Diary of Maude Elizabeth Edmondson, 1941 - Part 1

My mate & I.
Two people so much work to do, so tired at
night, even then the big strong horses needed just
another bag or two of chaff, some bran to make it
a little nicer then a bucket or two of oats, & their
big soft noses into the feed mangers, rubbing
our hands with their big noses, gently saying offering to us in
their own way that we knew so well their thanks
and good night until the early mornings, when they
should come again with their little neigh of
welcome for their breakfast. I think those big
horses must have loved us. We loved them, to me it was
something of a novelty to be able to rub their big heads
although admitting ^that for so long I was afraid, they
were so big, their feet so big. Then my fear left me
when one of the lovely things got into mischief & tore
the skin from his leg, fFor many many inches. My fear
left me ^then & I helped Mate put the skin up & around his
leg again. helped to put the necessary stitches in to
keep it there, feel the trembles that went through
that big body at every stitch. made & helped with the
bandages. Then, after a little time to hear him
coming for his treatment. then I could wash &
dress it by myself. & have all the bandages in place
when Mate came in from the field. The dear old horse

thanking me, as I did his bandages, he caressed my
back & his big tongue came so often onto my face .
Then our lovely old dog was the next invalid
I had had him for very many years . given to me
by a sheep drover so long before. His lovely golden
body was rather beautiful. but the poor old chap
didnt look after his diet very well & he got very
fat. The grass seeds being dry & plentiful had
no mercy for poor Rustys feet. he got very sore
feet indeed. so he had to stand his feet in a dish
of hot water get all the grass seeds out & they can be
very viscious things when between his toes. so after
the ointment & dressings, I had to put his feet
into boots. in delight he would race around again
so much that more boots had to be made. &
he like poor old Punch would be needing work
would come to the door & hold his feet up me asking
for help. So we had a wonderful time among the
animals, and a year or two went by much pleasure
much hard work . & not much money. which we
needed so much . the machinery would get ailments
in the joints. He The harvester would creak. the
Reaper & Binder, would rattle. Where were we going
to get those big disks for the plough. The machinery
would all creak their rheumatic joints. Mates hair
was usually standing up . from the continual passing
of his fingers through his hair & standing it up then
I would know it really was thinking time. & I too
would wonder how to stretch may be 3/- into 5/- or if possible 10/-
but we would even then see the funny side of
something. mostly it was ourselves . but who
cared about being funny, when we were happy.
There was many things that hurt not physically
but what is far worse. My Mate who was really
sensitive had to try & cultivate the dont care
look. but at times only succeeded in taking on
the hard stern look, so as a counter I took
on the, shall I say attempt to laugh at everything
so we got on & the bad patches didnt seem so bad
May be I flatter myself but I had my Parents. & my
brothers & sisters around about & I really think they
loved us both. We were not amongst the idle
rich. but we were among the happy poor
For over 2 yrs the drought was over the land. We
worked a little harder for so much less. but it was
our own worries so we still grinned at least when
any one saw us. May be we talked of all the woes
that beset us & the community in general, maybe the

hair got a few more tugs. Our only refuge seemed to be
when we would finish our woes etc, would be "God
is in Heaven all's right with the world" but it was
even hard to say when with only 19 bags of wheat &
stripped & to see the whole ^harvest, go in a half hour,
then the veranders from of the house . followed by the
windows, A whole years work with all the expenses
that was entailed. After 2 yrs of similar hail
storms & terrific droughts . we had to think of
things farther afield if conditions did not better
The next year the drought was still over the land .
and we were looking forward to little John coming
home to live with us . so we were more sparing and
preparing in our humble way for him to arrive.
He came to us in the Spring time , but no
whispering of the winds to the grasses. There was
no grasses. No gentle winds to blow the roses . there
were no roses. He came in unhappy days. and in
a dust storm, but we loved him just the same. As
England was at war with a mighty power and our
lads were just going across to help the old mother
land. Good-byes & tears to so many that never came
back.
So Tiny John had arrived. Not so Tiny. No red
crinkley body face . but looking almost ready to take his
part in life .. not many pounds off his first
stone. beautiful white skin. and red hair
about ½ inch long but rather a bit bald.
His first visitor was my sister. who straight
way advised me he had been here before &
was quite, 3 months old. so apparantly. the
arriving in a dust storm was no set back.
dist He bounced along. not bothering about our
disturbed world. nor bothering us, until at the
age of nearly 4 yrs months he ate a couple of feathers. I may
say that his whole life except when sleeping was
spent on the rug of an enclosed verander, from then
on he drank his milk etc out of cups & glasses
attempting to help himself at 3 mts old. We
did not seem to think it strange. We Too took
things as they came to us. there was so
much work to do or a mixed farm.
Time speeded by and before her had
reached his 9 months he was up trying
to hang on to the gauze of the verander by
himself & far too heavy for me to carry.
When he was one year he would walk under
the dining-room table, if he did not 'want' to

appear and only 2 little feet visible from
underneath the table cover used in those days _!
In no time it was I that was following &
trying to understand. As we never talked to
him in baby talk. he had only the one
language to learn, made a good job of it.
After he was at the big age of one. & showed
plainly that he would like to make his own way
in the world. we let him walk in the yard,
garden etc. instead of his own little province
He got on famously. & so on out to the
stables. Tied to the hitching post was a
newly broken in horse . 16 ½ hands & very
lovely. He was a very a highly strung & nervous
animal. I always had impressed on Jack
that he was Larry & we both would show
_^him & allow him to pat Larry. I always using the
horses name. hence Jack - (he out-grew the John)
hied himself off to visit the horse. I was
almost paralysed. after he had walked under
the horse as he did the table. he came out &
pulled & rubbed his tail. I remembered my
Father had told me & That in circumstances
similar. Never to go & bother the horse . or
he may get excited, so I just called to Jack to
come in now for our little picnic. (we, all
his very early days lived for picnics) After my
question soaked into his little mind, as to
just why he did it. he told us "It was Lally
& that he liked Lally" Henceforth Larry's
name was Lally, & remained so until he
died quite a number of years later, (24) yrs
Now Jack was one of the family & was treated
as such. After another harvest which was
even worse, We with hundreds of heart aches,
went off to Liverpool on a farm of course, but
only stock. Hence Jack was more of a man
than ever. . It all seemed to me rather a woeful
place. & had the worst main roads that to this
day I don't think have ever had a comparison
There were no neighbours & just nothing
of anything.
Wood carting was the industry for most
everyone. & gave so very many in the district
their first start- cutting wood . & carting wood.
One man could take along 4 drays loads of
wood all following, the drays could not get out
of the big rut on each side, nor could we. We

eventually had to put a big draught horse in
the sulky to pull us along. - So many times the
wheels not turning but spreading the side mud
after the drays, with the hub of our sulky wheel
whilst all 3 of us who would try to lighten his
load by floundering in the mud, or rather
most times Jack & I would be walking inside
the fences of some ones property. We tried to
count our blessings one by one, it was difficult.
but a considerable amount of work had been
done. & we had got a fence around the
house. & I had a garden, & roses growing
where a few months previously had been thick
couch grass, How we worked, & how many
tears I shed trying to make something out
of nothing, & pretending we were. Well nearly
millionares.
Jacks second birthday - was wonderful - Mate
had bought him a pony, Apparently he was just
"Pony" any way he was lovely, over 20 yrs of age. &
a pet. We would put a bundle on his back & he
would stop dead when it fell off. Jack had it
every afternoon & was delighted when he too fell
off but "Pony" usually chose the route to take
& after a lot of pushing & punching Jack could get
him a little distance from the house . when
back they came at a little jog trot. Jack very
bravely sticking on, until he bounced a little
too high & sat on the ground. with the Pony
beside him, .so J' had to lead him back.
After a while he had a very important job.
Mate - (We will call him Dad from now on) s
would go around the paddock & see the cattle
etc. So every Sunday morning the fuss
started. All washed & dressed up, with their
ties on just right, off they would go. Jack
had his small riding pad. safety stirrups
etc. & Dad with a leading rein attached
to Jacks bridle , & in no time they got to
a jog , then on to a trot & each looking as
important as the other.
For his 2^nd birthday my sister sent him a
mans gun metal watch. It almost was an
essential . but he had something better in
view. The local Saddler had a Pug Dog which
Jack really longed for - It was the first Pug
he had seen, & had asked previously to buy it.
So between the 2 yr old & the over 70yrs . there

commenced a bargaining. Jack trying to give
the watch for the dog. Then Christmas
was drawing near, & in the mail came a
little perforated shoe box , containing the tiniest
little Pug puppy I have ever seen, so I was
called to help make a little bed out of a boot
box. a little rug to button on & put him to
bed near the stove, until he got a nice little
dog house built, that could be moved about . so we
decorated it Jack the interior by tacking up
pictures etc, a bed made & little blankies with
a nice little coloured edge stitched on & a little table
in the corner . & the poor little puppy tucked in his
crib. Next came the naming of the dog. A song
in vogue at the time & being freely sung along
the road. was "Mr. Dooley. the greatest man the
country ever knew was Mr Dooley" . Mr Dooley
was our Premier at the time, so Jack came in an
announced that as the little Pug Pup was the
greatest Dog the county ever knew, he would
most certainly have to be "Dooley" which he
duly was christened, & "Dooley" it was.
More weeks passed by. he & I went on with our
making of brick paths. flower beds . & so on. He was
very helpful with his barrow but as he had a pet hen
she occupied the barrow a good part of the time
"Biddy" grew to be a big fat Orpington Hen & she
too had to be taken off in the barrow each night &
put up on the roosting perch with the others until
morning, when she ^would arrived at the gate to be let
in. Then the guinea pig & rabbit had to be fed. & a
lovely opossum in his cage had to be fed & let out
at night. but would be asleep in his nest at the top
on the following morning.
We were very busy, the riding went on g
now to bring the cow in the afternoon. Jack
would jog off. then when the cow would look
to see what was coming. we would call her. &
she would come , so after all it being an
important job. it was not a difficult one .but
it was a real mans job to Jack.
Then one month off 3 yrs old he bear got his
right elbow broken. It was a bad break
& put as all back. & he had to have much
treatment. After 3 daily trips to the Dr. it was
a daily trip to the hospital for the next 4 wks
It has on the road we had to travel a big
job. & meant Dad away from his work a

half of every day.
I thought much & prayed hard to be able to
drive the big flighty horse myself. I did
manage it. although I was really afraid at
every time. only once nearing a mishap, when
nearing a butchers shop. a big steam roller
puffed along on the wrong side. Lally went
backwards until the sulky which got on to the
edge of the foot path. The butcher came to the
rescue & was helpful & Jack got back the
use of his right arm although some what
shorter, by an inch or two (which later was
fully restored by exercises on the gymnastics
at at his college)
Three yrs approaching so Jack & I went to Wagga
for a couple of weeks, as he was a bit washed
out, Had his third birthday there, Quite a
day . Granma, (^my mother) gave him a hair brush (Ebony
& Silver). Granfather, (^my father) gave him a beautiful
silver brush & silver back comb in a case.
He & Granfather celebrated . by driving down
the street . each had their hair cut (Jack
for the first time) Drove on & sat in the sulky
& saw the running of the Cup for the Spring races.
then drove on to the Black Swan Hotel, each
had a drink whilst sitting in the sulky .
which horrified Granma ( but it happened to be
Raspberry). The Hotel was Kept by Granfathers
(my father) Sister. Got home put the pony
etc away & had their usual walk. this
time to the travellers reserve. from which
Granfather got home minus, cardigan,
hat, tobacco & pipe. They were in high
spirits as they thought it their joke, but
that night Jack told me which old man
at a certain camp got so & so, but
apparantly it was one of my fathers
jaunts giving the poor old souls something
they needed. & whilst we were there the
pipe. tobacco. & cardigan was repeated many
times. It was wonderful the way it left
on such an impression on a 3yr old child.
Our paths were done etc so we had to face
the serious side of life.
I requested my time table for such, books
pencils & all the bits & pieces. ( 3yrs & 3 mts).
As I had was at school (in the home) at 3 yrs
Jack & I talked it out & after the Christmas was

over, we took on our tasks. After a good
romp with Dooley, fed his animals, sometimes
squeezed in a little ride. His week end riding
with Dad going again quite well. At approx
9AM he would be ready for lessons, I had
never seen a more avid learner , he just
could not get enough . but I Kept it to
only a morning session & a picnic each
afternoon . but he was just hungry for
knowledge. We had no other children or
play mates. so he had to join in our
Conversation, which he soon could do in
no small way.
no small way. At 4 yrs of age he could
read, & write quite well. When he first
wrote his name . he brought it to me to see -
John Hurst Edmondson. He said it looks
quite alright for a name, but a deuce of
a thing to write. He followed all the school
lessons.
He was & had to be an only child, so my
training had to so careful. I knew I could
never smack him. nor could he be at any time
a spoiled child. so each night we had to ask
our God what we should do the next day. & leave
our Heavenly Father to guide us in all we did.
I was always afraid a time may come that
illness may take me from them leaving them
unprepared so much had to be learned.
As time went along. He could set the table for
all special occasions. Help with the cooking
with my pieces scones for Dooley, biscuits for Dooley
in weird shapes of mice, etc, men's heads.
Then the morning he did the breakfast ( I
was not well & in bed) so with Dads permission
it was bacon & eggs. A lot of noise went
on for a long time. then he came in with
the pan of bacon, to see if it looked
alright. After we discussed it & so on, I
suggested it may be better if he cooked the
next time for not so long, or have less fire
So he wanted to know would it be burned
up a bit, & following up with - but this
is good, to what the other was that I put
over the back fence.
The buttons were able to be sewn on, then
a rip in the trousers had to be mended
I carefully explained & started Jack off
with black thread for black trousers

When they were finished & brought in for
my approval they were mended exceptionally
well. but the black cotton had been
substituted for white. Jack explained that
with the black cotton I would not be able
to see how well the stitching was.
Every day saw new things managed;
New lunch bags made on the sewing
machine to take Dads his lunch to him
up to the paddocks. Handles & all complete
on the bags. So he now can sew on the
sewing machine do a little necessary
mending. Just a memory of a special visitors
Jack had treated the table as he wished flowers. &
silver etc. Now proceeded as usual to say Grace
& calmly & slowly went through "The Lords Prayer"
when he had finished he looked quickly at me
as no one made a comment.
We had to go on busily with lessons . never the less.
We had each afternoon a little picnick for Two
sometimes Dad managed a few minutes with us for
a glass of milk & a sandwich. Then the ride
for the cows etc. So many paths to be made for both Jack & I
to make. Then to learn to milk a cow. & so we
worked & learned.. all subjects went ahead &
we were to "Siorces of Ancient Rome" , Greece etc.
He never was lonely, although only living with his 2
dogs. "Dooley" - the Pug - " Mick" the Irish Terrier, _^the two Cats were
"Timothy" Big light grey tabby . "Grimalkins " the black one :
both beautiful cats.
The bouts of bronchal-asthma with Jack more
frequent & more severe. & I was a very worried
person. he would have many spells in bed, so
it was more inside during certain weather
lest he should feel so alone we concentrated
when he could on reading.
In early 1922. Jack was 7yrs. when we had to
go to Wagga . my father very ill. The weather was
very nasty. wet, damp, nearly a flood . then safe
again for a few weeks. The old Murrumbidgee up
to the top lagoons full . then a respite . & I
might say Jacks bronchal trouble was doing the
same. then abyscess in both ears . it was agony
for him & his Granfather whom he really loved &
only a few days more to be with us. Just 2 rooms
away from him. The Dr telling me of dreadful things
if the abyscess burst inwardly. Thanks to the
wonderful perseverance & skill of an excellent Dr.

who after a night of probing etc etc he managed
to get both of the abyscess to burst outwardly. Thus
then he the Dr had to where he wanted . He gave Jack a
good sleep. & so on to a Saturday morning.
On coming from the Kitchen in the early morning
I met Jack near his bed-room door, "I
asked him where he had been" as he should not
have been out of bed & the morning ^was cold. his
reply was; "to see Granfather & ask him how
he was" I asked him what Granfather had said
Jack said "Granfather said he was no good laddy
but you must hurry & get back to bed as
quickly as possible!"
My Father passed away in the early hours of Sunday
morning. later during the morning around about
8 AM or 8.30 AM. Jack asked me "why so many
people had come there. & why they were going
in to Granfather's room. " I told him the truth
as I always did. He sat up in his bed for a
few seconds dumbfounded: then he put his arms
around my neck & after a few dry sobs . said
"Mother, Mother; I am going to see him again ,
& I don't care what any one says. & you could
not say it; because it would not be true, I am
going to see him again, even if I wait years & years
I am going to see Granfather." The Faith of
a little child . all I could do was to fight
myself. & try to tell him. We were all going to
be together & that we should be happy together
again." & it was just as God wished it all to
be". & try for the first time to be that wonderful
brave happy person. So many times I have had
to try & I suppose to a measure succeed since
that day.
Then our next together was to get the adenoids
out. at any time the bronchal-asthma would
allow. No hospital available so on the Good
Drs advice. I was to be the offsider. & the Dr
came to the house & so it happened . getting
everything ready as Dr directed. tons of water &
towels etc. all ready & I foolishly told Jack
that the DNew Dr would give him an anaesthetic
& he would go to sleep. "Would it be horrible"
I assured him "not really. he may even like
it somewhat but it wasn't terribly nasty" (those
vile old masks how woeful they were) I was
of course put out of the room, but I waited
in the hall outside the room.. Suddenly I heard