The avant courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1871-1872, 1871-12-21
Daniel w ebsfcTss First Plea.


Daniel w eDstcr's First z,Eea.
Ebenezer Webster, father of Daniel, was a
farmer. The vegetables in his garden snf-
fered considerably from fhe depredations OF
a woodchncls, whose hole and habitation was
near the premises. Daniel, some ten or
twelveayears old, and his brother Ezekiel,
had set a trap, and succeeded in cate hihg the
trespasser. Ezekiel proposed to Kill tue
animal. and end at once all further trouble
with him; but Daniel looked with COM
passion upon his meek, dumb captive, and
offered to. let him go. The boys could not
agree, and each appealed to. their father to
decide the case.
swell, my boys said the old gentleman.
81 will be judge. There is the prisoner, z
pointing to the Woodchuck, Z ana yosl shall
be counsel and plead the case for and against
bis life and liberty
Ezekiel opened the case with a strong ar
gulnent. urging the misehievous nsture Of
the criminal, the great harm he had already
done, said that much time and labor had
been spent i'll his capture, and now if allowed
to go a. large he would renew his dspreda-
tions and be cunning enough not to be caught
again, and that he ought now to pc put to
death !; that his skin was of some value, and
that, make the most OF hiln they could, it
would not repay half the damage 6 he had al
ready done. His argument was ready, prac-
teal, and to the point, an1 Of much greater
length than onr limits will allow us to occn-
py in relating the story. ,s ...
The father looked witlpprlde upon his son.
who became adistinguishsd jurist in his man
hood. III 4.
''Now, Daniel it's ,yonr turn !. Il A hear what
you've got to say s,. 4s
\ II was lis iirst case. Daniel saw that the
plea of his brother had lsensibly affected his
father, the judge and his large brilliant black
eyes rested upon the soft, tilnid s pres sion
of the animal, and he SAW it trenbleef with
fear in its narrow prison house, his heart
sWelled with pity. and he appealed with elo-
quent words tnat the captive might to Tree.
God, he said, had made the woodchuck lie
made him to live, to enjoy the bright sun
shine, the pure air, the free fields and woods.
God has not made him or anything else ID
vain; the woodchlt;k had as much right to
live as any other living thing he was not
a destructive animal, like the fox orwoli
was; he simply ate a few common vegeta-
bles, Of which they had plenty. and could
well spare part he destroyed nothing ex-
cept the little food he needed to sustain his
humble life and that little food was as sweet
to him and as necessary to his existence, as
was To them the food Oil their mothers table.
God furnished their own food !; He gave them
all they possessed, and would they not spare
| a little for the dumb creature who really had
as much right to his small share of Cod.
bounty as they themselves had to their por
| ton? Yea, more; the animal had never vic
lated the law Of OF his nature or the laws o
God, as man often did, but strictly followed
the simple Instincts he had received from tht
4 hands nf the Creator of al things. Createt
/ Iby Gods hands, he had a right from God II
life, 70 food, to liberty I, and they had 10 righ
to deprive him Or either. He alluded to tht
mute btH earnest pleadings Of the animal fol
that life, as dear to him as were their own t
them, and the just judgment they might ex
pect if in selfish cruelty and old-heartednes
they took the life they een1d not restore again
During the appeal, tears had started 70 iht
old man i eyes, and we're fast running sEowf
his sasl-bnrnt checks. Every feeling Of ];
/ father i heart was stirred within fifny and h,
felt that God had blessed him beyond t'ie II
i of common men His pity was awakened b
| the eloquent words of compassion and th'
strong appeal for mercy; and forgetting th,
Judge 10 the man and the father, he sprals
/ from his chair (vhile D,niel was In ths nids
Iof his argument. without thinking that h
had already wen bis ease and tnrning to hi
eldest son dsshing the tears from his eyes b
iexclaimed
sszske, Zske, yoa let TINT woodchuck e.
q
4 HoNEY AND GREAsf--ANGRr.'s FooD.
Honey alone IS considered quite teliciou
enough, but with The adoption Of cream, il i
almost beyond description, and 50 far frou
] being too rich. it can then be eaten by man.
with whom honey otherwise iisagrees. - ]
the most delightful dish know OF, II I ex
cept one called ANGELS Food, z made Q
oranges peeled, ctlt IN slices, and betWeel
each layer sprinkIed with dessicated COCO
i nut and s,fga ID II and an hour or two the
leaten with cream Hi I'LL case4 orange III,
] lemon seeds must ba carefully removed, 4
fl,ox se<,,1 hv their b5ff