Morris tribune., 1882-02-16
ROMANCE FROM TIE SEA,
The Story of "Personal'-A Mystery
Cleared Up Through an Advertisement

The Story of "Personal,-A Mystery
Cleared Up Through an Advertisement
New York Herald, 27th.-The following
appeared in the personal column of the
Herald few weeks since:
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. WANTED OF RALPH
FRBANK, native OF Newport, Monmoutshirs,
England; last heard Of in Chicago, June, 1880;
age 26, height about feet s inches, square
and stout built, complexion fair, face full and
snd pale, hair light and not much on face. Re
ward for information. Address F, care Of
Messrs. G. b. K. 4 G. A. Fisher, Solicitors, "A
Essex St, Strand, London. England.
Il saw this Personal" said Mr.. I. c.
Whitehouse, the narrator of the following
touching story, to the Heraldreporter, yese
terday, "and had seen that name before.
had seen that young man in the flush and
pride of vigorous health, and I had also
seen his dead body th1own overheard and
the waves close over it as it sank to its last
resting place. Painful as it was I felt it
my duty to send reply to the advertise
ment, and did so at once. received a
reply from Messrs G.. 81. K. & G.. A. Fisher.
of No. "a Essex street, Strand, London,
dated January IL, 1882, saying 1 had en-
abled them to trace the poor young man
alluded to to the person they were in
search of. They said it was some shat
singular that although his name and address
were in his luggage, not the slightest effort
was made to communicate the sad intelli-
gence to his friends, and probably the acct
dent of my seeing the advertisement had
led to the discovery of his death, which
might otherwise have remained perpetual
mystery. Early in July, 1880, crossed
the Atlantic on the steamer Egypt, of the
National line. AS went on board the day
To roll
ing with the captain and asking that he
might be employed in some capacity so as
to work his passage home. His frank de-
elaration of his straightened circumstances
and his manly bearing impressed me mos
favorably. He had an athletic figure, fine
~ chiseled features, and a clear, expressive
eye, but his face was pale, and he had
certain look OF care and anxiety which it
was impossible to conceal. He was fash
ionably dressed and had an expensive
travelling satchel, but his hands were ex-
ceedingly delicate, and his conversation
showed that he had been we'll educated,
while his general manners were those of a
polished young gentleman who had
enjoyed the advantages of refined
society. read as I thought q
history of long concealed struggling and
disappointment in that handsome face.
could not forget that face, but our ways
seemed widely diverse, and did not think
he would ever cross my path again. But he
did, and in way was hardly prepared to
anticipate.
@On the second day out whom should I
see coming up from the hole leading to the
furnaces of the engine but this young man.
He came up from that cavernous region Of
fiery heat for breath of fresh air. His
hands were blackened and his face be-
grimed, and his luxuriant brown hair un-
kempt. He wore only his pantaloons and
shirt, and they also were soiled with ashes
and dirt. I knew that form and face.
could hardly believe my eyes. but yet ad-
mired the young mans pluck and indepen-
dence. He went back to his post of duty.
Only once he faltered. He offered to q
fellow fireman his watch to give him re-
spite. The weather was intensely hot, and
it was like going down to the
caverns of death to work before those
hot furnaces. Two nights later
I was awakened By the cry, Bring ice; a
man is dying!" The nett morning saw
that face again. The face was cold, now
cold with the pallor of death. shuddered
as I gazed upon the inanimate form and
thought of the strange life history that
those lips, now closed forever, might have
told. The body had been laid on one of
the forward matches and was wrapped up in
British flag. A few hours later the body
was cast into the sea, and this was the last
of young Ralph Firbank. A touching ro-
nance may be at the bottom Of this story
and there may be many sad hearts who are
still bewailing their irreparable loss.