FOR THE CHILDREN.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2550, 10 July 1909, Page 1 (Supplement)

FOR THE CHILDREN.

THE FRIEND OF THE SLAVES. About three hundred years ago, at a time when the ships of those days ventured cut of port in hourly dread of at- ; i tack by sea-robbers, a French; vessel* coasting along the Gulf of Lions was; seized by three African pirate corsairs. They killed the captain, and the crew and the passengers, including a young priest, Vincent do Paul, were chained and shut up in the hold. The prisoners were cruelly treated, though many of them were suffering From wounds received in defending the vessel. Being landed at tho port ol Tunis, they were sold as slaves in the market-place. Tho young riest did all lie could to encourage lis fellow-pri-soners. He was sold to a i.sbe/man, and then to a Moorish physician, who took a liking to the clever youth, and promised him freedom, and a l ; fe of ease and honor, if he would turn Mohammedan. But he repb'od that he preferred slavery to giving up the Christian religion. Soon, after that his master died, and he was sc’d gam to a native of Venice, who had not withstood the came temptation to mwineo his religion. Now. Vincent do Paul did the work of a field laborer on his master’s farm.; He talked to his master’s wife; and when she discovered through him what a true and beautiful religion her husband had given up, she was grieved, and persuaded him to become a Christian again. That was a dangerous thing for him to do in a Moorish country, so the master and his slave escaped alone in a small boat to Europe. Vincent do Paul’s life was fulj> .of change, and he seems to have done kindnesses to numbers of people he met. He visited and comforted the sick in a Paris hospital, and at one time acted as tutor in the family of Count de Joigni, who had to inspect the convict ships, or galleys, as they were called, in the harbours.

The poor priest knew what it_ was to be a slave, and his heart was stirred to pity 2t the. sufferngs of the miserable convicts. He could not rest till he had gained permission from King Louis XIII. to do what he could to help them and to give them dims. So he became the king’s almoner. In visiting a gang of convicts a z Marseilles one day, he found a ooor bro-ken-down. man in chains, and despairing at the hardships his wife and children were enduring while he was unable to care for them. Many convicts wer© unjustly punished for quite slight offences, and ought to have been free. It is possible that this man ought to have been at liberty : at any rate, Vincent de Paul thought so: for, unable to bear the sight of the convict’s misery, he made up his mind to do a verv noble and unselfish act —to change places with the man. _He knew the gaoler, and got permission to take the convict’s place. And so the chains were removed and put on the priest, who took his place inthe gang of men. But- he suffered so much from the rough life, hard work., association with criminals, ar. I cruel pressure of his chains, that, though he v.as soon released, he felt the after-ef-fects all his life.

Aided by his friend, the count, he won back the prisoners to hope and selfrespect. and both worked hard to improve the prisons and galleys. V incentdo Paul devoted his life and his possessions to the service of the oppressed. He collected money, and with it bought and freed 1,200 ©laves. He started the Order of Sisters of Charity who do so much good in France, visiting the sick and taking care of helpless childr ren and aged people. He influenced for good the King and Queen of France. He got the Kmg"'to persuade the Dey of Tunis to let him establish a mission to the Christian slaves of the Moors in North Africa. The Brothers of St. Lazarus, as the missionaries were caTted, arrived there in the midst of a plague, and nursed and helped both Christians and Moors. It was many, many years before tlio English and French fleets succeeded in doing away with piracy in the Mediterranean; but it was largely owing to the interest in the matter roused by Yin.- v cent de Paul that the traffic in slaves was finally stopped.

THE APPRENTICE BOY AND HIS MASTER’S CHILDREN.

At the time when boys were Apprenticed to a tradesman to learn a business or craft, a boy was learning to be a gunsmith in a port in the West of England. He was a hoy whom his master^trusted, for one day he left him to take care of the- ho usd and the four little children, while bo and his wife went to visit a village near by.

While the boy was busy serving customers, the children were playing together in the room behind the shop. All went well until, after one man had stayed chatting some time, the apprentice thought the childish, voices had been quiet a long while. He listenedhut heard only a far-away little murmur.

Then he grew rather anxious, -wondering where the children could be. Aftercalling them several times, at last there "came an answer which made hi pi run to the top of a ladder leading down to the cellar under the shop. On shouting down the ladder, the little ones told him with glee that they were placing shops, and had lighted a candle. That might have, been a harmless game, but "when the apprentice heard what was going on he was filled with horror, for down in that cellar gunpowder was stored. As fast as he could, , the hoy hurried down into the cellar, and there he found his fears confirmed. The dangerous powder was doing duty for tea land sugar, and being put into pieces of paper, as the- children had seen done in the grocer’s shop. But that was not the .worst of the, \ play The children had found a piece of candle-end. had pushed the cover of * the barrel of gunpowder halt oit, and had placed the lighted candle-end upon it. . , Aiiy moment they might all be blown up. Here was opportunity tor the. * display of presence of mind and great | courage. . , ~ i • Run and sec if father and mothei | are coming!” cried the boy. * alakw j baste I” He said just the right thing. I he-• : children loved their parents, and thev j, were obedient. If they had not obeyed instantly, but had stopped to finish measuring out that dreadful sugar and , tea, they would' have been killed, for ; the candle was flaring down near its . end. But they rose from flic ground, |j clambered np the ladder, and. ran out •; into the street. The brave boy down below, pro-jJ tectin<r the candle-flame with his hands, , listened intently till the fatter of tlie ri little feet overliead had ceased. Then. with the greatest care, lie lifted thp ] candle-end, and though it * burnt his fingers, ho carried it verv n slowly, very carefully to the., foot ot , i the ladder, and climbed into safety-uri His wonderful coolness and presence or g mind had prevented a terrible calamit£*:s