Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1879-02-19
aPRINTER'S WINDFALL.
$3.50. 900 for Beiriending Drunkard.
New ! ork Times.

there came to the quiet town Of Port
Jefferson. Long Island, a wanderer
whose dark skin betokened that he be-
longed to u warmer climate, and who
seemed not to be common adyenturer.
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 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 he impaired his history to
his kind friends. After while 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
wealthy uncle, the owner Of vast estates,
and who expressed the intention of
making him his heir. But in a lucky,
or unlucky, moment he fell in love
with beautiful muIatto girl The at
tachment OF Antoine for the beauty of
a 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uncle whose pride Of birth repealed the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 Il wander
cr. Having acquired n knowledge of
the art OF type-settlng, as stated, he row
cd 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 he was drinking again.
The kind employer who had given him
work bore with him until forbearance
had ceased to be . virtue, and finally
gave Antoine MS walking papers. An
tome was III no financial situation to be
thrown out Of work. At this time there
was working IN the same establishment
n STRIPPING Of Is, who had been ut 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 T.. Skinner. Of No. II Ward street.
IN this city, WAS warmly seconded in his
efforts in behalf Of the stranger by his
mother, whose tender heart was touch.
cd by the appearance Of the stranger
and the story of his FIFE. Here the
stranger remained for month, but he
seemed to be continually relapsing 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
itor to the effect that he would surely
never forget the kindness he had receiv-
ed from his young frienG, 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
composng-room of The Nev Horen Colt-
VtCI, dtlli iliuCsl tcNttiiltt lACNtIil-
~, however, Mr.. Skinner was sur
prised 10y receiving n marked article in
a Patchogue paper, the article being the
announcement that there had died ut st.
Thomas wealthy resident, named An
tome Mercer, who had bequeathGd his
whole estates, valued at s. $4,000, to Mr..
Skinner. The article was headed with
the old aphorism, zone 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 wears to the benefit of the town in
which he lived, and then to so entire to
Mr.. Skinner. The article was copied
from h west India paper. The will of
Mercer stated that IL was left to his old
friend "at the north, Mr.. Skinner as
token of mis- appreciation of kindnes re-
ceived at his hands. Dir. Skinner was
not negligent III the matter. Such news
was not to be passed 10y in inactiOn. He
dispatched letter to the American
consul at St Thomas, and, after waiting
Q reasonable time for reply and re
Celvng none, wrote again TO him. As
vet he received no answer, and he waits
Wilde further for a reply before taking
such action as may be necessary. An
tome left with his old friends ut Port JEFF
ferson, when he departed, his trunk,
which WAS found TO contain Il large