Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1851-06-25
Incident to be Remembered.

Incident to be Remembered.
sTheres something good in human nature after all"
| BrLsER.
! A few years age, while passing over the
Pennsylvania State improvements, the
writer was witness of one of those scenes
of genuine kindheartcdness which makes
the heart thrill with an unutterablc bless.
ing, and fills the mind with involuntary
consciousness that there is "something of
the angel stilP' in our common nature.
At point this side of the mountains,
where occurred the transhipment of pass
engers from the west, was moored canal
boat, waiting the arrival of the train ere
starting on its way Through" to the east.
The captain of the boat, tall rough, sdAf-
cmbrowned man, stood by his craft, super
intending the labors of his men, when the
cars rolled up, and a few moments after, a
party of about half dozen gentlemen came
out, and deliberately walking up to the
captain, addressed him something after this
wise-"Sir, We wish to 60 on east-but
our further progress today will depend on
you. In the car We have just left is a
sick man, whose presence is disagreeable.
We have been appointed a committee by
the passengers, to ask that you will deny
this man passage in your boat If he
goes, arc remain-what say you?" Cen
tlemen, replied the captain, 81 have heard
the passengers through their committee.
Has the sick man representative here 2"
To this unexpected interrogatory there was
no answer, when without moments
pause, the captain crossed over to the car,
and entering bcheld in one corner, poor,
emanciated, worn-out creature, whose life
was nearly eaten up by that canker-worm,
consumption. The man. head was bowed
in his hands, and he was weeping. The
captain advanced and spoke to hin, ,Iindy.
ooh. sirn' said the shivcring invalid,
looking up, his face now lit with trembling
expectation, care you the captain-and
will you take me? God help me! The
passengers look upon me as a breathing
pestilence and are so unkind You SEQ
sir, I am dying-but oh. if 1 am spared to
reach my mother l shall die happy. She
lived in Burlington, sir, and my journey is
more than half performed, l am poor
printer, and the only child of her in whose
arms I wish to dep
"You shall 90 : replied the captain, s'if
1 lose every passenger for the trip
By this time the whole crowd of passen-
gers were grouped about the boat, with
thvi, baggagc piled up on the path, and
they them selves awaiting the decision Of
the captain before engaging their passage.
A moment more and that decision was
made, as they beheld him coming from
the cars, with the sick man eradled in his
stout arms Pushing directly through the
throng with his dying burden, he ordered
a mattrass to be spread, in the choicest
spot of the boat, where he laid the invalid
with the care of parent. This done, the
captain directed the boat to be prepared for
starting
But new feeling seemed to possess the
passengers-that of shame and
contrition at their inhumanity. With one
common impulse they walked aboard the
boat, and, in few hours after, another
committee was sent to the captain, entreat-
ing his presence among the passengers in
the cabin. He VENT and from their midst
arose an aged, white-haired man, who, with
tear-drops starting in his eyes, told that
rough, sun-embrowned man, that he had
taught them. all 'a4esson-that they felt
humbled before him and that they asked
his forgiveness. 1t was a touching scene.
The fountain of true sympathy was broken
up in the heart of nature, and its waters
welled up choking the utterance and fill
ing the eyes Of all present. On the in
slant purse was made up for the 81 k man,
with generous contribution from the cap
tain, and the poor invalid was started with
a "God speed." on his way home to die
in the arms Of his mother %
The tfue-hearted captain of that boat
was Gen. SAMUEL D. KARNs, and the
above incident is worth remembering
Correspondence Of the Blair County Wig
Mr.. Riddle, the American Agent at the
Worlds Fair,says he honestly believes that