American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1851-1863, 1861-07-13
A BEAUTIFUL NARRATIVE.
S. H. HAMMOND.

and power of truth. A little girl
nine years of age was offered as witness
against a prisoner who was on trial for felony
committed in her fathers house.
Now, Emily said the counsel for the
prisoner upon her being offered as witness,
Il desire to know the nature of an oath p
Il don't know what you mean was the
simple answer.
There, your Honor said the counsel, adj
dressing the court, is anything further ne
cessary to demonstrate the validity of my
objection? This witness should be reject
ed. She does not comprehend the nature 0!
an OATH
Let me see,' said the Judge. Come here,
my daughter Assured by the kind tone
and manner of the Judge, she stepped to-
ward him, and looked confidently upon his
face, with a calm, clear eye, in manner 50
artless and frank that it went straight to the
heart. Did you ever take an oath 'inquir-
ed the Judge The little girl stopped with
a look of horror, and the red blood Eaantied
in a blush all over:
NO, SE soIfS tuOuHuI llltGIlQSd "
quire if she ever blaspieuaed.
Il do not mean that said the Judge, who
saw her mistake. Il mean were you ever a
witness before g
sNo, sir never was in court before was
the answer.
He handed her the Bible open.
sDoyou know that book my daughter 2
She looked at it and answered:
yes, sir, it is the Bible.'
DO you ever read it p he asked
Yes, sir, every evening
Can you tell me what the Bible is?' In
quired the Judge.
1T is the word of the Great Cod she an
swered.
Well, place your hand upon this Bible,
and listen to what have to say and he re-
peated slowly and solerm.ily the oath usually
administered to witnesses. Now, said the
Judge, you have been sworn witness;
will you tell me what will befaH you if you
fail to tell me the truth p
Il shall be shut up in the State Prison.
answered the child.
Anything else?' asked the Judge.
II shall not go to heaven she replied.
'How do you knew this p said the Judge
again.
The child took the Bible, and turned ra-
pidly to the chapter containing the COM
pointed to the injunction; Thou
shalt not bear false witness against thy
neighbour Il learned that she said, sbefore
| could read
HAS any one talked to you about being
witness here in court against this man 2
Yes, sir" she replied My mother
heard they wanted me to be 4 witness, and
last night she called me to her room, and
asked Inc to tell her the Ten Command
ments, and then we kneeled down together,
and she prayed that | might understand how
wicked it was to bear false witness against
my neighbor, and that God would help
little child to tell the truth as it was before
Him. And when | came up here with ia
Their, she kissed me and told me to remem-
Der the Ninth Commandment, and that God
would hear every word | said"
500 you believe this 2" asked the Judge
while tears glistened in his eyes, and his
lips quivered with emotion.
g Yes, sir, said the child, with an air and
manner that showed her conviction of the
truth was perfect.
" God bless you, my clild,o said the
Judge; "yen have good mother"
g This witness is competent continued
the Judge. HWere I on trial for my life,
md innocent of the charge against me, ]
would pray God for such witnesses as this
Let her be examined
She told her story with the simplicity of
a child, as she was, but there was direct
ness about it which carried conviction of its
truth to every heart. She was rigidfy
cross examined. The counsel plied her with
infinite and ingenious questions, but she va
ried from her first statement in nothing.
The truth as spoken by that little girl was
sublime. Falsehood and perjury had pre-
coded her testimony. The prisoner had en-
trenched himself in lies, until he deemed
himself impregnable. Witnesses had falsi-
for aim sham defence But be-
loge her testimony falsehood was scattered
ike chaff. The little child, for whom a |
mother had prayed for strength to be given
her to speak the truth as it was before God, |
broke the cunning device of matured vii !
Amy to pieces like a potter's vessel. The
strength that her mother had prayed Cor
was given her, and the sublime and terrible |
terrible, mean, to the prisoner
md his perjured assosiates) ], with which she
spoke, was Like . revelation from God Him |
self
GARY PAPER OvER7'-Since the begin /
ming of the excitement, is not extravagant
to say that the above QUESTION has been pro-
pounded to US FIVE hundred times. We
have submitted to the Imposition of news
paper beggars long enough. Those who
want paper to read, can get it by having
their names entered upon the mail book,
and paving the money What would these /