The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1886-12-08

happening TO look down upon the lower
deck again, she saw something that made
her hasten there at once. 1t was the
young stowaway, with the doctor bend
ing anxiously over him and crowd of
steerage passengers standing around them
in ring. The poor fellow was lying fat
on his back and appeared to have tainted
away. His eyes were closed cold
sweat was breaking out on him, and his
face was turning CHASTITY pale under its
thick coating of coal dust. His hair,
face, and clothes were so begrimed with
this black dust, that Stella thought he
looked as if he had been driving coal
cart for good many years without ever
stopping to take bath. The doctor was
rubbing the patients head with piece
of ice and occasionally paused to feel his
pulse.
"Oh doctor, can do anything to help
you ?" exclaimed Stella, as soon as she
had pushed her way through the curious
crowd.
"No, Miss" answered the doctor,
there is nothing more to be done, thank
you. The boy is coming out all right,
but he is not very strong one. You
see, they set him to work shoveling coal
under the boilers, and the heat, the mo-
ton, and the hard work Frustrated him.
He is likely to have hard time OF it be-
fore he gets through, and he will wish he
had staid at home"
Just then the suffering boys eyes
opened, cast one imploring glance at
Stella, and rolled up so as to show the
whites in a most alarming manner. Stella
had never before seen such a distressed
look. 1t touched her so that she burst
into tears and ran away to her cabin to
hide her head in her mothers's lap and
sob as if her heart were breaking. After
wards she told her neither about the boy,
and way suggested itself to her in
which she might help him. 1t was to pay
his passage for him. Mr.. Morton con-
tributed the first few dollars, and then
Stella went to all the cabin passengers
and begged money for poor young
stowawsy. On the ocean, people have
more time and inclination to be charita-
bic than on land, so this kind, good girl,
took up a large collection-enough to
buy a ticket for the boy and give him
some money to start with in the New
World besides 1t may well be believed
that the stowaway was very glad to be
relieved of working his way across the
Atlantic. The most adventurous boy,
with his head full of yarns about thesea,
would soon get enough of a stokers life,
and Sinbad the Sailor would never have
made a second voyage, if he had had dur
ing his first to shovel coal into hot fire
to keep up steam.
The Joung stowaway was brought into
the cabin to thank his benefactors, and
Mrs. Morton asked him how he happen
ed to be going to America under such
circumstances.
I" 1t came about this way, ma'am, said
the boy. My home in Old England
used to be down in Surrey But my
father died a while ago and left me all
alone in the world, except for some re-
latives away off in America. There
wasn't any money or work for me around
home, so up 1 walked to London. l found
work enough there, to be sure, and it
seemed as it boys were of some use to
somebody. Several places l tried and
did what was to be done in them well
enough, but the pay was next to nothing
| couldn't earn my shoe leather, much
less my board. So was almost ready
to give up and jump into the Thames.
Then got the idea of going over to my
American relatives. | spent my last
ha' penny in getting to Liverpool There
could think of nothing better than to
SLOW myself away on this ship. 1 was
nearly starved when they pulled me out
of my hiding place and set me to work
Oh that horrible work it almost killed
me. When think of it, l can never
thank you enough, ma am, for your good
ness.
" What is your name, my boy ?" asked
Mrs. Morton.
Albert Morton, answered the lad.
els it possible?' exclaimed Mrs. Nor
ton. Stella, this young stowaway is
your cousin. So we are going to take
him home with US after all"
Chrl8t5an Lntelhgencer.