Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1860-03-01
"Come, Paper; Il,s All Over.v

When Stephens who poisoned his wife,
was on trial in New York, he brought tt
the Court room every day, his little daugh
ter, q sweet, isping little girl of only foul
years. She sat in her fathers lap during
most of the trial, and was old enough te
understand that it was all about her mo
ther, who had recently been taken away
from her. As she was the only child, and
be the only surviving parent, they clung to
one another through days and weeks Of a
most tedious trial, often bathing each 9th.
er in tears, as the sufferings of the muir.
dered mother were touched upon by the
several witnesses and commented upon by
the counsel. At last the completed, the
Jury went out and that long pause, fear
full suspense, and painful silence, always at
tendant upon cases of capital punishment,
occurred. The father sat mute, the child
scarcely drew its breath, when, finally the
stiffness was broken by the entrance of the
Jury and thu verdict of "Guilty" was pro-
nounced. The Court Immediately ad-
journed-the usual hustle followed, and
the people commenced going out. The
little girl not understanding the turn things
had taken, and her father not following
the crowd, calculated in CLEAN of glad
ness: "Come Papa, its all over now, let
us go" 1t is said the whole Court room
was melted into tears.
Stephens was hung on the 4th inst, and
this morning the New York News announ-
ces the death of the little girl, who, since
the poisoning of her mother and the con-
finement in the cells of her father, has lit
orally piued her life away.
"coME PAPA, IT'S ALL OVER"
The lips of innocence have made these
words sublime in their associations with a
murderer. "Come Papa, it's all over; let
US CO." cried the wearied little ISABELLA
JANE STEPHENS in open Court, when the
Jury declared her father guilty of her moth
ers death. Poor little girl! She was bow
ed down to the earth in spirit before the
sad experience of life ordinarily begins TO
teach its lessons to mortals. She had sip
ped full of the gall of existence on the very
Threshold of her being. She was literally
the child of misery-a daughter of woe
Worn away by the slow torture necessarily
attending the trial which was to doom her
father worthy of the gallows or declare him
fit to live and shield his child, she had but
one exclamation to utter upon hearing the
terrible echo of "Gulty" ringing through
the chamber of justice, out rang her daugh-
terly voice will: the most touching inno-
cenee, "Come Papa. its all over, let us 60"
And they are gone! He has passed through
the dread ordeal which the law ordains for
The greatest guilt, and on the scaffold been
forced 10 face the Judge, from whom no Sc
crets are hidden, and whose sentence has an
everlasting effect. She teo, poor weakly
little child, has passed to the same great
judgment seat, but passed there as though
she had looked up out of her overfowing
Affections, and, addressing :he father of US
all, exclaimed, in the power of innocent pi-
ETY., "Come Papa, it's all over, let us 60"
And she is gone 10 Him and with Him -
Truly God has not visited the great crimes
of the parent on this little girl. She has
been made, it is true, to drink sorrow to
the dregs, but the cup could be moulded
still larger, and the draught be poured for
a much longer time. Had she lived to lin
ger over the thoughts which could never be
shaken from her scared soul, what life
long agony would have been hers. Dead
ened in heart when other children are all |
vivacity, the associations of the past year
or two would hang over her forever as an
irremoveable pail. She would loathe ex-
would contemn life-she would
forever long for that death which leads to
where there are no more woes. Poor little
thing! He who has great mercy as well
as justice, did hear her hearts appeal to
Him, and to her souls-seeking, "Come, Pa
pa, it's all over, let us CO." He has taken
ber. The wickedness of the father was less
with the Almighty than the goodness of
Ihe mother. Ifchildren do suffer for the
crimes of their parents, theologians may
ell us that this child's pains of life were
,wing to her fathers indisputable guilt,
While her being snatched so timely away
rom the sorrows which would 60 on accu-
as she longer lived, was owing to
he virtue of her mother. Be it so; her
,weet call to the Father of Goodness has
net benign response, and ''it's all over"
The whole family is now beyond the reach
If human judgment, human love, human
oy, or human suffering. Cleveland Plain
lealer.