The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1872-08-17

Ebenezer Webster father of Daniel, was a
farmer. The vegetables in his garden suffered
considerably from the depredativns of wood.
chuck, whose hole and habitaton was near the
premises Daniel some ten or twelve wears old.
and his brother Ezekiel, had set a tran. and at
last succeeded in catching the trespasser. Eze.
kiei proposed to kill the animal and end at once
all further trouble with him; but Daniel looked
with compassion 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.
"Well, my boys" said the old gentleman, Il
will be the Judge, and you shall be the counsel
TO plead the case for or against his life and
liberty"
| Ezekiel opened the case with q strong arpu
ment, urging the mischievous nature of the Grim
insi, the great harm he had already done, said
that much time and labor had been spent in his
capture, and now, if suffered to go at large he
would renew his depreciation, and he is cunning
enough not to be caught again, and that he
ought now to be put to death that his skin was
of some value, and thai, make the most of him,
1t would not repay nall the damage he had al
ready done. His argument was already practi.
cal and to the point and of much greater length
than our limits will allow us to occupy in rela-
ting the story.
The father looked with pride upon his son,
who became distinguished jurist in his man
hood.
"Now, Daniel, it's your turn I'll hear wha.
you've to say"
1t was his first case. Daniel saw that the plea
of his brother had sensibly affected his father,
the Judge, and his large brilliaat black ewes
rested upon the soft, timld expression Of the an.
imal. aud he saw it trembled with fear in it,
NARROW prison.house his heart swelled with
pity, and he appealed with eloquent words that
the captive might go free. God, he said, had
made the woodchuck; He made him to live and
enjoy the bright sunshine, the pure air. the trees
fields and woods God had not made him for
anything in vain J.; the woodchuck had az much
right to live as any other thing; he was not
destructive animal like the wolf he simply ate
few common vegetables. of which thew had
plenty, and could well spare part he DESTROYED
nothing except the little food he ate 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 on their mothers table.
God furnished their own food ; He gave them all
they possessed, and would they not spare a little
for dumb creature who really had as much
right to his share of Gods bounty as they them.
selves had to their portion? Yea more; the an.
irnal had never violated the laws of God. as man
stiucts he had received from the hands of the
Creator OF all things. Created by Gods hands,
he had right from God to feed, to liberty, and
they had no right to deprive him of either. He
alluded to the mute but earnest pleading of the
animal for that life, dear to him as were their
own, and the just Judgment they might expect
II, in selfish cruelty and cold.heartedness, thew
took the lite they could not restore again.
During the appeal the tears had started TO the
old mans eyes and were fast running down his
sunburnt cheeks. Every feeling Of fathers
heart was striving within him, and he felt that
God had blessed him beyond the lot Of common
men. His pity was awakened by the eloquent
words Of compassion and the strong appeal for
mercy, and forgetting the Judge in the man and
father, he sprang from his chair while Daniel
was in the midst Of his argument, without
thinking he had already won the easel, aud turn.
ing to his eldest son, dashng the tears from his
eyes, he exclaimed: "Zeke, Zeke, non let No
aroodctuck go!"-f1ttoiio.
Inc Grant papers pronounce the Long
Br' nch cottage statement lie. Let us see
a. i. Stewart, whose word will generally carr,
more weight than that of Grants Elk. Collector
states that subscrp tion paper, for tunt
to buy n Long Branch cottage to be given e
President Grant, was presented to him for ,
subscription Of $4,000 to complete the iul
amount. On this paper were the names o
Thomas Murphy, Grants Collector mt New
York; John Ioey, George w. Childs, Adolpl
Bore, and three or four more for $4,000 each
.. Mr. Stewart says he declined to sign. Wher,
does this revelation leave Mr.. Grants hand
organs and his man Murphy"
i