Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1861-07-03
Little Bob. the Cabin BOY.

Ahere IS not one oil us, however Young, out
ne may do some good. Every little child can
be useful. | viii tell you how useful a little
caoin-boy was, who was sailing in large ship
over the wide sea.
1t happened, that on the voyage, the sailors
qnarrelled with the captain, who was so proud
and overbearing, that none of them would
submit to him. THIS gave the captain so
much trouble and preyed so much on his
spirits that he became very i'll /; so ill as TO
be confined to his bed. None of the sailors
cared Tor him so there he lay very i'll, and
oil alone. No one thought of speaking q
KIND word to the poor sick captain but little
Bob. His Bible had taught him a lesson
which the sailors knew nothing about. 1t
bad taught him to be kind to everybody, even
to those who had used him i'll so he stole
softly to the captains door and knocked.
Who's there y asked the captain in very
gruff voice.
your
q to your work, you ~scoundrel," cried
the captain in an angry tone. "Don't come
plaguing me-"
Little Bob stole away even more softly than
ne came, but his heart was not filed with
any angry feeling. lie pitied the captain still
more than he had done befor.
Inc next day he resolved to try again. He
saw the poor captain was not on deck, and
again he went and knocked at his door.
Who's there %
captain, can | do anything for you to-day p
asked little Bob,
mo, go away" said the captain.
Bob was pleased that the captain did not
speak in so harsh a voice as he had done the
day before, and he made up his mind to try
4 Again Maantfnrn 4ha 49, I..A --~-
warm towards the kind little fellow. He
thought how differently he acted from the un-
feeling sailors, who had not once inquired for
him all the time of his illness and he deter.
mined, that il he ZANE again, he would let him
in.
When Bob came the next day, the captain
said
"Come in"
Bob walked in on tiptoe, and said very ten
derby
please, sir, can do anything for you ?
Shall make your bed, or get you a cup O
coffee I'll do it ina minute"
"Well, Bob, you may, ifyou like, said the
captain.
Away ran Bob, and in a few minutes every
thing was ready, the coffee, and the hot toast
and ne brought it on a tray to the captains
bedside. Bob always carried with him tn
Biblein his pocket and as he came into tn
room the captain observed it.
'What book is that ~ said he.
at is the book my mother gave me-" sal
Bob "the incest book you ever saw"
Can you read it, Bob?
"Oh, yes. said the boy, and | shoul
like to read it to you"
say, you may" said the captain; 'as 500
as have finished my coffee, you may be
GIN"
Bob cleared away the coffee, and set him
selfdown on a box by the side of the captain
bed and opened on the history of Jesus, an
read how He vent about doing good no
lie pitied the wretched How he healed Il
sick, and forgave their sins. The CAPITA
listenedyery attentively, and asked the bc
: to come again the next day. From this tin
be came every day, and instructed the pc
!, captain in the knowledge of Jesus the S
viour. He asked him many questions, al
. Bob knew how to answer them; thanks
4 his mother and his Sabbath school.
One evening, the captain said
- Leave me that book 0 fyours, Bob | sho,
like to look at it myself."
Q Bob willingly left it. The next morni
,r he went as usual and tapped at the cabin do
Noanswer came. Again he tapped, and lol
% err. Still no answer. He opend the az
j. and walked in. The captain was on his kne
,r and the Bible was lying open vi on the CHI
- before him. Bob spoke; still there was
" answer. lie came nearer the captain ne
Is stirred. He looked the captain was de-
nc He had died on his knees, praying over
at Bible. We trust that, through the instruct
oflittle Bob, he had sought and found me
ed at the hands Of the Saviour of sinners.
there a little boy or a girl, now reading t
who is as poor as this cabin-boy o.
- young as this cabin-boy GO and do |
NC wise.