Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1853-08-16
AnecdOtc Of Daniel Webster.

] LUcHtZcV VtVSicT, Tue lutHCI " OHH-
iel, was farmer. Tho vegetables. in
his garden had suffered much from the
depredations of wood chuck whose
hole and habitation were near the
promises. --.,
Daniel, some ten or twelve years old
and his elder brother Ezekiel had set a
trap and finally succeeded in capturing
tho ,Icspnsser Ezekiel proposed 10
kill The animal, and end at once further
trouble from him; but Daniel looked
with compassion upon his meek dumb
captive, and offered to let Inn 20 free
again. The boys could not agree, and
each appealed to his father to decide
the case.
"WcIl my boys" said the old gentle.
man, 81 will be the Judge. There is The
prisoner" pointing to the wood chuck.
sand you shall be the counsel, and
plead the case for and u, ain,t his life
and liberty
Ezekiel opened the case with strong
arguments, urging the mischievous ma.
ture of the criminal, the great harm he
had done, said that much time and la.
Dor hal already been spent in his cap
turc, ana now if he was suffered to go
again at large, he would renew his dep.
relations, and be cunning enough not
TO suffer himself TO be caught again, and
that he ought now TO be put TO death;
that his skin was Of some value, and
that to make the best of him they could
it would not half repay the damage he
had done.
His arguments were really practical,
TO the point, aud of much greater length
than our limits will permit US to occu.
py in relating the story.
The father looked with pride upon
his son, who became a distinguished ju.
risl in his manhood.
"Now Daniel, it is your turn; III
hear what you haue 10 say
Twas his first case. Daniel saw the
plea of his brother had scnsibly affected
his father the Judge, and his large bril-
liant black eyes looked upon the soft
,imil expression of the animal, and as
he saw it trcmblc with fear in its narrow
prison house, his heart swcllcl with pity,
AMI he appealed with eloquent words that
the captive mig ght again 20 free.
God, he said, has made the WOO lchuck
he made him 10 1--we, TO enjoy the hri gh,
sunlight. the pure air, the free Gclis and
wools. Col has not made him OF anY.
thing in vain. The Woodlhuck has as
much right to live as any other living
thing; he was not a destructive animal
as the wolf and fox were; he simply at,
few common vegetables, Of which they
had plenty, and could we'll spare Il
part: he destroyed nothing but li,lc
fool he nce,lel to sustain humble life;
and that Iit,lc food was as sweet TO him
as nee eccssary to his existence as was to
r him The fool on his mothers table
Gol had furnished them their own fool
he gave them all they possessed; and
would not they spare little for such q
dumb creature, who reilly had as mucl
right TO his share of Gods bounty as the,
themselves had to their portion! Yea
morc--,hc animal had never violate.
the laws Of Col, as man often did, bu
strictly followed the simple harmless in
+ s,incts he hal received from tho Cfea
! tor Of ali thin s. Created by Gol'
f hanls, he ha / righ, from him to life, Il
food to liberty; and they had no right t'
deprive him of either; he alluded TO ,h
mute but earnest plcadings of the ami
NAL for that life, as sweet, as dear tt
: him as their own was to them; and th'
Just judgment they might expect, II il
selfish cruelty and cold-hear,edness they
took the life they could not restore again
that Col had given.
During this appeal the tears ha,
started TO the oil mans eyes, and wer
, fast running down his sunburnt cheeks
f every feeling of fathers heart was stir
f red within him; he saw tie lutur,
, greatness of his son before his eyes. hi
, lel. that God had blessed him in hi
children beyond the lot Of other men
, his pity and sympathy were aroused b.
, the eloquent words of compassion, ant
r the strong appeal for mercy; and for
, getting the Judge IN the man and father
he sprang from his chair (whiIc Danic
was in the midst of his argument, with
out thinking that he hal already VOL
his casey and turning to his eldest sol
, dashing the tears from his eyes, ex
J Claimed
'Zeke, Zekc, you let that woolchuc
: go!-- Boston Traveller.
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