The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1838-01-30

readily tho people, even the magistrates, lent ar
ear to such accusations. All, who would moi
acknowledge a compact with the Evil One
felt that they were lost as soon as they were
accused.
Poor Miriam knew instantly that her fate was
sealed, when one morning in August the officer
entered her little room where she was sitting by
her brother, and told her that he had come to
take her to- prison. She turned pale as death but
with that trust in God, which was habual to her,
she cntreaed permission to retire, to commend
herself and her brother to heaven. When she
returned, she was calm, and asked with much
firmness who We're her accusers, 81 demanded to
| be confronted with them. When they tore her
from her weeping brother her fortude forsook
her, and she enreated with tears that he might
| prayer was not granted, and the poor idiot knew
not the calamity he was suffering.
In cases like these, the cruelty oftheir proceed
ings was only exceeded by their rapidly. The
next day Miriam was taken from prison and car
ried TO Salem for examination. These examine
tons took place in the church, and were conduc-
ted with the mockery OF a religious solemnity.
The meeting was opened with prayer by the
clergyman, the accused was then brought in and
placed between two men, who each held an out
stretched arm so that she could touch nothing
in that vicinity. No relatives friends was per-
mited to perform this office, not even husbands
when their own wives were the accused.
Miriam, on this awful occasion, had not Who'll
ly neglected her dress, but her beautiful long
hair hung loosely about her neck and shoulders.
She was deadly pale, cold drops of agony stood
upon her forehead; but there was n light IN her
dark eye that said, whatever mi ghr be her fate
she would be true to her principles, and that nei
Their the longing for life in one young, or the
fear of cruel death, would bring from her one
false word.
The Indian was now placed before her She
was old, benz. wthered, and there was a malig
,D,, in, han ,,,hi Job
conrasted with the calm innocence of Miriam's
like that Of fend ofdarkness opposed to an
gel of light. She testified that she had repeat
edy seen the accused throw her brother into fits
and then with look or Il touch instantly restore
him again to tranquility. She gave clear and
circumstantiaI evidence Of many instances which
she had Witnessed, and called upon others to
confirm her testimony.
Miriam felt that there was scarcely a ray of
hope, but she lifted her heart TO God the protec-
tor of the orphan, and entreated to be heard in
reialion of her brothers Illness which had afflic
ted him from his birth. She told them that her
mother had bequea,hed him to her care on her
death bed, aud she gave touching account OF
all her long watchings, her anxious days ana
nights the various remedies she had used, from
time to time, till at last, she had found out the
soothing moral influence, by which she could a.
lone mitigate his suterngs.
Her youth, her beauty, her humllity, the tone OIL
ed lowering over the hearts of herJudges; when
it was suggested by one ofthem o have the hoy
brought and placed before her, that they hiSht
themselves witness her power Her safety now de-
pended on an accident. 1t he should chahce 10
bare the experiment TRANQUILITY, and no convul-
sion ensue the evidence of the Indian would
scarcely have been deemed sufficient to condemn
her.
When they went for the boy, they found he
had been weeping ever since his sister mad been
taken away, but he had not intelligence enough
to comprehend the nature of the case or to know
how much depended on his tranquility. When
informed that he was TO be taken to his sister, he
expressed the utmost Joy 81 eagerness to proceed
Miriam heard him coming, and tremblcd so eX-
cessively, that one of the men was obliged to
support her with his arm from falling to the
ground.
The poor boy expected to sec his sister as he
had always seen her, calm, firm, and smiling
gently on him. When he was brought into the
crowded meeting house and saw the stern and
solemn faces off the magistrates his beloved
guardian pale as death, prisoner between TWO
savage men, he was seized with the most intense
terror, uttered a piercing shrek and tell at her
| feet in strong convulsons.
Although her life depended on it, Miriam
could resist 1t no longer. She struggled violent
y, drew her arms with powerful effort from
the men who held her, and threw herself ny the
side of her agonized brother. She raised him in
her arms wiped the iroth from his mouth, and
pressed him closely to her bosom. He opened
his eyes, saw the mild, the beloved, the well
known countenance fixed tenderly upon him, in
stantly became calm, nestled like an infant on
her breast and soon fell asleep.
The iron hearted judges unmoved by scene
that brought tears from many an eye, cried ont,
awe need no further proof that the agency OF
the Evil One is among us. The most winning
forms arc often chosen for his agents. Unless
she will acknowledge has atd, take her TO prison.
I,v;,,o RI *
Miriam fell upon her knees, and in the pres
ence ofthe crowd adjured all aid, compact, in
tercourse with any spirit OF evil, She acknowl-
edged but one, the Father of all spirits, ana to
him she committed the cause of the orphan an"
The innocent. H9r brother chung to her. and she
refused again TO he separated from him. They
were left together in the prison. The poor boy
whose life she had so often saved, was uncon-
scious that he had now been the means Of con-
demning his guardian to death.
IN, hprnlnG to