Weekly Clarksville chronicle. [volume] (Clarksville, Tenn.) 185?-1857, 1857-09-18
A CHAPTER IN HUMAN NATURE

| OdAf iER IN HUMAN NATURE
, r haf pful tdy---- zfltTee at ysc,
| oiA correspondent of the Blair county
i (Pa;) Rhiys furnishes that paper with tn,
particulars of the following interesting
incident, of which he was an eyewitness
It occurreda few weeks age on the line o.
great internal Improvements of that State
Itis one Of those scenes of genuine kind
heartedness, which fills the mind with the
involuntary consciousness, that there is
something of the angel still in our com
mon nature. Eeis s agi.
! At the point on this side of the noun.
tain, where occurred the transhipment of
passengers from the west, was moored q
canal boat waiting the arrivalof the train,
before starting on their way Through to
the east The captain of the boat, tall
and sun embrowned, rough and sometimes
profane man, stood by his craft, superiu-
tending the labors of his men when, the
ears came up, and few moments after a
party of half dozen gentlemen came
out and deliberately walking up to the
captain addressed him: ltd goiaass a,l5
"Sir, we wish to go cast, but our farther
progress to-day depends on you. In the
carswe have just left, there's sick man
whose presence is disagreeable. We have
been appointed committee by the pas
sengers to ask that you viii deny this man
a'passage in your boat. IF he goes we re-
main, what say you?"
BY this time others had come from the
cars. -"
"Gentlemen" said the captain, ri have
heard the passengers through your com
mittee Has the sick man any reprcsen-
tatiyes here2 i wish to hear both sides cf
the question" e stf aooe'sfsl to
TO this unexpected interrogatory there
was no answer; when, without moments
pause, the captain crossed over to the car,
and entering, beheld a poor emaciated,
worn out creature whose life was nearly
eaten up by the fell destroyer, consump-
ton. The mans head was bowed in his
hands and he was weeping. The captain
advanced and spoke to him kindly,
"Oh, sir!" said the trembling invalid
looking up, his face now lit with hope and
Expectation, care you the captain, and
will you take me? God help mel Thep pas
sengers shun me and arc so unkind. You
see, sir, I am dying; but Oh, if !. can live
toreach my mother, I shall die happy
She lives at Burlington, sir, and my jour
ney is more than half performed. am a
poor painter and the only child Of her in
whose arms 1 yishto die - 1N1 ~
; "Yap shall CO." replied the captain, ''If
Hose every passenger for the trip
By this time the whole crowd of pas
songers were grouped around the boat,
with their baggage piled on, the tow-path,
and they themselves awaiting the decision
Of the captain before engaging their pas
Isage. ""I
A moment more and that decision was
made known, as they beheld him comefrom
the cars with the sick man Graded in his
strong arms. Pushing directly through
the crowd with his dying burden Ac order
4 ed the mattrass to be spread in the choi-
cest part of the cabin, where he laid the
invalid with all the care Of a parent
Then, scarcely deigping to look at the
crowd alongside, he shouted to his hands;
"Push off the boatP'
But feeling seemed TO possess the as.
; tonisbed passengers--that of shame and
contrition at thcirihhumauity. With one
common impulse, each seized his own bag
gage and then walked Immediately on board
/, the boat. 70 lY as.ias,ua-9sa ~
In a short time another committee wai
sent to the captain, asking his presence in
: 1.-THE cabin. .f U ryrot sW
Q Ho went, and from their midst there
rose white haired man, who with Tho
r tear-drOps starting in his eyes, told thn
, rough sturdy captain that he had taugh
I them a lesson--that they felt humbled be
fore him, and they asked his forgiveness
1t was touching scene, TIL fountain o
5 true sympathy was broken up in the hear
of nature, and its waters welled up, cho
: king the utterance Of all present. fl
On the instant purse was made up fo
the sick man, with "God speed Ffor hi
- welfare. lHaA go
4 The true-heartod captain Of the boa
was Samuel d. earns, and the inciden
is worth remembering.
al A srnrEr, CoL1oouY.-A D honest Hi