A SAD STORY.

Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 962, 16 April 1872, Page 2

A SAD STORY.

[Melbourne Aegtts.] What may happen to a man through putting an enemy into his mouth to steal away his brains! Some of oar readers may recollect the publication, about forty years ago, of one of the best of the early periodicals the "Dublin Penny Magazine." Its editor was Francis lioss, a young Scotchman, who had given evidence of very considerable ability. Some change in the ownership left him at liberty, and he went to London, where he was employed on the publiGations of the Society for the Dii Fusion of Useful Knowledge. He then became literary assistant to Dr Kitto, the author of the " Cyclopaedia of Biblical Literature," by whom his services were warmly acknowledged. We next find Mr Eos on the staff of the ' Morning Chronicle 1 during its palmiest days, when D' Black was in the editorial chair. Eoss w&a,precis writer, attending the gallery of the House of Commons, and giving sketches of the proceedings supplementary to the regular reports. It was here that he acquired that liking for drink which ultimately overmastered him. He lost his situation, and then became correspondent W the country press ; but becoming <w satisfied he suddenly made up hil mind to join the stream then setting towards the Australian goldfield*Bringing his wife and children with him, he landed in Geolong abont twenty years ago, and remained there ; three or four years, contributing to the local press. But he never rallied His energy was gone, and ho seem scarcely able to make an effort to retrieve himself. On the death of W wife his home was broken up. B s children found situations, and " e

Ijered off into the bush. He was sionally heard of afterwards in ma country towns, in one of which vould remain a month or two, ling or contributing to the press, then wander off to some other, ng in this way the tour of Victoria, South Wales, and South Aula, over and over and over again, longest sojourns appear to have in the Beechworth and Mount bier districts. When last seen at ang he had just completed a oy overland from Adelaide, almost ing from station to station, and r most precariously. He was a scholar, of most amiable dis- ■ paiwon, and nobody's enemy but his I Sn. Well, what has becomo of him ? 1 Sterns almost incredible that he 1 jflM surv i ve sixteen or seventeen • Hrs of such a life. Here is the last 1 H record of one for whom a career ft Bhappiness and honor might at. one * H l6 ' iave been confidently predicted. fße quote from the " Hamilton I Bectator" of 31st January:—"An 8 Bjuest was held last Sunday on the I BEy °f an °ld man > ascertained by 1 B" e "documents found in his pocket I Sbe named Ross, a schoolmaster, reI S 1 ' 1 - 7 OCCU P ie( * at Mr idol's in tutorIHP t ' lilt g ent l eman 's children. The I Buy was found about five miles from I B>le rame > ou Konongwootong, but in f Hvery advanced state of deconiposiI Bn. The appearance went to show I Bat it must have been exposed to the I fit wmc *B, m an °pen gully, for at Blast two or three weeks, and was fKrivelled up and black. Verdict— I ■Bound dead.' The unfortunate man f«d evidently retired to the remote I Biot where the body was found for the Hjprpose of enjoying a drunken bout, IK several empty bottles were found IBoDgside. Sunstroke was probably Hie cause of death." It is some satißtßction in concluding this sad story, |H be in a position to state that his SHiildren, three in number, were well Bred for, and grew up respectable and ißfespected in their various avocations. Esht> deceased was well known, from fHP connection with Dr Kitto, to many in Victoria, who would have flpeen glad to have helped him, if help K-could have saved him from himself.