The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1857-10-10
A chapter on Human Nature,

! A correspondent of the Blair county pa
Wing furnishes that paper with The particu
lars of the following interesting incident, o
! which he was an eyewitness. 1t occurre,
J few weeks ago on the line of great interna
improvements in that State. Il il one o
those scenes of genuine kind.heartedness
which fills the mind with the involuntary
consciousness that there is something of th,
angel still in our common nature:
At the point on this side of the mountain
where occurred the transhipment Of passen
gers from the west, was moored canal boat
waiting the arrival of the train, before start
ing on their way Through" to the east
The captain of the boat, . tall and sur. EN-
Drowned, rough, and sometimes profane
man, stood by his craft, experimenting the
labors Of his men, when the cars came up,
and dozen moments after party of hall
dozen gentlemen came out, and deliberate.
dressed him:
"Sir, we wish to go east, but our farther
progress to-day depends on you In the
S6sSw We have just left, there is . sick man
whose presence is dieagreeable. We hav.
been appointed . committee by the passen.
gers to ask that you will deny this man .
passage on your boat. If he goes, we re-.
main what say you ?"
By this time others had come from the
cars. .-----. t.....'
Gentlemen" said the captain, 81 have
heard the passengers through your commit
tee. Has the sick man any Representatives
heres / wish to hear both sides of the
question" --.-.-.
T. this unexpected interrogatory there
was no answer; when, without . moments
pause, the captain crossed over to the car,
and entering, beheld poor emaciated worn.
out creature whose life was nearly eaten up
by the fell destroyer, consumption. The
mans head was bowed in his hands, and he
was weeping. The captain advanced and
spoke kindly to him. .....
"Oh, sir! !" said the trembling invalid,
looking up, his face now liz up with hope
and expectation, "are you the captain, and
will you take me! God help me! The pas
sengers shun me and are SO unkind. You
see, sir, am dying, but oh, if can live to
reach my mother, shall die happy! She
hives at Burlington, sir, and my journey is
more than half performed. am . poor
printer and the only child Of her in whose
arms wish to die"
You shall 20, by c." said the bluff
captain, "if lose every passenger for the
trip" lea . l r-I -
BY this time the whole crowd Of impa-
tient passengers were grouped around the
boat, with their baggage piled on the tow
patti, and they themselves awaiting the de-
cision ef the captain before engaging their
passage.
A moment more and that decision was
made knwn, as they beheld him come from
the cars with the sick man Graded IN his |
strong arms. Pushing directly through the |
crowd with his dying burden he ordered the
mattrass to be placed in the choicest part Of
the cabin, where he laid the invalid with ali
the care Of parent Then scarcely deign-
ing to cast look at the as,onished crowd
alongside, he shouted loudly to his hands: |
Push off the boat,"
But a new feeling seemed to possess the |
amazed passengers-that Of shame and con- |
triton at their inhumanity. With one com !
mon impulse, each seized his own baggage
and then walked immediately OH board the |
boat.
In short time another committee was |
sent TO the captain, sking his presence in
the cabin.
He went, and from their midst there rose
a white haired man, who with tie tear r-drops
starting in his eyes, told that rough sturdy
aptain that he had taught them a lesson
that they felt humbled before him, and they
asked his forgiveness. IL wGs a touching
scene. The fountain of true sympathy was /
broken up in the heart Of nature, and its
waters welled up, choking the uiterance OF
all present.
On the instant purse was made up for
the sick man, with God speed" for his
welfare.
The true-hearted captain Of the boat was
Samuel ID. earns, and the incident is worth !,