CHARLIE M. lived with his parents, who owned a nice home in a small village of one of our Southern States. He was, as one might say, a good boy—kind, industrious, and intelligent. But he had one very grievous fault which showed itself quite often. He was inattentive when his parents told him, or forbade him to do anything, and when kindly corrected he let it go in one ear and out the other, like so many children do.
Disobedience is a very great sin in the sight of God.
As long as Charlie was under his parents’ eyes everything went oven, but hardly had he turned his back, when everything was forgotten. He did not think that the eye of God was upon him, and that it was written, “Honor thy father and thy mother,” and “My son hear the instruction of thy father and forsake not the law of thy mother.”
His disobedience soon led him to a very serious result. Not far from his home flowed a beautiful broad river, and his parents had told him not to bathe in the river, as the current was too strong for a boy of ten years. Charlie, however, paid little heed to instructions. On hot summer days he would go to the river, and wade along the bank. As no one noticed this, he grew bolder and decided to have a good swim. He was, for his age, a good swimmer, and concluded to try his skill in the fresh water the first chance he would have, and very soon the opportunity came. On a fine summer day, school closed an hour earlier than usual. “Now I can have a good swim, and still get home before Mother misses me,” thought Charlie. He looked for a quiet spot, where the water was deep, and, hastily undressing himself, leaped in. Oh, how he enjoyed the cool refreshing stream! “How foolish it is of my parents not to allow me this innocent pleasure,” thought he. With strong strokes he swam into the middle of the stream, and had no thought of returning, until he felt a weakening in his limbs. But how surprised he was when he saw the distance from the starting point. The strong current had carried him much further than he imagined, and with all his energy he tried to return. But alas! instead of getting nearer home he was driven further away. At this point in the river there was a bend, and the current was so strong that the poor boy was driven to the other side. He at once realized the dangerous position he was in, and cried for help as loud as he could. But who could hear him? Not a person was near. Exhausted in his efforts to gain the shore, and hoarse from crying for help, he could hardly keep above water.
He was losing all hope of seeing his parents again. Oh, what would he have given, had he not been disobedient! But it was too late. The deepest repentance could not change the perilous position in which he had put himself. With a sorrowful heart he cried to God to forgive his sins and save him.
Charlie’s mother had prepared his lunch for him at the usual time—as he was always very hungry when he came from school. But the time passed and Charlie did not come. His mother became anxious, and when his father returned from work, he went around inquiring about Charlie; but the boy was nowhere to be found. Neighbors and friends joined the parents in the search, but in vain. At last they found his clothes on the river bank. Now the mystery was solved. Who could describe what passed through the poor parents’ hearts, with the stern reality before them that their child, whom they had endeavored to bring up in the fear of God, had had so sad an end, through disobedience. Pale and speechless they gathered up the clothes of the missing boy and returned to their desolate home. They could not weep, as their sorrow was too great. Oh! if the poor child could have died at home in their presence! But this way, to have lost him in disobedience, was too terrible.
We will leave the parents with their sorrow, and turn to Charlie. For a while he strove with the current, but when thoroughly exhausted and without strength, he began to sink. Once more in his agony he made a desperate effort to keep above water. But what was this? A dark figure leaning over him, and with a strong arm raised him out of the water like a drowning bird. He felt safe, but immediately lost consciousness. He was very much surprised on opening his eyes, to find himself with two Indians in a little canoe, but frightened at the sight of them, for he had heard of awful deeds committed by the blood-thirsty redskins. He began to cry bitterly, and begged them to take him back to his parents. However, they paid little attention to his entreaties, as they rowed quietly away. At last one of them arose, unrolled a blanket and wrapped Charlie in it, for he was naked and began to be cold, handing him, too, a handful of roasted corn; but Charlie did not feel hungry at all. Under the Indians’ powerful rowing, the canoe flew like an arrow down the stream, further and further away from Charlie’s home and his dear parents. Towards evening he discovered that the river grew wider and wider, and found by the rocking of the canoe that they were nearing the ocean. The journey was continued in deepest silence. Charlie grew very uneasy and implored God for help.
It was night, and the moon threw her silvery light over the ocean, as the canoe neared a little island, and the Indians were preparing to land. The older of them paddled the canoe into a creek, the younger took Charlie on his muscular arms and carried him to a little hut, where an Indian squaw met them at the door. She looked at her husband in surprise, as she noticed the little boy wrapped in a blanket, and asked what he had brought for her. “A little paleface,” he answered shortly. “We fished him out of the river.” The woman eyed him closely for a while, and then suddenly grasped him in her arms and wept. Alas! she had only a few weeks before lost her only boy, who was about Charlie’s age, and her heart was still in sore distress. When she recovered sufficiently, she kindled the fire, and brought Charlie something to eat, but he could eat only a little. She then made him a little bed in a corner, covered him carefully, sitting beside him beside him to sleep, and in a few moments Charlie fell asleep.
ML 11/18/1900