Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-04-29
A Strange Reunion.

40 n ooy
tleman well known in the business and
social circles of this city, who occun;es =
handsome residence ON one of the fssh;on
able thoroughfares, was awakened from
sound slumber by an unusual noise in his
sleeping apartment, and, after listening in.
tently for moment, became conscious ~
the fact that some person was steaIthiIv
moving about in the room. The gas was
turned Oft and the inside blinds of the
window were closed, so that all was total
darkness, but the next instant the intruder
stumbled over chair near the bed the
movement revealing his precise location
Most men, rudely awakened BY the un.
ceremonious entrance of burglar. would
have uttered an exclamation Of alarm or
cry for assistance, but the master of the
house was man of unusual self posses.
sion and determination; without utter.
ing word he sprang from his couch
and grappled with his unknown antag.
onist. The struggle which ensued IN
the dark was brief but decisive. The burg
lar fought on the defensive rather than
the offensive, and made the most
desperate attempts to loosen the hand
which grasped his throat like an iron
wise, but his antagonist, although on the
shady side Of fifty, was q man of great
muscular power, and the fellows efforts
to escape were fruitless. Kneeling on the
PROSTATE form of the painting burglar, the
victor in the struggle called to his wife to
light the gas, a command which the LADY,.
who was awakened by the scuffie and who
was nearly beside herself with fear, was
not slow to execute.
The instant that the gas-jet flooded the
room with light, the gentleman released
his hold upon the throat of his adversary.
q pale, haggard and ill-clad young man
and the latter started to his feet For a
moment the two men confronted each
other, and then, with wild cry in which
horror, shame and remorse were all ex.
pressed, the younger sank at the feet Of
the elder.
Fatherp
"Charlier'
The recognition was mutual; the excla-
nations rang out simultaneously. Tt was
indeed the reunion of sorrowing father
and prodigal son. Eight years ago the
former was a resident of WiIkesbarrs
Pa, and the latter, his only child, was
bright youth of twenty, who unfortunate
ly fell in with fast associates, and became
proficient in all manner of youthful dissi-
patton. Finding parental restraint irk-
some, the boy ran away from home and
shipped upon vessel bound for Liver.
pool. After several months spent in Lon
don where he lived by his wits, he shipped
as cook on vessel bound for Africa,
but was Frustrated by severe fever and
sent back to England. Upon his recovery
he was sent to South America, where he
secured q position in the employ of an
extensive stock raiser, remaining there for
four years, and at the end of that time
having saved several hundred dollars in
gold. Soon the old rowing disposition came
over him, and he drifted off to Cuba and
Mexico, and finally arrived in New Or.
leans last fall, where he associated with
fast characters and soon lost what money
he had, through the agencies of the wine
bottle and gaming table. During the win
ter he worked his way North, and about
two weeks ago he arrived in this city from
Cincinnati, with only three dollars in his
pocket.
During all the long years Of his absence
the prodigal had never written home and
had never heard from his parents. He
was ignorant Of the fact that they had re-
moved to Detroit, and he determined to
earn money enough if possible to take him
back to Wilkesbarre, where he intended
to endeavor to live respectable life.
Owing to the hard times he could obtain
no work, and was finally forced to seek
lodgings at the Woodbridge Street Station.
After sleeping there several nights he was
warned that upon his next visit he would
be sent to the House of Correction as q
vagrant. That night he wandered about
the city hungry, penniless and desperate,
and it was while in this forlorn, desperate
condition that he yielded to the sudden
fam, r,fo tinn tn ~ e. r,.In %,
lieve his necessities. BY some strange and
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
parents in the room which he had entered
for the purpose of committing robbery.
He protested that, no matter what excuses
and sins he might have committed he had
never before descended to the preparation
of dishonest act, and his remorse and re-
pentance were so Enthusiastically sincere
that he readily received the forgiveness
for which he pleaded. Fortunately the
circumstances Of his unexpected return
were unknown TO other parties, the two fe-
male domestics being absent at bali, from
which they were not to return until two or
three O'Clock, and TO divert suspicion the
young man was provided with money and
instructed to go to a hotel for the balance
of the night.
The next morning he purchased suitable
apparel and returned to the house, where
little justifable deception was used, and
he was welcomed as If he had not been a
previous visitor. The young man is APP
parently sincere In his determination to
reform, and is occupying o desk In his
fathers establishment, where he already
demonstrates the possession of admirable
business qualifications, and bids fair to
become useful member of society.
This story may SAVIOR somewhat of the
improbable, but it was related TO the
writer by . gentleman of unimpeachable
veracity, who enjoys intimate and conf
Dental relations with the parties, and who
vouches for the entire truthfulness, while
ut the same time he withholds the names
and other facts which might afford clue
to the identity of the dramatic Pcrson0 In
the little drama which so narrowly escaped
being tragedy.-Detroit Pod.
In the last twenty years the product OF
h,,<x,. nj chaoco IN fha limited States has