Fruit Cocktail

I am looking for an Old Fashioned Fruit Cocktail recipe … not fruit salad. I believe it had a syrup base and had to sit for several days before it was ready to serve. The mom of a guy I dated in college used to make it and it was wonderful but she would not give the recipe to ANYONE becuase it had been handed down in her familiy for many generations. Does anyone have any ideas? :?