eyes and grey hair. You remind me of her in many ways, kind, loving and caring,’ Hannah clicked the horse up to go faster.
‘How old is your grandma? Don’t forget we all have grey hair when we grow old.’
‘Old – she looks old. She has grey hair and plenty of wrinkles. I don’t really know how old she is,’ Hannah replied, concentrating on her driving.
‘If you must know, my last birthday I turned seventy-five,’ Ma admitted. ‘You know it’s rude to ask a lady her age.’
‘Seventy-five. That’s old Ma. I don’t think Nana is that old? I’ll have to take good care of you. You need to slow down if you’re that old.
‘You’re saying I only have a little time to live?’ Ma looked worried.
‘No I’m not saying you’re going to die. Three score and ten is seventy and it’s a known fact not many people live beyond seventy. You’ve only got to look on the headstones at Cunnamulla cemetery to see how many locals haven’t reached seventy,’ Hannah explained. ‘I hope you live forever Ma – I don’t want you leaving us yet. Here we are at the six mile. I’ll gather some firewood to make a fire.’ Hannah pulled on the reins to stop the horse under the shade of a huge gum tree, stepped down from the sulky and walked around to Ma’s side to help her step down.
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'The Shearer' - Page 91:

‘I’m not so old I can’t get out of this contraption myself,’ Ma argued and stepped down unaided.
‘I didn’t mean you were too old. Actually when I’m your age I hope to be as fit as you are.’ Hannah thought she’d better stop pestering Ma about her age and attend to making a fire.
‘This cake is delicious, you’re a great cook. My mother used to cook for our family, but since Pa hired a cook, mother tends to her rose garden and keeps the homestead looking good,’ Hannah told Ma during bites of cake and sipping her tea.
‘I can’t wait to see your parent’s property. Do you have any brothers or sisters?’ Ma asked.
‘Now who’s delving into personal matters? No I’m the only child. I think Pa spoilt me because he wanted a boy to take over the property.’
‘Never mind. You’ll be happy training to be a school teacher,’ Ma answered.
‘Ma, can I ask you a personal question?’
‘Depends on what it is.’ Ma enjoyed sharing conversation with Hannah, she trusted her and felt comfortable in her presence. Joe certainly is lucky to have a girlfriend as good as Hannah,
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Thank you dub. Here is the page for today: 'The Shearer' - Page 92:

‘How long have you lived in Cunnamulla?’ asked Hannah.
‘‘Eighteen years ago I moved to Cunnamulla from Sydney town where I was born. I’ll share my story with you; at least it should keep you quiet and stop pestering me with so many questions.’ Ma paused and took a deep breath. ‘My mother passed away when she gave birth to my younger sister. I was ten year-old at the time.’
‘Oh how horrible.’ Hannah placed her hand to her mouth. Tears welled. ‘Please go on.’ Hannah coaxed Ma.
‘My father couldn’t cope losing my mother and having another child, he gave us away to people in Sydney Town ‘like a pair of unwanted pups’, I never saw my sister again. Her name was Gloria,’ Ma wiped her eyes with a small handkerchief, ‘I went with a family who looked after me and taught me ‘hard work never killed anyone.’’ Ma stopped and sat silently and remembered good and not so good times.
‘You don’t need to say anymore if you don’t want too, Ma.’ Hannah replied.
‘No I’ll be right. I’ve never told anyone my story before. It’s good to finally get it off my chest. There was little money and plenty of work – hard labour. I never saw my father again and I wouldn’t know him if I fell over him, he’s probably dead by now. Before he left, my only memory is his drinking and bashing my mother when he was drunk.’
‘Ma, I’m sorry I asked. Do you know where Gloria ended up?’ Hannah asked.
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'The Shearer' - Page 93:

‘I was too young to know where she went. Only hope she lived a good life. I’d love to see her again before I die, but if I’ve only got a little while to live – probably I’ll never see her again.’ Ma’s voice cracked with emotion and her lips parted into a slight smile.
‘Times must have been tough?’
‘Ah…life wasn’t all bad.’ Ma reflected, ‘my new family made me work for my keep and they tried to educate me. Finally I escaped to work on a property outside Sydney Town, for a kind family who paid me one shilling per week. They taught me to save each penny – to cook, wash and work hard. I saved enough money so when I arrived in Cunnamulla I had sufficient money to buy land and build the boarding house. I always wanted my own place. The name ‘Ma’s Guest House’ I stole the idea from a place I saw in Sydney Town when I was a child.’ Ma stopped for a moment to reflect.
‘How’s your tea? Do you want another cuppa?’ Hannah asked.
‘Yes luv, it would be nice, thank you.’ Ma handed Hannah her cup to refill from the billy.
‘Do you remember anything about Gloria?’ Hannah asked.
‘Only one thing, a birth mark on the back of her left hand – I saw the mark when I went to the hospital to see her. She was bundled up in a pink blanket with her tiny hands outside of the bundle. This was a long time ago, but I’ll never forget the mark – a heart shape. I thought at the time this was unusual because how could a brown-coloured shape be on this particular part of the body?’ Ma went silent again as if she’d travelled back in time.
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'The Shearer' - Page 94:

‘Ma – Ma’s not your real name – is it?’
‘No for goodness sake.’ She didn’t know whether to tell Hannah her real name or not. Then she decided to trust her, ‘I took the name from my business of ‘Ma’s Guest House’. My real name is Margaret Johnson. It’s the name I was born with.’
‘We’d better hit the road. I want to reach home before lunch. Pa and mother don’t know we’re coming so it’ll be a surprise. You know Ma I’m eighteen years old.’ Hannah gathered the rug and basket, with her boot covered the fire to extinguish the glowing ambers, ‘Come on we haven’t far to go.’ She leapt onto the sulky and gathered the reins ready to go.
‘You’re eighteen years old? You must have been born the year I came to live in Cunnamulla.’
‘Isn’t it a coincidence?’
Arriving at ‘Kahmoo Station’ Hannah saw her Pa standing on the front veranda and waved, ‘Pa.’ Her mother walked from the side of the house to meet them at the pathway.
‘Hello Hannah – what a surprise to see you,’ she said with a smile, ‘I thought you were away at school. Who have you there?’ Her mother walked up beside the sulky her father arrived.
‘Mother, this is Ma. She owns ‘Ma’s Guest House’ in town. I’m staying with her. Ma, this is my mother and my Pa.’
‘Pleased to meet you Ma, call me Martha.’ They shook hands.
‘Pleased to meet you Mr Young.’ Ma put her hand out to shake Mr Young’s outstretched hand.
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'The Shearer' - Page 95:

‘I’ll help you down and welcome to our place. Call me Nat.’ He helped Ma down from the sulky.
‘Now young lady why aren’t you at school?’ Nat asked his daughter in a stern voice.
‘Pa, it’s a long story. Can we go inside? I’ll tell you all about it later after we’ve had some lunch.’ Hannah walked to the front veranda and up the stairs, ‘This way Ma. We’re in time for lunch aren’t we, Mother?’ Hannah asked when she climbed the stairs to the front veranda.
‘You have a beautiful place here Mr Young – I mean Nat,’ Ma said following Hannah to the front veranda.
‘Martha keeps the place going while I tend to the sheep,’ Nat explained.
They entered the kitchen, ‘cook has taken the weekend off so I need to make us lunch,’ Martha said. She returned to the veranda and opened the Coolgardie safe to retrieve a leg of cooked mutton, bread and butter.
‘Now young lady – why are you not at school?’ Martha asked Hannah when she got back to the kitchen.
‘Mother – it’s a long story, can we eat first?’ Hannah explained. She knew her parents wanted to know her reason for not attending school but didn’t know their response.
‘We’ll have lunch and then you tell us why you’re not at school.’ She’d already warmed to the old lady in Hannah’s company and thought how similar in features she resembled her own mother-in-law.
After lunch, Ma wanted to clear the dishes and wash them. Martha said, ‘leave them. Let’s go out onto the veranda in the cool and have a cuppa. You go out, Hannah, show Ma where to go and I’ll bring a tray and a pot of tea.’ Martha pointed to go outside whilst she prepared the tea for everyone.
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'The Shearer' - Page 96:

‘Come on young lady tell us why you’re not at school.’ Nat sat on his squatter chair, bought out his pipe, stuffed tobacco into top, lit it with a match he struck on the side of his pants, and puffed away in contentment, ‘I’m ready to hear your excuse.’
‘Pa, after you left me at the depot, I decided to spend a couple of days with Ma at her guest house and to get to know her. Joe stays there when he’s in town.’ Hannah tried to explain but was abruptly stopped by her father.
‘You’re not still interested in THAT shearer are you?’ His voice raised a couple of decibels.
Ma looked across at Nat, ‘What’s wrong with Joe Ryan?’ She’d have no one talk about her Joe like that.
‘I don’t like him. He was here shearing and when Hannah told me she liked him, loved him, were her exact words - I told her I didn’t like the fellow,’ Nat sneered and took another puff on his pipe.
‘I happen to know Joe Ryan quite well and have known him since he’s been staying at my place when he’s in town after shearing.’ Ma attempted to clear the air.
‘I suppose he drinks like all shearers, when he’s in town,’ Nat said, hoping to create an argument between Ma and him.
‘I’d be lying if I said he didn’t.’ Ma softened her voice.
‘I’ll stop him from drinking Pa.’ Hannah said, ‘I love him and can’t wait to see him again.’
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