This week in 1920: January 15

WUNGHNU’S “LAST MEN”

WELCOMED HOME

In proportion to its population, Wunghnu district supplied as many men for participation in the Great War as any other district in the Valley, if not the State. Unfortunately, it suffered its proportion of sacrifices, too, but, while showing in every way possible their sympathy for the bereaved parents and relatives, and doing all that was humanly possible to lighten their afflictions, the good folk of the district have always extended the heartiest of welcomes to the brave boys who were permitted to return. On Monday night the last of the “welcome homes” was given, for all the boys who were fated to return have been restored to their loved ones, and so far as this portion of their duty is concerned, the activities of the Welcome Home Committee are at an end.

GERMAN GOLD

MYSTERIOUS WOMAN SPY.

Some of the witnesses at a courtmartial on alleged spies at Lille (France), recently told an amazing story of a mysterious woman who was one of the most influential German agents in Belgium. The woman lived in great style and luxury in a chateau near Antwerp, to which prospective Belgian and French spies were brought with the upmost secrecy late at night in a closed motor. Some of her dupes stated that they knew her only as a beautiful, blonde-haired lady, who met them in a darkened room, into which she walked swiftly, carrying a large bag of gold, the contents of which she scattered on a carpet as an inducement to them to betray their country. If the bait was taken she presented the victim with a smaller bag, saying “Here is for to-day. If only you will work you will soon be rich.” The Chateau was equipped with wireless and numerous telephone connections. It is believed that the mysterious and unknown woman is the daughter or niece of General Heintich, who was Governor of Lille during German occupation.

It is with great regret that we have to chronicle the visit of the grim reaper, Death, for the third time to the Robert Brenion household within a comparatively short period, the last to be taken hence being Mrs Rosetta Brenion, relict of the ceased lady had been in failing ceased lady had been in failing health for a long time, so that her demise was not unexpected. She came to Numurkah district with her late husband in the very early days, and endured all the hardships that the grand old women of the period had to face what time they nobly did their share towards carving homes out of the virgin forest.

The late Mrs Brenion was a woman of fine Christian character, and her death is deeply deplored by a very large circle of friends who loved her for her many grand attributes. To the bereaved family sincere sympathy has been offered in this their added affliction. The funeral took place yesterday afternoon, Rev. J. A. Lee reading the burial service at the graveside, while Mr Alex Dunn had charge of the mortuary arrangements.

“Philanthropy.”—For some weeks a par has been going the rounds of the provincial press under the caption, “The Wail of the Unreported.” The original paragraph contained the word quoted at the head of this paragraph, but was spelt Phi!antrophy. We have watched our exchanges and no less than 11 published the word as contained in the original par. Surely the art of spelling country is not being lost to the country printer, along printer, along with his objections to printing any old stuff so long as it is supplied him free and it that does not entail any labor on his part.

Cow Suckles a Pig.—A remarkable case of a cow suckling a pig has been witnessed by Mr G. Tarrant, a farmer in Warracknabeal district. When the cow’s milk unexpectedly fell off Mr Tarrant was curious to know the cause, and he was surprised to find that the cow was suckling a pig. As the most effective way of ending the trouble, Mr Tarrant killed the pig, but soon afterwards he found that another pig was enjoying a milk diet. The sight was so remarkable that Mr Tarrant secured a photograph of it for publication in “the Leader.” Mr Tarrant states that when the pigs were locked up in the evening the cow bellowed for them all night.

To celebrate the State Library of Victoria’s digitising of the war years editions of the Numurkah Leader, each week we will include the news of the week, 100 years ago.

To view these editions online go to trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/title/591.