Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1854-06-29
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An Aaee6InE story.

During the latter part Of our career
m the Philadelphia post-ofhce, we be-
came acquainted, among the mass of
human beings whose faces appeared
daily at the General Delivery Win
dow" where we were stationed, with an
intelligent, happy looking Englishman,
of about forty-fve years of age, who
came frequently to inquire for letters
from home. He was man of pleasing
manners, and evidently had been well
educated and accustomed to the refine
ments and elegancies of really good
society. Being a stranger on our
shores. he was glad to avail himself of
an opportunity of conTersing with us,
and smoke freely of his past and of his
boned-f for future. He had come over
to Philadelphia, bringing with him a
little son, apparently about twelve years
of age, to select a residence for the rest
of his family which he had left IN Eng
land, and to make all the arrangements
necessary to their comfort when they
should arrive. He had accomplished
this-had taken and furnished a house
in Philadelphia, and was expecting let
tiers from his wife, informing him of her
sailing with their other children in the
steamer City of Manchester.
We handed him letter-it spoke of
her expectation to sail in that steamer;
he went away with such glad anticipa-
tons as might be supposed to fill the
heart of husband and father long
absent from his wife and children whom
he soon expected to meet and embrace
again. A few days passed, and an
other foreign mail arrived and with a
letter to our friend from his wife, saying
that she had not been able to make her
arrangements in time to sail in the Man
chester, but that she should certainly
sail in the Glasgow. Some time after
this, letters came, which she had mailed
at the time of embarking in this ship,
and now he was unspeakably happy
with the almost certainty of seeing his
wife and children in very few days,
for the New York mail steamers gener-
ally make the passage but few days
sooner than our screw steamers. Soon
he with many others commenced going
down every day to Queen street wharf
to look for the incoming steamer.
But who shall speak of the horrors to
come? Day after day did he, with the
many others on that sad walk, go down
to the wharf and strain his vision to
descry among the numerous vessels
down the river the anxiously expected
steamer. We saw him when the vessel
had been some thirty days out, and were
startled at his appearance. The plump,
happy seeming face of one month be-
fore was haggard as the face of death,
the eyes that so shortly before we had
seen dance in the light of inward joy,
were bloodshot, wild, and glaring upon
us with maniac expressions. He
walked mopingly away, but ~ gSface
haunted us still. A few days after this,
steamer arrived bringing the report
that vessel somewhat resembling the
Glasgow had been seen off the Bahamas;
this report brought him to us again
Oh, how that false hope had frightened
his countenance! His eyes had 1e-
gained their expression of intelligence,
and he clung to this baseless hope as a
drowning man to straw.
We left the post-ofice a few DAYS
after this. Yesterday we inquired con-
cerning this wretched man, and was
told that he had been for some time in
the lunatic asylum, raving maniac
May God reward him in eternity.
Great Excitement ON Cont Isiand-J X
RObInson---DarIng Adventure.
A large concourse of people assem-
bled yesterday afternoon, on Goat
Island, to witness ]. R. Robinson's
attempt to reach the canaI-boat in the
Rapids, mention of which we have
heretofore made. The boat, which had
been constructed on purpose for this at
tempt, first started from the head of the
Hydraulic Canal, with son of Mr..
Robinson's and two others. They
launched boldly out into the stream,
and glided down to the head of Goat
Island, when Mr.. Robinson, with his
son, Immediately started for the canal
boat, distance of about ten rods
Those only, who are acquainted with the
character of the Rapids at this point,
can imagine the skill and presence OF
mind necessary to pilot directly across
the current. But the feat was per-
formed in beautiful manner, and the
desired point was reached amid the
cheers of hundreds of delighted specta-
tors. The son first reached the craft,
made fast the boat, and with his father
proceeded to search the premises. The
'4ittle dog" was missing, but gun and
some clothing were found and brought
away. After erecting a pole with a
white cloth attached, the adventures
again entrusted themselves to the angry
current, but, instead of pushing for
shore, as. the crowd expected, they al
lowed themselves to drop down towards
the ''Three Sisters" Now was to be
performed the great exploit of the day.
As they approached the brink of a
fail Of some or feet where the water
commenced series of lofty tumbling,
Mr.. Robinson, with perfect sang troid,
raised himself up and took careful
survey of the leap they were about to
make, while the son held the boat in
statu quo. After selecting place to 90
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