The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1876-11-18
How Two Brothers met after Thirty
Years Separations.

About thirty wears ago two brothers.
whose names might have been but were
not John and Jacob Smith. left Il New
England State to seek their fortunes.
John. the elder. settled in Erie. Penn,
where he gradually thrivcd and became
wealthy. 1t is reasonable to suppose
that he followed the proverhial policy
of the good little Sunday school boy.
and that he never voted nj primary
meeting nor went to Il State Convention
Congrs s. or the Pincticntiary that. in
short, he WAS Il worthy and respected
member of society.
But Jacob was a rolling stone and
he Jcurncycd to the far distant land of
|aliiornm. There he. too. prospcred,
took unto himself wife and babe fair
To he respected and respectable MEM
her of society. But unfortunately gold
was discovered. and Jacob became the
sanguinc posesscr OF Il lead which
might have proved his everlasting for
tune that is. Jacob held the title deeds
to wealth beyond the dreams of avarice,
but. lacking thorough knowledge of
the. fact, he sold his wealth right for u
mess of pottagc. namely the small sum
of Slo,o acohfoolishly hung around
the spot after he had made the sale. and
having seen $500 600 taken ont of his
late property in Il short time. the shock
of disappointed regret was too much for
him, and he strove to drown his sorrows
in the flowing bowl. lie invested in
the flowing bowl not only his SORROWS,
but his spare cash also. and, in II few
months. he was merely Il wreck of
his former self, bankrupt alike in char
acter and money. He driftcd along in
shiftlcss manner until. makinga siren
nous effort 10 reform, he obtained
business opportunity. to start life again
on a new basis. in Burlington, Iowa.
Here again his abilities and expert
cncc soon brought him return of
wealth, which. however, was aftcrward
dissipatcd Ivy relapse into drunken.
ness. He then driftcd back into San
Francisco and began business again on
large scale. Then he succeeded in build.
ing up Il business which brought him
large returns, and third time he nc
uuircd Il fortune, Athirl time he foil
II victim to intcmperancc and lost all
his property within the last year.
Recently he left San Francisco with
the intention of meeting his brother in
Erie. whom he had not seen in thirty
years. He now had an uncomfortable
passion for drink lie arrived hero in
Omaha, and stopped at one of the ho-
tells; there he left his trunk as security
for his board and became II mere drunk.
en- vagarant At length he was arrest
e for vasrancy by officer Brync. Il
was allowed to go on condition of lcav-
ing town. \ fcllowf feeling for the place
led him to skip across to Council Bluffs.
a few days since II gentleman about
sixty years of age called upon Officer
Brync. and said that he was John, the
brother of the hayward Jncob and that
he was anxious to find the latter. Ac
cordimgly, they crossed into our thriv-
ing ncighboring village, and the officer
soon found his man. BY Il slight r,,sc
he brought John and Jacob together
without acquainting them of their re-
lationship. and they actually were to-
Sethcr for some time, quite ignorant
that they were blood kin. The scene
when they were made known to each
other was quite affecting, and many Of
the bystanders we're moved to tears.
The prodigal had plwncd his coat,
hat and boots for liquor, and he was II
sad sight for the eyes of II loving
brother after II separation of thirty
years. The two left yesterday for Erie,
where John hopes to reclaim jacob and
make Il reputable member of society OF
him once NOR. He Ia Is the ability and
and the manners to fill any position
with credit, and to shine in the best so
cieiy, but for the rcsstless craving for
stimulants. Still they both have faith
in his ultimate reformation. and il
is to be hoped their expectations may
be realized.
Nor ASHAMED OF WORK. Two of
the most agreeable girls we ever met,
.cpt u grocery stOre-yes. and kept it