Year: 1868

A little girl nine years of age offered as a
as q witness against prisoner, who was on
trial for felony committed at her fathers
house.


Nov, Emily said the counsel for the
prisoner, upon her being offered as witness,
Il desire 10 know if you understand the ma
ture Of an oath ?


4 don't know what you meau,' was the
simpb answer.


There, your Honor said the counsel ad-
dressing the Court, lis there anything fur>
ther tecessary to demonstrate the validity Of
my objection This witness should be
rejected. She does not comprehend the
nature Of an oath


Iet us zee, said the Judge. Come
here, my daughter


Assured by the kind tone and manner of
the Judge, the child stepped toward him
and looked up cOu6diugly in his face with
calm, clear eye, aud in a manner so artless
and frank, that it went right to the heart.


Did you ever take an oath ? inquired
the Judge.


The little girl stepped back with look of
horror, and the red bloom mantled in a
blush over her face and neck as she an.
swered:


NO, sirp


She thought he meant to inquire if she
had ever blasphemed


Il do not mean that said the Judge, who
saw his mistake. L only mean to ask if
you we're witness before p


No, sir was never in Court before,
was the answer.


He handed her the Bible, open.


do you know that book, my daughter 2


She looked at it and answered, 1T is the
Bible


DO you ever read it, he asked


Eyes, sir, every evening.


Can you tell me what the Bible is p


1T is the word of the great God,' she
answered.


well, place your hand upon this Bible
aud listen to what l say and he repeated
slowly and solemnly the oath usually ad'
minstered to witnesses.


Now said the Judge, you have sworn as
a witness, will you tell me what will befall
you if you do not tell the truth p


L shall be shut up in the States Prison


Anything else z


d shall never 60 to Heaven she replied.


How do you know this ? said the Judge


The child took the Bible aud turning
rapidly to the chapter containing the ten
/ commandments nninted tn the Injunction,
Thou shalt not bear false witness against
thy neighbor,' and said, 4 learned that be.
fore could read


Has any one talked with you about your
being witness here in Court against this
man 2 inquired the Judge.


Yes, sir she replied MY mother heard
they wanted me to be witness, aud 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 might understand how wicked
it was to bear false witness against my neigh>
Dor, aud that God would help me, little
child, to tell the truth as it was before him
And when l came up here With father, she
kissed me, and told me to remember the
ninth commandment, and God would hear
every word l said


DO you believe this ? asked the Judge,
with tear glistening in his eye, aud his lip
quivering with emotion.


Yes sir, said the child, with a voice
that showed that her conviction of its truth
was perfect.


God bless you, my child, said the Judge,
you have a good mother. This witness is
competent, he continued. 'Were | on trial
for my life, and innocent of the charge
against me, would pray to God for such a
witness as this. Let her be examined


She told her story with the simplicity of
a child, as she was, but there was a direct
ness about it which carried conviction of its
truth to every heart. She was rigidly cross
examined. The counsel piled her with in
finite and ingenious questionings, but she
varied from her first statement in nothing.
The truth, so spoken by that little child, was
sublime. Falsehood and perjury had preced.
ed her testimony. The prisoner had in.
trenched himself in lies till he deemed him>
self impreguable. But before her testimony
falsehood was scattered like chaf The lit
tie child for whom mother had prayed for
strength to be given to speak the truth as
it was before God, broke the cunning devie.
es of matured villainy to pieces like q pot
ter's vessel. The strength that her mother
prayed for was hers, and the sublime simplic>
ity-terrible to the prisoner and his assoc
ites-with which she spoke, was like reve>
lation from God himself.
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COUGH says be has lectured during his