Evening journal., 1898-01-20

the course OF II year lht9 htotAo1 hN'
dreds of thousands OF dollars worth OF
grass and green groceries, and the
government Of New South Wales has
standing offer of an award Of S125000
to any Inventive genius who VIII per-
feet a devise which win effect their eX-
termination But this large sum OF
money has never been won by any in
yentor. Many have tried II. but their
devices were not able to cope with the
cotton-tails of the land OF the kanga-
roo. II the Wayfarer Is not misin-
formed however, there is still some
hone for the Australians. 1t is said
that there is a boy, employed in a
grocery store not far from Tenth and
Adams streets, who bids fair TO be-
come a worlds wonder as an extermi-
nator OF rabbits.
Nimrod was. somewhat OF a hunter
in his time. but his reputation is based
upon general principles rather than
upon statistical facts. II he killed large
numbers OF wild animals he was mod
est enough to keep the details to him
self for rear OF being set down as
prevaricator by succeeding genera
tons The members of his family were
also careful not to compromise the old
man in any particular. They let his
fame rest upon the simple assertion
that he was a good shot.
But this lad on the West Side goes
into particulars with an abandon that
would do credit to the compiler Of the
United States census He gives dates
and places with the freedom Of an al
manac and the accuracy Of a geogra-
ply. One of his greatest exploits was
performed on his uncle's farm up in
one of the adjoining counties Of Penn
sylvania. II was afternoon, and a
poor one for rabbits. But he was not
deferred. Calling six hounds to his
heels and shouldering his gun he sal
lied forth into the cripple. The dogs
soon gave tongue, and he began to
shoot Before the sun went down he
had eighty-four rabbits piled up, the
barrel of his gun was worn full OF
holes, and the throats OF the hounds
were so sore that the poor creatures
could not speak above n whisper. 1t
took n two-horse wagon to haul the
rabbits to market, and the ground is
SO full of No. shot that the grass is
dying Of lead-poisoning.
LIVING, YET DEAD.
Casper T. Toppin enjoys the distinc-
tion Of being the only living dead man
in the city. and his wife is happy in
the consciousness that, while she is a
widow, there is no occasion for wear
ing weeds.
The city directory has in It this en-
try
"Toppln, Mary l. (widow of Casper To-
n 900 W. 1Oth.1
In spite OF the directory man Mr..
Toppifi Is very much alive. The ex-
rl1n lon hnp hp fttI
the part OF the directory is that after
the canvass had been made there was
a man by the name OF Toppin who
died, and the canvasser, thinking he
was doing an excellent piece of work
made the change on his slip, only tc
find after the directory had been print
ed, that he had killed the wrong man
and widowed the wrong woman.
HULK OF THE CAROLINE HALL.
While in Frederica for few hours
several days ago the Wayfarer walked
down to the steamboat landing. Hi.
attention was attracted by an old hull
lying, partly imbedded in the mud
along the side of the creek. The Graf
had evidently in her time been small
centre-board schooner. The stem
stern, rudder, ribs and well, wer,
standing, and some OF the planking OF
the sides was still left, but all in al
advanced stage of ruin. In the hold
which, for so many years, contained
Thousands of dollars worth OF mer
chantable commodities, there was moth
ing but dark. Shiny mud, with here. an,
there the frOst-blighted remains of tn
bull-rush, the blue-hag, the "splatter
dock" and other aquatic plants whicl
grow In profusion in the waters of tn
Murderkill.
Something prompted the Wayfarer {,
turn to a resident Of the pretty littl
isolated Kent county town and ask hin
the name of the craft.
That is all there is left OF the oil
Caroline Hail." he said. "She was on
of the first vessels built by ex-Governo
John w. Hall, and he named her Il
honor OF his wife, for whom he enter
tanned the greatest affection. JShe wa
small craft, but did more to build u
the large fortune left by the governo
than any other vessel Of the many h
owned in his time She was. as yo
see by what is left of her. small. bu
she has gone all up and down tn
coast, and, If am not mistaken, acros
the ocean once or twice. Several ei
IOrtS nave been made TO tear up tn
hulk, but so we'll was she put togethe
that the game was not worth the car
die, and now she will probably be pei
mitted to lie where she is and rot ava,
| do not know just when she becam
unseaworthy and went out of service
but 1t was about twenty years ago. Tn
governor once told me chat she pai
him better than any vessel he eve
owned. When the governor died /
was worth 100000. That is what n
estate panned out You must concec
that that was a remarkably large SUI
of money for him to amass in such
community as this. with not a dollar
start on and without pursuing question
able means 10 secure any Of the none
that he got. He was strict in his bus
ness dealings. If he owed a man fl
teen cents he would not pay him O
with fourteen, and If man owed hi
twenty cents he did not want him
endeavor to pay him off with ninetee
But there is not a man living who ca
truthfully say that the governor evi