Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-02-10
REWARD OF FRIENDSHIP.
A Typo Falls Heir to Seven Hundred and
Fifty Thousand Dollars --Slngu-
lar Story.
New York Herald.

Ne" FORK herald.
New HAVEN, Conn, February g.
A strange story has just como TO light
in this city. Ten years ago a dark
skinned young man came to Port JET
fersOn, l.. l., who seemed to be some
what different from the common
wanderer. He had a winning speech
and manner, but a sad face, and al
though given to drink seemed DESTROYS
of earning an honest livelihood. He
had learned to set type, and obtained
a situation as compositor in the Office
of the Independent Press at a salary
of So per week.
There seemed a settled melancholy
about him, and to kind friends who
evinced a desire to learn his history
he impaired 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 a wealthy uncle, the owner
of vast estates, who expressed the in
tention of making him his heir. But
in IN unlucky moment he fell in love
with a beautiful mulatto girl, whose
charms captivated him, and he had
pledged to her his hearts tenderest
affections. The attachment Of An
tome for the dusky beauty became
known to the uncle, and in anger he
forbade his nephew to pursue the mat
ter any further.
DRIVEN FROM HOME.
Persisting in his love affair, the
stern and memorable uncle drove his
nephew from his doors, and since that
time he had been a wanderer, almost
broken in spirit and in a strange land.
He royed 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 understood that he was
drinking again, for he came to his
work frequently in a state of intoxica-
ton. The kind employer who had
given him work bore with him until
he felt that forbearance had ceased to
be a virtue, and after many useless
circumstances discharged Antoine.
At this time there was working in
the same establishment a STRIPPING of
fifteen. Antoine, in his distress, with
out money and without a home, ap-
pealed to his young companion to af-
ford him succor. The young friend
appealed to his parents and they took
the stranger in and housed him and
fed him. His young friend, now Mr..
John Il. Skinner, of No. II Ward
street, in this city, was warmly sec
onded in'his efforts in behalf of the
stranger by his mother, who was
touched by the appearance of the
stranger and the story of his life, told
with a pathos and evident honesty
which carried it home to her heart.
But Antoine behaved so badly that at
last he was sent away as incorrigible
The wanderer carried away with him
the best suit of clothes belonging to
Mr.. Skinner, ST. Days, weeks, months,
years rolled away, and no tidings of
Antoine came, and his name was al
most forgotten. Three or four years
after Antoine's departure they split
up an old trunk which he had left
with them containing a pile of letters.
which were burned to get them out of
the way.
BREAD ON THE WATERS.
Recently a paper came to Mr.. Skin
ner with a marked article from the
home of his wife, Patchogue, L. L.
1t was copied from.a West India pa
per, and announced that Antoine
Mercer of st. Thomas had died and
left his large fortune, amounting to
S75O,0O0 in American money, to his
old friend, John Il. Skinner. who had
betriended him at Port Jefferson, L.
l., as a mark of regard and apprecia-
ton of his kind acts toward him. The
first two years interest of the money
was to be devoted to the benefit Of
Mercer town, then the principal to his
trlnd Skinner. The article stated that
MERGERS money fell to him from a
deceased uncle. Mr.. Skinner is tax
ing steps to secure what seems to be a
splendid fortune, and has written to
the American conscl at st. Thomas.
Mr., Skinner is a eompositor in the
office Of the Journal and Courier Of
this city, and continues work as usual.