The daily Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1855, 1854-08-14
From correspondent of Aythurs Home Gazette
An Affecting Court Incident.

We take great pleasure in relating an incl
dent which greatly enlisted our sympathles'
held US spc!l-bound by its interest, and tlnaiiy
made our hearts leap with JOY by Its happy
termination.
In the spring of 1888, we CHANGED to be
spending ii few DAYS in beautiful inland cOun
try town in PENNSYLVANIA. 1t was court week,
and to relieve us from the somewhat monoto-
nous incidents Of village life, we stepped into
the room where the court Lad convened.
Among the prisoners in the box we saw
lad but ten years OF age, whose sad ana pen
sive countenancc, his young and innocent APP
pearancc, caused him to look sadly out OF place
among the hardened criminals by whom he
was surrounded. Close by the box. and man
ifcsting great interest in the proceedings, sat
fearful woman whose anxious glance from the
judy to the boy left us no room to doubt that
it was his mother. We turned with sadness
from the scene TO enquire Of the offence Of thc
prisoner, and learned that he was accused of
stealing money.
Inc case was soon commenced, and. 10y III =
interest manifested by the LARGE crowd, we
found that our heart was not the only one in
which sympathy for the lad existed. How we
pitied him! Tho bright smile had vanished
from his face, and now it expires scd the cares
OF tlc aged. His young sister, brightcyed
girl, had gained admis ion to his side, and
cheercd him with the whispering Of hope
But thA, sweci Voice which before caused
his happiness, added only to the grief which
his shame had brought upon him. The pro-
grcss of the case acquainted us with the cir
cumstances of the loss-thc extent of which
was but lime, no more.
The lads employer, wealthy misery, and
nnprlnclpled manufacturer, had made use OF 1t
for the purpose of what he called testing the
boy honesty Ii was placed where from It's
very position the lad would oltcncst see it. and
least suspect the trap. The day passed. and
the master to his modification, not pleasure.
found the coin untouched. Another day pass
ed, and yet his object was not gained. He,
however. determined that the boy should take
it, and SO he let it remain.
This continued temptation was too much
for the boys resistance. The dime was taken.
y simple present for that little sister was pur-
chased with it. Bat while returning home to
gladden. her heart, his own was made heavy
by being arrested for theft "a crime the ma
turc OF which lie little knew These circum-
stances were sustained by several of his en-
ployers workmcn, who were also parties to
the plot An attorney urged upon the jury
the necessity of making the little rogue" an
example to others, 10y punishment. Before
l could see many tears of sympathy for the
lad his widowed mother and faithful 81: ter
But their eyes were all dry now, and none
looked as if they cared for aught else but Il
conviction.
The accuser sat in conspicuous place, smi-
ling. as if in fcndlike cXultaton over the mis-
cry he had brought upon that poor, but once
We felt that there was but little hope for
the boy, and the youthful appearance Of the
attorney. who had volunteered in his defence
gave no encouragement, as we learned that it
was the young mans maiden pIca-his first adj
dress. He appeared greatly confused, and
reached to desk near him, from which he took
the Bible that had been used to solcmnize the
testimony. This movement was received with
general laughter and haunting remarks among
which we heard harsh fellow, close to us CRY
out:
ale forgcts what it is. Thinking to get
hold of some pOndrous law-bOok, he has made
a mistake and got the Bible
The remark made the young attorney blush
with anger and turning his flashing eyes upon
the audience. he convinced them that there was
no mistake, saying, - Justice wants no better
book" His confusion was gone and instantly
he was as calm as the sober Judge upon the
bench The Bible was opened. and every eye
was upon him, as he quietly and leisurc!y turn
ed over the leaves Amid GREATNESS silence,
he read the sentence
Lead Us not into temptation
We felt our heart throb at the sound ofthcse
words The audience looked at each other
without speaking, and the jurymen exchanged
chances as the appropriate quotation carried
its moral to their hearts. Then followed an add
dress which, for pathetic eloqucncc was like
magic. We saw the guilty accuscr leave the
room. in fear of personal violence. The pris-
oncr looked hopetul-the mother smiled again
and before its conclusion, there was not an
eve in the court that was moi moist. The
speech affecting to that degree which caused
tears, held its hearers spc-bound.
The little time that was necessary to trans
pire before the verdict of the jury could be
learned was period of great anxiety and s,ls-
pense. But when their whispering consulta-
ton ceased, and those happy words: /" y OF
Guiltv.'' came from the foreman, the a,lstcrc
dignity of the court was forgotten, and not a
voice was there that did not join in the accla-
nation that hailed the lads release.
The young lawyers first plea was a success
full one. He was soon q iavOritc, and now rep
rescnts his district in the councils OF the Com
monwealth.
The lad has never ceased his grateful re-
membrance, and we, by the affecting scene
herein attempted to be described, have often
been led TO think how manifold greater is the
crime of the tempter than the tempted.
The Ruling Passion.
H. n