Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1858-02-06
Price Two cents
C5e 91Ig Spp.

lhuTII'-Ihe following beautiful illustra-
non Of me simplicity and the power of truth.
i rom the pen Of s. II. Hammond. forrerl1
editor OF the Albany State Reqister. He was
an eye witness of the scene in one of he
higher courts 0''' u 'ue
a httle girl nine years of age was offered ga
a witness against prisoner who was ON trial
LOT felony committed in her fathers honse
NOW, Emily" said the counsel for The
prisoner, upon her being offered as witness,
II desire to know if you understand the mo-
ture of an oath ;"
simple answer. was 'ne
"1here. your Honor" said the counsel. adj
dressing the court, 'tis anything further ne.
necessary to demonstrate the VALIDITY of NV
0oJectlon This witness should be rejected.
one does not comprehend the nature Of nm
oath" u an
here, my daughter"
Assured by the kind tone and manner of
ihe Judge the child stepped toward him, and
looked eonhdlngy up in his face with calm.
e eye ana In manner so artless and
lrahK' that Invent straight to the heart.
"Dld you ever take an oath ?' inquired the
Judge. 1 ulieu 'ne
The little girl stepped back with look of
hGrror' and the red blood mantled in a blush
I'LL over her face and neck, as she answered
"No, sir" 'A'"
She thought he intended to inquire if she
had ever blasphemed.
u do not mean that" said the Judge. who
, saw her mistake, 81 mean were Won ever a
witness before"
mo, SIR never was in court before"
tie handed her the Bible omen.
10 you know that book, my daughter >"
it is the Bible" '"'
DO you ever read it," he asked
es' sir, every evening""
''Can you tell me what the Bible ;s y, in
quired the Judge.
swered. sAi' ""-
wen, place your hand upon this Bible.
ana iisten to what says" and he REPEATED
slowly ana soemnly the oath usually admin.
lstered 10 witnesses.
NOW, said the Judge, "you have sworn
as witness, will you tell me what will be-
i"u you IL you do not tell the truth ?"
Shail be shut up In the State Prison."
answered the child.
Anything else ;" asked the JUDGE.
shall never go to Heaven" she replied.
now do YOU know thisa" asked the
Judge again.
Inc child took the Bible, and turning rap.
ldiy to the chapter containing the command
menus, pointed to the injunction, Thou
smut not Dear false witness against thy neigh
Dor' learnt that before | could read"
has any one talked with you about your
being witness in court here against this
man = inquired the Judge.
1es, slr," she replied. "My mother
heard they wanted me to be witness, and
last night she called me to her room, and
asked me to tell her the Ten Commandments,
anu 'nen we kneeled down together, and che
prayed that might understand how wicked
1t was to bear false witness against nv neigb-
Dor, and that God would help me. little
enid, to tell the truth as it was before him.
ana 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 said.'
DO you believe this :" asked the Judge.
while tear glistened in his eye, and his lin
qulvered with emotion.
Yes, sill" said tho child, with voice
ana manner that showed her conviction of its
truth was perfect.
"Uod bless you, my child, said the Judge,
you have good mother. This witness is
competent" he continued. "Were on trial
Tor my life and innocent of the charge against
this. Let her be examined"
She told her story with the simplicity of
ehild, as she was, but there was a directness
ABOUT 1t which carried conviction of its truth
10 every heart. She was rigidly cross exam.
ined The counsel piled her with infinite and
ingenious questioning, but she varied from
her hrst statement in nothing. The truth as
spoken by that little child was sublime.
t.atsehood and perjury had preceded her tes-
umony. The prisoner had entrenched him
self in lies, till he deemed himself lmpregna-
ble Witnesses had falsifed facts In his favor,
and villainy had manufactured for him sham
defence But before her testimony, fasehood
was scattered like chat. The little child for
whom mother had prayed for strength to be
given her to speak the truth as it was before
God, broke the cunning devices of matured
Wllainy to pieces like potter's vessel. The
strength that her mother had prayed for was
glyeu her, and the sublime and terrible sim
plicity-terrible 1 mean to the prisoner and
his associates-with which she spoke was like
a revelation from God himself.