The Davenport daily gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1869, 1857-09-17
1HEDAfLYGIzE4TE.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER, /,
" An eTEI ni'E TALE"

v
merchant u New York took charge Of lii
tie boy who had bsen len IN orphan The
PARENTS u this child hsd been actors Al sosne
slight celebrity IN the theatres II the United
States; but, dying within short time u
each other, they leu behind them, in state
u the completest destitution, three young
childrrn. Tue eldes; Il these was hand
snnc boy u about siS years u agc, with .
quick eye, an active spirit, snd remarks
bly, intelligent c,untrnancc. The snerclsan.
VI WHOM we speak, had known the parents
II the child, and, out u patty for it, helpless
ness, lac and hi- wife, who lad Bo children,
adopted il - their own.
How happily the ardent hoy passed his
days IN the house ~ his beDciactor how
he MAS beloved by those two chiIile~s peo-
pie ; how, in the strength II their great af
lection, the merchant and his wiG.. teak him
to Europe; how he spent some fur or live
pleasant years under the care aud teaching
II a reverend gentleman near l,ousslou how
he came lack again 10 tie city az hi birth.
20 finish hrs education bow he was rencr.
ally lcoked upon n the rich merchants heir
lit would take long O. tell Brt we would
iain linger on this portion VI oar story fam
dwell upon his prec,cious wit and aptues.
Tor learning, his Eats u strength aud agility
iiis ease and gracc IN horseback. his dexter.
ny IN race and stream, and success in all
that seeiaed Ia promise for him n brilliant
future. hut the truth must In told. no
matter how unwilling the teller. He was
sent Ia liz College II Charlottesville, amply
provided with money. In those days dss~t-
patton among tLe students u College. was
tut unnppily ton conss On !; and aIrong the
INST dis~Dlute and extrayaganf, the widest
ruiiiers of the town, the hardest drinkers.
AMI most daring gamblers, there Wa one to
la found more wild and dt~perssc than they
all--and that onc was the subject of oar
story, now a good k-,king, free-Learted
young fellow ~ eighteen. Friends advised
with him, pnd he male fair PROMISE IN
plenty; tutors demonstrated, and he d-cIar-
cd that he would amend, and win the high
est honors yet companions tempted, and
wine ailurcd, and he embraced The filthy
siren, and 30 cell Instead IL coming home
from the University with hon,rs, lac was
sa,mmarily expelled.
One would think that disgrace 81 public,
would have broken his proud spirit but II
dill not. because his beneinctor refused IL
my the gambling debts be contracted IL
college, the wiliful young man wrote him a
violent and abusive letter, quitting his house
AMI soon after, ieft his country, with the
avcwcd intention 81 joining the Greeks, who
wcrc nj that time Ia struggle with the
Turks. lie never reached hlS destination.
and nothing was known or heard a him
For more than year. Al last, however, he
was found, and ia circumstances which left
no doubt rs Co the manner in which his
European experience had been bought
One morning, the American minister nj ST.
Petersburg. was summoned a. save epsln-
trysnan a hsS own from th. penalties incur
red through drunken delauch. lie came
Ia time to rescue our prodigal iron a prison
and, Through his influence, he was set al
liberty, and enabled Ia return Ia the United
States.
The first 10 greet him IN hi. landing, was
his old patron, the merchant, who Wa now
alone IN the world Cor hls wife had died
while the youth Wa away. But be- tepk
The wanderer to his arms. and led him back
a. the home he had quilted 50 ungraciousiy.
The question then aio~e ~ Ia what should
be- done with the youth; and on his express
ing wish IL bccsDe soldier, interest wa
made with the merchants friends, and the
Young man MAS entered ~ a scholar IN tL.
Military Academy at West Paint. Fer a
little time all went on well the young ca
Diet was assiduons in h,s stnslies. b.,ram.
the ta,orite IL the mess and was leaked IN
On by the oiiieers and pfois~sDrs ~ one uf
their most promising pupil hut alas, AMI
alas the old habits Il dissipation were t.-,
strong "a be given zap al at once. liz neg
lectcd his duties be- drank to excess he
d,sobcyed orders; b. openly snccr.d II the
rcgulations OF the Academy and, in ten
months frcm his matrieulation, be- wa
cAshtcrcd
the wretebed man lind refuge. but in the
home II his adopted father Thither, then,
h. went, and was again received with open
arms. During L'r stay at the Academy, the
merchant lad married again, Ca q lady
some years younger than himself Time
passed ON but just rs the san IL happine.s
seemed als,ut Ia shine once more upon him,
quarrel took place between him and the
lady, which severed forever all duties ~
his friendship between the merchant anil
his pro.sge. Another circumstance which
Is scarcely lit for mention here, was limited
nj, and which, if true, throws dark shade
upon the character III the d,-~ivatesi youth
Whatessrthe cause, however, the merchant
and his adopted ~on parted in anger, never
10 meet again and when the former died.
the latter shared NO portion IL h,s wealth.
Again, thrown upon tho world by his
own misconduct, the Young man tried his
hand IN field common Ia young men. and
wrote several poetical pieces and articles in
the magazines. These were - well reee,,-
ed, that La was almost tempted t.-bclies.
that he could obtain living by literature.
But bis old habits retur,ine, he dest,aired
II success in has new a,ocation, and enlisted
rs private soldier in the army. lie was
recognized by former companion in the
Military Academy, and great interest began
Ia b. felt FOR him among the officers. II
was proppse,i "a hay . commission Tor the
talented and handsome young man; but
just as friends began To rally around him,
and just ~ their plans seemed about a.
prosper, be- deserted.
For more than two years the world knew
nothing II his whereabouts and il may be-,
had almost forgotten him.