Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1855-02-21
LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION
An Affecting Court Incident.

An Affecting Court Incident.
Law, though formed for the protection
OF society, often admits of construction
adverse to the desiga Of its legislators {:
and in its application. frequently defeats
the object which it was intended TO sus-
tain. We have, however, numerous in
stances wherein honest jurors have given
their Verdicts confirmable to the princi-
pies Of justice and happily, when such
decisions have not been TOO widely diff.
ferent from the expressed rule, they have
escaped from the appeal
We take pleasure in relating an Incl
dent which greatly enlisted our sympa-
Lhes. held US spell bound by lis interest.
and finally made our heart leap with joy
at its happy termination.
In the spring Of l84--we happened TO
be spending few days in u beautiful in
land county town, in Pennsylvania it
was court week, and to relieve us from
the mOnOteuuus incidents Of village life,
we stepP,d into the room where court
had convened.
Among the prisoners in the box, we
saw lad but ten years OF aye, whose
sad and penslve c"untenance, his young
and ln"cenE appearance, caused him 70
look sadly out OF place among the hard
ened criminals by whom he was surrUun-
ded.
Closely by the box, and manifesting
the greatest interest in the proceedings,
sat a fearful woman, whose anxious g,Incc
from the judge to the boy. left VI no
reason to doubt that it was his motncr.-
We turned with sadness from the scene
to enqulle Of the officer OF the prisoner,
and learned that no was accused With
stealing money.
The case WIS soon commenced, and
by the 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 pltIod lin The
bright smile had vanished from hiN face,
and now it more expressed the cares o.!
the aged. lll5 young slster-A bright
eyed gIri-hau gained admission to his
side, aud cheered him with whisperings OF
hope. Bat that sweet voice, whIch be-
fore caused his heart TO bound with hap
pineSs added only to the grief his shame
had brought upon him.
The progress OF the case acquainted us
with the circumstances Of the loss
tho extent Of which was a dime
no more
The lads employer, wealthy, mizer
ly and unPrlnclplcd manufacturer, had
made use OF II for ~ purpose 0! what he
called " testing the boys honesty" II
was place where, Crom its very position,
the lad would often see it, and least suS
pect the trap. A day passed, and the
master, 10 his modification and chagrln,
found the coin untouched. Another day
passed, and yet his object was not gained.
He was, however, determined that the
boy should take it, and so let it remain.
This continued temptation was TOO
much for him 10 resist. The dime was
taken. A simple present for thai l'tie
sister was purchased for it. But willie
returning home to gladden. her heart, his
own was made heavy By being arrested
for theta crime, the nature of which
sustained by several of the employer 5
WOrkmen, who were also parties to the
plot. An attorney urged on the jury tie
necessity Of making the little rogue HI
example to others, by Punishment. HIS
address had great effect upon all who
heard it. Before, could seq many tears
OF sympathy for the lad, the widowed
mother and his faithful sister. But their
eyes were all dry now, and none looked
es if they cared for or expected aught
but conviction. The Gccuser sat in IL
conspicuous place smiling As If in fend like
cxultstlon oyOr thst poor, but once happy
trio.
We felt that there WAS but little hope
Tor the boy, and the youthful appearance
ol the attorney who volunteered in his
uelencc' gave no encouragement, as We
learned 1t WAS the young mans maiden
piea-hlS first address. He appeared
greatly confused, and reached 10 a desk
from which he took the Bible that had
been used to solemnize tho testimony.
rms movement was received with gener.
al laughter aud tanning rem ,rks-amonr
which we heard harsh fellow close bV
us cry out:
g lie forgets where he is. Tnink;nv
70 take hold of some pondcrou, lnv honl:
ble.''
The remark made the young sttorne y
uuSn Win anger, and turning his flashing
eye upon the audience, he convinced them
that it was no mistske, saying:
" Justice wants no better book"
His confusion was gone. and instantly
q he was as.calm as the sober Judge ON tht
bench.
The B ,tble was opened, and everv ev,
was turne upon him, as he quietly bu
al Al. I