THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES
 
 THE DRIVER BOY.
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 
 
 BY THE AUTHOR 
 OF 8TORIKS ON THE PETITIONS OF THE LORD'S PRAYER, 
 
 PHILADELPHIA: 
 
 I'ttESBVTERIAN BOARD OF PUBLICATION, 
 
 NO. 821 CHESTNUT STREET.
 
 Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1858, by 
 
 JAMES DUNLAP, TBEAS., 
 
 in the Clerk'* (Mee of the District Court for the Eastern District 
 of Pennsylvania.
 
 V 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 IMAP 
 The Dying Mother. . .....,, .5 
 
 'CHAPTER H. 
 Mill Creek Farm and its Inmates. . . 31 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 The School, and an acquaintance with the Teacher. 59 
 
 CHAPTER IT. 
 
 Farm work, and a sad end to it. v . i . .82 
 
 CHAPTER Y. 
 
 Robert sets out to make his own way in the world. 
 A friend in need. The sick boy. . . 100 
 
 CHAPTER YI. 
 
 His journey to the blacksmith's shop. Meets with 
 
 strange companions there. . . . 123 
 
 (3) 
 
 62272O
 
 4 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 PAOI 
 
 Life in the mines and out of them. The Christian 
 
 miner. 141 
 
 CHAPTER VHI. 
 Peggy Bright's cabin. 155 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Sunday at the mines. Robert finds work which is 
 
 lawful to do on the Sabbath day. . . 169 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Robert's illness and recovery. He becomes a driver 
 
 boy. . , )!i. ..-.-*: i' , . . . 194 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 Life on the canal. * '- * ' . . . . 207 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 A sad accident. Its blessed results in the conver- 
 sion and happy death of the poor outcast Jpe. 218 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 Robert meets with his friend, Mr. Hallam. Con- 
 clusion . . . 242
 
 f! 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 THE DYING MOTHER. 
 
 AT the time our story begins, Robert True 
 was about ten years of age. His father was 
 dead ; and he* lived with his mother in a 
 small and almost ruined tenement, which 
 her poverty scarcely allowed her to keep, 
 still less to have restored to comfortable 
 order. Yet its appearance was not uninvi- 
 ting, when nature was arrayed in her summer 
 bloom. Its rude little chimney of sticks 
 arid clay peeped out, not ungracefully from 
 the green hill-side, where it sheltered ; and 
 the wreaths of blue smoke that curled over 
 1* (5)
 
 6 . LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 the tops of the huge trees on its summit, 
 gave* an aspect of social cheerfulness to the 
 otherwise solitary place. Some vines about 
 the doors and windows, and a neat little gar- 
 den of vegetables and flowers those native 
 jewels of the soil finished the setting of 
 this home picture. There was no want of 
 music either, for many birds had built 
 their nests in the branches of the old trees ; 
 and the distant noise of water falling from, 
 the rocky heights, sent a thrill of coolness 
 through the glen. 
 
 But summer, though lovely and bright, 
 cannot last long ; and when chill winter 
 came, and stripped the forest 'of its living 
 green, and sealed up the mountain torrent, 
 and covered the hill slope with a white man- 
 tle, then the lone cottage looked dreary and 
 desolate indeed. Very beautiful is the snow 
 as it falls in light, pure flakes around us ; 
 and very thankful should we be to Him who 
 sends it to us like wool, and the ice in tiriy 
 morsels, rather than in the mighty avalanche 
 or the huge bergs of the arctic. It brings
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 7 
 
 a warm blessing 'to the tender grain ; it 
 covers up, as with a garment, the swelling 
 germ of the future blossom ; but by the 
 hungry half-clad child of poverty, it is 
 looked upon with an anxious and troubled 
 gaze. 
 
 It is upon just such a wintry morning 
 that we choose to introduce our little Robert 
 to your notice. Within a sort of wood-shed 
 or lean-to, which -has been roughly put to- 
 gether to shelter the supply of fuel from the 
 drifting storms, you may hear the sound of 
 his axe, as he tries its mettle upon some un- 
 usually knotty specimen of forest growth. 
 No merry whistle accompanies the ringing 
 stroke, for the child's heart is very sad ; and 
 presently, as he comes to the door and looks 
 wistfully out, the traces of tears may be 
 plainly seen on his cheeks. 
 
 His history is a very brief one, and may 
 be told in a few minutes, while the boy 
 stands thus in the attitude of deep and sud- 
 den thought. His father had been a German 
 emigrant one of that stalwart-hearted band,
 
 8 LITTLE BOB TKUE, 
 
 who prefer "a faith's pure shrine" in the 
 wilds of the new world, to the densely 
 crowded population, and political oppression 
 of the old. He came not, as too many of his 
 countrymen do, to disseminate the errors of 
 false philosophy and practical infidelity 
 among his fellows; but as a minister of 
 Christ to a band of his few and faithful fol- 
 lowers. 
 
 For a few years the home of his little fam- 
 ily was made in the rude cottage on the hill 
 side, near to which some of their people had 
 established a settlement ; but the tide of pop- 
 ulation setting westward, and having few 
 local ties, they were soon persuaded to seek 
 another and more distant home. There the 
 little community for a short time throve and 
 enlarged their borders. But a season of 
 sickness came ; famine increased their suf- 
 ferings ; the good pastor fell a victim to his 
 ardent sympathies and unwearied watchings ; 
 and the little remnant of his scattered flock, 
 with the bereaved young wife and her infant 
 child, returned to the spot that had first 
 offered a refuge to their weary steps.
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 9 
 
 Little Robert's family name is Truefreclit ; 
 but that being a hard word to pronounce, 
 and besides rather harsh, the neighbouring 
 boys, and in time their parents also, learned 
 to call him " True" instead ; and the frank 
 honest countenance of little Bob True 
 showed that the name was not unaptly 
 given. 
 
 Hitherto Robert had been too young to 
 be acquainted with much sorrow, but now 
 he knew real grief; and this was the reason 
 of the tears on his pale downcast face, as he 
 looked on the wintry scene before him. His 
 good mother had been ill some time. She 
 had never wholly recovered from the fatigues 
 and exposures of her frontier life ; and the 
 loss of her beloved husband had pressed 
 heavily. But she had felt it to be her duty, 
 not only to resign herself to the will of God, 
 but to live in earnest for his honour and 
 glory ; and endeavoured to bring up her lit- 
 tle boy in the good old way, the way of life 
 and peace. 
 
 Their means of living had been scanty ;
 
 10 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 but until within a short time had sufficed 
 for their few simple wants. The neighbour- 
 ing housewives gladly accepted the services 
 of her busy wheel to enlarge their thrifty 
 stores ; and the neat little garden, that 
 Robert had been taught to keep so well, sup- 
 plied them with plenty of good wholesome 
 food. But altered times came. The restless 
 spirit of emigration again tempted her 
 country people westward ; and with the ex- 
 ception of one sturdy old farmer, who de- 
 clared his determination to live and die in 
 the spot that had first offered a home to him, 
 the widow remained a stranger in a strange 
 land. 
 
 Christian Brock had always been friendly; 
 and, not belying his name, he was a good 
 man, and one that walked uprightly. But he 
 had lately chosen a new helpmate to fill the 
 place of the faithful companion who had so 
 bravely trodden life's rough journeys with 
 him ; and, as is not unfrequent where dispa- 
 rity of years and habits exists, his choice 
 had fallen unwisely. So, although he gained
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 11 
 
 to his household a Martha both in name and 
 practice, he failed to find the virtues of order 
 and good management united with a care for 
 those things which perish not with the using. 
 If her tables shone like mirrors, and her 
 floors were as spotless, dame Martha was 
 well pleased, and thought it needless to la- 
 ment over the corruption and defilement of 
 her sin -polluted heart. And while the mur- 
 mur of her great and little wheels kept up a 
 ceaseless noise in the house both by day and 
 by night, and her bleaching greens were 
 strewed with snowy webs of linen, she 
 cared not to visit the widow and fatherless 
 in their affliction ; nor remembered that the 
 thrift and economy that enriched her own 
 stores, literally took the bread from the 
 mouths of the poor. 
 
 And now for many a day the wheel had 
 been silent in the little cottage, for it 
 became a principle with the neighbours to 
 emulate the zeal of the new comer ; and when 
 sickness came in along with poverty, it would 
 have gone hard with widow Truefrecht, had
 
 12 LITTLE BOB TKUE, 
 
 it not been for the stealthy visits and help 
 of farmer Brock and his little daughter. 
 There was a need-be for this, as the good 
 man had discovered, to his cost, that tongues 
 can move as nimbly as fingers ; and there was 
 no end to the lamentations that were made 
 over the extravagance and folly of his fre- 
 quent charities. So, wisely choosing to yield 
 to the torrent rather than stem it, Christian 
 Brock was content to perform his good deeds 
 in secret. 
 
 But even these appeared to poor Robert 
 to have failed, as he stood leaning against the 
 rough logs of the dwelling, with something 
 like despair chilling his young heart. There 
 had been no visit from their good neigh- 
 bours for more than a week, and the snow 
 had rilled up the mountain paths, and seemed 
 to shut him in from human help. There 
 was plenty of fuel to be had for the ga- 
 thering ; and in this the dweller of the 
 forest has an advantage over his more 
 straitened neighbour of the crowded city ; 
 but their store of food had for some
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 13 
 
 days become very scant ; and on that morn- 
 ing there had not been the means to fur- 
 nish forth the frugal meal. 
 
 Robert had carefully concealed from his 
 mother the desperate state of their affairs ; 
 and, as she remained for the most part in 
 partial unconsciousness, and able to take 
 but little nourishment herself, this was not 
 hard to do. For him, although to be very 
 hungry was a novelty, as under the skil- 
 ful management of industrious hands, want 
 had hitherto been a stranger to their 
 dwelling, yet he would willingly have 
 borne this, and many other hardships, if 
 he could but have seen his dear mother 
 restored to health and strength again. But 
 the sight of her pale, wasted face, and the 
 thin, transparent hands that grasped convul- 
 sively at his, had filled his heart with sad 
 forebodings ; and the thought that his mo- 
 ther was about to die,, and leave him all 
 alone, choked him up with such a passion 
 of grief, that he had come out into the clear 
 frosty air, to breathe freely, and give way to 
 2
 
 14 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 such tears of heart-sorrow, as on the sunny 
 face of childhood are seldom seen. 
 
 He had withdrawn from his listless, mel- 
 ancholy post at the door of the wood-shed, 
 and throwing himself down on his knees by 
 the knotty piece of timber at which he had 
 been hewing with all his little strength, 
 covered up his face with his hands. Just 
 then, he heard his mother's voice. 
 
 She was not calling him, but speaking 
 softly as if to herself, and through the cre- 
 vices which had been made between the 
 logs of the house, by the falling of its de- 
 cayed plaster, he could make out the very 
 words. They were part of a quaint old 
 German hymn, that he knew quite well, and 
 had often heard his mother repeat: 
 
 " Lo ! at the door 
 
 I hear death's knock ! 
 Shield me, Lord, 
 My strength and rock! 
 
 " i"he hand once nailed 
 
 Upon the tree 
 Jesus, uplift 
 And shelter me I
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 16 
 
 " My pains increase : 
 
 Lord, stand thou near ; 
 Body and soul 
 
 Dissolve with fear I 
 
 '* Now death is near, 
 
 My tongue is dumb ; 
 Fight for me, Lord, 
 Mine hour is come." 
 
 And again : 
 
 " Though I walk through the valley of 
 the shadow of death, I will fear no evil ; for 
 thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff they 
 comfort me." 
 
 "Death! deatji! nothing but death 1" The 
 poor boy felt as if the dark angel's wings 
 touched him as they passed ; and in the 
 chill and fear he lost sight of the bounding 
 faith that had accompanied the beautiful 
 words ; nor realized that these were but the 
 crumbs of that living food, which a life- 
 memory had stored up for this passage over 
 Jordan. 
 
 But the very attitude that he had taken 
 reminded him to whom he should go in his
 
 16 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 sorrow ; and with not many words, but with 
 the feeling of intense need, he besought 
 God to be his Father and Friend. And He, 
 whose office it is to be the Comforter, drew 
 near to the child of poverty, kneeling in 
 that humble wood shed, and brought things 
 to his remembrance, precious things out 
 of the word of life. 
 
 " When my father and my mother forsake 
 me, then the Lord will take me up," repeated 
 little Robert to himself; and he arose with 
 a new principle of faith and hope springing 
 up in his heart. It was, perhaps, the first 
 time he had really prayed, although, ever 
 since he could remember, he had bent his 
 knees and used the words of prayer ; but now 
 he had come with a feeling of helplessness, 
 and looked earnestly for divine assistance ; 
 and to such is the promise given, " Ask, and 
 ye shall receive." 
 
 When Robert entered the one apartment 
 that made their dwelling, he found his mo- 
 ther, as he had expected, fully aroused, and 
 with more intelligence in her countenance
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 17 
 
 than he had seen since her illness. The 
 child was ignorant of the fact, that it is often 
 thus with the dying, on the confines of two 
 worlds, to gather strength . to look into the 
 past and the future ; and his heart beat high 
 with a new hope, that the danger was over, 
 and his mother might still be spared to him. 
 Yet there was something so strange and 
 awful in the earnestness of her gaze, as she 
 followed his motions about the room, and 
 watched him as he laid down the wood he 
 had brought in and replenished the fire, that 
 he felt a portion of the sickening dread that 
 had oppressed him before, stealing back 
 again on his heart ; and, going up to his 
 mother's side, he knelt down and hid his face 
 on the bed. 
 
 The dying woman passed her trembling 
 fingers many times over the bright locks of 
 her child in silence ; for she felt that it was 
 hard to part with her only little one, and 
 leave him besides so friendless and unpro- 
 vided for. But God's peace was in her soul ; 
 and she took firm hold of the promise *
 
 18 .. LITTLE BOB TKUE. 
 
 "Leave thy fatherless children, I will pre- 
 serve them alive." 
 
 " Robert/' she at last said in a faint voice, 
 " listen to me, my son. Mother is going to 
 leave you for a bright and beautiful world, 
 where there is no sickness, nor sorrow, nor 
 pain, nor death, nor any evil thing. Where 
 God and all good angels and happy saints 
 are, must be a delightful land, Robert. Are 
 you willing to have me go ?" 
 
 The child made no reply ; only the little 
 fair head shook convulsively, as if he rebelled 
 against the stern decree that would take away 
 his mother from him. 
 
 " My son, it is God's will ; and it is wicked 
 for us to fight against that. Rather let us 
 rejoice together over the bright hopes he has 
 given to us in the gospel of his dear Son, 
 pardon for our numerous offences, because 
 Christ died for us; and an entrance into the 
 Father's house of many mansions, purchased 
 for us by redeeming blood. If you love me, 
 Robert, you will be glad to have me go away 
 from a sinful and suffering body, and be 
 happy for ever."
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 19 
 
 " O mother !" sobbed the poor boy, " if I 
 could only go with you !" 
 
 " And so I trust you shall, ray child, when 
 God's own time comes. But now it is not 
 his will. He would prove you and try you, 
 and have you live to his glory here, so that 
 the everlasting victory may be the greater 
 and crowning joy. If you would win 
 heaven, you must be a soldier of the cross. 
 These things are nothing new to you, Robert, 
 for I have tried to teach you ; and besides I 
 hope you have had a better teacher, even the 
 Spirit of all truth, who is able to make plain 
 to a child like you, what is often hidden 
 mysteries to. the wise and great of this 
 world. But now that the time seems to be 
 so short, for I feel that I am very fast going 
 to that better world, I want to tell them 
 over to you again, that you may remember 
 them always." 
 
 Eobert tightened the clasp he had of the 
 chilly fingers in his, and pressed his lips to 
 them, as if to signify how precious those last 
 words would be to him.
 
 20 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 "First then, dear child, love the Lord your 
 God with all your heart, and soul, and 
 strength. Pray to him to lead you in the 
 way of all truth, and keep you from the 
 snares and temptations of the world. Many 
 will try to lead you astray ; but remember 
 the God of your father and your mother, 
 and shun the evil way, for its steps take 
 hold on death. Love God's Sabbaths, and 
 his holy word ; and never listen to those who 
 profane his name, much less dare to take it 
 in vain yourself. And if you love the 
 Saviour here, and serve him, we shall not 
 long be parted ; but be happy for ever, 
 through the infinite merits of Him who 
 bought us with his blood." 
 
 Then joining her feeble hands over the 
 head of her weeping boy, the mother be- 
 sought the God of all grace to keep him, and 
 guide him, and deliver him from all evil. 
 
 They had become calmer after this express- 
 ion of intense feeling, when the mother, 
 whose senses appeared to have become all 
 quickened after the long slumber of uncon-
 
 THE DEIVER BOY. 21 
 
 sciousness, noticed for the first time that her 
 little boy's countenance was pale and sunken ; 
 and that, although the morning was far ad- 
 vanced, there was no appearance of preparing 
 food. 
 
 "Why, Robert, how is this?" she said. 
 " The sun has nearly reached my noon-mark 
 on the window, and yet you have not eaten 
 anything. I am sure of this ; because, although 
 you thought me asleep, I have noticed you 
 ever since you have been up." 
 
 Eobert felt a keener pang of sorrow at this 
 remark of his mother, for he remembered 
 on how many pleasant days she had sat with 
 her wheel by that very window ; and when 
 the shadow of the old tree crept up its frame, 
 she had arranged their simple meal so neatly 
 on the little table, and called him from his 
 garden toil or book tasks to partake of it. 
 But with these touching recollections came 
 his renewed purpose to be firm and true in 
 all things, even little things ; and he felt that 
 this was no time to keep back anything 
 from his mother.
 
 22 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 Yet his unwillingness to distress her 
 made him hesitate, and look down ; and his 
 mother, with her keen glance, soon under- 
 stood the cause of his silence. 
 
 "Is there, then, nothing for you to eat? 
 E-obert, my child, are we so very poor?" 
 
 " Dear mother, do not distress yourself. I 
 am not so very hungry, and I would not 
 have told you, if I could have helped it. 
 There was a piece of bread for my supper 
 last night ; and I have yet a few spoonsful 
 of the meal to make your gruel. Shall I go 
 and get it ready for you, mother?" 
 
 Robert would have hurried off" to perform 
 this office of love, but his mother laid her 
 hand on his arm, and kept him by her. 
 
 " When have our good neighbours been 
 here?" 
 
 ' " Not for a week, mother. There has 
 been a very deep snow, and we have been 
 alone for all that time, for I feared to leave 
 you here by yourself. I had something to 
 eat mostly, and the medicines were all right ? 
 and you lay so quiet, I thought you would 
 be better every day."
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 23 
 
 "I shall soon be better. But yet I would 
 not like to see you so unfriended. Eobert, 
 do you think you could make your way 
 through the deep snow-drifts, to farmer 
 Brock's ? Perhaps the good old man is ill 
 himself," 
 
 " I could try, mother but how to leave 
 you alone 1" 
 
 As Robert still stood undecided, he heard 
 the tread of a horse's feet very close to the 
 house, and a sweet, childish face looked in at 
 the four-paned window that was opposite to 
 his mother's bed. 
 
 " Come, and lift me off, Robbie," said a 
 little voice ; " old White-face won't stand 
 long, and I have a heavy basket." 
 
 Robert hurried out with a step that would 
 have been joyful, but for the sorrow that fell 
 heavily on his spirits. It was little Char- 
 lotte Brock, or, as every body called her, 
 little Lottie ; and the child was perched up 
 on a tall steed, beside a pannier basket 
 nearly as large as herself. 
 
 Robert accomplished his task of lifting
 
 24: LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 both to the ground, with some difficulty ; for 
 Lottie was but little younger than himself, 
 and quite substantial in her make, with 
 round rosy cheeks, that looked like some ot 
 her father's apples. 
 
 " Ain't you glad to see me, Robert ? 
 We could not come before, because father 
 had one of his old spells of rheumatism, and 
 mother Martha wouldn't hear of his sending, 
 or of my coming alone. But mother Mar- 
 tha went away to-day for a visit, and father 
 put me on old White-face, and he is follow- 
 ing after with his great staff. But I played 
 him a fine trick ; for, when we turned the 
 hill, I ran off, and left him, and old White- 
 face didn't miss a single step. Wasn't that 
 nice, Robert ?" 
 
 But the child suddenly stopped in her 
 merry prattle ; for, overcome with weakness 
 and sorrow, Robert leaned his head against 
 the horse's neck, which he had been indus- 
 triously caressing to conceal his face, and 
 burst into tears. 
 
 " Oh, Robbie, I am so sorry ; is your mother
 
 THE DEIVER BOY. 25 
 
 very sick ?" said little Lottie, after she had, 
 by many questions, gained some light on the 
 subject of her companion's grief. " But 
 don't cry, she will get well again ; and we 
 have brought such nice things. Help me 
 to carry in the basket, and we will unpack 
 it before father comes." 
 
 Eobert shook his head sadly, for he knew 
 his mother was past all help from medicine 
 or food ; but he took his share of the load, 
 and the two children entered the dwelling 
 just as the slow halting step of farmer 
 Brock was heard, cautiously descending the 
 steep, rocky path of the hill. 
 
 Lottie was too intent upon her purpose of 
 unpacking the basket " before father came," 
 to give more than a hasty glance at the in- 
 valid, whose face was, besides, partly con- 
 cealed from her by the door which opened 
 inwards. Kneeling down by the well-packed 
 basket, she drew 1 ] forth article after article 
 from it with looks of beaming joy. 
 
 "Here is some bread, and ham, and 
 rusks; those father put in. And here is 
 3
 
 26 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 a bottle of home-made wine, and some tea, 
 and phials of medicine; those nurse Katy 
 packed up, and she charged me to go slowly, 
 or I should break them. But see here, Eob- 
 bie, what I have brought for you all this 
 nice chicken-pie. Mother Martha made two 
 yesterday ; and I begged and begged nurse 
 Katy for this one to-day, for I wanted you 
 to have it so much, and now mother Martha 
 will never know. And look here besides " 
 Here the little girl, who had been making 
 rapid journeys from the basket to the table, 
 to deposit with eager hands the various 
 treasures which she drew from its depths, 
 suddenly caught a view of the countenance 
 of the dying woman so changed and even 
 fearful in its expression. The sight was new 
 to her, for she had never looked upon death 
 before, and she stood for some moments in 
 an agony of terror. Then, rushing to her 
 father, who just then entered the dwelling, 
 she hid her face in the ample folds of his 
 large coat, not daring to look again upon 
 the face of the dying.
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 27 
 
 The tall form of the old man was just 
 raising from the bending posture he had 
 assumed in stooping to enter the low door ; 
 and uncovering his white head, he had begun 
 his usual salutation : " Peace be to this house 
 and its inmates," when his eye also took, in 
 the solemn circumstances of death. But 
 with the natural shrinking and awe, mingled 
 the blessed hopes of the Christian that "for 
 ever with the Lord" that being with Christ, 
 which is so far better than abiding here in 
 the flesh. 
 
 As he approached the dying woman, she 
 reached out her hand and took his with a 
 faint smile. 
 
 " My prayer is heard. You have come to 
 close rny eyes in peace, and be a friend to 
 my orphan boy." 
 
 " As God helps me I will. The child of 
 my beloved pastor shall never want, while I 
 have an abundance of the good things of this 
 life. He shall be cared for as my own." 
 
 " The Lord bless and reward you. But 
 your wife will Martha be to him a .mother 
 also ?"
 
 28 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 The old man hesitated. His generous 
 resolution had been made in the warm im- 
 pulse of feeling; and he had forgotten, for 
 the time, that he had at home a hard and 
 unfeeling nature to deal with. But his ready 
 mind soon suggested a remedy. 
 
 "If you would agree to part with him now, 
 and let him become at once a member of my 
 household, I am almost sure that Martha, 
 finding him such on her return, will make 
 no unreasonable objection. The thing will 
 be done, and she will be wise enough to 
 give way, and the boy's gentleness and 
 sweetness of disposition will do the rest." 
 
 " As you will. It can make but little 
 difference ; for I must soon leave him, if he 
 leave not me. But oh, my child, my child, 
 how hard it is to part ! " 
 
 Farmer Brock then, gently soothing his 
 little girl who still clung to him, led her up 
 to the bedside of her dying friend ; and when 
 Lottie heard the voice and saw the coun- 
 tenance, that had always been familiar and 
 dear to hsr, welcoming her as ever with
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 29 
 
 words of kindness, she felt no longer afratd ; 
 and even raised no objection, when her fa- 
 ther proposed leaving her a short time with 
 the invalid, while he returned to the farm 
 with little Robert. 
 
 " I shall be back as soon as I can, Lottie, 
 and bring nurse Katy to stay here a while. 
 She will know better than any of us what to 
 do, and at this time her help is very needful. 
 Do you think you will be afraid, Lottie?" 
 
 " No, father. God is here, and the good 
 angels ; and if widow True sleeps, I will 
 kneel down and say my prayers to our Father 
 in heaven." 
 
 She then assisted in looking for such 
 articles of clothing as could be hastily got 
 together to protect Robert from the cold ; 
 and while he, passive and sad, and wondering 
 at this new change in his prospects, sat with 
 his little hand locked in his mother's, she 
 made up a small bundle, and directed him 
 to fasten it on White-face as the basket had 
 been. 
 *" One moment," said the faint voice of the
 
 30 LITTLE BOB TRUE. 
 
 mother. "Let me see my dear child once 
 again partake of the food, which a kind 
 Providence has sent in this time of great 
 want. And do you, good friends, also sit 
 down, and share of the bounty that your 
 own hands have provided." 
 
 Silently and sadly they obeyed her wish, 
 although it was a mere ceremony with all : 
 for those that were not in need, and for the 
 poor little boy, whose choking grief took 
 away from him the pangs of great hunger. 
 After they had concluded their melancholy 
 meal, the dying woman took a morsel of 
 bread, and moistened her stiffening lips with 
 the cordial which they had brought.. This 
 strengthened her spirit for the trial yet to 
 come. 
 
 And this was more bitter than death the 
 parting from her child. Closely did she 
 strain him to her bosom, repeating over and 
 over again the counsel she had given him. 
 Then commending him once more to the God 
 of all grace, her feeble hands relaxed their 
 grabp on earth, to take a firm and. enduring 
 hold on the Rock of Ages.
 
 THE DRIVER BOY- 31 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 CHRISTIAN BROCK and his little companion, 
 Kobert, took up their line of march for Mill 
 Creek Farm iu much the same style as Lottie 
 and her father had left it ; with this differ- 
 ence only, that the old man kept a firm hold 
 on the bridle of White-face, obliging her to 
 accommodate her pace to his slow and painful 
 steps ; either to prevent the usual tricks that 
 her little mistress indulged her in, or be- 
 cause Kobert, by his secluded and rather in- 
 active habits, was but an inexperienced rider. 
 To the boy himself this was a matter of 
 perfect indifference ; for his heart was full 
 and sad, and his eyes bedimmed with tears, 
 so that he scarcely noticed where he was go- 
 ing. Only a dull, vague feeling was in his 
 heart, that he was leaving behind him all 
 that he held dear, and beginning for him-
 
 32 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 self the great sorrowful journey of the wide, 
 cold world. 
 
 But by degrees the clear frosty air sent 
 new vigour through his frame; and his spirits 
 rose somewhat from the pressure of that 
 first great grief of his life. Then he began 
 to look round him, with some interest, on 
 the hills and valleys covered with pure 
 white snow, so firm and unyielding in its 
 texture that the plunging hoofs of White- 
 face scarce marked its unsullied surface, and 
 so piled in gigantic masses, that the tops of 
 huge trees on the mountain brows looked 
 like stunted shrubs ; and it became a matter 
 of wonder whether indeed earth would ever 
 again have her green casket lid lifted up by 
 the share of the ploughman, and bring forth 
 precious things from its vast depths. 
 
 Then the creek bound in icy fetters, taking 
 its name from the substantial stone structure 
 at its head, whose great wheel could even 
 then be heard, as it strove crush in gly with 
 the fast congealing waters. The dwelling of 
 farmer Brock in turn derived its title from
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 33 
 
 this neighbourhood ; and, being built on an 
 eminence which sloped gently down to the 
 bank of the creek, it commanded a fine post 
 of observation, and was itself the admiration 
 of the daily throng, who passed to and from 
 the old mill with their burdens of golden 
 grain. 
 
 It had been the ambition of this settler in 
 the new world, to have his tenement made 
 to resemble as much as possible those en- 
 deared to remembrance in the far distant 
 fatherland. So that although it was con- 
 structed, like others in the vicinity, of the com- 
 mon dark gray stone of the country, its arch- 
 itecture differed in many respects from theirs. 
 There were the many pointed gables all 
 fronting the road the irregular windows 
 broken out wherever it pleased the builder's 
 fancy, without regard to taste or order, some 
 large, some small, and often projecting so 
 far as to render supporting pillars on the 
 outside necessary huge pent houses over 
 the angular doors, and in front of the prin- 
 cipal one, which was grotesquely carved and
 
 34 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 panelled, the indispensable stoop or stone 
 porch, made capacious enough to shelter tho 
 whole family. 
 
 Scattered around were many outhouses 
 for the sheltering of grain or cattle ; and 
 from one a great red barn, whose open doors 
 showed whole stacks of rich provender came 
 the dull, unvarying sound of the thresher's 
 flail. Old White-face carried her little rider 
 as far as thedrinking trough, which wasagreat 
 hollow log at the foot of a magnificent tree 
 that stood opposite the house, and here by 
 mute gestures declared her determination to 
 proceed no farther. So Robert had no other 
 choice than to slide gently off her back, and 
 with his little bundle in hand, follow his 
 kind friend into his future home. 
 
 The first apartment was a wide summer 
 hall, paved with brick, and furnished with 
 numerous settles and high backed chairs of 
 ancient fashion. Out of this branched the 
 passage ways of sleeping rooms, and others 
 for various purposes ; and to a door at the 
 lower end, which, standing wide open, dis-
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 35 
 
 closed a cheerful and bustling scene, the 
 steps of the farmer were directed. 
 
 This was a light pleasant kitchen, of di- 
 mensions sufficiently ample for all hospitable 
 purposes, and a fire place at one end wide 
 enough to contain a dozen of moderate size. 
 It was then filled with blazing logs of such 
 formidable length and breadth as showed 
 that fuel was by no means a scarce article in 
 those regions, and rendered the great iron 
 stove that filled one entire corner rather an 
 unnecessary appendage. This was indeed 
 kept more for show than use ; and its heavy 
 copper boilers received an extra burnishing, 
 and its own face a coat of shining black, on 
 the return of what was called " cleaning 
 day." Willing hands had by dint of much 
 scrubbing divested chairs and tables of their 
 original red paint, and brought them into a 
 colour corresponding with the neat floor, 
 which was at that very time undergoing the 
 daily process of being ornamented in gro- 
 tesque patterns with pure white sand. 
 
 The person who superintended this opera-
 
 36 LITTLE BOB TRITE, 
 
 tion was the aged woman whom Lottie had 
 prattled of; and as she stood in the middle 
 of the room, directing the less practised hand 
 of a younger female, nurse Katy presented 
 a rare picture of the good old German matron 
 of former times. The silver hair smoothed 
 back from her broad brow, was scarcely 
 covered by the little round cap of many 
 colours that fitted closely to the back of her 
 head ; and below her waist these locks de- 
 scended in two massive braids, each orna- 
 mented at the end with a bright red ribbon. 
 The dress was of striped linsey full and brief, 
 so that the gaily clocked stockings and 
 polished shoe buckles, came in for their share 
 of admiration. 
 
 But if the attire was quaint and unusual 
 to the eye of a stranger, the heart that beat 
 so warmly beneath the laced bodice and 
 nicely fitting muslin kerchief folded beneath, 
 was loving and kind, and full of the sweet 
 impulses of Christian charity. 
 
 She received the little, pale, shrinking boy 
 with all a mother's tenderness and care ; and
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 37 
 
 having seen him comfortably placed in the 
 large elbow chair that she had drawn up to 
 the fire, she hastened to attend to what she 
 naturally supposed would be his next urgent 
 want the calls of hunger. But farmer 
 Brock put a stop to. her hospitable intentions, 
 by explaining the state of matters at the 
 cottage, and requiring her to use the great- 
 est dispatch in preparing to go thither. 
 
 " Margaret must accompany you," said the 
 old man. " I will call Martin from the barn 
 to get the great sled ready. I also will 
 return ; and Robert can stay here with Paul 
 till Lottie comes back." 
 
 Old Paul, with whom Robert was soon 
 left as sole companion, and who had hitherto 
 been such a quiet member of the group, 
 that, except for his little twinkling eyes and 
 never resting hands, he might have been 
 mistaken for one of the droll figures stepped 
 out o/ the little Dutch tiles that adorned the 
 chimney-piece, was the aged partner of 
 nurse Katy, much older even than his venera- 
 ble master ; and yet the faithful companion 
 4
 
 38 LITTLE BOB TEUE, 
 
 of his toils, and partaker with him of the 
 grief of leaving the dear fatherland, and the 
 ties of kindred. 
 
 These good people had followed, from 
 pure motives of attachment, the lot of those 
 whom they had known and loved for so 
 many years ; but once settled in their new 
 home, their help was neither small nor inef- 
 ficient. Nurse Katy, as we have seen, was 
 an able and faithful assistant ; and her hus- 
 band was not a whit behind her in industri- 
 ous habits. His were the ready fingers that 
 so skilfully repaired the harness and other 
 farming gear, as they fell into decay by use 
 and age ; and it was his daily task to collect 
 on the premises all such articles as required 
 his care, and his great delight to repair 
 and fit them for active service again. 
 
 On this particular day, his attention had 
 been directed to the mending of the various 
 boots and shoes that could be found ui an 
 impaired state about the house ; and clustered 
 around his work-bench they were arranged 
 in formidable order, from the rough brogans
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 39 
 
 of the thresher to the tiny pair that fitted 
 the feet of little Lottie. 
 
 Robert looked with much interest at the 
 old man, as he bent over his task. He was 
 a square, short figure, much stooped from 
 constant toil and exposure ; and the dark 
 woollen cap that adorned his head, with the 
 great round glasses set in heavy black frames, 
 that were generally slipped to the end of his 
 nose, added to his quaint and singular ap- 
 pearance. He in his turn seemed to consider 
 Robert as in some measure under his care ; 
 and therefore bound to bestow an extra por- 
 tion of attention upon him. It was this 
 feeling that made him often lay down his 
 work, and, having removed and brightened 
 his glasses with the corner of his leathern 
 apron, bring them to bear in full survey on 
 the little figure seated in the large arm chair 
 on the opposite corner of the fireplace. 
 
 But old Paul was a man of few words ; 
 only when he did speak they were generally 
 apt words, such as are garnered up in a wise 
 head, and shut in and guarded by discreet
 
 4:0 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 door-keepers, even the lips, that are often so 
 pliable under the play of that little unruly 
 member, the tongue. But this was upon 
 great occasions, such as unseal the fountains 
 of feeling ; in ordinary every-day life, Paul 
 was content with monosyllables. So when 
 he had repeated over and again the abrupt 
 inquiries : " Gold ? hungry ?" and had re- 
 ceived Robert's timid replies in return for 
 his civilities, there appeared to be no farther 
 progress to be made in their acquaintance. 
 
 Apparently the old man was not content 
 with this state of affairs, or perhaps he 
 considered the child's last negative rather 
 doubtful ; for, after resuming and again lay- 
 ing down his work, he arose with more alac- 
 rity than could have been expected from his 
 great age, and opening a door in a dark 
 corner of the kitchen disappeared within. 
 
 Eobert looked after him, and saw that he 
 had descended by some steps into a cellar 
 or provision room. There was a pleasant, 
 fruity smell from its contents ; part of them, 
 as could be seen from where he was seated,
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 41 
 
 being mellow, golden, and red-cheeked ap- 
 ples, piled up in huge bins; while heaps 
 of winter vegetables spoke of plenty and 
 good living. Laden with a basketful of the 
 generous fruit, Paul soon made his appear- 
 ance ; and, placing it on a table by Robert's 
 side, appropriated it to his use, by simply 
 uttering the word, " There." 
 
 But little Eobert was too intent on the 
 motions of his singular companion, to avail 
 himself at once of his kindness ; for, after 
 the old man had showed him by signs that 
 his toothless mouth made it incapable of 
 performing the service of an apple-mill, he 
 took a stout cord from his pocket, and at- 
 taching it by a hook to the mantel shelf, tied 
 a fine Spitzbergen to the other end of it. 
 Then giving it a great twirl, that sent it 
 spinning about, he made Robert comprehend 
 by nods and smiles that that was his way 
 of roasting and disposing of apples. 
 
 The boy watched the process of this pri- 
 mitive mode of cooking for some time ; but 
 at last the rotary motion seemed to dizzy 
 4*
 
 42 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 him, the nodding, droll little figure before 
 him faded from his vision, his weary eyelids 
 closed, and he fell fast asleep. 
 
 How long he slept he knew not, but he 
 had a dim consciousness, when he awoke, 
 of having been with his dear mother again 
 of feeling her kisses on his lips, and hear- 
 ing her last words : " For ever with the 
 Lord." A gush of tears followed the re- 
 membrance that it was but a dream, and he 
 should see and hear her no more. But when 
 his fit of crying was over, he looked up, and 
 found there was another there besides Paul. 
 
 It was Lottie little, pleasant-faced Lottie, 
 with her smiling eyes that looked as if tears 
 had never dimmed them. She was standing 
 with her cloak and hood still on, warming 
 her chilled fingers by the clear blaze. But 
 while she answered Paul, she looked inqui- 
 ringly at his little companion. 
 
 " Yes ; I left father there, and nurse Katy 
 and Margaret. They are waiting for I 
 know not what perhaps till neighbour 
 True gets better. They said she soon would
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 43 
 
 be so I came home to take care of Eobbie, 
 and help you cook supper; and Martin 
 carried me back on his shoulder." 
 
 Here the lively child laughed merrily at 
 the recollection of what she called " her fun- 
 ny ride," and its various mishaps. She was 
 proceeding to recount these, when suddenly 
 her eye fell on Kobert again, and she remem- 
 bered quickly how little he felt like laughing 
 with her. 
 
 " Eobbie," she said, earnestly, laying her 
 small .hand on his, " don't cry any more 
 about your mother. She is happy ; I know 
 she is. Her lips smile all the time, and her 
 eyes look bright and watching, as if they 
 saw the angels. Nurse Katy says they are 
 waiting to take her home like the shining 
 ones that led Christian and Hopeful when 
 they passed through the dark river. And 
 then, you remember, they went right up to 
 the beautiful city with its golden gates. 
 But I forgot you never saw my Pilgrim. 
 It is a book, a nice new book. Father 
 bought it from a kind man, who came all
 
 44 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 through the snow to carry good books to 
 people, and tell them how to go to heaven. 
 He said we would love it if we read it ; and 
 so I do, and so does father, and Paul, and I 
 mean you shall read it too, Kobbie ; and 
 then we will all go together to the celestial 
 city that means heaven, father says." 
 
 So, running hastily from the room, little 
 Lottie possessed herself of the precious vol- 
 ume ; and, drawing a low seat to the sida 
 of Robert, began to unfold its beauties to 
 him. It was indeed the "Pilgrim" that 
 blessed ray from the lamp of divine truth, 
 which, struggling dimly through the dark- 
 ness of a Bedfordshire prison, has illumined 
 the world with its brightness. It was the 
 Pilgrim, which, travelling from the cottage 
 to the palace, has gathered a mighty army 
 to be the host of the Lord in the conflict be 
 tween sin and holiness. It was the Pilgrim 
 of many lands. 
 
 While Lottie was looking through the 
 volume for the passage she wished Robert 
 to read, she told nim in her own childish
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 45 
 
 way of the story which has interested so 
 many by its union of simplicity with a pro- 
 found knowledge of the wiles and devices 
 of the unrenewed heart. She told him of 
 Christian's dwelling in the city of Destruc- 
 tion of his feeling the great burden of 
 sin, and resolving to flee from the wrath to 
 come. How he entered into the strait and 
 narrow way, by faith in Jesus Christ ; and 
 then, how he at last lost his burden at the 
 foot of the cross. Then she entered into 
 many details of his journey ; of his being 
 at the Interpreter's house of his peril at 
 Vanity fair, where his fellow pilgrim, Faith- 
 ful, yielded up his life. How he had, after- 
 wards, another companion, called Hopeful, 
 who continued with him until they both 
 went through the river of death. And she 
 concluded by showing him that beautiful 
 passage where they, who had escaped to the 
 shore, came at once " to mount Zion, and to 
 the city of the living God, the heavenly 
 Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company 
 of angels" which, in the language of the
 
 46 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 allegory, " compassed them round on every 
 side." 
 
 " There were also that met them with harps 
 and crowns, and gave them to them ; the 
 harps to praise withal, and the crowns in 
 token of honour. Then I heard in my 
 dream, that all the bells in the City rang 
 again for joy, and that it was said unto them, 
 1 Enter ye into the joy of your Lord.' I 
 also heard the men themselves, that they 
 sang with a loud voice, saying, c Blessing, 
 and honour, and glory, and power be unto 
 Him that sitteth on the throne, and unto the 
 Larnb for ever and ever.' Now just as the 
 gates were opened to let in the men, I looked 
 in after them, and, behold ! the City shone like 
 the sun ; the streets also were paved with 
 gold ; and in them walked many men with 
 crowns on their heads, palms in their hands, 
 and golden harps, to sing praises withal. 
 There were also of them that had wings, and 
 they answered one another without inter- 
 mission, saying, * Holy, holy, holy is the 
 Lord.' And after that they shut up the
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 47 
 
 gates ; which when I had seen I wished my- 
 pelf among them." 
 
 When Robert had finished reading, and 
 put away the book, the little group kept 
 silent for many minutes. Robert quietly 
 thought over the beautiful scene it had de- 
 scribed ; old Paul wiped his spectacles very 
 often, and^ shook his head many times, as if 
 his feelings would at last break out in words ; 
 and Lottie kept her face steadily pressed 
 against the window panes, seemingly deep in 
 contemplation of the snow-paths. At length 
 she started, for the old Dutch clock slowly 
 pealed out the hour of four. 
 
 " Time for us to get supper ain't it, 
 Paul ?" 
 
 And immediately, like sunlight chasing 
 the clouds, the grave shadows faded from 
 her animated countenance, and her spirits 
 rose in proportion to the unwonted pressure 
 that had rested upon them. 
 
 " Come, Paul, let us hurry before mo- 
 ther Martha comes. I mean to have stir- 
 about ; because Robbie will like that, I know
 
 48 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 And I will have cream with it, real cream, 
 and not shabby, blue skim-milk." 
 
 So while Paul hung on the great skillet, 
 and heaped the brands beneath it, Lottie 
 drew out the table, and set on it plates of 
 bread and butter and meat, besides pie and 
 cheese. Then quickly diving into the cel- 
 lar, she returned with a wooden bowl full of 
 golden Indian meal ; and with stirring-stick 
 in hand, stood in the chimney corner ready 
 for the first moment when Paul should an- 
 nounce that the requisite boiling point had 
 been attained. This was not long waited 
 for, with such a huge fire beneath ; and then 
 Lottie had the pleasure of sifting in the cool 
 soft meal through her small hands; while 
 Paul, with superior strength and nicer skill, 
 salted and stirred it to the required thick- 
 ness. 
 
 All was ready. A large pewter dish of 
 the favourite mixture was placed seething 
 hot on the table, flanked by Lottie's promised 
 pitcher of rich cream. In her haste, she had 
 forgotten both bowls and spoons; and laugh
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 49 
 
 ing at the omission, she ran to the cupboard for 
 them ; but a shadow passed between her and 
 it a heavy hand was laid for a minute on 
 her shoulder and she looked up into the 
 wrathful countenance of her step-mother. 
 
 Lottie had been too busy and bustling about 
 supper-getting to take notice of the return ; 
 and so she had entered unheeded. First 
 turning the key in the cupboard, and letting 
 it fall into her capacious pocket, mother 
 Martha confronted the two frightened chil- 
 dren. Kobert had already taken his place 
 at the table ; and Lottie, with the feeling that 
 she must defend him, kept close to his side. 
 Old Paul, who alone had observed her en- 
 trance, had not ventured from his bench ; 
 but in place of his mending work, his knees 
 now supported his large old Bible, which 
 was his common custom when he foresaw a 
 domestic storm. Then his seldom-opened lips 
 poured forth, in the lull of the tempest, words 
 of wisdom and grace from the sacred volume ; 
 and, as his memory was good, and mother 
 Martha not over and above conversant with 
 5
 
 50 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 the scriptures, he often conveyed strong re- 
 proof to her, by repeating texts which suited 
 the occasion, although not to be found in 
 connection. But although their apposite 
 meaning often deepened the colour in her 
 cheek, yet there could be no fault found with 
 Paul ; for he was sucja an old man, and it 
 was his constant habit both with the family 
 and alone to read the Bible aloud. 
 
 So all her anger turned on Lottie, and 
 the trembling little boy at her side. The two 
 children, as they stood there, seemed of very 
 different characters. Lottie was fearless and 
 unyielding, and perhaps it was this very 
 part of her disposition that made her an 
 object of dislike to her step-mother. Never 
 having experienced a tender mother's love, 
 she had not looked for it in her who was to 
 supply that mother's place to her ; and she in 
 her turn was displeased with the child, when 
 her authority was constantly disputed and 
 rebelled against. Pun ishrnent both severe and 
 continued had no effect in subduing Lottie's 
 unbroken spirit ; and resulted only in in-
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 51 
 
 creased displeasure towards the author of it, 
 and a resolution to conceal from her what- 
 ever she thought would be distasteful, without 
 scarcely a wish to amend the faults them- 
 selves. With kinder 'and more judicious 
 management, these faults might have been 
 lessened. 
 
 Robert, on the contrary, had always been 
 the object of fond love and solicitude; and his 
 never having been exposed to the pitiless 
 blasts of the world, might have resulted in 
 want of energy, had not Providence ordered 
 the changes which took place in his circum- 
 stances. Yet, in the cause of right and hon- 
 esty } he could be as fearless and independent 
 as little Lottie herself. On the present occa- 
 sion, however, subdued by grief, and the 
 recollection that he was, by one of the mem- 
 bers of the household at least, considered as 
 an intruder, he looked perfectly overwhelmed 
 with terror. Perhaps he for the first time 
 comprehended that eyes can glance fire, and 
 tongues shape words like arrows. 
 
 But little Lottie stood the battery well.
 
 52 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 Although she knew, by long experience, that 
 her mother woulfl not bear any opposition or 
 reply from her ; yet she relied on Paul's 
 assistance in the hour of need. 
 
 It appeared that mother Martha had heard 
 the news as soon as she arrived at home, 
 from the man who came from his work to 
 attend the animal she rode; and she was 
 therefore fully prepared to vent her displeas- 
 ure on the absent ones for disobedience of 
 her orders, and in failure of their appearance, 
 upon any one else whom she should encoun- 
 ter. As usual, she began with her constant 
 complaint of the unthrift and mismanage- 
 ment of the household when she was away ! 
 
 " It was strange she could never take a 
 day's enjoyment no, not even an hour's, 
 without finding everything upside down 
 when she came back. Here had she been 
 slaving herself to death for years, and 
 striving to save and manage as well as she 
 could, and to what did it all amount ?" 
 
 Paul read in a solemn voice from his cor-
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 53 
 
 11 L^y not up for yourselves treasures upon 
 earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, 
 and where thieves break through and steal. 
 But lay up for yourselves treasures in 
 heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth 
 corrupt, and where thieves do not break 
 through nor steal : for where your treasure 
 is, there will your heart be also." Matt. vi. 
 19, 20, 21. 
 
 Martha darted a keen glance towards him. 
 She felt the reproof, but her anger was not 
 lessened. 
 
 " Some folks think it is very fine, this chari- 
 ty," she said ; " but my religion teaches me 
 to labour honestly with my own hands. Let 
 every one mind his own business, say I; 
 and not be troubling themselves about their 
 neighbours." 
 
 Old Paul read again : 
 
 11 Pure religion and undefiled before God 
 and the Father, is this, to visit the fatherless 
 and widows in their affliction, and to keep 
 himself unspotted from the world." James 
 i. 27. 
 
 5 * .-,.* ,
 
 54 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 " The fatherless !" said Martha wrathfully, 
 " yes, we shall have this little beggar to feed 
 and clothe ; and who will pay us for that, I 
 want to know ?" 
 
 " Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one 
 of the least of these my brethren, ye have 
 done it unto me." Matt. xxv. 40. 
 
 " Whosoever shall give you a cup of water 
 to drink, in rny name, because ye belong to 
 Christ, verily I say unto you, He shall not 
 lose his reward." Mark ix. 41. 
 
 Martha was silenced for a while, but not 
 defeated. It was not long before she re- 
 turned to the attack. 
 
 " Here have I been the whole day con- 
 gratulating myself upon the work at home 
 being all finished up ; and now I shall be 
 cast a week behind hand. But it is all your 
 fault," she added, turning angrily to Lottie , 
 " you are never content but when you are 
 runniug, and having the whole house at your 
 bidding." 
 
 Little Lottie's eyes flashed, and a wrathful 
 reply was trembling on her lips ; but in 
 timely warning Paul's voice was heard :
 
 THE DKIVER BOY. 55 
 
 " A soft answer turneth away wrath : but 
 grievous words stir up anger." Prov. xv. 1 
 
 "Pleasant words are as a honey-comb, 
 sweet to the soul, and health to the bones." 
 Prov. xvi. 24. 
 
 So, after a minute's hard struggle, Lottie 
 conquered herself; and thinking that the 
 worst of the battle must certainly be over, 
 she ventured to ask, in an humble tone : 
 
 " May we eat our supper now, mother ?" 
 
 " Yes, you may, if you want ; but mind, 
 as you have managed so badly as not to 
 provide bowls and spoons, you may make 
 out without them, and that will teach you 
 to remember." 
 
 Here was a new dilemma ; and Lottie 
 stood for a while, looking with a pu&zled 
 expression at the slippery mixture before 
 her, scarcely knowing whether to be merry 
 or sad about it. But, at last, mirth pre- 
 vailed ; and, with a light laugh, she drew 
 the great dish towards her. 
 
 " Come, Robbie, there is no help for it 
 we will have to eat like the pigs."
 
 56 LITTLE BOB TKUE, 
 
 But a look at Robert's sorrowful face 
 soon changed the expression of hers. 
 
 " It is a shame ; Robbie shall have a 
 spoon, for it wasn't his fault that I was 
 careless. I can get one at any rate that 
 is mine. Paul made ^t for my own dear 
 mother, long years ago." 
 
 It was, indeed, a beautiful spoon that 
 Lottie drew from a drawer, and laid beside 
 Robert. Carved out of some hard, fine 
 wood, its handle and bowl ornamented 
 with delicate tracery into a resemblance of 
 a twisted branch with leaves and fruit ; it 
 had long been kept as a specimen of Paul's 
 skill and tastefulness. 
 
 But even the cherished spoon had no 
 power to pacify Robert. He was weeping 
 bitterly, both from a sense of present ill- 
 treatment, and the contrast it presented with 
 what he had been used to at home ; and as 
 Lottie repeated, " It was my own dear mo- 
 ther's," he rushed from the table, and flung 
 himself on a low bench, crying out : 
 
 "O mother! mother! I must go to my 
 mother I will go to her."
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 57 
 
 " Your mother has gone to God, my poor 
 boy," said a kind voice beside him. 
 
 It was farmer Brock, returned from his 
 mission of love. 
 
 "Martha," he continued, looking with a 
 grieved countenance on his wife, " it is writ- 
 ten, ' Take heed that ye despise not one of 
 these little ones : for I say unto you, that in 
 heaven their angels do always behold the 
 face of my Father which is in heaven.' " 
 
 Poor Robert ! he was then alone in the 
 world. How sadly he realized, in those 
 long weary hours, how desolate to him 
 looked the dwelling that her presence had 
 made a home ! They took him there on 
 that sad, gathering day, when friends and 
 neighbours throng to the final scene of all, 
 the committing the body to the dust in 
 the hope of a glorious resurrection. All 
 was changed and still so very still. And 
 beneath that little window, where she had 
 sat and wrought with busy fingers at her 
 daily task, her form was stretched stiff 
 and powerless ; its rigid outlines rendered
 
 58 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 more prominent by the smooth folds of 
 pure linen that were laid above it. And 
 such is the fearful mystery of death, that 
 the child trembled he who had clung 
 to the loving bosom even when life was 
 ebbing. Should he lift up that shrouding 
 veil which fell between the living and the 
 dead ? He almost feared to do so ; and 
 his little hand shook, as if the removal 
 would reveal some sight of horror. But 
 calm and peaceful lay the beloved clay ; the 
 lips still smiling as if her last words lin- 
 gered on them " For ever with the Lord I" 
 
 " For ever with the Lord ! 
 
 Ameu ! so let it be : 
 Life from the dead is in that word ; 
 Tis immortality."
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 59 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 THE SCHOOL, AND AN ACQUAINTANCE WITH THE TEACHER. 
 
 Robbie shall be my own little bro- 
 ther, now, shan't he, father ? And you will 
 love him like you do Lottie ; and send 
 him to school too, father? I know Rob- 
 bie will like that ; and White-face can 
 carry two as well as one." 
 
 "Yes, I must send him to school," said 
 farmer Brock, as he smoothed back the 
 fair locks of his little girl, who had perched 
 herself on his knee. "But don't you think, 
 Lottie, now that you have a little brother, 
 he could help you finely through the snow- 
 paths, without troubling old White-face to 
 carry a double burden ? That will put some 
 colour in Robert's pale cheeks ; and make 
 you both brave and hearty." 
 
 " O yes, father, that will do nicely," cried 
 Lottie, clapping her hands in delight. " How
 
 60 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 we shall race through the dry leaves ! and 
 how the pretty brown rabbits, and ground 
 hackies will start up and stare at us as we 
 run ! But, father, I forgot " and here Lot- 
 tie drew the old man's face down to hers, 
 " how can Robbie go to school with such 
 old, pQor clothes, and such bad, leaky 
 shoes ?" 
 
 " Well, we must think of that, Lottie ; I 
 dare say, good father Paul will be willing to 
 make him a stout pair of brogans ; and for 
 the rest why, I think we must consult mo- 
 ther, Lottie." 
 
 And the old man looked half doubtfully 
 at his helpmate. 
 
 But mother Martha being in an uncom- 
 monly fine humour just then, and conscious 
 besides that she had not behaved well on the 
 first evening of little Robert's appearance, 
 was willing to make some amends on the 
 present occasion. So she answered graciously 
 enough : 
 
 " To be sure there are lots of cast clothing 
 in the old chests in the garret ; and it won't
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 61 
 
 take long for Katy and me to contrive a 
 pretty decent suit out o'f them. As the boy 
 is to stay here, and be sent to school, it 
 wouldn't look well for us to let him go like 
 a beggar." 
 
 Farmer Brock overlooked the latent pride 
 of this speech, in the satisfaction afforded by 
 its spirit of conciliation ; and forthwith began 
 to make sundry proposals for Eobert's com- 
 fort, which he had hitherto not ventured to 
 offer. Lottie meanwhile slipped down from 
 her father's knee, and gathering together her 
 well thumbed school-books, beckoned "Robert 
 to a distant corner ; and the two were soon 
 engaged in comparing notes on their know- 
 ledge of the various branches of learning. 
 
 It was a bright home picture the old farm 
 house presented that winter evening, some 
 two or three weeks after Eobert became an 
 inmate of it. The huge logs that were 
 blazing on the wide hearth, made the 
 shadows creep away into the far off corners, 
 and hide themselves behind the baskets and 
 barrels that were set there out of notice. 
 6
 
 62 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 They lingered also on the brown, unplastered 
 beams that were hung with smoke-dried 
 hams, paper bags of herbs and seeds, besides 
 hanks on hanks of woollen and linen yarn. 
 They played hide and seek too within the 
 folds of ample garments of all fashions, that 
 were stretched on wooden pins driven in the 
 wall, looking, with the broad brimmed hats 
 that surmounted them, like men and women 
 consigned to a terrible punishment. As if 
 to carry out the conceit, the fierce gusts of 
 wind swept down the broad chimney, circling 
 the snow without into wilder eddies, and 
 striving wrathfully with the closed doors 
 and windows, as if an angry spirit demanded 
 entrance. 
 
 But within the circle of light made by the ' 
 fire, all things wore a cheerful aspect. Old 
 Paul had his usual seat there ; his hands no 
 longer busy, but folded on his bosom; while, 
 with half-closed eyes and trembling lips, he 
 crooned forth some ancient melody one of 
 Zion's sweet songs, linking earth with heaven 
 old memories of fatherland, with " Jerusa-
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 63 
 
 lem, the happy home." Other music was not 
 wanting ; for beside him his old companion, 
 nurse Katy, sent forth the busy hum of her 
 untiring wheel, her still nimble fingers 
 pulling out threads for Margaret to reel ; 
 while farther off mother Martha kept time 
 and step to the motions of the larger wheel, 
 thus displaying her robust form in all its 
 stout proportions. In the background, Mar- 
 tin, the farm help, was engaged in repairing 
 tools for future use in the spring; at the 
 same time listening admiringly to the little 
 scholars, who had chosen his corner for their 
 retreat. 
 
 And, looking upon all with a pleasant 
 countenance, sat the good farmer in his large 
 arm chair ; his heart swelling with a sense 
 of God's goodness, and with the peace and 
 happiness which follow acts of benevolence 
 and charity. That night, as he opened the 
 old family Bible, he chose the language of 
 David to express his grateful feelings, in 
 that psalm of psalms, the one hundred and 
 third : " Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all 
 that is within me bless his holy name."
 
 64 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 As soon as the suit of clothing was ready, 
 Robert accompanied little Lottie to the dis- 
 trict school. This was situated about a mile 
 from the farm, on the edge of a dense stretch 
 of woodland, which gave to it shelter from 
 wintry storms, and a pleasant shade in the 
 summer heats. Although the section of 
 country where it stood was one of "the ac- 
 cepting districts," yet the scattered nature 
 of its population, and the lingering preju- 
 dices of the old settlers had rendered much 
 improvement in the mode of teaching im- 
 possible ; and any attempt to render the 
 building or its appointments more comfort- 
 able was obstinately resisted as an innovation 
 on long established customs. There was too 
 little spirit in the community to combat 
 this ; so the old school-house remained just 
 as it had been roughly put together in " long 
 ago times," of the unbarked logs of the forest, 
 chinked in with mud plastering. Many such 
 may yet be seen by the traveller, as he un- 
 expectedly encounters, in the more secluded 
 portions of our state, one of these primitive
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 65 
 
 seats of learning ; busy hands it may be 
 wielding the wood axe, a pause being made 
 between every stroke to stare at the stranger; 
 while a bevy of bright eyes and sunburnt 
 faces gather for the same purpose at the 
 windows, already thickened with the un- 
 wholesome atmosphere, breathed out and 
 again inhaled by childish lungs. 
 
 This evil, the want of proper ventila- 
 tion and others, such as bending for hours 
 over low-ranged desks, without any support 
 to the tender growing spine, and a persistence 
 in school studies unto weariness, merely be- 
 cause such is the appointed time for learn- 
 ing, were in part remedied by the out-of- 
 door amusements of the active scholars in 
 the vicinity of Mill Creek farm. They could 
 toss the ball with energy, bringing the 
 healthy life-blood to their cheeks, anft send- 
 ing the glow of health through their frames, 
 their merry ringing voices resounding 
 through the otherwise silent woods, as if to 
 attest the strength of their yet uninjured 
 lungs. But to their teacher, a pale dyspeptic
 
 66 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 student, the confinement of the heated school- 
 room, and the long-drawn moments of mon- 
 otonous employment were as a living death. 
 
 Mr. Hallam was a young collegian ; one 
 of those who, partaking intemperately of the 
 great " feast of reason" spread for the demands 
 of the craving mind, forget that that mind 
 is dependent on the mortal frame that enclo- 
 ses it, and that the grosser part will sooner 
 or later assert its injuries. The hours given 
 to midnight study the days stolen from 
 wholesome recreation were repaid by sleep- 
 less nights, miserable haunting dreams, loss 
 of appetite, and all the other ills that at- 
 tend on impaired health of body. 
 
 But this was not the worst. An enervated 
 physical system gave a melancholy tone to 
 the mental ; and, broken down in both, the 
 young^spiring student was compelled, for a 
 time, to relinquish his hopes of future useful- 
 ness ; and, as he had spent all his means in 
 efforts to restore health, turn to other em- 
 ployments. 
 
 In a pedestrian tour which he had forced
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 67 
 
 his enfeebled limbs to perform, he discovered 
 this solitary settlement ; and feeling at the 
 time out of love with all mankind, determined 
 to bury himself in its wilds, and indulge his 
 melancholy mood. 
 
 But Mr. Hallam was a Christian. He could 
 not be contented to remain a cumberer of the 
 ground a mere blank in creation burying 
 his talent in the earth, without an effort to 
 employ it for the good of others. And al- 
 though he had for the time to be laid aside 
 from a preparation for the office he had so 
 ardently wished, that of preaching the un- 
 searchable riches of Christ, he still' felt that 
 he could not live without doing something 
 for the cause so dear to his heart. So when 
 the post of instructor to the district school 
 became vacant, he offered his services and 
 was accepted. 
 
 But how to do good that was the difficulty. 
 His scholars were for the most part rude and 
 ungovernable ; few of them well disciplined 
 at home, and fewer still engaging in school 
 employments either as a duty or pleasure,
 
 68 LITTLE BOB TKUE. 
 
 but simply as a relief and exemption from the 
 harsher business of the farm or mechanical 
 labour. The noise and confusion that attend- 
 ed the meeting of these turbulent spirits were 
 torturing to the sensitive mind of the teacher, 
 and frequently at the close of one of the 
 seemingly interminable days, his unstrung 
 nerves and aching brain pictured over to 
 him in dreams the scenes he had passed 
 through, thereby unfitting him for the duties 
 of the morrow. And what was besides nearly 
 as hard a task, was the slow development 
 of mind evinced by the younger children, 
 the conning over of first principles, which 
 constituted so large a portion of the day's 
 routine. Even their winning smiles failed 
 to soothe him ; and laughter, the ringing 
 laughter of merry childhood, often grated 
 discordantly on his ear. So, from a want 
 of sympathy, little good was effected. When 
 the Son of man dwelt on earth, he took young 
 children in his arms, laid his hands on them, 
 and blessed them. And if we, as his follow- 
 ers, would imitate his example, we must draw 
 near to those whom we would benefit.
 
 THE DRIVEK BOY. 69 
 
 Little Bob True's appearance at the Mill 
 Creek school was hailed with delight by all 
 the neighbouring boys ; for, although he had 
 seldom kept company with them, his oblig- 
 ing and gentle disposition had made him a 
 favourite. 
 
 The lonely situation of his mother, and 
 latterly her failing health, had prevented him 
 from attending school as regularly as other 
 boys of his age ; but as she was capable of 
 conducting his studies at home, and had 
 besides a ready tact for imparting knowledge, 
 and firm Christian principles to guide her 
 aright, he was no loser by this system of 
 home training. 
 
 His acquaintance with the lads of the 
 district, therefore, had hitherto been limited 
 to casual encounters in the woods, when they 
 passed the lone hill side cottage in their 
 pleasure excursions, or when Eobert had an 
 errand to perform in the more thickly settled 
 portions of the neighbourhood. He was ever 
 ready to share their innocent amusements 
 to show them the thickets where the ripest
 
 70 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 berries grew or the trees that were most 
 abundant in brown, glossy nuts, for little 
 autumn gatherers. So it was no wonder 
 that Bob True was well liked, and warmly 
 welcomed when he came among them. 
 
 Mr. Hallam soon discovered also that he 
 had a treasure in his new scholar. Not that 
 Robert was very brilliant ; for his talents 
 did not sparkle on the surface. His extreme 
 diffidence rather made them like hidden ore, 
 costing some labour to develope their riches, 
 But he was so very eager to learn, so un- 
 wearied in his efforts to acquire knowledge, 
 that his teacher became insensibly interested 
 in his progress ; and found his own mind 
 strengthened and called into action by im- 
 parting information to the forming mind of 
 cis pupil. But there was one branch of 
 knowledge in which Robert needed no 
 earthly teacher ; it was that which maketh 
 wise unto eternal life. It might have been 
 very long before Mr. Hallam had found this 
 out, if circumstances had not called it forth. 
 
 One bright noon when the children were
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 71 
 
 all at play, the teacher and little Robert were 
 left by themselves in the deserted school- 
 room. Eobert had a slight cold, and was 
 obliged to content himself with watching 
 the lively sports of his companions through 
 the window, instead of joining their plea- 
 sant occupation in the free, bracing air. He 
 had followed with great interest the erection 
 of a snow fort and sentinel of the same per- 
 ishable material to guard it, and was wait- 
 ing with some anxiety to see the attack made 
 upon them by assailing balls, when he sud- 
 denly thought of his friend and teacher Mr. 
 Hallam, and looked round for him to par- 
 ticipate in the mirthful occasion. But it 
 was one of Mr. Hallam 's gloomy days, when 
 he was intent on writing bitter things against 
 himself; and with his head bowed on his 
 desk, he felt like one groping in darkness 
 and the shadow of death. 
 
 Kobert was grieved ; for he dearly loved 
 his teacher, as he loved all who were kind 
 to him ; and leaving the window and the 
 sight of the merry play, he crept away to
 
 72 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 his own little desk, and busied himself with 
 his books. Some ten minutes had passed 
 thus, when the teacher felt the touch of a 
 little hand on his. 
 
 " Mr. Hallam, sir," said the gentle voice 
 of Eobert, " do you love our heavenly Fa- 
 ther?" 
 
 What a question, and from a little child ! 
 It sent an electric thrill through the heart 
 of the listener, and his answer might have 
 been read in the sudden lighting up of his 
 sad countenance, as it seemed to say : " Whom 
 have I in heaven but thee ? and there is 
 none upon earth I desire besides thee." 
 
 " Because," said Kobert, modestly, " I have 
 found such a pretty text for you. You seem 
 so sorry, Mr. Hallam, perhaps it will do you 
 good." 
 
 And placing his little Testament on the 
 desk before his teacher, Robert pointed to 
 that beautiful text in Rom. viii. 32. " He 
 that spared not his own Son, but delivered 
 him up for us all, how shall he not with him 
 also freely give us all things ?"
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 73 
 
 Mr. Hallam pondered so long over this, 
 that Kobert was puzzled what to make of his 
 long silence. 
 
 " You won't be angry with me, Mr. Hal- 
 lam ?" 
 
 " Angry with you ! no, my dear boy, but 
 pleased and thankful to Him who has made 
 you a little ministering spirit to me, when 
 I was almost sinking in despair. You are 
 my teacher now, Kobert. I have been very 
 unthankful and ungrateful ; but I will try 
 to trust Him henceforth who has promised 
 help in the hour of need." 
 
 How useful are little things ! God chooses 
 not the great and the mighty, but weak 
 things and such as are despised, to accom- 
 plish his purposes. Even "a word in season, 
 how good it is 1" and such a word had Ro- 
 bert spoken to his teacher that day. Hence- 
 forth a new bond of union was formed 
 between them, that golden chain of Chris- 
 tian love which links believer to believer 
 and makes them one with Christ. And a 
 blessed result of this little incident showed
 
 74 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 itself in the awakening up of the young 
 teacher to the work set before him. Hence- 
 forth he realized that he had souls as well 
 as minds under his care ; and that he would 
 not be held guiltless if he neglected them. 
 And whenever he felt like flagging in his 
 zeal for their eternal welfare, he seemed to 
 hear these words sounding in his ears: " In- 
 asmuch as ye did it not to one of the least 
 of these, ye did it not unto me." 
 
 And now he found himself contriving 
 many ways for their good, which had hitherto 
 seemed to him to be difficult to accomplish. 
 In these plans he was helped very much by 
 his little friend Eobert, and by Lottie too, 
 who, influenced by her companion's exam- 
 ple, aided no doubt by the teachings of the 
 Divine Spirit, had become a much more gen- 
 tle and amiable child. 
 
 It often happened in the sudden changes 
 of winter weather, that there would occur, 
 even after a very bright day, one of great 
 severity and terrific storms. The children, 
 then, driven from their out-of-doors amuse.
 
 THE DRIVES BOY. 75 
 
 ments, were thrown upon their own re- 
 sources to pass away the time given to re- 
 creation These had usually been trying 
 seasons to Mr. Hallara, and for such -he had 
 thought it impossible to provide a remedy. 
 But Providence opened a way, which hence- 
 fortti made these unoccupied moments not 
 onlv pleasant but profitable for the remainder 
 of tne winter. 
 
 One day the storm was such as to awe 
 into comparative silence even the most dis- 
 orderly, and to frighten the little ones al- 
 most to tears. The elements had commenced 
 their warfare after the scholars had assem- 
 bled ; so that many were present, who would 
 otherwise have been sheltered in their own 
 comfortable homes. The surging trees, the 
 driving of the snow and sleet, and the 
 blasts of wind that almost threatened the 
 old log school -house with destruction, made 
 up a picture of awful sublimity and terrible 
 grandeur. 
 
 In the midst of the war of nature, a clear
 
 76 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 childish voice began to sing those words 
 which all children love : 
 
 " There is a Lappy land, 
 Far, far away." 
 
 It was very pleasant to sing of that bright 
 home, that heavenly country; when earth 
 was so dark and drear ; and, as one and an- 
 other little voice joined in, a confiding sense 
 of God's presence and ability to help in the 
 hour of need, calmed and soothed their trou- 
 bled hearts. 
 
 Children naturally love music, as they do 
 birds and blossoms, and all the pleasant 
 things that are left to this fallen world ; and 
 their little voices never sound so sweetly, as 
 when they unite in praising God in Zion's 
 sacred songs. Henceforth, singing became 
 one of the usual exercises in Mr. Hallam's 
 school ; and, under his judicious training, 
 and led on by his fine, manly voice, the mel- 
 ody was very pleasant, and as each group 
 tended its homeward way, it was delightful 
 to hear through the echoing woods; the 
 charming voices of children singing:
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 77 
 
 " Oh i that will be joyful, joyful, joyful 
 On Canaan's happy shore ; 
 To meet to part no more ; 
 And join the everlasting song, 
 With those who've gone before." 
 
 Then there was story-telling not the 
 senseless rhymes of u Mother Goose " and 
 other kindred inanities, but beautiful his- 
 tories out of the rich treasures of the word 
 of God. And here Lottie was generally the 
 speaker ; but her bright, sparkling eyes 
 turned often to Eobert to help her, if she 
 failed in her narrations. There was no lack 
 of interest in the little group that surround- 
 ed her, as she told the "exquisite story of Jo- 
 seph and his brethren, in all the simple pa- 
 thos of the inspired penman of Moses as a 
 babe, and the leader of Israel of little 
 Samuel and the chosen David and then of 
 Him, who was our Prophet, Priest, and 
 King all in one. Often, too, she brought 
 her precious " Pilgrim " to add to the stock 
 of pleasant instruction ; and thus many de- 
 lightful hours were passed hours long to be
 
 78 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 remembered, and whose bearing was upon 
 eternity. 
 
 And when at last the beautiful spring 
 came, to wake into gladness the brown, hard 
 earth, and " the time of the singing of birds 
 had come," there were pleasant walks to be 
 taken in the deep, silent woods; little feet 
 running merrily hither and thither, and lov- 
 ing strife made as to who should gather the 
 first blue violet, or the delicately veined 
 spring beauty, as they crept up through the 
 dry, rustling leaves. And, seated at the foot 
 of some moss-grown tree, Mr. Hallam would 
 take these gems of nature's coronet for 
 texts, and discourse eloquently to his little 
 scholars of the goodness and protecting care 
 of Him who guides and guards all. 
 
 He showed them how this work of divine 
 Providence is exerted even in the least and 
 the lowliest He, whose almighty hand con- 
 trols the stars in their wondrous course, 
 stooping to hide the germ of the little flower 
 in the earth, nourishing it in its dark bosom, 
 and causing it to spring forth at last, dyed
 
 THE DRIVEK BOY. 79 
 
 in colours that no earthly pencil can imitate. 
 And secure in their hard cradles lined with 
 softest down, rocks rtie tender leaf-buds 
 through all the wintry storms and surging 
 winds, till they burst forth into the green 
 and beautiful foliage of summer. 
 
 And while the little ones would listen arid 
 admire, and then turn carelessly away, Rob- 
 ert and his teacher continued still further to 
 explore the wondrous book of nature, which, 
 once rightly understood, may create a new 
 world out of solitude, and cause the dweller 
 in the wilderness to be "never less alone 
 than when alone." Mr. Hallam was one of 
 those who can find 
 
 " Tongues in the trees, books in the running brooks, 
 Sermons in stones, and good in everything," 
 
 and thus did he teach his little scholar to 
 read the open page of creation. The count- 
 less leaves of the forest reminded them of the 
 infinite mercies of God, renewed with every 
 rolling year the mountains that bounded 
 their view, of the guardian care of Him who
 
 80 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 neither slumbers nor sleeps. Did they sit 
 under the shelter of a gray rock ? Their 
 thoughts were gratefully led to Him who is 
 "the shadow of a great rock in a weary 
 land "- " the Eock of Ages cleft for me !" 
 And the sound and sight of rushing waters 
 imaged the precious fountain opened for sin 
 and uncleanness its freeness and fulness 
 or the river of life, which flows in the para- 
 dise of God. ' 
 
 These were happy times to little Eobert ; 
 but like other happy times they came to an 
 end. Mr. Hallam was going away. With 
 returning health and energy, schemes of 
 future usefulness were renewed ; and having 
 written a statement of his plans and wishes 
 to some friends in his former home, he had 
 received a favourable answer, and began 
 soon to make preparations for a return. 
 
 Robert was sorry to part with his kind 
 teacher, but he was gratified when Mr. 
 Hallam gave him at parting his own little 
 Bible. On one of its blank pages was writ- 
 ten that comforting text, which Robert had
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 81 
 
 pointed out to him on that eventful day when 
 they made such an intimate acquaintance. 
 Mr. Hallam told Robert that he must remem- 
 ber it too, if be should ever be in trouble or 
 friendless ; and he bade him, should such be 
 the case, to lose no time in applying to him 
 for assistance.
 
 82 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 FARM WORK, AND A SAD END TO IT. 
 
 THIS parting with Mr. Hallam was not 
 the only trial Robert had to meet with that 
 spring. The "pleasant things brought forth 
 by the sun" called also for renewed diligence 
 and unwearied labour in all the departments 
 of the farm, both within doors and without. 
 The mellowed earth was ready to be stirred 
 up the fence enclosures repaired hedges 
 pruned and the garden patch cleared and 
 set with useful vegetables. 
 
 These employments were very delightful 
 to Robert. He loved to be out in the free, 
 open air; the merry whistle of the plough- 
 man sounded cheerfully in his ears, as he 
 trod patiently after his footsteps in the long 
 straight furrows, and removed the hard clods 
 and rocks that would have hindered the 
 springing of the tender grain. Often he
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 83 
 
 said to himself, 'or repeated to Martin, some 
 of the sweet lessons that he had learned from 
 Mr. Hallam, so that the land was literally 
 "sown in righteousness;" and Martin, who 
 liked little Robert well, cheerfully taught 
 him what he himself knew of farm work, and 
 especially to take care of and manage horses, 
 which proved in after life so very useful to 
 Robert. He could soon vie with Lottie her- 
 self in feats of riding ; and the exercise g^ve 
 strength to his growing^frame, and made him, 
 though still a very little, yet a stout and 
 healthy boy. 
 
 But it was not the unwonted labour that 
 was a source of trouble to Robert. He loved 
 to work, and knew it was right to do so ; 
 but he would have liked so much if his un- 
 wearied services could have secured for him 
 those smiles and kind words, which had been 
 his best reward, when he wrought diligently 
 for his mother at the little hill-side cottage. 
 Old Paul and nurse Katy were still very 
 kind to him ; and Lottie was his unfailing 
 friend ; but do what he would for mother 
 Martha, he could never please her.
 
 84 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 When he had patiently performed the many 
 tasks she assigned to him, and it often 
 seemed to the little tired boy that she tried 
 to make work for him instead of lightening 
 it ; when the wood was cleft, and nicely 
 piled within reach the bright buckets filled 
 with water the unsightly weeds rooted up, 
 and the garden paths swept and neatly rolled 
 the same dark brow lowered on him the 
 same harsh voice found fault with his utmost 
 endeavours to please. 
 
 Sometimes Eobert thought it would be 
 better for him to try to make his own way 
 in the world ; especially as mother Martha 
 would sometimes say to her* husband, that it 
 was a shame for them to have a beggar boy 
 to maintain, when there were enough of their 
 own kin who would be glad of the chance. 
 He fancied too that farmer Brock looked 
 less cordially upon him after these sallies ; 
 and this troubled Kobert more than mother 
 Martha's frowns. By this suspicion Kobert 
 wronged the good old man. He still felt as 
 kindly as ever for the orphan boy ; but some
 
 THE DRIVEK BOY. 85 
 
 embarrassing circumstances in his worldly 
 affairs distressed and vexed him, and caused 
 him to appear moody and absent-minded. 
 
 As Robert was not acquainted with the 
 real cause of it, farmer Brock's altered de- 
 meanour caused him many sad thoughts ; 
 and almost made him resolve that he would 
 go at once, and relieve him from the burden 
 of his maintenance. 
 
 He opened his mind to Martin on the 
 subject ; but he only bade him, roughly but 
 good humouredly, " not be a fool, and quarrel 
 with his bread and butter, because it was 
 not spread to his liking ;" by which homely 
 proverb he wished the little boy to under- 
 stand, that he should be thankful for the 
 blessings of his lot, even if some things did 
 not go quite smoothly. 
 
 So he determined on the first good chance 
 to consult Lottie ; and as the summer had by 
 this time worn on, and the bending grain 
 began to yield to the hand of the reaper, the 
 children were often required to go to the 
 distant lots with the labourers' meals ; so that 
 an opportunity soon presented itself.
 
 86 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 " Come, hurry now," said mother Martha, 
 one pleasant afternoon, as she packed up a 
 large basket ; " the men are all out in the 
 great hill field, and too far off to come in to 
 supper. You an'd Robert, Lottie, are to 
 carry it to them ; and be smart too ; for I 
 want you, while they are eating, to pick me 
 some berries to make jam of. And mind 
 they don't come home full of sticks and 
 dirt, like the last you brought me ; or you'll 
 catch something more than a scolding, I pro- 
 mise you." 
 
 " Robbie's wasn't," said the little girl, as 
 she reluctantly hooked her arm in the basket 
 handle. . "I know you thought yourself, 
 mother, that his berries looked sweet and 
 fresh, with the cool green leaves laid so 
 nicely over them. But you never will praise 
 Robbie, let him do what he will to please 
 you. If I were him, I would do every thing 
 wrong just on purpose." 
 
 " no, you wouldn't, Lottie," whispered 
 Robert softly, as he drew his little, com- 
 panion away ; for he saw by mother Martha's
 
 THE DRIVER EOT. 87 
 
 looks that she was about to visit Lottie's 
 impertinence with an angry blow. 
 
 " no, you wouldn't, Lottie," he repeated, 
 as they turned into the green lane which led 
 to the reaping field ; " or if you did, you 
 wouldn't be good like our Saviour. Don't 
 you remember what the Bible says? 'For 
 what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for 
 your faults, ye shall take it patiently ? but if 
 when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it 
 patiently, this is acceptable with God.' " 
 
 " I am afraid I don't remember as much 
 as I ought, Bobbie. But when mother 
 Martha looks so cross, and makes believe to 
 blame you for all the bad things I do, I 
 can't help flaring up, and saying things to 
 vex her. I don't know how you can be so 
 patient, Robbie ; I'm sure you must hate 
 her." 
 
 " No, I don't, Lottie. I would be afraid 
 to be so bad as that. The Bible says : ' Do 
 good to them that hate you, and pray for 
 them which despitefully'use you, and perse- 
 cute you.' "
 
 88 LITTLE BOB TEUE, 
 
 " And do you pray for mother Martha, 
 Robbie ? I am sure she is spiteful enough." 
 
 " It doesn't mean quite that, Lottie ; but I 
 do pray for her and for all of you ; and 
 I hope when I go away you will do so too, 
 and try to please her. I know it will make 
 you feel happier, for it does me." 
 
 " Going away 1" Lottie almost dropped 
 her hold of the basket in the sudden surprise. 
 " Why, what has got in you, Bobbie, to 
 talk so ? Ain't you my father's little boy ? 
 and didn't your mother give you to him ?" 
 
 " Yes, I know," said Eobert, sorrowfully ; 
 "but mother Martha wants me away. I 
 heard her say so; and, Lottie, your father 
 hardly speaks to me, and seems all the time 
 as if he was in trouble. Perhaps he is sorry 
 that he took me, and wants to get rid of me 
 now." 
 
 "I don't believe a word of it," said Lottie 
 with her usual warmth; "I don't mean that 
 I don't believe you, Bobbie ; but I think 
 you are mistaken. Father is the dearest, 
 kindest creature that ever breathed ; and I
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 89 
 
 know he likes you, Bobbie, for he often 
 says so. But I do think father is in some 
 trouble. There has been a jnan at our house 
 ever so often, and I don't like his looks a 
 bit ; and whenever he comes, father looks 
 just as you said so sorry. And I heard 
 Martin saying last night when he was help- 
 ing with the milking, that if something 
 happened I could riot make out what the 
 farm and everything would have to go ; and 
 I was too frightened to ask why, but there is 
 something the matter, I know." 
 
 " I mean to ask him," resumed the child 
 with energy.; and in her impatience she 
 drew Robert on, until they turned the slope 
 of a hill, which, rising to a considerable 
 height in one corner of the field, gave its 
 name to that particular vicinity. 
 
 It was covered to the top with low bram- 
 ble bushes, with their dark ripe fruit hanging 
 in clusters ; destined to be smothered in rich 
 cream, or kept for future use in the hidden 
 recesses of mother Martha's preserve closet. 
 But Lottie's eyes were not directed that way. 
 8*
 
 90 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 Stretching from the foot of the hill as far as 
 the eye could reach, lay the smooth, even 
 windrows of golden grain ; and at the end 
 stood upright sheaves in symmetrical heaps, 
 ready to load the huge wagon, whose patient 
 oxen paused beneath the shade of a magnifi- 
 cent old tree, to chew their cud and await 
 the pleasure of their owners. At the same 
 place, the labourers had with one accord 
 suspended their task ; and, wiping their heated 
 brows, gathered around the clear, cool spring, 
 that bubbled up from its roots. 
 
 As they reclined in careless attitudes on 
 the little patch of green sward that encircled 
 the old tree, Lottie, who had a quick eye 
 for effect in the grouping of a picture, 
 determined to spread the rural meal there. 
 Quickly was the white cloth laid over the 
 fragrant clover blossoms ; and, as there had 
 been no room to carry dishes, she directed 
 Robert to break off some of the largest and 
 broadest of the oak leaves, and joining them 
 artistically together, placed on them heaping 
 slices of loaf cake and butter, ham and
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 91 
 
 cheese, with all the other materials of a 
 plentiful meal. 
 
 Lottie had been too much engrossed with 
 her favourite employment for what little 
 girl has not delighted at one time or another 
 to play the housekeeper? to have very 
 attentively observed the sunburnt counte- 
 nances that surrounded her ; but when her 
 task was over, she looked hurriedly around 
 
 " Where is father ?" 
 
 " He had been sent for to go to the house," 
 Martin answered. " Some one had come on 
 piessing business, and would not wait ; and 
 as he had crossed lots while they kept the 
 road, this was the reason they had not met 
 him." 
 
 Lottie saw the significant glances that 
 went round the circle of labourers. 
 
 " That man again !" she whispered to 
 Robert ; and the two children went and sat 
 down sorrowfully at a little distance, under 
 a shock of golden wheat. 
 
 But Lottie was not famous for continuing 
 long in the same mood ; so she presently
 
 92 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 started up again, and twisting some stray 
 wheat ears through her fair hair, gathered 
 up the corner of her blue apron, and stooped 
 in the attitude of gleaning. 
 
 " Kobbie," she called out, " do I look like 
 Euth ?" 
 
 " Kuth who ?" 
 
 " Why, Kuth in the Bible to be sure who 
 else? You know she went and gleaned in 
 the field of Boaz ; and he told his young men 
 to let fall some handfulls on purpose for her. 
 Wasn't he kind ?" ./ 
 
 " Yes, he was a good master. How beau- 
 tiful it must have sounded when he said to 
 his reapers : ' The Lord be with you ;' and 
 they answered him : ' The Lord bless thee I' 
 We don't hear people talk so now-a-days." 
 
 " No indeed ; and there are no gleaners 
 either. And I don't think I could carry 
 home a great load of grain in a veil like 
 Euth did." 
 
 " Oh, they were not veils like women wear 
 now not thin, I mean. I have heard the 
 teacher say that in eastern countries the up-
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 93 
 
 per part of the female dress was a loose piece 
 of thick muslin, that could be gathered over 
 the head and face when the wearer pleased. 
 But come, Lottie," continued Kobert, start- 
 ing up, " you forget the berries." 
 
 " yes ! the tiresome berries 1 I wish 
 mother Martha would try it herself once. I 
 wonder if she would like to drag a great 
 heavy basket through the hot sun, and therf 
 get her fingers pricked, and her clothes torn 
 in the bramble bushes." 
 
 " Well," said Eobert, good-humouredly, 
 "you sit here, Lottie, while I pick the ber- 
 ries ; and nobody will know anything about 
 it." 
 
 " No indeed, I won't do that either. So 
 here go all my gleanings to feed the pretty 
 little birds ; and. if we be smart, we will have 
 a good ride home on the top of the wagon." 
 
 Thanks to Robert's diligence, the basket 
 was filled in good season ; and they had a 
 charming ride home on the well-heaped pile 
 of sheaves. As they curved towards the barn, 
 one of the men lifted Lottie from her high
 
 94 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 perch, and leaving Kobert to tug along the 
 basket, she bounded merrily on to the house. 
 
 But an unexpected sight arrested her foot- 
 steps. The stranger, whose presence seemed 
 to cast such a shadow over the household, 
 was just turning his horse's head away from 
 the gate. But as he went, his dark looks 
 and threatening words made Lottie shrink 
 with terror ; and her fear increased, when 
 she saw her father standing with his head 
 uncovered to the evening breeze, making 
 mute gestures of supplication with his 
 joined hands, and turning his fixed gaze 
 upward, as if he felt all earthly help to be 
 in vain. A moment she stood in doubt 
 whether to advance or retreat ; -but suddenly 
 she started forward with a piercing cry, for 
 her father had fallen heavily backward on 
 the stone steps of the dwelling ; and when 
 those who had gathered hastily at Lottie's 
 frightened summons took the old man care- 
 fully and tenderly up, he was apparently life- 
 less. 
 
 There was commotion and sorrow that
 
 THE DEIVEB BOY. 95 
 
 night at the Mill Creek farm. Its owner 
 still breathed ; but it was said that he could 
 not recover. The shock of his sudden fall, 
 together with the trouble of mind under 
 which he had laboured for many weeks, had 
 terminated in congestion of the brain ; and 
 after some days of distress and suspense, the 
 deep sleep of disease changed into the still 
 deeper slumbers of the grave. 
 
 When the sad event was over, it was dis- 
 covered, as had been already strongly sus- 
 pected, that Mill Creek farm must change 
 owners. Always innocent and upright in 
 his own dealings, the good old farmer had not 
 been sufficiently acquainted with the schemes 
 of unworthy men, to prevent his falling a 
 prey to their devices. He had been per- 
 suaded to enter surety for a casual acquaint- 
 ance to a large amount ; and, on the failure 
 of the principal, his own property was held 
 forfeit. On that eventful afternoon when he 
 had received his death stroke, all his worldly 
 goods had been ordered for peremptory sale ; 
 and had he lived, it would have been to go
 
 96 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 forth from the home that his labour had 
 raised, to begin the world again as penniless 
 as before. 
 
 Very different were the emotions with 
 which this intelligence was received by the 
 different members of the family. Lottie and 
 Eobert were too much overwhelmed with 
 grief for the loss of their kind father and 
 friend, to think much of a future ; but mother 
 Martha loudly complained of the injustice 
 to her own particular self, and dared to cast 
 some bitter reproaches on the good old man, 
 who, while he lived, had been so careful not 
 to provoke her to wrath. 
 
 But it was necessary that some one should 
 think and act too ; and in a few weeks it was 
 arranged, if not to the satisfaction of all, yet 
 in such a manner as seemed for the best. 
 Lottie had been claimed by a brother of her 
 father, whose home was in the interior of 
 Illinois ; and who made a journey for the 
 sole purpose of conveying her thither. Her 
 step-mother expected to find shelter with her 
 own relations j and took her leave some days
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 97 
 
 before the rest, with all the goods and chat- 
 tels which she claimed as her peculiar prop- 
 erty. She took little notice of Lottie when 
 she went away, and none at all of Eobert ; 
 not even inquiring what he purposed do- 
 ing with himself. 
 
 Others were more thoughtful, however. 
 Lottie begged hard that he should go with her, 
 and share her western home ; but Eobert had 
 no idea of being looked on as an intruder 
 again, and preferred to be independent. Old 
 Paul and Katy, who had decided to reside at 
 the old hill-side cottage where Eobert and 
 his mother had lived, offered him a home 
 with them, at least for the winter, if he would 
 stay no longer. But Eobert remembered 
 what Mr. Hallam had said he must do if he 
 should ever need a friend ; and he determined 
 that in some way or other he would find him 
 out. He agreed, however, that when he had 
 taken leave of poor little Lottie, he would 
 stay with the good old couple a few days, 
 before he set out to seek a living for himself. 
 
 The little cottage had been untenanted
 
 98 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 ever since his mother's death. Its situation 
 was too lonely to tempt many to inhabit it ; 
 and had it not been for Robert's stolen visits 
 to the much loved spot, it would speedily have 
 assumed a much wilder appearance. But 
 his veneration for her who had loved to tend 
 the little garden, had made it a pleasant task 
 to repair thither, and keep it free from un- 
 sightly weeds and litter. It was his hand 
 that restrained the wild climbing of the vine, 
 which shaded her favourite window ; that 
 clipped close the grass, which threatened to 
 encroach on the path where her step had so 
 often fallen ; and enclosed with turf and 
 stones the fountain, that sprung up at the 
 foot of the hill. 
 
 There was another favourite spot too that 
 Robert had often visited, and towards which 
 he bent his steps again on the last evening 
 of his stay. It was the sacred place of the 
 dead ; that cherished spot so touchingly called 
 by the Germans " God's acre;" where the seed 
 of the righteous, sown in weakness and weep- 
 ing, awaits the glorious morning of the re-
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 99 
 
 surrection, to be brought forth incorruptible, 
 immortal. 
 
 Many graves were there, for the enclosure 
 was an ancient one ; and some gray stones, 
 almost embedded in the earth, bore on their 
 moss-grown surface the nearly obliterated 
 dates and records of long past years. Others 
 again were nameless ; yet not the less dear 
 to the hearts that ever remembered. Among 
 these, with the fresh mould yet unsodded, 
 rested Robert's friend, the. good old man who 
 had lately been so emphatically the " house- 
 band" of the home circle, that with the break- 
 ing of that bond had scattered. 
 
 Near by was the grave of his mother, un- 
 noticed and unknown. Robert knelt down 
 and pressed his cheek to the cold sod, that 
 covered the precious remains that had been 
 so dear to him. No stone told who rested 
 there ; but, as if the pearly clover blossoms 
 had been the letters of an unwritten language, 
 their sweet breath whispered: "Asleep in 
 Tesus !" " Them will Christ bring with him."
 
 100 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 ROBERT SETS OUT TO MAKE HIS OWN WAT IN THB 
 WORLD. A FRIEND IN NEED. THE SICK BOY. 
 
 IT was a bright, pleasant morning in Sep- 
 tember, when Kobert prepared to leave the 
 only place which he could call " home," and 
 the friends who had been so kind to him. 
 It was not a little of a trial for him, thus to 
 break all the ties that stood to him in the 
 place of kindred, and begin for himself the 
 great journey of life. 
 
 But, beneath the mild deportment of lit- 
 tle Bob True, there were hidden much ener- 
 gy and decision ; materials which go a 
 great way to make up a self-reliant charac- 
 ter. Besides, he trusted in God, and believed 
 himself to be in covenant relationship to 
 Him who has said " I will be a father to 
 thee, and to thy seed after thee." Ever- since 
 his mother's death, he had committed his
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 101 
 
 ways unto the Lord ; and he had no doubt 
 that he was able to point out the right path 
 to him, and keep him when he had entered 
 it. And having thus, as it were, taken God 
 to be his helper, he felt less uneasy about 
 the little difficulties and troubles that should 
 await him." 
 
 u Where shall you go ?" asked nurse Katy, 
 as she busied herself in folding and refolding 
 every article of clothing in Robert's bundle, 
 so that each might take up as little space as 
 possible. 
 
 Old Paul said nothing, but he looked up 
 from his corner for he had found a corner 
 somewhere, where he was as busy as ever 
 with his odds and ends and his quick little 
 eyes, beneath the great round glasses, said as 
 plainly as words : 
 
 " Yes, where shall you go ?" 
 
 " Why, I was thinking of travelling on 
 as many miles as I could walk a day, to- 
 wards the big river, nurse Katy. And if I 
 can get any work, odd times at farm-places, 
 it will help me finely ; for I shall have a
 
 102 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 long road to travel, before I reach the town 
 where Mr. Hallam told ine he had his 
 home." 
 
 " And how do you expect to live along ?" 
 
 " I have a little money, and when that is 
 
 gone, I can work. I am sure I am old 
 
 enough and strong enough for that, nurse 
 
 Katy." 
 
 " Let me see your money." 
 
 Kobert took out his little store. It con- 
 sisted of the small coins which had been 
 given to him at various times by his friends, 
 and which he had saved less for the love of 
 hoarding, than because he had no temptation 
 to spend them. Some articles had been left 
 to him at his mother's death, but no one had 
 taken the trouble to save them from the gen- 
 eral wreck, when the farm property was 
 sold ; so that, besides his clothing, and a few 
 books of his father's, which Robert valued 
 too much to part with, he was entirely des- 
 titute of earthly possessions. 
 
 Nurse Katy's eyes moistened as she looked 
 on the little heap before her. But she was
 
 THE DKIVEK BOY. 103 
 
 not content with sympathizing only, troing 
 hastily to a large chest, that formed no in- 
 considerable portion of her household fur- 
 niture, she drew forth the strong, leathern 
 purse, which, with the characteristic thrift 
 of her race, contained something for hard 
 times, and placed two bright dollars in Eob- 
 ert's hand. 
 
 " There that will save you from want a 
 little while. And keep up your brave heart, 
 and trust in God always, and no danger but 
 you will come out right." 
 
 Old Paul took his leave in a way peculiar 
 to himself. Keeping fast hold of Robert 
 with one trembling hand, he opened his Bi- 
 ble with the other, and read a verse of the 
 thirty-seventh Psalm : " I have been young, 
 and now am old; yet have I not seen 
 the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging 
 bread." 
 
 " Forsaken," added Paul ; and the simple 
 comment supplied the meaning, which makes 
 the beautiful text applicable to the destitute 
 and down-trodden of earth.
 
 104 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 Somewhere between the Blue or Kittatiny 
 mountains and the great coal regions of 
 Pennsylvania, lay the route of our young 
 traveller. He was not much acquainted 
 with its way-marks, further than having a 
 pretty accurate knowledge of their geogra- 
 phical limits ; but he knew that his destina- 
 tion must be the " big river," as he called the 
 busy Schuylkill, to distinguish it from its 
 tributary streams or creeks. 
 
 For some miles, his journey was a plea- 
 sant one. The fresh, pure air the roaming 
 through wild skirts of forest land, with their 
 delicious fragrance of leaf and flower the 
 sound of falling waters, and the songs of 
 birds, all had peculiar charms for one, who 
 had been brought up to love their natural 
 music and beauty. Besides, lie had an ob- 
 ject in view, a purpose to act out; and that 
 gave a buoyancy to his step, and made all 
 things look pleasant. 
 
 Once only he faltered and looked back. 
 He had reached a point, where he could no 
 longer gaze around him, and say, " This is
 
 THE DKIVER BOY. 105 
 
 home." A vast ledge of gray rocks, that, 
 piled in fantastic shapes, seemed to have 
 been the upheaving of some great convul- 
 sion of nature, stood directly in his way. 
 Around its base the road curved, which was 
 taking him from all familiar scenes into a 
 land of strangers. 
 
 Robert felt that^he must have one look 
 more at his beloved home ; and, accordingly, 
 he began to climb up the rugged face of the 
 rock, which was steep enough to command 
 an extensive view. Its rough edges were 
 covered with mould sufficient to nourish 
 both grass and shrubs, and from the clefts 
 sprung trees of no inconsiderable size ; the 
 deep green of wild, creeping vines weaving 
 graceful curtains over its barren front. 
 Once arrived at its summit, Kobert paused 
 and looked round him. 
 
 On one side lay the valley where his few 
 short years had been passed. He could see 
 the blue smoke curling over the hill side, 
 where his mother's cottage stood. A little 
 farther on was the place of her quiet rest
 
 106 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 Then, like a silver thread winding through 
 the green lowlands, the mill stream with its 
 picturesque but noisy mill; and on its banks 
 the old farm-house, now, alas, tenanted by 
 strangers. He could even- see, behind the 
 deep shadow of the woods, the ancient school- 
 house, where he had passed so many pleasant 
 hours with his dear frieq(l arid teacher, Mr. 
 Hallam. 
 
 And as he thought of him, Robert turned 
 to look on the opposite picture. Miles and 
 miles away stretched a vast range of country. 
 On the south, his view was bounded by 
 mountains, whose tops were lost in the 
 masses of clouds that hung around them. 
 On the other side, the land was broken into 
 irregular patches of hill and valley ; the 
 latter poorly cultivated, giving token of the 
 mines of wealth that lay hidden beneath 
 the surface. And this was his laild of pro- 
 mise. Could he deliberately advance a step 
 farther, without lifting his heart to the God 
 of his life, and saying with the leader of 
 Israel : " If thou go not with me. carry me not 
 up thither ?"
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 107 
 
 Once again, on his journey, Eobert soon 
 left home and its associations in the distance. 
 Then he began to realize the disagreeable 
 necessity of applying to strangers in the hour 
 of need ; and, as hearts differ in the multitude 
 as well as faces, he met with much variety 
 in his reception among them. The foresight 
 of nurse Katy had supplied his little wallet 
 with the means of satisfying the demands of 
 hunger for a few days at least ; and it was 
 pleasant to be able to sit down by the way- 
 side fountain, and partake of her bounty and 
 God's gift together, with a thankful heart. 
 It was a lingering enjoyment of home bless- 
 ings, which made him feel less unfriended. 
 
 But it was necessary at night to seek a 
 .shelter for his little weary head ; and here 
 Robert was often coldly repulsed. Some 
 chided him for being a runaway, and advised 
 him to return to his parents or employers ; 
 others suggested that he might possibly be- 
 long to a gang of thieves, and it would be 
 unsafe to harbour him ; while a few, generous 
 and kind hearted, were not forgetful to
 
 108 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 entertain strangers ; and thereby received 
 unawares, if not an angel, yet one of Christ's 
 blessed little ones. 
 
 These were, however, but the few ; the many 
 were suspicious and cautious, besides being 
 in most cases unwilling to afford either food 
 or lodging without a recompense ; so that in 
 a short time Eobert found his little store 
 becoming so far diminished, that he began 
 seriously to think of his other alternative- 
 work. 
 
 To this he was brought by various cir- 
 cumstances. His scant assortment of wear- 
 ing apparel, originally contrived of half- worn 
 garments, had suffered much by contact with 
 bush and bramble ; and the rough ways had 
 made sad work with his only pair of shoes. 
 He must certainly try to obtain the means 
 for securing a more decent suit, or he should 
 be unfit to claim the kind notice of the friend 
 of whom he was in search. 
 
 So Robert resolved on one bright moon- 
 light night, when he had crept to his usual 
 bed among the fragrant hay in a farmer's
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 109 
 
 barn, that he would apply to the different 
 houses no longer for food and shelter only, 
 but exchange his strength and ability to 
 labour for the means of living. He did not 
 forget to ask God's blessing on this under- 
 taking also ; and then, strengthened and 
 cheered by a good resolution, he fell asleep, 
 with the soft rays of the moon shining 
 through the crevices of the great barn, and 
 turning into gold the masses of grain 
 sheaves that were heaped high up all around 
 him. 
 
 But it was easier to seek than to find the 
 wished-for place. So Robert thought, when 
 on the next morning he made his vrants 
 known at the farm-house, on whose premises 
 he had sought shelter for the night. The 
 refusal was so harshly given, and the wish 
 to get rid of him so evident, that the little 
 boy could only turn sadly away ; and with- 
 out other refreshment than a cool nice wash 
 at the yard pump which, as it cost nothing, 
 was free to all he resumed his journey with 
 sore and bleeding feet, and limbs that were 
 
 yet weary and faint. 
 10
 
 110 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 The road that day led him over a wilder 
 and more mountainous country than any he 
 had yet travelled. One upland swelled 
 above another; and, although they were 
 beautiful with their rich garments of "living 
 green," yet their solitude was almost un- 
 broken, and for miles undisturbed by sight 
 or sound of human locality. It was past 
 noon when Eobert discovered before him the 
 welcome tokens of a farmer's dwelling. It 
 was right under the shelter of a green hill ; 
 and its curl of blue smoke rose lazily upward 
 almost to his very feet. As he curved round 
 the slope he came directly in front of the 
 houpe, and had time to take in view all the 
 details of its appearance. 
 
 The main building was of log, with a 
 raised gable at the ends, from which the roof 
 gradually drooped until, at the sides, there was 
 an elevation of but one story. Several out- 
 houses and supplementary sheds, that seemed 
 to be the after-thoughts of various owners, 
 had clusterei around the central one,- and at 
 some distance were large stacks of hay and
 
 THE "DKIVEB BOY. Ill 
 
 grain, protected from the weather by cover- 
 ings of thatch, supported on rude posts. 
 There appeared to have been but little pains 
 taken to ornament the place, for it was open 
 to the road, and unadorned by trees, except 
 on one side, where a fine maple stretched its 
 protecting branches. This was, evidently, 
 the working place ; for beside an open door 
 stood a barrel and a churn ; and there, also, 
 a woman was actively employed in filling 
 a clay oven with pies and bread, which she 
 had been preparing on a board, laid trans- 
 versely on two upright casks. 
 
 Robert wished very much to see the face 
 of this person, before venturing any nearer; 
 for he had met with so many repulses in his 
 travels, that he felt quite disheartened. But 
 there was clearly nothing to be made out of 
 the back of the slouched calico sun-bonnet, 
 that was turned towards him, and her gown 
 and check apron had no character in them, 
 except in revealing a certain tidiness and 
 fitness, scarcely to be expected in her occu- 
 pation.
 
 112 LITTLE BOB VRUE, 
 
 So he waited until the last dish had been 
 placed in safety, the oven -'door arranged by 
 her practised hands, and those hands duly 
 washed, and the next minute as busily em- 
 ployed as ever in cleansing and preparing 
 her board again, to receive the good things 
 that were to be drawn out, well browned 
 and tempting to the appetite, from those oven 
 depths. 
 
 But when all this was done, and she turned 
 at last, a motherly, pleasant countenance met 
 the gaze of the little trembling boy, who, 
 with his old straw hat crushed tightly in 
 both hands, stood close beside her. She 
 was a little startled by Kobert's sudden ap- 
 pearance, and her face was sun-burnt and 
 worn, both with* time and care ; but it looked 
 kind and cheery, and won Kobert's heart at 
 once. 
 
 In a very short time he was comfortably 
 seated on a little bench, under the shade of 
 the tree ; and the good woman managed, by 
 many questions, to draw from him his simple 
 story.
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 113 
 
 " And so you have been travelling ever so 
 many miles, all by yourself. Well, you are 
 a brave little lad, and sure to make out well, 
 I tell you! But don't your feet hurt you 
 some ? and ain't you hungry ? 
 
 " Yes, ma'am, my feet pain me very much, 
 indeed. My shoes are all torn to pieces, and 
 I have no money to get any more. But I 
 am looking for a place where I can work 
 awhile, and earn money. Don't you think 
 you could give me some work here ?" 
 
 " Why," said the woman, with rather a 
 dubious look, " we have e'en-a'most enough 
 boys." 
 
 " Have you ?" said Robert, with a sinking 
 heart. 
 
 " Yes indeed, I guess so. Let me see " 
 and laying down her cloth, she began to 
 count on her fingers. " There's Sam, and 
 Josiah, and Timothy. Then there's David 
 and Jonathan, them's the two twins and 
 Andy, and little Jimmy. Seven of them ; all 
 big enough to work, and able to eat their 
 allowance, but poor Jimmy ; and he, I'm 
 
 afraid, will never be about anymore." 
 10*
 
 114 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 " Has he been sick long ?" asked Bobert, 
 sympathizingly, for he saw that the poor 
 woman had to turn away to hide the fast 
 starting tears. 
 
 " Yes ; all summer. The doctor says 'tis 
 the consumption, and he can do nothing for 
 him ; and he's just worn away to skin and 
 bone ; but so patient. While I'm busy here 
 he lies quiet like ; not sleeping, but think- 
 ing, as he tells me, about happy places, and 
 beautiful people that are looking at him, and 
 smiling. I think he pines away for his lit- 
 tle sister that died for I had one little girl 
 once, and she went, just as poor Jimmy is 
 going." 
 
 Here the mother's feelings fairly overpow- 
 ered her, and she wept for some minutes ; not 
 passionately, but . calmly, as from a deep 
 fountain of sorrow. But with that feeling 
 which finds relief in expression, she soon 
 began to talk again. 
 
 "They were so good, them two. All day 
 long, busy together ; never angry nor rude. 
 And if sissy for we always called her sissy,
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 115 
 
 though her name was Mary if sissy got 
 hurt, Jimmy would be so vexed, and try all 
 he could to please her. They used to run 
 about here, while I was busy at my baking, 
 and never worry me a bit. Only I must 
 always bake them a little pie and a cake a- 
 piece; and, now I have got so used to it, 
 that the little pies and the cakes must be 
 made and baked, just as if they were here to 
 eat them." 
 
 Just then a weak, childish voice made 
 itself heard" Mother !" 
 
 " I'm coming, Jimmy ; mother is com- 
 ing." 
 
 "Dear child!" she said, as she returned 
 after a few minutes' stay with her sick boy } 
 11 he's heard us talking here, and he must 
 know all about you. And he told me to 
 give his and sissy's baking to you to-day, 
 for he is sure you must want it. And when 
 you have done eating, I am to take you in 
 to see him." 
 
 So saying, the good woman placed the 
 welcome refreshment before the little hungry
 
 116 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 boy ; and when he had thankfully partaken 
 of the food, and drank a bowl of good rich 
 milk, she showed him the way through a 
 large kitchen to a sleeping room beyond, 
 where little Jimmy was lying. 
 
 The child was indeed worn and wasted to 
 an extremity ; but his large dark eyes looked 
 bright and intelligent, as tho'se of persons 
 do who have suffered long. He stretched 
 out his thin, transparent fingers, and took 
 hold of Eobert's hand. He was pleased 
 with the sight and companionship of one so 
 near his own age. 
 
 " Mother has been telling me about you. 
 You are a good boy, she says. I want you 
 to talk to ine about good things." 
 
 Robert looked round the room, as if for a 
 subject to start on. It was small, but very 
 neat. The wood-work was unpainted, but 
 the open window had let in a branch of 
 honeysuckle in full bloom, and its scent was 
 delightful. A small table, covered with a 
 white cloth, held a glass of pure water. 
 There were no unsightly phials of medicine
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 117 
 
 about, as a constant reminder of being sick. 
 Above this, on the plain white- washed walls, 
 were some pretty coloured prints represent- 
 ing different scenes in the life of our Sa- 
 viour. One of these Christ blessing little 
 children took the attention of Robert. 
 Jimmy's eyes, which had followed his, were 
 fixed there too. He smiled. 
 
 " That is the one I like best. I often look 
 at it, and wish that Jesus would bless me. 
 Do you think he will, Robert?" 
 
 "Yes, I know he will; just as he did 
 when on earth. The pretty hymn says : 
 
 ' Though now he is not here below, 
 
 But on his heavenly hill, 
 To him may little children go, 
 And seek a blessing still.' " 
 
 " Oh, how sweet that is ! I think I used to 
 know that hymn. Sissy and me once went to 
 a Sunday-school over the hill ; and they taught 
 us so many pretty verses there. I could 
 say 'Gentle Jesus, meek and mild,' and 
 1 Lord, teach a little child to pray.' I can 
 say that now.
 
 118 LITTLE BOB TKUE, 
 
 And folding his wasted hands, and look- 
 ing up, the child repeated with deep solem- 
 nity : 
 
 " Lord, teach a little child to pray ; 
 
 Thy grace betimes impart ; 
 And grant thy Holy Spirit may 
 
 Renew my infant heart. 
 
 A sinful creature I was born, 
 Aud from the birth I strayed ; 
 
 I must be wretched and forlorn, 
 Without thy mercy's aid. 
 
 But thou canst all my sins forgive, 
 
 Aud wash away their stain ; 
 Canst fit my soul with thee to live, 
 
 And in thy kingdom reign." 
 
 This was indeed prayer ; the earnest offer- 
 ing up of the desires of the heart to God 
 " for things agreeable to his will ;" and He 
 who willeth not the death of a sinner, but 
 would rather that he should turn to him and 
 live, has promised to give the Holy Spirit 
 to them that ask him. 
 
 Eobert then opened his bundle, and took
 
 THE DKIVER BOY. 119 
 
 out his Bible and little hymn book, the 
 two precious companions of his weary jour- 
 ney. The sick boy's eyes sparkled with 
 pleasure. * 
 
 " Oh ! you will read to me ; can you will 
 you, Robert ?" 
 
 " Yes, I will," said Robert. " Can't you 
 read any, Jimmy ?" 
 
 " No, not much. Father always said he 
 couldn't spare us to go to school. He 
 wanted us at home to work. Sissy went, for 
 mother made out to spare her; and she taught 
 me all I know. And then we went to the 
 Sunday-school I told you of." 
 
 " Don't any one read to you ?" 
 
 " Father does some on Sundays, when he 
 don't want to go anywhere ; and mother too, 
 whenever she can get time. But that's .not 
 often, for she has a great deal of work to do. 
 I'm afraid I'm a great trouble to my mother. 
 I wish I could do something to help her." 
 
 " And so you do, Jimmy dear," said his 
 mother, coming forward from the door, 
 where she had been listening to the beloved
 
 120 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 voice of her child. " You help mother by 
 your patient ways, and your pleasant looks 
 and words. But you were always a good 
 boy, Jimmy." 
 
 "No, mother, not always. I was born a 
 sinful creature, and have nothing good in 
 me. But Christ can make me fit for his hea- 
 venly kingdom, and wash away all my 
 stains." 
 
 The child's mind 'still evidently ran on 
 the sweet hymns that had so impressed his 
 infant mind ; and brought home to his heart 
 and conscience by the life-giving Spirit, they 
 had been to him in the place of the usual 
 means of grace. 
 
 Kobert read to his little companion until 
 the shades of night began to gather ; and the 
 mother, fearful of the chill, evening air, 
 came in to close the window, and draw the 
 coverings more closely around her sick 
 child. She then showed Kobert that Jimmy 
 had fallen asleep, and whispered that he 
 should come with her into the light and 
 pleasant kitchen.
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 121 
 
 It was quite cheerful there. The table 
 was set for supper ; and the firelight glim- 
 mered brightly over the cleanly s-wept hearth } 
 and up the wide chimney. By-and-by, came 
 the tramp of many noisy footsteps just out- 
 side the kitchen door. The farmer and his 
 sons had returned from their day's chopping 
 in the distant clearing. As each tall form 
 darkened the window, Robert thought there 
 were indeed " e'en-a'most enough boys." 
 Throwing down his hat and coat into a cor- 
 ner as he came in, the farmer called loudly, 
 but yet in a cheerful, good-humoured way 
 
 " Come, mother, now ; where is that sup- 
 per ? We're just as sharp set as our own 
 axes, I tell you what, with felling timber all 
 day, and walking home in the fresh air." 
 
 He was just in the act of drawing up his 
 chair to the table, when his glance fell on 
 Robert. 
 
 " So we have strangers, hey ?" 
 
 His wife hastened to make him acquainted 
 with Robert's story ; but the brow of her 
 husband darkened not a little, and he shook 
 
 his head, doubtfully. 
 11
 
 122 LITTLE B">B TRUE, 
 
 " I don't want to be churlish and mean, 
 not I ; and so the little boy's welcome to his 
 supper, and a bed. Bat when morning 
 comes, he will have to go we've plenty of 
 mouths to feed here." 
 
 Eobert was not unused to such receptions 
 now; so, although he thought to himself 
 that the father and his stupid-faced sons, who 
 seemed to care for nothing but eating, were 
 very different from little Jimmy and his mo- 
 ther, he did not refuse the offered supper, but 
 accepted it thankfully. 
 
 Then the good woman took him into a 
 nice little room, where he had a better 
 bed than he had met with since he left 
 home ; and thus refreshed and comforted, 
 there was nothing to hinder him from 
 quiet and pleasant sleep.
 
 THE DKIVER BOY. 123 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 HIS JOURNEY TO THE BLACKSMITH S SHOP. MEETS WITE 
 STRANGE COMPANIONS THERE. 
 
 IT was yet the dim twilight of the coming 
 day, when Kobert awoke to find the house- 
 hold all astir. The thought of his being 
 obliged to continue his journey had not kept 
 him from sleeping soundly, and the good 
 rest he had enjoyed made him feel as brisk 
 as ever. He hastened to prepare himself 
 quickly for going out ; but hearing voices 
 in the next room, he hesitated about doing 
 so ; and, although he did not intend to lis- 
 ten, he could not avoid hearing all that was 
 said, through the roughly jointed boards 
 that partitioned the two apartments. 
 
 " Now, mother," said the loud voice of the 
 farmer, " don't be so unreasonable. Haven't 
 we enough boys of our own to feed and clothe, 
 but you must needs take another?"
 
 124 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 " Not altogether, John ; that would be un- 
 reasonable. But let us shelter the child a 
 few days, until he is rested, or we hear of 
 some place for him. If you could only 
 have seen how Jimmy took to him yester- 
 day, and have heard how pretty they talked 
 together !" 
 
 " Yes ; there is Jimmy, too, laid up sick 
 and a burden, when he ought to be a help 
 to us." 
 
 "Don't, John, don't " said his wife in a 
 frightened tone. "Jimmy a burden and a 
 trouble! Why, the dear child is a living les- 
 son to us every day of our lives. To think 
 that we have never taught him anything 
 good; and now God is teaching him, and 
 making him fit to go to heaven, where our 
 dear little Mary has gone." 
 
 If there had been one thing more espe- 
 cially the pride and delight of the father's 
 heart, it had been this beloved child the 
 pet lamb, now the " one dead lamb of the 
 flock." The mother's allusion to her visibly 
 softened him, but he was too firmly set
 
 , THE DEIVER BOY. 125 
 
 in his own way to give up the matter so 
 easily. 
 
 " Well, Susy," he said, as he arose to go 
 out, " I didn't mean to vex you, or speak 
 harshly about little Jimmy. But this strange 
 lad I just mean as I say about him. So, 
 when I come back again, I shall expect to 
 hear that you have got rid of him." 
 
 " Now that's just like John Groves," said 
 his wife to herself, as the outer door closed 
 with something of a decided bang ; " when he 
 once puts his foot down, the matter is set- 
 tled. But at any rate, I shan't let the poor 
 child go without his breakfast." 
 
 So the good woman busied herself in pre- 
 paring a nice, comfortable meal for Kobert ; 
 and when it was all ready, proceeded to call 
 him to partake of it. To her surprise she 
 found him not only up and dressed, but ty- 
 ing the last knot in the handkerchief, which 
 contained all his worldly possessions. 
 
 "Well, I do believe you have heard all 
 that John has been telling me," she said. " But, 
 don't be vexed about it ; for he is not an ill- 
 11*
 
 126 LITTLE BOB TKUE, ^ 
 
 hearted man, only positive like. And don't 
 be disheartened either, for I think I can tell 
 you now, where you can find work." 
 
 "Oh! can you?" said Robert, brightening 
 up ; "I shall be so much obliged to you." 
 
 "Yes, I am pretty sure I can. It just 
 came into my head a while ago ; and it seems 
 strange now, that I did not think of it before. 
 My husband's brother lives about fifteen miles 
 from here. He is a blacksmith ; and often 
 goes to the coal mines, where they want a 
 number of boys to work. I have heard him 
 talk sometimes of the lads that come along 
 by his shop, looking for places ; and if you 
 tell him that you have been here, and all 
 about us, he will be sure to befriend you. 
 Besides, the road from here is more travelled 
 than the way you came ; and you will most 
 likely get a lift, now and then, in somebody's 
 wagon. Mind and ask for James Groves, 
 the blacksmith ; my husband's name is John." 
 
 The expectation of an occasional ride was 
 not an undesirable one to Robert ; who, as he 
 sat at breakfast, could not help casting wistful
 
 THE DKIVEK BOY. 127 
 
 glances sometimes at the bare toes, that 
 peeped out from the rents in his worn-out 
 shoes. He was evidently calculating the 
 amount of suffering they would have to en- 
 dure, through the rugged length of the fifteen 
 miles' travel. The same idea seemed to have 
 entered the mind of good Susan Groves ; for, 
 after considering a moment, she went to a 
 cupboard, and returned with a pair of new 
 shoes. 
 
 " These were Jimmy's. I bought them 
 myself; for I was determined he should go to 
 school, if he ever got well again. But he 
 will never need them now. Dear ! oh dear I" 
 she continued, sinking down upon a little 
 bench ; " how often I have held those little 
 feet in my hands, and wondered what road 
 they would have to travel ! I know now." 
 
 By this time Robert was all ready for 
 his journey; and thanking his kind friend 
 very heartily, he was opening the door to go 
 out, when he suddenly bethought himself. 
 
 " May I see Jimmy before I go ?" 
 
 " Yes indeed, you may. But I am think-
 
 128 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 ing he is asleep now. He coughs greatly most 
 nights ; and that makes him heavy in the 
 morning." 
 
 Yes ! Jimmy was sleeping ; so peacefully 
 that, except for the gentle breathing, it might 
 have been mistaken for the last quiet rest. 
 Yet as he slept he smiled ; and when Kobert 
 stooped down, and laid aside the soft hair 
 that fell over his pale cheeks, he smiled still 
 more, and murmured words in his happy 
 dreams. 
 
 Eobert thought awhile, and then took out 
 his little hymn book, and laid it where the 
 child would be sure to see it when he awoke. 
 It was all he had to bestow, and it was not 
 a little; for it had been one of Lottie's favour- 
 ite books, and she had given it to him when 
 she went away. 
 
 Good Susan Groves' conjecture about the 
 probability of Robert's securing help in his 
 journey, did not prove to be ill-founded ; for 
 in the course of the day he overtook two 
 empty wagons, whose drivers were good-na- 
 tured enough to let him ride as far as they
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 129 
 
 went themselves; the route of the last one 
 stretching beyond the point where Robert's 
 journey terminated. So, at nightfall, he found 
 himself within sight of the ruddy blaze of 
 the blacksmith's forge. 
 
 The evening had set in cold and rainy, with 
 an easterly wind that threatened a severe 
 storm ; and Robert, as he nestled down 
 among the loose straw in the bed of the wag- 
 on, felt thankful for its shelter, and relieved 
 to think that the end of his journey was so 
 near. He had begun to be almost lulled to 
 sleep by the sameness of the horses' measured 
 trot, when they suddenly stood quite still, and 
 their driver's monotonous whistle changed 
 to a loud " Hilloa !" 
 
 The noisy clang of the blacksmith's ham- 
 mer ceased at once ; and in a moment more, 
 a tall, stout man, standing in the open door, 
 intercepted the light within. 
 
 " Your name's James Groves, I suppose," 
 said the driver. " Here's a youngster who 
 has some business with you, he says. Come, 
 tumble down, my lad, for I want to be off."
 
 130 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 The blacksmith stood looking down on 
 the little figure so unceremoniously left at 
 his door. Robert was indeed very little, and 
 the man, like his entertainer of the preceding 
 night, was of the sons of Anak in size. But 
 Robert did not fail to discover certain pleas- 
 ant traits about the large blue eyes and broad 
 mouth, that encouraged him to tell his er- 
 rand and his plans ; and he was rewarded, 
 when he had finished, by a good-natured smile 
 from the honest blacksmith. 
 
 " Well, you're just in luck; for I'm going 
 down to the mines early to-morrow morning, 
 and I'll try what I can do for you. Besides 
 you'll have company there; for I have 
 another one inside fresh caught. He has 
 just stopped in out of the rain ; and he says 
 he's bound for the mines." 
 
 He pointed, as they entered the shop, to 
 the figure of a boy, crouched on the bare 
 ground, and as near as possible to the blazing 
 fire. His clothes were mere bundles of rags, 
 and saturated with wet. Beside him- lay a 
 large, rough dog, evidently enjoying, as much
 
 -- 
 
 THE BLACKSMITH. Page 130.
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 131 
 
 as his master, the shelter from the inclement 
 weather. The boy's arm was thrown round 
 the dog's hairy neck ; and as they cowered 
 side by side on the earthen floor, it was dif- 
 ficult at first to tell the human from the brute 
 animal. 
 
 " Now that's what I call a regular run- 
 away," said James Groves in a low voice, as 
 he stood looking with some disgust at the 
 pair before him ; " but I can tell by your 
 looks that you are just what you say. And 
 so you've been to John's and seen all the 
 folks. Well, sit down on this turned -up 
 keg we're not particular about 'commoda- 
 tions here and tell us all about it." 
 
 Robert observed, in the course of his story, 
 that the blacksmith was not his only hearer ; 
 for gradually the recumbent bundle before 
 them uncoiled itself, and a pair of cunning 
 eyes looked up out of a mass of uncombed 
 hair into the face of the speaker. As he 
 finished, the object brought itself into a 
 sitting posture, showing the countenance of 
 me young in years, but marked with the
 
 132 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 lines of depravity and wretchedness. The 
 dog, as if to attract notice also, arose and 
 shook himself. 
 
 " What is your dog's name ?" said the 
 blacksmith, patting the woolly head of the 
 animal, as it was laid caressingly on his 
 knee. 
 
 " Bough," said the boy shortly. 
 
 " And is your name Kough too ?" asked 
 the man with a laugh. 
 
 " You may call me that if you like, though 
 my name's Joe. I never had any other as I 
 knows on one's enough." 
 
 " But if both are called Eough, how will 
 you know which it is that's wanted ?" 
 
 "Oh, we're never far apart ; so if one comes 
 t'other's sure to follow." 
 
 " Did they call you so where you came 
 from ?" said the man, evidently much amused 
 with the singular answers of the boy. 
 
 " No, they called me Idle Joe, and Wicked 
 Joe, and sometimes Ugly Joe. I don't care." 
 
 " I'm afraid you don't care enough, my lad. 
 They used to say in my young days * don't
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 133 
 
 care was hung.' And if you begin so early 
 in life to be reckless about the opinion of 
 others, you'll find yourself getting worse 
 and worse, and harder and harder. It's 
 better to care too much than not care at all." 
 
 The boy scarcely heard this speech to an 
 end, before he again crouched down by his 
 canine friend, and laid his head on his 
 woolly shoulder, as if it had been a pillow. 
 He was evidently in no mood for serious 
 talk. 
 
 " Well, my boys," said the smith, rising, 
 and stretching his huge limbs with a yawn, 
 " I'm thinking of shutting up for the night. 
 It will be best for you to stay here till 
 morning ; for I have no house of my own to 
 take you to. But I've often passed the night 
 here myself, when I wanted to be up early, 
 and about my work ; and there's a rug and 
 blanket somewhere about, that will make you 
 as good a bed as you'll find most places." 
 
 " Rough's my bed," said Joe, coiling him- 
 self up into a rounder heap ; " I don't want 
 no better." 
 12
 
 134 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 "But Rough can't get you your supper, 
 I suppose ; so you won't object to that will 
 you ?" 
 
 "No ; for I'm proper hungry, I am. But 
 Rough has got me my supper and my dinner 
 too, many's the time. He can fish in the 
 ponds like a man ; and his big paws are first 
 rate to hold down birds and rabbits. We've 
 lived weeks and weeks in the woods on such 
 things Rough and me." 
 
 James Groves seemed to regard the boy 
 and his four-footed companion as a pair of 
 natural curiosities ; for he stood looking at 
 them some time without moving. At last 
 he bethought himself of the promised supper, 
 and left the shed to procure it. 
 
 When he returned after a brief absence, 
 he brought with him a large earthen pitcher 
 of hot broth, with plenty of brown bread, 
 and slices of meat. This bountiful repast 
 was eagerly partaken of by the two little 
 boys, Joe especially, who devoured his por- 
 tion like one half famished. But even in 
 his hunger, he did not forget to share with
 
 THE DEIVEB BOY. 135 
 
 his friend Rough ; to whom he showed an 
 attachment, which seemed to be the one re- 
 deeming point in his character. 
 
 When their supper was over, James 
 Groves, having made all safe, departed, leav- 
 ing the inmates x)f the shed to make them- 
 selves comfortable in their own way. This 
 with Joe and his dog seemed to consist in 
 securing as much warmth to their limbs as 
 possible ; and, having thus all their wants 
 satisfied, they sunk into a state of indolent 
 repose. 
 
 But Robert's thoughts were too busy to 
 permit him to sleep at once ; so he em- 
 ployed himself for some time in looking 
 about the premises, and considering the sit- 
 uation in which he found himself. The 
 building was a long, low shed, blackened 
 by time and smoke ; the roof, in some places 
 decayed and open to the weather, letting in 
 more than the sound of pattering rain-drops. 
 On bars across the openings that, in the day 
 time, served for windows, but at night were 
 secured by a single wooden shutter, were
 
 136 LITTLE BOB TBUE, 
 
 hung horse shoes and other bits of iron as 
 signs of the trade. In a recess at one end, 
 were suspended garments of all sizes and 
 fashions ; a long slab bench, together with 
 some empty nail kegs, like the one which 
 had been given him for a seat, made up the 
 rest of the furniture. There was nothing 
 more to see ; so, stirring up the fire, Robert 
 began to read in his little Bible by its flick- 
 ering light. 
 
 He was startled by the shrill voice of 
 Joe ; and looking up saw that he was fully 
 awake, and staring with his bright eyes into 
 his face. 
 
 " What's that you've got ?" 
 
 "The Bible," said Robert, turning its 
 open pages round to his strange companion ; 
 "do you want to hear me read it?" 
 
 " I don't care," said the boy, sinking down 
 to his former posture. 
 
 It was not long, however, before he rose 
 again into an attitude of attention, and 
 stretching out his hand grasped Robert by 
 the arm.
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 137 
 
 " There I've enough of that. Didn't the 
 man call you Bob True ?" 
 
 " Yes," said Robert, wonderingly. 
 
 " Then you don't tell lies do you ?" 
 
 " I hope not ; I try not to." 
 
 " Well then, tell me have you any mo- 
 ney ?" 
 
 Eobert hesitated ; for, in truth, he did not 
 like to confess to the strange being before 
 him, that he still had a little sum. 
 
 But Joe did not wait for an answer. He 
 drew out a dirty pack of cards from some 
 part of his loose attire. 
 
 " You. needn't be thinking lies, for I know 
 you have some. So hand over a fip, and stir 
 up the fire, and we'll see who'll get the whole 
 on it." 
 
 " No," said Robert, firmly ; " I wouldn't 
 gamble if I was ever so rich. I have only 
 a very little money, and I want to keep it 
 to help me on my way. And now I think 
 of it, the blacksmith said we were to go to 
 sleep as soon as we could, for he should be 
 . here br/ght and early." 
 12*
 
 138 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 It was not yet day dawn, when James 
 Groves came into the shed with a lantern, 
 and aroused the little boys. The storm had 
 cleared away, and the full moon shone 
 brightly, although wading through still 
 threatening clouds. Beyond the open door 
 they could see a covered wagon with a team 
 of horses. 
 
 " Come, now," said the blacksmith, when 
 he had succeeded in getting them thoroughly 
 awake ; " I want you to be smart and stir 
 round a bit. And I'll tell you now what I 
 am going to do for you both. There's a 
 many boys come to me in just such a trim 
 as you are, out of elbows, and out of pock- 
 et. So I just puts decent clothes on their 
 backs, and when they gets able, they pays 
 me. Now I know you will be honest, and 
 give me back what is my own, Bob True ; 
 but as for this little runaway, I'm doubtful. 
 However, I'm not agoing to take him along 
 with me in such a fix ; so make haste, both 
 of you, and change your clothes." 
 
 Robert was very th'ankful for ttie kind
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 189 
 
 offer ; and when he had washed, and dressed 
 himself in a suit of coarse but clean clothing^ 
 which his new friend took from the recess, 
 where he kept them ready for service, he felt 
 much benefited by the change. But Joe re- 
 sisted all attempts to deprive him of his 
 rags. 
 
 "They were good enough for him he 
 was used to them and, besides, Rough 
 would not know him in new clothes." 
 
 The secret was at last discovered, when 
 Robert, in removing some article from his 
 old to his new pockets, missed his little 
 stock of money. James Groves immedi- 
 ately dived his broad hand into the gar- 
 ments of little vagabond Joe, and brought 
 up a small purse with Robert's name on it. 
 
 "What did you take this for?" said he 
 sternly, shaking the boy, at the same time, 
 severely. 
 
 "Didn't take it at all slept all night 
 sound. Must have been Rough; he does all 
 such tricks." 
 
 " More likely Rough's master. So don't
 
 140 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 tell me any more untruths, or,. I will send 
 you off' directly. What did you want to get 
 with it ?" 
 
 " Pea nuts and candy," said the boy, 
 promptly. But James, who had continued 
 his search, had, by this time, discovered, 
 among a variety of articles in the lad's 
 pocket, the greasy pack of cards, and held 
 them up to the light with many expressions 
 of disgust. 
 
 " So, this ia what you wanted it for, my 
 boy. I'm afraid you're a hard case, but I'll 
 try you once. So we'll throw this filthy 
 pack into the fire ; and let's have off these 
 rags in no time."
 
 THE DBIVER BOY. 141 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 LIFE IN THE MINES AND OUT OF THEM. THE CHBISTIAN 
 
 MINER. 
 
 ALL was noisy, active life in the neighbour- 
 hood of the mines. The dense black smoke 
 from the numerous forges and foundries 
 for the requisite material being so close at 
 hand, all needful machinery is made on the 
 spot the rattle of cars loaded with coal, 
 hastening to deposit their burdens at the 
 canal wharves, and again returning the 
 canal itself, with its swarms of human beings 
 all busy, full of energy, and working with 
 a will, made up a picture new and not un- 
 interesting to one unfamiliar with its gen- 
 eral features 
 
 Groves, the blacksmith, had visited the 
 place too often to make a wonder of it ; 
 and little Joe, with his dog Eough, had 
 slipped away as soon as the wagon stopped,
 
 142 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 without giving notice of his intention. He 
 was doubtless no stranger there the mines 
 or canal being a common refuge for those, 
 who, weary of parental or social relations, 
 break away from them, to seek their own lot 
 in the world. 
 
 But Kobert, whose life had hitherto been 
 spent in a secluded valley, which the din of 
 commerce and manufactures had never- 
 reached, felt as one does who looks for the 
 first time on a moving panorama ; it was as 
 a beautiful, entrancing dream whose details 
 he almost feared to lose as they passed 
 quickly by. He followed his companion 
 from place to place ; and the kind blacksmith,' 
 observing the interest he showed in the dif- 
 ferent objects, took some trouble to explain 
 to him the operations that came under their 
 notice. 
 
 He first showed him that the mines dif- 
 fered in their localities some being merely 
 quarries in the sides of hills, and therefore 
 furnishing the supplies of coal with greater 
 facility ; but such as are beneath the surface,
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 143 
 
 or, as it is called, below the water level, are 
 more difficult of access. For the purpose 
 of reaching the vein, a shaft is sunk through 
 it to the depth of two or three hundred feet, 
 broad enough to admit of two railway 
 tracks. At the required depth, gangways 
 or passages are cut, also furnished with rail- 
 way tracks ; and in these the miners work, 
 blasting and picking the great}, masses of 
 coal, until they have a sufficient quantity to 
 load the cars, which are then drawn to the 
 surface by ropes, set in motion by steam 
 power in the mine. This is the work of but 
 a few minutes ; for as fast as a loaded car 
 ' ascends, an empty one returns on the parallel 
 track. 
 
 " How would you like to go down here ?" 
 said James Groves to little Robert, as they 
 stood on the edge of the slope, and looked 
 on the busy scene beneath them. 
 
 Kobert replied that he would like it very 
 much ; and accordingly followed the smith 
 and some two or three labourers, whose oc- 
 cupation might have been guessed from their
 
 144 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 begrimed looks and dress, along the footway 
 that led between the railway tracks. As 
 they reached the bottom of the shaft, they 
 perceived water shining in the light that 
 came from above ; and noticed that a basin 
 or reservoir had been cut to receive it, as 
 it trickled from the subterranean depths. 
 They learned also that the great steam en- 
 gine, whose powerful wheels and ponderous 
 machinery struck a degree of awe into 
 Robert, as he gazed on their giant move- 
 ments, was employed in pumping up this 
 water at all hours of the night, and in the 
 day time when not engaged with the cars. 
 
 While his companion was asking ques- 
 tions about this and various other subjects 
 connected with the mines, Robert tried to 
 use his eyes as well as he could in looking 
 about him. It was indeed a strange place 
 to be in. The great overhanging masses of 
 coal were propped up by vast pieces of tim- 
 ber, which were wedged in to support their 
 weight. Along the galleries twinkled the 
 miners' lamps, as each toiled to fulfil his
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 145 
 
 appointed task. Many were the sounds to be 
 heard. The tremulous motion of the loaded 
 cars, as they glided swiftly on their way 
 the noise of the busy pick or the labourer's 
 shovel the commingling voices of the men, 
 aroused the sleeping echoes ; but above 
 them all Eobert heard words that made his 
 heart thrill, and instinctively he drew nearer 
 to the place from whence the voice proceeded. 
 There was a recess not far from where he 
 stood ; and in it a solitary miner was rest- 
 ing for a few moments from his toil. As he 
 leaned on a loose fragment of coal, he sang 
 to a sweet, familiar tune the well known 
 psalm : 
 
 " Our G-od, our help in ages past, 
 
 Our hope for years to come, 
 Our shelter from the stormy blast, 
 And our eternal home, 
 
 Beneath the shadow of thy throne 
 
 Thy saiuts have dwelt secure ; 
 Sufficient is thine arm alone, 
 
 And my defence is sure. 
 13
 
 146 LITTLE BOB TKUE, 
 
 Before the hills in order stood, 
 
 Or earth received her frame, 
 From everlasting thou art God, 
 
 To endless years the same." 
 
 It was a literal crying unto God from the 
 depths ; and Robert, hailing it as the voice of 
 a friend, fearlessly crept on until he stood 
 by the side of the miner. 
 
 The man looked up, as he heard Robert's 
 step ; and the light from the lamp which was 
 fixed in his cap, fell upon the features of an 
 aged person, with locks that would have been 
 silver, but for the sprinkling of coal dust that 
 clung so plentifully to them. The same 
 gloomy colour imparted a wild and rather un- 
 earthly look to his countenance ; but there was 
 no mistaking the kindly voice and gesture. 
 
 "So, my little man, you've come to see 
 the mines." 
 
 "Yes," said Robert; "and I heard you 
 singing. I didn't expect to hear such as that. 
 I like singing." 
 
 " Well, so do I, too," said the old miner, 
 " when it's of the right kind. And I'm apt
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 147 
 
 co think the heart follows the words in most 
 cases. Now I was just thinking of the power 
 and goodness of God, in creating these great, 
 wonderful places, that we are laying open 
 here, and preparing them for our use, so 
 many hundred years ago. I'm no great 
 scholar myself; but I've heard those that were, 
 say, that all these great blocks of coal, that 
 look to us like hard, black rocks, were once 
 trees and shrubs, just like those above yon- 
 der." 
 
 " Were they ?" said Eobert, wonderingly, 
 as he looked round on the dark, threatening 
 masses, which shut them in on all sides. 
 
 "Well, I've no doubt they were; for I 
 often come across things in my work, that 
 look like it." 
 
 As he spoke, the miner handed a large 
 piece of coal to Robert, and lowered his lamp 
 that he might examine it. It was, indeed, 
 a curious proof of the original formation of 
 the coal beds from decayed vegetable mat- 
 ter the impression of different leaves and 
 flowers being as distinctly marked as by the 
 most delicate tracery of an artist's pencil.
 
 148 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 " People who visit the mines set great 
 store by such as these," said the man ; " but 
 it's hard to keep them in the open air. They're 
 slaty and crumbly." 
 
 The old miner then, with the freedom that 
 belonged to his age, questioned Robert about 
 himself and his object in coming to the mines; 
 and the little boy was not unwilling to make 
 him acquainted with all these particulars, for 
 he was quite taken by the pleasant manner 
 of the old miner ; his liking being not a little 
 increased by finding that he was also a lover 
 of holy things. James Groves had been very 
 kind to him, but he had not once, in their 
 intercourse, named that precious name which 
 is so sweet in a believer's ears ; so how could 
 the little boy know, whether or not, he was 
 a Christian ? Like the shell, fabled to ring 
 of the moaning sea, even when cast far inland j 
 so will the Christian bear ever about with 
 him, the marks of a life, hidden with Christ 
 in God. 
 
 It was, therefore, not difficult for the two 
 to become acquainted ; although one was an
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 149 
 
 aged pilgrim, far on in life's journey, the 
 other, but a babe in Christ, -standing at its 
 very threshold. Eobert learned that his new 
 friend was called David Frazer, a name fra- 
 grant of Scotland's faith, and Scotland's mar- 
 tyrs. His ancestors, the old man said, had 
 indeed been of the " puir hill folk ;" and many 
 traditions had reached him of their watchings 
 by night, on the cold bare heath, while God's 
 saints worshipped him in the clefts and holes 
 of the rocks. 
 
 " That, may be, is the reason I like the hills 
 and solitary places so much myself," said the 
 old miner. " They seem to speak to me of 
 God, and his being ' a hiding place from the 
 tempest,' and 'the shadow of a great rock 
 in a weary land.' And when the missionary 
 comes and preaches, and we miners and canal 
 men, gather round in the open air to listen, 
 it looks like what I have heard tell of the 
 hill gatherings in the old Covenanter times ; 
 only there are none now to hurt us, or make 
 us afraid." 
 
 " Do they preach that way here ?" said 
 13*
 
 150 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 Kobert, with a bright look ; " Oh I I am so 
 glad." .,;,,',<< 
 
 " And why are you so very glad, my little 
 friend?" 
 
 " Oh, because these are the only good clothes 
 I have ; and I was afraid it would be a long, 
 long time before I could get any fit to go to 
 church in for I owe for these, you see. But 
 now if there's preaching out of doors, I can 
 get in any corner, and no one will notice, 
 even if my clothes are old and poor." 
 
 " And what will you do on Sundays when 
 there is no missionary to preach ?" 
 
 " I will read my Bible," said little Eobert. 
 
 " Well, but I'm afraid you'll find it hard to 
 do that sometimes ; for the places where they 
 lodge boys like you, are none of the choicest. 
 They stow in as many as they can get, and 
 there's scarcely elbow room to eat and sleep 
 in. A quiet corner to read the Bible in, will 
 be more than you'll find reckoned in the 
 bargain ; and, even if you had it, there would 
 be little comfort or peace, with noise and 
 confusion all around you."
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 151 
 
 " I shall "have to go out of doors then, to 
 read," said Robert, smiling but rather sadly. 
 
 "Yes, that will do while this fine fall 
 weather lasts ; but when frost and snow 
 come, it won't be quite so pleasant. What 
 do you vsay to spending Sundays with old 
 David ? I've got a nice little cabin over 
 the hills yonder all to myself; and, though 
 it's not very large nor handsome, there's a 
 corner for a friend and a welcome." 
 
 Robert had only time to thank the good 
 old man, and receive directions for finding 
 the way to his solitary habitation, when he 
 heard the blacksmith calling to him, and 
 hastened to rejoin him. 
 
 "I was afraid I had lost you, little Bob 
 True," said James, as they retraced their way 
 up the track to the entrance of the mine; 
 " and in some places there might have been 
 danger of my doing so, for I have been in 
 mines where the gangways are several miles 
 in length. And now I'm going to show you 
 where you will have to work. It's not very 
 hard, but it requires a bright eye and a quick
 
 152 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 hand; and I think you have both, or I'm 
 much mistaken." --. t \ 
 
 Following the loaded car that had been 
 drawn up from the mine, James Groves 
 showed Robert that, as it was emptied of its 
 contents, they flowed in one continuous 
 stream to the breakers, where the coal is 
 broken into the different sizes required for 
 fuel. After it has passed through different 
 screens for assorting these sizes, it has to 
 undergo the process of being picked. For 
 the purpose of removing any pieces of slate 
 or impure coal, there are boys stationed at 
 intervals to pick these from the mass. And 
 here Robert found out the meaning of the 
 blacksmith's remark about "a bright eye 
 and a quick hand ;" for he saw that it re- 
 quired great watching and sharp practice to 
 detect the faulty pieces, as the coal poured 
 in a stream through doors opening on a 
 railroad, on which the cars thus filled con- 
 veyed the coal to the canal. 
 
 James Groves looked on awhile, until he 
 saw that Robert had in some degree, as he 

 
 THE DRTVER BOY. 153 
 
 expressed it, " got the hang of it." He then 
 told him that he would be obliged to leave 
 him very soon, as he had some business of 
 his own to attend to, and he wished to get 
 home again before dark. 
 
 " Now, if you only had some place to sleep 
 in, and get your meals comfortably, I think 
 you will make out well, Bob True. I wonder 
 if any of these boys knows of a good lodging- 
 house to go to ?" 
 
 " Yes ; at aunt Peggy's down by the 
 canal she's first-rate " chimed in. a chorus 
 of youthful voices. 
 
 James waited to make a few more inquiries, 
 and ask one of the larger boys to take charge 
 of Robert when the work hours should be 
 over. He then shook hands with his little 
 companion, wished that he might do well 
 and be a good boy, and left the building. 
 
 The tall form of the blacksmith had 
 scarcely disappeared, when from the shadow 
 of a distant corner emerged little Joe and his 
 dog ; the former in the very rags he had 
 worn on the preceding night. He looked
 
 154: LITTLE BOB TKUE, 
 
 up in Robert's face with a cunning expres- 
 sion as he passed him, and gave a pull to 
 the sleeve of his neatly fitting dark blouse. 
 
 "Better do as Joe does, and save new 
 clothes for Sundays." 
 
 It was with a little surprise and some in- 
 stinctive dread that Robert perceived, when 
 the work hours were over, that Joe was tc 
 be one of the company to the lodging-place 
 where they were to go. He seemed to be 
 familiar with the other boys; either from 
 being an old acquaintance, or because he 
 possessed peculiar facilities for forming new 
 ones ; and their walk to their temporary home 
 was enlivened with many a laugh afforded 
 by the vagaries of Joe and his dog Rough.
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 155 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 PEGGY BRIGHT 'S CABIN. 
 
 PEGGY BRIGHT, or, as the boys called her, 
 aunt Peggy, was the widow of a bargeman; 
 and having therefore spent the greater part 
 of her life in the cabin of a boat, chose to 
 make her after dwelling-place as near like 
 one as possible, and as close to her favourite 
 element as circumstances would permit. 
 Her house therefore was low and small, built 
 almost at the edge of the canal, and within 
 the sight and sound of all its noise and con- 
 fusion. As she combined, with her other 
 employments, the active trade of washing for 
 all the boatmen and labourers who had no 
 families of their own, the rows of parti- 
 coloured garments, that were stretched on 
 poles around her dwelling, were like way- 
 marks to direct those who might not be so 
 well acquainted with its locality. It had also 
 another characteristic.
 
 156 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 In the first stages of her struggles for a 
 living, aunt Peggy had kept a sort of beei 
 and cake shop. A board sign over the door, 
 with a bottle tilted by an invisible hand in 
 the act of filling a foaming glass, together 
 with a pile of circular figures, that were 
 intended to represent the edible part of the 
 entertainment, showed the original design of 
 the establishment; a cross of red chalk 
 drawn through each expressive emblem, gave 
 notice of its discontinuance. 
 
 Within all was neat and compact and well 
 arranged, from the tidy figure of aunt Peggy 
 herself, to the smallest item of domestic 
 economy. She was a little brisk woman, 
 rather sharp-featured and shrill- voiced ; 
 with the peculiarity of always having those 
 features enveloped in the folds of a bright 
 blue handkerchief, which was knotted in a 
 particular fashion under her chin. But 
 although it appeared probable that there 
 might occasionally be a gentle breeze in the 
 neighbourhood of aunt Peggy, it seemed 
 unlikely that cloudy weather would last
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 157 
 
 long. She might be quick-tempered, but 
 was never sullen. 
 
 There were two matters for wondering 
 about to any one who made aunt Peggy's 
 dominions a visit. One was, how she con- 
 trived to bestow such an accumulation of all 
 sorts of articles great and small within the 
 circumscribed limits of her dwelling. The 
 other, how, with her nice and particular 
 ways, she could tolerate the having a set 
 of ungovernable boys, with their gar- 
 ments and persons none of the cleanest, in- 
 vading her tidy premises. The first diffi- 
 culty might be resolved by referring to the 
 natural genius some people have of finding 
 i place for everything, the readiest way 
 of surely finding everything in its place. 
 The second was easily disposed of. Aunt 
 Peggy never allowed an unscraped foot, or un- 
 washed hands and face, to enter her dwelling. 
 There was a large vessel of water placed at 
 the door, with other conveniences for the 
 purpose of ablution ; and when the time 
 came for her lodgers to arrive, a circum- 
 14
 
 158 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 stance which could easily be told by the 
 noise which preceded them, the mistress of 
 the establishment generally found something 
 to attend to on the outside of her dwelling, 
 so as to make sure that her rules were well 
 observed, and none but her own set ad- 
 mitted. * 
 
 On the present occasion, she was actively 
 engaged in placing her well-dried clothes 
 in large baskets, when the boys came up. 
 They were indeed a motley crew, of all sizes, 
 and it might be said of all colours ; for some 
 had snatched a hasty wash on leaving work ; 
 others appeared in a dark mask of coal dust, 
 with white eyes and teeth looking strangely 
 by contrast ; and a very few with really 
 clean hands and shining red cheeks. Among 
 these last was our little Bob True ; and on him 
 aunt Peggy appeared to look with particu- 
 lar satisfaction. She seemed too to have 
 expected him, for she called him by name ; 
 and, as Robert afterwards learned, his friend 
 the blacksmith had taken the trouble to stop 
 on his way home, and bespeak for him her
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 159 
 
 kindly offices. But with Joe and his dog 
 Bough the case was entirely different. Noth- 
 ing could induce her to receive him within 
 her dwelling washed or unwashed ; and the 
 dog she regarded with perfect horror. It 
 was only after much persuasion, that she 
 consented to allow the little vagrant, as she 
 called him, to sit on the door step, while he 
 divided his supper with Eough, who, as usual, 
 crouched down afc his feet, with his nose on 
 his woolly paws. 
 
 Eobert could not help feeling sorry for 
 the outcast boy ; but, when he entered the 
 dwelling, he could scarcely wonder that its 
 owner was unwilling to admit such inmates 
 within. The very air of the place spoke of 
 order. All that could be arranged on shelves 
 were so bestowed ; even on one high up among 
 the unplastered joists, so high that it seemed 
 as if a ladder must be used to reach it, were 
 set the cracked tea-pots and unused lamps 
 of other days. Some cheap plaster casts 
 with dull, unmeaning eyes, and an earthen 
 pot of gay fall flowers marked this as the
 
 160 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 ornamental shelf; the contents of others were 
 of a more common description, consisting 
 of articles for cooking and other domestic 
 purposes. Some baskets and hampers, ropes 
 of onions, and pieces of dried meat hung from 
 hooks driven into the beams above. In one 
 corner, a calico curtain shut off a part of the 
 room into a private retreat for the mistress 
 of the house ; in another a step-ladder led 
 to the loft above where she was used to be- 
 stow her lodgers. But they were not the 
 only inmates of aunt Peggy's cabin. She, 
 like others of her class, had also her cherished 
 pets, ^whose presence explained to Eobert 
 the reason of her unwillingness to receive 
 the dog within her dwelling. In a crib, 
 curiously contrived of basket work, were a 
 hen and her chickens ; a fine Maltese cat, 
 with four silver-grey kittens, reposed in a 
 more airy receptacle near the fire-place. 
 
 As soon as the boys were all washed, sup- 
 per was announced to be ready. This was 
 abundant and good of its kind ; salt meat 
 and potatoes being distributed in portions ;
 
 THE DHIVER BOY. 161 
 
 while bread and molasses and coffee were 
 furnished in any desirable quantity. For 
 some time hunger kept the boys quiet, as 
 they could not conveniently eat voraciously 
 and talk at the same time ; but once their 
 appetites partially appeased, the babel of 
 tongues commenced. Eobert now began to 
 have some insight into the character of his 
 companions ; and his heart, that had been 
 sinking ever since he had been left with 
 them, revolted still more, as he listened to 
 their vile conversation, mingled with oaths 
 that made his ears tingle. He had never 
 been in the company of the really bad be- 
 fore ; his secluded life had kept him from 
 temptation hitherto ; arid in his journey 
 from home, when he was obliged to ask for 
 lodgings, he had for the most part chosen 
 detached farm houses, in preference to those 
 of a more public and noisy character. So 
 this was his first experience of evil. How 
 fervently he prayed with all his little 
 heart : " Deliver me, oh ! deliver me from 
 it!" 
 
 14*
 
 162 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 Yet it is not to be supposed that Robert's 
 companions were all of the same grade in 
 wickedness. There were ringleaders among 
 them, master spirits, as there are in all such 
 associations of youth. Had Robert pos- 
 sessed sufficient discrimination of character, 
 or had he more attentively observed the 
 countenances around him, he might have 
 seen that " evil communications corrupt 
 good manners," and that on the cheeks of 
 some who now listened unmoved, if they 
 joined not in with the more hardened, once 
 burned the blush of honest indignation and 
 shamA So true it is that " they who han- 
 dle pitch, will be defiled thereby ;" even 
 though it may be, that, kept by God's grace, 
 " a sunbeam passes through pollution un- 
 polluted." 
 
 One of the largest and stoutest of the 
 boys, and the very one to whose care James 
 Groves had confided Robert, was the leader 
 on this occasion. His real name was Ben 
 Waters ; but, as there were two Bens in 
 company, the others chose to call one, " Long
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 163 
 
 Ben," and the other, " Little Ben," in refer 
 ence to their size. Another, with short r 
 crisp hair, received the appellation of " Cur- 
 ly ;" and all had diminutives expressive of 
 some personal distinction. " Little Bob 
 True " was a new name among them ; and 
 as they mostly hated the truth, and abode 
 not in it, they appeared determined to shun 
 him on account of it. 
 
 Not so was Joe treated. He still sat bal- 
 ancing himself half in and half out of the 
 door ; and, having finished his share of the 
 supper, was amusing himself by throwing 
 up some scraps for Eough, and making him 
 jump at them. Ben Waters sauntered idly 
 towards him. 
 
 " Come Joe, where are the pictures ?" 
 
 With a glance of deep cunning, Joe ex- 
 tracted, from the lining of his battered cap, 
 a pack of cards, having much the same dingy 
 appearance as the set, which the blacksmith 
 had consigned to the flames, that morning 
 before leaving the shop. 
 
 " And the money, Joe ?"
 
 164: LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 The boy cast a hurried glance at the 
 group that had, by this time, gathered round 
 him. Finally, he opened his begrimed fin- 
 gers, and showed that they had closed on a 
 bright half dollar. 
 
 " Ah ! Joe," said Ben Waters, with a 
 wicked laugh, " how neatly you did that ! I 
 wonder if the man will find out soon where 
 his wallet has gone to. But what have you 
 done with the rest ? This don't begin to be 
 anywhere near the whole of it." 
 
 Joe still made no answer. He only 
 grinned a little, thereby showing his large, 
 white teeth in strange contrast with his dark 
 complexion. 
 
 The elder boy put on a threatening 
 look. 
 
 " Come, my fine fellow, this won't do. 
 You'll have to stop my tongue with silver, 
 or it will tell tales. There's such a thing as 
 the State's prison, mind. You needn't look 
 so at the rest let them tell if they dare." 
 
 Thus, frightened into compliance, Joe 
 slowly began to share his ill-gotten wealth
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 165 
 
 with his evil associate ; and once satisfied, 
 Ben became immediately as kind and patron- 
 izing as before. 
 
 " Now we'll have a turn at the cards, Joe ; 
 and, may be, you'll have the luck to win all 
 back again. Where will you go to stay all 
 night ?" 
 
 " Camp out, or sleep in the mines. It's 
 warm enough there." 
 
 " Well, I know of a place where we can 
 go first. Aunt Peggy, you won't lock us 
 out, will you ?" 
 
 The woman, who appeared to have taken 
 no notice of the previous conversation, now 
 answered, sharply : 
 
 " Yes, if you ain't in betimes. And the 
 rest of you youngsters that are going to stay 
 in, must be right off to bed. I want room 
 to work in ; and there ain't the first chance 
 to get it with all of you round so." 
 
 It required more than one hint of this 
 kind, to send Robert after the lads who the 
 elder ones having departed followed aunt 
 Peggy's advice ; one by one climbing the
 
 166 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 step-ladder, and disappearing into the re 
 gions beyond. The dreadful conversation 
 he had listened to the mockery at sin the 
 connivance at crime, shown by Ben and his 
 companions, had made Robert feel more 
 home-sick than he had yet been since his 
 mother's death. How much he wished that 
 he had a quiet corner to himself, where 
 he could gather up a few precious texts out 
 of his Bible, to comfort him, and drive the 
 bad thoughts and words out of his mind! 
 But, though he lingered, he was too timid to 
 ask ; and aunt Peggy, unused to having her 
 commands disputed, began, at last, to be 
 quite irritated at his " hanging about her," 
 as she expressed it, and bade him, very 
 roughly, follow her, and she would show 
 him where he was to lodge. 
 
 The candle having been set on the topmost 
 step of the ladder, Robert saw, by its light, 
 that the room or loft, into which he was 
 introduced, was covered with rows of beds 
 laid on the floor. They were comfortable 
 looking and neat ; but Robert tyould rather
 
 THE DKIVER BOY. 167 
 
 have had his made of the fragrant hay or even 
 of dry leaves, if it might be in a place he 
 could call his own. Must he kneel down 
 there among those, who profaned the name 
 of Grod, and attempt to pray ? For a moment 
 the temptation came "I may pray after I 
 lie down, and no one will know it ;" but con- 
 science whispered " No : he that is ashamed 
 to profess Christ here, of him will the Son 
 of man be ashamed, when he comes to judge 
 the world." 
 
 So, with something of the spirit of a little 
 martyr, Kobert bent his knees, and asked God 
 to bless him, and be his Father always. He 
 did not forget either to pray for his poor 
 wicked companions, although all the time 
 they mocked and derided him, and tried by 
 every means in their power to disturb and 
 vex him. It was no wonder that Robert 
 cried himself to sleep, on that, and the suc- 
 ceeding night, that had to be passed before 
 Sunday came. He was glad that the day 
 of rest was so near ; not only for its blessed 
 associations and hallowed employments, but
 
 168 
 
 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 because he felt the need of Christian counsel 
 and advice, more than he had done any time 
 in his life before ; and on Sunday he should 
 see old David.
 
 THE DRIVEF BOY. 169 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 SUNDAY AT THE MINES. ROBERT FINDS WORK, WHICH IS 
 LAWFUL TO DO ON THE SABBATH DAT. 
 
 SUNDAY was a bright day at the mines. 
 Not only for its fair skies, unobscured by the 
 thick, black smoke, arising from the various 
 scenes of weekly labour ; not alone for its 
 balmy airs, unsmitten by the discordant 
 sounds of the work day world ; but, because 
 the absence of all these marked it so em- 
 phatically as the day of rest, a day most 
 welcome to the hearts of the weary and heavy 
 laden of earth. How good it is, that when 
 labour was assigned to man, as one of the 
 fruits of his disobedience, and it was said to 
 him : <l In the sweat of thy brow, thou shalt 
 eat thy bread," God left to him still the Eden 
 rest, that portion of time which he blessed 
 and sanctified for himself ! 
 
 Bright, also, it was in the many groups that 
 15
 
 170 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 thronged the public ways : not they alone, 
 who toiled for their subsistence on the earth's 
 broad surface, but the dwellers below the 
 denizens of its caverns and depths who, 
 through all their six days' labour in the dark 
 and weary mine, looked forward to the Sab- 
 bath rest, as to a bright star shining in its dark- 
 ness. How many in that vast multitude truly 
 sanctified the day in their hearts, and called it 
 " a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable," 
 and honoured him in it, " not doing their own 
 ways, nor finding their own pleasure, nor 
 speaking their own words," is only known . 
 to Him, who is the Searcher of hearts. But 
 as by actions, characters are weighed, so on 
 the present occasion. Not all the steps, that 
 fell that morning, tended to the house of God. 
 Some, perverting the day to the purposes 
 of bodily rest alone, sought a place where 
 they might indolently repose from the week's 
 hardships ; others, asserting that they had a 
 right to employ it as their own, chose to 
 spend it in idle and profane amusements. 
 The inmates of Peggy Bright's cabin were
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 171 
 
 in the same manner divided, as to their mode 
 of disposing of the day. Ben Waters and 
 some others of the older lads, having laid 
 their plans on the preceding day, set off' 
 early on a fishing excursion, which carried 
 them to some distance. The rest hung list- 
 lessly around the house ; some throwing peb- 
 bles into the canal, others playing games at 
 marbles and pitch- penny with each other. 
 Robert had heard, that morning, that there 
 would be preaching a little farther down 
 the canal ; and having acted on Joe's sug- 
 gestion of keeping his best suit for Sundays, 
 he was ready very early to attend it. He 
 lingered for a few moments to see if any 
 of the boys could be persuaded to accompany 
 him, and was surprised to find that little 
 Joe had joined their party, instead of that 
 of the older boys. He was still more agreea- 
 bly surprised by noticing that Joe had kept 
 his word, and really put on the decent gar- 
 ments that the blacksmith had given him ; 
 although, at the same time, he had forgotten 
 to smooth his tangled locks, or wash the
 
 172 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 week's dirt from his face and hands. But 
 Kobert felt encouraged by even this partial 
 observance of Sabbath decorum; and, al- 
 though he had hitherto shunned any inti- 
 macy with the vagrant boy, something im- 
 pelled him to address him on this occasion. 
 
 "Why, Joe," he said, "I thought you 
 would be with Ben to day." 
 
 " Ben and him have fell out, I guess," said 
 one of the other boys, speaking for him, " I 
 thought they were too thick at first to be 
 friends long." 
 
 " He stole my money, he did," cried Joe, 
 with a fierce look ; "I'll kill him." 
 
 " Hey ! stole it from a thief," said the 
 rest, laughing. 
 
 But Eobert did not laugh. He felt 
 shocked at the want of principle shown by 
 his companions. 
 
 " Oh ! don't say so, Joe," he plead with emo- 
 tion ; " how dreadful wicked it is to talk so ! 
 And all of you boys, do try to be good, and 
 leave off your idle, bad ways. One evil thing 
 leads to another ; and if you don't stop
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 173 
 
 breaking the Sabbath as you are doing now, 
 you will get worse and worse, and may be 
 left to become very wicked indeed." 
 
 " Why, ain't this our day ?" said a boy, 
 coming up to Robert with a blustering air; 
 " if we work hard all the week, can't we do 
 as we please on Sundays, I'd like to know?" 
 
 " No indeed ! this is not our time it is 
 God's. He does give it to us ; but it is to 
 work for our souls, as he gives us all the 
 other days to work for our bodies. Do leave 
 off playing now, and come with me to hear 
 the missionary preach." 
 
 " Not I," said one with a laugh ; " you're 
 preacher enough for me; I don't want to hear 
 any more sermons to-day." 
 
 " Look at my worn-out shoes !" said 
 another. 
 
 "'And my ragged elbows!" cried a third. 
 
 But Joe raised himself from the ground, 
 where he had been all this time employed ia 
 rolling marbles from one hand to the other. 
 There was an earnest, troubled look in his 
 usually unresting eyes, as he gazed into 
 
 Robert's face. 
 15*
 
 174 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 " I will go with you to the preaching.' 7 
 
 " You !" cried the other boys, with shouts 
 of laughter; "Joe Kough going to meeting 
 that's fun." 
 
 " Yes, do come, Joe," said Eobert ; and 
 afraid that the boy would be laughed out of 
 his good resolution, he set off at a quick pace 
 for the point to which he saw different 
 groups of people directing their steps, and 
 which he rightly conjectured to be the place 
 of the open air preaching. He looked back 
 from time to time, and saw that Joe was 
 slowly following, though sometimes half 
 drawn back by his companions' derisive 
 laughs and seductive invitations. Finding 
 they could not succeed in luring him back 
 to them, they at length determined to follow 
 on, and see, as they said, whether he would 
 really go to meeting or not ; and forgetting 
 their plea of worn-out garments, they were 
 soon mingled with the crowd, who had 
 gathered at one of the locks, to hear the word 
 of God preached to them. 
 
 It was an assemblage full of interest. The
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 175 
 
 boats were crowded with people ; the banks 
 of the canal one mass of upturned faces, 
 showing every variety of countenance and 
 expression. There were weather-beaten 
 features among them, both of men and 
 women ; and some of the latter had little 
 babes in their arms, or older children cling- 
 ing to their garments. Old men were there 
 too ; both the aged sinner " laden with guilt 
 and full of fears," and they with hoar hair 
 whom God had not cast off nor forsaken 
 when strength failed. Among these Robert 
 saw his friend David Frazer, whom he re- 
 cognized more by the mode in which he 
 joined in his favourite devotion of singing } 
 than by any of the usual marks; for so much 
 improved was the old man's appearance by 
 his nice Sunday garb, and the absence of his 
 usual dusty employment, that Robert might 
 have failed to discover him in any other way. 
 He looked round also to assure himself that 
 Joe was indeed present ; and finding that he 
 had ensconced himself behind a large log, 
 with only part of his face and one of his
 
 176 LITTLE BOB TRILE, 
 
 bright eyes visible, he gave himself up to the 
 delight of being once more permitted to at- 
 tend the worship of God. And truly not only 
 in temples made with hands is God to be 
 waited on. The two or three gathered to- 
 gether the rude assemblage of the unlettered 
 the church by the wayside, may be 
 blessed with the presence of Him, who taught 
 the multitude by the shores and on the waters 
 of the sea of Gennesaret the lake of the 
 New Testament. 
 
 After service was over, the missionary 
 offered tracts and little books to those who 
 desired to have them. Kobert was very 
 glad to secure one of each of these ; for he 
 was fond of reading, and it had not been his 
 lot for some time to meet with any proper 
 food for this mental craving. He was anxious 
 too that the other boys should be presented 
 with some ; for, although he knew that few 
 of them could read, he felt that they would 
 prize the gift as something they could call 
 their own. He waited to see that his wish 
 was gratified ; and that each, though awkward
 
 THE DKIVER BOY. 177 
 
 and holding back at first, did not fail to 
 snatch at and secure a tract for himself ; and 
 that even little Joe was walking up the 
 canal, gazing in wonder at the open page 
 which he held in his hand. Robert then 
 turned to accompany his friend David, who 
 was waiting to take him home with him. 
 
 The hut of the old miner for it could be 
 called little else was a rude structure, built 
 on the side of a hill, and scarcely to be dis- 
 tinguished from it, when the frosts had 
 turned its bright covering into autumn's 
 sober brown. But small as it was, it sufficed 
 for his few simple wants ; and, though like 
 the prophet's chamber in Shunem, that 
 contained but "a bed, and a table, and a 
 stool, and a candlestick," yet it was often 
 blessed with the presence of Him, who 
 dwelleth with the lowly and contrite of 
 heart. 
 
 After he had shared his frugal dinner with 
 Robert, David placed his large-print Bible 
 on the window seat, where the afternoon 
 sun shone brightly; and Robert, who had
 
 178 LITTLE BOB TRUE. 
 
 brought his with him, took a seat by his 
 side. That one little window had its pecu- 
 liar charm of running vine, and scented 
 blossoms as the poorest dwelling may ; 
 but it looked fairer, as framing in a picture 
 the white-haired man, and the little boy, as 
 together they searched the scriptures, and 
 increased their knowledge of holy things. 
 
 David, at last, looked up, and, folding his 
 glasses together, laid them between the 
 leaves of his book. He saw that Robert, 
 too, had left off reading, and was gazing out 
 on the distant hills, but as one whose 
 thoughts were not of them. 
 
 u What are you thinking of so deeply, 
 Robert ?" said the old man, laying his hand 
 kindly on the boy's shoulder. 
 
 Robert looked up with a smile ; but the 
 smile faded away as he answered : 
 
 " I was thinking whether it was right for 
 me to stay here." 
 
 "Here !" 
 
 " At the mines, where I work, and among 
 the boys I live with. I was thinking, sup-
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 179 
 
 pose I should get to steal, and tell lies, and 
 take God's name in vain, wouldn't my mo- 
 ther be sorry ?" 
 
 " Your mother, Robert ! Is she living?" 
 
 " Oh no ! or I wouldn't be here, I sup- 
 pose. But she told me to be good, and try 
 to meet her in heaven. And she made me 
 promise to keep out of the company of 
 those who do bad things ; and now I am 
 right in the midst of them ; and maybe, I 
 shall get to be like them. Do you think I 
 ought to live on so ?" 
 
 Old David let his hand fall heavier on 
 Robert's shoulder, as he leaned over to look 
 out a text in his Bible. It was this : 
 
 " God is faithful, who will not suffer you 
 to be tempted above that ye are able ; but 
 will, with the temptation, also make a way 
 to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." 1 
 Cor. x. 13. 
 
 " It is often the purpose of God," contin- 
 ued the old man, " to place his children on 
 trial within the fiery furnace, as it were 
 that they may be refined and purified, as the
 
 180 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 precious gold. If they were never in cir- 
 cumstances of trial, their Christian armour 
 would not be as well proved, as it is in 
 times of need. When they feel most their 
 own weakness, then are they strong in the 
 Lord. Yet it is not right for us to rush into 
 temptation ; but if we find ourselves placed 
 in it by the special dealings of God's pro- 
 vidence, we may be sure it is for some wise 
 and good purpose. Now you are thrown 
 into the midst of evil company, you did not 
 seek it did you ?" 
 
 "No, indeed, I did not. I tried to get 
 work at all the farm-houses as I came along ; 
 even before I was obliged to do it for want 
 of money and clothes." 
 
 " And God led you here. Now, here, per- 
 haps, is your field to work for and with God. 
 Wouldn't that be an honour ? to work with 
 God 1" 
 
 "With God?" 
 
 " Yes, here it is in 2 Cor. vi. 1 : * We then, 
 as workers together with him, &c.' " 
 
 " But that means ministers and grown-up 
 people, not such a little boy as I am."
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 181 
 
 " How do you know that ? Did you ever 
 see the great engine, moved by a rushing 
 torrent ? That mighty stream was formed 
 by little rivulets, trickling from the far off 
 valleys, or by still smaller rain drops. And 
 that giant tree out there was once a little 
 seed, whhh a squirrel might have destroyed ; 
 now it may be wrought into a beautiful 
 ship to carry the word of God to the 
 heathen. No I little things are not to be 
 despised." 
 
 "But what can I do?" said Kobert, earn- 
 estly ; " I can't do anything that I know 
 of." 
 
 " Oh, don't say ' can't,' Kobert ; 'can't' never 
 did anything yet. Ask God's help, and then 
 try. And now tell me, how came there to 
 be so many of the mine boys at the preach- 
 ing to-day ? Were any of them among your 
 set ?" 
 
 " Oh, yes," said Kobert, brightening up ; 
 " a good many of them. And one particu- 
 larly, that I never should have thought 
 would come." 
 '. ' 16
 
 182 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 He then recounted to the old man, the in- 
 cident of the morning, and how glad he was 
 that the missionary had given the little books 
 to these poor, idle boys. 
 
 " And can they read ?" said David. 
 
 " None of them, scarcely, and Joe not at 
 all. I don't think he ever had a book in his 
 hand before, by the way he twisted it up and 
 down." 
 
 " Well then, Kobert, here is a talent for 
 you to improve. You can read ; read to 
 them, and teach them to do so too." 
 
 " But they would laugh at me so ; and be- 
 sides, call me 'preacher,' as they did this 
 morning." 
 
 " Don't mind their laughing, it won't hurt 
 you ; and as to being called * preacher,' you 
 couldn't be called by a better name. No, 
 Eobert, try in earnest to do good, and God 
 will make the opportunities." 
 
 " But there is another thing I would like 
 to ask you about," said Eobert. " When I 
 see them all doing wrong, and hear them 
 talking wickedly, I think to myself: 'I am
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 183 
 
 not so bad as that ; lying, and cursing, and 
 stealing ;' and I am afraid I will get proud, 
 and think myself better than I am." 
 
 " Then consider who made you to differ. 
 Naturally your heart is as wicked as theirs; 
 only you have been blessed with pious pa- 
 rents, with a good home, with all moral and 
 social restraints. Many of these poor boys 
 have known nothing else but vice and misery. 
 They have never been in the company of the 
 good ; and they but follow the bent of their 
 evil and perverted natures. Ask God's 
 grace to make you humble ; and when you 
 feel lifted up on account of your having 
 kept out of vicious ways, think what you 
 might have been, had he taken away his re- 
 straining hand." 
 
 Then David repeated to the little boy this 
 verse of a favourite hymn : 
 
 " Grace led my roving feet 
 
 To tread the heavenly road ; 
 And new supplies each hour I meet, 
 While pressing on to God." 
 
 Afterwards he told Kobert that the shad-
 
 184 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 ows were getting long, and he had better bid 
 him goodbye. As he shook hands with the 
 little boy, he smilingly reminded him to " be 
 sure and look out for his work." 
 
 His work ! The materials were gathered 
 pretty thickly around him, as he passed 
 through different groups of young Sabbath- 
 breakers, on his way ,to his lodgings. His 
 road led him near the place that had been 
 the scene of the morning preaching. By the 
 same log which had sheltered him then, sat 
 the little outcast Joe. He had not indeed 
 wandered very far from it ; returning to it 
 again and again as to a spot of deep interest. 
 He still held in one hand the little tract 
 which he had received from the missionary 
 that morning ; and with a piece of charcoal 
 in the other was endeavouring, as he told 
 Robert, " to make the thing talk." Eobert 
 bent over the page, on whose margin the 
 little wild boy was tracing some rude imita- 
 tions of words and letters. 
 
 11 Who made us to differ ?" he repeated to 
 himself many times.
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 185 
 
 Now, perhaps, Kobert for he was by no 
 means perfect had felt that there was a 
 great and wide difference between him and 
 poor, ragged Joe. How filthy and vile he 
 was ! and something of the Pharisee's spirit 
 of self- commendation had sprung up in his 
 mind " nor even as this publican." But 
 what had been said to him about God's grace 
 had reached his heart ; and he saw that he 
 was by nature just as worthless, and as 
 much a child of wrath as he. And he re- 
 solved, by God's grace and help, that he 
 would try to do something for the little ne- 
 glected boy. 
 
 " Will it say that again what the man 
 said ?" asked Joe, as Robert sat down on 
 the log at his side. 
 
 " What did he say, Joe ?" 
 
 " Christ Jesus wasn't it ? coming to I 
 forget the rest." 
 
 " ' Christ Jesus came into the world to save 
 sinners, of whom I am chief.' Was that 
 it?" 
 
 ** Yes," said Joe, with a flash of light in
 
 186 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 his quick eyes ; " of whom I am chief." 
 And this he repeated again and again, as if 
 conning a lesson. 
 
 Kobert also read the whole sentence 
 slowly to him a number of times, so that it 
 might be impressed on his memory ; and 
 then, knowing that the poor boy was very 
 ignorant, he began to tell him about the pre- 
 cious Saviour of sinners. He showed him 
 that sin is very hateful in the sight of God, 
 and that its penalty is death to both body 
 and soul; that when all mankind were 
 ruined by the fall, God in his great mercy 
 provided a way of salvation by a Eedeemer. 
 He tried to put these ideas in very simple 
 language ; but when he left off talking, he 
 was not sure whether Joe had heard him or 
 not ; for though he looked up once or twice, 
 he made no answers to his questions, nor 
 gave any sign that he was listening. But 
 when Robert left him, and continued his 
 walk homeward, he still heard him repeating 
 :he words : " Of whom I am chief." 
 
 " And now," thought Robert, as he came
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 187 
 
 near to the cabin, " if I can only get aunt 
 Peggy to let me sit up at nights and read, 
 and sometimes read the Bible and other good 
 books to her and the boys, I think I shall 
 feel better about staying. But I must do as 
 David told me try." 
 
 And Robert did try, although he found 
 aunt Peggy in not the best of humours to 
 begin with. She had been visiting an ac- 
 quaintance at some distance ; and having 
 overstayed her time, was vexed to find, on 
 her return, that the fire had died out, and 
 her preparations for supper must be com- 
 menced in a hurry. The boys were clam- 
 orous, and in her way ; all things went 
 wrong. But Robert, who had been used to 
 help his mother about household matters, 
 gave such quiet yet efficient assistance ; 
 he let into the fire just so much air as was 
 requisite and no more, hung on the kettle 
 at the most exact angle, so that it should 
 not tilt over, and took it off when it began 
 to boil over and set the table with as 
 much nicety as aunt Peggy herself.
 
 188 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 " And now you're up to something, I know,' 1 
 said aunt Peggy ; yet at the same time more 
 good-huxnouredly than before. "I don't sup- 
 pose you are helping me for nothing. What 
 is it you do want ?" 
 
 " Yes, I want something, aunt Peggy," 
 said Eobert, pleasantly, "but it won't be much 
 trouble to you. Now that it is Sunday 
 night, and you have no more work to do 
 after supper, won't you let me read a little 
 to you and the boys before I go to bed? 
 The missionary gave us good books this 
 morning, and I think you will like to hear 
 them. You said last night that you couldn't 
 read, and I know that very few of the boys 
 can." 
 
 " Well, you are a queer little fellow," said 
 the woman, turning to look at him, as she 
 set a pan of sliced meat to broil on the now 
 finely glowing coals ; " what odds is it to 
 you, whether we can read or not? Eeading 
 don't cook the victuals, nor clean the house, 
 nor put clothes on our backs does it ?" 
 
 " But if we can read, aunt Peggy, it fills
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 189 
 
 up the time that would otherwise be spent in 
 idleness, or, what is worse, in wickedness. 
 Now if the boys could read, wouldn't it be 
 better for them to have their books at night, 
 than to go out to get in bad company and 
 play cards?" 
 
 " Then I should have them hanging about 
 here No ! I wouldn't like that at all." 
 
 And aunt Peggy gave an energetic twitch 
 to her meat, as if, with the turn of her fork, 
 she would give vent to her displeasure. 
 
 Eobert stood looking thoughtfully into 
 the fire. He would have liked to re- 
 mind aunt Peggy that her lodgers had 
 souls as well as bodies; and that having 
 taken the care of the one, she was in some 
 sort answerable for the welfare of the other. 
 He wished, too, that he could convince her, 
 that in proportion as their minds were in- 
 formed, the behaviour of her inmates would 
 improve; and she would no longer have 
 such a turbulent, noisy crew to deal with. 
 But he did not dare to press the matter any 
 further ; perhaps the ideas did not very
 
 190 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 clearly arrange themselves in words in his 
 own mind, but they made him feel sad, as 
 he stood in the chimney corner, and watched 
 aunt Peggy as she bustled about. Inhere 
 was something so very gentle and touching 
 in his downcast face, that she herself could 
 not long resist it ; and her slignt fit of anger 
 passed away, like the mist of the morning 
 before the rising sun. 
 
 " Well, I'll see about it after supper," she 
 finally said ; " any how it won't do any harm 
 to try it once." 
 
 Once tried, the plan worked well. The 
 narrative tracts and books had been well 
 chosen to interest just such aa audience; 
 the gospel invitations and threatenings were 
 addressed to ears and hearts, that had long 
 been closed against, or never before opened 
 to the truth. After the first night, aunt 
 Peggy herself made preparations to have 
 the reading become permanent. It was no 
 trouble to her now to clear off a space on her 
 ample table, large enough for Eobert to oc- 
 cupy with his book ; while the boys could
 
 THE DKIVER BOY. 191 
 
 be disposed of in corners, or on the steps of 
 the ladder, or even in the loft above it. 
 " They could hear as well there as not," she 
 said ; " and it was better at any rate than the 
 idle and worse talk they used to have after 
 they went to bed ; for if she did put out the 
 candle, she couldn't stop their tongues. And 
 as to herself why, her ironing went on 
 twice as fast, while she was listening to the 
 reading ; it* kept her from thinking." 
 
 Yes, but it made aunt Peggy think too. 
 Thoughts and convictions of her own sinful 
 nature of her actual guilt in the sight of 
 God of her need of just such a Saviour as 
 the gospel offers thoughts of death, judg- 
 ment, and a never ending futurity, pressed 
 weightily on her mind. The fruits of these 
 were evidenced in her beginning steadily to 
 wait on the means of grace. She had ne- 
 glected the house of God before; she now 
 became a constant attendant there. Now,.too, 
 she listened with intense eagerness to the 
 Bible reading; and at last brought herself to 
 ask Robert, if he thought one so old as she
 
 192 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 was could learn to read ; and if so, whether 
 he would teach her. 
 
 Kobert would like nothing better. He had 
 wanted to begin this with some of the most 
 promising of the boys ; and, now that aunt 
 Peggy was of the same rnind, there would be 
 nothing to hinder. Part of the time was 
 therefore devoted to giving lessons, besides 
 the regular reading itself. He now felt much 
 encouraged ; for the boys really made great 
 improvement, both in manners and morals. 
 Some of the most disorderly among whom 
 were Ben Waters and his set chose to 
 leave, very soon after the new order of things 
 was established. But all pecuniary loss 
 to aunt Peggy was more than made up 
 by the alteration produced in those that 
 remained ; and as her house soon became as 
 noted for the good behaviour of its inmates, 
 as for the cleanliness and nice management 
 of its mistress, many of the sober and well- 
 disposed lads in the neighbourhood took up 
 their abode there. 
 
 There was only one thing that troubled
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 193 
 
 Kobert. In all these plans the poor little 
 outcast Joe was not included. Working at 
 the mines all day, left little time to give to 
 any employment not in the range of its 
 d uties ; and he was sorry to find that, on 
 Sundays, Ben Waters, having made up his 
 quarrel with Joe, always contrived to take 
 him off to some distant place, where there 
 was small chance of his meeting with any- 
 thing good. And as to the evening readings 
 had not aunt Peggy resolutely opposed his 
 setting a foot within her doors? But on 
 consulting with David, whom he still con- 
 tinued to visit, the old man significantly re- 
 marked as before "Try." And Robert 
 again resolved that he would try. 
 17
 
 194 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 ROBERT'S ILLNESS AND RECOVERY. HE BECOMES A DRIVER 
 BOY. 
 
 BUT before any definite plan could be 
 formed before even the first early snow fell 
 Robert became extremely ill; and many 
 weeks passed before the fever of delirium left 
 him, to become conscious how very sick he 
 had been. It was quite an event to him, this 
 slow return to life ; and he often associated 
 with it afterwards the very scenes that sur- 
 rounded him then. 
 
 At that time only he realized that he had 
 been sick ; for the long interval had passed 
 away like a troubled dream. He did not 
 know how very anxious aunt Peggy had been 
 about him ; how she had watched and tended 
 him like a mother ; and how the many friends 
 whom God had raised up to take an interest 
 in him, an orphan boy, had come and sat by
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 195 
 
 him, and sorrowed as they thought that he 
 was about to leave them. He only felt that 
 he was very weak and helpless ; wondered, as 
 his head sunk back on his pillow, what had 
 happened to make it do so ; and why, instead 
 of his usual place in the loft, he was lying 
 on aunt Peggy's bed, while she herself had 
 been the occupant of a shakedown by his 
 side. 
 
 The calico curtain was thrown up to give 
 him air, and he had a full view of the fire- 
 place in front of it. From it came the only 
 light that filled the apartment, for the short- 
 lived sunbeams of a wintry day were fast 
 fading out; but that one light served to 
 make the objects within its reach more clearly 
 defined. Among these was aunt Peggy, her 
 head and shoulders indeed concealed from 
 view, as she stood partly within the chimney ; 
 bat a shower of snowy feathers descending 
 all around her, revealed her position and oc- 
 cupation. On a low seat before the fire sat 
 a man, whose tall form and unusually stout 
 proportions seemed familiar to Robert ; but
 
 10 O LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 bis face being turned from him, he could not 
 be sure that he knew him. Aunt Peggy's 
 tongue was moving as fast as her fingers. 
 
 " Yes, it's for the dear child," she was 
 saying. " The doctor thinks he will wake 
 almost well from that long sleep, and will 
 need nothing but nourishing food and care 
 to bring him round again. And so I am 
 getting my last chicken ready, to make him 
 some broth. To be sure I have petted the 
 little thing ; but what do I care for that, if it 
 will make my poor boy any better ?" 
 
 The man made some reply, but Robert did 
 not hear the words distinctly. Only as he 
 turned his head, he remembered it was his 
 friend the blacksmith. 
 
 " James Groves ! aunt Peggy !" feebly 
 called the sick boy ; and in a moment they 
 were both at his side ; aunt Peggy, in her joy 
 and surprise, dashing the chicken from her, 
 in most dangerous proximity to her other 
 favourite, the cat. 
 
 "Why, Robert," said the blacksmith, as 
 he stood by the bed, holding Robert's little
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 197 
 
 fingers within the clasp of his broad, hard 
 hand ; " I was afraid you were going to leave 
 us like little Jimmy." 
 
 " Is Jimmy dead ?" asked Bobert, with 
 that thrill of awe, which all naturally feel, 
 when they hear that those they loved or 
 knew of have passed away. 
 
 " Yes ; dead a month and more. He just 
 grew weaker and weaker every day. And 
 when I saw him lying there so pale and 
 happy, and then came here, and thought that 
 you were going too, I wished I were sure 
 of being in heaven with you both. And I 
 feel now as if I would like to learn the way 
 there, old as I am." 
 
 " Oh, I wish you would, James ! Oh, how 
 I wish you would !" said Kobert, with emo- 
 tion. He could say no more, however, for 
 he was still very weak ; but he pressed his 
 friend's hand, and looked up, as if pointing 
 Kim to the source of all light and know- 
 ledge. 
 
 And now aunt Peggy put in her word. 
 " She would not let him talk," she said, " but 
 17*
 
 198 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 she would talk to him." And so she told 
 him how old David had spent hours and 
 hours by his bed-side how the missionary 
 had come and prayed by him, when he was 
 too ill to talk that the boys had been so 
 good and quiet, for fear of disturbing him 
 and that even poor Joe had come many times 
 to inquire how he got on. 
 
 " And didn't you let him come in ? Oh! 
 aunt Peggy." 
 
 " Well, I did let him once put his head 
 in. He had brought some apples for you, 
 and I was proper glad, for they were so 
 scarce ; but I washed them well, I tell you, 
 before I roasted them for your drink." 
 
 " Aunt Peggy, I want you to promise me 
 one thing," said Kobert, earnestly ; "let Joe 
 in when he comes again. I want to see 
 him." 
 
 But aunt Peggy, like some others of Eob- 
 ert's acquaintance, was considerably set on 
 having her own way; and though she had 
 materially changed, yet sometimes the old 
 nature rebelled.
 
 THE DKIVER BOY. 199 
 
 "Aunt Peggy," continued Robert,, "do 
 you remember about our Saviour, how he 
 sat down and ate bread with the publicans 
 and sinners? And those were the very 
 ones to press into the kingdom first. Ought 
 we not to do like the Saviour ?" 
 
 "Well, to be sure, child, so we ought. 
 And you have such a way with you, Robert, 
 I never can say ' No ' to you. So I'll see 
 about it." 
 
 This " see about it " was always aunt Peg- 
 gy's way of ending a difficulty ; and being 
 equivalent to a permission, it usually ended 
 the discussion. But it was not needed at 
 this time, for little Joe came no more to en- 
 quire for the sick boy ; and it was soon 
 known that he had left the neighbourhood, 
 a lad of his description having been met 
 with at some distance up the mining coun- 
 try. 
 
 It was still some weeks before Robert's 
 recovery was quite completed ; and even 
 then it could scarcely be called so, for the 
 want of fresh air and healthful exercise.
 
 200 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 Besides, the thought of his being in the 
 same position that he was before his illness 
 and even worse, for now he was not only 
 in debt, but unable to earn his living as be- 
 fore made him feel sadly troubled. He was 
 now further off than ever from a probability 
 of being able to set off to find his friend, 
 Mr. Hallam. For although he knew that 
 both the blacksmith and aunt Peggy were 
 kind to him, and would not be hard credi- 
 tors, yet he could never think of leaving 
 them, without paying them their just dues; 
 and to do so would, he knew, consume a great 
 deal of valuable time, which he had hoped 
 to employ in educating himself for some 
 useful business in life. 
 
 "But there is no help for it, and so I 
 must just go back again to the mines," said 
 Eobert, with a half smile and a patient sigh 
 at the end of his long train of thought ; " and 
 God will take care of me, and perhaps make 
 me useful even there." 
 
 But aunt Peggy would not hear of his 
 doing so. " It was the coal dust that made
 
 THE DKIVER BOY. 201 
 
 him cough so, she was sure," she said ; " he 
 must wait a little longer ; something else 
 would turn up." 
 
 What this something else was soon showed 
 itself. It was now early spring, and the 
 boating season had just commenced. In plea- 
 sant warm days, Eobert could sit at the open 
 door, and watch the tide of busy life on the 
 canal. This was very interesting to him ; 
 for there is always in the sight of motion 
 and energy, a charm, which will impart a 
 corresponding tone to the most sluggish na- 
 ture. Not that Robert was idle ; for while 
 his eyes often sought the active scenes around 
 him, he employed his hands in fashioning 
 mats of braided straw, for aunt Peggy to 
 dispose of for him, the only way the two 
 could devise for him to gain his living, now 
 that he was deprived of any other means 
 of doing so. She herself, as the weather was 
 fine, and her dwelling rather narrow in its 
 limits, had taken her work out of doors, 
 where she could see and be seen at the same 
 time. As her acquaintances were numerous.
 
 202 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 Robert was not surprised to hear her ex- 
 changing salutations with one and another pas- 
 ser by ; but there was something in the deport- 
 ment and conversation of one stranger that 
 particularly attracted his attention. This 
 was a man of middle age, partly dressed as a 
 sailor, and partly as a landsman j.with a rough 
 exterior that showed an intimate acquaintance 
 with the hardships of life. He had a team 
 of horses with him, which, as he stopped, 
 rubbed their heads familiarly against the 
 walls of aunt Peggy's Dwelling ; so near to 
 Robert that he longed to touch them, as he 
 remembered, his old pleasant exercise of 
 riding and taking care of the noble animals. 
 How his heart beat, as he heard the man 
 ask aunt Peggy whether she knew of any 
 boys that could drive horses for him ! for 
 he was the captain of a canal boat, and 
 wanted lads for that service for the coming 
 season. 
 
 " Why, here is little Bob True," said aunt 
 Peggy; "it's the very thing for him. He's 
 been sick ; and that's what will just do him 
 good."
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 203 
 
 "Seems to me he is little," said the man, 
 looking at Kobert. " Can you reach up to 
 a horse's head, my boy ?" 
 
 " yes," said Kobert, with a smile ; " I 
 could do that, and take care of horses most 
 a year ago." 
 
 " How old are you ?" 
 
 " Eleven past." 
 
 " Well I like the looks of you; and so, 
 if you like mine, it's a bargain. I've hired 
 a couple of lads besides for two other boats. 
 One I met a matter of twenty miles up the 
 country, where I went to buy horses. He is 
 an odd, cunning-looking fellow with a great 
 curly dog." 
 
 " That was Joe Rough, I suppose," said 
 aunt Peggy, " I don't think you'll make much 
 of him." 
 
 " And I've got another here at the mines 
 rather indifferent looking too, but we 
 can't be so very particular. His name is 
 Ben Waters." 
 
 " Yes, he was one of my boarders," said 
 aunt Peggy, " Well, you have a variety
 
 204 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 good, bad, and indifferent. I'll answer for 
 the good." 
 
 " Well," said the man, laughing, " what 
 does this little fellow say ? Is he going 
 with me, or not ?" 
 
 " I should like to go very much," said 
 Robert; "for oh!" he thought, " the canal 
 will take me right to the very place where 
 Mr. Hallam is. But how can I go away from 
 here in debt ?" 
 
 " Well ?" said the man again, as he 
 watched Robert's troubled face. 
 
 " I can't go," said Robert, decidedly. 
 " When I came here I owed the blacksmith 
 for my clothes ; and I hadn't earned enough 
 to pay for them and my board too, when I 
 got sick. Now I owe the doctor, and for 
 all my time here beside ; and but I never 
 can pay for aunt Peggy's kindness in nurs- 
 ing and taking care of me." 
 
 " But you won't be running away, if you 
 do go with me," urged the boatman; "I'll 
 see you don't." 
 
 Aunt Peggy also exclaimed and insisted ;
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 205 
 
 but Eobert was quite firm in thinking that 
 it would not be right for him to leave the 
 neighbourhood, without fulfilling his origi- 
 nal obligations 
 
 " Now see here," said the man, taking out 
 a large pocket-book ; " I'll settle the matter. 
 Suppose I pay aunt Peggy and the rest ; 
 then you'll only be in debt to me. What do 
 you say ?" 
 
 " How much will you pay me a month ?" 
 
 " That's right," said the man ; " I see you 
 are a business character. Well, for such a 
 little boy as you are, I suppose about five 
 dollars a month, if I board you." 
 
 "That will be forty -five dollars for the 
 nine months. I have been here over six 
 months, and I owe for four months' board 
 and washing ; that will be twenty-two dol- 
 lars. The doctor said, as I was a poor boy, 
 he would let me off with five ; and I owe 
 three dollars for my clothes ; that will 
 make it thirty dollars, and will leave me, at 
 the end of the time, fifteen dollars for my- 
 self. If you pay me all now, 1 shall be six 
 
 months in your debt." 
 18
 
 206 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 " Why, you are quite a scholar," said the 
 boatman, pleasantly. " Well, I intend to 
 pay it all now, and then you will belong to 
 me. It's not every strange boy I would 
 trust so ; but if you haven't honesty written 
 out fair in your face, why then I'm mis- 
 taken." 
 
 And thus the important affair was set- 
 tled that made LITTLE BOB TRUE A DRIVER 
 
 BOY.
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 207 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 LIFE ON THE CANAL. 
 
 As there are comparatively but few inci- 
 dents in the experience of a driver boy, I 
 have chosen to tell you more of Eobert's 
 history before, thfin after he began to be one 
 of that class. Not that his life in it afforded 
 no variety, for, imprisoned as he had been 
 for so many months within the walls of the 
 little cabin on land, the very breath of the 
 fresh air as it touched his cheek was a plea- 
 sure to him ; and the fine exercise of riding 
 the horses soon brought back to those cheeks 
 the colour of which sickness had deprived 
 them. Then the cheerful sounds that reached 
 him from every point the novelty of seeing 
 the boats loaded at the wharves by the sluice- 
 gates, which poured a continuous stream of 
 coal from the railroad to the canal the 
 songs and wild shouts of the boatmen, as
 
 208 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 they steered their barges clear of each other, 
 or rounded to their landing places the 
 greetings of the lads as they met and last 
 but not least, for our little boy was an ar- 
 dent admirer of the beautiful in nature, the 
 charming scenery on the banks of the river, 
 all joined to make him contented with the 
 change of his occupation. The warm spring 
 weather had already clothed many of the 
 more hardy trees with a rich garment of 
 beauty ; and to their leafy covert resorted the 
 little warblers, who had, during the stormy 
 winter months, been " companions of the 
 spring" in the sunny regions of the south. 
 As a drawback to these pleasant things, 
 Kobert was often obliged to listen to the 
 dreadful oaths and profane jests, with which 
 some of the boatmen mingled their discourse, 
 but he tried hard not to hear them ; and in 
 order that he might not, he had a very good 
 plan, which it would be worth while for those 
 who are in similar circumstances to adopt. 
 This was to have a text of scripture or verse 
 of a hymn in his mird, whenever he com-
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 209 
 
 menced his daily route ; and he often turned 
 these into a prayer for strength and guidance 
 in his peculiar trials and temptations. So, 
 if he increased but little his store of this 
 world's wealth, the word of God became a 
 rich treasury to him, from which he drew 
 supplies of the heavenly wisdom that comes 
 from above. 
 
 Besides, the weather was not always clear 
 and bright. Chilly rains and stormy winds 
 often made his little fingers blue with cold, 
 as they kept with difficulty their hold on 
 the bridles of his horses ; and not unfre- 
 quently, when the day's travel was over, he 
 had to thaw the icicles from his cap and hair; 
 for winter sometimes set his iron footsteps 
 again on the earth, when spring had in reality 
 commenced. But little Robert had fallen 
 into good hands. His captain was not hard 
 with his boys, as many of his companions 
 said their employers were ; and, although he 
 had already done so much for him in ad- 
 vancing money to pay his debts, he did not 
 think he was thereby released from any ob- 
 18*
 
 210 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 ligation to provide for his real wants. So, 
 finding that Kobert's clothing was insuffi- 
 cient for the changing weather, he bought 
 for him at the first opportunity a good, warm, 
 rough jacket, and a little tarpaulin hat like 
 his own ; telling him, good-humouredly, in 
 reply to Robert's remonstrances and fears 
 of being again in debt, that he belonged to 
 him now, and it was his business to take care 
 that his property was not injured. 
 
 So, as there were more sunny days than 
 stormy, there were also more advantages 
 than hardships in Robert's new mode of life- 
 He was less frequently thrown into mixed 
 company than he had been at the mines ; for 
 his captain preferred lodging and boarding 
 on his own boat, rather than trusting to the 
 questionable accommodations of the shanty- 
 keepers on their route. It often happened, 
 therefore, that whole da^s passed away with- 
 out Robert having met any one to exchange 
 a word with; and if the track lay through 
 quiet and beautiful scenery, he was well 
 pleased to ha\ e it so finding companionship
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 211 
 
 in the open book of nature, or in the pre- 
 cious thoughts which it inspired of a brighter 
 world above. 
 
 Then he had his day dreams too, and his 
 plans for the future. How often he counted 
 over in his own mind the sum that was to be 
 his, when his employer's claims should be 
 satisfied ; and thought how far it would go 
 in placing him in a situation, where he could 
 acquire the knowledge he thirsted for ! How 
 often he looked along the smooth narrow 
 path that his horses' feet so patiently trod, 
 and fancied the great city at the end of it 
 that city, the goal of his dearest wishes, where 
 Mr,. Hallam resided ! Would he be permitted 
 to go in search of him the first time he 
 reached it? Oh! if he only could, and see him 
 once more ! But he was afraid the captain 
 would not permit it. 
 
 He wanted very much to ask him ; but he 
 was too busy in the daytime, and at night 
 when the work was over, the horses properly 
 attended to, and the nice supper, which they 
 themselves prepared, partaken of with sharp-
 
 212 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 ened appetites, the little cabin was often left 
 untenanted except by Robert ; for the captain 
 had concerns of his own to attend to, he said, 
 and no other time to bestow on them. What 
 these concerns were, Robert never ventured 
 to inquire ; but the leisure, which to many 
 boys in the same circumstances would have 
 been a dangerous permission, was improved 
 to the utmost advantage. Such books as he 
 had of his own he had brought with him ; 
 and when he had almost learned these by 
 heart, his employer produced some from his 
 own store. 
 
 There were several small boxes made fast 
 to the cabin floor, which, as its limits were 
 not greatly extended, served also for seats. 
 The captain called these " lockers ;" for, having 
 been a sailor in his youthful days, he retained 
 some of his nautical phrases. One he had 
 appropriated to Robert's use as a receptacle 
 for all that he called his own ; another was 
 a provision chest ; but in a third, which con- 
 tained ^what he termed "rubbish," he per- 
 mitted Robert to search for the mental food 
 in which he delighted.
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 213 
 
 That was a bright evening for Eobert. 
 How carefully he drew forth volume after 
 volume, and examined its title ! One was a 
 book of travels ; another the memoir of some 
 self-made man, who had begun life in just as 
 poor circumstances as the little driver boy ; 
 and some were the good books and tracts 
 that had been placed by Christian societies in 
 the wayfarers' hands, with a view to their 
 spiritual profit. How well it was for Robert, 
 alone and unfriended, and with these tempt- 
 ing opportunities laid in his way, that the 
 books within his reach were of such a 
 character, instead of being the debasing and 
 licentious productions of a corrupted litera- 
 ture, such as flood the land on all sides ! But 
 God watched over him. 
 
 Nor was Robert contented with doing 
 good only to himself. No true Christian will 
 be. Some will say : " If I were placed in a 
 different situation in life, had more wealth, 
 or more time, I think I could be useful. 
 But now, engaged as I am in this or the other 
 business, poor as I am, what can I do?"
 
 214 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 But " do good as you have opportunity 1 ' 
 is the command. Have you none? Are 
 you without influence? No one can be 
 Work then for God. A little hand may sow 
 good seed ; a word may reach with power 
 the impenitent heart. 
 
 Robert, the driver boy, felt for other boys 
 in the same occupation with himself. Many 
 of them had hard and unfeeling employers; 
 and while he was well fed and clothed, some 
 of them were ragged, and looked famished 
 and miserable. He knew that this was in a 
 great measure owing to their individual bad 
 management, as most of them had their 
 wages in their own hands; but this did not 
 make the matter less to be deplored the evil 
 was the same. 
 
 On the other hand, he was delighted when, 
 ever he could make the acquaintance of any 
 who appeared to be as he hoped he himself 
 was treading the pilgrim's path to the happy 
 land. And these were not a few ; for I write 
 in the day of Christian enterprise and effort; 
 when a feeling has gone forth that this inul-
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 215 
 
 titude of the busy moving population on our 
 railways and canals, have souls to be saved and 
 minds to be informed; when the public mind 
 has been aroused to the fact, that there must 
 be religious instruction imparted, and a day 
 of rest given, or the whole mass will become 
 demoralized. Missionaries are welcomed 
 among them ; they whose mouths were full 
 of cursing and bitterness, have learned to 
 praise Him who bought them with his pre- 
 cious blood ; or have gone to sing in the 
 world of bliss the song of Moses and the 
 Lamb. What has been the effect of these 
 Sunday gatherings in the boats and on the 
 banks of the canals what the fruits of this 
 casting abroad " the leaves of the tree of life" 
 will not wholly be known, until the deeds 
 and events of time shall be viewed in the 
 light of eternity. 
 
 To induce those who were not in the habit 
 of attending these wayside meetings, Eobert 
 took great pains to be pleasant and familiar 
 with the other driver boys ; and though he 
 would not be their companion in anything
 
 216 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 that was wrong, he was always ready to be 
 their assistant when they wanted help in 
 right and honest ways. Some of them, like 
 the boys at the mines, could read; while 
 others were entirely ignorant, and unable 
 without help to become acquainted with the 
 contents of the books that were placed in 
 their hands. How pleasant it was for Eobert 
 to be surrounded by an eager group, listen- 
 ing to the " gracious words," that had 
 originally issued from divine lips, or been 
 commented on by hearts warmed with that 
 Saviour's love ! Have any of you, youthful 
 readers, a talent that may be employed for 
 Christ? Bury it not then in selfish ob- 
 scurity; but rejoice to be a co-worker with 
 Him, who has given it for his honour and 
 glory. 
 
 Among his plans for doing good, Robert 
 did not forget the poor out-cast Joe, who 
 had now become a little driver boy like 
 himself. There had certainly a change of 
 some kind taken place in the appearance of 
 the lad ; for his countenance was no longer
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 217 
 
 obscured by dirt, and his rags had been at 
 last discarded. While he paced soberly 
 along in the measured trot that suited his 
 occupation, even the dog seemed to recognize 
 a difference, as he followed patiently in the 
 rear. How far this transformation extended, 
 Eobert had no means of knowing; for, with 
 the exception of a few words of greeting, as 
 they met, the intercourse between them had 
 almost entirely ceased. He did think some- 
 times that Joe was present in some hidden 
 corner when the missionary preached ; but 
 much oftener he knew him to be absent, and 
 in company that would be sure to lead him 
 still further astray. His old associate, Ben, 
 who, tired of the employment of a driver, 
 had sought and obtained some situation 
 about the locks, was often seen on Sundays 
 tempting the little boy to an idle stroll, or 
 some diversion of more dangerous character; 
 and Robert, although he tried hard to find 
 some means of counteracting this influence, 
 failed of success. But God was preparing a 
 way for him, although he knew it not. 
 19
 
 218 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 A SAD ACCIDENT. ITS BLESSED RESULTS IN THE CONVER- 
 SION AND HAPPY DEATH OF THE POOR OUTCAST JOE. 
 
 
 Six months of Robert's time as a driver 
 boy had now nearly come to an end ; and he 
 could look forward to being out of debt 
 again. He should be richer too than he had 
 expected ; for his employer had generously 
 raised his wages after the first three months 
 had expired, considering him more of an able 
 assistant than he had at first looked for. 
 So, even before the boating season was over, 
 he had money to provide himself with a 
 neat suit of Sunday clothes ; the first he had 
 earned by his own exertions, and the only 
 good ones he had owned for a long time. 
 
 I will not say that he was proud, as he 
 stepped om of the shop where his clothes 
 had been purchased, and made up in a 
 nice roll for him to carry; but he certainly 

 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 219 
 
 was very much gratified that he had paid 
 for this suit with his own money for who 
 does not prize his first earnings? He was 
 delighted, too, to think, that he would be 
 able now to go to the house of God ; for his 
 clothes had hitherto been unfit to attend it. 
 And his next thought was that he would 
 ask permission of the captain to look for 
 his friend, Mr. Hallam. 
 
 He had wished to do so before, but when- 
 ever they came in sight of the beautiful city 
 rising on the view with its stately buildings, 
 and the din of busy life reaching to its ut- 
 most limits, Robert had felt himself so little 
 a unit in the mighty million, that he shrunk 
 back bewildered and afraid. But this he 
 thought would never do he must try and 
 have more courage ; and perhaps with a real 
 new suit on his back, bought with his own 
 earnings, he felt himself of a little more 
 importance. So, having gained the desired 
 permission to be absent while the boat was 
 discharging its load, the little driver boy 
 bounded up the wharf, and for the first time
 
 220 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 trod the crowded thoroughfares, that had 
 until then only been wondered at in the 
 distance. So many charming, objects took 
 his attention, that he was at first as one in a 
 dream a situation only to be realized by 
 those who have lived afar from the stir and 
 commotion of city life. 
 
 Sometimes he stood lost in admiration 
 before an elegant mansion, with its marble 
 front and ornamental pillars ; then the 
 gorgeous contents of windows appearing 
 doubly brilliant through the polished plate 
 glass that seemed scarcely a protection to 
 them arrested his notice ; and, best of all, 
 the green squares that looked so home-like, 
 with their childish groups at play. It was 
 no wonder that Robert wandered a long 
 time up and down, scarcely remembering 
 the purpose that had drawn him thither. 
 
 All at once he became sensible that he 
 was alone in a great metropolis, with none 
 to care for him, or be sorry if anything 
 should befal him
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 221 
 
 " In a whole city full, 
 Was it not pitiful " 
 
 that he had not one friend ? Yes, he had 
 one and his heart bounded at the thought 
 if only he could find him out. And now he 
 began earnestly to try to reach the place 
 where Mr. Hallam had said he must inquire 
 for him. He had the street and number 
 written on a piece of paper, that his teacher 
 had given him at parting ; but so many 
 months had passed away, might there not 
 be some change ? And then every one 
 seemed to be so intent on his own business, 
 that he stood a small chance of having his 
 timid inquiries answered. Some hurried on 
 without heeding him ; others shook their 
 heads and frowned ; and the few who good- 
 naturedly stopped to listen to the little boy, 
 were entirely ignorant of the location of his 
 friend. At length Robert became quite 
 disheartened, and concluded it would be 
 best to give up his search for that time. The 
 sun was almost down, and by it he steered, 
 as the captain would hare termed it, hia
 
 222 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 course to the river again ; for otherwise in 
 his bewildered state he would probably have 
 lost his way. 
 
 "Well," said the boatman, after Robert 
 had told him of his want of success ; " I should 
 have thought you knew better than to be 
 such a raw sailor. Why, it was like looking 
 for a needle in a haystack. If I were you, 
 I would ask the missionary when he comes 
 along. Maybe he'll know; as you say your 
 friend was going to be a preacher." 
 
 This idea was a good one ; and Robert re- 
 solved that he would act on it. But some 
 weeks passed away before he was able to say 
 anything to the missionary who frequented 
 his route, and then he received very small 
 encouragement; for though his hearer was 
 evidently interested in his story, and asked 
 many questions of the little boy, he did not 
 promise that he would help him to find his 
 Iriend, Mr. Hallam. But some circumstances 
 that took place about this time, caused Robert 
 to bear this disappointment with more than 
 his usual patience. His work the work that
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 223 
 
 he had hitherto sought in every situation in 
 which Providence had placed him that of 
 being useful to others was not yet accom- 
 plished. 
 
 He had been absent for the Sabbath at his 
 old home near the mines ; and having had a 
 very pleasant time accompanying aunt Peggy 
 and good old David to a place of worship, 
 he was returning in the bright dawn of the 
 following day to the boat, which was waiting 
 for him a few miles down the river. 
 
 " Have you heard the news ?" said the cap- 
 tain, as Robert entered the cabin, for the 
 purpose of changing his Sunday clothing ; 
 u Ben Waters is drowned ; and the little boy 
 they called Joe Rough, is more than half 
 dead they say. Been fighting yesterday on 
 the bank of the river,, and both tumbled in. 
 There must have been a hidden rock some- 
 where, that they struck against; for one 
 sunk like a log, and t'other's bruised and 
 stunned enough, though his dog jumped in 
 and dragged him out. This comes of wan- 
 dering about on Sundays. You may be 
 thankful, Robert, that you know better."
 
 224 LITTLE BOB TRUE. 
 
 Robert was thankful ; thankful for the 
 grace that had led him, and guided him, and 
 kept him from the evil. But he was over- 
 whelmed with the intelligence. Poor wick- 
 ed Ben Waters ! cut off in his sins, without 
 being prepared for death ; and he whom 
 he had lured to his ruin following so swiftly 
 after. Yet for the living there might still 
 be hope. Robert remembered the touching 
 incident of the^tract and the scripture text, 
 concerning which Joe had shown so much 
 interest ; and although he had given no 
 evidence since that these impressions re- 
 mained, yet he might not be altogether 
 hardened. He would therefore try to see 
 him ; and to accomplish this, he must consult 
 the will of his employer. 
 
 "Captain," said he, "don't you think I 
 could get some one to go in my place for a 
 day or two to drive the horses ? I want so 
 much to see poor Joe. He has no friends 
 no one that cares for him." 
 
 " Well, that's hard too," said the captain ; 
 11 yet it seems to me if one does right, he'll
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 225 
 
 get friends. How did you corne by all 
 yours, Bob True ? Now this Ben Waters 
 has a mother ; and they've sent her word to 
 come down. They say she thinks a deal of 
 him poor woman ! though he was bnt an 
 undutiful son, never sending her a cent of 
 his wages. But what a dreadful sight it will 
 be for her !-- rthat blue, disfigured body that 
 they've just drawn from the water." 
 
 It was indeed a fearful sight for the poor 
 mother. The form, that when a babe she 
 had so carefully tended, now stretched out 
 stiff and cold in the silence of death the 
 fingers clenched, that had once been the 
 little clasping hand the eyes closed in 
 darkness, that had perhaps in guileless child- 
 hood been to her all the joy of her widowed 
 life ! And so much more to be deplored 
 than the death of the body, was the inevita- 
 ble doom of the lost soul. 
 
 Kobert thought of all these things, as with 
 the consent of the captain he made his pre- 
 parations for another day's absence, and 
 began to get his horses ready for their usual
 
 226 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 route. There was a little boy who, having 
 been out of regular employment for some 
 time, usually assisted about the boats in case 
 of extra work ; and Robert had thought of 
 recommending him for a driver in his place, 
 if he should be so happy as to meet with 
 another situation. He was found, as usual, 
 looking for an opportunity of getting work 
 for the day ; and readily promised to take 
 Robert's place, and do his duty with the 
 horses. 
 
 Robert walked quickly to the miserable 
 building, where the bodies of the two 
 wretched boys had been conveyed. It was 
 only a temporary shed, which had been used 
 by some workmen as a shelter for their tools, 
 and sometimes for a place to pass the night 
 in. Yet, slight as it was, it had been divided 
 into two small apartments, which served to 
 separate the living from the dead. On some 
 rough, old slabs in one of these places they 
 had laid the body of Robert's former acquaint- 
 ance, poor Ben Waters ! who, scarcely arrived 
 at youthful manhood, had been, cut off in
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 227 
 
 his sins. Truly " the way of transgressors is 
 hard." " Yet surely I know that it shall be 
 well with them that fear God, that fear before 
 him." 
 
 After looking with awe upon the senseless 
 form of one, whom he had seen so lately in 
 all the pride and strength of active life, 
 now so miserably changed, Robert entered 
 the apartment where the still breathing 
 body of the poor little outcast Joe had been 
 deposited. Nothing that looked like the 
 care of friends none of the sympathy and 
 tenderness that so soften the harrowing 
 throes of disease surrounded the sufferer. 
 Common humanity had provided a rude 
 bed, but, #s the weather was warm, there 
 had been no coverings given with it ; and 
 his own wet garments had been allowed 
 to dry on him without change. No friendly 
 hand offered to bathe his discoloured brow, 
 or bring refreshment to his fevered lips. 
 It was still very early ; and those who had 
 looked in and gathered about the premises 
 during the night, had sought each his usual
 
 228 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 occupation, without offering any further 
 assistance. Only the faithful dog, who had 
 been the means of saving his master's life, 
 crouched on the straw by" his side, with 
 the patient, waiting look that he had when Joe 
 took his usual naps. 
 
 But the boy was not asleep. His pain 
 was as living fire in his bones, giving no 
 moment for repose ; and his bright, restless 
 eyes fixed themselves on Robert, as if asking 
 for relief. All the aid that was in his power 
 Robert was ready to give. Knowing by 
 experience how very pleasant it is, when 
 sick, to be cleanly and comfortably arranged, 
 he looked about him for the means of 
 making the little sufferer as easy as possible. 
 
 He first gathered up the refuse litter of 
 the place, and put it out of sight; then 
 having found a ragged garment in one cor- 
 ner that had been thrown away as useless, 
 he arranged it as well as he could at the 
 broken window, so that the light might be 
 shaded from the burning eyeballs of poor, 
 suffering Joe. He could not, without assist-
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 229 
 
 ance, do more ; but he thought how nicely 
 a little pure water would improve his ap- 
 pearance ; and he ran to procure some. As 
 he bathed his hot hands and parched mouth, 
 Joe's eyes, that had been so wild and pierc- 
 ing, softened in their expression. Perhaps 
 his heart too melted under the powerful in- 
 fluence of kindneaj and sympathy. 
 
 "Do you like me now. Bob True?" he 
 whispered faintly. 
 
 " Oh ! I arn very sorry for you, Joe," said 
 Eobert, with emotion. " How I wish that 
 you had been always good ! Won't you try 
 now to think of your sins, and of the dear 
 Saviour,*who died for such sinners as you 
 and me ?" 
 
 " That's it," said Joe, eagerly ; " of whom 
 I am chief. I don't forget, you see. ' Christ 
 Jesus came into the world to save sinners t 
 of whom I am chief.' " 
 
 " Joe," said Robert, " if you could only 
 feel that. If you could only say from your 
 heart : ' God be merciful to me a sinner.' " 
 
 " Does it say that too ?" asked Joe, drearn- 
 20
 
 230 LITTLE BOB TKUE, 
 
 ily, as he tugged at some object concealed in 
 the folds of his rough jacket. Kobert aided 
 the effort ; and succeeded in dislodging from 
 its hiding place, the fragments of the very 
 tract that the little boy had received, at the 
 first religions meeting he had ever attended. 
 
 " Does it ? say does it ?" he pursued, as 
 Kobert tried to open the matted leaves, that 
 having been drenched in the water were no 
 longer fit for use. 
 
 " It will say nothing more, Joe ; but I 
 have a book that will tell us better about 
 these things. It is all in here," said Robert, 
 as he took out the little Bible that he always 
 carried with him. 
 
 " That's what you read out of that night 
 at the blacksmith's, when I took your money 
 ain't it, Bob True? I'm very sorry 
 I've been very sorry ever since and I 
 wanted to tell you about it, and something 
 else too ; but he wouldn't let me." 
 
 " Who wouldn't, Joe ?" 
 
 " That one they've put in there " said 
 Joe, in a frightened whisper, as he pointed
 
 'IT IS ALL IN HERE." P;tgC
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 231 
 
 shudderingly to the decayed partition that 
 separated the two portions of the shed 
 " he won't hear me, will he, if I tell you now ?" 
 
 " No !" said Eobert with solemnity, and 
 unconsciously using the scripture phrases, 
 with which he was so familiar " the dead 
 know not anything, for their love and their 
 envy and their hatred is now perished . . . 
 there is no work, nor device, nor wisdom, 
 nor knowledge in the grave.' " 
 
 " Yes, but he ain't buried yet in the grave," 
 urged Joe, still in the same low tones. " He 
 said he'd always hear me, and have me shut 
 up in the State's prison that's a dreadful 
 place, ain't it, Bob True ?" 
 
 Poor Joe ! he had been afraid of a mortal 
 whose breath was in his nostrils, and who 
 had been crushed before the moth ; but he 
 had not feared God his Maker, who is able 
 to destroy both soul and body in hell. 
 
 When he became more composed, he told 
 Robert a sorrowful story. That he had, 
 while the blacksmith was in the shed at the 
 mines where the boys worked, contrived, un-
 
 232 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 noticed as he thought, to steal his pocket- 
 book ; but that Ben Waters had seen and 
 charged him with the theft ; promising not 
 to tell any one if Joe would give him a part 
 of the money. He had frightened him from 
 time to time with threats of the State prison, 
 assuring him that he would be chained and 
 whipped and starved there ; besides being 
 deprived of what Joe prized so much the 
 liberty of roaming at will over the face of 
 the earth. The little boy went on to tell 
 Robert what feelings he had at the meeting 
 that day, and how he had promised to himself 
 that he would try and make up the money, 
 and pay the blacksmith his own ; that Ben 
 Waters had found this out, and always used 
 means to take the money from him, either 
 by tempting him to some Sunday excursion, 
 or urging him to their favourite amusement 
 of card-playing. 
 
 " And whenever I wanted to tell you 
 and oh ! how much I wanted to, Bob True!" 
 continued poor little Joe, " he frightened me, 
 and said he would lock me up. Then when
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 233 
 
 you got sick, and they wouldn't let me see 
 you, I went far away, where I thought no 
 one would know me. But I couldn't help 
 thinking there too ; and I kept feeling sorry 
 all the time. Then the man that hired me 
 came along, and told me how much money 
 I would get if I would be a driver boy. 
 And so I came back. But I haven't been do- 
 ing any good ever since." 
 
 " What did you feel sorry for, Joe?" asked 
 Eobert, after he had listened to this artless 
 narration of the experience of one who had 
 been brought up in such utter ignorance 
 of the right way. He could not but think 
 that God's Spirit had striven with him fol- 
 lowed him and would not let him go. 
 
 " I felt about being so bad. The man that 
 preached that day said the Saviour died to 
 take us to heaven. And he said heaven was 
 such a good place. I want to go there. I 
 wonder if the Saviour will let me" 
 
 " yes, Joe yes, dear Joe," said Robert ; 
 for he felt then all a brother's tenderness for 
 the little outcast " he will save all that 
 20*
 
 234 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 come to him. He don't want you to do any- 
 thing, only love him, and give yourself to 
 him ; and if you love him, you will always 
 be sorry to do anything wicked. He says, 
 * I came not to call the righteous, but sinners 
 tc repentance.' " 
 
 And Kobert, as he stooped over the lowly 
 bed of poor Joe, murmured half aloud, 
 
 " Nothing in my hand I bring, 
 Simply to thy cross I cling." 
 
 " And now, Joe/' said Robert, as he rose 
 from the crouching posture that he had been 
 obliged to take to be near the sufferer, who 
 lay almost on the bare ground, " I am going 
 out to try and get help to make you more 
 comfortable. But before I go, I want you to 
 tell me one thing for perhaps some one will 
 ask me what was that fight about yester- 
 day?" 
 
 " We wasn't fighting. I had the money 
 all ready again for the blacksmith ; and I 
 had made up my mind to tell you and get 
 you to go with me, for I was afraid. But he
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 235 
 
 found it out ; and then he tried to get it from 
 me. I pushed away, and he followed and 
 struggled with me ; and before we knew we 
 were in the water together, and struck on 
 something hard. And now I want you, Bob 
 True, to help me give that man his own. 
 They say I am going to 'die, and I think I 
 shall. I've been a bad boy ; but I never 
 knew I was so bad till the day when I heard 
 the preaching." 
 
 All the rest of that morning Robert busied 
 himself in doing what he could to make the 
 situation of poor Joe as easy as possible. 
 He knew that his boat would not return for 
 some days, so that he had plenty of time. 
 He first engaged the services of an old 
 woman, who kept a shanty in the neigh- 
 bourhood, to look in occasionally and see 
 that Joe had his few wants attended to. 
 Then he went among the labourers and 
 driver boys on the canal, and interested them 
 so much that he soon had money enough to 
 supply him with all he wanted. His first 
 need was for a doctor, and that without any
 
 236 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 more delay ; for the situation of the poor boy 
 was very critical. Pie walked also to aunt 
 Peggy's cabin, and told her all the circum- 
 stances. 
 
 Aunt Peggy was very much shocked ; and 
 felt more perhaps than she would have done, 
 if she had not been conscious of having be- 
 havea rather unkindly and roughly to the 
 poor boy. So she gathered up immediately 
 such articles of clothing and other matters, 
 as she thought would be of use ; and with 
 Robert's willing assistance, soon made an 
 alteration for the better in the situation of 
 poor Joe. Her active hands arranged a 
 comfortable bed for the little sufferer; and 
 smoothed the snowy sheets and soft pillows 
 for a form, that had never before been so 
 luxuriously cared for. She would willingly 
 also have had him taken to her own dwelling, 
 and nursed and tended him as she had her 
 favourite Robert. But the doctor said it was 
 not best to do so. The boy was fatally in- 
 jured, and could not survive many ilays. Be- 
 sides the bruising and maiming of his limbs,
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 237 
 
 which made it painful for him to be moved, 
 he had sustained some internal injury, which, 
 operating on a system already weakened by 
 the wretched life he had always led, threat- 
 ened to prove fatal. 
 
 Yes, Joe's days were numbered. But few 
 as they were, they were happy days com- 
 pared with the miserable life that had pre- 
 ceded them ; happy above all else in having 
 been led to a knowledge of the truth ; 
 happy also in having friends to care for him. 
 Aunt Peggy watched over him ; old David 
 came and talked with him the words of 
 heavenly wisdom, yet in such simple 
 language as the poor weak-minded boy could 
 understand ; the missionary visited him ; and 
 Eobert spent all the time he could spare 
 from his daily duty at his side. 
 
 He often travelled many miles at night to 
 stay with him ; walking back in the morning 
 in time for the usual hour of starting. And 
 always when he came he was greeted by 
 a faint smile of joy from the dying boy ; 
 for Joe had a good hope now that the Sa
 
 238 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 viour was his; and he felt the usual bond of 
 union with those who had the like precious 
 faith. 
 
 Sometimes he talked with those about him 
 of his past life, so full of misery and degra- 
 dation ; and it appeared from all that could 
 be gathered, that his had always been a hard 
 lot ; and one of such pitiable ignorance, as 
 few could believe it possible could exist in 
 a land of Christian light and knowledge. 
 But let it be remembered, that in the vile 
 lanes and alleys of stately cities dwell 
 wretched outcasts, whose darkness is as great 
 as that of the heathen ; little children who 
 have never heard of God, but by listening to 
 the desecration of his name ; or of a future 
 state of rewards and punishments, but by 
 the familiar expletives of the language of 
 profanity. 
 
 " I can remember," said Joe, " of living in a 
 cellar that was almost dark. Sometimes we 
 had a fire ; and sometimes we had none ! and 
 I had to cry because I was hungry and cold 
 too. And then they beat me, and sent me
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 239 
 
 out to beg broken victuals. Often I have 
 stayed out in the streets till night ; and my 
 feet were almost frozen in the snow. Then 
 when I came in they would be drinking and 
 fighting ; and I was sometimes afraid they 
 would kill me." 
 
 " Who were they, Joe ? your father and 
 mother ?" 
 
 " No ! I never knew any one to call so. 
 They were dreadful people that used to wish 
 I was dead. And I used to wish so too. 
 And when I got bigger they said I must go 
 steal things, and I did. But now I am 
 sorry." 
 
 " How did you get away from them ?" 
 
 " Oh, they had a great time once ; and the 
 police came and took them up ; and put me 
 in a place where they kept little boys till 
 they could bind them out. But mine wasn't 
 a good place ; or I thought then it wasn't. 
 I know I was bad ; and the bad never have 
 friends, they say. I had none but Kough. 
 So when I was whipped and locked up, I 
 thought I would run away ; and then Rough 
 came with me."
 
 240 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 As he concluded his simple story, Joe put 
 out his wasted hand to pat the head of his 
 dog, who had leaped up with his forepaws 
 on the bed, attracted by the sound of his 
 master's voice. 
 
 " Poor Rough !" he said, " what will you 
 do when I am gone ? You won't have any 
 friend then. O sir " he resumed, with 
 one of his old bright glances, as he looked 
 round, and saw the blacksmith standing 
 among the rest, " sir, won't you take 
 Bough? I know Bob True wants to go 
 away to another place ; so I will ask you to 
 take my dog." 
 
 The blacksmith, who had been sent for at 
 Joe's earnest desire, that he might with his 
 own hands make restitution of the stolen 
 property, could scarcely keep from weeping, 
 as he assured poor Joe that he would cer- 
 tainly take care of his faithful companion ; 
 and he was entirely overcome, when the 
 little boy, asking earnestly his forgiveness 
 for the fault he had committed, placed with 
 trembling fingers that sum in his Jiand,
 
 THE DKIVER BOY. 2-il 
 
 which had been the occasion of so much 
 misery to himself and his unhappy asso- 
 ciaoe. 
 
 " What can I do with it ?" said James, 
 earnestly to Robert, as he stepped back from 
 the bed "It don't seem right for me to keep 
 it, even if it is my own. I know now what 
 use I will put it to," he continued, after a 
 moment's reflection ; " it will buy testaments 
 and tracts for some more of the driver boys. 
 That will serve to make them think of poor 
 Joe." 
 
 Yes, it would be his best memorial ; 
 the purchasing of that blessed book, whose 
 words had brought life to his soul. For if 
 Charity smoothed his dying bed, Faith and 
 Hope joined hands over it, and whispered : 
 "Is not this a brand plucked out of the 
 burning?" 
 21
 
 242 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 ROBERT MEETS WITH HIS FRIEND, MR HALLAM. CONCLU- 
 SION. 
 
 AFTER the death of little Joe, Robert con. 
 tinued some considerable time in the occupa- 
 tion of a driver boy. The boating season 
 was indeed nearly over ; and wintry storms 
 and cold weather had begun to take the place 
 of pleasant days and the warm breath of 
 summer. A very short time only remained 
 for fulfilling his engagement on the canal ; 
 when one evening, as he led bis horses to 
 the place where he was used to curry and 
 feed them, he observed that a stranger had 
 stepped out of the packet boat, and was 
 engaged in earnest conversation with the 
 captain of the one for which Robert was 
 driver. 
 
 The little boy gazed earnestly. Some- 
 thing in the form and manner reminded him
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 243 
 
 of one very dear to him ; and he waited with 
 a beating heart, until he could get a good look 
 at his features. When he did so, he started 
 forward with an exclamation of delight ; 
 it was his friend, Mr. Hallam. 
 
 When the first joyful surprise was over, 
 and Mr. Hallam had explained, in a few 
 words, that he was made acquainted with 
 Robert's situation as a driver boy, by the 
 missionary to whom he had applied some 
 months before, he began to make arrange- 
 ments with the captain for the transfer of 
 Kobert's remaining time to himself; offer- 
 ing to pay him whatever he should think 
 proper for the release ; for as Robert had 
 hired for the season, he thought :f , not 
 right for him to give up his engagement, 
 and put his employer to an inconvenience, 
 without remuneration. He explained that 
 his reason for taking Robert away just at 
 that time, was on account of his being 
 himself about to journey to the west ; and 
 the coming on of winter made a longer 
 delay in travelling both unsafe and unplea- 
 sant. 
 
 *
 
 244 LI1TLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 But Robert's employer would not hear of 
 receiving compensation for the few weeks 
 that were due to him. He insisted on 
 paying the whole amount that would 
 have been fairly earned by the little boy at 
 the end of the season ; and generously 
 placed twenty instead of fifteen dollars in 
 Robert's hand. 
 
 " You have been a good boy, Bob True ; 
 and I haven't lost anything by having you for 
 a driver. The very horses love you ; for 
 you are kind to them, and take good care 
 they are well put up before you look out for 
 yourself. I hope you will keep on doing 
 well, as you have begun to do; and little 
 Johnny Mason and I will get along well 
 enough together for the rest of the time. 
 
 It was very true that even the horses 
 loved Robert; for they had learned to know 
 his step, and prick up their ears at the sound 
 of /his voice. He almost cried as he patted 
 them for the last time, and bade them good- 
 bye. These last times are so painful ! 
 whether it be our leave-taking of a beloved
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 245 
 
 face, or even a tree or flower that stands as 
 a way mark of the familiar scenes in life's 
 journey. 
 
 Yet Robert was very glad to see his dear 
 teacher again ; and prouder to walk by his 
 side through the crowded streets of the 
 goodly city, than when he sought it months 
 before with his first new suit on his back. 
 Scarcely did he see the objects that had 
 been so bewildering to him on his last 
 visit ; the present seemed to him but as a 
 happy dream ; and he had only begun to 
 realize that he was indeed no longer a driver 
 boy, but in the way of having his bright- 
 est hopes accomplished, when Mr. Hallam 
 stopped before a large building, and telling 
 Eobert that they should stay there for the 
 present, took his hand and led him up the 
 marble steps that fronted the entrance. 
 
 It was a large and handsome apartment, 
 into which the little driver boy was intro- 
 duced ; and formed a perfect contrast to the 
 scenes that had hitherto surrounded him, in 
 the old hill-side cottage, or the farm-houses 
 21*
 
 24:6 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 that lie had tarried at, in his long journey 
 from the home of his early years. But it 
 was not the soft, velvety carpet that gave 
 back no echo to his footsteps the gaily 
 decorated hangings the luxurious arm- 
 chairs, disposed in graceful confusion as the 
 last occupants had left them nor even the 
 glowing fire of anthracite, flashing gleams 
 of ruddy light on the polished grate, thereby 
 recalling the scenes he had just left, with 
 their toil and exposure ; these things claimed 
 but a passing glance froirTthe little traveller. 
 The room had been evidently fitted up 
 for a library ; as the long oval table in the 
 centre furnished with writing materials, and 
 still more decidedly the tempting rows of 
 book shelves, indicated. Before these Eob- 
 ert stood as one entranced. He had never 
 in his life before seen so many books together, 
 and he thought the owner of such mental 
 treasures must be very happy. He turned 
 at last with a deep drawn sigh to Mr. Hallam, 
 who was seated with folded arms, mak-ing a 
 study of the little boy, as Eobert had been 
 doing with the precious books.
 
 THE DEIVER BOY. 247 
 
 "I have been learning nothing all this 
 time, Mr. Hallam." 
 
 " Nothing Eobert ?" 
 
 " I mean about books such things as 
 grammar, geography, and working out ques- 
 tions in arithmetic. All the books I used 
 to have at school, I had to leave, Mr. Hallam, 
 I could bring nothing with me but my Bible 
 and hyrnn book." 
 
 " The very best guide through the storms 
 and tempests and troubles of life. If it has 
 been your chart to direct you to the true 
 haven of rest, Robert, happy are you! The 
 knowledge of the heavenly country, also, is 
 far above that of the earth ; its holy language 
 may be used by a tongue unlearned in the 
 literature of this world ; and there is an 
 arithmetic, Robert, which even a wise man 
 desired to be instructed in. 'So teach us to 
 number our days, that we may apply our 
 hearts unto wisdom.' " 
 
 "But it is not wrong for us to learn the 
 other things, Mr. Hallam ?" 
 
 " No, my dear boy, it is proper and right
 
 248 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 that we should be well informed in all that 
 belongs to the situation in which Providence 
 has placed us. He who made the mind of 
 man has given us facilities for cultivating our 
 mental powers, without which they would 
 remain useless ; as a garden, untilled, will 
 grow up with unsightly weeds. But I want 
 to show you, that you have all this time not 
 only not been wasting your opportunities, 
 but really learning something." * 
 
 Eobert was now all attention ; and having 
 taken a seat by his friend, Mr. Hallam went 
 on : 
 
 "I have all my life, Robert, been a great 
 observer of character ; and when I first began 
 to take an interest in you, I saw there was 
 that in the firm tone of your mind, in your 
 noble principles, which would sustain you 
 always with the aid of God's grace in the 
 trying circumstances of life. But you needed 
 discipline, Robert. There was a tendency 
 in your home bringing up to make you rely 
 too much upon others ; and you would un- 
 doubtedly have settled down without exert-
 
 THE DRIVER BOY.' 249 
 
 ing yourself, if necessity had not compelled 
 you to seek for the means of support. This 
 moral and mental culture has been of use 
 to you, my boy. If I had not thought so, 
 and trusted that you were one of Christ's 
 blessed little ones, whom he keeps as the 
 shepherd does his lambs, I would not have 
 been willing to have had you remain as long 
 as you have done in such an exposed situa- 
 tion." 
 
 " Why, Mr. Hallam," said Robert, with an 
 astonished look, " did you know where I 
 was all this time?" 
 
 Mr. Hallam smiled. 
 
 " I suppose you will hardly forgive me 
 for it, Eobert ; but I have long known all 
 about you. It was that very Bible, which 
 you preferred bringing with you above all 
 your other books, which led to my hearing 
 of your situation. The missionary who 
 frequented your route, and visited you in 
 your illness, saw my name written in your 
 Bible; and being an old classmate and friend 
 of mine, mentioned what he considered a
 
 250 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 singular circumstance to me, on our next 
 meeting. Had I then consulted my own in- 
 clinations, I would have gone at once to 
 you ; but I reflected how little time you had 
 had to be thrown upon your own resources ; 
 and that you needed yet more experience to 
 fit you for usefulness in life. You are not 
 sorry now" that I left you, and enjoined my 
 friend, if you asked him, not to inform you 
 about me ?" 
 
 "No," said Robert ; "I don't regret it now, 
 Mr. Hallam. I am only too happy to have 
 found you at last." 
 
 " And now, Robert, I have made prepara- 
 tions for you to continue the studies which 
 have so delighted you. As I told your 
 captain, I am on the eve of starting for the 
 
 west ; being sent out as an agent by the 
 
 to the states of and " 
 
 " Then I am to lose you again, Mr. Hallam, 
 just as soon as I have found you ;" said 
 Robert, sorrowfully. 
 
 " Not unless you refuse to go with me, 
 Robert. The west is the place in my esti-
 
 THE DRIVER BOY. 251 
 
 mation for rising young men ; especially 
 self-made men. You will need, however, a 
 great deal of energy, firm decision of char- 
 acter, and good principles, joined to a steady 
 reliance on the Almighty as Guide and 
 Director, to be useful in any station. I want 
 you to look to him, and not to me for pro- 
 tection. In the institution in which I shall 
 place you, you will be able to secure a good 
 thorough education ; at the same time having 
 an opportunity of defraying its expenses by 
 labouring part of the time with your own 
 hands ; a system I think well calculated to 
 promote the welfare of both mind and body, 
 as my experience has fully shown you. And 
 in whatever place Providence may place 
 you, Robert, be as firm and true, as you have 
 been when a friendless DRIVER BOY." 
 
 And now, as Robert is no longer very 
 " little," and has ceased to be a " driver boy," 
 our story must of necessity come to an end. 
 I hope, however, that he never forgot that 
 he was called " True;" but continued true to
 
 252 LITTLE BOB TRUE, 
 
 nis principles, to his country, and to God. 
 That he gained his object in securing a good 
 education I have no doubt ; for there is no 
 one in this favoured land who may not have 
 that privilege. But whether he became a 
 minister or not as some will think must cer- 
 tainly follow is a question which cannot be 
 settled; unless you should, in travelling to 
 the far west, meet with some one who answers 
 to your idea of our friend Robert. If so, and 
 especially if there should be a little pleasant- 
 faced wife named Lottie in the case, why I 
 would not wonder if you had found the 
 veritable "Bob True." 
 
 THE END.
 
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