"THE STOW-AWAY."

Kumara Times, Issue 2914, 2 March 1886, Page 3

"THE STOW-AWAY."

f+4 "The Stow-away" id the name of one of the gems of the Permanent Collection of Pictures in the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool. It depicts a touching incident on board an ocuan steamer. A poor little boy had concealed himself on board in the hope of reaching Ameiica; when the vessel gets to sea, he is discovered and brought, trembling and crestfallen, before the mate, as related in Mr Mathison's poem, "The Little Hero," which we publish below.

THE LITTLE HERO. Now, lads, a short yarn I'll just spin you As happened on our very last run, 'Bout a boy as a man's soul had in him, Or else I'm a son of a gun. From Liverpool port out three days, lads, The good ship floating over the deep ; The skies bright with sunshine above us, •The waters beneath us asleep. Not a bad-tempered lubber among us ; A jollier crew never sailed, 'Oept the first mate, a bit of a savageBut good seaman as ever was hailed. One day he comes up from below, A-graspin' a lad by the arm— A poor little ragged young urchin As had ought to been home to his marm. An' the mate asks the boy pretty roughly How he dared for to be stowed away, A-cheating the owners and captain— Sailin', eatin', and all without pay. An' says he in a voice clear and pretty, "My stepfather brought me aboard, And hid me away down the stairs there ; For to keep me he couldn't afford." "It's a lie," says the mate, "not your father, But some of these big skulkers near, Some milk-hearted, soft-headed sailor— Speak up, tell the truth, d'ye hear 1" "Tell the truth, lad, and then I'll forgive you; But the truth I will have. Speak it out. It wasn't your father as brought you, But some of these men here about." Then that pair of blue eyes, bright and winning, Clear and shining with innocent youth, Looks up at the mate's bushy eyebrows, An'says he, "Six-, I've told you the truth." 'Twarn't no use; the mate didn't believe him, Though every man else did, aboard, With rough hand by the collar he seized him, And cried, "you shall hang, by the Lord!" An' he snatched his watch out of his pocket, Just as if he'd been drawing a knife. "If in ten minutes more you don't speak, lad, There's a rope, and good-bye to your life." Eight minutes went bye all in silence. Says the mate then, "Speak, lad, say your say." His eyes slowly filling with tear-drops, He falteringly says " May I pray ?" The mate kind o' trembled an' shivered, And nodded his head in reply ; And his cheek went all white of a sudden, And the hot light was quenched in his eye. An' the little chap kneels on the deck there An' his hands he clasps over his breast, As he must ha' done often at home, lads, At night time when going to rest. And soft came the first words, "Our Father," Low and soft from the dear baby lip, But, low as they were, heard like a trumpet By each true man aboard of that ship. Every bit of that prayer, mates, he goes through To "For ever and ever. Amen." And for all the bright gold of the Indies, I wouldn't ha' heard it again. And, says he, when he finished, uprising, An' lifting his blue eyes above, "Dear Lord Jesus, oh, take me to heaven Back again to my own mother's love !" Off his feet was that lad suddenly lifted, And clasped to the mate's rugged breast; And his husky voice muttered, "God bless you !" And his lips to his forehead he pressed. Like a man, says the mate, " God forgive me, That ever I used you so hard. It's myself as had ought to be strung up Taut and sure to that ugly old yard." " You believe me, then ?" said the youngstei\ "Believe you!" he kissed him once more. " You'd have laid down your life for the truth, lad, Believe you ! From now evermore !" AMERICAN CO.'S HOP BITTERS ARE THE PUREST AND BEST BITTERS EVER MADE. They are compounded from Hops Malt, Buchu, Mandrake, and Dandelion—the oldest, best, and most valuable medicines in the world, and contain all the best and most curative properties of all other remedies, being the greatest Blood Purifier, Liver Regulat >r, -and Life ;uul Health Restoring Agent ou earth, ftfo

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