|
Life in 1851 on Springfield Station, a large Australian sheep station, is simple for 11 year old Maggie. She works with her mum in the station laundry, doing all the washing for the Faithfull family, owners of the property. The work is hard and hot, but Maggie finds time in her days to take in the details of the surrounding land. She finds the flies, mosquitoes and fleas a bother but accepts the fact that they have their reasons for existence.
Maggie has a thirst for knowledge but this thirst is hard to quench because she can neither read nor write. A special opportunity to better herself comes along when Mrs Faithfull requests that Maggie goes to the 'big house' to help look after the Faithfull children. Maggie's mum is proud that her daughter has the opportunity. However, she's sad that Maggie will be away from her for much of the time.
When Maggie enters the Faithfull family home for the first time, she is entranced by the luxury and abundance of books. She sets about the task of child-minding only to soon discover that this work is just as hard as the work in the laundry. One pleasure she finds amid the daily toil is listening to Mrs Faithfull read stories to her children. Maggie is transported by the magic of Robin Hood, the Pied Piper and Oliver Twist. Her new environment is disrupted when she causes an accident while carrying out a simple task for Mrs Faithfull. This leads to her being sent back to her mum, along with her dreams of learning to read and write.
All seems hopeless when a chance for redemption presents itself in the task of minding Miss Florence, Mrs Faithfull's new baby. For Maggie, this responsibility takes on an unforeseen dimension when danger creeps in. A split-second decision is called for and Maggie has to take charge. She finds the necessary courage; her actions save the baby and set her on the path to learning to read and write.
|
