The Ouachita telegraph., 1872-02-10
gbe &ittle $ol4s.
The Beauty Of Simplicity and Truth.

the prisoner, upon her being offered
as a witness, ssI desire to know if you
understand the nature of an oath?'
ttI don't know what you nlean," was
the simple answer.
ssThere, your HONOR" said the coun-
sci addressing the court, ''is anything
further necessary TO demonstrate the
validity of my objection? The witness
should be rejected. She does not COM
prehend the nature Of an oath"
"Let us see," said the Judge. "Come
here my daughter"
Assured by the kind tone and inan-
ner of the judge, the child stepped to-
ward him, and looked confdingly up
in his face, with a calm, clear eye, and
in a manner so artlcss and frank, that
went straight to the heart.
ssDid you ever take an oath?"' in
quired the judge. The little girl step
ped back with look Of horror, and
the red blood mantled in q blush all
over her face as she answered:
"No, sir.''
She thought that he intended to in
quire if she b1asphemed.
ttI do not mean that,' said the
Judge, who saw her mistake, ssI mean,
were you ever a witness before.'
'No, sir; I never was in court be-
lore, was the answer.
He handed her the Bible open.
t'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, he asked.
ayes, sir, every evening""
"Can you tell me what the Bible
is?'' inquired the judge.
cit 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 solemnly the
oath usually administered to witnesses.
"Now," said the judge, "you have
SWORN as a witness; will you tell what
will befall you if you do not tell the
truth?"
"I shall be shut up in the State pris-
on answered the child.
''Anything else," asked the judge.
stI shall never go to hcavcn,' she
replied.
"How do you know this" asked the
judge again.
The child took the Bible and turned
rapidly to the chapter containing the
commandments, pointed to the inj,,nc-
ton, sThou shalt not bear false witness
against their neighbour "I learned
that before 1 could read"
elias any one talked with you about
your being witness in q court here
against this man?' inquired thejudge."
eyes, sir" she replied. "My mother
heard they wanted me to be Il witness,
and last night she called me into her
room and asked me to tell her the COM
mandments, and then knecled down
together, and she prayed that I might
understand how wicked it was to bear
false witness against my neighbor, and
that God would help me, a little child,
to tell the truth us it was before Him.
And when I came up here with father,
she kissed me and told me to rcmem-
Der tho ninth commandment, and that
God would her every word that said.'
"Do you believe this ?" asked the
judge, while Il tear glistcned in his
eye, and his lip quiVcred with emo
ton.
eyes, sir,' said the child, with Il
voice and manner that showed her
conviction of it's truth WAS perfect
"God bless you my child" said the
Judge !'you have II good mother. This
witness is compctcnt,' he continued
"Were I on trial for my life, and inno-
cent of the charge against mo, 1 would
pray God for such witness us this. Let
her be eNamined.'
She told her story with the simplici-
ty of Il child as she was; but there WAS
II directness about it which carried con-
viction of its truth to every heart. She
was rigidly cross examined. The cuuu-
sci piled her with infinite and ingcn-
Gus questioning, but she varied from
her first statement in nothing The
truth, as spoken by that child, was
sublime. Falschood and perjury had
preceded her testimony. The pris-
oner had intrenched himself in lies.
Witnesses had falsiticu facts'in his IA
vor, and viiiainy had manufactured for
him Il shameful defense. But before
her testimony it was all scattered like
chaff. The little child for whom Il
mother had prayed for strength to bc
given her speak the truth rs it was be-
fore God, broke the cunning devices of
maturcd vilIainy to pieces like pot
ter's vessel. The strength which her
mother prayed for was given her, and
the sublime and terrible simplicity
terrible mean to the prisoner and his
asSociatcs-with which she spoke, was
ike y revelation from God himself
DrlSoNNr