The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1869-04-29
A Brave and Noble Boy.

The New York Sun gives brief chap
ter on the "Heroism of Humble Life, v
and appends the following touching illus
tration:
Perhaps the finest of these modern in
stances occurred two weeks ago on boa rd
an English steamer. A little ragged
boy, aged about nine years, was discovered
on the fourth day of the outward voyage
from Liverpool to New York, and car
ried before the first mate, whose duty was
to deal with such cases. When ques-
toned as to the object of his being slowed
away, and who brought him on board,
the boy, who had beautiful sunny face,
and eyes that looked like the very mir
rors of truth, replied that his step-father
did it, because he could not afford to keep
him, nor to pay his passage out to Halifax,
where he had an aunt who was well of, and
to whose house he was going. The mate
did not believe the story, in spite of the
winning face and truthful accents of the
boy. He had seen too much of stow
aways to be easily deceived by them, he
said and it was his firm conviction that
the boy had been brought on board, and
provided with food by the sailors. The
little fellow was very roughly handled
in consequence. Day by day he was
questioned and requestioned, but always
with the same result. He did not know
a sailor on board, and his father alone
had secreted him and given him the food
which he ate.
At last the mate, wearied by the boys per-
sistence in the same story, and perhaps lit
tie anxious to inculpate the sailors, seized
him one day by the collar, and dragging
him To the fore, told him that unless he
confessed the truth in ten minutes from
that time he would hang him on the yard
arm. He then made him sit down under
it on the deck All around him were the
passengers and sailors of the mid day
watch, and in front of him stood the mex
orable mate, with his chronometer in his
hand, and the other officers of the ship by
his side 1t was the finest sight, said our
informant, that we ever beheld, to see the
pale, proud, sOrrowful face of that noble
boy-his head erect, his beautiful eyes
bright through the tears that suffused
them. When eight minutes had fled, the
mate told him he had but two minutes to
live, and advised him to speak the truth
and save his life, but he replied with the
utmost simplicity and sincerity, by asking
the mate if he might pray.
The mate said nothing, but nodded bis
head, and turned as pale as a ghost, and
shook with trembling like reed with the
wind And there, all eyes turned on him,
this brave and noble little fellow, this poor
waif whom society owned not, and whose
own step-father could not care for him
there he knelt with clasped hands and
eyes uplifted to heaven, while he repeated
audibly the Lords Prayer, and prayed the
dear Lord Jesus to take him to heaven.
Our informant adds that there then oc-
Cured scene as of Pentecost. Sobs
broke from strong, hard hearts, as the
mate sprang forward to the boy and
clasped him to his bosom, and kissed him
and blessed him, and told him how sin-
cerely he believed his story, and how glad
he was that he had been brave enough to
face death and be willing to sacrifice his
own life for the truth of his own word.
AN EASY DRINKER-The teetotalers
tell of hard drinkers, but the man of whom the
Omaha Herald tells the following must be a decid-
edly "easy" drinker, notwithstanding his two
"A Cockney. ripe from old London, wagered
yesterday that he would drink half gallon OF
beer without taking the measure from his head
than for anything else his bet was accepted, and
adjournment was had TO the Wyoming House,
where the urbane Oliver stood ready to meet
their demands. a large water pltCner Wae uau,
into which were carefully decanted two quarts OF
of ale; bright idea suggested itself. that tobacco
and beer always go together. The other party to
the bet took handful Of divers capital cigars,
and dropped them unnoticed into Cockneys
beverage. "An ready" says the chap, and
hall right" says Cockney, and into IL he
pitched.
Ciuzzle. gurple. swashi Down went the beer,
and in about the fraction of minute he set down
the pitcher empty. Didn't you meet anythingf'
asks n prjnning bystander. NO. Gays Cockney,
hi didn't. old hon though; come to think,
hi don't know but what hi did meet few ops
roar of laughter followed, and a. the winner
folded up his bet, everyone was satisfied that the
fun more than compensated for the loss OF the
wager"