The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-09-08
Dnntel Webstcr's First Plea.

EbcneZer Webster, father of Daniel. was
a farmer. The vegetables in his garden
suffered considerably from the deprcdations
OF u Woodchuck whose hole and ha5ltation
was near the premises. Daniel, some ten
years old, and his brother had set trap.
and ut last succeeded in catching tho tres
passcr. Ezekiel proposed to kill the animal
and end at once all further trouble with
him; but Daniel looked with compassion
upon bis meek, dumb captive, and offered
to let him 30. The boys could not agree,
and each appealed to their father to decide
tie case.
"M ell, my boys" said the old gentleman,
~ Will be the judge and you shall be the
counsel to plead the case for and against
his life and liberty"
Ezekiel opened the case with q strong
| argument, urging the mischieyous nature
or the animal, the great harm he had already
done, said that much time and labor had
been spent in his capture, and now if suf-
tered to 60 at large, he would renew his
depredations and be 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 that, make the most of
hlm they could, it would not repay half
tho damage he had already done. His ar
gument was ready, practical and to the
point, and OF much greater length than our
limit Will allow us TO occupy in relating
the story.
The father looked with pride upon his
son, who became distinguished Jurst in
his manhood.
"Now, Daniel, it's your turn; IN hear
what you've got to say"
1T was his first case, Daniel saw TINT
the plea OF his brother had scnsibly affected
ms rather, The Judge; and his large bril-.
liant black eyes rested upon the soft, timid
expression OF the animal, and he saw
trembled with fear in it's narrow prise.
house. His heart swellcd with pity, ant
he appealed with eloquent words that tho
captive might 60 free. God, he said, had
made the woodchuck. TIe made him to
live, TO enjoy the bright sunshine, tho pure
alr, the fields and woods. God had not
maze nun or anything in vain. Tho
woodchuck had as much right to live as
any other living thing; he was not de-
structive animal, Ike the wolf; he simply
ate lew common vegetables, of which
thcy had plenty, and could well spare a
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 fur
nishcd their own food. Ic gave them all
| they possessed, and would they not spare
little for dumb creature who really had
as much right to his small share of Gods
| bounty as they themselves were to their
| portion? Yea, more, the animal had
never violated the laws of his nature, or
the laws of God, as man often did, but
strictly followed the simple instincts he
had received from the Creator of all things
| Created by Gods hands, lie had a right to
deprive hlm Of either. lie alluded to the
mute but earnest pleadiugs of the animal
Tor that life as dear to him as were their
own, and the just judgment they might
expect if, in selfish cruelty and cold heart.
edncss, they took the life they could not
restore again.
During the appeal the tears had started
| in the old mans eyes. and were fast run
ming down his sunburnt cheeks. Every
| feeling Of fathers heart was stirred
| within hlm, and he felt that God had
| blessed him beyond tho lot of common
men. His pity was awakened by tho elo-
quent words Of compassion and the strong
| appeal for mercy; and, forgetting the
judge in the mon and the father, he sprang
from his chair (while Daniel was in the
| midst of his argument. without thinking
he had already won his case), and turning
to hia eldest son, dashing the tears from
his eyes, he exclaimed: ''Z"ke, Zeke, you
let that woodchuck gol"