Pat Ritter. Books

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'The Year That Never Was' - Page 5:

After everyone greeted each other Daisy handed Hannah a basket. ‘Here’s some bush tucker I made for your trip. Kangaroo tail strew. Aboriginal damper. Berry pie for later when you grow hungry. Say hi to Melinda, Todd and Ryan from us.’
Hannah took the basket of food from Daisy. ‘Thank you, Daisy. You needed have gone to this trouble. I’ll return the basket on our return.’
‘No trouble. Keep the basket. May come in handy. I make them from grass.’ Daisy replied, threw her arms around Hannah’s shoulders. ‘Have a safe trip.’ She released her hold.
After their farewells the conductor shouted. ‘All aboard’. Everyone returned to their seats waving from the open windows on the train until the train disappeared into the distance.
‘What have we here?’ Martha asked Hannah looking at the basket of food placed on the seat beside her.
‘Daisy made this basket from grass Mother.’ Hannah showed her mother the craft of how Daisy made the basket. She opened the lid to release a strong odour of delicious food.
‘Wonder what she cooked this time. Hope goanna. I love goanna.’ Martha expressed drawing an odour into her nostrils not similar to food she cooked.
‘Kangaroo tail stew.’ Hannah explained.
‘How’re we going to eat the stew?’ Her mother asked bewildered.
‘Daisy cooked an aboriginal damper.’ Hannah broke up the damper into lumps, dumped one piece into the container holding the kangaroo tail stew, soaked the piece of damper, drawing the piece to her open mouth. The flavour exploded inside her mouth. She’d never experienced anything like this before. A delicious tasting lump of damper soaked throughout filled her mouth. She swallowed this delectable food, handed the container to her mother who copied Hannah’s act of soaking the damper, swallowing, seated back on the seat savouring the new delicious food to her delight.
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Joe and Nat didn’t worry about manners in front of other passengers, picked through the stew with their fingers, withdrew a knuckle of kangaroo tail, sucked on the juicy meat, eyes brightened. 'Wow!' They each expressed. With plenty of food remaining Hannah offered the remainder of the pot to nearby passengers.
‘How delicious.’ Martha told Hannah. ‘What else did Daisy put in her basket?’ Martha asked.
Hannah lifted a berry pie to show her mother. ‘How can we slice the pie?’ Hannah asked.
Joe produced his pocket knife. ‘Use my knife. I bar first piece.’ His hand held in front for first piece of pie.
Hannah opened Joe’s knife, sliced into the firm pastry, through berries to cut a slice for her husband which she handed to him. ‘Here’s your piece Joe. Leave enough for everyone.’ Joe took his piece pushed the piece into his mouth leaving a moaning sound whilst swallowing.
‘Not as good as your pie Dear. Still good enough to eat.’ A smile spread across his face.
Hannah sliced more of the pie handed a slice to her parents and other passengers in their carriage.
With most of the food dispatched enjoyed by everyone Joe placed his hat over his face, leaned into his seat to sleep.
‘You’re like an old goanna Joe. Once you’ve had a feed, time for a sleep.’ Hannah scolded her husband. Snores erupted from beneath Joe’s hat showed Hannah she wasted her time scolding him.
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Charleville Railway Station came into view. Much like Cunnamulla Railway Station, smaller in comparison, the train stopped at the platform. Joe, Hannah, Martha and Nat departed the train to visit the toilet, then Refreshment Room. A thirty minute stop before continuing on with their journey.
Seated at a table for four, a waitress approached their table to take their order. A pot of tea, sandwiches their order. They each commented how full their stomachs were from the food provided by Daisy. Time went by quicker than anticipated. Re-entering the train to take their seats the train puffed sufficient steam to continue their journey.
‘Plenty of grass down this way.’ Nat remarked to Joe. ‘Pity we didn’t have some of this good grass at home.’
‘Looks good.’ Joe answered. Visions of green Mitchell grass plains flowing through the breeze in paddocks at ‘Tilbaroo Station’ flashed through his mind. ‘After we have rain. Our country will look as good if not better. If we ever have rain again.’ Joe remarked.
‘One day rain will come. We’re getting closer day by day.’ Nat said in a positive tone.
‘Hope so Nat. Wish rain pours down in bucket fulls while we’re away to take us through winter into spring.’ Joe finished.

Day fell into night. With a swaying of the carriages, sound of the puffing billy, most passengers wrapped in blankets slept. Breakfast stop Toowoomba after daylight. Township of Toowoomba built on the edge of Great Divine Range east of Darling Downs most populated town west of Brisbane. Passengers had an opportunity to either remain on the train or be a passenger in a stagecoach driven to the bottom of the range to again met the train after descending the steep decline from Toowoomba. Nat, Martha, Hannah and Joe decided to ride the stagecoach from Toowoomba Railway Station to the bottom of the range.
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After a hearty breakfast at Toowoomba Railway Refreshment Rooms they boarded the stagecoach for their trip down the range.
‘This is a change from sitting on those hard seats in the train.’ Hannah said to Joe.
‘Isn’t this country different to home?’ Joe said in disbelief.
‘They receive more rain here, this side of the Great Dividing Range.’ Nat answered.
Throughout their trip from Toowoomba to Gatton, a town at the bottom of the range, spectacular country, green with pastures never seen before by Nat or Joe filled their minds with ideas of grandeur. If this similar rainfall fell on their properties, Joe thought. Both men closed their eyes imagining how their properties would look after the same amount of rain fell similar to this area.
Arrival at Gatton, a salad bowl for growing vegetables, plus other foods to feed the population closer to the coast, they departed from the stagecoach. Filled with ideas of how pleasant the journey to understand different ways of living. Both Nat and Joe never wanted to live in this part of the world. They were sheep people. This area did not have any use for their fine fleeced animals.
Boarding the train seated in the same seats; they journeyed onto Brisbane to stop at Roma Street Railway Station. George and Gloria stood on the platform waiting. Smiles and ter erupted from Martha and Hannah pleased again to be in the company of their parents and grandparents. After a warm welcome, hugs and kisses, they journeyed to Spring Hill to their home.
‘I suppose you’re all exhausted after a long journey. I’ll made a cuppa.’ Gloria expressed, pleased to have her family gathered together again. ‘Your friend Melinda contacted me yesterday Hannah. After you’ve settled she wants to meet for supper.’ Gloria announced whilst waiting for the kettle to boil.
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‘I’ve missed her so much Nan. Didn’t think I would’ve. Are they doing well. How is Ryan?’ Hannah asked whilst helping her grandmother make a cuppa. Gloria baked biscuits for her visitors.
‘Wonderful. She’ll tell you when you have supper. I wouldn't want to steal her thunder. Everyone ready.’ Gloria yelled to the others to join them in the kitchen. ‘How long are you staying? You can stay as long as you want.’ She corrected.
‘We haven’t a time. After shearing, also the great drought, we all wanted to visit. If everything is okay.’ Martha said.
‘You stay as long as possible. I’m afraid I’m too long in the tooth now to visit you all in Cunnamulla.’ George stated.

Chapter 2
Difference from the bush to the city. Messages in the bush sent by bush telegraph compared messages sent by grapevine in the city. A crown sealed letter arrived on the doorstep of George and Gloria’s home addressed to Joseph Gibson. Surprised to receive a letter Joe read an invitation to attend morning tea with The Honourable Joseph Ryan Esquire, MLA, at Parliament House. Joseph's title annoyed him. How to refer to him as 'The Honourable Joseph Ryan, Esquire, MLA puzzled his mind.
At ten o’clock a carriage arrived at the front of the house. The driver knocked on the front door asking for Mr Joseph Gibson plus Mr Nathan Young. His role to drive them to Parliament House to meet with The Honourable Joseph Ryan, Esquire, MLA. After farewelling both Hannah and Martha they boarded the carriage.
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Alighting from the carriage in front of Parliament House, The Honourable Joseph Ryan, Esquire, MLA met both gentlemen. Shaking their hands asked them to accompany him to the tea room. Once each seated The Honourable Joseph Ryan, Esquire, MLA thanked them for coming, welcoming both to partake of morning tea or something stronger.
Both men overawed by their surroundings. Never before in their lives either man experienced such glamour. Nat first to speak. ‘Makes a difference here to the shearing quarters at home.’ A smile spread across his face.
‘Nat, I still remember when you were going to throw me off your place for cutting the belly of that sheep I shore.’ The Honourable Joseph Ryan, Esquire, MLA ed, reflected to a time long since gone.
‘How life changes. Here we are in the powers of government speaking about the good ole days as if yesterday. Much water has flown under the bridge since those days Joe. Okay to call you Joe, or should we address you by your title? Your title bugs me.’ Nat chattered, a little nervous because of the company and surroundings.
‘Call me what you want. Joe is fine with me. In my position at Parliament I’m always addressed by the correct title. At times, I forget where I came from. You both are like a breath of fresh air. I can relax to be myself in your company.’ Joe explained.
Up until this time Joe Gibson hadn’t said a word. His mind reeling from the present company, seated in glorious surroundings. Life changed since his days at ‘Tilbaroo Station’ shearing in the mid-day sun with Joe by his side. Who would blame Joe for climbing the social ladder to be in the position he now occupied.
‘You have beer here?’ Joe inquired.
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‘Same for me if you have beer. May quieten the butterflies.’ Nat acknowledged.
Joseph beckoned to a waiter who rushed to his side. ‘Three beers, thank you.’ Joseph said in an official voice. The waiter rushed off without a word soon returned with three tumblers of beer. He placed a tumbler in front of each gentleman.
Taking a sip of the beer Joseph said. ‘Suppose you’re wondering why I invited you both here for drinks?’
‘You didn’t waste time in finding us. The grapevine is quicker in the city than the bush telegraph in the bush.’ Joe muttered in between drinking his beer making him more relaxed.
‘Gentlemen,’ Joseph exclaimed in an official voice. ‘My reason for asking you to this meeting. I want your help.’ Joseph expressed.
Both men looked at Joseph noticing a serious change to his features.
‘Why ask us here before we had time to settle in?’ Nat asked.
‘This is 1899. Are either of you aware of a war in South Africa?’ Both shook their heads. ‘Our country is part of the British Empire. Our colonies have offered troops to fight in the ‘Boer War’ in South Africa.’ Joseph finished. Waited for replies from his friends.
‘What’s this got to do with us. We’re pastoralists, not bloody soldiers.’ Nat replied.
‘Why I’ve asked you both here because we need men like yourselves to recruit young bushmen to join other colonies to represent our country against the Boer to stop the fighting.’ Joseph explained finished his beer, placed the tumbler on the table. His arm raised to order another three beers. A waiter appeared placing a tumbler of beer in front of each man.
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