The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-03-08
A PLUCKY BOY.
In cident of the Late I. Frank Jones,s
BOyhOOd.

How, by Good Luck and the Best Of
Pluck He Saved His Fathers Life
When Lying Sick in the Alexandria
Hospital During the War.
| The late T. Frank Jones of Deeriug.
manager of the Nero antile Agency of Z.
Russell & Co., whose funeral was OBJ
served yesterday, and whose untimely
death is so deplored in this community.
once told the writer the following inter
esting incident of his boyhood. 1t is
strikingly illustrative of the determine
tion and fidelity that have always be en-
dominant in his character.
When the great Rebellion was at it's
height, he was Is years of age, and liv-
ing in Massachusetts, town, where he
was employed in meat shop. One day
letter arrived for his mother from his
father, who was one of the federal SOL
diers, and from whom they had heard
nothing for some time. The letter came
from Alexandria and in it the father and
husband babe them a last farewell, say
ing that he was lying in the hospital,
sick unto death with an incurable dis
ease contracted III the service. After
the reading of the letter, Frank made
up his mind that he would not allow his
father to die thus alone, without one
effort to save him, and resolved to go on
to Washington and if possible, bring him
| home.
| In view of his youth and the fact that
| he had no experience in travelling, the
magnitude of the undertaking to him
can be perhaps somewhat realized. He
was supplied with money, which his
mother sewed into various parts of his
clothing, and SO he started on his Journey
not without some misgiving, but with
| the firm resolve never to give up the at
| tempt to save his fathers life if posi-
BILE. AS if in reward for his praisewor-
4 thy action, he seemed to be attended by
the kindest of fates. In the first place,
after having crossed New York city, and
finding himself in Jersey City with a
whole day on his hands to wait, he was
walking along the street when he passed
meat store, and since he had been
working in that business, he thought he
would enter and claim the sympathy OF
fellow tradesman. He entered into
conversation with young man in the
shop, and soon learned, much to his as
constituent and satisfaction, that hewas
the brother of his best chum in his ma
tive town in Massachusetts,. After that
| the strange city was no longer lonesome
to the youthful traveller. His found
friend showed him all the sights and
made him enjoy himself to the utmost
During the ride to Washington in the
crowded cars he sat beside a pleasant
lady, with whom he entered into CONVEX
sation, and found that she, too, was 60
ing to see sick relative in the hospital.
Their mutual sympathy did much to re-
lieve the WEAKNESS of the long, tedious
journey.
= They arrived in Washington very early
in the morning, and Frank, hardly
knowing where to go, starred aimlessly
along the street. He had not gone far
when he met fine-looking. elderly gen.
tleman, who babe him good morning.
Something about the boys forlorn atti-
tude seemed to appeal to the gentleman,
for ne added, You're stranger in the
city, aren't your" Eyes, SIR" was the
reply Have you had any breakfast
yet?" "No, SIR" SWELL, I live alone
with my son. We have not breakfasted
yet, and we would be very glad to have
you sit down with us. live but short
distance from here
Imagine his surprise and delight upon
learning that his host was one of the
officials who had the issuing of certffi-
Gates permitting visitors to leave the
city and go down the river to the hos
pital at Alexandria. The gentleman
wrote something on a card and gave it
to Frank, and telling him that it would
help him to reach his father, and hoping
that he would find his father alive and
he able to take him home, he gave him
directions as to how to reach the head.
quarters of the commission, of which he
was memb Der, and babe him cordial
goodbye.
That card proved a veritable "open
sesame" for he received his fathers
discharge and set out for home with
him. His father recovered and lived for
years after, though but for his loving
and determined little son, he would have
died in Alexandria hospital.