Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-04-18
A PRODIGAL'S RETURN.
AFather's Struggle with a Burglar
How the Latter was Given q New
Suit OF Clothes and Invited 10 Re
turns


How the Latter was Given a New
suit OF Clothes and Invited TO Re
turn.
Detroit Post, April S.
at late hour Que night last week, a
gentleman who occupies a handsome resi-
dence on one Of the fashionable thorough
fares was awakened by AN unusual noise
in his sleeping apartment, and became con-
sciOus Of the fact that some person was
stealthily moving about the room. The
gas was turned Off aud the inside blinds of
the window were closed, so that all was
darkness, but the next instant the intruder
stumbled over a chair near the bed, the
movement revealing his precise location.
The master Of the house was a man Of
unusual self-pOssessiOn and determination.
Without uttering a word he sprang from
his couch and grappled with his unknown
antagonist. The struggle which ensued in
the dark was brief but decisive. The bur
glar made desperate attempts to loosen the
hand which grasped his throat, but his an
tagOnist, although on the shady side Of
fifty, was a man Of great muscular power,
and the fellows efforts to escape were
fruitleSs. Kneeling upon the PROSTATE
form Of the painting burglar, the victor in
the struggle called TO his wife to light the
gas, command which the lady, who was
awakened by the scufile, and who was
nearly beside herself with fear, was not
slow to execute.
The instant that the gas-iet flooded the
room with light the gentleman released his
hold upon the throat of his adversary
pale, haggard, ill-clad young m2n-and the
latter staggered to his feet. For moment
the two men confronted each other, and
then with wild cry, in which horror,
shame, and remOrse were all expressed, the
younger sank at the feet of the elder.
"Fatherl'
"Charlie."
The recognition was mutual; the excla-
nations rang out almost simultaneously.
Il was indeed the reunion of a sOTOwing
father and a prOdigal son. Eight years
ago the former was a resident of Wilkes
barre, Penn, and the latter, his only child,
was bright youth of twenty who Unfor-
tunately fell in with fast associates and be
came proficient in all manner Of youthful
dissipation. Finding parental restraint
irksome, the boy ran away from home ana
shipped upon a vessel bound for Liverpool.
After several months spent in Lon
don. whsre he lived by his wits,
be shipped as cook on vessel bound for
Africa, but was prOstrated by a severe
fever, and was sent back to England. Up
on his recovery he went to South America,
where he secured apOsitiOn in the employ
Of an extensive stOck-raiseT, remained
there for four years, at the end OF that
time having saved several hundred dollars
in gold. Soon the old rowing disposition
came over him, and he drifted of to Cuba
and Mexico, and finally arriving in New
Orleans last fall, where he soOa lost what
money he had through the agencies Of the
Wine-bOttle and the gaming-table. DuIing
the winter he worked his way North, and
about two weeks ago arrived in this city
from Cincinnati, with only 50 in his
pocket.
During all his absence the prOdigal had
never written hOme, and had never heard
from his parents. He was ignorant OF the
fact that they had removed TO Detroit, and
he determined 10 earn money enough, II
possible, TO take him back to Wilkesbarre,
where he intended to endeavOr to live re-
spectacle life. Owing to the hard times
he cOuli OBTAIN no work, and was finally
forced to seek lodgings at the Woodbridge
Street Station. After sleeping there sew
eral nights, he was warned that upon
his next visit he would be sent to the House
Of Correction as a vagrant. That night he
wandered about the city, hungry, penniless
and desperate, and it was while he was in
this forlOrn, desperate condition that he
yielded to the sudden temptation to com
nit crime in order to orelieye his necessities.
BY some strange ard yet fortunate fatality
he entered the house Of his own father, and
what followed has already been described.
Such was the story which the unhappy
young man related to his grief-stricken pa
rents in the room which he had entered for
the purpose of committing a robbery. he
protested that no matter what excesseS and
sins he might have committed, he had
never before descended to the preparation
Of a dishonest act, and his remOfse and
repentance were so unmlstakably sincere