12 January 1933

BOISTEROUS CAREER OF TOBY DOG WHO UPSET A CONGREGATION

Given the inclination and the opportunity, a spoilt dog can cause more excitement in five minutes than a Test match. Toby, the minister's faithful friend, did it when he went to church in a certain Northern town.

Several years ago when the writer resided in a northern town, a young preacher was sent along to start a congregation which had not hitherto had a footing in that locality.

The cause progressed, and the young man, considering things were likely to have a permanent standing, took unto himself a wife.

Fixing on a recently-vacated house as domicile, the young couple were soon settled in the new abode. The previous occupant had left behind an energetic specimen of wire-haired Irish terrier, with which the young pair soon made friends, aided by scraps from the domestic supplies.

The animal, reciprocating the felicities, showed himself an alert watch dog. In fact, he so capably performed the functions of his office that he kept the postman off the premises when there was no one at home to take possession of the mail. When this occurred the post man fired the letters from the foot path to the verandah. For this thoughtful though untidy proceeding he was reported to the office, and a letter box had to be provided in accessible propinquity to the domicile.

When the new minister went to the services, Toby accompanied him. He looked upon the place of assembly as his master's property. But Toby was not the sort of respectable dog one would expect a minister to have. He liked legs— ladies' legs. He had an unpleasant habit of moving about among the congregation sniffing at the women's feet, and the services were punctuated by a series of nervous female gasps and smothered 'oh's.' Protests were made, but no action was taken to deprive Toby of his innocent amusement.

It was quite another affair which put an end to his church going career. One day another dog attended the service. There was nothing of the meek-and-mild, turn-the-other-cheek doctrine about Toby. He didn't like the other dog, he resented its intrusion, and he didn't care who knew it. The minister had just got to his fourth reason why one should love one's enemies, when a snarl from the foot of the pulpit warned him of impending disaster. A streak of infuriated terrier shot down the aisle. In two seconds those dogs were rolling about the church engaging in a deadly combat for the canine championship of the Never Never. Three-parts of the congregation were standing on the seats screaming their lungs out. The fourth part were making for home and safety. After this a ukase was issued by the male section of the congregation that Toby's religious proclivities must be curbed.

He was heartlessly excommunicated, and, despite his protests, was on the following Sunday tied up at home. There his lamentations were so loud and long that the neighbors threatened legal action if the nuisance was not abated.

Nevertheless, Toby continued to sing mournfully, 'Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death,' until the harassed parson was half out of his mind. The eccentricities of Toby finally led to a rift in the congregation. It was at a Mothers' Meeting that the dog's delinquencies were referred to by one of the members. The preacher's wife reported to her lord and master that she had been slighted. He protested to the woman who had been the cause of the incident. An apology was sought, was refused, and a coolness resulted. The dog was saddled with the whole responsibility. Eventually the preacher sought another venue, and Toby went with him. What happened to the dog after that no one knows — or cares. — 'Tanta Tyga,' Millicent.

A 'Dead Shot' Butcher.

— Some years ago a butcher of the Denial Bay district, when he required beef, would motor to the farm of men who had cattle for sale and kill a beast on the farm, taking the carcase back to the town in his car. His usual method was to let the farmer know what day to expect him.

But sometimes he would come a day earlier, and then, of course, the cattle were not yarded. This happened at one farm. The hack was away, and there was no horse to run the cattle into the yard. 'Never mind,' said the butcher, 'there are plenty of trees in the paddock. We will drive the cattle under one, and I'll soon have one dead.' The cattle were standing in the shade of a huge mallee.

When within shooting distance the butcher stopped the car, saying, 'It's the red one I will kill' He got out the gun, but the farmer became anxious. 'Don't shoot into the mob,' he cried. 'You might miss him and start a rumpus.' But the butcher didn't argue. He took aim and let go. Away went the cattle, but the red was struggling his last.

The farmer was inclined to feel annoyed, but the butcher laughed. 'As long as I am near enough, and can see the beast's head,' he said, 'I don't miss.' —'Coaster,' Denial Bay.

Oldest Resident Of Wilmington.

— [At age 76] Mr. Edward McGhee claims to be the oldest continuous resident of the Wilmington district. He was born at Oladdie (McGhee Springs) in 1857. His parents arrived in South Australia from Paisley, Scotland, in 1855. Mr. McGhee arrived in the Wilmington district with his parents in 1867, and has resided there continuously ever since. He was residing here eight years before the town of Beautiful Valley was surveyed. The name was later changed to Wilmington. Mr. McGhee worked on J. H. Angas's Willowie Station for a number of years. He married Miss Anna Maria Hampel in 1882, and they celebrated their golden wedding in November, 1932.
[Edward aged 85 died 26 Jan 1943 at Booleroo Centre, "residence : Wilmington". His wife Anna Maria nee Hampel died 11 Mar 1934 aged 75 at Wilmington.]

A Night Of Horror.

— As most people know, Kadina owes its existence to the discovery of copper on Wallaroo Sheep Station, owned by the late Sir W. W. Hughes, in 1860.

The town was surveyed at a later date, about a mile from the mine, the name being derived from the native language, 'Caddyinna,' meaning lizard of the plains.

Miners flocked to the new 'find,' bringing their belongings in all kinds of vehicles from a wheelbarrow to a bullock dray. The busy teamsters dropped their loads haphazardly, and hurriedly returned for further loads. Wherever a miner's goods were, there he built his rough hut. The early result was a very irregular hamlet. Many of the buildings were not even on the mine lease.

One of these isolated cottages was occupied by a bachelor, William Henry. It was roughly built of limestone with a thatched roof and had a very large and high chimney. Nearly all one end of its single room was taken up by the large open fireplace.

William Henry, a hard working miner, was too busy during the week to feel lonely, and Saturday nights were invariably spent with a few convivial cronies at one of the local hostels in the town.

The path from the cottage to the town wound about through an old mine field honeycombed with abandoned shafts and trial holes (it was difficult in daylight and downright dangerous in the dark). Frequent warnings of danger had no effect on William Henry, who laughingly declared that he had often negotiated it when 'blind' after a festive evening with his friends.

One fateful Saturday night found him slowly wending his weary way homewards. The night, though cloudless, was dark, and he was blissfully unconscious of the many narrow escapes he encountered.

When the cottage was at last reached, the door gave some difficulty. A vicious push opened it suddenly, and William Henry was precipitated with violence right across the room to land on his head in the fireplace, the door slamming to behind him.

Some considerable time after, partly regaining his senses, he could not imagine where he was. Lying on his back there was a rough stone wall to the right and left of him, and another behind his head. Looking straight up he was astonished to see the stars shining as though seen through a giant telescope.

A cold perspiration broke out on his brow as the horror of his situation dawned on him. On his drunken way home, he reasoned, he must have fallen down one of the old mining shafts. His position was desperate. There was no hope of outside help. He would not be missed until too late. There was little chance of his cries being heard. It would be weeks before his body would be found. Regretting his past careless life, vowing to reform, and begging for time to carry out his good resolutions, he admitted he was not prepared to die.

Rising to his feet he felt the rough stone work for projections that would afford him foothold to climb to the surface. The masonry was rough with numerous stones projecting sufficiently to afford a precarious foothold, enabling him slowly to mount up to where the shaft seemed narrower, and he was enabled to get a purchase with his back against the opposite wall.

At length, after an interminable time, thoroughly exhausted, dripping with perspiration, he reached the top, only to overbalance, roll on to the thatched roof, and then harmlessly to the ground in front of his own door. — 'R.J.G.,' Adelaide.

It Happened In The Bush.

— It was about 1906 that this episode took place.

Mr. J. J. Tapley, his wife and family lived at Miltalie, on their farm. Mr. Tapley had some stock on a run at Yallanda.

One day he set off on horseback to see if they had feed and water to last them for a few months before harvest came. When leaving home he told his wife not to worry about him if he did not return that night, as if the stock were not in to water at the dam he would stay a few days and see that they were all right before returning.

On reaching Yallanda, 36 miles distant, he found all the stock in and doing well. So after resting his horse he decided to get back home that night. All went well until about 20 miles from home. Then the old mare being tired caught her foot under a root in a washout on the road. She fell heavily and broke her rider's leg in two places above the knee.

What a plight, helpless on a little used road late in the afternoon, and not expected home for two or three days! After some time his leg began to pain unbearably, and he knew it would get worse. Gathering his strength, he crawled some yards to his horse, and then pulled himself up by the stirrup iron to a standing position. He fastened the girth as tight as he could, and suffering agonies managed to pull himself into the saddle.

He will never forget that ride of twenty miles or more. At times he would hang on to an overhanging tree to get a little ease, and then go on again. He got to within a mile of home only to find the big mallee gate shut, and he, unable to get off his horse. It was now about 10 o'clock at night. He cooee-ed for about an hour before he saw a light coming towards him.

The nearest doctor was at Cowell, 26 miles distant. So neighbors a mile away were roused, ponies were hunted over the paddock in the dark, and when they were caught and harnessed the sufferer was taken into town for attention. It was three months before he was able to leave his bed. These things are part of the life out back.— 'Wilana,' Kimba.

Yanyarrie Mystery.

— During the erection of the Carrieton-Cradock telephone line there was a rather weird experience.

One of the gang, 'P.,' was not feeling well. So he retired early, leaving the others yarning and playing cards by the fire. He was hardly between the blankets when a thin ray of light shone under the door. Hearing no noise, he decided to investigate. He got out of bed, opened the door, and found the passage in darkness. This happened twice.

Then 'P.' decided to teach the supposed practical joker a lesson. So, getting a pannikin of water, and holding the door closed, he waited. The light reappeared. Swinging the door open, 'P.' threw the water out. But there was no sign or sound of anyone, and the light had again disappeared. 'P.' found the rest of the gang seated as he had left them. They denied all knowledge of the light.

We never found out what caused the light. The gang shifted camp next day, for none of them would stay in the house again.— 'F.W.A.P.' Carrieton.

Real Life Stories Of South Australia (1933, January 12). Chronicle (Adelaide, SA : 1895 - 1954), p. 15. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article90893401