The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1883-03-15
Finding a Father.

Finding Father. ..
About thirty years ago there resided
upon farm, a few miles northeast of
the city of Oakland, man named
Thomas A. Fairbanks, who, if not in
attiuent circums ances was, rs the say
ing is, comfortably fixed" with good
home, a happy family, consisting of n
wife and two children. He was proud
in tho strength Of his manhood, and
had panorama OF his life for the twcn-
ty years 20 come been spread out be-
fore him ho would have scoffcd at Ele
picture. Sickness came, and af or
years of unavailing care, in 1857 he
laid the mother OF his children away
in the grave. Tho long illness in his
family and consequent Expenses made
1t advisable for him to dispose of his
homestead, and his children, then quite
small, were taken in charge by q sister
of his deceased wife, who shortly ro-
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 vocat on "a n farm
or, his team ran away and he was
thrown under wagon and he'd one Of
his sides literally crNshed. Ills wour 8
were very painful, and trouble him @, en-
YET. During this long illness physicians
sought TO alleviate his cgonics
by the use OF opium, and with the
usual result. lie became an opium
lend. Al times he struggled against
the habit, which he knew was
hot
might still have recovered had he not
again been tho Victim of misfortune
But again he was crushed and his limbs
were mangled time by the cavinr
o! well which he was digging. Ihcn
his courage lett him, and he abandoned
himself TO the Use Of the balerul weed,
and !or the past twelve or fifteen wears
he has been most OF his time an inmate
OF the county inlirmary, and constantly
so Tor the past six ' ears, until ten
months ago when DR.. Kelly, one OF the
riSit'n physicians. became Interested
: in the quiet, patient old mar, and de-
tcrm;ncd to Eiv3 him Il better home
Since th"n Fairbanks. now upward of
seventy years "fGgc, has been thorough.
" content and has earnestly Strivcn TO
make all possible returns in the way Of
! light chores, for the kindness OF tho
! doctor, whom he regards in the light Of
a benc actor. week ago he received
n letter. An event in iiScl', as he had
not received Il letter from any one i'm n
half Il score OF years. and lid not sup
pose that outside of this valley there
was atriend anywhere who remembered
him. His memory was weakened by
the drug which h 1T been his suic luxury
for years. and ne scar. civ remembered
that he had children somewhere in the
WorId. The letter WITS opened with
I trembling hands. 1t was signed with
name which he had never heard. but
! 1t contained queries which awitatcd him
| greatly, although il was very brief 1t
| morcly asked if he hal ever lived at
| lrultNa'c, in Alameda County, and ii he
| was the father OF . daughter named
AIbcrtina.
HclccogniHcd the name of his daurh
Ter, Of whom he had not heard for many
years. but Fruitvale he knew nothing Of.
lie showed his letter TO his bcs, friend,
and described to him thc location OF his
former home, which is where Fruitvale
Station now is. BY the advice OF tho
a. cior he answered the letter. giving a,
full an account OF his own and the his
tory o! his family us he could recall. A
lew Gays ago lie received an> thcr letter
from the same man, stating that he Wa
the husband of Albcrtna Fairbanks. 70
who's father they Ial spent ten year
in una ail,nt search, and that they he
IcrCd him to be the man. lie will il,
sent to Oakland in II few DAYS fornn n
tcWicw, but the circumstances are sucl
as TO leave no room to I0ult that TIN
old man has found II home for his dc
clining years, and that the lew Years re
main ne TO him will he made as happ,
rs oSs bic. DR.. Kelly speaks O! him Il
honest, in tuStrious and faithful, hayin,
but one vice, and that the result OF hi
| injuries. san |O%C ttULl .N,rcUyV.