The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1873-02-08
An Interesting True Story.

4 correspondent; sends us the following in Mss,
which we do not remember to have seen in print sny
where The lesson inculcatel is n good oae for
young folks:
MANY years ago. say forty or thereabou's. gou
note my stories run far bsck, 50 you can't say you
know all about them) in u very small Scotch village,
lived a very little Scotch boy named jamie. lie
dearly loved his mother and his mother as dearly
loved him. Vel, this little boy having read a good
deal Of the sea, wanted TO be a sailor; but his mother
did not relish the idea at all; inasmuch as they were
alone in the world, and she was 4 very pious woman
also, aud knew Of the hard cases sailors were, and
the hard life they led. 80 mother, l do want TO lie
a sailor was Jamie's constant cry, unit! st last his
mother said, = Jamie you shall go" As be was
about TO depart from the maternal roof, with 8
mothers blessing she said, Jane, wherever lou
are, whether at sea or on land, never forget 10
acknowledge your God; aud give me a promise that
you will kneel down aboard ship and say your pray
ers. II the sailors laugh at you, don't mind; say
them aud trust in God" Little Jamie. looking up
! 10 his mother, the tears tr.ckling down his cheeks,
said = Mother, 1 promise you l will"
Jamie made his way 10 q sea port, and was soon
bowling along to India. He had a good Captain and
some good sailors, and when Jamie. mindful of his
early training and his promise to his mother. knelt
down at night, no one laughed at him. such proceed
ings rarely provoke a laugh under any circumstances.
The vessel arrived at her port, discharged cargo
and took in another, and was soon on her homeward
way again. They had the same sailors as on the voyage
out. except two, who were taken in place Of two who
deserted. On the very first night out, Jamie as
usual knelt down to say his Now | lay me- when
one of these new coners went up TO him. and With a
swinging box on the ear, laid him out, 'emarking
None If that here sir l sincerely believe. that
in 10 ones breast, on the face of the earth, does "a
desire to see fair-Iloy burn more brightly than in
an Engiishman. L do not think he would let his
sympathy prevail on his inherent idea OF justice,
even TO help the bottom dog IN u fShi, ii he was
fairly matched and got there through no inequita-
BILE operation. There was one of the old sailors, a
terrible swearing fellow, who aTched has 1.-THE spine,
or in plain English, got his back up, at this treat
ment of Jamie, and said he: Come on deck and
IN give You thrashing.' They went, and the
swearist gave the new conner a terrible %drubbing,
till he cried peccary. On their return into the fore
castle, the swearer said Nov Jamie say your
prayers, and if he dares touch you III dress him
again"
1.-The mcknight. Jamie fearing there might be more
trouble, thought he would give 10 cause for it, SO
turned in. intending TO say his prayers in his berth
when our swearist. who had already turned in, jumped
out and seizing Jamie by the scruf of the neck, snaked
him out with. "Kneel down at once you young
rascal, do you think I'm going TO fight for you to say
your prayers, and then let you sneak into your
bunk without saying them p" On the whole of that
long voyage, this sailor looked after Jamie, with the
care of a father, and took an interest in seeing him
kneel down nights. Jamie became industrious, and
took every opportunity he had to read, and learn
ship lingo. He began TO learn all about ships and
ropes, as we'll as taking longitude and latitude.
"You know a dozen or fifteen years since, the Great
Eastern was taking the Atlantic cable on board to
connect the continents. Well of course they wanted
a tip top commander for sach a ship and such an
undertaking. and it was found no easy matter to get
one to their liking. After securing England they at
last got one. The cable was successfully laid; the
President and Queen exchanged compliments-the
vessel returned and the commander was ordered
before the Queen-he kneeling, said she Rise Sir
James, and SIR james Anderson, the Captain Of the
largest ship that ever foated. whom all Great Britain
delighted TO honor. from Queen Victoria to the
humblest individual in the realm, was our little
praying Jamie -