Weekly Trinity journal., 1857-12-26
a Romantic Reality.

Reality sometimes more strongly taxes credu-
lity for belief than the most highly cOlOred 10.
nance. An instance occurred in our midst yes
trrday noon. An old man, whose few remaining
hairs were whitrncd by age, was retailing in Fifth
street market place. briei chapters of Il chequered
life his travels and experience in foreign coun-
tries, trials by land and sea- his hopes and wishes
for the future.
Twenty years ago or thrrcabouts, he left Lam
caster. Pa. with no particular object in view cx-
crp to rid himself of the oppressive ills OF power
tv aud want. Without M ans to support his wife
and three children, with little or no employment,
he abandoned home and friends TO chance the
hazard of the world elsewhere, in hopes dame
Fortune would smile more pleasantly AT Phil
adrlphia he shipped on board vessel for Liver
pool as a hand before the mast. and made two or
three trips in that capacity, back and forth across
the Atlantic.
Finally, on the last voyage, he left his ship in
a foreign port, and remained there for several
wears. engaged in various pursuits that offered u
prt carious living lie sailed up the Meditcrra-
mean visited the Holy Land, came back to Liver
pool, and again shipped for his native country
Throngh some ill-starred circumstances he did
rot reach his home, but after builetiug about for
a year or more, finally brought up in South
Amer can port where he remained for several
wears engaged in trading, and various other oc-
cupations that yielded IL tair living. The gold cX-
citrment on the Pacific carried him lhithrr, and
he went up the golden SACRAMENTO with high
hopes of prosperity. A y'ars experience there
brought with it more trowns than smiles of for
tune. and he left the Eureka State for China
again as sailor. From there he shipped on
9th, r vessel for New York, where he arrived sew
rral months ago illilm almost worn ont with
life's trials aud troubles, and sought amongst hi
old friends for wife and children.
With many doubts and hopes, he visited Lam
caster, where he had left them. but found no kith
i'm lie II, h,If al a iAt,r
years before, and one son had soon followed her
to the grave. With heavy heart, IA future be-
fore him AS blank as the unspotted page, he waa-
drred forth again. little needing life, nor caring
how soon it's ftful fever closed forever.
Chance dir, cted his footsteps 10 Cincinnati, IN
his weary round, and chance, or guardian sp'f-
IT, or fate prompt, him to relate his advent tures
to half dozen listeners in Fifth street yesterday
and amongst them was young mechanic. cab
met maker, Oh his way to his boarding-bousc to
dinner. who listened with marked attention, and
who found on further inquiry that the venerable
old gentleman was has father The son was but
a small lad when the parent left home but he
had heard enough of his history 10 know that the
wanderer before him was, indeed, his parent Of
whom he had but a dim recollection personally
He grasped the old man by the arm with hearty
good will, took him to his boarding house and
provided him with food and rament and Will
smooth his footsteps to the grave with kindness
and devotion.
Do we not say truly that bighly colored ro-
nance is often dlmmed by stern reality Cucin-
n0n Gazette.