24th April, Tuesday
It’s still not gone. There’s more come down with it.
I hope Bertie’s all right now and got over the typhoid.
25th April, Wednesday
I know what federation means only I heard Pa saying England thinks we should keep the right of appeal. ‘What’s that?’ I said and it seems the Queen’s got this council of three hundred men to advise her. It’s a bit like a court you take cases to and I said, ‘What we need a court for when we got our own?’ And Pa says it’s just they want us to stay part of the Empire, not break away proper. I’m not sure I know what he means only I don’t s’pose it matters so long as we have our own federation.
27th April, Friday
Ma wrote her first letter today to Mabel. Miss Collins and I helped a bit but Ma did most of it by herself in quite nice writing too. She wanted to show Mabel she could do it. She’s real proud of herself too. Ma come from a big family and went into service because there was always little ones as had to be fed so everybody pitched in. It weren’t something she liked, just something as had to be done.
But with Mabel it were different. All she ever wanted to do when she was little was play with her dolly, curl its hair and dress it up. Soon as she got bigger, all she ever wanted was to be lady’s maid. All I hope is that Mrs Alexander treats her well. Some of these la-di-da ladies can be right nags I can tell you, only Mabel don’t seem unhappy.
28th April, Saturday
Pa and Ma been married twenty-five years today and Ma said she’s hardly had time to sit down all that time. She’s been that busy and she must look a fright. Only Pa told her she didn’t look a day older than when he married her.
Ma give him a smile and said, ‘Oh get away with you.’ But I could see she were pleased just the same.
29th April, Sunday
That thing happened to me again this month, only this time I weren’t scared and didn’t need to tell Ma.
30th April, Monday
The Show’s been on over Easter. Only Ma said she couldn’t afford to take us. Maisie and Artie wanted to look at the animals and Fred wanted to see if they had any motor cars displayed. I didn’t say nothing only I wanted to see the new typewriters come all the way from America. I don’t have the money to buy one but I’d still like to see them.
1st May, Tuesday
No word about the essay competition. I thought they must have decided and nobody had bothered to say who’d won it. Only this morning Pa said he’d read where they made the date for closing later on account of the plague and everything being topsy-turvy like. Still that were the start of April so they should know by now.
There’s two more died of it today.
2nd May, Wednesday
I’ve been doing lots of skipping lately and Ma says I’m starting to look more like a young lady than a harum scarum. And she says if she had the money she’d buy me a real pretty dress for my birthday and maybe some proper stays to go under it so I’d be all nipped in at the waist like. Only she don’t have money to spare for either just now so I just got to be happy with what God give me. I wouldn’t mind seeing meself in a mirror but, to see if she’s right and I do have a waist now.
3rd May, Thursday.
I went to get my skipping rope after school to try out this new rhyme I heard.
Mabel, Mabel,
Set the table,
Don’t forget the vinegar, salt, pepper.
Only there were no sign of it and when I asked Ma she said she hadn’t seen it neither. So then I went outside and found that Fred and Artie had tied it to the front of their billycart rope so’s to make it longer. Talk about cheek! Only they said please could they have it for a bit longer still and I had to say yes all right but only for a lend mind and soon as they’d finished hauling it up they got to give it back. Now I’ll have to do my skipping after tea tonight.
4th May, Friday
Ma reads all the adverts by herself now and hardly ever has to ask for help. She says Anthony Hordern’s got tailor-made coats and skirt costumes in black and navy. She looked a bit sad when she said it like she wished she could have something smart like that for best, instead of her old dark dress and jacket. But I said never mind, she was sure to one day. Then we looked at each other and laughed and both of us said, ‘When your ship come in!’ Then I give her a bit of a hug and she said it means a lot to her being able to read now and she’s real glad I’d showed her and I said, ‘That’s all right Ma,’ and give her a kiss.
5th May, Saturday
It were Reggie’s birthday today. He’s turned 14 already and his ma and pa give him a new shirt and a new pair of trousers for his own, not his pa’s cut downs.
6th May, Sunday
Ma says maybe if she don’t get any more people that wants washing done after this is all over she should maybe find something else to do that’ll bring in a bit of money still. Besides she’s quite happy to give away all that standing and scrubbing. So I said what about getting a sewing machine then she could sit down and maybe make things for us and her and other people p’raps. She said it were a good idea, only she weren’t sure how much a treadle machine would cost. So now we’re watching the adverts to see if there’s one going cheap.
7th May, Monday
There’s more businesses up for sale now. Pages and pages of adverts. You can get a grocery’s, butcher’s or confectioner’s shop even. Maisie wanted to know what a confectioner’s was and Fred said lollies and ice-creams, only before Maisie could ask her Ma said that were the last thing she needed.
‘What about a poultry farm then, Ma,’ I said. ‘Here’s five acres at Parramatta and you and chooks get on well together.’
Ma grinned and said, ‘Here, none of your lip.’
9th May, Wednesday
Ethel and Dolly come to see us today and Ethel’s got this funny smile on her face and tells Ma she’s stepping out with a young man from her factory. They only knew each other to nod to before and I thought that don’t surprise me. Her factory’s that noisy all you could do is nod.
Anyway, seems she met up with him waiting in line for inoculations and since then they’ve been on picnics to Victoria Park. Only Ma said, ‘You mean to tell me, my girl, you been out on a picnic with a man, and on your own?’ But Ethel says it weren’t on her own, Dolly come too. Then Dolly chipped in and said Ethel’s young man weren’t much of a looker, but he was ever so nice to Ethel and thinks she’s got lovely hair. Ethel’s on the fair side, only not as fair as Maisie and Artie. Dolly and Mabel got dark hair like George.
Anyway, Ethel told Dolly to hush up, that Albert (that’s his name) has promised to take her ice-skating, soon as the factory starts again and he’s got a bit of money to his name. I were that envious when I heard. Nobody’s ever asked me to go ice-skating only when I said so later to Ma she said even if they did I wouldn’t be going. I’m far too young to be stepping out with anybody. Worst luck.
10th May, Thursday
There’s been five more cases today, from all over and one in Chinatown, Mr Ah How. Now the Council’s saying they want to build a morgue for people that dies of it in the city and they want to put it at Dawes Point or Millers but Pa says there’s no way he wants a morgue right on his back doorstep.
He’s had to give Ethel and Dolly some money to help pay their rent on account of they’re behind. But their factories went back this week so they should have money in time for next week’s.
11th May, Friday
There were a Chinese man over in Botany got plague and his council demanded to see every Chinese house around. Not all the houses, just Chinese ones, which don’t seem fair. Afterwards they said the houses were really clean inside, only awful outside and no human beings should have to live in them. They ain’t got proper drains even and the council says they should all be pulled down.
Ma shook her head when she heard. She says it’s not right people having to live like that let alone being treated bad for it. Mr Ah Han told her if a family got nowhere
to live they just puts a packing case in someone’s backyard for them till they find somewhere. And Ma told him there were no way he could fit a packing case that big in our backyard.
Mr Ah Han just grinned and said, ‘Plenty room, Missy.’
12th May, Sunday
I keep thinking of Mr Ah Han and his horse and how’s he going to feed him if he got no work. So this morning I went to Mass and said a prayer for him and his horse and then I said one for Bertie and all the troopers’ horses as well.
14th May, Monday
I’ve not seen as much of Reggie since St Joseph’s went back. Only when everyone has tea of a night. Today but he asked me straight out if maybe I’d found a note left in our letter-slit a while back and I said, ‘Yes, there were letters come through. Only Pa took them.’
Reggie went a bit red and said but maybe there were one addressed to me.
I give nothing away only just frowned a bit as if I were trying to remember and said, ‘Oh yes Pa did give me one.’
Reggie said, ‘Were it a poem like?’
I said, ‘Yes I think so. Round Valentine’s. Oh dear, were that from you Reggie?’ Then I give him a smile so he knows I’m teasing.
16th May, Saturday
There’s been Mounted Rifles in the thick of fighting lately. That’ll be Bertie’s lot. At Zand River and Kroonstad and the general in charge has sent a cable to Mr Lyne saying what fine soldiers they are and Pa says it don’t surprise him one bit, he always knew Bertie and them would do us proud. There’s more troopers gone since Bertie’s lot and there’s talk of more still. Bertie said in a letter to Pa some Boer families got maybe a father and sons fighting and it’s sad if you see them all killed. Only the British army got the Empire behind it so they can always get more troopers.
18th May, Friday
Mafeking’s been saved! Yesterday. It took fifteen hundred troopers to do it. That’s the last of the towns under siege. This time it were two hundred and seventeen days. Imagine being cooped up that long! And there’s huge crowds gathered in London, almost like New Year’s Eve going mad with excitement. Everybody cheering and yelling and singing and shaking hands with perfect strangers, they’re that happy. And come night time all these fireworks were set off.
There were people all over Sydney started celebrating soon as they heard too. Down the wharves and up in the Post Office and all over the city. And you could hear church bells ringing out. And down on the Sabraon, the boys’ training ship, the captain sent all the boys up the rigging to give three cheers for Mafeking!
The colonel in charge was Baden-Powell. Now they’re saying he’s a hero for keeping them alive. Only when Ma heard she looked real suspicious and ‘Yeah, but how?’
I said, ‘What d’you mean?’
She said, ‘Was there fair rations?’ Ma’s always fair when it come to dividing up. Even if she’s only had bread and dripping and a cup of tea, we all get what’s fair allowing for little people like Maisie and big like Pa. ‘I’ll bet that colonel give the black people less so’s he could give the white people more.’ I don’t know if Ma’s right but it don’t sound fair if she is.
19th May, Saturday
There’s to be a holiday Wednesday, special, to celebrate Mafeking. And there’ll be bands playing in Hyde Park and a 21-gun salute from Dawes Point and lots of buildings lit up that night.
There’s a British India steam ship coming with 20,000 more doses of Haffkine’s that goes in the needles they give you. Maybe that’ll help stop it.
20th May, Sunday
Today when I went looking for my skipping rope I find Maisie’s ‘borrowed’ it this time. She and Elsie and Jess got it tied to a basket they’re dangling over a railing and hauling it up and down playing messages. They put notes in it and little surprises for each other and give their dollies rides. I had to tell them they could have it for a while only they have to give it back soon as they’ve finished.
23rd May, Wednesday
It poured buckets today. Started early this morning and didn’t let up once, so there were no bands and no guns firing and no buildings lit up tonight. And there won’t be troops parading tomorrow neither for the Queen’s birthday on account of the ground’s too wet for horses. I bet that means it’s too wet for fireworks too.
And as if that’s not bad enough tomorrow’s my birthday when I turn 13 and Ma says I’m to leave Ragged School. She’s not said anything about me going into service lately only I know she sees all the adverts for girls wanted now. I expect she’s already got something in mind for me. I won’t be able to sleep a wink tonight for worry.
24th May, Thursday
This morning I woke up hoping Ma would forget it were my birthday but no hope of that. It’s Empire Day so it’s always a holiday and she can’t forget. So when she called me over this morning I felt sure she’d say something, only instead she give me this bit of lace she’s saved and said she’s going to make me a new chimmy and drawers for best. Then she says, ‘And I want to talk to you tonight.’ So all day I were moping round till Pa said I’d have to cheer up or I’d set him off crying and if my bottom lip stuck out any more I’d most probably trip over it.
Fred and Artie give me some double bungers, only they kept out of my way cos they could see I were in a bad mood. Maisie give me this picture of a cat she’s done and wants to know what’s wrong, don’t I like it?
I tried not to think about it but and think about Empire Day with all the ships on the harbour decked out in flags and Dawes Battery’s gun salute for Her Majesty and HMS Royal Arthur done up in lights tonight from stem to stern looking real pretty. But now and then it were hard not to. It’s late now and she’s still not said nothing, so maybe she has forgotten after all?
25th May, Friday
I were wrong. Ma hadn’t forgotten. Soon as Maisie and Fred and Artie were settled down, she comes and sits beside me and starts off saying, ‘Kitty.’ I always get nervous when she starts off Kitty. I think I’m in trouble. ‘You’re 13 now,’ she says.
I say, ‘Yes Ma, only please don’t make me go into service. I’m not like Mabel. I’d hate it I know and if you let me stay on just a bit longer at school I’ll make it up to you somehow, I promise, as soon as I get a job typewriting or with telephones and can pay you back.’
Then guess what? Ma just smiles and says what a silly I am and she’s decided I can stay on after all till the end of the year. That’s if Miss Collins’ll have me. She’s ever so grateful I’ve taught her to read and besides Miss Collins has been talking to her, seeing as how there were no school while clean-up were on and I’ve missed a bit. I can hardly believe it and throw my arms round her, only she says we’ll see how things are next year when I turn 14, what money’s coming in, and whether Pa’s got work. So for me it turned out to be my best birthday ever.
26th May, Saturday
Another person’s come down with bubonic yesterday and one dead besides just when we thought it had maybe gone away.
There’s been 68,076 rats killed since the 2nd of March! Imagine a pile that big. You’d need an incinerator big as the GPO almost to burn them. I saw Fred trying to work out how much money that’d earn him. And there’s been a rat found at Government House and Ma said, ‘Well, I never!’ when she heard. Only Pa said it didn’t have plague. They sent it off for checking and word come back it died normal.
There were horse races held at Randwick today and I asked Pa how come they let horses run when it’s muddy only they won’t let troopers’ horses parade? And he said some horses like it muddy for running and it don’t matter if they get splashed, only troopers horses got to look nice on parade not covered in mud, that’s all.
All the big buildings in the city were lit up tonight and we got fireworks for Empire Day and Mafeking combined. Twice as many. Pa got us strings and strings of Tom Thumbs and Catherine Wheels, and Fred, Artie and Reggie had lots of double bungers they’ve been saving up for and rockets and jumping jacks besides. Reggie let a jumping jack off too near Mr Higg
s and it shot straight up his trouser leg and he were hopping about yelling out who done that? and a lot of other things besides he shouldn’t, only it must have hurt a lot. Reggie and Fred didn’t say nothing on account of Mr Higgs didn’t know which of them did it.
Only one new case today.
28th May, Monday
Today Miss Collins give me a letter addressed to me that come to Ragged School after being all round the Rocks by the look of it. Since we got no house we got no letter-slit so the postman just has to find us. It were from the ‘O.K.’ jam factory to say I shared first prize in the essay competition with some kid as lives over in Darlinghurst. The letter said there were lots of girls entered, only not many boys, so they’re not giving a boys’ first prize, just a second and third. That means the other girl and me can choose between a Morocco leather lady’s dressing case or Morocco leather writing desk. Pa and Ma were that proud of me and Ma said to take the dressing case. That’s what she always wanted, only Pa said he thought I should go for the writing desk. They was getting that excited, the pair of them, I had to tell them to shush, it were my prize and I’d decide.
Plagues and Federation Page 7