The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1883-03-03
Finding a Father.

Finding a Father.
About thirty years ago there resided
upon a farm, few miles northeast OF
the city of Oakland, man named
Thomas A. Fairbanks, who, if not in
atlluent circums ances was, as the say
ing is, comfortably fixed" with good
home, happy family, consisting of
wife and two children. He was proud
in the strength of his manhood, and
had panorama of his life for the TWEEN
ty years o come been spread out be-
fore him he would have scoffed at the
picture. Sickness came, and af er
years of unavailing care, in 1857 he
laid the mother OF his children away
in the grave. The long illness in his
family and consequent expenses made
it advisable for him to dispose of his
homestead, and his children, then quite
small, were taken in charge by sister
of his deceased wife, who shortly re-
turned with them TO her home in Mas
sachusetts. Fairbanks came to this
valley soon after to make new home,
fully expecting in little time to again
be able to gather his children under his
own roof. But man proposes and God
disposes. Soon after his arrival here,
while engaged in his vocation as farm
er, his team ran away and he was
thrown under wagon and had one of
his sides literally crushed. His woun s
were very painful. and trouble him even
yet. During this long illness physicians
sought to alleviate his agonies
by the use of opium, and with the
usual result. He became an opium
fiend At times he struggled against
the habit, which he knew was
deadening both body and mind. He
might still have recovered had he not
again been the victim of misfortune.
But again he was crushed and his limbs
were mangled-this time by the caving
of well which he was digging. Then
| his courage left him, and he abandoned
| himself to the use of the baleful weed,
and Tor the past twelve or fifteen years
/ he has been most of his time an inmate
OF the county infirmary, and constantly
so for the past six y ears, until ten
months ago, when DIR. Kelly, one of the
visiting physicians, became interested
in the quiet, patient old man, and de-
termined to give him a better home.
Since then Fairbanks, now upward of
seventy years of age, has been thorough
" content and has earnestly striven to
make all possible returns in the way of
light chores. for the kindness of the
doctor, whom he regards in the light of
bene actor. A week ago he received
letter. An event in ITSELF as he had
not received a letter from any one in a
half q score OF years, and did not sup
pose that outside of this valley there
was friend anywhere who remembered
him. His memory was weakened by
the drug which had been his sole luxury
for years, and he scar ely remembered
that he had children somewhere in the
world. The letter was opened with
trembling hands. 1t was signed with
name which he had never heard, but
it contained queries which agitated him
greatly, although it was very brief. 1t
merely asked if he had ever lived at
! Fruitvale, in Alameda County, and # he
was the father of daughter named
Albertina.
Herecognized the name of his daugh
ter, of whom he had not heard for many
years. but Fruitvale he knewnothlng of.
He showed his letter to his best friend,
and described to him the location of his
former home, which is where Fruitvale
Station now is. By the advice of the
d. ctor he answered the letter, giving as
full an account of his own and the his
tory of his family as he could recall A
few days ago he received another letter
from the same man, stating that he was
the husband of Albertna Fairbanks, fol
whose father they had spent ten years
in unayailng search, and that they be
lieved him to be the man. He will be
sent to Oakland in few days for an N
terview, but the circumstances are sucl
rs to leave no room to doubt that the
old man has found home for his de
clining years, and that the few years re
naming to him will be made as happy
rs poss BILE. DR. Kelly speaks OF him a.
honest, Industrious and faithful, hayinE
but one rice, and that the result of hi
injuries---San Jose (CdL) Mercury,
EAlittle lads pale-faced and delicate
, not over twelve years of age, will
} scanty clothing and worn out shoes
|, came up to Garfelds tomb, not Ions
since. and spent an hour there, gain!
long and steadily. He.came all the wal
from a small town in Wisconsin, alon,
and on foot, to pay his respects to Gar
, field S grave. He was given steady EN-
, ployment in Cleveland by kind hearted
J gentleman, and at regular intervals h
, tramps TO Lake View. He knows tn
: guards and the guards know him, ant
the poor lad from Wisconsin is
II