The Osceola times., 1883-03-17
FINDING A FATHER.
The Romantic History Of Thomas a. Fair
banks, a Victim of the Opium Habit.


San jose (cal Mercury.
About thirty years ago there resided
upon farm, few miles northeast Of the
CITY Of Oakland, a man named Thomas
A. Fairbanks, wso, if not in afiluent cir
cumstanoes was, as the saying is, com
fortably fixed" with happy family, con-
sisting Of wife and two children.
He was proud in the strength Of his
manhood, and had panorama OF his lie
for the twenty years to come been spread
ont before him he would have scofled at
the picture.
Sickness came, and after years of I'M
availine care, in 1857 he laid the mother
of his children away in the gave. The
long illness in his family and consequent
expenses made it advisable for him to
dispose of his homestead, and his child
ren, then quite small, were taken in
charge by sister Of his deceased wife,
who shcrtly returned with them to her
home in Massachusetts,.
Fairbanks came to this valley soon af-
ter 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 rs a farmer, his team ran
away, and he was thrown under the wag-
on and had one of his sides literally
crushed His wounds were very painful,
and trouble him even yet.
During his long illness physicians
sought TO alleviate hisagonies 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 mis-
fortune. But again he was crushed and
his limbs lnangled-thist time by the cav
ing in of a well he was digging.
Then his courage left him, and he
abandoned himself to the use of the bale
ful weed, and for the past twelve or iii-
teen years he has been most OF the time
an inmate of the county infirmary, and
constantly so for the past SIX years, until
ten months ago, when DR.. Kelly, one OF
the visiting physicians, became inter
csted in the quiet, patient old man, and
determined to give him better home.
Since then Fairbanks, now upward of 30
wears of ace, has bCcn thoroughly con-
tent, md has earnestly strivcn to make
all possible returns in the way of light
chores, for the kindness of the doctor,
whom he regards in the light of a benc-
factor.
A week ago he received letter. An
event in itself as he had not received a
letter from any one for half score OF
years, and did not suppose that outside
IF this valley there was a friend any
where who remembered him. His MEM
ory was weakened by the drug which
had been his sole luxury for years, and
he scarcely remembered that he had
children somewhere in the world. tn
etter wos opened with trembling hands.
1t was signed with name which he had
never heard, but il contained inquiries
which asitated him greatly, although it
was very brief. 1t merely asked if he
had ever lived at Fruitvalc. in Alameda
county, and if he was the father Of a
daughter named Albcrtina.
He recognized the name ofhis daught-
cr of whom he had not heard for many
years, but Fruitvale he knew nothing OF
lie showed his letter to his best friend,
and described to him thelocation OF his
former home, which i where Fruityale
station now is
BY the advice of the doctor he ans
wercd ihelettcr, giving rs full an account
Of his own and the history of his family
us he could recall. A few days ago lac
received another letter from the same
man, stating that he was the husband of
Nbertina Fairbanks, for whose father
they had spent ten years in una7ailing
search, and that they believed him TO be
the man.
He will be sent TO Oakland in Few
days for an interview, but the circum-
stances are such as TO leave no room to
doubt that the old man has found home
for his declining years, and that the few
years remaining to him will be made as
happy as possible. Dr. Kelly speaks Of
him as honest, Industrious and iaithf.l
having but one vice, ard that the result
Of his injuries