Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-02-19
PRINTERS WINDFALL.
S75O. 900 for Befriending Drunkard.
New York Times

New Haven, Feb. 3.-Ten years ago
there came to the quiet town of Port
Jefferson. Long Island, a wanderer
whose dark skin betOkened that he be-
longed to warmer climate, and who
seemed not to be common adventurer.
Although given to indulgence in drink
he seemed DESTROYS of earning an hon
est livelihood, and, being in want, there
were those in the town who gave him
work. He was printer, and a man
named Markham gave him employ
ment on The Independent Press, publish
ed there. His salary was Sc week.
He seemed to be very melancholy
mar, and be impaired his history to
his kind friends. After awhile he gave
them the information that his name
was Antoine Mercer, and that he had
come from the island of St. Thomas.
There he had been in the service of q
wealthy uncle, the owner of vast estates,
and who expressed the intention of
making him his heir. But in lucky,
or unlucky. moment he fell in love
with a beautiful mulatto girl. The at
tachment of Antoine for the beauty of
prescribed race was revealed to the
uncle, whose pride of birth repealed the
thought, and he forbade his nephew all
further proceeding in the case. Per-
sisting in his affair of the heart, the
uncle, drove his nephew from him, and
since that time he had been wander
er. Having acquired knowledge of
the art Of type-setting, as stated. he row.
ed from place to place, and had at last
reached the sequestered spot on Long
Island where this narrative finds him.
But his propensity for drink overcame
his resolution, and it soon became I'M
derstood that be was drinking again.
The kind employer who had given him
work bore with him until forbearance
had ceased to be a virtue, and finally
gave Antoine his walking papers. An
tome was in no financial situation to be
thrown out Of work. At this time there
was working In the same establishment
3 STRIPPING of Is, who had been at the
case about three months. Antoine, in
his distress, appealed to his young COM
panion to afford him aid The young
friend appealed to his parents, and they
took the stranger In and housed and
fed him. His young friend, now Mr..
John E. Skinner, of No. II Ward street,
in this city, was warmly seconded in his
efforts III behalf of the stranger by his
mother, whose tender heart was touch
cd by the appearance Of the stranger
and the story of his life. Here the
stranger remained for q month, but he
seemed to be continually reIapsing into
his old habits, until one night he was
informed that he must go in the morn
ing. The next morning he was gone,
and there was something else gone with
him. He had carried away with him
the best suit of garments belonging to
Mr.. Skinner, Sr. A note, however.
came to light lett by the decamping Wis
ltor to the effect that he would surely
never forget the kindness he had receiv-
ed from his young friend. and the fam
lily would have cause some day to see
that the poor Indian Antoine" was not
bad at heart. Years rolled away. Moth
ing more was heard of Antoine, and his
name was almost forgotten. Young
Skinner married. His wife was of
Patchogue, Long Island, and for some
years passed they have resided in this
city. Mr.. Skinner being engaged in the
composing-room of The NeU Hdeen Co,,-
rter, and much esteemed Recent
ly, however, Mr.. Skinner was sur
prlsed by receiving marked article in
Patchogue paper, the article being the
announcement that there had died at St.
Thomas a wealthy resident named An
tome Mercer, who had beoueathed his
whole estates, valued at $4,000, to Mr..
Skinner. The article was headed with
the old aphorism, Gone kind turn de-
serves another" and went on to say
how this large fortune had fallen to Mer-
Ger on the death of his uncle, who had
left it to him by will. MERGERS will pro-
vided that the proceeds of the money
should be first devoted for the space OF
two years to the benefit Of the town in
which he lived, and then to go entire to
Mr.. Skinner. The article was copied
from a west India paper. The will of
Mercer stated that it was left to his old
friend Eat the north" Mr.. Skinner as a
token of mis- appreciation of kindnes re-
ceived at his hands. Mr. Skinner was
not negligent in the matter. Such news
was not to be passed by in inaction. He
dispatched a letter to the American
consul at st. Thomas, and, after waiting
reasonable time for reply and re-
celvlng none, wrote again to him. AS
yet he received no answer, and he waits
awhile further for a reply before taking
such action as may be necessary. An
tome left with his old friends at Port JEFF
ferson, when he departed, his trunk,
which was found to contain a large
number of letters. The trunk and con-
tents were kept for three or four years,
but nothing being heard of Antoine, the
old trunk was demolished for kindling
wood and the letters were burned. Since
the receipt of the news from Patchogue
it IS regretted these mementoes of Mer-
Ger were not preserved for the aid they
might afford in any legal measures that
may be necessary to adopt.
Emhays-a