Rensselaer Union, Volume 8, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 October 1875 — An Heir’s Return. [ARTICLE]

An Heir’s Return.

Nearly twenty years ago a youth of a roving turn of mind and decidedly fond of adventure took his departure from his parental residence in Sligo, on the South Side, and pushed out on his own account into the broad and untried world to seek his fate and fortune. He had been raised most tenderly; being an only son of wealthy parents his every wish and whim were gratified, and neither effort nor means was spared to properly educate him for the better whlks of life, but still he was not happy or contented. Without making any preparation for a distant and prolonged journey, or informing either friends or relations of his intentions, he quietly left his home, somewhat unintentionally performing a mysterious disappearance. Days rolled away into weeks, weeks into months, and months into years, and the crushed hearts of the parents were not relieved by any , gladsome tidings from their boy; They early gave way to despondency, and, while settling down to the belief that he was dead and never more would return, still, hoping against hope, they used all exertions to learn something of him and his whereabouts, but all to no avail. No word, no news, no letter, no answer to their addressed inquiries to all parts of the world came to solve the mystery which so burdened their hearts. A few years ago the father passed away in death, and the recollection df his wayward son was with him to the final moment of departure. Something inwardly told the good old man that his boy was yet in the world, and the priceless legacy of a father’s blessing he left for him. The mother, likewise hopeful, survived the partner of hey joys and sorrows only a few years, and with her last breath bequeathed to Alexander the precious gift of her maternal benison. And thus they passed away. During the long and fretful suspense of the loving and distressed parents the son was living the life of a wanderer, far off among the rugged gold hills of Australia, making his livelihood in the wilderness of a now humanity to him. He had not forgotten his old home, and his heart often returned to the dear old couple whose roof and protection he had so singularly abandoned. He was not long permanently domiciled in his new home till he wrote back to his parents, explaining his absence and telling them all about his romantic trials and thrilling experiences in his journey to lands so far away from the old hearth-stone. That letter never came back to check the doubts and misgivings of his friends or assuage the hallowed grief of the father and mother. He awaited in vain for an answering echo to his message of unabated love and filial duty. No word reached him, and again he wrote home, add fearing the reliability of the mail he intrusted the missive to a comrade who was coming hither. That letter was never received; the courier never was heard from. After this, Alexander magnified his offense into grave proportions, and felt that he was unforgiven the transgression and wantonly forgotten. He wrote n» more, and in his dreams the old folks ever appeared, but no good guardian angel ever whispered through them how two old gray heads, bowed in grief, implored the blessings of God upop him, or how two loving hearts beat in prayerful anxiety and suspense in his* behalf. He married, and soon three rosy-cheeked children clambered upon his knge, and in them and his wife he found objects to divert his niind away from the oUI Jwme and incentives to make a happy one for himsslf. His wife died, and his grief was made all the greater on receiving by post the coSH lffgdfafenouncement that he was left the nedwo a large estate by the death of both' *Tu_s parents. The lawyers had discovered ms address,

even though the efforts of others in the same direction had failed a thousand times. The last will and testament of the father left all his estate to his wife, the mother, to be held for her use during life, and to £ as ® ike son, provided he appeared iside often years after her death to claim the possessions. If Alexander did not appear in the allotted time all was to revert to St. Paul’s Roman Catholic Orphan Asylum and designated charitable institutions and purposes. The estate is worth SIOO,OOO, ana consists of suburban and city property, bonds, etc. On Saturday last the heir to all, the long-absent son Alexander, arrived in our city and sought out the friends of his boyhood. Need we attempt to portray the feelings of the now subdued and settled man as he once more sits at the old fireside and reflects on the history of his life, of the persons and things that were, but are not now, of the mighty changes wrought out in the past eventful twenty years ?— Pittsburgh Gazette.