The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-01-06
CIuILDi.EN.S COLUMN
n Night I'm u BOat.

A Night I'm IL B0at.
"Tell me a story Harry said, climbing
upon his Uncle Roberts lap; "a story about
a bad boy
1t was one of lIar.ys greatest pleasures
TO have Uncle Robert tell him story, and
he liked best of all stories about bad boys
ga bad boy?' said Uncle Robert. ~
have told you about all the bad boys / ever
knew excepting myself
'Were you bad boy ?" asked Harry.
Sometimes. Once my bad conduct al
most cost my life. Shalt tell you about
that?"
''les, please"
81 was just seven years old, and my moth
er had taken a cottage at Bay Ridge for the
summer, when this particularly naughty
act of my mine happened. We were rich
folks, but had lost my father. and was not
always as obedirnt to my mother as !
should have been. Our new cottage was
very pleasant, and was very happy there
but enc of my greatest pleasures caused my
mother so much anxiety that she finally for
babe my enjoying it, | was fond, Harry,
of going to the river, getting into row.
boat fastened there, and rocking up and
down on the water. When the man mother
employed to care for the horses had time
to row me out upon the river mother al
lowed me to go with him, but she strictly
forbade my getting into the boat alone. Be-
ing. as told you, naughty boy about
minding, / still went to the river whenever
| could escape from home, and would
spend hours rocking in the little row boat,
until l would be missed, discovered and
brought home.
One evening, just before bed time, |
slipped away from the parlor, where moth
mr. haA mi 20 ln NO.
! remember had on very thin linen suit
for the day had been holland no hat. |
found the boat in its usual place, tied to
stump, aud climbed in, wetting my feet
through Il pair of thin kid slippers. No.
body missed me, for the moon rose while l
rocked up and down and at last { III asleep.
When awoke, cold and shivernl.. / sat
up in the boat, rubbed my eyes, and then
gave great cry of terror for the boat, in
stead OF being tied fast to the shore, was
floating down the river, not very fast, but
already in a strange and familiar place.
The moonlight made everything around me
as plain as if it were daytime, and l was
all alone on the water, drifting cut to sea.
When l had slippe out of the drawing
room had kissed my mother goodnight
SO she thought was quietly sleeping in my
little bed, instead of drifting alone in little,
open boat, far out upon the water. The
current was strong, and went on and on,
past Coney Island, past Rockaway, out,
further and further from home, mother and
safety.
was but seven years old, and had no
thought of help coming to me. l seemed
to know il any Of the great steamers had
so often watched were to pass, they would
easily ride over my little boat, and sink it
with me. ! cried bitterly. l even stood up
IN the boat, waving my handkerchief and
shouting; but there was no one to hear me.
was suffering, too, from the chill night
air, which was like an iced bath through
my thin clothes. My feet we've numb, my
hands aching, and | shivered as tried to
get some warmth by buttoning my little
jacket around me.
1t was after midnight, knew later, and
was sobbng in my boat, when l thought
OF saying my prayers. God, l thought,
would not help naughty, disobedient boy,
who had brought his trouble upon himself
by doing what he had been forbidden to
do but if was drowned wanted to pray,
to say that | was sorry. very sorry had
been so bad. So l knelt dewn and said the
Lords Prayer first, and then l prayed to
be saved. l prayed with all my childish
heart God would send some one out on the
water to take me back to my mother. Never
would disobey her again if only might
be saved from drowning
was crouched on my knees in the bot
tom of the boat, my face hidden on the seat,
crying, praying, shiveling, when | heard
great shout
"Robert Robert!'
tried to answer, but my sJbs choked
me. stood up, and conld see far behind
me, but coming closer and closer. a boat
rowed by two men, and in it a lady. When
stood up there was a great shout from the
boat =
"There he is? There is your boy,
ma'am. And then | knew that my own
dear mother was in the boat-my mother,
who was so afraid of the waite that he could
not coax her out for pleasure sail, but
who had come in the night to find her boy.
After her friends had left her, she had gone
to my little room to find the little bed empty.
frightened, she ran to the river, and found |
the boat was gone. My poor mother, fright |
ened as she was, reused the man servant,
sent Tor another boat and insisted upon
coming herselfin search of me.
oh how long it seemed before the boat
following mine reached it, and was lifted |
into my mothers arms. All alone, drifting /
on the water, God himselfmust have guard |
ed me, Harry, and directed my mother to
me. was very i'll for long Time, chilled
by the night air, and excited by fear into a
fever In my dellrium l was always float
ing alone in the open boat, crying and
praying, and for many days my mother
thought must die that she had found me |
only to lose NE again But did get well |
at last, and learned one lesson Harry-to |
mini my mother, or those older than my
self"
"Were you ever bad boy again. asked |
Harry.
~ am afraid was, very often but was
never again n disobedient one" 49, The |
MefhOdtsf