Children of Toil ✔

Chapter Thirteen

The trees were no longer thick, lush and leafy but instead spindly and open. Their leaves more grey than green, with trunks that ranged from shades of pink and white to charcoal and brown, some smooth and others rough. Lucan struggled to help the mule pull the cart over the rutted rocky road and fought to breathe as the dust billowed from beneath his feet.

They had travelled like this for several days since getting off the train at the small township called Myola. As the countryside had changed from the lush green rainforest to this dry scrubby landscape Lucan became more dismayed and horrified. He wondered if it was wrong to have brought his children to such a harsh place.

At the sight of the township of Irvinebank he was pleasantly surprised. The place had go-ahead spirit, with quality shops and hotels made of fine cedar.

"That shop is Jack and Newell's where we get our supplies. I'll come back after I get ya to the cottage," said Thaiter. He pointed out the School of Arts building. "And in there is a well-stocked library."

Lucan shrugged. "Is grand but no good to me."

"The townsfolk wanted it." Thaiter laughed. "Put up money to build it and there's people who use it, but taint no use ta me neither." He chuckled and jerked his head toward the next building. "That's the National Bank and Mista Moffat's place is up on the hill. Loudoun House it's called. The battery is down the slope in front. He lives in the best spot in town...looks down on the dam." Thaiter continued to point out places of interest. "This street's called Jessie Street and it be where most of the activity happens, I reckon."

Nodding as Thaiter talked, Lucan looked one way, and then the other noting most of the men acknowledged Thaiter but eyed him with suspicion.

The stacks from the smelters poured forth their grey continuous billows of smoke. Lucan licked his dry lips and felt parched from the walk. "How far to go, Thaiter?"

"Just over the rise and round a bend."

Lucan laughed. "I heard ya say that one time too many this journey, Thaiter."

A policeman on horse-back approached them. "Hello, Thaiter," he called.

Thaiter lifted his hand in a wave. "Constable Lanigan."

The Constable dismounted and grinned. "You've been away for a while? I haven't seen you around for a week or so."

"Yeah, I bin ta Cairns, dis here's me nephew. Fresh out of Ireland."

The officer stepped toward Lucan and shook his hand. "Nice to meet you. I'm Ed Lanigan."

Lucan smiled. "I'm coming from Scotland really. Been livin' there for the last six years."

Lanigan laughed quietly. "Thaiter never can get his facts straight," he said. "I'm from Ireland me self. Been here on seven years now." He mounted his horse. "I'll be seeing you fella's around," he said as he tipped his hat and rode off down the street.

Lucan watched him greet others as he went. "He seems a good peg, Thaiter."

"Yeah a good bloke is Edward Lanigan. He's stationed in Montalbion. Comes backwards and forwards between the two towns." Thaiter chortled. "Had me in the lock up a few times."

Screwing up his face, Lucan cocked his head to one side, baffled. "What you callin' him? A block?"

Thaiter boomed. "Not a block ya id-jet...a bloke...it means fella...you know...man!"

"Seems a stupid thing ta call someone if ya ask me." Lucan shook his head in dismay.

"You'll soon learn." Thaiter slapped Lucan on the back. "Ya have ta, otherwise you'll be treated like a block alright. A block of wood, I can tell ya."

The miner's cottage where Thaiter lived sat on stumps and comprised of three rooms. Two at the front were separated by a hall. This corridor led to the back room which was the width of the house and was used as the kitchen and dining area. A tin bathtub was hung on the wall beside the wood stove. There were a set of five stairs which led from this room out to the back yard. A lean-to had been added. Beside it was a water tank and the outhouse took pride of place in the middle of the garden.

"That's the dunny." Thaiter grinned at Covey. "Most important room in the place. Lotsa grand decisions get made out there, but you mind out ya don't fall in." He led them back inside. "This room's spare, Lucan and there's another bed in my room if ya don't mind sharin'."

Lucan settled their belongings while Thaiter went for some supplies from Jack and Newell's.

"After I get back we'll go and see Missus Scott. She might help out with lookin' after the lads," Thaiter called out as he closed the gate.

Edward Lanigan is a real person who was a police officer as stated. You will find out more about Ed and his story further into the book.

Photo's - Top is Jessie Street intersection, Irvinebank back in 1890's. The street looks nothing like this now. If you look closely at the very back you will see the School Of Arts building, which still exists and is in use to this day. Copyright for this photo - State Library, Queensland.

Photo 2 - School of Arts building. 

Photo 3 - Mango Cottage.

Photo 4 - Mango Cottage outback dunny - toilet, for those that aren't sure what a dunny is.

Last three photo's belong to me.