THE ROPE THAT SAVED HIM.
The Driver of a Canal-boat Mule-team--Defence of the Eight--James
speaks out plainly--A Narrow Escape--A Severe Illness--The
Turning-point in James's Life.
When Mrs. Garfield found that James had become unsettled and restless,
she decided to give way, and allow him to obtain some experience of a
seafaring life. Finding that he had no definite plan in his mind, she
proposed that he should try a voyage on Lake Erie.
This suggestion fell in with his wishes, and, once more taking his
bundle in his hand, he set out to seek his fortune. On foot he
journeyed to Cleveland, a distance of seventeen miles, and went on
board the first vessel he saw. There he inquired for the captain of
the schooner, whom he expected to be a gentleman. To his disgust, the
man who appeared was a drunken, swearing fellow, who, with a volley of
oaths, threatened to throw him into the dock if he did not at once
leave the vessel.
No pleasant dream was ever more rudely dispelled than were James
Garfield's bright visions of the charm of a seafaring life. No such
wretch as the captain he had just met with had been described in any of
the books he had read, and he began to think that there must be a
mistake somewhere. At any rate, he had no present intention of giving
up the idea of being a sailor. While walking along the side of the
docks, he met his cousin, Amos Fletcher, who was the captain of a canal
boat, and to whom he related his recent experience.
Amos offered him the post of driver, and James engaged to go with his
cousin to Pittsburg in that capacity. His work was to take turns with
another driver, and, for a certain number of hours, when his turn came,
to drive the two mules which drew the boat along the canal.
The boatmen were profane, coarse, vulgar whisky-drinkers, "who regarded
rum and tobacco as among the chief necessaries of life." A greater
contrast there could not have been than that which existed between
James and the men among whom his lot was cast.
The work required some experience, and the very first day the new
driver and his mules were thrown into the canal, while trying to pass
another boat. At once the other men ran to his assistance, and, when
James and his mules were placed safely on the towing-path, he had to
stand a considerable amount of good-humoured chaffing.
Amos had been engaged in teaching before he became the captain of a
canal boat, and when he found how much James knew, he spoke very
seriously to him about his future prospects. His cousin told him that
with a little more education he would be well qualified to take charge
of a school, and strongly advised him to adopt this course. James now
remembered that not only his mother and sister, but every one to whom
he had spoken, had told him he was throwing himself away in seeking to
be a sailor, and therefore the words of his cousin had considerable
influence over him. He began to think that he had been guilty of
acting foolishly, and to waver in his purpose.
[Illustration: On board the canal boat.]
One day the boat came to a lock the same time as another boat, and the
crews of the two vessels were about to fight for the first turn, when
James spoke out boldly, and declared that the right belonged to the
other boat, and that it should precede them. The captain was so struck
with his cousin's manly defence of the right, that he ordered his men
to give way. A fight was prevented, and fair play was given to the
first comers. Some of the men in his own crew called him a coward, but
that had no effect on James. He had long ago settled in his own mind
that the greatest coward was the one who did not dare to do right.
Not long afterwards James offended one of the men, who at once set upon
him. To save himself, James knocked the man down. All the men at once
called upon James to pitch into him while he was on the ground. But
James replied that he never struck a man when he was down. This was a
new idea to the men, who had called him a coward because he would not
fight for that which did not belong to him. Ever afterwards they
regarded him with respect. Even they, rough and brutal as they were,
could appreciate the generous spirit which prompted such noble actions.
One of the boatmen, named Harry Brown, was a good-hearted fellow, who
took a great fancy to James. This man was, however, so very fond of
drink, that he was always getting into trouble. James tried to
persuade Harry to give up drinking, and the man listened willingly to
the kind advice which he found so hard to follow. When speaking of
James to one of the crew, Harry said, "Jim is a great fellow. I should
like to see what sort of a man he will make. The way he rakes me down
on whisky, tobacco, and swearing is a caution, and he does not say a
word that is not true. I like him, though. I always like a man to
show his colours."
All through life it was the same. No matter where he was, or in what
circumstances he was placed, James Garfield always showed his colours,
and he was never afraid to nail them to the mast.
Therefore the ignorant, drunken crew not only respected the lad who so
boldly reproved them, but boasted of the companionship of one so unlike
themselves. Said the steersman to the bowman of another boat, "We have
a fellow in our crew who never drinks, smokes, chews, swears, nor
fights; but he's a jolly good fellow, strong as a lion, could lick any
of us if he has a mind to, and a first-rate worker. I never saw such a
boy." Both captain and crew agreed that James was a peacemaker, and
that he carried out his purpose without making enemies. Thorough and
prompt in everything, and unwilling to be a party to any wrong-doing,
he was regarded as a model worthy of imitation by all who knew him.
During the few months that he was on the canal boat, James fell into
the water fourteen times. The last time nearly cost him his life. It
was a dark and rainy night, and no one saw him jerked into the water.
The boat swept on, and just as he began to despair of receiving any
aid, his hand caught a rope in the darkness, and he drew himself into a
place of safety. He found that the rope that had served his purpose
had held fast by catching in a crevice on the edge of the deck. That
was all that had come between him and death. Never had James had such
serious thoughts in his mind as then, when he saw the rope and how it
had saved him.
At once he thought of his praying mother, and the over-ruling
Providence in which she so firmly believed. And at that moment he made
up his mind to leave the canal boat, and return to his home.
A few weeks afterwards, James was attacked by ague, and he decided to
go at once. It was eleven o'clock at night when he reached the house.
Looking through the window, he saw his mother by the light of the fire.
She was on her knees. Listening for a moment, he heard the words that
fell from her lips. She was praying for him. A moment later, mother
and son, once more reunited, were sobbing in each other's arms. Then
James told his mother all about his life on the canal, and how God had
preserved him almost by a miracle from drowning. After that he went to
bed, and next day was found to be so ill that he was laid up for
several weeks.
During that period Mrs. Garfield often spoke to James about his future,
and he agreed with his mother, that if God saved his life on that
night, He must have saved him for something. Then she brought her son
under the influence of the teacher of their school, who was preparing
to be a minister, and he soon showed James that the difference between
a scholar and a sailor is the difference between somebody and nobody.
James decided to continue his education. That was the turning-point in
his life. His mother knew that, having once said, "I will go to
school," he would keep his word, and from that time she was satisfied.