The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-02-09
THE REWARD OF FRIENDSHIP.
A TYPO FALLS HEIR TO SEVEN HUN
DRIED AND Fifty THOUSAND
DOLLARS.
Singular story Of the Mysterious and
Disstpated Antoine,


NEW HAVEN, Conn, Feb. "a strange story
has just come to light In this city. Ten years
ago dark-sklnned young man came to Port
Jefferson, l.. l., who seemed to be something
different from common wanderer. He had
winning speech and manner, but sad face,
and although 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 salary Of SO per week.
There seemed settled melancholy about
him, and to kind friends who evnced desire
to learn his history he impaired the imforma-
ton 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
wealthy uncle, the owner of vast estates,
who expressed the intention Of making him
his heir. But In All unlucky moment he fell
I'm love with beautiful mulatto girl, whose
charms captlvated him, and he had pledged
to her his hearts tenderest affections. The
attachment OF Antoine for this dusky beauty
became known to the uncle and In anger he
forbade his nephew to pursue the matter 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 q wan
derer, almost broken In spirit and i'm strange
land He roved from place to place. and had
al last reached tho sequestered spot on Long
Island where this narrative finds him. But
his propensity for drink overeame his reso-
luton, and IL soon became understood that he
was drinking again, for be came TO his work
frequently In state Of intoxication; The
kind employer who had given him work bore
with him until he felt that forbearanee had
ceased to be q virtue, and after many useless
Inconsistencies discharged Antoine.
AT this time there was working In the same
establishment STRIPPING Of fifteen. Antoine.
In his distress, without money and without o
home, appealed to his young companion to
afford him succor. The young friend APP
pealed to his parents and they took the
stranger In and housed him and fed him. His
young friend, now Mr.. John E. Skinner, of
seconded 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 n pathos and evident
honesty which carried 1t home to her heart.
But Antoine behaved SO badly that at last he
was sent away as ineorrigibie. The wanderer
carried away with him the best suit Of clothes
belonging to Mr.. Skinner, Sr. Days, weeks,
months, years rolled away, and no tidings Of
Antoine came, and his name was almost for
gotten. 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.
Recently paper came to Mr.. Skinner with
a marked article from the home OF his wife,
Patchogue, l.. |. 1t was copied from West
India paper, and announced that Antoine
Mercer OF st. Thomas, had died and left his
large fortune, amounting to $4,000 in Amer
lean money, to his old friend. John f.. Skin
ner, who had befriended him of Port jefferson,
u. l., as a mark OF regard and appreciation
of his kind acts toward him. The first two
years interest Of the money was to be devot-
ed to the benefit of MERGERS town, then the
to his friend Skinner. The article
stated that MERGERS money fell to him from
deceased uncle. Mr.. Skinner ia taking steps
TO secure what seems to be a splendid for
tune. and has written TO the American Consul
at st. Thomas. Mr.. Skinner is compositor
In the Office OF the journal and Couier, OF this
city, and continues work as usual.