Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1853-09-01
Ameeaole of DanleI Nei,.lfr.

Il
farmer The vegetables in his garden had
suffered considerably from the depredations Of
woodehuek. whose hole and habitalion were
near the premises
Daniel, some ten or twelve years old, and
his older brother, Ezekiel, had set a trap and
finally succeeded in capturing the tresspasser.
Ezekial proposed at once to Kin the animal
but Daniel looked with compassion upon
his meek. dumb captive, snd offered to let him
90 free. The boys could not agree, anI each
appealed to their father to decide the case.
We'll, my boys said the old gentleman.
1 will be the Judge. There is the prisoner" 4"
pointing to the woodcbuck. and YOU shall be
the council, and plead TIE case for and agsins,
his life and liberty
Ezekiel opened the case with strong argu-
ment urging the mischieyous nature of the
criminal, the great harm he had already done,
said that much time and labor had been spent
in his capture, and now, il he was suffered to
live and go again at large he would renew his
depredations, and be cunning enough no! to
suffer himself to be caught again, and that he
ought now to be put to death; that his skin
was o some value, and that 10 make the best
Of him they could, it would not half repay the
damage he bad done.
His argument was ready, practical, to the
point, and of much greater length than our
limits will allow us to occupy in relating the
story.
The father looked with pride upon his son
who became distinguished juIst in his man
hood
Now Daniel, it is your turn I'll hear what
you have.to say
Twas his frstsase. Daniel, saw the plea
Of bis broth5i ha6sensibly affected bis father,
the Judge, and his large brilliant black eyes
looked upon the soft timid expression f the
animal and as he saw it lremble with fear in
its narrow prison house. his heart swelling
with pity he appealed with eloquent words that
The captive might go free.
God, he said, had made the woodchuck he
made him to live and to enjoy the bright sun
light, the pure air, the free fields and woods
God had not made him or anything in vain
The wookchuck had as much right to live as
any other living thing; he was no. as desiruc-
tive animal as the wolf and fox were; he sim
ply eat a few common vegetables Of W hich they
had a plenty, and could well spare part; he
destroyed nothing but the littlefoo he needed
to sustain his humble life; and that little food
was as sweet TO him as the food upon his
mothers table. God furnished them their own
food; he gave them all they possessed; and
would they not spare little for the dumb ere
ature, who really had as much right to his
share of Gods bounty as they themselves had
to their portion? Yes, more; the animal had
never violated the laws of his nature or the laws
Of God, as man often did; but strictly follow
ed tbe simple harmless instincts. he had re-
ceived from the hands Of the Creator of all
things. Created by Gods hand, he had
right, right from God to life; to good, to lib
eaty; and they had no right to deprive him of
either; he alluded to the mute but earnest
pleading of the animal for that life, as sweet
as dear 10 him as their own was to them; and
the just judgment they might expect if with
selfish cruelty and cold-heartedness they took
the life they could not restore again, the life
that God alone had given.
During this appeal the tears had started to
the old mans eyes, and were fast ru nning
down his sunburnt checks; every feeling of
fathers heart was stirred within him; he saw
the future greatness Of bis son before his eyes;
he felt that God had blessed him to his chill
dren beyond the lot Of other men; his pity and
sympathy were awakened by his eloquent
words of compassion, and the strong appeal for
mercy and forgetting the judge in the man
and the father, hesprang from his chair while
Daniel was in the midst of his argument with
out thinking he had already won the case, and
turniug to his elder son, dashing the tears from
his eyes, exclaimed-"Zeke, Zcke, you let
that woodchuck go!'
FRANKLIE's ToAST..--Long after Washing
toms victories over the French and English had
made his name familiar to all Europe DR..