Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1851-08-01

Here is an incident which we hope every
newspaper in this broad Union will present
to its readers. Pass it round. That noble
captain deserves a monument.
INHUMANTTY REBUKED.
Tie Blair County Wing says, a few years
ago, while passing over the Pennsylvania
State Improvements, the writer was a witness
of one Of those scenes Of genuine kind hear
tedness which make the heart thrill with an
unutterable blessing, aud fills the mind with
the involuntary consciousness that there is
something of the angel stilP in our common
nature.
At a point this side of the mountains,
where occurred the transhipment Of passen-
gers from, the West, was moored a canal boat,
waiting the arrival of the train ere. starting
on its way through to the East, The Cap
tain o the boat, a tall, rough, sun-embrowned
man, stood by his craft, experimenting the
labors of his men, when the cars rolled up,
and, a few moments after, a party of about
half a dozen gentlemen came out, and deIib-
e~rately walking up to the Captain, addressed
him something after this wise-sSir, we wish
TO go on east-but our further progress to-
day will depend OH you. In the cars we
have Just left is q sick man, whose pres
ence IS disagreeable. We have been ap-
pointed a committee BY the passengers, to
ask that you will deny this maj a passage
! in your boat If he goes. aoe remain-what
say you - Gentlemen replied the Cap
e tain, L have heard the passengers through
E their committee. Has the sick man a rep
= roeaD4nt,-o hone d IT. t1,e rnoweo14ol .n%ar
: rogatory there was no answer, when, with
u out a moments pause, the Captain crossed
over to the car, and entering, beheld in one
: corner, a poor, emaciated, WORKOUT creature
u whose life was nearly eaten up by that cank
er worm, Consumption. The mans head
: was bowed in his hands, and he was weeping
The Captain advanced, ano spoke to him
kindly. 'Oh! sirH said the shiyering intal
d id, looking up, his face now lit with trembling
expectation. Are you the Captain-anc
wiU you take me? God help me! Tn
passengers look upon me as a breathing pes
thence; and are so unkind. You see, sir,
am dying-but, oh if am spared to reacl
r my mother l shall die happy. She lives il
d Burlington, sir, and my journey is more thai
W half performed. lam a poor printer, and tn
a only child of her in whose arms l wish t
= dier
r.. You shall goP replied the Captain, IF
is lose every passenger for the trip!
By this time the whole crowd Of passer
gers were grouped around the boat, wit
o. their baggage piled up on the path, and the
n themselves awaiting the decision of the Cal
as tain before engaging their passage. A m'
ment more and that decision was made,
they beheld him coming from the cars, wit
10 the sick man Graded IN his stout arms
in Pushing directly through the throng vii
m his dying burden, he ordered a mattress
he be spread, on the choicest spot. Of the boa
~ where he laid the invalid with all the care
a parent. That done, the Captain directt
the boat to be prepared for starting.
le- But a new feeling seemed to possess Il
III astonished passengers-that Of shame al
contrtion at their inhumanity With Of
nd common impulse they walked aboard. t
err boat, and, in few hours after, another col
he mittee was sent to the Captain, entreatl
tn his presence among the passengers IN t
Im cabin. He went, and from their midst arc
re- an aged, white-haired man, who, with t
dv, tear-drops starting in his eyes, told that roue
sun-embrowned man, that he had taug
en- them all a lesson-that they felt humbl
before him, and that they asked his forgi
ness. 1t was a touching scene. The FOL
tain of true sympathy was broken up in t
A. heart of nature, and its waters welled
T choking the utterance and filling the eyes
all present. On the instant a purse '
made up for the sick man, with a &C
speedr on his way home, to die IN the ar
of his mother!
The truehearted Captain of that boat y
General Samuel D. Harms, and the alb
incident is worth remembering.
lila-
am ,nr-