The Daily empire. (Dayton, Ohio) 1865-1867, 1866-11-02
THE DAILY EMPIRE.
Fl. a. ROBINSON,
'UBLISHER AND PROPRIETOR.
simpllcity or Trnth.

witnessed short time ago, In one of
our high courts, a beautiful illustration of
the simplicity and power Of truth .itf
Alittle girl. nine years of age, was offer
ed rs witness against prisoner who was
on trial for felony committed in her fathers
"Now, Emily said the COUNSEL for the
prisoner, upon her being offered as wit
ness, 81 desire TO understand II Won know
the nature of an oath 2"
Il don't know what you mean" was the
simple answer. g,sH .iI
There, your honor" said the counsel,
addressing the court sis anything further
necessary to demonstrates the validity of
my obiectiOnsI This witness should be re-
jected. She does not comprehend the ma
ture of an OATH"
LET us see, said the Judge, ''come here,
my daughter"
Assured by the kind manner aud tone of
the Judge, the child stepped towards him
and looked confidently up In his face with
q calm, clear eye, and In Il manner so art
less and frank it went straight to the heart.
Did you ever take an oath ~ inquired
the Judge.
The little girl stepped back with n look
Of horror. and the red blood mantled in a
blush all over her face as she answered, mo
sir" She thought he intended to inquire
If she ever blasphemed.
II do not mean that" said the Judge,
who saw her mistake, II mean were you
ever witness before ~ .H. uli
He handed her the Bible open.- u a.af
DO you know that book my daughtergr
She looked Mt it and answered, ayes. sir.
it is the Bible" iltI .t'Nf
"Do you ever read it9" he asked Iii
"Yes, sir--every evening"" ie Ha
"Can You tell me what the Bible is?T
"It is the Word of the Great God" she
answered. 4 itN
"well place your hand npon this Bible
and listen to what | say, and repeated
slowly and sOlemnly the oath usually adj
ministered to witnesses. li ID EalI
Now said the Judge, you have been
sworn as witness-will yOu tell me what
viii befall YOU II you do not tell the trlIth?"
II shall be shut up In the State Prison"
answered the child. ll.a a.l Ha.1
Anything else p asked the Judge,
~ shall never 90 60 heaven" ,..t.
How do you know 2" asked the Judge
again. .f.f
The child took the Bible. and turning
rapidly to the chapter containing the com
mandments pointed to the o. Injunction,
Thou shalt not bear false witness against
thy ncighbor." ~ learned that she said
"before could read.7
.'IIas any one talked witlfyonabout your
being witness in court here against this
lillll lllillllfu llf bNtHt.
"Ncs, sir She replied; my mother heard
that they wanted ME as witness, aud last
night she called me into her room and ash
cd me to tell her the ten commandments.
and then we knceled down together, and
she prayed that l might understand how
wicked II was TO bear false witness against
my neighbOr, and that God would help me,
a little child, to tell the truth as it werelbe-
fore Him. And when ! came here with
t..fI 4. .n.s av.. N..I a..
member the nirth cOmmandmdnt. and that
God would hear every word | saih.r I.HI
do you believe this y asked the Jndge.
with tear glistening in his eyes and his
lips qNiyering with emotion.
''Yes, sir.r said the child. with voice
and manner that showed her conviction OF
the truth was perfect, .....lsg. .ftI..
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 charges
against me, | would pray God for such IA
witness as this. Let her be eXamined.f
She told her story with the simplicity of
u child as she was, but there was direct
ness about it which carried conviction of
its truth to every heart. She was rigidly
cross-examined. The counsel piled her
with infinite and Ingenious questioning,
but she varied from her first statement in
nothing. The truth as spoken by that
child was sublime. Falsehood and per
jury had preceded her testimony. The
prisoner had entrenched himself In lies.
until he deemed himself impregnable. Wit
nesses had falsiiied facts in his favor and
villainy had manufactured sham defense.
but before her testimony falsehood was
scattered like chat. The little child for
whom the mother had prayed for strength
to be given her to speak the truth as it was
before God. broke the canning devices of
matured villainy in pieces like potteF's
vessel. The strength that the mother had
prayed for was given her, the sublime and
terrible simplicity mean, 10 the
prisoner and his periured associates-with
which she spoke was like revelation from
God himself Ia....f