Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-07-13
EVIDENTLY A FAIRY STORY.
The Curious Yarn Made Up by a
Philadelphia Reporter.

Philadelphia reporter
About Boy who, After an Absence OF
Five Years, Was Restored to nis Par
ents In This City-wilmington People
Know Nothing About 1t.
The following appeared in the Phlla-
delphia North american Monday:
ga little boy, rcd-headed and with
face generously despatched with freck-
his trousers tucked in heavy pair Of
boots and wearing straw hat of large
dimensions, were o pair that attracted
no small share of attention in the wait
ing room of the Broad Street Station,
Sunday afternoon. The boy was Harry
Bishop of Wilmington, while his com
panion was Frederick I. Thoms, who
owns a farm some three or four miles
out of Philiipsburg, N. J.
"Harry has had a most remarkable
career for one of lis years. While 8
years of age-that was about fiye years
ago--he strayed away from his home,
and as nothing had been heard of him
meanwhile his parents gave him up as
dead. So sure were they that Harry was
gone forever that Mrs. Bishop went into
mourning.
1.-THE discovery Of the lads where
abouts after such q lapse OF time hap
pened in this wise: Farmer sThoms
happened to pick up a Philadelphia
paper about week ago, which was
dated June oath, 1888. BY mere chance
he glanced at the personal column and
this paragraph caught his eye;
HARRY BISHOP-STRAYED AWAY
IL from his home at 845 Shipley street.
Harry Bishop, aged eight years. He has
large birthmark on his right arm has
red hair. plenty of freckles and is talka-
| tive. ALI information leading to his dis
covery will be gladly received by his
father, Francis B. Bishop, S45 Shipley
street, Wilmington.
"This forcibly struck Farmer Thoms.
| He had adopted boy corresponding to
the foregoing description year ago.
Where he came from Thoms did not
know. He had been cast off by tramp
and the farmer gave him home, re-
| curing the boy to do odd chores about
the place. He named him Carl Thoms.
"Thoms read the "personal" over
again and decided to communicate with
the Bishops. He did SO, with the result
that the identity Of his adopted son was
fully established.
"When seen by the reporter yesterday
afternoon, the pair Were on their way
to Wilmington. Farmer Thoms was
asked tor the privilege of interviewing
Harry.
$3.50 yer wanter to know where ]
wuz. Well, l jes had bully time
goin' all over. Us jes canned frum de
wurls fair. Great, yer bet
"'Where else have you been, Harry,
was asked.
"'Why, say, mister, Use been out
west fer tree years and knocked de box
off whole lot of Injuns. Dey dom
want to fool wild me-
"'That boy is the gol darndest lial
I've ever SEEM said Farmer Thoms. 8
can't believe word he says, He's {
smart boy, but he does tell fibs.'
Harry can give no exact informa
ton as 10 his whereabouts during thos,
, four years of his wanderings. He talk
in glittering generalities.
"When seen later at Wilmington Mrs
Bishop was overcome with Joy.
eff Harry had walked out of tn
grave said she, i wouldn't have beef
more surprised. He'll never get anothe
. chance torun away. Harry was Away
an imaginative boy. used to rea
Jules Verne to him, and | think tina
has made him abnormally imaginative
at is safe to say that the fatted cal
was killed for the prodigal son at tn
! home of the Bishops, in Wilmington
! last evening"
NOT KNOWN TO WILMINGTON BISHOPS
A careful canvass of the Bishop famil
. here failed to reveal any Francis T
Bishop or his alleged prodigal son, an
those approached on the subject wer
!, inclined to believe the whole story
= hoax.
The directory gives the address of al
q F. j. Bishop at No. 805 King street, Blu
h upon investigation the. reporter foun
Il that this number does not exist. Nor
there a No. S45 Shipley street in tn
city, the numbers running out on SHY
ley street before they get as high as th
4 number mentioned.
! None of the Bishops in this city eve
i heard of Harry Bishop or Farme
. Thoms, and are certain. the farmer an
a the prodigal boy did not come to Wi
I mington, as alleged. The general in
! preston seems to be that the who
I, narrative is fairy story.