Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1851-07-31
Trihes.

The world is made up of them. As the
warriors sword. which is destined to lead
cODquerors to conquest, may hang s,Ispend
ed from SO insignificant support as a nail,
so many mighty events deprnd upon The
mere>t ,riie. Incidents, which in the ab-
siract would he considered of not the least
possible importance. have given a bent to
genius-have enabled ambition TO get the
start of the mnjestic world-have changed
the fate Of empires The fall OF an apple
taught Newton the scienre of the clock work
of the universe. The tooth Of ntouse nav
set AT Liberty n mighty lion ensnnre.i. The
alehting ofn fly 90 the nose ofa man, when
gli,t'ers the assassin's dagger, may save
soul. Achilles. after achieving miracles in
the face OF death, in.lorious fell a victim to
an Insignificant wound in his heel. Despise
not. therefore, uifies. for on them depends
the happiness and destiny Of men and ma
tions. h fF c1H
People are apt TO neglect small things, in
their care Of more important matters. In
looking eagerly for pounds they allow the
pence to slip through their fingers. While
waiting for t'tat grand tide in the affairs Of
men, of which he poet speaks, they LEI many
gol]en opportunity pass unheeded.
III CFImttlh' tVih'S, tH0 wetunt OF Small
things is often illustrated with terrible force
to the understanding Of the poor fellow Al
the bar. The reader need not he reminded
ofthe thousands Of instances. of criminals
hring convicted on the strength Of trhes.-
| We NAV turn to the brighter side ofthe pic
ture, and speak of instances Of acquii;al, on
the evidence Of small things. beggar was
once passing fi-ld.n the midst OF which he
1 r..
and thinking il a better cap than his own,
fancied an exch.nge. He was arrested,
charged with stealing, and under the harl,ar-
Gus laws OF a past age, Would have heen
hung. had not an ingenious lawyer proved
that he wns not y,,iliy of theft. bnt Of tres
pass. The cap happening TO he attached to
the freehold, by nail driven through the
crown into the stake, changed The nature Of
the offence in The ewes Of the law. -'ip
! Well did that attorney uodersa nd the i'm.
portance Of triHes. who coac ocred III. fol-
lowing scheme for proving nm alihi. The
ffieLJs of an individual charged with some
political! crime, wished to clear him. even Al
the expense If truth. Accordingly. men
were projuce.l TO swear that on the night ~,
which the crime was perpetrnted. the pris.
oner was at supper with them at a noied inr..
III OTUeT ttlut tUcTc UiIyft tNs nO U1ISIHke on
! the trial, and that tho Witnesses might in no
manner contradict each o'her supper va.
actually given. The witnesses tasi their
places assigned them al table, and the attor.
ney himself represented the absent prisoner
Every body remembered what was said, and
who said il; each guest could swear to his
position az table. and tell who SAT on his
right hand, add who on his left .every litiIe
incident was remenbeved. in order that the
most rigid cross examination could detect no
flaw in the testimony. The landlord and
writer's were bribed and 80 exactly did the
hour ia the night aud the day in rhe week
nirespond with The time Of the previous
| preparation Of The crime charged against
the prisoner, that pe1nrv won the day.
| i is freqnsntly the most ui6inR things ~
the world which mark ont a youths future
career. vicious acquaintance may be in
<trnmental in plnngin9 him into degrsds'ion.
The example Of . fathers. teachers. or a
| friends indulgence in 4 social glass. may he
starting point on the downward road. On
| The other hand, word Of wiadom-a simple
and occasional wortf-n,ay he the good seed
scwn il, ,hei heart. to bring forth the Fruit d
usrfuIosss in time to- come, psspise paa
| triAes.- Ohre Branch, i.soF .d7rs riylsp ~