Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-10-14


Nearly tusnrv yra-S arr yDu;h Il s
ruving turn q ulaat sri Gtxs0esaiy fond
~ Adventure took his departure trozl his
pareaEAi residence in Sligo, On the SoafA
~ide ard pushed oct on his own account
into The broad and untr1cd World 20 SetA
his fate and fortune. he had been rzise'i
most tsziderly; being an only sor a
wealthy parents his every wish 2nd within
were rrafifeG, and neither ee.ort roE
means wAs spared 70 properly caEc4tt
hfn for the besler walks Of life. tsglf still he
was net happy or coatsniez1. Wifhou;
making any preparation t0r distant aad
prolong ss5 Journey, Or informing either
friends or relations q his Intentions, ne
quietly lefi his hcHle, somewhat Eninien'
tionally performing mysterious disAgt
pearance. Days rolled away into weeks,
weeks into months. and months into years,
and the crushed hearts Of the parents were
not relieved by any zlsdsoEne Iidings from
their toy. They early gave way TO de.
spondencv. and, while settling down 90 the
belief that ne was dead and never more
would return. sui, hoping against hope
they used all exertions % learn something
OF him and his whereabouts, bat alI 20 no
avail. No word. no news. no letter. ma
answer 10 their addressed inquiries 10 all
parfs ng the world came 10 solve the nays
tery which 50 burdened their hearts A
few wears ago the father passed awav ia
death. and the recollection Of his wayward
son was With him 20 the final moment Of
departure. Something inwardiy told the
good old man that his boy was yet In the
world. and the priceless legacy Of a
fathers blessing he lett for him. The
mother. likewise hopeful, survived the
partner Of her JOYS snd sOrTows only few
years. and with her last breath bequeaihed
10 Alexander the precious gift Of her
maternal benson. And thus they passed
away.
During the long and fretfal suspense 81
the Loving and distressed parents the son
was living the life ola wanderer, far off
among the rugged gold hills 81 Australia,
making his livelihood in the wilderness Of
new humanity 70 him. He had not for
gotten his old home, and his heart often
returned 10 the dear old couple whose roof
and protection he had 70 singulaFly aban-
doned. He was moi long permanently
dOmiciled In his new home ill he wrote
back 10 his parents, explaining his absence
and telling them all about his romantic
trials and thrilling experiences in his
Journey to lands 80 far away from the old
hearthstone. That letter never came
back to check the doubts and misgiyings
of his friends or assuage the hallowed
grief Of the father and mother. He await
cd in vain for AN answering echo 10 his
message Of undated love and iiial duty.
No word reached him, and again he wrote
home, and fearing the reliability Of the
mail hc inirustcd the missiye 10 cOmrade
who was coming hither. That letter was
never received the courier never was
heard from. After this Alexander mag.
niiIed his oiicpse into grave proportions,
and felt that he was unforgiyen the trans
erosion and wantonly forgotten He
wrote no more, and In his dreams the old
folks ever appeared, but no good guar.
dian angel ever whispered through them
how two old gray heads, bowed in grief,
implored the blessings Of God upon him,
or hoy two loving hearts beat In prayer
ful anxiety anil suspense In his
behaii. He married, and soon three
rosy-cheeked children clambered upon
his knee, and In them and his
wife he found objects To divert his
mind away from the old home and incen-
lives TO make new and happy one for
himself His wife sickcned and died, and
his grief was made all the greater on re-
ceiying by post the cold, legal announce.
ment that he was left the heir TO large
estate by the death Of both his parents.
The lawyers had discovered his address,
even though the efforts Of others in the
same direction had failed u thousand
times.
The last will and testament Of the father
leit all his estate 10 his wife, the mother,
30 be held for her use during life, and 10
pass 10 the son, provided he appeared
inside Of ten years after her death 10 claim
the possessions. III Alexander did not
appear In the allotted time all was 10 re.
vert TO 81. Paul's Roman Catholic Orphan
Asylum and designated charitable institu-
tions and purposes. The estate IL worth
500 900, and consists of suburban ana
city property, bonds, etc. On Saturday
last the heir 10 ALL the long-absent son,
Alexander, arrived In our city and sought
out the friends OF his boyhood. Need we
attempt Ia portray the feelings oFthc now
subdued and settled man ~ he once more
sits at The old fireside and reflects on the
history Of his life, of the persons and
things that were, but are not now, OF the
mighty changes wrought out in the past