Spirit of the age., 1858-09-01
A Noble BoY.

The Memphis Appeal relates the following
very interesting incidents in the history and
adventures of boy, one of the nOblest of his
kind
Some weeks ago. on Island Twenty-sx, up
the river, the father and mother of a family of
eight small children, whose names were Will
liams, died at nearly the same time, of one of
the fatal fevers which so frequently make hav-
oc among the population oflow and unhealthy
districts.
The eldest of the poor orphans was boy,
Thomas Williams, twelve years of age, but so
weakly from ague and its attendant sufferingS
that he does not look SO old as that The
others were graduated by small intervals to
little more than infancy in the youngest The
island was no place for the helpless babies,
and the only relatives they had in the world
lived in Eastern Tennessee, at Sweetwater
thirty miles from Chattanooga, two hundred
miles from this city. To these relatives
Thomas resolved to go, and tell his tale of
sorrow. The neighbors undertook the care
of the little ones, and stepping on board the
Falls City, when it stopped to wood, the boy
made the clerk acquainted with the state of
the orphan family. That gentleman not only
gave him passage to this city, but letter
of introduction, which obtained for him the
kind hospitalites of the Worsham House and
a free passage on the Charleston railroad to
the end of his journey, which was given him
by the generosity of Mr.. Ayres.
The little fellow found his relations. They
were not rich in money, but they promised to
raise the family if they were brought to them.
The young hero then set off to bring to their
new home his seven little brother and sisters.
He passed again over the railroad to the city;
the Philadelphia was going up the river, he
went on board and informed Captain Marshall
of his situation. The kind captain not only
gave him passage to the island, but told him
to have all ready to bring the little ones under
his protection on board with him at the return
ofthe boat from st. Louis, and whether it
was nighto or day, the boat wonld stop for them
Accordingly, on the down trip, the Philadel-
phia took on the eight little orphans. Their
condition was distressing in the extreme, not
one ofthem was free from sickness, and Thorn
as was suffering from ague and fever-pros
trated with it, we were going to say-but the
gallant little fellow was not made of the stuf
that submits to prostration. He was bright
ready, active and thoughtful attending witt
unwearying care to the wants and wailing.
of the sick, helpless little ones.
On Monday last Mr. III. NJ. Worsham was
on board the Philadelphia, when Captain
| Marshall invited him to look at some pets h
had, and stretched on the mattresses lay tn
troupe of sick little ones, their wants CAREFUL,
attended to- for there was not an officer, no
cabin boy on the but that was doing hi
best to show kindness to those who might b
called Gods little ones, for He was their sol
father, and wonderfully He tempered th
wind to the shorn lambs" Mr.. Worshai
immediately recognised his former guest, an
Il otsonea cot to work tn facilitate his firth,
progress He saw Mr.. Ayres, of the railroa
; and showed him letter with which the be
, had been furnished; that gentleman ga,
directions that the whole should have
passage on the road to their journeys en-