The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-08


Though Marryat departed from the field
peculiarly his own, he succeeded so well
with his readers that while the story was
running serially an American vessel sig
nailed to a British one in mid-Atlantic:
Has Japhet found his father yet?'
<<THIs child was born in wedlock,
He is to be named Japhet
When circumstances permit he
will be reclaimed
This note was attached TO the infant
that was left one night at the Founding
hospital. A bank note for ESQ was in
closed in the letter. Thus Japhet was in
trodueed as one of superior sort. and as
&. he grew and became an extraordinarily
fine looking lad every one in the hospital
became more and more convinced that he
was of good birth and that some day
great people would claim him.
Circumstances, however. apparently did
not permit his being reclaimed. He grew
to be IA and no one had inquired for him.
Then the value of the ESQ appeared. In
stead of binding him apprentice to some
trade, the governors of the hospital, who
had laid the money by for him at inter-
est, now used it to install him in the
apothecary's shop of Mr.. Pheneas Cop
hagus, who engaged to train him for the
profession.
Asserting to the request in the note the
governors had given him the Christian
name of Japhet For surname they Sc
lected the name "Newlands," because
that happened to be the name of the bank
official whose signature ornamented the
ESQ bank note
An even more simple way has been used
by the overseers in the poorhouse to
christen another lad whom Mr.. Cophagus
had taken in as errand boy. He was
named after the workhouse pump, which
had the name of Timothy Oldmixon on it
as maker. As soon as he was old enough
he was assigned to the duty of pumping
the water. Few sons worked their
father more or disliked him SO MUCH, .
said Timothy with a grin when Japhet
was installed in the shop.
The two lads became close friends very
quickly but it was a friendship in which
Japhet was the patron, while Timothy
was the admiring and respectful subordi-
nate. There are castles everywhere, even
among foundlings. Timothy felt assured
that his own parents were not persons
worth finding, and he felt equally as
sured that the 500 and the mysterious
letter guaranteed Japhet's parents as
something aristocratic.
Ja:silet, for his part, was convinced of
it. His mind had occupied itself with re-
Elections over his parentage from the time
he could think, and when he entered the
apothecarys shop he was firmly convinced
that some day he would be claimed by
people who would give him the rank of
gentleman.
Gradually the mystery of his birth be-
came his one subject of thought and care.
He spoke about it constantly; and, though
Mr.. Cophagus would say, Good boy
very good boy-don't want a father"
whenever the question was put to him,
Japhet did want a father more and more
every day until it became an obsession.
Happily. the governors of the Found
ling hospital had given him an excellent
education and a training that made him
Ambitious to learn more Therefore, he
studied steadily and soon made himself
an efficient apothecary.
He saved the small sums that came into
his hands like miser, determined that he
would go out in the world and seek for
his father as soon as his time with Mr.
Cophagus expired. Circumstances brought
this about sooner than he expected. Mr..
Cophagus sold his shop and after giving
Japhet EGO and Timothy e5, offered to
get new positions for them.
Japhet declined and announced that he
would set out in search of his father: and
Timothy declared that he would go with
Japhet as companion, friend or servant,
whichever his patron might prefer.
They set forth with their bundles. 1.-THE
wise men came from the east" said
Japhet. "They must have gone toward
the west, then Let us go in that direc-
ton"
1t was random journey. and, as ram
dom journeys always do, brought them
to adventure sooner than if they had gone
forth scientifically to seek it. They struck
a bargain with a wagner for a ride in
his covered cart and there met a strolling
little banda dark, sunburned, tall fell
low, very handsome with beautiful teeth
and brilliant eyes black as coal, who in
troduced himself as Melchior, and his
two companions, one a little fat boy who
tumbled for the villagers sport, and the
other a lanky lad who played the fool,
and very successfully. since he was one
by nature.
Melchoir soon learned from Japhet and
Timothy who and what they were. you
are just the people 1 want said he, land
If you join me you shall not suffer"
When they assented he told them that
he was married to a gypsy woman and
that through her he had great power in
the tribe, though he did not often join in
their wanderings, but engaged in under
taxings OF his own.
Nattee, his wife, made them welcome
to the tribe. She was of the highest type
of rue-blooded gypsy beauty, her face
clear olive and perfectly oval, her eyes
lefty black, her nose straight and beau
tifully formed and her mouth small and
proud. She was plainly of immense in
fiuence in the tribe, and as soon as she
approved of the new Corners they were
accepted without objection by the rest
With Melchoir and Nattee there lived a
little girl of about IL, who was strizingly