Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-02-08
\ ROMANCE FROM 7ME SEA.
The Story of a 'sPersonal"-A
Mystery Cleared UP Through
an Advertisement.
New York Herald

New York Herald
The following appeared in the per-
sonal column of the Herald a few
weeks since:
FIRBANK = Information Wanted
OF Ralph Firbank, native of Newport
Monmouthshire, England; last heard OF
in Chicago, June. 1880 aged twenty-six
hight about five feet eight inches, square
and stout bnilt, complexion fair, face full
and pale, hair light and not much on face
Reward for information. Address e,
care of Messrs. G.. II. X. & G. A. Fisher
solicitors, "A Essex street, Strand, Lon
don, England.
81 saw this personal" said Mr.. l,
G. Whitehouse, the narrator of the
following touching story, to the Her
aid reporter yesterday, and | had
seen that name before. | had seen
that young man in the flush and pride
ofvigorous health, and had also seen
his dead body thrown overheard and
the waves close over it as it sank to its
last resting place. Painful as it was,
| felt it my duty to send a reply to
the advertisement, and L did so at
once. | received a reply from Messrs.
g. H. X. & G. A. Fisher, of No. "a
Essex street, Strand, London, dated
January %, saying / had enabled them
to trace the poor young man | alluded
to to the person they were in search
of. They said it was somewhat singu-
lar that, although his name and ad-
dress were in his luggage, not the
slightest effort was made to communi.
cate the sad intelligence to his friends,
and probably the accident of my seeing
their advertisement had led me to the
discovery of his death, which might
otherwise have remained a perpetual
mystery. Early in July, 1880, | crossed
the Atlantic on the steamer Egypt, Of
the National Line. AS | went on
board the day previous to sailing, a
young man was talking with the Cap
tain, and asking that he might be en-
ployed in some capacity so as to work
his passage home. His frank declara-
ton of his straitened circumstances
and his manly bearing impressed me
most favorably. He had an athletic
figure, finely chiseled features
and 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 sachel, but his hands were
exceedingly delicate, and his CONVEX.
sation showed that he had been well
educated, while his general manners
were those of polished young gentle.
man who had enjoyed the advantages
of refined society. Tread as | thought
history of long concealed struggling
and disappointment in that handsome
face. | could not forget that face, but
our ways seem widely diverse, and
did not think he would ever cross my
pathway again. But he did, and in {
way | was hardly prepared to antici
pate.
"0n the second day out whom
should | see coming up through thu
hole leading to the furnaces of thu
engine but this young man. He came
up from that cavernous region of fer
heat for breath of fresh air. Hi
hands we're blackened and his face be
grimed, and his luxuriant brown hal
unkempt. He wore ouly lis panta
looms and shirt, and they also wert
soiled with ashes and dirt. | knew
that form and face. | could hardl,
believe my eyes, but yet | admired tn,
young mans pluck and independence
He went back to his post of duty
Only once he faltered. He offered Il
a fellow fireman his watch to Civ,
him a respite. The weather
was intensely hot, and it was Xix,
going down to the caverns OF dealt
to work before those hot furnaces
Two nights later | was awakened b,
the cry, Bring ice; man is dyingl'
The next morning | saw that fac
again. The face was cold noW-cold
with the paller of death. | shuddereC
as / gazed upon tie inanimate form
and thought of the strange life histor,
that those lips, now closed forever
might have told. The body had beef
laid on one of the forward matches
and was wrapped up in a British flag
A few hours later the body was cas-
into the sea, and this was the last o
poor young Frank Firbank. A touch
ing romance may be at the bottom O
this story, and there may be many sa
hearts who are still bewailing his ire
parable loss"