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diff --git a/21611-h/21611-h.htm b/21611-h/21611-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ef690c7 --- /dev/null +++ b/21611-h/21611-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,3312 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Runaway; Or, The Adventures Of Rodney Roverton, by William Heath + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + body {margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; } + p { margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; } + p.copy { text-align: center; /* copyright page */ + margin-bottom: 10em; } + p.fm10 { text-align: center; /* front matter */ + font-size: 10pt; + font-weight: bold; } + p.fm14 { text-align: center; /* front matter */ + font-size: 14pt; + font-weight: bold; + margin-top: 3em; } + p.fm18 { text-align: center; /* front matter */ + font-size: 18pt; + font-weight: bold; + margin-bottom: 3em; + margin-top: 2em; } + p.cite { /* author citation at end of blockquote or poem */ + text-indent: 48%; + margin-bottom: 3em; } + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; } + hr { width: 65%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; } + hr.dl { width: 65%; /* below definition list */ + margin-top: 0em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; } + hr.fm { width: 10%; /* front matter */ + margin-top: 0em; + margin-bottom: 0em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; } + hr.fm2 { width: 15%; /* front matter */ + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; } + table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; } + + .toc {text-decoration:none; /* table of contents */ + color:black; + width: 65%; } + dl { margin:5% auto 10%; font-size:110%; } + dt { margin:3% 0%; text-align:center; font-size: 14pt; + font-weight: bold; } + dd { margin-bottom: 1.7em; } + dd .ralign { position: absolute; right:30%; } + .ph {position: absolute; /* toc page header */ + right: 30%; + top: auto; + font-variant:normal; } + .ralign { position: absolute; + right: 0; + top: auto; + font-variant:normal; } + + .pagenum { position: absolute; right: 2%; /* page numbers */ + visibility:hidden; + font-size: 75%; + text-align: right; + text-indent: 0em; + font-style: normal; + font-weight: normal; + font-variant: normal;} + .pagenum a {text-decoration: none; color: silver; background-color: inherit; } + + .blockquot{margin-left: 31%; margin-right: 10%; } + + .bbox {border: solid black 2px; + padding: 10px; } + .bbox2 {border: solid black 1px; + padding: 18px; } + + .center {text-align: center; } + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps; } + a {text-decoration: none; } + + .figcenter {margin: auto; text-align: center; } + .figleft {float: left; clear: left; margin-left: 0; margin-bottom: .5em; margin-top: + 0em; margin-right: .5em; padding: 0; text-align: center;} + + .footnotes {border: dashed 1px; } + .footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em; } + .footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right; } + .fnanchor {vertical-align: super; font-size: .8em; text-decoration: none;} + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Runaway, by Unknown + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Runaway + The Adventures of Rodney Roverton + +Author: Unknown + +Release Date: May 25, 2007 [EBook #21611] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE RUNAWAY *** + + + + +Produced by David Edwards, Suzan Flanagan and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The University of Florida, The Internet +Archive/Children's Library) + + + + + + +</pre> + +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1" href="#Page_1">[Pg 1]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 362px;"> +<img src="images/img002.jpg" width="362" height="500" alt="pp. 29" title="pp. 29" /> +<span><a href='#Page_29'>pp. 29</a></span> +</div> + +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2" href="#Page_2">[Pg 2]</a></span></p> + +<h1 style="margin-bottom: 1.4em;">THE RUNAWAY;</h1> + +<p class="fm10">OR, THE</p> + +<p class="fm18">ADVENTURES OF RODNEY ROVERTON.</p> + +<p class="blockquot"> +"He cast his bundle on his back, and went,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.3em;">He knew not whither, nor for what intent;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.3em;">So stole our vagrant from his warm retreat,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.3em;">To rove a prowler, and be deemed a cheat."</span><br /> +</p> + +<p class="cite"><span class="smcap">Crabbe.</span></p> + +<hr class="fm" /> +<p class="fm10">APPROVED BY THE COMMITTEE OF PUBLICATION.</p> +<hr class="fm" /> + +<p class="fm14">BOSTON:<br /> +NEW ENGLAND SABBATH SCHOOL UNION.<br /> +W. HEATH, 79 <span class="smcap">Cornhill</span>.</p> + + +<hr /> + +<p class="center"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3" href="#Page_3">[Pg 3]</a></span> +Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1852, by</p> + +<p class="center"> +<span class="smcap">William Heath</span>,</p> + +<p class="copy"> +In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts. +</p> + +<p class="center"> +Stereotyped by<br /> +HOBART & ROBBINS,<br /> +Boston.<br /></p> + +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4" href="#Page_4">[Pg 4]</a></span></p> +<h2>INTRODUCTION.</h2> + + +<p>A truthful narrative, not a tale of fiction, +is presented in the following chapters +to our readers. All that the imagination +has contributed to it has been the +names of the actors,—true names having +been withheld, lest, perhaps, friends +might be grieved,—the filling up of the +dialogues, in which, while thoughts and +sentiments have been remembered, the +verbiage that clothed them has been forgotten, +and, in a few instances, the +grouping together of incidents that actually +occurred at wider intervals than here +represented, for the sake of the unity of +the story.</p> + +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5" href="#Page_5">[Pg 5]</a></span></p> +<h2>CONTENTS.</h2> + +<dl class="toc"> +<dt class="ph"> </dt> +<dd class="ph"><span class="smcap">page</span></dd> + +<dt>CHAPTER I.</dt> +<dd><span class="smcap">rodney unhappy in a good home</span><a href="#Page_7" class="ralign">7</a></dd> + +<dt>CHAPTER II.</dt> +<dd><span class="smcap">revolving and resolving</span><a href="#Page_18" class="ralign">18</a></dd> + +<dt>CHAPTER III.</dt> +<dd><span class="smcap">rodney in new york</span><a href="#Page_26" class="ralign">26</a></dd> + +<dt>CHAPTER IV.</dt> +<dd><span class="smcap">rodney finds a patron</span><a href="#Page_33" class="ralign">33</a></dd> + +<dt>CHAPTER V.</dt> +<dd><span class="smcap">rodney in philadelphia</span><a href="#Page_44" class="ralign">44</a></dd> + +<dt>CHAPTER VI.</dt> +<dd><span class="smcap">the punishment begins</span><a href="#Page_53" class="ralign">53</a></dd> + +<dt>CHAPTER VII.</dt> +<dd><span class="smcap">the watch-house</span><a href="#Page_60" class="ralign">60</a></dd> + +<dt>CHAPTER VIII.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6" href="#Page_6">[Pg 6]</a></span></dt> +<dd><span class="smcap">rodney in jail</span><a href="#Page_73" class="ralign">73</a></dd> + +<dt>CHAPTER IX.</dt> +<dd><span class="smcap">the dungeon</span><a href="#Page_88" class="ralign">88</a></dd> + +<dt>CHAPTER X.</dt> +<dd><span class="smcap">the hospital</span><a href="#Page_99" class="ralign">99</a></dd> + +<dt>CHAPTER XI.</dt> +<dd><span class="smcap">the trial</span><a href="#Page_118" class="ralign">118</a></dd> + +<dt>CHAPTER XII.</dt> +<dd style="margin-bottom: 0em;"><span class="smcap">conclusion</span><a href="#Page_128" class="ralign">128</a></dd> +</dl> + +<hr class="dl" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7" href="#Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span></p> +<h2>THE RUNAWAY.</h2> + +<hr class="fm2" /> +<h2>CHAPTER I.</h2> + +<h3>RODNEY UNHAPPY IN A GOOD HOME.</h3> + + +<div class="figleft"style="width: 115px;"><img src="images/capi.jpg" width="115" height="120" alt="I" /></div><p>T was a lovely Sabbath morning +in May, 1828, when two +lads, the elder of whom was +about sixteen years old, and the younger +about fourteen, were wandering along +the banks of a beautiful brook, called +the Buttermilk Creek, in the immediate +vicinity of the city of Albany, N. Y. +Though there is no poetry in the name +of this little stream, there is sweet music<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8" href="#Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span> +made by its rippling waters, as they rush +rapidly along the shallow channel, fretting +at the rocks that obstruct its course, +and racing toward a precipice, down +which it plunges, some thirty or forty +feet, forming a light, feathery cascade; +and then, as if exhausted by the leap, +creeping sluggishly its little distance +toward the broad Hudson. The white +spray, churned out by the friction against +the air, and flung perpetually upwards, +suggested to our sires a name for this +miniature Niagara; and, without any +regard for romance or euphony, they +called it Buttermilk Falls. It was +a charming spot, notwithstanding its +homely name, before the speculative +spirit of progress—stern foe of Nature's +beauties—had pushed the borders of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9" href="#Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span> +city close upon the tiny cataract, hewed +down the pines upon its banks, and +opened quarries among its rocks.</p> + +<p>It was before this change had passed +over the original wilderness, that the lads +whom we have mentioned were strolling, +in holy time, upon the banks of the little +stream, above the falls.</p> + +<p>"Rodney," said the elder of the boys, +"suppose your mother finds out that +you have run away from Sunday-school, +this morning; what will she say to +you?"</p> + +<p>"Why, she will be very likely to punish +me," said Rodney; "but you know +I am used to it; and, though decidedly +unpleasant, it does not grate on my +nerves as it did a year or two ago. Van +Dyke, my teacher, says I am hardened.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10" href="#Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span> +But I would rather have a stroll here, +and a flogging after it, than be shut up +in school and church all day to escape it. +I wish, Will, that mother was like your +grandfather, and would let me do as I +please on Sunday."</p> + +<p>"Now that I am an apprentice," +replied Will Manton, "and shut up in +the shop all the week, it would be rather +hard to prevent my having a little sport +on Sunday. I think it is necessary to +swallow a little fresh air on Sunday, to +blow the sawdust out of my throat; and +to have a game of ball occasionally, to +keep my joints limber, for they get stiff +leaning over the work-bench, shoving the +jack-plane, and chiseling out mortices all +the week."</p> + +<p>"Well, Will, I, too, get very sick of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11" href="#Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span> +work," replied the younger boy. "I +do not think I ever shall like it. When +I am roused up early in the morning, +and go into the shop, and look at the +tools, and think that, all day long, I +must stand and pull leather strands, while +other boys can go free, and take their +sport, and swim, or fish, or hunt, or play, +just as they please, it makes me feel like +running away. Now, here am I, a little +more than fourteen years old; and must +I spend seven years in a dirty shop, +with the prospect of hard work all my +life? It makes my heart sick to think +of it."</p> + +<p>The boys threw themselves upon the +ground, under the shade of a large pine, +and, reclining against its trunk, remained +some minutes without uttering a word.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12" href="#Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span> +At length, William Manton, whose +thoughts had evidently been running in +the channel opened by the last remarks +of Rodney, said,</p> + +<p>"I have often thought of it."</p> + +<p>"Thought of what, Will?"</p> + +<p>"Of running away."</p> + +<p>"Where could you go? What could +you do? How could you live?" were +the quick, eager inquiries of Rodney.</p> + +<p>"Three questions at once is worse +than the catechism," was the laughing +response; "but, though I never learned +the answers out of a book, yet I have +them by heart. I will tell you what I +have thought about the matter. You +know Captain Ryan?—he was in our +shop last week, and was telling how he +came to be a sailor. He said that his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13" href="#Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span> +uncle, with whom he lived when he was +a boy, promised him a beating, one day, +for some mischief he had done; and, as +he had often felt before that his lashes +were not light, he ran off, went on board +a ship as a cabin-boy, learned to handle +sails and ropes, and, after five or six +voyages, was made mate of a ship; and +now he is a captain. I have been thinking +about it ever since. Now, if I could +get a place in a ship, I would go in a +minute. I am sure travelling over the +world must be pleasanter than spending +a life in one place; and pulling a rope is +easier work than pushing a plane."</p> + +<p>Rodney sprang up from his reclining +posture, looked straight in his companion's +face for a moment, and exclaimed, +"That would be glorious! How I should<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14" href="#Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span> +like to go to London, to Canton, to Holland, +where the old folks came from,—to +travel all over the world! But,"—and +he leaned back against the tree again +as he spoke,—"but it is of no use to +think about it; mother would not consent, +and nobody would help me; no +ship would take me. I suppose I must +pull away at the leather all my life." +He spoke bitterly, and leaned his face +upon his hands; and, between his fingers, +the tears were seen slowly trickling. +In truth, he had no taste or inclination +for the trade to which he was +forced. If the bias of his own mind had +been consulted, he might have been contented +in some employment adapted to +his nature.</p> + +<p>"Bah, Rodney, don't be a baby!"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15" href="#Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span> +was the jeering expostulation of Will +Manton, when he saw the tears; "crying +never got a fellow out of a scrape. +I believe it is easy enough done. If we +could only get off to New York, they say +that boys are so much wanted on ships, +that the captains take them without asking +many questions."</p> + +<p>"Do you think so?"</p> + +<p>"Don't you think it is worth a trial?"</p> + +<p>"But I should have to leave my +mother, and grandmother, and sister, +and all."</p> + +<p>"Of course; you would not want to +take them with you, would you?"</p> + +<p>"But I could not tell them I was +going. I should have to steal away +without their knowledge."</p> + +<p>"You could write to them when you +started."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16" href="#Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I might never see them again."</p> + +<p>"You are as likely to live and come +back as Captain Ryan was."</p> + +<p>"But they would feel so much hurt, +if I should run away."</p> + +<p>Will Manton curled his lip into a +sneer, and said, scornfully, "Why, Rodney, +I didn't think you was so much of +a baby. You are a more faint-hearted +chicken than I thought you."</p> + +<p>"Well, Will, the thought of it frightens +me. I have a good mother and a +good grandmother; and, though they +make me learn a trade I hate, yet I do +not think I should dare to run away."</p> + +<p>"Well, you poor mouse-heart, stay at +home, then, and tie yourself to your +mamma's apron-strings!" was the reply. +"Do as you please; but, I tell you,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17" href="#Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span>—and +I trust the secret to you, and hope +you won't <i>blow</i> it,—I have made up +my mind to go to sea."</p> + +<p>"Will you run away?"</p> + +<p>"Indeed I will."</p> + +<p>"When?"</p> + +<p>"Why should I tell you, if you will +not go with me?"</p> + +<p>"Well, I want to be off with you, +but how can I?"</p> + +<p>"Easy enough. But I will see you +to-morrow night, and we will talk it +over. It is time to go home."</p> + +<p>"I must see Dick Vanderpool, and +find out where the text was, so that I +can tell the old folks."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18" href="#Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr /> +<h2>CHAPTER II.</h2> + +<h3>REVOLVING AND RESOLVING.</h3> + + +<div class="figleft"style="width: 115px;"><img src="images/capc.jpg" width="115" height="114" alt="C" /></div><p>ONVERSATIONS similar to +those recorded in the last +chapter, were frequently held +between the two lads, during the next +month. Will Manton's determination +was fixed, and he was making secret +preparations to start upon his wild journey. +Rodney, though equally desirous +to escape the restraints of home, could +not yet make up his mind to risk the +adventure. He regarded his comrade as +a sort of young hero; and he wished he +had the courage to be like him.</p> + +<p>One Monday morning, in June, as he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19" href="#Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span> +was returning from his work, he saw +Will Manton's old grandfather standing +before the door, looking up and down +the street; and he noticed that he +seemed very uneasy, and much distressed. +When he came opposite the +house, on the other side of the street, +the old gentleman called him over, and +asked him, "Rodney, do you know where +Will is?"</p> + +<p>The boy's heart beat wildly, and his +cheek turned pale; for he at once surmised +that his comrade had carried out +his purpose. He stammered out, in +reply,</p> + +<p>"I have not seen him since last Friday +night."</p> + +<p>"It is very strange," said the old +man. "He has not been at home since<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20" href="#Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span> +last Sunday, at dinner-time. What has +become of him?"</p> + +<p>Will Manton was gone!</p> + +<p>To the anxious inquiries that were +made, his friends discovered that he had +left Albany in the evening boat, on +Tuesday, for New York. Though a +messenger was immediately sent after +him, no trace of him could be discovered. +A few months after, they received +a letter from him, written from Liverpool, +where he had gone in a merchant-ship, +as a cabin-boy. His friends were very +much grieved and distressed, but hoped +that he would soon grow weary of a hard +and roving life, and return to his home.</p> + +<p>There was a romantic interest in all +this for young Rodney. In his imagination, +Will Manton was a hero. He was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21" href="#Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span> +scarcely ever out of his thoughts. He +would follow him in fancy, bounding +over the broad sea, with all the sails of +the majestic ship swelling in the favoring +breeze, now touching at some island, +and looking at the strange dresses and +customs of a barbarous people; now +meeting a homeward-bound vessel, and +exchanging joyful greetings; and now +lying to in a calm, and spearing dolphins +and harpooning whales. When +the storm raged, he almost trembled lest +he might be wrecked; but, when it was +over, he fancied the noble ship, having +weathered the storm, stemming safely +the high waves, and careering gracefully +on her course. Or, if he was +wrecked, he imagined that he must be +cast upon some shore where the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22" href="#Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span>hospitable +inhabitants hurried down to the beach +to the relief of the crew, bore them +safely through the breakers, and pressed +upon them the comforts of their homes. +His wild imagination followed him to +other lands, and roved with him along +the streets of European cities, among the +ruins of Grecian temples, over the gardens +of Spain and the vineyards of Italy, +through the pagodas of India, and the +narrow streets of Calcutta and Canton.</p> + +<p>"O," thought he, "how delightful +must be such a life! How pleasant to +be roaming amid scenes that are always +new! And how wretched to be tied to +such a life as I lead, following the same +weary round of miserable drudgery every +day!"</p> + +<p>But it was Rodney's own fancy that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23" href="#Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span> +painted this enjoyment of a sailor-boy's +life. Will Manton did not find it so +pleasant in reality. There was more +menial drudgery to the poor cabin-boy on +ship-board, than he had ever known in the +carpenter's shop. He was sworn at, and +thumped, and kicked, and driven from +one thing to another, by the captain, and +mates, and steward, and crew, all day +long. And many a night, when, weary +and sore, he crept to his hard, narrow +bunk, he lay and cried himself to sleep, +thinking of his kind and pleasant home.</p> + +<p>When Fancy pictures before the restless +mind distant and unknown scenes, +she divests them of all the rough realities +which a nearer view and a tried experience +find in them. The mountain-side +looks smooth and pleasant from a <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24" href="#Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span>distance, +but we find it rugged and wearisome +when we attempt to climb it.</p> + +<p>One idea had now gained almost sole +possession of poor Rodney's mind. He +must go to sea! He thought of it all +day, and dreamed of it at night. He +did not dare to speak about it to his +mother, for he knew that she would +refuse her consent. He must <i>run away</i>! +He formed a hundred different plans, and +was forced to abandon them. Now Will +Manton was gone, there was no one with +whom he could consult. He was afraid +to speak of it, lest it should reach the +ears of his mother. Alone he nursed his +resolution, and formed his plans.</p> + +<p>He was very unhappy, because he +knew that he was purposing wrong. He +could not be contented with his <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25" href="#Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span>employment, +and he knew how it would grieve +the hearts of those who loved him, if he +should persist in his design. Yet, when +he pictured to himself the freedom from +restraint, the pleasure of roaming from +place to place over the world, and the +thousand exciting scenes and adventures +which he should meet by becoming a +sailor, he determined, at all hazards, to +make the attempt.</p> + +<p>Unhappy boy! He was sowing, for +his own reaping, the seeds of a bitter +harvest of wretchedness and remorse.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26" href="#Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr /> +<h2>CHAPTER III.</h2> + +<h3>RODNEY IN NEW YORK.</h3> + + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 115px;"><img src="images/capo.jpg" width="115" height="118" alt="O" /></div><p>N a beautiful Sabbath morning +in July, Rodney stood in +the hall of the old Dutch +house in which successive generations of +the family had been born, and paused to +look the last farewell, he dare not speak, +upon those who loved him, and whom, +notwithstanding his waywardness, he +also loved.</p> + +<p>There sat his pious and venerable +grandmother, with the little round stand +before her, upon which lay the old family +Bible, over which she was intently +bending, reading and commenting to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27" href="#Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span> +herself, as was her custom, in half-audible +tones. He had often stood behind +her, and listened, unobserved, as she +read verse after verse, and paused after +each, to testify of its truth, or piously +apply it to herself and others. And now +he thought that, in all probability, he +would never see her again, and he half +repented his determination. But his +preparations were all made, and he could +not now hesitate, lest his purpose should +be discovered.</p> + +<p>He looked at his mother, as she was +arranging the dress of a younger and +only brother, for the Sabbath-school. +As she leaned over him, and smoothed +down the collar she had just fastened +round his neck, Rodney, with heart and +eye, bade farewell to both.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28" href="#Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span></p> + +<p>He stood and gazed for a moment +upon his only sister, who sat with her +baby in her arms, answering the little +laughing prattler in a language that +sounded like its own, and which certainly +none but the two could understand. +Some might doubt whether they +understood it themselves; but they both +seemed highly interested and delighted +by the conversation.</p> + +<p>That dear sister, amiable and loving, +is long since dead. She greeted death +with a cheerful welcome, for the messenger +released her from a life of domestic +unhappiness, and introduced her into +that blessed heaven "where the wicked +cease from troubling, and the weary are +at rest."</p> + +<p>And that prattling infant has become,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29" href="#Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span> +in his turn, a runaway sailor-boy, flying +from an unhappy home to a more wretched +destiny, of whose wanderings or existence +nothing has been heard for many +years.</p> + +<p>It was one hasty, intense glance +which Rodney cast over these groups, +and each beloved figure, as it then appeared, +was fixed in his memory forever. +He has never forgotten—<i>he never can +forget</i>—that moment, or the emotions +that thrilled his heart as he turned away +from them.</p> + +<p>He had hidden a little trunk, containing +his clothing, in the stable, and thither +he hastened; and, throwing his trunk +upon his shoulder, he stole out of the +back gate, and took his course through +bye streets to the dock, where he went<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30" href="#Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span> +on board a steamboat, and in half an +hour was sailing down the Hudson +towards New York.</p> + +<p>He had no money with which to pay +his passage. He had left home without +a single sixpence. When the captain +came to collect the passengers' fare, he +told him a wicked, premeditated lie. +He said that, in taking his handkerchief +from his pocket, he had accidentally +drawn out his pocket-book with it, and +that it had fallen overboard. Thus one +sin prepares the way to the commission +of another.</p> + +<p>He offered to leave his trunk in +pledge for the payment of the passage; +and the captain, after finding it full of +clothing, ordered it to be locked up +until the money was paid. Rodney <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31" href="#Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span>expected +to be able to get a situation in +some ship immediately, and to receive a +part of his wages in advance, with which +he could redeem his clothing.</p> + +<p>He slept on board the steamboat, and +on Monday morning started in search +of a ship that would take him. He +wandered along the wharves, and at first +was afraid to speak to any one, lest he +should be questioned and sent home. +At last he made up his mind to ask a +sailor, whom he saw sauntering on the +dock, if he knew where he could get a +place on board a ship.</p> + +<p>The sailor looked at him a moment, +turned his huge tobacco quid over in his +mouth, hitched up his trowsers, and +said:</p> + +<p>"Why, you young runaway, do you +want to go to sea? What can such a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32" href="#Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span> +chap as you do on a ship? Go home, +and stick by your mammy for five years +more, and then you'll have no trouble +in shipping."</p> + +<p>Rodney was a good deal frightened at +such a reply, and walked on for some +time, not venturing to ask again. Toward +noon he went on board a large +vessel, and seeing a man, whom he took +for the captain of the ship, asked him if +he could give him a place.</p> + +<p>"No, my boy," he replied; "we +don't sail for three weeks, and we never +ship a crew before the time."</p> + +<p>All day he wandered about the +wharves, and to all his questions received +repelling replies, mingled oftentimes +with oaths, jeers, and insults. No +one seemed to feel the least interest for +him.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33" href="#Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr /> +<h2>CHAPTER IV.</h2> + +<h3>RODNEY FINDS A PATRON.</h3> + + +<div class="figleft"style="width: 115px;"><img src="images/capl.jpg" width="115" height="119" alt="L" /></div><p>ATE in the afternoon Rodney +strolled up the East River +wharves. He was hungry, +for he had eaten nothing all day. He +was very sad, and sat down on a cotton +bale, and cried. In what a position had +a single day placed him! He had no +place where he could lay his head for +the night, no bread to eat, and he knew +nobody whom he dared to ask for a +meal; and so, with a sorrowful heart, +he sat down and wept.</p> + +<p>He buried his face in his hands, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34" href="#Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span> +for a long time sat there motionless. +He did not know that a man was standing +before him, watching him, until he +was startled by a voice:</p> + +<p>"Why, my boy, what is the matter +with you?"</p> + +<p>He looked up, and saw a tall man in a +sailor's dress standing near him.</p> + +<p>"I want to get a place on a ship, sir, +to go to sea," replied Rodney; "I can't +find any place, and I have no money and +no friends here."</p> + +<p>The man sat down beside him, and +asked him, "Where are your friends?"</p> + +<p>"In Albany, sir."</p> + +<p>"What did you leave them for?"</p> + +<p>"Because I wanted to go to sea."</p> + +<p>They talked some time together, and +Rodney told him truly all about himself<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35" href="#Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span> +and his friends. The man seemed to +pity him, and told him that he was a +sailor, and had lately been discharged +from a United States vessel, where he +had served as a marine,—that he had +spent almost all his money, and was +looking for another ship. He told Rodney +to go with him, and he would try +what could be done for him. They went +into a sailors' boarding-house, and got +something to eat.</p> + +<p>Then the man,—who said his name +was Bill Seegor, and that he must call him +Bill, and not Mister, nor sir,—took him +with himself into a ball-room. Here he +saw a great many sailors and bad women, +who danced together, and laughed, and +shouted, and cursed, and drank, until +long past midnight. Rodney had never<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36" href="#Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span> +witnessed <i>such</i> a scene. He had never +heard such filthy and blasphemous language, +nor seen such indecent behavior.</p> + +<p>"Come, my lad," said a bluff sailor +to him; "if you mean to be a man, +you must learn to toss off your glass. +Your white face don't look as if you ever +tasted anything stronger than tea. Here +is a glass of grog,—down with it!"</p> + +<p>And Rodney, who wanted to be a +man, drank it with a swaggering air, +though it scorched his throat; and then +another, until he became very sick;—and +the last he remembered was, that +the sailors and the women all seemed to +be swearing and fighting together.</p> + +<p>The next morning he was awaked by +Bill Seegor, and found himself in a garret, +on a miserable bed, with all his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37" href="#Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span> +clothes on. How he had ever got there +he could not tell. His head ached, and +his limbs were stiff and pained him when +he moved. His throat was parched and +burning, and he felt so wretchedly, that, +if he had dared, he would have begged +permission to stay there on the bed. +But Bill told him that it was time to +start and look up a ship, for he had only +money enough to last another day. After +breakfast they started, and inquired +at every place which Bill knew, but +without success; no men or boys were +wanted.</p> + +<p>In the afternoon, Rodney was terribly +frightened at seeing his brother-in-law +walking along the wharves. He knew +in a moment that he had come to New +York to search for him; and he darted<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38" href="#Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span> +round a corner into an alley, and hid +himself behind some barrels, till he had +passed by. He afterwards learned that +his brother-in-law had been looking for +him all day, and that he had found and +taken his trunk, and had been several +times at places which he had just left. +O! if he had then abandoned his foolish +and wicked course, and gone home with +his brother, how much misery he would +have escaped! But he contrived to +keep out of his way.</p> + +<p>That evening Bill said to him, as they +were eating their supper in a cellar—</p> + +<p>"Rodney, to-morrow morning we +must start for Philadelphia."</p> + +<p>"But how shall we get there?"</p> + +<p>"We shall have to tramp it."</p> + +<p>"How far is it?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39" href="#Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span></p> + +<p>"About a hundred miles."</p> + +<p>"How long will it take?"</p> + +<p>"Four or five days."</p> + +<p>"But how shall we get anything to +eat, or any place to sleep on the road?"</p> + +<p>"Tell a good story to the farmers, +and sleep on the hay-mows."</p> + +<p>Rodney began to find out that "<i>the +way of the transgressor is hard</i>."</p> + +<p>That night they went to the theatre. +Bill had given Rodney a dirk, which he +carried in his bosom. They went up +into the third tier of boxes, which was +filled with the most wicked and debased +men and women. While the rest were +laughing, and talking, and cursing, Rodney +sat down on the front seat to see the +play; but they made so much confusion +behind him that he could not hear, so he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40" href="#Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span> +turned round, and said, rather angrily: +"I wish you wouldn't make so much +noise."</p> + +<p>"Who are you talking to?" shouted +a rough, bully-looking man behind him, +with a terrible oath; "I'll pitch you +into the pit, if you open your head +again."</p> + +<p>He rushed towards him, but, quick as +thought, Rodney snatched the dirk from +his breast, drew his arm back over his +head, and told the bully to keep off. +The man stopped, and in an instant the +whole theatre was in confusion. The +play on the stage ceased; and there, in +full view, leaning over the front of the +box, stood the boy, with the weapon in +his hand, gleaming in the eyes of the +whole audience.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41" href="#Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span></p> + +<p>Bill Seegor rushed to him, pulled him +back toward the lobby, and took the +dagger from his hand. The bully then +aimed a tremendous blow at the boy's +face, which fortunately was warded off +by one of the women. Just then a police-officer +came up, and, taking Rodney +by the collar, led him down stairs. +Half a dozen men, who were Bill's +friends, followed; and when they got +into the street, they dashed against the +officer, and broke his hold, when Bill +caught Rodney by the arm and told him +to run. They turned quickly through +several streets, and escaped pursuit.</p> + +<p>Do you think that Rodney was happy +amid such scenes? Ah! no; he was +alarmed at himself. He felt degraded +and guilty; he felt that he was taking<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42" href="#Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span> +sudden and rapid strides in the path of +debasement and vice. He thought of +his home and its sweet influences. He +knew how deep would be the grief of +those who loved him, should they hear +of his course. His conscience condemned +him, and he thought of what he +was becoming with horror. But he +seemed to be drawn on by his wild desires, +and felt scarcely a disposition to +escape the meshes of the net that was +winding around him.</p> + +<p>The sailors praised him, and patted +him on the back; told him that he was +a brave fellow,—that he was beginning +right, and that there was good stuff in +him. And Rodney laughed, tickled by +such praises, and drank what they offered, +and tried to stifle his conscience<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43" href="#Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span> +and harden himself in sin. Yet often, +when he was alone, did he shrink from +himself, and writhe under the lashings +of conscience; and the remembrance of +home, and thoughts of his conduct, rendered +him very wretched.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44" href="#Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr /> +<h2>CHAPTER V.</h2> + +<h3>RODNEY IN PHILADELPHIA.</h3> + + +<div class="figleft"style="width: 115px;"><img src="images/capy.jpg" width="115" height="117" alt="Y" /></div><p>OUNG Rodney was prepared +for an early start on the following +morning; and, in +company with Bill Seegor, he crossed +the ferry to Jersey City just as the sun +rose, and together they commenced their +journey to Philadelphia. They were +soon beyond the pavements of the town, +and in the open country. It was a +lovely morning, and the bright summer +developed its beauties, and dispensed its +fragrance along their path. The birds +sang sweetly, and darted on swift wing<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45" href="#Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span> +around them. The cattle roamed lazily +over the fields, and the busy farmers +were everywhere industriously toiling. +All nature seemed joyously reflecting +the serene smile of a benevolent God.</p> + +<p>Even the wicked hearts of the wanderers +seemed lightened by the influence +of the glorious morning, and cheerily, +with many a jocund song and homely +jest, they pressed on their way. Even +guilt can sometimes forget its baseness, +and enjoy the bounties of the kind Creator, +for which it expresses no thankfulness +and feels no gratitude.</p> + +<p>At noon they stopped at a farmer's +house, and Bill told the honest old man +that they belonged to a ship which had +sailed round to Philadelphia; that it +had left New York unexpectedly, with<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46" href="#Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span>out +their knowledge, and taken their +chests and clothes which had been +placed on board; and that, being without +money, they were compelled to walk +across to Philadelphia to meet it.</p> + +<p>The farmer believed the falsehood, +and charitably gave them a good dinner. +They walked on till after sunset, and +then crossed over a field, and climbed up +into a rack filled with hay, where they +slept all night.</p> + +<p>In the morning they started forward +very hungry, for they had eaten nothing, +since the noon before, except a few +green apples. They stopped at the first +farm-house on the road, and, by telling +the same falsehood that had procured +them a meal the day before, excited the +pity of the farmer and obtained a good +breakfast.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47" href="#Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span></p> + +<p>Thus did they go on, lying and begging +their way along.</p> + +<p>On the third day there were heavy +showers, accompanied by fierce lightnings +and crashing thunders. They +were as thoroughly soaked as if they +had been thrown into the river, and at +night had to sleep on a haystack, in the +open field, in their wet clothes. Rodney's +feet, too, had become very sore, +and he walked in great and constant +pain.</p> + +<p>In the afternoon of the fourth day +they stopped on the banks of the Delaware, +five or six miles from Philadelphia, +to wash their clothes, which had +become filthy in travelling through the +dust and mud. As they had no clothing +but what they wore, there was nothing<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48" href="#Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span> +else to be done but to strip, wash out +their soiled garments, and lay them out +on the bank to dry, while they swam +about the river, or waited on the shore, +with what patience they could summon.</p> + +<p>A little after sunset they reached the +suburbs of the great city; and now the +sore feet and wearied limbs of the boy +could scarcely sustain him over the hard +pavements. Yet Bill urged him onward +with many an impatient oath, on +past the ship-yards of Kensington,—on, +past the factories, and markets, and +farmers' taverns, and shops of the Northern +Liberties,—on, through the crowded +thoroughfares, and by the brilliant stores +of the city,—on, into the most degraded +section of Southwark, in Plumb-street, +where Bill said a friend of his lived.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49" href="#Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span> +This friend was an abandoned woman, +who lived in a miserable frame cabin, +crowded with wicked and degraded +wretches, who seemed the well-known +and fitting companions of Rodney's patron. +The woman for whom he inquired +was at a dance in the neighborhood, and +there Bill took the boy in search of her.</p> + +<p>They went up a dark alley, and were +admitted into a large room filled with +men and women, black and white, the +dregs and outcasts of society.</p> + +<p>A few dripping candles, placed in tin +sconces along the bare walls, threw a +dim and sickly glare over the motley +throng. A couple of negro men, sitting +on barrels at the head of the room, were +drawing discordant notes from a pair of +cracked, patched, and greasy fiddles.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50" href="#Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span> +And there were men, whose red and +bloated faces gave faithful witness of +their habitual intemperance; and men, +whose threadbare and ragged garments +betokened sloth and poverty; and men, +whose vulgar and ostentatious display of +showy clothing, and gaudy chains, and +rings and breast-pins, which they did +not know how to wear, indicated dishonest +pursuits; and men, whose blue +jackets and bluff, brown faces showed +them to be sailors; and men, whose +scowling brows and fiendlike countenances +marked them as villains of the +blackest and lowest type. And there +were women, too, some old—at least, +they looked so—and haggard; some +young, but with wretched-looking faces, +and dressed in tawdry garments, yet<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51" href="#Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span> +generally faded, some torn and some +patched, and all seeming to be brought +from the pawnbroker's dusty shop for +the occasion.</p> + +<p>In a little filthy side-room was a bar +covered with bottles and glasses, behind +which stood a large, red-faced man, with +a big nose, and little ferret, fiery eyes, +now grinning like a satyr, now scowling +like a demon, dealing out burning liquors +to his miserable customers.</p> + +<p>A man fell beastly drunk from a bench +upon the floor. "Take him up stairs," +said the man at the bar. Rodney followed +the two men who carried him up, +and looked into the sleeping apartment. +The floor was covered with dirty straw, +where lodgers were accommodated for +three cents a night. Here the poor<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52" href="#Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span> +wretches were huddled together every +night, to get what sleep they could in +the only home they had on earth.</p> + +<p>Thus does vice humble, and degrade, +and scourge those who are taken in its +toils. From the threshold of the house +of guilty pleasure there may issue the +song and laugh of boisterous mirth; but +those who enter within shall find disgrace +and infamy, woe and death.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53" href="#Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr /> +<h2>CHAPTER VI.</h2> + +<h3>THE PUNISHMENT BEGINS.</h3> + + +<div class="figleft"style="width: 115px;"><img src="images/capb.jpg" width="115" height="112" alt="B" /></div><p>ILL Seegor found the +woman he sought, and soon +they returned to her house. +Here the bottle was brought out and +passed round; and, after much blasphemous +and ribaldrous conversation, a +straw bed was made up on the floor, +and Rodney laid down. Before he went +to sleep, he heard Bill tell the woman +that he was entirely out of money, and +beg her to lend him five dollars for a +few days. After some hesitation she +consented, and drew out from under the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54" href="#Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span> +bed an old trunk, which she unlocked, +and from which she took five dollars in +silver and gave it to him. Bill, looking +over her shoulder, saw that she took it +from a little pile of silver that lay in the +corner of the trunk.</p> + +<p>For a long time Rodney could not +sleep. The scenes of the last eventful +week were vividly recalled to his mind, +and, in spite of his fatigue, kept him +awake. He tried to make himself believe +that it was a glorious life he had +begun to lead,—that now he was free +from restraint, and entering upon the +flowery paths of independence and enjoyment. +Though he had met with some +difficulties at the start, he thought that +they were now nearly passed, and that +soon he should be upon the blue water,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55" href="#Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span> +and in foreign countries, a happy sailor +boy.</p> + +<p>But conscience would interpose its +reproaches and warnings, and remind +him of the horrible company into which +he had been cast,—of the scenes of sin +which he had witnessed, and in which +he had participated; and he could not +but shudder when he thought of the +probable termination of such a life.</p> + +<p>But he felt that, having forsaken his +home,—and he was not even yet sorry +that he had done so,—he was now in +the current, and that there was no way +of reaching the shore, even had he been +disposed to try; and that he must continue +to float along the stream, leaving +his destination to be determined by circumstances.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56" href="#Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span></p> + +<p>It is very easy to find the paths of +sin. It is easy, and, for a season, may +seem pleasant, to travel in them. The +entrance is inviting, the way is broad, +companions are numerous and gay. But +when the disappointed and alarmed traveller, +terrified at the thought of its termination, +seeks to escape, and hunts for +the narrow path of virtue, he finds obstacles +and entanglements which he cannot +climb over nor break. It requires +an Omnipotent arm to help him then.</p> + +<p>Rodney fell asleep.</p> + +<p>How long he had slept he knew not; +but he was awakened by a violent shaking +and by terrible oaths. The side-door +leading into the yard was open, and +three or four wretched-looking women +were scolding and swearing angrily about<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57" href="#Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span> +him. He was confused, bewildered, but +soon perceived that something unusual +had happened; and he became very +much frightened as he at last learned the +truth from the excited women.</p> + +<p>Bill Seegor was gone. He had got +up quietly when all were asleep, and, +drawing the woman's trunk from under +her bed, had carried it out into the yard, +pried open the lock, stolen the money, +and escaped.</p> + +<p>The woman was in a terrible passion, +and her raving curses were fearful to +hear. Rodney pitied her, though she +cursed him. He was indignant at his +companion's rascality, and offered to go +with her and try to find him. It was +two o'clock in the morning. He looked +round for his hat, collar, and <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58" href="#Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span>handkerchief; +but they were gone. The thief +had taken them with him. Taking Bill's +old hat, he went out with the woman, +and looked into the oyster-cellars and +grog-shops, some of which they found +still open; but they could find no trace +of Bill Seegor.</p> + +<p>The woman met a watchman, and +made inquiries, and told him of the robbery.</p> + +<p>"And this boy came with the man +last night, did he?" inquired the watchman.</p> + +<p>"He did," said the woman.</p> + +<p>"Do you know the boy?"</p> + +<p>"I never saw him before."</p> + +<p>"Well, I guess he knows where he +is, or where he can be found to-morrow."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59" href="#Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span></p> + +<p>Rodney protested that he knew nothing +about him, that his own hat, collar, +and handkerchief had been stolen, and +that he had had nothing to do with the +robbery. He even told him where he +had met with Bill, and how he came to +be in his company.</p> + +<p>"All very fine, my lad," said the +watchman; "but you must go with me. +This must be examined into to-morrow."</p> + +<p>And he took Rodney by the arm, and +led him to the watch-house.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60" href="#Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr /> +<h2>CHAPTER VII.</h2> + +<h3>THE WATCH-HOUSE.</h3> + + +<div class="figleft"style="width: 115px;"><img src="images/capf.jpg" width="115" height="115" alt="F" /></div><p>OR poor Rodney there was no +more sleep that night, even +had they placed him on a +bed of roses. But they locked him up +in a little square room, with an iron-barred +window, into which a dim light +struggled from a lamp hung outside in +the entry, showing a wooden bench, fastened +against the wall. There were four +men in the room.</p> + +<p>One, whose clothes looked fine and +fashionable, but all covered with dirt, +lay on the floor. A hat, that seemed +new, but crushed out of all shape, was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61" href="#Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span> +under his head for a pillow. His face +was bruised and bloody. He was entirely +stupefied, and Rodney saw at a +glance that he was intoxicated.</p> + +<p>On the bench, stretched out at full +length, was a short, stout negro, fast +asleep. On another part of the bench +lay a white man, who seemed about fifty +years old, with a sneering, malicious +face, and wrapped up in a shaggy black +coat. The remaining occupant of the +cell sat in one corner, with his head down +on his knees, and his hat slouched over +his face.</p> + +<p>Rodney stood for a few moments in +the middle of the cell, and, in sickening +dismay, looked round him. Here he was +with felons and rioters, locked up in a +dungeon! True, he had committed no<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62" href="#Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span> +crime against the law; but yet he felt +that he deserved it all; and the hot tears +rolled from his eyes as he thought of his +mother and his home.</p> + +<p>Hearing his sobs, the man in the corner +raised his head, looked at him for a +moment, and said:</p> + +<p>"Why, you blubbering boy, what have +you been about? Are you the pal of +these cracksmen, or have you been on a +lay on your own hook?"</p> + +<p>Rodney did not know what he meant, +and he said so.</p> + +<p>"I mean," said the man, in the same +low, thieves' jargon, "have you been +helping these fellows crack a crib?"</p> + +<p>"Doing what?" said Rodney.</p> + +<p>"Breaking into a house, you dumb-head."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64" href="#Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63" href="#Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<img src="images/img066.jpg" width="400" height="337" alt="courtroom scene" title="courtroom scene" /> +</div> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65" href="#Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span></p> + +<p>The boy shuddered at the thought of +being taken for an accomplice of house-breakers; +and told him he knew nothing +about them. He had read that boys are +sometimes employed by house-breakers +to climb in through windows or broken +pannels, to open the door on the inside; +and now he was thought to be such a one +himself.</p> + +<p>It was a dismal night for him.</p> + +<p>Early in the morning the prisoners +were all taken before a magistrate.</p> + +<p>The drunkard, who claimed to be a +gentleman, and who had been taken to +the watch-house for assaulting the barkeeper +of a tavern, was fined five dollars, +and dismissed.</p> + +<p>The negro and the old white man had +been caught in the attempt to break into<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66" href="#Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span> +a house, and were sent to prison, to +await their trial for burglary; and the +other white man was also sent to prison, +until he could be tried, for stealing a +pocket-book in an auction store.</p> + +<p>Rodney was then called forward. The +watchman told how and why he had taken +him; and the boy was asked to give an +account of himself. He told his story +truthfully and tearfully, while the magistrate +looked coldly at him.</p> + +<p>"A very good story," said the magistrate; +"it seems to be well studied. I +suspect you are an artful fellow, notwithstanding +your innocent face. I shall +bind you over for trial, my lad. I think +such boys as you should be stopped in +time; and a few years in some penitentiary +would do you good."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67" href="#Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span></p> + +<p>What could Rodney say? What could +he do? He was among strangers. He +could send for no one to testify of his +good character, or to become bail for +him. And, if his friends had been near, +he felt that he had rather die than that +they should know of his disgrace.</p> + +<p>The magistrate gave an officer a paper—a +commitment—and told him to take +the boy to the Arch-street jail. The +constable took him by the arm, and led +him out.</p> + +<p>As they walked along the street, Rodney +looked around him to see if there +was no way of escape. If he could only +get a chance to run! As they came to +the corner of a little alley, he asked the +constable to let him tie his shoe, the +string of which was loose. The man<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68" href="#Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span> +nodded, and Rodney placed his foot upon +a door-step, sheering round beyond +the reach of the officer's hand, and towards +the alley. Rodney, as he rose, +made one spring, and in a moment was +gone down the alley. The officer rushed +after him, and shouted, "Stop thief! +stop thief!"</p> + +<p>"O, that I should ever be chased for +a thief!" groaned Rodney, clenching +his teeth together, and running at his +best speed.</p> + +<p>That terrible cry, "<i>Stop thief!</i>" rung +after him, and soon seemed to be echoed +by a hundred voices, as the boy dashed +along Ninth street and down Market +street; and, from behind him, and from +doors and windows, and from the opposite +side of the street, and at length<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69" href="#Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span> +from before him, the very welkin rung +with the cries of "Stop thief! stop +thief!" A hundred eyes were strained +to catch a glimpse of the culprit; but +Rodney dashed on, the crowd never +thinking that <i>he</i> was the hunted fox, but +only one of the hounds in pursuit, eager +to be "in at the death." At the corner +of Fifth and Market-streets, a porter +was standing by his wheelbarrow. +He saw the chase coming down, and +truly scented the victim; and, as Rodney +neared the corner, he suddenly +pushed out his barrow across the pavement. +Rodney could not avoid it; he +stumbled, fell across it, and was captured.</p> + +<p>"You young scoundrel! is this one +of your tricks?" said the constable, as<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70" href="#Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span> +he came up; "I'll teach you one of +mine;" and he struck him a blow on +the side of the head, that knocked the +poor boy senseless on the pavement.</p> + +<p>Those who stood by cried, "Shame! +shame!" and the officer glared furiously +around him; but, seeing that the numbers +were against him, he raised the boy +from the ground. Rodney soon recovered; +and the constable, grasping him +firmly by the wrist of his coat, and, +drawing his arm tightly under his own, +led him, followed by a crowd of hooting +boys, up Fifth, and through Arch-street, +toward the old jail.</p> + +<p>What a walk was that to poor Rodney! +The officer, stern and angry, +held him with so firm a grip as to convince +him of the uselessness of a second +attempt.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71" href="#Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span></p> + +<p>Fatigued, and nearly fainting as he +was from the race and the blow, he was +compelled almost to run, to keep up with +the long strides of the constable. A +crowd of boys pressed around, to get a +glimpse of his face.</p> + +<p>"What has he done?" one would +ask of another.</p> + +<p>"Broke open a trunk, and stole +money," would be the reply.</p> + +<p>Rodney pulled Bill Seegor's old hat +over his face, and hung his head, in bitter +anguish of soul, as he heard himself +denounced as a thief at every step; and +as he heard doors dashed open, and +windows thrown up, similar questions +and replies smote his heart. He knew +that he was innocent of such a crime; +his soul scorned it; he felt that he was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72" href="#Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span> +incapable of theft; but he felt that he +had been too guilty, too disobedient and +too ungrateful, to dare to hold up his +head, or utter a word in his own defence. +It seemed as though that long +and terrible walk with the constable +would never end, and he felt relieved +when he reached the heavy door of the +jail, amid two files of staring boys, who +had ran before him, and arranged themselves +by the gate, to watch him as he +entered. He was rudely thrust in, the +bolt shot back upon the closed door, and +he was delivered over to the keeping of +the jailer, with the assurance of the +policeman, that "he was a sharp miscreant, +and needed to be watched."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73" href="#Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr /> +<h2>CHAPTER VIII.</h2> + +<h3>RODNEY IN JAIL.</h3> + + +<div class="figleft"style="width: 115px;"><img src="images/caps.jpg" width="115" height="117" alt="S" /></div><p>UCH are the rewards which +sin gives to its votaries; full +of soft words and tempting +promises in the beginning, they find, in +the end, that "it biteth like a serpent, +and stingeth like an adder." Thoughts +like these passed through Rodney's +mind, as the jailer led him to a room in +which were confined three other lads, +all older than himself. At that time, +the system of solitary confinement had +not been adopted in Pennsylvania, and +prisoners were allowed to associate <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74" href="#Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span>together; +but it was deemed best to keep +the boys from associating with older and +more hardened culprits, whose conversation +might still more corrupt them, +and they were therefore confined together, +apart from the mass of the +criminals.</p> + +<p>At first Rodney suffered the most +intense anguish. A sense of shame and +degradation overwhelmed him. He staggered +to a corner of the room, threw +himself on the floor, and, for a long +time, sobbed and wept as though his +very heart would break. For a while +the boys seemed to respect his grief, +and left him in silence. At last one of +them went to him, and said,</p> + +<p>"Come, there's no use in this; we +are all here together, and we may as +well make the best of it!"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75" href="#Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span></p> + +<p>Rodney sat up, and looked at them, +as they gathered around him.</p> + +<p>They were ragged in dress, and pale +from their confinement, and Rodney involuntarily +shrank from the idea of associating +with them, regarding them as +criminals in jail. But he soon remembered +his own position,—that he was +now one of them,—and he thought he +would take their advice, and "make the +best of it."</p> + +<p>"Well, what did they squeeze you +into this jug for, my covey?" asked the +eldest boy.</p> + +<p>Rodney told them his story, and protested +that he was innocent of any +crime.</p> + +<p>The boy put his thumb to the end of +his nose, and twirled his fingers, saying,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76" href="#Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span> +"You can't gammon us, my buck; +come, out with it, for we never <i>peach</i> on +one another."</p> + +<p>Rodney was very angry at this mode +of treating his story. But, in spite of +himself, he gradually became familiar +with the companions thus forced upon +him, and, in a day or two, began to +engage with them in their various sports, +to while away the weary hours. Sometimes +they sat and told stories, to amuse +one another; and thus Rodney heard +tales of wickedness and depredation and +cunning, that almost led him to doubt +whether there was any honesty among +men. They talked of celebrated thieves +and robbers, burglars and pirates, as if +they were the models by which they +meant to mould their own lives; and,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77" href="#Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span> +instead of detesting their crimes, Rodney +began to admire the skill and success +with which they were perpetrated. +The excitement and freedom, and wild, +frenzied enjoyment of such a life, as +depicted by the young knaves, began to +fascinate and charm his mind. Something +seemed to whisper in his ear, "As +you are now disgraced, without any fault +of your own, why not carry it out, and +make the most of it? They have put +you into jail, this time, for nothing; if +they ever do it again, let them have +some reason for it." Who knows what +might have been the result of such +temptations and influences, had these +associations been long continued, and +not counteracted by the interposition of +God?<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78" href="#Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span></p> + +<p>But then the instructions of childhood, +the lessons of home and of the +Sabbath-school, were brought back to +his memory, and he said to himself, +"What, be a thief! Make myself despised +and hated by all good people! +Live a life of wickedness and dread,—perhaps +die in the penitentiary, and +then, in all probability, lose my soul, +and be cast into hell! No, never! I +shall never dare to steal, or to break +into houses; and as for killing anybody +for money, I shudder even at the +thought!"</p> + +<p>So did the bad and the good struggle +together in the heart of the poor boy. +How many there are who, at the first, +feel and think about crime as he did, +but who, in the end, become familiar<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79" href="#Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span> +with vice, lose their sense of fear and +shame and guilt, become bold and reckless +in sin, having their consciences +seared as with a hot iron, and violating +all laws, human and divine, without +compunction, and without a thought +save that of impunity and success!</p> + +<p>All the elements of a life of crime +were in the heart of this wayward boy; +and had it not been for the instructions +of his childhood, which counteracted +these evil influences, and the providence +and grace of God, which restrained him, +he would have become a miserable outcast +from society, leading a wretched +life of shame and guilt.</p> + +<p>"I wish we had a pack of cards +here," said one of the boys, one weary +afternoon.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80" href="#Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Can't we make a pack?" inquired +another.</p> + +<p>And then the lads set their wits to +work, and soon manufactured a substitute +for a pack of cards. They had a +couple of old newspapers, which they +folded and cut into small, regular pieces, +and marked each piece with the spots +that are found on playing cards, making +rude shapes of faces, and writing +"<i>Jack</i>," "<i>King</i>," "<i>Knave</i>," &c., under +them. With these, they used to spend +hours shuffling and dealing and playing, +until Rodney understood the pernicious +game as well as the rest.</p> + +<p>"Joe," said Rodney, one day, to the +oldest boy, "what did they put you in +here for?"</p> + +<p>"Well," said he, "I'll tell you.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81" href="#Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span> +Sam and I run with the Moyamensing +Hose Company. Many a jolly time we +have had of it, running to fires, and +many a good drink of liquor we have +had, too; for when the people about the +fires treated the firemen, we boys used +to come in for our share of the treat. +There was a standing quarrel between +us and the 'Franklin' boys, and we +used to have a fight whenever we could +get at them. I heard one of the men +say, one day, that if there was only a +fire down Twelfth or Thirteenth-street, +and the 'Franklin' should come up in +that direction, we could get them foul, +and give them a good drubbing. Well, +there <i>was</i> a fire down Twelfth-street the +next night! I don't mean to say who +kindled it; but a watchman saw Sam<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82" href="#Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span> +and me about the stable, and then running +away from it as fast as we could. +The fellow marked us, and as we were +going back to the fire with the machine, +he nabbed us, and walked us off to the +watch-house, and the next day we were +stuck into this hole."</p> + +<p>"But <i>did</i> you set fire to the stable?"</p> + +<p>"What would you give to know? I +make no confessions; and if you ever +tell out of doors what I have said here, +I'll knock your teeth down your throat, +if I ever catch you."</p> + +<p>These two boys had actually been +guilty of the dreadful crime of setting +fire to a stable. It was used by two or +three poor men for their horses and +carts, which was the only means they +had of making an honest living; and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83" href="#Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span> +yet these wicked boys had tried to burn +it down, just for the fun of going to a +fire, and getting up a fight! There are +other boys, in large cities, who will commit +similar acts; but such young villains +are ripe for almost any crime, and must, +in all human probability, come to some +dreadful end.</p> + +<p>"Hank," said Rodney to another boy,—his +real name was Henry, but Hank +was his prison name,—"tell us now +what you have done."</p> + +<p>"I'll tell you nothing about it."</p> + +<p>"What is your last name, Hank?" +inquired Sam, after a few moments' +pause.</p> + +<p>"Johnson," said Hank.</p> + +<p>"Ah! I know now what you did. I +read it in the paper, just before I came<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84" href="#Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span> +in, and, somehow, I thought you was +one of the larks as soon as I clapped +eyes on you.</p> + +<p>"You see, Hank and some of his gang, +watching about, saw a house in Arch-street, +and noticed that it was empty. +The family, I suppose, had all gone to the +country, and it was shut up. So, one +Sunday afternoon, four of them climbed +over the back gate into the yard, pried +open a window-shutter, got in, and +helped themselves to whatever they +could lay their hands on. After dark +they sneaked out at the back gate with +their plunder. One of them was caught, +trying to sell some of the things, and he +peached, and they jugged them all. +Isn't that the fact, Hank?"</p> + +<p>"Well, it's no use lying; it was +pretty much so."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85" href="#Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span></p> + +<p>"What became of the other fellows, +Hank?"</p> + +<p>"Why, their fathers or friends bailed +them out, and I have no father, or anybody +who cares for me. But"—and +he swore a fearful oath—"if ever I +catch that white-livered Jim Hulsey, +who was the ringleader in the whole +scheme, and got me into the scrape, and +then blowed me, to save himself, I'll +beat him to a mummy, I will."</p> + +<p>And <i>these</i> were the companions with +whom Rodney was compelled to associate! +Sometimes he shrank from them +with loathing; and sometimes he almost +envied the hardihood with which they +boasted of their crimes. Had he remained +in their company much longer, +who can tell to what an extent he would<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86" href="#Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span> +have been contaminated, and how rapidly +prepared for utter moral degradation and +eternal ruin?</p> + +<p>What afterwards became of them, +Rodney never knew; but they are probably +either dead,—God having said, +"The wicked shall not live out half their +days,"—or else preying upon society +by the commission of more dreadful +crimes, or perhaps spending long years +of life in the penitentiary, confined to +hard labor and prison fare.</p> + +<p>One day, after he had been about two +weeks in jail, Rodney took the basin in +which they had washed, and threw the +water out of the window. The grated +bars prevented his seeing whether there +was any one below. He had often done +so before. It had not been forbidden. +He did not intend to do any wrong.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87" href="#Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span></p> + +<p>But it happened that one of the keepers +was walking under the window, and +the water fell upon his head.</p> + +<p>He came to the door, in a great rage, +and asked who had thrown that water +out. Rodney at once said that he had +done it, but that he did not know that +he had done any harm.</p> + +<p>The man took him roughly by the +arm, and, telling him he must come with +him, led him through a long corridor to +another part of the prison, and thrust +him into a small, dark dungeon.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88" href="#Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr /> +<h2>CHAPTER IX.</h2> + +<h3>THE DUNGEON.</h3> + + +<div class="figleft"style="width: 115px;"><img src="images/capt.jpg" width="115" height="119" alt="T" /></div><p>HE room was very small,—a +mere closet,—lighted only +by a narrow window over the +door, which admitted just light enough +from the corridor to enable Rodney to +see the walls. There was some scribbling +on the walls, but there was not +light enough, even after his eyes became +accustomed to the place, to distinguish +a letter.</p> + +<p>There was neither chair nor bench, +not even a blanket, on which to lie. +The bare walls and floor were unrelieved<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89" href="#Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span> +by a single article of comfort. Here, +for four long days and nights, Rodney +was confined. There was nothing by +which he could relieve the dreadful +wearisome time. He heard no voice +save that of the surly jailer, once a day, +bringing him a rough jug of water and +half a loaf of black bread. He had no +books with which to while away the +long, tedious hours, nor was there light +enough to read, had there been a whole +library in the cell.</p> + +<p>The first emotions of the boy, when +the door was locked upon him, were +those of indignation and anger. "Why," +said he to himself, "am I treated in this +way? They are brutes! I have done +nothing to deserve this barbarity. I am +no felon or thief, that I should be used<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90" href="#Page_90">[Pg 90]</a></span> +in this way. I have broken no rule that +was made known to me, since I have +been in this place. The heartless wretch +of a jailer thrust me into this hole, to +gratify his own spite. He knows that +I couldn't have thrown water on him +purposely, for I couldn't see down into +the yard. He never told me what I was +to do with the dirty water, and there +was no other place to throw it. He +deserves being shut up in this den himself! +O, I wish I had him in my power +for a week! I would give him a lesson +that he would remember as long as he +lived.</p> + +<p>"Was there ever such an unlucky +boy as I am? Everything goes against +me. There is no chance for me to do +anything, or to enjoy anything, in this +world. I wish I was dead!"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91" href="#Page_91">[Pg 91]</a></span></p> + +<p>A bitter flood of tears burst from him, +which seemed, as it were, to quench his +anger, and gradually his heart became +open to more salutary reflections.</p> + +<p>"Do you not deserve all this?" +whispered his conscience. "Have you +not brought it upon yourself by your +own wickedness and disobedience? You +had a good home and kind friends; and +if you had to work every day, it was no +more than all have to do in one form or +another. Blame yourself, then, for your +own idle, reckless disposition, that would +not be satisfied with your lot. You are +only finding out the truth of the text +you have often repeated,—'The way of +the transgressor is hard.'"</p> + +<p>He thought of his home, as he lay upon +that hard floor. The forms of his pious<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92" href="#Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></span> +old grandmother, and of his mother and +sister, all seemed to stand before him, +and to look down upon him reproachfully. +He remembered now their kindness +and good counsel. He groaned in +bitterness, "O! this <i>would</i> break their +hearts, if they knew it! I have disgraced +myself, and I have disgraced +them." He had leisure for reflection, +and his mind recalled, most painfully, +the scenes of the past. He thought of +the Sabbath-school, of his kind teacher, +and of the instructions that had been so +affectionately imparted. How much better +for him would it have been, had he +regarded those instructions!</p> + +<p>And then he thought of God! He +remembered that His <i>all-seeing eye</i> had +followed all his wanderings, and noted<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93" href="#Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></span> +all his guilt. He had sinned against +God, and some of the bitterness of punishment +had already overtaken him. +The idea that God was angry with him, +and that <i>He</i> was visiting his sins with +the rod of chastisement, took possession +of his soul. Now he ceased to blame +others for his sufferings, and acknowledged +to himself that all was deserved. +Again he wept, but it was in terror at +the thought of God's anger, and in +grief that he had sinned so ungratefully +against his Maker.</p> + +<p>He tried to pray; but the words of the +prayers he had been taught in his childhood +did not seem to be appropriate +to his present condition. Those prayers +were associated with days and scenes of +comparative innocence and happiness.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94" href="#Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span> +He now felt guilty and wretched, and felt +deeply that other forms of petition were +necessary for him. But he could not +frame words into a prayer that would +soothe and relieve his soul. "God will +not hear me," was his bitter thought. +"I do not deserve to be heard. O! if +God would have mercy upon me, and +deliver me from this trouble, I think I +would try to serve and obey Him as long +as I lived."</p> + +<p>He kneeled down upon the hard floor, +and raised his clasped hands and streaming +eyes toward heaven; but he could +find no utterance for his emotions, save +in sobs and tears. Prayer would not +come in words. Again and again he +tried to pray, but in vain; he felt that +he could not pray; and, almost in de<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95" href="#Page_95">[Pg 95]</a></span>spair, +he paced the narrow cell, and was +ready to believe that God's favor was +forever withdrawn from his soul,—that +there was no ear to listen, and no arm to +save, and that nothing was left for him +in the future but a life of misery, a +death of shame, and an eternity of woe!</p> + +<p>On the third morning, he awoke from +a troubled sleep, and, as he rose with +aching bones from the bare planks, his +limbs trembled and tottered beneath him. +Finding that he could not stand, he sat +down in the corner of the dungeon, and +leaned against the wall. His head was +hot, and his throat parched, and the +blood beat in throbs through his veins. +A sort of delirious excitement began to +creep over him, and his mind was filled +with strange reveries.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96" href="#Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span></p> + +<p>He saw, or fancied he saw, great +spiders crawling over the wall, and serpents, +lizards, and indescribable reptiles, +creeping about on the floor; and he +shouted at them, and kicked at them, as +they seemed to come near him. Soon +they were viewed without dread or terror. +He laughed at their motions, and +thought he should have companions and +pets in his loneliness; still he did not +wish them to come too near.</p> + +<p>Then there seemed to be other shapes +in his cell. His old grandmother sat in +one corner, reading, through her familiar +spectacles, the well-worn family Bible. +His sister sat there, playing with her +baby, and his mother was singing as +she sewed. And he laughed and talked +to them, but could get no answer.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97" href="#Page_97">[Pg 97]</a></span> +Occasionally he felt a half-consciousness +that it was all a delusion,—a +mere vision of the brain; and yet +their fancied presence made him happy, +and he laughed and talked incessantly, +as if they heard him, and were wondering +at his own strange emotions.</p> + +<p>And then the gruff voice of the jailer +scared away his visions, and roused him +for a moment from his reveries.</p> + +<p>"You are merry, my boy, and you +make too much noise," said the keeper.</p> + +<p>The interruption made his head swim, +and he attempted to rise; but he was +very weak and faint, and fell back again. +He turned to say, "I believe I am +sick;" but before the words found utterance, +the man had set down his pitcher +and bread, and was gone.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98" href="#Page_98">[Pg 98]</a></span></p> + +<p>There was an interval of dreary, blank +darkness, and then there were other +visions, too wild and strange to describe, +and soon the darkness of annihilation +settled upon his soul. How long a time +elapsed while in this state of insensibility, +he could not say; but he was at +length half-aroused by voices near him, +and he was conscious that some hand was +feeling for his pulse, and that men were +carrying him out of the dungeon. He +afterwards learned that it was the jailer +and the physician.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99" href="#Page_99">[Pg 99]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr /> +<h2>CHAPTER X.</h2> + +<h3>THE HOSPITAL.</h3> + + +<div class="figleft"style="width: 115px;"><img src="images/capu.jpg" width="115" height="116" alt="U" /></div><p>PON a narrow cot, in the Hospital +apartment of the jail, +they laid Rodney, and immediately +prepared the medicines suited to +his case. The medicines were at length +administered, and, with a pleasant consciousness +of comfort and attention, he +fell asleep.</p> + +<p>When he awoke, it was evening; he +was perfectly conscious, and felt better; +but it was a long time before he could +recall his thoughts, and understand +where he was, and how he had come<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100" href="#Page_100">[Pg 100]</a></span> +thither. He looked around him, and +saw a line of cots on each side of him. +About a dozen of them were occupied +by sick men. A large case of medicines, +placed on a writing-desk, stood at one +end of the room. Two or three men, +who acted as nurses, were sitting near +it, talking and laughing together. In +another part of the room, by a grated +window, looking out upon the pleasant +sunset, were two of the convalescent +prisoners, pale and thin, conversing +softly and sadly. There was not a face +he knew,—none that seemed to feel +the slightest interest for him; and the +wicked scenes of the past two months, +and the unhappy circumstances of the +present hour, flashed through his mind, +and he hid his face in his pillow and +wept.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101" href="#Page_101">[Pg 101]</a></span></p> + +<p>He heard steps softly approach his +cot, and knew that some one was standing +beside him. But he could not stifle +his sobs, and he did not dare to look up.</p> + +<p>"I am glad to see that you are better, +though I am sorry to see you so +much troubled, my poor boy," said a +soft, kind voice.</p> + +<p>It was long since he had been spoken +to in a kind tone, and he only wept the +more bitterly, and convulsively pressed +his face closer to the pillow. Presently +he felt an arm passed slowly under the +pillow, which wound around his neck, and +gently drew his head toward the stranger.</p> + +<p>"Come, come," said the same soft +voice, "don't give way to such grief; +look up, and talk to me. Let me be a +friend to you."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102" href="#Page_102">[Pg 102]</a></span></p> + +<p>Rodney yielded to the encircling arm, +and turned his tearful eyes to the man +who spoke to him.</p> + +<p>He was a tall, slender man, pale from +sickness, decently dressed, and with an +intelligent, benevolent countenance. He +was one of those whom Rodney had +observed looking out of the window.</p> + +<p>"What is the matter?" said he; +"what has brought you into this horrible +place?"</p> + +<p>The confidence of the boy was easily +won. He had felt an inexpressible desire +to talk to some one, and now he +was ready to lay open his whole heart +at the first intimation of sympathy.</p> + +<p>"I ran away from home," was the +frank and truthful reply.</p> + +<p>"But they do not put boys in jail for<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103" href="#Page_103">[Pg 103]</a></span> +running away; you must have done +something else."</p> + +<p>"I was charged with something else; +but indeed, indeed, I am innocent!"</p> + +<p>"That is very possible," said he, +with a sigh; "but what did they charge +you with doing?"</p> + +<p>And Rodney moved closer to him, +and leaned his head upon his breast, and +told him all. There was such an evident +sincerity, such consistency, such +tones of truth in the simple narrative, +that he saw he was believed, and the +sympathizing words and looks of the +listener inspired him with trust, as +though he was talking to a well-known +friend.</p> + +<p>For several days, they were constantly +together; the stranger waited upon <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104" href="#Page_104">[Pg 104]</a></span>Rodney, +and gave him his medicine, and +helped him from his cot, talked with +him, and manifested for him the kindness +of a brother. From several conversations, +Rodney gleaned from him +the following history.</p> + +<p>Lewis Warren,—so will we call him—(indeed, +Rodney never knew his true +name),—was born and had lived most +of his life in a New England village. +He was the son of a farmer; a pious +man, and deacon of a church, by whose +help he received a liberal education. +Soon after he had graduated at —— +College, he came on to Philadelphia, +with the expectation of getting into +some business. At the hotel where he +stopped, he became acquainted with a +man of very gentlemanly appearance<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105" href="#Page_105">[Pg 105]</a></span> +and address, who said that he, too, was +a stranger in the city, and proposed to +accompany him to some places of amusement. +Warren went with him to the +theatre, and, on succeeding evenings, to +various places of amusement. As they +were one evening strolling up Chestnut-street, +this friend, Mr. Sharpe, stopped +at the well-lighted vestibule of a stately +building, that had the air of a private +house, although it was thrown open, and +proposed that they should go in, and see +what was going on there. Warren consented, +and, after ascending to the second +floor, and passing through a hall, +they entered a large, brilliantly-lighted +billiard saloon. Around several tables +were gathered gentlemanly-looking men, +knocking about little ivory balls, with<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106" href="#Page_106">[Pg 106]</a></span> +long, slender wands or cues, and seeming, +evidently, engrossed in their respective +games. After looking around +for a while, Sharpe proposed going up +stairs into the third story. They ascended +to the upper rooms. In the +upper passage stood a stout, short negro-man, +who glanced at Sharpe, stepped +one side, and permitted them to pass +unquestioned. They entered another +smaller room,—for the third story was +divided into several rooms,—and found +other games than those exhibited below. +After walking through some of the +rooms, and observing the different games, +most of which were new to Warren, his +companion said to him:</p> + +<p>"Do you understand anything about +cards?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107" href="#Page_107">[Pg 107]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Not a great deal; I have occasionally +played a game of whist or sledge."</p> + +<p>"Well, that is about the sum of my +knowledge. Suppose we while away a +half-an-hour at one of these vacant +tables."</p> + +<p>Warren consented, and they sat down. +After playing a game or two, Sharpe +proposed having a bottle of wine, and, +said he, laughingly, "Whoever loses +the next game, shall pay for it."</p> + +<p>"Agreed," said Warren; and the +wine was brought, and he won the +game.</p> + +<p>"Well, that is your good luck; but +I'll bet you the price of another bottle +you can't do it again."</p> + +<p>Warren won again.</p> + +<p>They tried a third, and that Sharpe<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108" href="#Page_108">[Pg 108]</a></span> +won; a fourth, and Warren rose the +winner.</p> + +<p>The next evening found them, somehow, +without much talk about it, at the +same place. They played with varied +success; but when they left, Warren +had lost ten dollars.</p> + +<p>He wanted to win it back, and himself +proposed the visit for the third +night. He became excited by the +game, and lost seventy dollars.</p> + +<p>Still his eyes were not open; he did +not dream that he was in the hands of +a professed gambler, and, hoping to get +back what he had lost, and what he felt +he really could not spare from his small +amount of funds, he went again.</p> + +<p>"There!" said he, after they had +been about an hour at the table, "there<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109" href="#Page_109">[Pg 109]</a></span> +is my last fifty-dollar bill; change that, +and I'll try once more."</p> + +<p>"Well," said Sharpe, "here is the +change; but the luck seems against you. +We had better stop for to-night."</p> + +<p>But Warren insisted upon continuing, +and he won thirty dollars in addition to +the fifty which Sharpe had changed for +him. The gambler then rose, and told +him that he would give him a chance to +win all back another time, as fortune +seemed to be again propitious to him.</p> + +<p>Warren never saw him after that +night. The next morning he determined +to seek a more private boarding +house, and economize his remaining +funds, and seek more assiduously some +business situation. He stepped to the +bar to pay his board, handing the clerk<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110" href="#Page_110">[Pg 110]</a></span> +one of the notes he had received in +change for his last fifty-dollar bill. The +clerk examined it a moment, and passed +it back, saying, "That is a counterfeit +note, sir." He took it back, amazed, +and offered another.</p> + +<p>"This is worse still," said the clerk. +"I think we had better take care of +you, sir. You will please go with me +before a magistrate."</p> + +<p>"But I did not know——!"</p> + +<p>"You can tell that to the squire."</p> + +<p>"You have no right to take me," +said Warren; "you have no warrant."</p> + +<p>"No; but I can keep you here till I +send for one, which I shall certainly do, +unless you consent to go willingly."</p> + +<p>And Warren, conscious of his own +innocence in this respect, and never<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111" href="#Page_111">[Pg 111]</a></span> +thinking of the difficulty of proving it, +went to a magistrate's office with the +clerk at once.</p> + +<p>The clerk entered his complaint, and, +besides swearing to the offer of the +notes, swore that he had seen him, for +several days past, in the company of a +notorious gambler.</p> + +<p>Warren was stunned, overwhelmed, +by this declaration. No representation +that he made was believed. His pockets +were searched, and all the money he had, +except some small change, was found to +be counterfeit. A commitment was at +once made out against him, and he was +sent to jail, to await his trial on the +charge of passing counterfeit money.</p> + +<p>This is one of the methods by which +professional gamblers "pluck young<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112" href="#Page_112">[Pg 112]</a></span> +pigeons." No young man is safe who +allows himself to play with cards, or to +handle dice.</p> + +<p>Rodney believed that Warren had +told him the truth, and fellowship in +misfortune drew the hearts of the duped +man and the wronged boy towards each +other; for though both had been very +much to blame, yet duped and wronged +they had been by knaves more cunning +and wicked than themselves.</p> + +<p>They had many serious conversations +together, for both had been piously instructed, +and Warren, who seemed truly +penitent for his wanderings, as he sat +by the bed-side of the sick boy, encouraged +him in his resolutions to lead a +different life,—to seek the forgiveness +and grace of God through a merciful<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113" href="#Page_113">[Pg 113]</a></span> +Redeemer. Seldom has a poor prisoner +received sweeter sympathy, or more +salutary counsel, than was given to Rodney +within the walls of that old Arch-street +jail, by his fellow-prisoner.</p> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<img src="images/img115.jpg" width="400" height="326" alt="bed-side of sick boy" title="bed-side of sick boy" /> +</div> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114" href="#Page_114">[Pg 114]</a></span></p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115" href="#Page_115">[Pg 115]</a></span></p> +<p>"Rodney," said Warren to him one +day,—it was the first day that he had +left his cot,—"I shall soon leave this +place; I have written to my father, and +he will be here at the trial with such +evidences in my favor, from the whole +course of my life, as cannot fail to secure +me an acquittal. I feel no doubt that +this stain upon my character will be +wiped away. And I believe that I shall +have reason to thank God, as long as I +live, for having permitted this trouble. +It is a very hard lesson, but I trust it +will be a salutary one. Since I have<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116" href="#Page_116">[Pg 116]</a></span> +been here, I have prayed earnestly to +God for the pardon of my sins. I have +resolved, in sincerity of soul, to consecrate +my affections and my life to his +service. I have had a severe struggle; +but I believe, I <i>feel</i>, that God has heard +my prayers, forgiven my iniquities, and +the last few days in this jail have been +the happiest of my life. I feel that I +hate the sins of which my heart has +been so full, and that I love God even +for the severe providences that have +checked my course of impenitence. I +feel like a new man; and if I am not +deceiving myself,—and I pray that I +may not be,—I have experienced that +regeneration of heart of which I have +so often heard, but which I could never +before comprehend.</p> + +<p>"I hope that you, too, will try and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117" href="#Page_117">[Pg 117]</a></span> +seek the Saviour, pray to him for forgiveness, +and beg the guidance of His +Holy Spirit for your future life. If we +both do this sincerely, we shall have +reason forever to bless God for the way +in which he has led us."</p> + +<p>"Pray for me," said Rodney; while +tears rolled down his pale cheeks. "I +want to be a Christian, and I hope that +God will have mercy upon me, and guide +me, for the future, in the right path."</p> + +<p>A few days after, Warren was called +into court to take his trial; and, to Rodney's +great delight,—for he had learned +to love him like a brother,—he heard +from one of the nurses that he had been +honorably acquitted.</p> + +<p>During the same week, the case of +Rodney was called up, and he was conducted +by an officer to the court-house.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118" href="#Page_118">[Pg 118]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr /> +<h2>CHAPTER XI.</h2> + +<h3>THE TRIAL.</h3> + + +<div class="figleft"style="width: 115px;"><img src="images/capj.jpg" width="115" height="119" alt="J" /></div><p>USTICE was now to be administered, +and Rodney was +brought into the crowded +court-room for trial. The officer led +him to the prisoner's narrow dock, an +enclosed bench, at each end of which +sat a constable, with a long staff in his +hand. There were five or six other +prisoners sitting in the dock with him. +Next to him was a woman, her garments +ragged, her hair matted, and her face +red and bloated. Next to her sat +a squalid negro, who seemed totally<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119" href="#Page_119">[Pg 119]</a></span> +indifferent to the scenes that were passing +around him. On the other side of +him was a young man, apparently about +twenty years old, of thin, spare form, +with a red flush at intervals coloring his +cheek, and a hollow cough that sounded +like an echo from the grave. He was +evidently in a deep consumption, and +had been already several months in prison. +And he leaned his head upon the +railing, as though he would hide himself +from every eye. He had been tried a +few days before, for having been associated +with others in a burglary, and +found guilty, and he was now present to +hear his sentence.</p> + +<p>After the formal opening of the court, +this young man was the first called upon, +and, with trembling limbs, he rose to hear<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120" href="#Page_120">[Pg 120]</a></span> +the sentence of the judge. After some +remarks upon the enormity of his crime, +and the clear evidence upon which he +had been convicted, the judge sentenced +him to five years' imprisonment in the +penitentiary. When those words, <i>five +years</i>, reached him, he dropped back +upon the seat, as if struck with a bullet, +and then raising his face to the judge, +with an expression of profound anguish, +said, "Half the time would be more +than enough, your honor; I shall be in +the grave before one year is past."</p> + +<p>The case of the negro-man was immediately +called up, but Rodney heard +nothing of it. He hid his face in his +hands, and wept. A sense of his terrible +position flashed upon him, and he +could not keep back his tears, or stifle<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121" href="#Page_121">[Pg 121]</a></span> +his sobs. He wept aloud, and <i>felt</i>, +though he might not see, that all eyes +were turned upon him. His whole frame +shook with the anguish of his soul.</p> + +<p>Presently a hand was laid upon his, +and a head was bent over the bar near +him, and a voice addressed him kindly: +"Be calm, my boy; there is no good +in crying; who is your counsel?"</p> + +<p>Rodney looked up, and saw a young +man, well dressed, and with an affable +and winning countenance, standing before +him. His face looked kind and +benevolent, at least in Rodney's eyes, +for he had spoken to him gently and +encouragingly.</p> + +<p>He replied to his question, "I have +no counsel, sir; I have no money."</p> + +<p>"Well, I will try what I can do for<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122" href="#Page_122">[Pg 122]</a></span> +you," said the young lawyer. "Come +out here, and sit by me, and tell me +what you are here for."</p> + +<p>He led him out of the disgraceful +dock, gave him a seat directly in front +of the jury, sat down beside him, and +asked him to tell him the truth about all +the circumstances that led to his imprisonment +and trial. Rodney told him +truly all that happened from the time of +his running away to his arrest. He told +him, too, who he was, and who were his +relatives in the neighborhood of Philadelphia. +He had never spoken of these +before.</p> + +<p>"Well," said the lawyer, "I don't +see that they can bring anything out to +hurt you, if that is the true statement +of the case. And now, my boy, you +may cry as much as you wish."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123" href="#Page_123">[Pg 123]</a></span></p> + +<p>Rodney looked up, surprised, wondering +what on earth he wanted him to cry +for. He thought afterwards that the +advice was probably given that his +weeping might affect the sympathies of +the jury, before whose eyes he was sitting. +But he could scarcely have shed +a tear then if his liberty had depended +upon it. He felt as though he had a +friend, and his consciousness of innocence +of any violation of human law, +and his confidence that his new friend +could show that he was guiltless, set his +perturbed heart at rest, and he felt sure +that he should be acquitted.</p> + +<p>When the court adjourned, the lawyer +took out a card, and, giving it to Rodney, +said, "If your case should be +called up before I get here this after<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124" href="#Page_124">[Pg 124]</a></span>noon, +just tell them that I am your +counsel, and they will put it off till I +come. Here is my name."</p> + +<p>There was but one word on the card, +and Rodney kept it long as a grateful +memento of the disinterested kindness +that had been shown him in the hour +of his bitter trial. The name on the +card was</p> + +<table class="bbox" summary="card"> +<tr><td align='left'></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><table class="bbox2" summary="card"> +<tr><td align='left'>WATMOUGH.<a name="FNanchor_A_1" id="FNanchor_A_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_A_1" class="fnanchor">[A]</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'></td></tr></table></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'></td></tr> +</table> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_A_1" id="Footnote_A_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_A_1"><span class="label">[A]</span></a> This is not a fictitious but the real name of the +gentleman whose kindness it commemorates.</p></div> + +<p>That young lawyer never knew the +gratitude with which his name was remembered +for long, long years, and the +thrill of emotion which its utterance +always excited in the heart of that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125" href="#Page_125">[Pg 125]</a></span> +befriended boy. An act of kindness is +never lost, and many a one which the +benefactor may have forgotten, has won +for him the prayers and blessings of a +grateful heart.</p> + +<p>During the recess, Rodney was conducted +across Independence-square to +the old Walnut-street prison. He ate +his scanty prison dinner that day with a +light and hopeful heart; and though he +trembled at the idea of the coming +trial, yet he did not for a moment doubt +that the result must be his acquittal. +He believed that the law was framed to +punish the guilty, and to do justice to +the innocent; and he could scarcely +conceive that the guiltless could be +made to suffer by its administration.</p> + +<p>Immediately after the opening of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126" href="#Page_126">[Pg 126]</a></span> +court, in the afternoon, the case was +called up. The woman in whose house +the robbery was committed, and one +other, were witnesses; but not one +word was said by either, in any way +implicating Rodney in the robbery, beyond +the fact that he had come to the +house in company with the robber.</p> + +<p>His friend made a very brief speech, +demanding his acquittal; the judge said +a few words to the jury, who consulted +together for a moment, when the foreman +arose, and pronounced the happy +words, "<i>Not Guilty</i>."</p> + +<p>And now the tears again rained down +the cheeks of Rodney, as he came out +of the infamous dock,—but they were +tears of joy.</p> + +<p>A few kind questions were asked him<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127" href="#Page_127">[Pg 127]</a></span> +by the judge; and a small sum of money, +contributed by him and by several of the +members of the bar, furnished Rodney +the means of returning to his friends.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128" href="#Page_128">[Pg 128]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr /> +<h2>CHAPTER XII.</h2> + +<h3>CONCLUSION.</h3> + + +<div class="figleft"style="width: 115px;"><img src="images/caph.jpg" width="115" height="118" alt="H" /></div><p>ASTENING to the end of our +narrative, we pass by several +intervening months, and witness +again another Sabbath morning in +May.</p> + +<p>Some twenty miles from the city of +Philadelphia, a sparkling little brook +passes through the meadow of a beautiful +farm, losing itself in a thick wood +that divides the contiguous estates.</p> + +<p>On that lovely May morning,—that +serene Sabbath,—there might have been +seen,—there was seen by the Omnis<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129" href="#Page_129">[Pg 129]</a></span>cient +eye,—a lad, some fifteen years +old, walking thoughtfully along the margin +of that little stream, and penetrating +into the thickest part of the wood. He +carried a book in his hand, and sat +down close by the stream, under the +shade of an old beech tree. And as he +read, the tears streamed from his eyes, +and his sighs indicated a burdened spirit. +Indeed, his heart was very sad. He +was oppressed by the consciousness of +the great sinfulness of his life and heart +against the holy and benevolent God. +He remembered the early instructions +he had received at home and in the +Sabbath-school. He recalled the precious +privileges he had enjoyed, and he +remembered, with anguish and shame, +how wickedly he had disregarded all<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130" href="#Page_130">[Pg 130]</a></span> +these instructions, abused all these privileges, +and sinned against his own +knowledge of right, against his conscience +and his God. He had long been +burdened with these distressing emotions; +he had often prayed, but had +found little relief of his anguish, even +in prayer. And now, even on this calm +and beautiful Sabbath morning, there +seemed to his heart a gloom in the landscape. +There was a smile, he knew, +upon the face of nature, but he felt that +it beamed not for him. The carol of +wild birds rung out sweetly around him; +but the music saddened his heart yet +more, for there was no inward response +of gratitude and joy. The bright green +of the Spring foliage and of the waving +grass seemed dark and gloomy, as he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131" href="#Page_131">[Pg 131]</a></span> +gazed upon it through tearful eyes. His +mourning spirit gave its own sombre +interpretation to all the lovely scenes of +nature. He deeply felt that he was a +wretched sinner against God, and he +could not see how God could be merciful +to one who had so grievously transgressed. +He scarcely dared to hope for +the pardon of his iniquities, and was in +almost utter despair of ever obtaining +mercy.</p> + +<p>The book he had taken with him in his +morning walk, was "Doddridge's Rise +and Progress of Religion in the Soul." +He read, carefully, the twelfth chapter +in that excellent work, entitled, "The +invitation to Christ of the sinner overwhelmed +with a sense of the greatness +of his sins." He was convinced that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132" href="#Page_132">[Pg 132]</a></span> +Jesus Christ was <i>able</i> to save even <i>him</i>; +and the strong assurances of his <i>willingness</i> +to save, "even to the uttermost," +furnished in the promises of the gospel, +began to dawn upon his mind as he read +what seemed like a new revelation to his +soul. When he read these words of +Jesus, "Come unto me, all ye that labor +and are heavy laden, and I will give you +rest,"—"Him that cometh unto me I +will in no wise cast out,"—though he +had read, or heard them read, a thousand +times before, it seemed now as though +they had been written expressly for him. +There seemed a freshness, a force, a +glorious personal adaptation in them +which he had never seen before.</p> + +<p>He turned over the leaves of the +book, and the chapter on "Self <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133" href="#Page_133">[Pg 133]</a></span>Dedication" +caught his eye. He read it; and +when he came to the prayer with which +that chapter closes, he kneeled down, +with the book open before him, and +solemnly, and with his whole heart, repeated +that fervent prayer. It seemed +to have been written on purpose to express +his emotions and desires. When +he had concluded, he closed the book, +and remained still upon his knees, and +tried, in his own language, to repeat +the sentiments of that solemn act of +Dedication. Never was a boy more +sincere and earnest than he.</p> + +<p>How long he prayed he did not know; +but when he rose and looked round him, +the sun had long passed its meridian, +and the shadows of the trees were cast +towards the east.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134" href="#Page_134">[Pg 134]</a></span></p> + +<p>There was a delicious, joyful calm in +his soul. All doubts of God's willingness +to pardon and receive him had +gone. A veil seemed to have been removed +from the character of God. He +thought of God as he had never thought +before,—not as a stern and unrelenting +Judge, but as a forgiving, loving Father. +He saw, as he had never seen before, +how sinners could be adopted as children +of God, for the sake of the sufferings +and sacrifice of Jesus.</p> + +<p>His spirit was very calm, but O, how +happy! He had solemnly given himself +to God, pleading the merits of Jesus +as the reason for his acceptance, and he +believed that God had received him, +pardoned his transgressions, and accepted +him as one of his own children. Again<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135" href="#Page_135">[Pg 135]</a></span> +and again did he throw himself on the +greensward, and pour out his soul in +gratitude and in prayer. It was the +happiest day his life had ever known.</p> + +<p>The whole aspect of nature seemed +changed in his eyes. The gloomy +shroud, that seemed to envelop it in the +morning, had passed away. The smile +of God seemed reflected from every sunbeam +that played upon the green leaves +and danced over the distant waving +meadow. There was sweet melody now +in the songs of the birds, in the rippling +of the brook, in the hum of the bees, +and in the sighing of the soft breeze. +All seemed to sing of the goodness and +grace of the adorable Creator. "<i>Old</i> +things had passed away, behold all +things had become <i>new</i>."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136" href="#Page_136">[Pg 136]</a></span></p> + +<p>That lad was the <span class="smcap">Rodney Roverton</span> +of this little volume. That change was +wrought by the regenerating grace of +God. It was the "peace of God, that +passeth all understanding," diffused +through all his soul. Where "sin had +abounded, grace did much more abound."</p> + +<p>Rodney Roverton yet lives. He has +been, for many years, a professed disciple +of Jesus Christ, and an honored +and successful minister of the Gospel.</p> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Runaway, by Unknown + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE RUNAWAY *** + +***** This file should be named 21611-h.htm or 21611-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/1/6/1/21611/ + +Produced by David Edwards, Suzan Flanagan and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The University of Florida, The Internet +Archive/Children's Library) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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