The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1883-03-14
Finding n Father.

About thirty years ago there resided
mon n farm. a few miles northeast OF
the CITY of Oakland, a man named
Thomas A. Fairbanks, who. il not in
allluent crcums ances was, as the saY-
inc Is, comfortably ixcd,' with a good
home, happy fam J., consisting OF q
wife and two children He was proud
in the strength OF his manhood, and
had panorama OF his lie for the TWEEN
~ wears O come been spread out he
fore him he would have scOllcd at ne
years OF unayailng care, in 1901 lie
laid the mother OF his children away
in the grave. The long illness IN his
family and consequent G pcnses made
It advisable for him to dispose OF his
homestead, and his children, then quite
small. were taken in charge by sister
o. his deceased vile, who shortly re-
turned with them to her home in Mas
sachuscits. Fairbanks came 10 this
valley soon after TO make a new home,
fully expecting in a little time 10 again
be able 10 gather his children under his
own ROOT. But man pro- OScs and God
d,uOses. Soon after his arrival here,
while engaged in hisyocat on asa farm
or, his team ran away and he was
thrown Under wagon and hal one OF
his sides literally crushed His wOun 8
were very painful, and trouble himc9cn
YET. During this long illness physicians
sought to alleviate his agOnc5
b. the use oil opium, and with the
usual result lie became an opium
lend At times he struggled against
the habit, which he knew was
deadcning both body and mind. He
might still have recovered had he not
aga been the victim Of msfOrl ne.
BIT again he was crushed and his limbs
were maDglct This time BY the Gazing
q. well which he was digging. Then
li4 courage lett him. and he abandoned
himself To- the Use OF The balclul weed,
and or the past twelve or fifteen years
he has been most Of his time IN nma'c
o. the county inllrmary, and constantly
50 Tor the past six y ears, until ten
months ago, when Dr. Kelly, one Ol the
visit NJ physicians became interested
in The .uci, patient old man, and de-
term ned 10 give him better home
Since then Fairbanks. now upward OF
seventy years Of &c, has been thorough
] content aud has earnestly strilcn 10
make all possible returns IN the way OF
light chores. tor the kindness Of the
doctor, whom hr regards in the ligh! Of
It benc actor a week ago he received
I Il letter IN event in il>cl', n he had
not received II letter from any one IN u
hall score o. wears, and lid not up
pose that outside OF This valley there
1 was friend an, where who rrInrnii cred
him His memory Wa wca, cncd by
the drug which h d lecnhi, ,olc luxury
/ Tor year, aud ha scared, remembered
/ thai be had children somewhere in the
/ world. The letter WIS opened with
/ trembling hands j was signrd with
u name which he had never heard. hut
il contained queries which n2italcd him
greatly, although il was very bric, IL
merely asked ii he hal ever lived ut
Frut,alc in Alameda County, and ii hc
was the father OF y daughter named
Alhcrina.
lie ccOgniICd the name Of his dau9h
! Ter, ut whom Ia had not heard Tor many
years, but Fruilya'c he knew nlthngo'.
lie showed his lcltcrto his hes friend,
and described 10 him the location Of his
former home, which is where fruityale
Station now is. by the advice Of the
Il. clor he answered the cttcr. giving rs
/ full nm account ot his own and the his
tory ui his family rs he could recall. A
few days ago he received another letter
from the same mHn, stating that he was
the husband OF Albert M Fairbanks. Tor
whose father thrY nl .prnt ten years
in maulnr search, and that lhcy hc.
lic,cd him 10 he the man, lie will be
sent to Oakland in Il lew DAYS lOran n.
tcryirw, tut the circumstances are such
rs 10 leave no room 10 doubt that the
old man has found home for his de
Cl.uing wears, and that the lew wears re
main ny to him will he made rs happy
~ oss bic, DR.. Kelly speaks o him u,
honest, m .uslriouS and faithful, having
hut one vice, and that the result OF his
injuries. san JOSe (Cm) NcrCarH