THE UPS AND DOWNS OF LIFE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1588, 31 May 1887, Page 4

THE UPS AND DOWNS OF LIFE.

It is not an unusual thing to hear of Waterloo veterans, but the story of a man claiming this distinction, who appeared before the Melbourne Benevolent Asylum Committee, asking for admittance to the institution, is peculiarly interesting, if his story be correct. His story is indeed a. strange one, Richard Dwyer has been living for some months post at Chelten* ham, subsisting on the charity of tho residents of that locality. At one time he appears to have been a very rich man, and 20 years ago was, it was laid, a passenger on board the steamer London during the voyage when (hat ill-fated vessel foundered in the Bay of Biscay. Dwyer was among the few survivors, but bis wife and two daughters went down with the vessel. To,add to his loss a sum of £11,200, according to his own representation, sank with the wreck, together with cargo belonging to .him valued at £250. The nnfortuate fellow seeius never to have, prospered afterwards. He is said to hare worked hard in many ways, and for some years past liaa lived in the neighborhood of Cheltenham. Last week, however, he stood before the Committee, aged and infirm, utterly destitute, and entirely alone in tho world. His case was considered a pitiful one, and, together with the strangeness of his story, so worked upon the feelings of the Committee ♦■lint they admitted him to the shelter of the asylum. His admission filled up one of only two vacancies that were available, and for which there were numerous applicants.