Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1882-06-15

and that will disgrace you forever.
Sit DOWN. And Ned, obeying Satan's
command, sat down and never opened
his lips.
Oh! it was fierce struggle for right
and for wrong in Ned's bosom! Which
gained the victoryp Let us wait and
see. The trial came to a close, the
jury returned a verdict of guilty, and
rom Reed stood up, and the Judge
said:
"Thomas Reed, l sentence you to
jail for ten days, for killing Mrs.
Jenkins goose"
When Ned Brown saw poor Tom, all
ragged and pale, standing up and re-
ceiving the penalty of his crime, his
heart sank within him. Conscience
this time spoke to him in thunder
tones:
Ned Brown, God knows you are the
guilty one, if men do not; and he will
punish you severely. 1t is not yet too
late to speak; make haste, get up and
confess your guiltp Ned spIang up.
and leaped upon the stand beside Tom
Reed.
whats the matter2" asked the
judge, looking at Ned in amazement.
There stood Ned, silent and pale,
with all eyes turned curiously upon
him.
whats the matter, l sayP" the
judge repeated.
Ned, gathering up his courage,
said:
"Mr. Judge, Tom Reed didn't kill
Mrs. Jenkins old pet goose. | am the
one who killed it."
"What! you killed that goose! How
did you do itY" asked the judge, aston,
ished.
Ned grew bOlder. He Strengthened
himself up to his full height, he raised
high his right hand, and said impress,
lively:
"Mr. Judge, threw a rock at the
and killed her, and | am willing
to soto jail, and stay ten days for being
so meanl"
In a moment a loud shout of ap.
plause went up from the audience
Old Mrs. jenkins rushed upon the
stand, and throwing both arms around
Ned, cried, "God bless this noble boy
God bless himl l forgive him!'
The judges great soul was touched
He rested his elbow upon the railing
He leaned his broad brow in his hand
and tears trickled down his cheeks
for such moral courage had stirred his
bosom with deep emotions.
When the excitement was over Ned
Brown stood up and the Judge sen
fenced him to Jail for ten days. After
Ned had received his sentence, the
judge, brushing away the tears from
his own eyes, said:
"Ncd Brown, you are hero. There
is more true grandeur in this con
fession of your guilt than there is in {
warriors deeds. 1t takes brave mar
to face the mouths of cannons, but il
takes a drawer one to stand up ant
confess his guilt before the world"
"Thank you, sir" said Ned, al coult
not let Tom Re; go to Jail when
knew l was the guilty one"
Tom Reed was released. Ned Brown
went to jail and stayed there ten days
When he came out of Jail he wa
crowned with glory, for every one re
| parIaI him n q n moral hnrn
If Ned had let Tom Reed 60 to jai
it would have been a step downward
towards low life. In all probabilit,
he would have descended step by stel
into sin, till his usefulness would hav,
been destroyed, and his character poi
soneA with all manner of vices. Hi
confession was a bold stride upward
towards a noble life. His suffering
the penalty of his own crime mad
him wiser. His mastering the tempta
tion to conceal his guilt gave strength
and dignity to his character; while tn
unbounded confidence people had il
him, after his confession, inspired hin
with a desire to become true AM
noble man.
1 want all the boys who read this t
know that confession is good FOR tn
soul. If they have been guilty o
swearing, stealing, telling falsehood'
or any other wickedness, let them te
their parents. If they have secret
injured any person l want them to g
and confess their fault. Boys, wan
you all to do this because secret gull
is a viper that will suck out all th
moral strength of your natures, an
leave you so devoid of good principle
in your heart that your whole life an
character will soon be poisoned an
ruined.