A Strange Hobby.

Evening Star, Issue 7183, 11 April 1887, Page 1

A Strange Hobby.

John George Trumpp, a German, a single man, who has been a resident of Cardrona for upwards of twenty years, and who died at the Arrow last week, was in many ways a singularly eccentric man. He had f couple of horses some years ago, and commenced breeding, till the number amounted to over a dozen. These were bis hobby. He loved them with his whole heart and soul—better by far than thousands of men love their wives and children. The whole of his crops went to keep these animals in chaff, and as they would increase in number, so would his acres. Being a good farmer, he manured his land well, and generally had good crops, notwithstanding that his implements were very much behind the age. When feeding-time came, he would call hiq flock, and if they were out of the sound of bis voice, but only saw his gesticulations, they would come home at a furious gallop. A number of them were aged, but perfectly innocent of saddle or harness. If a would-be purchaser came by and pointed out his choice, John, in an offended manner, would remark that that was the- very one he wanted for himself, and, if after a lot of chaffing, a horse would be pointed out as suitable, John would, with the indescribable air of a king bestowing a crown on a beggar, tell him he could have that one for such a price—always twice its value. On one occasion a colt was accidentally killed, and John was inconsolable, and spoke of his loss years afterwards. Thu year his crops amounted to only tWb tons, which in the hot summer weather he wheeled in in a wheelbarrow, notwithstanding that his horse and express were idle all the time. Ou this occasion he sowed the' seeds of his future fatal illness. He would go into the details of the history of each animal with a minuteness that was marvellous. As he was an industrious and frugal man, he saved money; but he died intestate and without relations, so that the Government will drop in for a small windfall.— ‘Cromwell Argus.’ .