Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1857-07-02
Touching Incident.
A TRUE HERO.

A correspondent Of the Blair county
(Pa.) Wing furnishes. that paper with the
particulars Of the following interesting
incident, of which he was an eyewitness.
1t occurred a few years ago on the line
of the great internal Improvements of this
State. 1t was one of those acts Of genuine
kind -heartedness which fill the mind with
the involuntary consciousness that there
is something of the angel still in our com
mon nature.
At the point this side of the mountain,
where occurred the trans shipment of pas
lsengers from the West, was moored ca
nal boat, awaiting the arrivalof the train
ere starting on its way through to the
East. The captain of the boat, a tall
rough, sun-embrowned man, stood by his
craft experimenting the labors of his men,
when the cars rolled up, and few mo-
ments after, a party of about half a dozen
gentlemen came out, and deliberately
walking up to the captain, addressed him
something after this wise:
Sir, we wish to go on East, but our
further progress to day depends upon you.
In the cars we have left, is a sick man,
whose presence is disagreeable. We
have been appointed committee by the
passengers, to ask that you will deny this
nan a passage in your loaf. If he gees,
We remain; what say your"
Gentlemen" replied the captain, T
have heard the passengers through their
committee. Has the sick man a represen-
tatiye here?"
To this unexpected interrogatory, there
was no reply; when without a moments
pause, the captain creased over to the
car, and entering, beheld in one corner,
poor, emaciated, worn out creature,
whose life was nearly eaten out by tie
canker-Vo m consumption. The mans
head was bowed in his hands, and he was
weeping. The captain advanced and
spoke to him kindly.
20 sir" said the shivering invalid
looking up, his face now lit with trem-
bling expectation, "are you the captain
and will you take me? God help me! The
passengers looked upon me as breath
ing pestilence, and are so unkind You.
see sir, am dying, but oh, if | am spared
to reach my mother, shall die happy She
lives in Burlington, sir. and my journey
is more than half performed. l am
poor Printer, and the only child of her in
whose arms | wish to die"
"You shall 60" said the Captain, IF +
loose eresy passenger for the tipF
By this time the whole crowd Of pass
engers were grouped around the boat,
with their baggage piled on the path, and
they themselves awaiting the decision Of
the captain, before engaging their pass
age.
A moment more and that decision was
made know, as they beheld him coming
from the cars with his dying burden era
died in his arms. Pushing his way
through the crowd with the sick man he
ordered maitrass to be spread in the
choicest part of the boat, where he laid
the invalid with the care of parent
That done, the captain ordered the boat
to be got ready for starting.
But new telling seemed to pervade'
the astonished pa: seng ers-that of shame
and contritlon at their inhumanity. With
one common impulse they walked aboard
| the boat and in few hours. after, anoth-
er committee was sent to the captain, en-
| treating his presence among the passen.
gers in the cabin.
He went and from their midst there
arose white-headed man, who, with
tear drops in his eyes, told that rough,
sun Drowned man that they asked forgive
ness. 1t was a touching scene. The
fountain of true sympathy was broken in
the heart of nature, and its waters swell
ed up, choking the utterance of all pres
ent.
On the instant, a purse was. made up
for the sick man, with a God. speed to
his home, to die IN the arms of has moth.
en-"