The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1883-06-08

A Beautiful Illustration Of tho Power of
Truth.

| Truth.
The following sketch is from the pen
Of s. II. Hammond, formerly editor Of
the Albany State Register. He was
an eyewitness of the scene, in one Of
the highest courts of New York:
A little girl, 8 years of age, was
offered as witness against prisoner
who was on trial for felony committed
in her fathers house.
"Now, Emily" said the counsel for
the prisoner, upon her being offered as
witness, Il desire to know If you
understand the nature of an oath?"
Il don't know what you mean" was
the simple answer.
There, your Honor" said the coun-
sci, addressing the court, "is anything
further necessary to demonstrate the
validity of my objection? This witness
should be rejected. She does not COM
prehend an oath"
~Let us see," said the Judge. "Come
here, my daughter.
Assured by the kind tone and man
ner of the Judge, the child stepped
toward him. and looked confidently up
in his face with calm, clear eye, and
in manner so artless and frank that it
went to the heart.
did you ever take an oath?" in
CURED the Judge. The little girl
stepped back with look of horror, and
the red blood mantled in blush over
her face as she answered.:
mo, sir"
She thought that he intended to in
,,,;ra &c che ho1 1N1oo,>ha,>aI
II do not mean that" said the Judge,
who saw her mistake; Il mean, were
you ever witness before?"
"No, sir; 1 never was to court be-
FORE" was the answer.
He handed her the Bible, open.
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
Eyes, sir every evening"
"Can you tell me what the Bible is ?"
inquired the Judge.
1T is the word of the great God, she
answered.
well, place your hand upon the
Bible, and listen TO what l 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 me
what will befall you if yon do not tell
The truth ?"
Il shall be shut up in the States
prison" answered the child.
Anything else?" asked the Judge.
Il shall not go to heaven" she re-
piled.
How do you know this?" asked the
Judge again.
The child took the Bible and turning
rapidly to the chapter containing the
commandments, pointed to the injunc-
ton.
"Thou shall not bear false witness
against thy neighbor." II learned that
before / could read"
HAS any one talked with you about
your being witness in court here
against this man ?" inquired the Judge.
Eyes, sir" she replied. "My mother,
she heard they wanted me to be wit
ness, and last night she called me to
her room and asked me to tell her the
ten commandments, and then we
kneeled down together, and she prayed
that L 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, and that
God would hear every word that i
said"
DO you believe this ?" asked the
Judge, with tear glistening in his eye,
and his lips quivered with emotion.
Eyes, SIR" said the child, with a
voice and manner that showed her con-
viction of the truth was perfect.
God bless you, my child" said the
Judge, "you have a good mother. The
witness is competent" he continued
"were on trial for my life, and limo
cent of the charge against me, L would
pray God for such witness as this.
Let her be examined.
She told her story with the simplicity
of a child as she was; but there was q
directness about it that carried convic-
ton of its truth to every heart. She
was rigidly cross examined. The coun-
sci piled her with indefinite and In
genious questioning, but she varied from
her first statement in nothing. The
truth as spoken by that little child was
sublime. Falsehood and perjury had
preceded her. Witnesses had falsified
facts in his favor, and villainy had man
ufactured for him sham defense But
before her testimony his was scattered
like chaff The little child for whom
the mother prayed for strength to be
given to speak the truth as it was be-
fore God, broke the cunning device OF
n 81 IL
That which her mother prayed for was
given, and the manner in which she
spoke was like q revelation from God