A Beautiful Incident

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 28, 1873

A Beautiful Incident.

A young man recently ran away from the galleys of Toulouse. He was strong and vigorous, and soon made his way across the country, and escaped pursuit. He arrived next morning before a cottage in an open field, and stopped to get something to eat, and get a refuge while he reposed a little. But he found the inmates of the cottage in the greatest distress. Four little children sat trembling in the corner, their mother sat weeping and tearing her hair, and the father was walking the floor in agony. The galley-slave asked what was the matter, and the father replied that they were that morning to be turned out of doors because they could not pay their rent.

“You see me driven to despair,” said the father, “my wife and my little children, without food or shelter, and I without means to provide them.”

The convict listened to the tale with tears of sympathy, and said:—

“I will give you the means. I have but just escaped from the galleys. Whoever brings back an escaped prisoner is entitled to a reward of fifty francs. How much does the rent amount to?”

“Forty francs,” answered the father.

“Well,” said the other, “put a cord around my body. I will follow you to the city, where they will recognize me, and you will get fifty francs for bringing me back.”

“No, never!” exclaimed the astonished listener; “my children should starve a thousand times before I would do so base a thing.”

The generous man insisted, and declared at last that he would go and give himself up if the father would not consent to take him.

After a long struggle, the latter yielded, and taking his preserver by the arm, led him to the city, and to the mayor’s office.

Everybody was surprised to see that a little man like the father had been able to capture such a strong young fellow; but the proof was before them.

The fifty francs were paid, and the prisoner sent back to the galleys.

But, after he was gone, the father asked a private interview with the mayor, to whom he told the whole story. The mayor was so much affected, that he not only added francs to the father’s purse, but wrote immediately to the Minister of Justice, begging the noble young prisoner’s release. The Minister examined into the affair, and finding that it was a comparatively small offense which had condemned the young man to the galleys, and that he had already served out half his time, ordered his release.