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Ebook has 94 lines and 8258 words, and 2 pages

Engraver: Alonzo Hartwell

JOHN WILLIAMS, OR THE SAILOR BOY.

"First purify the heart, then light the mind With pure Religion's lamp, so shalt thou blessings find."

BOSTON, BOWLES AND DEARBORN, 72 WASHINGTON STREET.

Isaac R. Butts & Co. Printers. 1827.

"JOHN WILLIAMS, OR THE SAILOR BOY.

"'First purify the heart, then light the mind, With pure Religion's lamp, so shalt thou blessings find.'"

In conformity to the act of the Congress of the United States, entitled, "An act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned;" and also to an act entitled "An act supplementary to an act, entitled, an act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts and books to the authors and proprietors of such copies during the times therein mentioned; and extending the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, engraving and etching historical and other prints."

JOHN WILLIAMS, OR THE SAILOR BOY.

It was a severely cold morning in January, which succeeded a heavy fall of snow through the night, five winters ago, that I remarked from my parlour window, a child lingering round the gateway; he was apparently ten or eleven years of age, and miserably clad in tattered garments, that seemed ill calculated to exclude the cold.

I beckoned him from the window to come in, but the moment he perceived me he shrunk aside, and directly ran away.

The circumstance soon passed from my mind, and I thought no more of the boy till the following day, when I saw him again by the gate.

I directly sent a domestic to bring him into the kitchen, but before he could effect his errand the child had fled.

This conduct appeared unaccountable, and the more so, when I learnt from my man James, that he had seen the same boy almost daily during the fortnight past about the same hour.

I directed him to watch the succeeding day, and by all means to detain him; his appearance being altogether so wretched and destitute, that I could not feel easy till something was done for its alleviation.

The third morning James succeeded in stopping him, and with much difficulty brought him into the house, and was leading him to the fire, when he found that one of his feet was frozen, and his hands quite chilled. Proper restoratives were immediately applied, which soon had a good effect; yet it was long before the gentlest persuasions could induce him to speak. We gave him food, which he ate greedily, and asked for more. After some hours, when he had been left to sit quietly, he appeared to gain confidence, or rather to be restored to feeling. I asked his name, to which he replied, "John Williams, ma'am."

"And where is your home?"

"I haven't got any."

"Where did you last come from?"

"The glass-house."

"But you could not live there."

"No, I only hid myself when I could, behind the boxes, and warmed me when the men were not about the furnaces."

"And where did you get your food?"

"I went without when I could not beg any thing to eat."

"Have you any parents?"

"No, they both died in the Almshouse, and I was put there with them for a time, but I got away."

"And why did you run away? you were clothed, warmed, and fed there, as well as properly employed, no doubt."

"I did not like it though: I did not like to learn: I did not like any body there. Before mother died she used to scold and beat me; and after that I did not care to mind any body; I don't want to work there."

"And will you work any where if you can get employment?"

"I don't know; I want to go off in a ship."

"But you are too young now, and you should first learn something; are you not willing to learn reading and writing?"

"Perhaps I should like it if that would help me to go to sea."

"Have you no relations now your parents are dead, who can help to take care of you till you are older?"

"I don't know any: I don't want to be put under any body's care: I want to do as I please, and have enough to eat."

"That you cannot expect while you choose to run about the streets in this way;--where have you slept these few nights past?"

"In your wood-house, on an old blanket which covers a box; I crept under the things and tried to keep warm, for I did not dare to go any more to the glass-house, for the man threatened to beat me if he saw me about there again."

I found from the few facts thus related by poor John, that he was much to be pitied for the forlorn state into which he was cast, and for his utter ignorance, and determined to ride over and inquire of the overseer of the Almshouse, something more particular concerning him. His appearance was that of a child who had been exposed to evil company and bad example; and I hoped as he was so very young, something might be done to eradicate the seeds of wickedness thus early sown in his heart, and in their place cultivate virtuous and religious principles.

I therefore hastened to leave home, giving directions that he should be detained till my return.

"The boy of whom you inquire, has run away, and been returned to us a great many times, and has been the cause of much trouble here. His parents were once what the world calls likely people; I knew them when they were both well off, and industrious; but they lived without either the fear or the love of God before their eyes, and so they fell into temptation, and from that into vice.

"It is about two years ago, that John Williams, the father of this poor miserable child, left his occupation on a wood wharf, and engaged in a distillery, one of those manufactories of slow poison for thousands of wretches who eagerly buy, drink, and perish, after laying the foundation, and too often effecting the ruin of their families.--John Williams, as I say, engaged in a distillery, where the custom of tasting a little, and then a little more, gradually grew into a longing desire to taste much and often. In a few months he rendered himself, as others had done before him, useless to his employer, and worse than useless to his family. He was turned away and gave himself wholly up to idleness and drink. He neglected to provide for his wife and child, and at home did nothing but quarrel, and vent the ill humour he acquired abroad; and miserable to relate, in less than a year his wife became as useless and sinful as he. Their once quiet home was now the scene of perpetual strife and discord; mutual dislike succeeded to mutual reproach, and the unfortunate little John had the example of both parents to initiate him in those early lessons of vice;--and deeply have the seeds of corruption been sown in his young heart. These beings had never studied their Bible; they had never sought that holiness, which fortifies against vice; they had first lived merely moral lives, and when the hour of temptation came, they possessed not that grace which alone can withstand its allurements or retreat from its wiles. Alas! they did not reflect that God is angry with the wicked every day; that they who sow in wickedness shall reap the same.

"One by one, this wretched family disposed of the articles of their household comforts for the miserable pittance of a dram. When all was gone, nothing remained for them but beggary, and the child was sent abroad to solicit charity, and beaten if he came back empty handed. The want of success, which sometimes attended his excursions, and the fear of punishment at home, drove him to theft; in fine, matters came to such a pass, that they were all sent here for reformation, but that was not so easily to be effected.

A fact--and we fear one of not rare occurrence.

"They were lost to every feeling of shame, and religion had never influenced them. John had ruined his naturally strong and healthy constitution by his intemperance, and was fast sinking into the grave; his lost situation had no effect on his wife, except to increase her ill feelings. John died about three months since, and his wife four weeks after him, having cut short their lives by their sins, which, if properly spent, might have witnessed them in the enjoyment of a virtuous old age, blessed, perhaps, by the pious and filial cares of their only son. But now all is past, and the end of their doings has returned upon them.

"And this child who has been wandering round the streets, has he any good dispositions by which one might hope to make an honest man of him?"

"Not any that I could ever find out; the works of his hands were here evil continually; he was doing mischief unless closely watched from morning till night, and no punishment made him better; if you choose to take him off our hands we shall be glad to give him up to you, for here I do not see that there is any hope of amending him; he is young to be sure, only ten years old now, so perhaps he can be made something of; and if he can, why society may one day have an honest member more than I now fear it will."

After a little consideration, I made up my mind, that unless some effectual means were immediately adopted, this poor orphan boy might come to a disgraceful death, and that it was my duty to do all that could be done to avert such an evil. Accordingly I gave my obligation to take the direction of him for one year, thinking that less time would not be giving him a fair trial, nor should we be likely to witness a change, unless it was wrought within that period.

On my return home, I found he had been silent, and quiet in one place, watching with curiosity the various employments of the domestics. I asked him if he would like to live in my family and learn to help James.

He did not answer for some time, and then he said he did not like to work. I asked him if he had ever tried to do any thing. Not much, he replied, they made me do a little at the Almshouse, but my task was more than the other boys, and so I would not do any thing if I could help it, and ran away whenever I could get a chance.

"But are you not willing, if I give you clothes, and food, and a comfortable bed to sleep on, to bring the bark and wood to make my fire of in the parlour, and sometimes go of errands for me?"

"I will, perhaps, if you do not beat me for every thing."

"I hope you will behave well, and then you will not need punishment. You can do nothing till your frozen foot is healed; so I wish you to observe all that James does, and see if there is nothing you can do for him when you are well."

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