San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1882-05-11
RANGERS ROMANCE.
His dventures on the Sea and at sebastopal.
PHILADELPHIA Press


In a morning paper yesterday ap
peared the following advertisement;
WANTED, INFORMATION-Th'
w undersigned is DESTROYS OF learning
the whereabouts of Bernard and Lang
ley Bird (of English birth), and vii
pay literally for information that vii
enable him to find them. ROBERT
BIRD, Central Avenue hotel, s3l
Market street, Philadelphia, Pa.
A reporter of the Press, recollectlne
the appearance of somewhat similal
advertisement in q New York daily
some weeks ago asking for information
in regard to the heirs of Bernard Bird
called at the Central Avenue hotel yes
terday afternoon and inquired for the au
thor of the foregoing notice. In one
corner of the reception-room, reclining
in a large arm chair, was a man OF mid
die age, dressed in loose-ftting suit
of navy blue, the low rolling collar OF
his dark flannel shirt revealing throat
whose wilderness contrasted strangely
with the scanned and weather-beaten
surface of the face above. A bandaged
foot, propped up on chair IN front
arm hanging helplessly down at one
side, and q pair of crutches leaning
against the wall indicated that the man
was cripple. Walkingup to the office
desk an inquiry was made If Mr.. Bird
was stopping there. "That's my name, "
exclaimed the individual in the corner
in hearty tone of voice, without CIV
ing the hotel clerk chance to answer
the query. "That's my name" con.
tinued he; anything I can do for you?"
The visitor thereupon made known the
object OF his call, referring to the ad-
vertisement which had appeared in the
New York paper.
"Berny dead?" exclaimed Mr.. Bird,
"No, no; that isn't possible. [ wont
believe that anything has happened to
him until I see his dead body. Why,
ii IS thirty years or more since l saw
him last, and we were then but boys to-
gether. l was told he was somewhere
in the neighborhood of Philadelphia,
and have come long distance to find
him. No, that wasn't my brother
Bernard. I know he's still alive and l
intend to find him." AS he
finished, the speaker brought his hand
emphatically down upon the arm of
the chair in which he was sitting, and
with an impatient gesture shifted his
helpless foot into an easier position.
1T is rather curious that you should
have an affection for a brother whom
you have not seen for SO many years."
suggested the visitor.
sHIPwRECKED, STARVED AND WOUNDED.
"Curious?" returned the other. II
don't see anything curious in wanting
to find brother who played with me
when was youngster. and used to
stick up for me whenever I got in
scrape. No, sir; don't forget as easy
as all that; don't you believe it. Why,
I've travelled all over the world. I've
shot elephants in Africa and fought
tigers in India. I've been shipwrecked,
starved and wounded, but all that I've
been through hasn'tmade me forget the
dear old folks at Oxfordshire, nor my
brothers, Bernard and Langley, who |
know are some place near this city"
Struck by the suggestions OF an inter
esting experience thrown out by MIR.
Bird he was encouraged to continue
and tell the story Of his life. Mr.. Bird
accordingly began as follows: Il was
born and raised" he said, "in the town
of Soulden in Oxfordshire, England.
My father was farmer in comfortable
and my brothers and l
were brought up with the expectation
on my fathers part-of becoming farm
ers also. But we were all of a restless
and the prospect OF settling
down to quiet country life didn't suit
any of us at all. My brother Bernard
was the first to express his dissatistac-
ion to my father, and he did it by
simply saying 'Good-by' to the old folks /
and setting sail across the water to
make his fortune in this country. This .
was thirty years ago, when | was lad .
VI 20. The departure Of my brother .
eft ms more restless and discontented .
han ever. I stood it as well as l could .
for u year or two, however, aud then l
went TO the governor and told him l
lad 10 leave him. Well, Bob, my boy .
said he, ii You must go, you must.
But | wont let you go and run the risk
IF starving. So he gave me what
seemed to me then fortune, and with
his money in my pocket 1 set out to
zee the world. The war in the Crimea
vas just then at its height, and l
hought it would be good beginning
O my career to try my luck as soldier.
accordingly engaged passage on q
-essel bound for the editerraneap,
nd was soon in sight of the great rock
yhich guards the entrance OF that sea
| few days after we had passed the
traits terrible waterSpout burst di-
ec;ly over our ship, and in less time
nan can tell it, passengers and crew
-ere struggling in the treacherous sea.
T. 18th ,,-,S .Ipoo-t avbaustad o7,1