12 May 1932

STRANGE TALES FROM COUNTRY TOWNS

FOURTH BUDGET IN 'CHRONICLE' COMPETITION

A ghost story of the South-East, a mother's fearful ordeal, outrages by the blacks, the wonderful feat of a horse, a dog's fidelity to its dead master — these are some of the real life tales given below.

Unsolved Mystery Of The Bush.

— About three miles from the late Mr. A. Taylor's old homestead at Lake Bonney (South-East), and several miles from Tantanoola, there once stood, on a lonely knoll, an old-fashioned four roomed stone house, which was surrounded by dense scrub. No one had lived in this house for years. People who knew its reputation shunned it. Two rabbit trappers, who knew nothing of its history, sought shelter there one night. After their evening meal, they spread their blankets, and were soon asleep. It must have been about midnight, when one trapper was awakened by the crying of a baby. The sound increased in intensity, until it awakened the other man. Completely mystified, they lit a candle, and began to explore the rooms. They could find nothing. After this experience they could not sleep, and they decided to leave the house. But a storm outside drove them back to shelter, and, as the crying had ceased, they resolved to remain until morning.

A few minutes later, a new development occurred. Tramping feet were heard in an adjoining room. By now the trappers had determined to see the thing out, and, incidentally, to teach any would-be jokers a lesson. They went to the chamber where these noises were heard. As soon as the room was entered the tramping ceased, but it commenced in another room. This happened in all the rooms in turn. Finding no explanation of the mystery, the men began to feel terrified. Their fears were not lessened when, sometimes, the tramping stopped, and was replaced by the sound of feet running round the outside of the house. Finally, the rabbiters became panic-stricken, and shouted for help. By now, strange noises were heard alternately in the rooms, outside, or under the flooring boards. Just about dawn the disturbance ceased as suddenly as it commenced. The trappers swore that for no sum of money would they spend another night in the place. The mystery has never been solved. — J. Brooks. Rosefield.

Horse's Feat Of Strength.

— In the early eighties Clare was noted for its breed of draught horses. A certain publican, Mr. F. C. Gray, who was also carrier of goods from Saddleworth (then the railhead for Clare and the north) had amongst his team many valuable animals. His drivers were proud of them, and treated them well. In the team driven by Jack Thomas there was a special brown gelding, which excited the admiration of every horse lover. It was said of this horse that he was the staunchest and most powerful in the north. There came a day when his strength was tested. Certain residents, seeing the team coming into the town, with its load drawn by three horses, made a bet with Gray that the gelding could not pull the load by itself, a given distance. The wager was accepted, and Jack Thomas was put in charge. The conditions were that the distance was not to be broken by more than three breather rests. The team took the load to Mr. Hosking's weighbridge (now Pink's), and it turned the scales at slightly over eight tons. It was then driven to the Globe Hotel. Here the leaders were taken off, a boy leading them in front, and when Jack said "go" the splendid animal went off with the huge load, and was not long in reaching the winning post, the Northern Hotel, the distance being about a quarter of a mile. This remarkable feat of strength remains in the memories of the old residents. The story became widely known, and horse dealers came seeking good draughts from Clare. Certain Western Australian dealers, having heard the facts waited on Mr. Gray and secured from him for £60 this wonderful horse. It as said that it never reached its destination, having died on the sea journey. — E. J. Scott, Clare.

Dog's Fidelity.

— I and three other horsemen were following the Penola to Robe road. About midway be branch off, through dense heath and scrub to a boundary riders hut. The track became very rough, and we proceeded in twos. Suddenly our horses were startled. One man's mount crushed the rider against a tree, and another unseated the rider The cause of the confusion was a dog, which fiercely attacked the horses. As soon as I got my horse under control I dismounted. Finding that no-one was seriously hurt, I proceeded to investigate. An awful smell assailed our nostrils, preparing us for what he had to meet. Keeping the dog at bay with the greatest difficulty, I was able to make out a dead man a few feet away. I sent one of the lads for the police, who arrived six hours later. During that time I and the others vainly tried to make friends with the dog. The police wanted to shoot it, but I persuaded them to let me try again. I eventually got so close that I was able to give him my hand. The moment I touched him he became submissive. I tied him up. He was simply skin and bone. The dog's master had died of thirst within a quarter of a mile of good water, which the dog had evidently found. The master was buried in the local cemetery. The dog refused to leave the grave, except when he was led away on a chain, but the moment he was loosened he went back to the grave. The townspeople were greatly touched by the story of the dog's fidelity, and subscribed to buy him a handsome collar. Kindly hands tended him but his heart was with his old master in the cemetery and he soon died on the chain. — 'J.McG.,' Goodwood Park.

Murder Of Frank Hawson.

— This is a story of the dangers the pioneers had to face. Nearly a hundred years ago, about five miles from Port Lincoln, at a place called Little Swamp, Mr. Hawson and his youngest brother Frank were camped. Having to go to the town for provisions, Mr. Hawson left his brother in charge. He also left him his shotgun, telling him, if necessary, to use it. At this time the blacks were hostile. After the elder Hawson had been gone, some time, the boy thought he heard niggers' chatter outside. Going to the door, gun in hand, he saw a large body of blacks approaching. They sent a boy of Frank's age from the tribe, armed with a waddy. Throwing the weapon some distance, the black boy picked it up, brought it back to Frank, and beckoned him to do the same. Frank took the weapon and put his gun against the wall. Immediately a spear was thrown. It pierced Frank through the chest. The spears were seven to eight feet long, with poisonous barb on the end. The white boy, in great pain, picked up the gun, and fired at the savages, who were quickly out of sight. Frank crawled to the fireplace and burnt both ends of the spear off as close to his body as he could. On his brother's return he found the little fellow in a dying condition. His body was taken to Kirton Point, and buried. Recently a beautiful monument was erected over his grave. — Edna Berryman, Poonindie.

Caught By The Tide.

— Some years ago, when Sir Day Bosanquet was State Governor, he, with his wife and daughter, went for a holiday to Port Lincoln. The party were staying informally at one of the hotels. One day Lady Bosanquet and daughter started for a walk from which they failed to return. Night set in, and the people became anxious. All sorts of wild rumors began to circulate. Searchers went out in the direction of the creek, two miles away, towards which the ladies were last seen walking. My father, being one of the few in the town, who at that time owned a car, hurried off with another man to join the search, and finally located the missing ladies. They had crossed the creek at low tide without difficulty, but when they returned from a ramble the tide had come in, and had effectively cut off their path. Knowing neither the depth nor strength of the current, they had not attempted to cross it, but had waited in hope of rescue. Subsequently a message requested the rescuers to go to the hotel and receive the Governor's thanks. My father, being an extremely modest man, refused to go, even when a second summons came. Not long after the return of the vice-regal party to the city, an important looking parcel arrived. It proved to be an autographed portrait of His Excellency in full regalia. — 'D.K.P.,' Kensington Gardens.

Saved By A Miracle.

— It was sale day in Mount Barker in 1875. Mary and William had a store in the main street. They had been married three years, and two bonny boys had come into their home. This day William was away on business in the city. Mary, with the aid of her little help maid, had the household and shop to look after. She left Eddy, the firstborn, with Dolly, with a reminder to see he did not get out of the back gate. The coach was due. Mary was at the shop door. A sight met her eyes that froze her heart. Five horses in the coach coming down the street at a spanking pace. Her Eddy was being beckoned across the road by a little girl. Mary could not move. She saw her child fall on the roadway. The first horse leapt over him; so did the second; all five horses and the coach passed over his tiny body. One lady leapt from the coach amid the commotion before it had stopped; but Mary was first. She got him, how she did not know. Someone snatched the child from her arms. He opened his azure eyes. They rushed him into the shop, stood him on the counter, stripped him, and felt every bone in his body. Not one was broken. Only one bruise on his forehead when he first fell. Those beautiful creatures, the coach horses, had known that the body of a child was beneath their feet, and every horse had stepped over without touching him. — 'Augusta,' Mount Barker.

Port Pirie Enlightens General Pau.

— The loss of an arm in the Franco Prussian campaign did not deter the late General Pau from continuing his military career and rendering distinguished service in the Great War. As a nativa of Alsace, he never ceased to deplore the cession of that province to the victors of 1870 as part of the cost of his country's defeat. It is thus noteworthy that, as leader of the French mission to Australia, 48 years after that territory had been ceded, he had the supreme satisfaction of hearing, during his visit to Port Pirie, the announcement that Alsace-Lorraine had been returned to France. It was a dramatic and thrilling scene, and happened during the lunch, given by the Associated Smelters. Mr. (later Sir) J. G. Bice was handed an official telegram— 'Alsace-Lorraine is free. Our troops are entering Namur today and Liege Tuesday.' 'What a happy termination,' exclaimed Mr. W. L. Baillieu (chairman), himself of French extraction, as he embraced General Pau, who murmured, 'Ah, after nearly fifty years.' Not only was the general an Alsatian, but he married a lady of Lorraine. — S. W. Osborne, Port Pirie.

When the Real Property Act Was Passed

— In the latter 'fifties,' [1886?] the residents of Woodside invited Mr. (afterwards Sir) Robert Torrens, M.P., to a public dinner, to show their appreciation of his passing through Parliament, the Real Property Act . The demonstration took the form of a procession of horsemen on hacks, cart, and plough horses, and in waggonettes, buggies, spring carts, drays, and German waggons. This met Mr. Torrens at Stanley Bridge, Grunthal (now Verdun). I, a boy of thirteen, was in a spring cart driven by my uncle, Andrew Brakenridge. When the procession came to a halt, the pole of a waggon behind us, ran through the back of our cart, upsetting my uncle's equilibrium. On the arrival of Mr. Torrens, an address was presented to him, the procession returning to Woodside. A salute of about six 'volleys,' thundered forth from 'charged logs' in an adjoining paddock, which had been prepared by a Cornish miner, 'Daddy' Trenoweth. The effect was unique, and somewhat disturbed the line of the procession. However, nothing serious happened, and after passing under an arch of gum boughs with a suitable inscription, the Woodside Hotel was reached. The procession then dispersed, after much cheering. The banquet was held in the hotel, and was a huge success. The licensee was a Polish-German, Hans Ferk, a big, jovial fellow. The hotel was built and owned by J. and A. G. Johnston, shortly after the township was surveyed, in 1850. The Johnstons owned the section comprising the township, and most of the streets are named after the family. Mr. A. Lorimer presided at the dinner. — Chas. W. Fowler, Woodside.

Owing to the popularity of these stories, it has been decided to continue them. Writers are invited to send in contributions for these columns. All matter published will be paid for at usual rates, but will not, of course, be eligible for prizes, which are restricted to stories sent in up to April 14. Contributions should be marked 'Real Life Stories.'