Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1897-06-17
BY A LITTLE GIRL.
The Hearts Of Criminals Touched
by Sweet Innocence.
Flowers from the Wee Maiden Help
to dbernte Young Negro
Charged with Murder-A
Snlutary Lesson.

| hcsSOh.
At the close of business recently in
the probate court, just as Judge Cox
was about to leave the bench, little tot
of girl stepped from her mothers side,
md, raising herself on her tiny toes be-
fore the railing in front of the judges
chair, timidly inquired: please, judge,
may see the prisoners?"
Certainly, my child" smilingly re-
piled the Judge, "but we have none in
this court. Perhaps, though, Mr.. Mo
Gill will take you to see them"
"Oh, thank you, judge" the little one
said, "for 1 do want 10 see the poor
prisoners so much"
Mr.. McGill led the child to the cage
in the basement of the city hall build
ing, where prisoners are locked up while
awaiting their appearance in the Grim
inal court, and, as she peered through
the bars at them, her little eyes filling
with tears, she whispered to Mr.. McGill:
"Oh, isn't there something can do for
them, 1 feel so sorry for them?"
The child's words of sympathy and
sorrow were the first many of the
wretched beings had heard addressed to
them for years, the first, perhaps, some
had heard since childhood, and their
hardened faces softened, not few eyes
moistened and more than one MUIR
INJURED: God bless you, little one" as
their little visitor followed her guide
out of the gloomy prison walls.
One morning several days later there
came in the register of wills mail
box addressed in n childish hand.
Opening it Mr.. McGill found that it con-
tanned several punches of fragrant ar
butus. Among the flowers was note
from the little tot, asking him to dis
tribute the flowers among the prison
ars that day in the cage, with the in
junction that he should give the largest
bunch to the "baddest one" The cage
was again crowded that day, several of
the prisoners being those who were
there the day the child called. After
learning that the one charged with the
gravest crime was young negro man.
brought up for trial that morning for
murder, Mr.. McGill distributed the
flowers among the prisoners, giving the
alleged murderer the largest bunch.
AS he distributed them he explained
to the prisoners by whom they had been
sent, and that their little friend wished
them to know that she felt sorry for
them and hoped they would hereafter
be good. Each prisoner carefully pinned
his bunch of the sweet little flowers in
the lapel of his coat, and as the one to
be tried for his life was led upstairs 10
face the ordeal he remarked, gratefully:
"Tell that little girl, mister, that I'm
powerful glad to know dat I've got one
friend left me. Gawd knows dat isn't
guilty, and b'lieve dat He has done
sent me desc flowers to tell me dat it's
oil gwine to be right wild me-"
So it was that every prisoner who APP
peared that day in the two criminal
courts wore bunch of arbutus, and as
those who looked curiously at him ac-
cused him of killing his fellowman with
premeditated malice saw the modest.
fragrant flowers pinned upon his breast
they concluded that they were hardly
consistent with guilt. And they were
not. For on the second day of the trial
the jury in whose keeping the prison
er's life was declared, after short de-
liberation, that he had taken life in
defense of his own, and therefore they
acquitted him.
OF course Mr.. McGill wrote to his lit
tie friend, telling her of all this, and
day or two later another package came
to him with q note from her. The pack
age contained handsome copy of 1.-The
book of all books" and in the note she
requested him to hand it to the young
negro. Mr.. McGill sent for him, and
when he came handed it to him, explain
ing that it had been sent to him by his
little friend, who wrote that she wished
him to read it that be might know God
and keep His commandments. The man.
who had never before been charged
with crime, was very much touched,
and, after asking Mr.. McGill to tell the
child how much he appreciated her gifts
to him, said it had all been lesson to
him said it had all been a lesson to him
which he would strive to never forget,
and he left promising that he would try
to be at all times hereafter all that his
little friend would have him.-Washihg-
ton Star.