The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-04-29

Il hack with the comb. which had fallen, poured
water into the little stone ever, and begging
her to refresh herself placed her evening meal
before her. desiring her to eat. Graduaiiy
drawing her story from her the while, she
found it bore out the impression she had already
formed. that she had transgressed the laws, out
done nothing worthy of death. The girl was
the daughter of respectable parents, and had
herself always borne an upright character; but
npder the influence of the man she loved, she
had nassed forged notes thus adding one more
10 the melancholy list of those who, by the
finest impulses of their nature, uncontrolled by
religion have been lured to their own destruc-
ton And Oh. madam she concluded clasp
inc her hands with an anguished cry, " | feel
life so strong within me, that cannot believe
am so soon 10 be murdered-murder-
ed,v she muttered. "Oh, Henry, this for your
sake. But thank God, he has escaped she
added. suddenly looking up; he does not
know | am to be strangled out of existence. He
is forger now but that would make him a
murderer-he would thirst for the life of those
who dared the horrible deed"
Elizabeth tried to soOthe her excitement,
tried to comfort her with the thought that re-
pentance leads to salvation. But she was
nevertheless indelibly impressed with her re-
marks She remained with her for some hours
but when she left her, her mind rested upon
the dreadful responsibility incurred by thus
taking the prerOgative of the Almighty into
human hands In the restraints imposed to
prevent the commission of further crime, she
saw much that was salutary; but to hurry the
sinful out of existence, without afording them
an opportunity of proving their repentance, by
amendment of life, was in her view, very
awful And for so slight an error as this
poor girl was convicted of. the law appeared
almost sanguinary. Indeed she doubted the
efficacy of capital punishments, even for fla
grant violations of the laws; she thought it
hardened the heart, and rather increased than
diminished crime. One of the peculiar char
acteristics of Elizabeth's mind was, never to
follow out any train of ideas without arriving
at results and action on the subject was the
inevitable consequence of these results. With
such weighty object as the life of this poor
girl before her she lost not moment in trying
to gain her Il reprieve. In her case there were
circumstances of extenuati0n, though not OF
nature to alter the letter of the law. OF these
she made the most followed up by unremitting
exertiOns in her behalf
But one week was wanting to the dreaded
day of execution and as yet nothing had been
done by the authorities. Among the attempts
made. was one through the Duke of Gloucester.
Many years had elapsed since Elizabeth had
seen him-not since the days of the Earlham
festivities the scarlet riding habit, and the
military band at Norwich. How differently
did they now meet-on what altered grounds
renew their acquaintance. Her once slight
figure was now full but had lost nothing of its
perfect proportion; yet among the still rcdun-
dant hair, gathered beneath the matronly cap,
might be seen sprinkled a few silver threads
The mellow tones of her sweet voice rang upon
the ear of the Duke like aforementioned
chime of his early days, bringing back fragrant
thoughts and sun-lit dreams gone by forever
Even had he been so disposed, he could not
have resisted her appeal But he had felt too
warm an interest in the once lovely girl, to
deny himself the pleasure of serving the digni-
fed woman.
The condemned cell for women was q mar
row apartment with two windows, one CON-
manding the inner quadrangle, where were the
tried prisoners, not yet sentenced-the other
looking into a long passage, with an iron
grating on either side, dividing the tried from
convicts were permitted to communicate with
to pass her few days numbered upon earth, to
quit it no more till she left it for the scaffold
She was not aware of the efforts made to OBJ
tain her pardon, and, except when Elizabeth
was with her, she sat with folded hands, un
moved and impassive. Her department during
her confinement had always been quiet and
orderly; and some Of her companions in guilt
were heard to say she had been chosen earliest
for death, because she was best prepared for it.
The Duke came to Newgate and his former
companion in the dance led him with serious
aspect through its dark and gloomy avenues,
till they reached the iron grating Her name
was an "Open sesame" to many dreary dun
geon and as the massive bolt was drawn back,
the Dukes hand was extended to assist her in
descending the few steps leading into the mis-
cradle room. Their eyes met, and mentally
gether the mazes of the dance in the ante-room
of the old Hall
Harriet sat with her back towards the door,
but started up when it was opened, and, I'M
aware for the moment of the Dukes presence
fell weeping at the feet of Elizabeth ooh,
lady, cannot die Save me save mel She
chung round her, she kissed her hands, she inn
plored her by the mercy of the loving God, to
avert the impending doom 1t was the first
time that horror of the mode of death had en-
tered her mind. 81 have thought of the fu-
ture,n said she; ~ hope for salvation; but this
horrible gateway to be passed, to be swung
like a felon into eternity, oh !" With groan
she fell fainting on the ground. The Duke
raised her. and both bent over her with thrill
of unutterable feeling
More strenuous than ever were the efforts
IL - tha 81 off yIsi In
the prison The Duke left nothing unaccom-
plished that could tend to avert the fatal ca
tastrophe He accompanied Elizabeth IN
personal application to Lord 5; he joined
her in an application to the directors OF the
Bank in whose name the forged notes had been
issued But alas all in vain. The object OF
their solicitude was inevitably doomed; and
deeply both felt when on the appointed day
the misguided, erring, but repentant girl, sui
fcred the extreme penalty of the law
Distressed and panied as she had been by
the event, the modification of defeat never IN
duced her to relax her exertions She foresaw
that even in this case, good might eventually
be evolved out of evil Its publicity, and the
interett felt in the unfortunate girl, had been
the means of causing much excitement on the
subject of capital punishment "The states,
man viewed it more especially as political
question, in its tendency to increase or dimn-
ish crime. The phanthropist considered it
chiefly as it affected the individual. The mer-
chant and man of business regarded it as close
ly affecting the security of property Thus
many persons of rank and influence had been
induced to throw their weight into the right
scale. To touch 30 complicated machine as
the criminal code Of England, appeared an un-
dertaking too dangerous to attempt; yet such
was the pressure from without that something
must be yielded to popular feeling The sub
ject had become one of great interest, and after
many discussions, during succeeding sessions of
Parliament majority Of the House of Com
mons voted for the abolition Of the punishment
of death, in all cases Of forgery.
A Al