The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1854-04-07
uread ~ not into Temptation.o

la,ors ;and in lis application, Frequently de-
fea,s the object which i was intended
10 sustain. We have, however, Dumer-
GUS instances wherein honest juries have
given their verdicts, conformably TO the
promptings Of Justice; and, happily, when
such decisions have moi been too widely
different from the expressed rule, they
have escaped from the appeal.
We take pleasure in relating an incl
dent, which greatly enlisted our sympa>
thies, hold rs spell. bound by lis interest
and finally made our heart leap with JOY
Al its happy termination.
In the spring Of 1874, we chsnced to
be spending few days in beautiful in
land counlry.town of Pennsylvania. II
was court week, aud TO relieve us from
the somewhat monotonous incidents ol
village life, we stepped into the room
where the court had convened.
Among the prisoners in the box, wc
saw q lad of but ten years of age, whose
sad and psnsivc coun'enance, his young
and innocent appearance, caused him to
look sadly ou, Of place among the har>
dened criminals by whom ho was sur>
rounded. Close by the box, aud manl>
Testing The creates. interest in the pro-
1ceedings, sa, a ,eAt(ul woman, whose anx
ious glance from The judge to the boy,
left us no room 10 doubt that II was his
mother. We turned with sadness from
the scene, to inquire Of the oaences o
ths prisoner, and learned he was accused
OF stealing money.
Tho case WAS snon commenced, and
by the interest manifested by that large
crowd, We found that our heart was not
the only one in Which sympathy for the
lad existed. How we pitied hun! The
bright smile Of youth had vanished ftom
his facs, aud now it more expressed the
cares Of the aged. His young sister-a
btight-aysd eirl-had gained admission
10 his side, and cheered him with The
whisperings Of hope. But that sweet
voice, which before caused his heart 10
bond with happiness, added only to the
arief his shame had brought upon him.
The progress Of the case acquainted
ne with the circumstances of the loss,
the extent of which was but dime--no
more!
The lads employer, a wealthy, miserly
and unprincipled manufacturer, had made
use OF it, for the purpose of what he call
cd ",es,int the boys honesty II was
placed, where from lis very position the
lad would ofonest see it, and least sus'
pee, the :rup. A day pissed, and the
master, to his modification, not pleasure,
found the coin untouched. Another day
passed, and yet his object was not gain
ed. lie WAS, however, determined that
the boy should take it, and so lei it re-
main.
This continued temptation was toe
much for The lads resistance. The dime
was taken. A simple present for tha
lille sister was purchased ~ith it. Bu
while returning home 10 gladden. hel
heart, his own was made heavy by being
arrested for thcfi!-a crime the nature o
which he little knew. These circumslan
ccs were subs,antatcd by sevoral OF hi
EMPLOYERS workmen, who were also par
ties 10 the plot. An attorney urged up
on tho Jury the necessity Of making ih
"lit.ls rogue" ah example to others, B.
punishment His address had great ef'
fec, upon all that heard it. Before
could see many tears Of sympathy for lh'
lad, his widowed mother and faithful sis
ter. Blu, their eyes were all dryed now
and none looked es sif they cared for o
expected ought else but conviction.
II. The accuser sat in conspicuous place
smiling as if in 6endish exuiaiion, owe
the misery he had brought upon that poor
but once happy trio.
We felt tia, there was but little hop
for the boy; and the youthful appearance
of the attorney, who had volunteered hi
defence, gave no encouragement-as W
learned i, was the young mans malde'
plea-bis first address. He appeafe
greatly confused, and reached to des
near him, from which he took the Bib
TINT had been used 10 solemnize the les
,imony. This movement was receive
with general laughter, and taurting re
marks-among which we heard hufs
Hollow Cl0Se Ny ue S'y o"''
.1 "He forgets where no is. ,Ehinkin
10 take hold Of some penderous law bool
he has made a mistake and got the Bi
ble." aG2
.5 The remark made the yuung attorne;
flush with anger, and turning his dashin
eyes upon the audience, he convince
them il was no mistake, saying: a.a
8ii 'Justico wants no other book" 85
Hsi His confusion was gone, and ins!antl
he was as calm as the sober judge upo
the bench. ale
The Bible was opened, and every cyl
was upon him as he quietly and leisure
ly turned over the leaves. Amidst
breathless silence he read to the jury hi
sentence: #l i,flei9ae 3aj
Ffw fLcad as not ints temptation.ni
ssA A minute Of unbroken silence follow
+ ed, and again he read; 7ilJ
"Lead 10 not into temptation"