The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1869-04-09

And help To make the matter worse Ii@".
No good can possibly accrue -aa~g a=f
From telling what may be untrue ;a4.s.J
And ID Il not nobler plan o.,
TO speak ofan the best GU can s.,'
They say--wsll if IL should he %, e..
Why need you tell the tale Of wos7 .
Will IL the bitter wrong fsdfsss, h S.'
Or make one pang Of sorrow less
Will Il the sRring one restore, Z MI
Henceforth to - 60 and sin no more :"
They say-O pause, and look within,
See how thine heart inclinss to sin
, Watch, lest in dark temptntion's hour
Thou, too, shouldst sink beneath it's power.
Pity the fr:il, weep Ger their full
But speak Of good or not 1T all
The Trnthf..l witness.
A little girl, nine years Of age,
was offered as witness against =
prisoner, who was on trial for felo-
ny committed in her fathers house.
Now Emily" said the counsel
for the prisoner, ~ desire to know
If you understand the nature Of an
oathy'' .s s5. ..t e. ii Z =.
II don't know what you mesn,"
was the simple answer.
There, your Honor said the
counsel, addressing the Court. lis
there anything further necessary to
demonstrate :be validity Of my OBJ
lection !? This witness should be re-
jected She does not comprehend
the nature Of an oath.
Is Let Us ses," said the judge.
"oome here my daughter -.
Assured by the kind tone and
manner Of the Judge, the child step
ped toward him and looked confd-
ingly in his face With . calm clear
eye. and in = manner 30 artless and
frank that it went right to the heart.
Did you ever take IN oath 7"
inquired the Judge.
The girl stepped back with look
of horror, and the red blood msLtled
in blush over her face and neck
as she answered H s.s.
No SIR" s-s." ~
She thought he intended to ask
her If she had ever blasphemed.
1 don't mean that said the
Judge. who ssw his mistake :. [
mean was you ever witness before?'
=" No sir. I was never in court be-
fore, was the answer.
He handed her the Bible. OPEN.
DO you know that book, my
daughter? ="
She looked ut it and answered,
"Ycs sir, that is the Bible"
"Do you ever read it?' he asked.
Yes sir. every evening"
"Csn you toll me what the Bible
is?" inquired the Judge
"It is the word Of the great God,
she answered.
"Well place your hand upon this
Bible, and listen to what | say"
and he repeated slowly and solemn
ly the oath usually administered to
witnesses.
Nov" said the Judge. you
have sworn u . witness. Will you
tell me what will befall you if ysu
do not tell the truth 7"
Il shall h shut up in State pr,s-
on answered the child.
- Anything else p asked the
Judge. - @.
II shall never 60 to Heaven. -
she replied.
How do you know this p said
the Judge, again.
The child took the Bible, and
t1rning rapidly to the chapter con-
tanning the commandments, pointed
to the injunction-"Th.u shalt not
bear false witness against thy neigh
bur' said, ;: I Learned this before
l could read" a.
. Has any one talked to you
about your being . witness against
this mani" in quir.d sbe Judge.
:" Yes sir, . sue replied "My
mother heard they wanted me to he
. witness. aud last night she called
me to her room and asked me to tell
her the ten commandments and
then We kneeled down together aud
she prayed that might understand
bow wicked it WAS to bear false wit
ness against my neighbor, snd th.t
God might help me. little child to
tell the truth as it were before
Him. And when came up here
with father, she kissed me, aud told
me to remember the ninth commaud
ment. and that God would hear
every word I said
!" Do you believe this?'' asked
the Judge while ) tear glistened ID
bis eye and his lip quivered with
emotion.
I" Yes Dir, > said the child, With
. voice that showed her conviction
ofits truth was perfect.
God bless you my child" said
the Judge. You have = good
mothsr. This witness is competent
be continued. We're I on trial
for my life: and innocent Of the
charge against me. | would pray
God for sush : witness IS this. Let
her be examined"
She told her story with the sim
plicity Of child - she thep wss, !
dirrctnoss about it which carried
conviction ofits truth to every heart.
She VAS rigidly cross-examined. -
The counsel piled her with iu6nits
and ingenious questions, but she va
'Eied from her fsss statsnsats in
il AaaAG# @.f1 s8# e si