Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1868-10-30
The Truthful Witness.

~ AAoeiS 81, LlllS JSolS VI NdS VI"
fered as witness against a prisoner, who
was on trial for felony committed in her
fathers house.
f'Now, Emily" said the counsel for the
prisoner, upon her being offered as wit
ness, Il desire to know if you understand
the nature Of an oath 2"
Il don't know what you mean" was the
simple answer.
'STherc, your honor" said the counsel,
addressing the Court, is there anything
further necessary to demonstrate the validity
Of my objection This witness should be re-
jected. She does not comprehend the ma
ture Of an GATH"
'sLet us see,'' said the Judge ''Come
here, my daughter"
Assured by the kind tone and manner of
the Judge, the child stepped towards him,
and looking up confdingly in his face with
a calm clear eye, and in q manner so artless
and frank, that it went right to the heart.
"Did you ever take an oath ?" inquired
the Judge.
The little girl stepped back with look of
horror, and the red blood mantled in a
blush over her face and neck as she an
swered.
''No, sir. %
She thought he meant to inquire if she
had ever blasphemed.
81 do not mean that" said the Judge,
who saw his mistake II mean, were YOU
ever witness before y
''No, sir; | never was in Court before, ,"
was the answer
He handed her the Bible, open.
''Do you know that book, my daugh-
ter?"
She looked at it and answered, eyes, sir !;
it is the Bible"
"Do you ever read it y he asked.
Eyes, sir; every evening"
''Can you tell me what the Bible is o. in
quired the Judge
ut is the word Of the great Cod she
answered
"Well, place your hand upon this Bible,
and listen to what say" and he repeated
slowly and solcmnly the oath usually admin
istered to witnesses.
CHOW" said the Judge, ''you have sworn
as witness. VIII you tell me what will
befall you if you do not tell the truth ?"
Il shall be shut up in the State Prison"
answered the child.
"Anything else?' asked the Judge.
II shall never go to Heaven" She re-
piled.
GLOW do you know this ?' said the Judge
again.
The child took the Bible, and turning
rapidly to the chapter containing the COM
mandments, pointed to the Injunction
''Thou shall not bear false witness against
thy neighbour and said, II learned that
before [ could read''
''Has any one talked with youabout your
being witness here in court against this
man ?" Inquired the Judge.
Yes, Sill" she replied. my mother
heard they wanted me to be witness, and
last night she called me to her room, and
asked NE to tell her the ten commandments:
and then we kneeled down together, and she
prayed that [ might unders tand how wicked
it was to bear false witness againstmy neigh
Dor, and that God would help me, q little
child, to tell the truth as if it was before
Him. And when [ came up here with father,
she kissed me, and told me to remember the
ten commandments, and that God would
hear every word [ said"
EDO You believe this ?" asked the Judge,
while tear glistened in his eye and his lip
quivered with emotion.
eyes, sir" said the child, with a voice
that showed her conviction of its truth was
perfect.
God bless you, my child" said the
Judge, ''you have good mother This wit
ness is competent" he continued "Were [
on trial for my life, and innocent of the
charge against me, l would pray God for
such a witness as this Let her be exam
ined"
She told her story with the simplicity of
child, as she was, there was a directness
about it which carried conviction Of its truth
to every heart She was rigidly cross-ex-
amined. The counsel piled her with inf
mite and ingenious questionings, but she va
ried from her first statements in nothing -
The truth, 50 spoken by that little child,
was sublime. Falsehood and perjury had
preceded her testimony. The prisoner had
intrenched himself with lies until he deemed
himself impregnable. But before her testi-
mony, falsehood was scattered like chaf.-
The little child for whom mother prayed
for strength to be given her to speak the
truth, as if it was before God, broke the
cunning devices of matured villainy to pieces
like a potters vessel. The strength that
her mother prayed for was given her, and
the sublime simplicity terrible, [ mean, to
the prisoner and his associates-with which
she spoke, was like revelation from God
himself.