The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1875-07-10

A late number Of the Country Gentlenn,
contained an interesting narrative of tn,
career of an Irish American who advanced
from being a laborer to fortune, and tn,
highest position in the gift of the citizen
Of one Of the principal cities Of New
York State. The sketch possesses especia
INTEREST FOR YOUNG MEN,
because it is an instance of the reward
which the practice of temperance, industry
and integrity must bring. The greater
part Of the sketch is here given A mos
eventful and instructive personal history
has come to our knowledge, mainly through
the statements of lady, now far advanced
in years, and still living in this State, who
was formerly resident Of Lock port, and
the wife Of a practicing physician Of that
place. She Is personally known to the
editor of the Country Gentleman, and re-
lance may be placed in all her statements
The occurrences referred to began about
| 1923 or 1924, when the great excavation
| for the Erie Canal through the solid rock
for miles, at LockpOrt, WAS IN progress,
under the supervision Of David Thomas as
Chief Engineer, and Of which Darius
Comstock, widely known citizen, was one
to whom we have referred returned one
day from his visiting rounds under good
deal of excitement, and exclaimed to his
wife, :" have visited to-day
INA POOR IRIsHMAN's HUT,
the most beautiful woman | ever saw il
my life. She is very sick-her case must
be an extraordinary one-and you must 90
and see what you can do for her" The
wife consented to 20, and on entering one
Of the most poverty-stricken novels she
had ever seen-the floor Of bare earth, the
deof cut partly down through the log
sides, so that ON entering 1t was necessary
to step over the logs that we're left-she
found the sick woman lying on a bed Of
straw, supported on rough poles, which
constituted the bedstead. She was young
III years, and trouble had not Obliterated
the surprising beauty nor the refined ex-
preston Of ner countenance. The lang
uage she used indicated high and excel
lent education, and she had evidently been
brought up in genteel society, notwith-
standing the utter destitution of her pres
ent surroundings. Her husband, young
man recently from Ireland,
WAS DAY LABORER,
employed by Darius Comstock and Otis
Hathaway, mis- assistant, in excavating the
bed Of the canal. The sick woman was,
Of course, adverse to giving any account
Of their history to a stranger, but, after
several visits, the physicians wife secured
her confidence, and she related their re-
markable history in substance as follows .
She was the daughter Of gentleman in
| l. g. II.
and steward young man named John
-, of rare attainments and ability. The
gentleman's daughter and the young stew
ard formed mutual attachment but as
he was below her i'll rank, notwithstanding
his high character, the father would not
listen moment to anything Of the kind,
and seeing what was going on, dismissed
him from his service But the attach
ment was too strong to be quenched Dy a
mandate When the young lady and her
lover found there was no other resource,
they concluded to get married and run
away" With his scanty means and what
little property of her own she could Sc
cure, they sailed for Quebec, in Canada.
THE SHIP WAS WRECKED
in the st. Lawrence, and they barely es-
capped with their lives. AL their effects
and money went to the bottom of the wide
river Their condition was desolate
enough without means, without expert
ence, unaccustomed to hardship, and in an
unknown country among strangers. He
was compelled to labor by the day to keep
them from starving. He became utterly
discouraged, and, through the enticements
Of bad companions, resorted to drinking.
In this state they found their way to Lock
port-a place where many laborers were
wanted at that time for excavatlng the
canal, and where he could obtain employ
ment 1t was here that his young wife,
unaccustomed to such accumulated hard
ships and privations, was Frustrated on a
sick bed, and in this condition was found
by the physician and his wife, as already
related. 1t was about the same time, or
before, that Comstock and Hathaway, the
contractors, who employed him, observed
that the young man had not been accus-
toned to the severe labor which he had
undertaken, and that in handling the
heavy crowbar, and in wheeling the loaded
barrow, the
BLOOD oozED FROM HIS FINGERS.
A few days afterward, when pay day ar
rived, he signed the receipt for his wages
by the usual cross, or his mark, used
by lsborers generally. In the course Of a
few weeks, his employers, (who we're mem
bers of the society of Friends), observing
that he possessed superior intelligence,
said to him in the peculiar language com
monty used BY theb Friends, u that
day, John, this is not thy right place
man like thee ought to know how to write
and know better than to make a Sross-
mark T. John Was sitting by 4his reproof,
| his latent ambition was aroused and STEP
ping forward he took the pen and signed
his name in a rapid, prscticed, and elegant
hand. His employers were astOnished,
and said to John, John, this is not the
place for thee-stop drinking, and we will
take thee into our employ as clerk, and al
once double thy wages" These were the
first kind and helping words which he had
heard in America-their hfe-giving energy
went through him like electricity, anC
IN that moment
HE NEVER DRANK A DROP.
He proved himself fully worthy Of thei
confidence, and became distinguished fo
his efficiency. The morning of prosperity
began to dawn upon him. His wife re
covered her health. HIS progress toward
great success began. He subsequently
went into the forwarding business on a., -.
canal a. q partner to prominent al.o a
Of Western New York, who n -
leading member Of Congresber. N vesr.
Of this narrative well ref in use. and
before railways were n was the common
travelling on the transit, that he could
mode OF Passe9' anywhere between the
not pass and Buffalo, without meeting
Schenectae neatly buIt and ell-losded
one oEith the golden letters on the side,
boohn IS Clinton Line" In short,
Ihs young Irish clerk and teward-the
canal day-laborsr-th husband Of the
beautiful and accomplished young LADY
prostrated by sickness in the log hut-had