LOUISA - Chapters Seven and Eight

CHAPTER SEVEN

JUST ALFRED NOW ©

“Are we all ready,” Louisa asked yet another time. Getting out of the Inn with seven children on her own was proving quite a challenge. She had never gone anywhere with all of them on her own before. Alfred had always been there to go with her or look after them while she went on her own or just with a couple of them.

Jasper, whinnied, again, stomping his feet on the ground impatiently. Louisa knew that he had been hitched to the wagon for long enough without movement and was eager to begin the journey.

There was a chorus of “Yes” from the back of the wagon and from Magnus, holding Ethel, beside her. It was Magnus who could keep Ethel occupied and Alfred Jr, would keep the rest of the boys under control for the seven miles into town.

Clip. clop, clip clop. Her thoughts once again wandered along memories of the past.......

“Are you sleeping, are you sleeping? Brother John, Brother John...” the boys were in full voice and went from the verse with John to include all their names. Ethel squealing with delight at their antics, clapping her hands whenever they stopped. "Ten green bottles, hanging on the wall...” was the next in their repertoire, sung at the top of the voices, with very little tune. But it made for a joyous trip into town! Sometimes grief has happy times too, she thought.

Gunnedah was a town like most other towns in 1883. Long dusty roads and buildings scattered throughout the area, with the usual Public Houses. Louisa thought of Alfred’s claim, as why Sugarloaf Inn was such a great buy. Being on the main road into Gunnedah it was in a prime position for travellers, offering lodgings and of course liquid refreshments. The ideal place to attract travellers before they reached town. It had proved him wise in his choice as business had always been good.

As Louisa drove along the road the thought struck her that she didn’t know where she was going. Where was the the Undertaker’s Office in town.

As she approached the Post Office, she pulled up with stern instructions for the children to stay put. The bell over the door announced her arrival as she entered.

“Oh Mrs Brandt, dear, such a terrible business. How are you bearing up, such a terrible accident. I knew when I heard... “

“I’m sorry Mrs Macey, I just popped in to ask where I would find the Undertakers?” Louisa interrupted her before she could elaborate on the many ills of drink and Public Houses. She couldn’t listen to it today, of all days.

“Oh of course dear. You will find him beside the GeneraL Store. Of course he may not be there, seeing as it is time for a cuppa, but then again he may...”

“Thank you, I will make my way straight there, just in case,” Louisa hurried from the store.

Just down the road, she pulled up in front of the General Store.

“Alfred Jr, here is a penny, I want you to take the children and buy them each a sweetie at the General Store. Then go down to the end of the road where the old big gum tree stands beside the Public House and let the children have a play. Take this basket, if I am away a long time, there is some bread and cheese and milk for your lunch. I hope I won’t be too long.”

“Mam,” he replied, “if I am now the man of the house, shouldn’t I be just Alfred now?” With a lump in her throat Louisa smiled and nodded her head.

As they went their seperate ways Louisa found herself silently asking her Alfred to give her strength to face whatever was in store for her. Here she was nearly thirty five and she didn’t really know about death. Of course she had seen her share, especially on the gold fields, but this was different. The death of someone who was a piece of her, a piece of her heart and soul, she just didn’t know how she would face the ordeal in front of her. When she was surrounded by the children it was a different matter, she could not break down in front of them.

But now entering the Undertaker’s door, all she wanted to do was curl up on the verandah and weep.


CHAPTER EIGHT

TEARS AND TREACLE TARTS ©

The first thing she noticed was the sparse furnishing. At a large desk sat a wizened old man. He looked as though he had spent too many days in this harsh Australian sun without a hat.

“Good morning Madam, can I help you?” he asked.

“Good morning Sir, my name is Louisa Brandt and I am Alfred Brandt’s wife, I mean widow.”

As he rose and came around the desk, she noticed his suit was old and in need of a good clean.

“My name is William Douglas, I am very sorry for your loss, Mrs Brandt.6 I assume you are here to make arrangements for your husband’s burial. Please take a seat.”

Louisa looked around as she sat in the only other chair available.The room was small and dingy with only the light from a small window illuminating his desk. Covering the desk were numerous newspapers of various vintages and areas.

Seeing her confusion Mr Douglas explained, “I am from Tamworth, Madame, you are fortunate that I am here this month. I also work for the Tamworth Newspaper assisting with their editing.”

Handing her a newspaper he sat down “I brought this with me, it has an article about the accident, that I thought you might be interested in.”7




The Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser (NSW : 1843 - 1893) Tue 31 Jul


As tears streamed down her face, she thought, pull yourself together woman, you can’t let this man see you crying. What will he think? You have to do this, you have to organise Alfred’s funeral. He won’t take you seriously if you can’t string two words together.

Swallowing down her panic, she dried her eyes and prepared herself for the ordeal that was to come.

“When can I bury Alfred, Mr Douglas? I need to do right by him and send him off with respect. I really don’t know about these things, what am I going to do?” bursting into tears, despite her stern talking to herself.

While Louisa composed herself, Mr Douglas fussed around her, turning papers over, sitting and standing up numerous times, giving her the space she needed.


“My dear Mrs Brandt, the Magistrate has released your husband’s body to me this morning. I can arrange for the funeral to take place whenever you say.”8

“Can we have it tomorrow,” she replied, “ I don’t like to think of Alfred being kept waiting. He was never an overly patient man, but a good man, non the less and I want to see this business over and done with for the sake of the children. They need to move on and the funeral may help with this.”

The Undertaker sat down at his desk again and proceeded to tell Louisa what was needed. He assured her that he would handle all the details for her, once she let him know where and when she wanted Alfred buried.

An hour later Louisa left his office and headed back down the road to the children.

“Mumma, Mumma,” she noted George was the first to see her coming. She guessed that he had appointed himself as the lookout for her. He was not one to handle her being away for too long. As she pulled the wagon up and dismounted, George threw his chubby arms around her knees, almost causing her to lose her balance. But it was such a welcome normality after the last hour she scooped him up in her arms as she headed for the other children.

They all tried to tell her at once about the wonderful treat they had each bought at the General Store. Little Ethel tottered over to her indicating she wanted to be picked up.

“My goodness baby girl, is there any part of you that isn’t sticky? Whatever you have been eating looks absolutely delicious. Was it a treacle tart by any chance?”

Louisa laughed as Ethel held up her sticky hands and puckered up for a kiss with a brown sticky mouth and chin.

Then she saw the rest of her brood. There wasn’t a clean face among them! She also realised that her dress from the knees down was circled in the same mess, from her hug from George.

“We best get you all home and in the tub.”


6 Australia, Death Index, 1787-1985, Index Reg#8157 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010, Name of Undertaker, accessed 18 August 2015 , http://www.ancestry.com.au

7 The Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser (NSW: 1843-1893) T8ue July 1883, p. 5, ,Retrieved May 26, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article906393

8 New South Wales, Australia, Registers of Coroners' Inquests, 1821-1937 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc, State Archives NSW; Series: 2924; Item: 4/6618; Roll: 343, http://www.ancestry.com.au.

LOUISA Chapters Five and Six

CHAPTER FIVE

FISH FOR TEA ©

Louisa struggled through the day, with the children asking questions that she could’t answer. The Inn had to be closed until further investigation could be done.

I hope it won’t be to long before we can reopen. The veggie patch and larder will only keep us for so long. We need our regulars bringing in the money. I don’t know if Alfred had any money stashed away. Surely we couldn’t have used up all the money from our gold mining days, she thought.

Dr Edmonds had called again this afternoon to see if she wanted something to help her sleep. She declined.

She was only now starting to feel the cloudiness of the drug he had given her last night lifting. She didn’t want to feel that way again. Her children needed her, she wanted to be alert if they woke during the night. Also, she wanted to feel her own pain, she did’t want to block it out. Alfred had been her life, he deserved her tears, her pain and despair.

How am I going to go on, she thought. For the children an inner voice urged her. Yes she acknowledged, for the children.

She found herself in the kitchen doing the normal things, while Ethel played on the floor in the corner. She had sent the boys down to the river to catch her some fish. They wouldn’t of course, but it would get them out of the house. It would keep them occupied, enable them to get muddy and dirty and for a little while forget and hopefully be tired enough for sleep tonight.

She kneaded the bread again. She had set it to rise at lunchtime, so now it was ready for the oven. Then she remembered that she had given the children bread and blackberry jam last night. Oh well, it wouldn’t hurt them, she did’t have the energy for anything else. She had a couple of apples that they could have for dessert.

Soon she would have to go into town and see the Undertaker. She didn’t know about these things. What did she have to do? How much would it all costs? When would she be able to bury her beloved Alfred? Would she be able to carry on here? Was she allowed to even? She was a woman after all, could she also be a Publican? Her head was a mixture of questions and problems. It hurt! Oh how it hurt.

Bang! The boys burst into the room, “ Mam, Mumma, Ma” all talking at once. Alfred Jr was carrying a sizeable Redfin. He had caught a fish. His first by himself. Alfred was watching over them.

“Maybe we can have fish for tea and bread and jam for dessert,” she smiled as he handed her the fish.

CHAPTER SIX

SURVIVING ANOTHER DAY ©

As night closed in on Louisa she turned once again in bed. Sighing she rose and picked up Ethel from her cot. The cold seemed to reach every bone in her body, she missed his body close to hers. Taking Ethel back to bed she cuddled up to her and felt her warm breath and warm body radiating warmth through her cold bones. Just for tonight, she thought as she drifted off to sleep.


Ethel woke with a giggle. Louisa pushed her hair from her eyes blinking as the sun streamed through the open curtains. She couldn’t close them last night, the stars felt like her link to Alfred. They reminded her of his sweet sparkling eyes and the warmth of his smile.

Ethel had snuggled in for a feed and being the guts that she was, she had finished and was now demanding to go downstairs for breakfast.

Peter ran into the room, “Mumma, it’s so cold downstairs, Pa hasn’t lit the fi...” his face crumpled into distress as he realised what he had said.

“Come here, my man. It’s alright. Yes we will need to sort some duties out, won’t we? Are you the first of my boys awake?”

“Yes,” came a forlorn little voice beside me.

“Well let’s go down and you can help me get some breakfast before the rowdy ones wake up.”

Coming down the stairs they were assailed with an acrid smell of smoke wafting under the kitchen door.

“What is going on in here?” she cried as she entered.

“I thought I would make some toast Mam, but when I put it over the fire it went all black and started smoking,” came a very sheepish reply from Alfred Jr, dropping the toast as it started to singe his fingers.

John, George and Willy were sniggering from the other side of the table. Magnus entered the back door with a pail of milk. He hadn’t forgot to milk old Daisy. She wasn’t surprised. 

Louisa smiled to herself and replied, “ Toast can be so tricky Alfred, why don’t you leave the cooking to me. But I would really appreciate you lighting the fire before I come down of a morning. It would be such a help, dear.

“Magnus, I bet Daisy was please to see you, we won’t even have to heat the milk for porridge this morning will we?”

Alfred Jr looked relieved to have escape a dressing down. He made a silent promised to Pa, that he would not let him down. He would help Mam, with anything she asked. After all, he was the Man of the House now, he had heard the doctor say yesterday.

After breakfast they all settled into their daily routine. Louisa, sorted through the jobs that Alfred usually did, if it was possible to give these chores to one of the boys, it was negotiated. Some of the older boys chores were passed down the line to younger brothers. But the reality was that there was just so much that the children could do, no matter how eager they were to help. It eventuated that a lot of the jobs would be added to her list of “to dos.”

She thought longingly of happy times and all their grand plans and dreams. Alfred had so many dreams for their future. Would she be able to carry on with these dreams. No matter what, there was their wonderful legacy of children to leave the world. If nothing else she could nurture their dreams and hopes. The day ended as it had begun, with them all sitting in the kitchen.

“Mumma, how will Pa, get to the angels?” little George asked her with wonder in his eyes.

“Soon we will go to church and say some prayers for Pa, asking God to send his angels to guide his heavenly body to heaven. His earthly body will be put in the ground, so we can plant a tree to remember him and visit him when we need to,” she explained hoping that it would quell any further questions for tonight.

She packed them all off to bed with the promise of a trip into town tomorrow. She would have to go and visit the Undertaker. Maybe she could also check in with the bank to see if she had any money?

She started to knead the dough for tomorrow’s bread. It felt good to punch something, then setting it on the mantle to rise overnight, she realised she had survived another day.

LOUISA Chapters Three and Four

CHAPTER THREE

THE WELL ACCIDENT ©

Louisa dropped the glasses she was wiping and ran out the back door. Panic gripped her.

It was so dark for seven o’clock, but winter in Gunnedah was a hard climate. It had been so cold and icy, of late.

As she reached the well she realised that the frost was starting to gather on the ground already. Peering down the well, all she could see was blackness. She started screaming Alfred’s name. Her cries were met with an eery silence. Someone grabbed her arms and dragged her back inside.

She was met with the children standing in a huddle, with fear on their faces. All except Ethel, who had managed to stay asleep.

“Mamma,” one of them cried. But she couldn’t make out which one. All she could hear was one of the blasted men insisting that Alfred Jr. go and get the Magistrate. He was thirteen years old for Lord’s sake. She wasn’t about to let him go out in the night to walk seven miles to get the Magistrate.

She rounded on one of the men who had been with Alfred and told him to ride into town. As well as the Magistrate, she wanted help, she wasn’t about to give up hope. No matter what they said, he would be alright. Yes, he would be alright, she kept telling herself.

Taking the rest of the men to task, she in vain sent them outside to work on a rig to get him up. She could’t understand what they were all standing around for when Alfred needed help. She did’t see their faces of hopelessness as they went outside.

Her thoughts drifted to what could have happened. He must have been knocked out. He would wake soon, surely, and start bellowing for help.

Oh God help her.

She ushered the children back upstairs to their beds. They were harder to get down this time. Their questions were unbearable. More so, because she had the same questions herself and no-one could answer them.

“Is Pa alright?” Alfred Jr whispered as she tucked a round eyed Peter in beside him.

“ Yes of course he is alright. He has just had a little accident and he will expect you up early to do your chores. So hasten to sleep” she whispered back with a catch in her voice.

When she heard the deep breathing sounds of sleep, she crept out of the room and downstairs. She couldn’t face being alone with her thoughts any longer.

Where had the time gone, she thought consulting her timepiece, it was nearly eleven o’clock!

On entering the bar she was met by the Magistrate and a Doctor. They explained to her that nothing could be done until sun-up. It was just too dark and cold outside for them to attempt searching the well.

Automatically she turned and resumed cleaning up the bar, but then the enormity of it hit her and she broke down and fell to the floor in a crumpled heap.

She felt kind hands helping her up to her bedroom. The doctor gave her a vile tasting liquid to drink and as she sat on her bed she thought she would never sleep again. The horror of it was just too much.

Then oblivion overcame her and she drifted into a deep sleep. She slept the merciful laudanum induced sleep. The doctor knew, even if she didn’t, she would need all her strength in the morning.


CHAPTER FOUR

RELISATION AND THE DAWN ©

Louisa stirred restlessly in her sleep. Her eyes were still heavy and her mind was cloudy. She was alone in her bed. Where was baby Ethel, why couldn’t she hear Alfred snoring. A sense of dread engulfed her. The memories hit her like a sack of flour, Alfred was gone. Fallen to his death down the well.

As much as she told herself that he would be alright, she knew deep in her heart that he couldn’t have survived that fall. Even if by some miracle he had, the temperature last night wouldn’t have spared him.

With dread she slowly started opening her eyes.

“Are you awake Mrs Brandt?” a strange woman sitting beside her bed asked. “Yes. Do I know you?”

“No dear, I am Jean the doctor’s wife, he sent for me last night to sit with you. There is a gentleman waiting to see you dear, I’ll just pop out and let him know you are awake,” she replied.

Louisa tried to stop her, “I must see the children, where are the children?”

She dragged herself from the bed and realised she was in the same clothes as last night. Oh well she thought, a comb through my hair will suffice for now. Where is my comb? Dear God, how am I going to tell the children?

Realising that someone was knocking on her bedroom door, she called: “Enter.”

A strange man came in. “I am sorry to have to inform you Mrs Brandt, that Alfred’s body has been recovered from the well out back. He is indeed dead. The Magistrate has had his body removed, as there will need to be an inquest.”5

Louisa could only nod, “I have to see my children, excuse me,” she replied as she ran from the room, stifling the tears that threatened to fall.

The upstairs rooms were eerily quiet. She could’t grasp the reason why. As she ran down the stairs, she heard hushed voices coming from the kitchen.

Bursting through the door, she found seven pairs of red rimmed eyes staring at her with fear.

The doctor’s wife Jane, was cutting the left over bread from yesterday into small slices. She hadn’t made another loaf last night, would there be enough, she thought.

“I will leave you to be with your children, Mrs Brandt. They are very concerned about what is happening. Of course, I haven’t told them anything.”

Louisa sat down at the head of the table, thinking as she did so that Alfred should be sitting there.

“Mama, what has happened,” asked Alfred Jr, “”where is Pa?”

“Darlings, I don’t know how to tell you this,” Louisa replied with tears streaming down her face, “but your Pa, had an accident last night and fell down the well. He has gone to heaven, to be with the angels.”

Alfred Jr’s eyes started to glisten with tears as he ran out the back. Louisa thought it best to leave him be with his grief. He was so close to his father, this would be a hard blow for him to accept.

As she watched his retreating form she realised that there were still six pairs of eyes watching her with confusion and despair.

Peter was the first to reach her, throwing himself at her with his arms circling her neck, as he sobbed, with shock.

Her brave boy Magnus, who never showed emotion, stood rooted to the spot holding baby Ethel in a firm grip as he rocked her to and fro. He would hold onto his grief and not let anyone in. She would need to care for this young man with gentleness.

Her little John, who was always so helpful, got up and started to clear away the table. The tears were falling heavily.Finally he gave up on wiping them away and sat down again burying his head in his hands.

The two youngest boys George and William were to young to understand what she had said, but they had picked up on everyone’s grief and were looking confused and saddened.

Ethel started to fuss, she wanted a feed. As Louisa felt her milk let down she realised that her little bub hadn’t been fed all night. As Ethel nestled into her breast with a sigh of contentment, she realised that this may be the last baby she would nurse. Little Ethel would never remember her Pa.

I just have to get through this day, then tomorrow and then one day at a time, she thought.

5 GUNNEDAH. (1883, August 2). Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954) , p. 2. Retrieved May 26, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article135952127

LOUISA - Chapters One and Two

Today I start posting the story of Louisa. There is still a lot to find out about this Ancestor and that is an ongoing task. These chapters were written for a 28 day Writing Challenge, that I participated in, during February this year. All chapters of Louisa's story are creative non-fiction, but all major names, dates and places are correct as far as I know. I will post the rest of them each couple of days.




CHAPTER ONE

DARK CLOUDS ON THE HORIZON ©

The day started like any other day. Although the rain overnight had been steady and very welcome, it would make the yard that much harder to get the chores done.

Louisa was awake and feeding Ethel at 4 o'clock. She was thankful that Ethel had fallen asleep in her arms.She was the worst of her young ‘uns by far with cutting teeth. No doubt she would be awake soon.

Blast! Louisa thought, her infernal screeching had woken, William. Now he would wake the rest of the boys, them being all in the one room. No more sleep for her.

As she dressed and splashed icy water from the bowl on the night stand over her face, she day-dreamed of an easier life.

One where Nanny brought the baby to her to feed, with a cup of tea. Then when finished, she would take her back to the nursery, where she would supervise the dressing of all the boys and get them all to the dining room for breakfast. She would then curl back up under the comforter with the luxury of sleeping until the downstairs maid brought her tray up.

"Mamma", one of the boys yelled.

"Louisa", Alfred bellowed from out back at the same time.

Lord, can't anyone do anything for themselves, she thought, as she made her way downstairs to get breakfast.

It was like ice in the kitchen with the wind howling around the Inn and seeping through cracks in the windows. Quickly lighting the fire she set the kettle on to boil. While she was stirring the porridge, she cut the bread she had baked last night, setting another loaf in the oven for dinner time.

"Louisa, where is Alfred Jr. the kindling hasn't been split? Magnus hasn't milked the cow, she's out there bellowing fit to wake the dead," Alfred came in slapping his arms to warm himself by the fire.

The two eldest boys slipped out the door behind their father’s back, quick to navigate around him, on their way to do their chores. Alfred Jr. nearing thirteen and Magnus almost eleven, knew if Pa caught them, they would feel the back of his hand for neglecting their chores.[1]

Even if it was still only five o'clock!

Alfred took the opportunity of being alone with his wife to give her a quick kiss. They were interrupted by the sound of many little feet running down the stairs. The quite of the kitchen was extinguished with the entrance of five young children.

Louisa ’s heart swelled with love and pride as her younger children arrived for breakfast. Peter who was nine, carrying one year old baby Ethel. Followed by John who would be seven in two weeks, holding little William's hand who was prone to telling her that he was a big boy now at three years old. Of course, bringing up the rear was the chubby five year old George with shirt tails out and hair not done.[2] 

With the return of the two eldest boys, they all sat down to the hot porridge with warm milk, bread and dripping, and a steaming cup of tea for Alfred and Louisa. Even though it was still early and the thought of her bed kept coming back to her, she revelled in this, her favourite time of the day. Apart from the few times throughout the day when she would sit down to feed Ethel, she would be on her feet all day and a good part of the night.

She was grateful that they hadn’t had any lodgers staying at the Inn last night but the bar would be busy with their regulars throughout the day and then the six o’clock rush. The day would stretch into a long round of cleaning, washing, cooking and schooling the children.

That is if I can get them to sit down for long enough, she thought.

Alfred thought she was wasting her time schooling the children. The boys would all be working by the time they were thirteen hopefully. Ethel would of course marry a nice young man and have a family.

But something inside kept nagging her to continue with their schooling. It was like a dark cloud on the horizon. It wouldn’t hurt for the children to have a little education. Would it?


1 Australia, Birth Index, 1788-1922 Index Reg #44 Alfred L BRANDT, Index Reg #135592 Magnus BRANDT [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010 , accessed 12 August 2015, http://www.ancestry.com.au

2 Australia, Birth Index, 1788-1922 Index Reg #14877 Peter BRANDT; Index Reg #15707 John BRANDT; Index Reg #22850 George BRANDT; Index Reg #25169 William BRANDT; Index Reg #17610 Ethel BRANDT; [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010 accessed 12 August 2015, http://www.ancestry.com.au



CHAPTER TWO

THE DAY IT ALL CHANGED FOREVER ©

The day had been busy. The children were fussy and rowdy. Six boys confined inside because of the wet and icy cold weather, were about five too many.


Ethel was constantly whinging as she tried to pull herself up and get on the move with her own two feet.


Alfred was right. It was time that Alfred Jr. made his own way in the world. He should be working outside the home and bringing in some money. At least that would cut down on some of the noise of a daytime.


She rubbed the back of her neck trying to ease the nagging headache she had been fighting all day. She had to get the children’s tea. Thank heavens they always had their dinner meal at midday before things got really busy. Even then she and Alfred would take it in shifts, with the children and the bar. But at tea time she was on her own. So a quick meal of bread and her blackberry jam and hot milk was on the menu for tonight. Bedtime for the children was woman’s work.


They all trudged up the stairs as the sun was setting. It was only five thirty, but it was over twelve hours since these littlies had woken. It shouldn’t be too long before they were asleep.


The bigger boys were happy to just to lie down, after their evening chores. It was a bitter evening and they couldn’t get inside quick enough after chopping and stacking the wood, feeding the animals and making sure they were all either in the barn or tethered securely. It didn’t matter if they didn’t go straight to sleep, but she doubted they would last long.


Once Ethel was fed, she tucked her into bed with John and George. John loved cuddling up to his little sister. The warmth of his body would also help to keep her asleep. She would transfer her over to their bed when she came up. The other four boys shared the other two beds in the room.

“Louisa, Louisa, it’s nearly closing time, can you come and help?” Alfred called from the bottom of the stairs.

If you keep bellowing like that the baby will be awake and I will never get down there, she thought.

The stillness of the room was broken by the guttural snoring of Alfred Jr. in the bed he shared with William. If they could sleep through that how did Ethel’s crying from the other room wake them, she thought!

Louisa hurried down the stairs with the lantern held high to light her way. Alfred was behind the bar serving some of his cronies who were regulars.

As he saw her look of inquiry, as it was now way past six o’clock, he called, “Time Gentlemen.”

Louisa started collecting glasses, which she took to the kitchen to wash, but only to find the well bucket bone dry. No washing up was going to get done without water!

On returning to the bar she found some of the men lingering over their drinks.

“Alfred can you get some water from the well,” she asked tersely, “ and why you are at it, escort the men out the back door, because if they are seen leaving after hours there may be trouble.”

As Alfred left she started to clean the bar and sweep the floors. Sleep would elude her tonight, with Alfred snoring beside her and the baby waking constantly with those blessed teeth!

But before she could claim her bed, there was the bread to prepare for tomorrow’s meals. One of their regular travellers was due to come through Gunnedah tomorrow and would likely need a room.

She thought sulkily that Alfred was taking a long time getting that bucket of water from the well. What could be taking that man so long!

Louisa bit her tongue for the umpteenth time that night.

He had been drinking with his cronies again. When did she get time to socialise, she thought?

The Sugarloaf Inn wasn’t high class but it was a roof over their heads.[3] A far cry from their gold mining days, which had been good to them, what with enabling them to buy this Inn.[4] But it was hard work.

Suddenly she was interrupted from her thoughts. There was a commotion coming from the backyard.

What were those men up to now?

One of the men came running in blabbering incoherently, he was too drunk to make head or tails of what he was saying.

Then she saw the rest of the men. Their faces told the full story. Alfred wasn’t with them.

“Quick,” she heard one of them say, “wake young Alfred Jr. to go find the magistrate. Alfred’s fallen down the well and it doesn’t look good."

3 New South Wales, Australia, Police Gazettes, 1854-1930, Publication Date 3 May 1882 p167 [database on- line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010 accessed 19 August 2015 , http://www.ancestry.com.au

4 Australia, Birth Index, 1788-1922 Index Reg #44 Alfred L BRANDT [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010 accessed 12 August 2015 , http://www.ancestry.com.au