Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1858-03-04
TRUTH--THE TESTIMONY
OF A CHILD.

NOWi EDllys bdlu tue counsel lOr vi
prisoner, upon her being offered as a wit
ness. i desire to know IL you under
stand the nature Of an oathP
4 don't know what you mean was th,
simple reply.
There, your honor, said the counsel, al
dressing the court, is anything further ne
cessary to demonstrate the validity Of my
Oljeetionl This witness should be reject
ed. She does not eomPrehed the nature
Of an oath
Let US see, said the judge. Come
here my daughter
Assured by the kind tone and manner
Of the Judge, the child stepped toward
him, and looked coufdiugly upiu his face
with a calm. clear eye, aud in a manner
so aHless aud frank, that went straight to
the heart.
Did you ever take an oatb?' inquired
the Judge. The little girl stepped back
with a look of horror, and the red blood
mantled in blush all over her face AMI
neck as she answered: .....
No, sir ~ .. ...
She thought he intended 10 inquire il
she had ever blasphemed. O.
L do not mean that said the Judge,
who saw her mistake. Il mean were you
ever a witness before! .. '.
NO siI; | never was in court before.
was The answer. ..
He handed her the Bible open.
DO you know that book, my daughterG' 7
She looked at it and answered. YES
sir, it is the bible.'
DO you ever read it?' he asked.
'Yes, sir, eve y evening" - .
Can you tell lue what the Bible is 2 in'
quired the judge. .. a..
1t is tho word of the great God she
answered, &. gar r..ia.
well, place your hand upon this Billie,
and listen to what l says and he repeated
slowly and soIemnly the oath usually ad.
ministered to witnesses. .n .... ..-
Now said the judge. you have sworn
as witness, will you tell me what will
befall you if you do not tell the truths
4 shall be shut up in the state prison.
answered the child.
Anything else.' asked the judge.
i shall never 60 to Heaven she r,pli.
ed. ... q. ......
How do you know this? askel the
Judge again. .-.'.
The child took the Bible, and turning
rapidly to the chapter containing the com
mandmsntS, pointed to the Injunction
"1hou shalt not bear false witness against
thy neighbor." Il learned that before |
could read
HAS any one talked with you about
being a witness in court here against this
mani inquired the judge.
'Yes, SIR she replied. My mother
heard they wanted me to be witness, and
last night she called me to her room and
asked Inc tell her the Ten Commandments,
and then we kueeled down together and
she pray ed that l might understand how
wicked it was to bear false witness against
my neighbor, and that God would help
me, little child, to tell the truth as it was
before lin. And when l came up here
with father, she kissed me and told me
to remember the ninth commandment and
that God would hear every word that |
sSid.'
DO you believe this? asked the judge,
while tear glistened in his eye and his
lip quivered with emotion.
yes sir said the child, with voice and
manner that showed her conviction of its
truth was perfect.
God bless you, my child said the judge.
you have good mother. This witness
is competent he continued. Were on
trial for my life and innocent of the char
ges against me I would pray God for such
witnesses as this Let her be examir ed ;
She told her story with the simplicity
Of child, as she was, but there WAS a di-
rectness about it which carried conviction
of its truth to every heart. She wss RI
gidly cross examined. The counsel piled
her with ingenious questioning, but she
varied from her firt statement in nothing.
The truth, as spoken by that little child
was sublime. Falsehood and perjury had
preceded her testimony. The prisoner had
intreLched himself in lies till he deemed
himself impregnable. Witnesses had fall
sifed facts in his favo', and yilIainy had
manufactured for him sham defence
But before her testimony, falsehood was
scattered like chaff. The little child for
whom g mother had prayed for strength
to be given her to speak the truth rs it
was before God, broke the cunning devi'
ces Of matured vilainy to pieces like apot.
ter's vessel. The strength that her mo.
ther prayed for was given her, and the sub.
lime and terrible simplicity terrible l
mean to the prisoner and bis associates
with which she spoke, was like reveIa-
ton from God himself. .. .-t
The attempt to remove from Keitt the
Just disgrace Of being fairly knocked over,
reminds the Post of passage in the tes,
timony in the case of the Commonwealth
against BorrowcastIe, for au affray, tried at
Boston some years sgo:
Counsel-Did yon see William Borrow
castle knock the man down!
Witness-William Borrowcastle might
do such thing.
Counsel-Answer me directly. Did you
see Borrowcastle knock him down!
Witness-I can't exactly say that I did,
The court State, Mr.. witness, what
you did see.
Witness Well, 1 saw VIM. Borrowers
tie take his hand array from the mans