Fayetteville Observer

A Touching Incident.

Some days after one of the English steamers had left Liverpool says the Boston Post, a bright looking boy, about eight years old, was found aboard, who had been concealed in the vessel since she left port (which, by the way, is a common occurrence.) He was questioned by the officers as to how he came there. He stated that he was an orphan, and had an aunt living in Halifax, and that his uncle in Liverpool being poor and unable to support him, had hid him in the vessel just before sailing so that he might go to Halifax and live with his aunt. It seemed like the old story to the officers of the vessel, and they accused him of being helped by the crew, and tried their utmost by coaxing and threatening to have him divulge that some of the sailors had taken him aboard and gave him food. But they availed nothing—the little fellow would tell no other story. At last one of the officers, feeling sure that the boy was deceiving, took him by the arm, and said, "I am going to make you tell the truth"—and taking him to what is called the bridge says, "In one-half hour I shall hang you unless you tell me which one of the sailors has been feeding you."—It was of no use—the boy would not lie; and when the officer told him sternly that he had only two minutes to live, the little fellow said, "Sir, may I pray?"—and immediately sunk on his knees, and lifted his little hands in an attitude of prayer, slowly repeated the "Lord's Prayer," amid the upturned faces of the passengers and crew of the vessel who had been anxiously watching the result of the officer's experiment; but on seeing the brave boy whose love of truth was stronger than that of life, and hearing him so warmly repeat his prayer, it was too much for their doubts, and caused a very affecting scene, and the apparently rough officer burst into tears and caught the little fellow in his arms and hugged him as though in reality he had just escaped death. After this event the boy was a young hero in the ship. He was praised and treated with dainties, each one anxious to do something for such a noble boy; and when he arrived in Halifax he was taken by the same officer who had doubted him, and fitted with a nice suit of clothes and carried to his aunt, with a hearty God's-blessing for his future career.