The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-04-22

domestics, an indulgent mistress; to the poor,
she fulfilled the injunction to clothc the naked.
feed the hungry, and visit the sick. And the
amount of individual. labor she accomplished,
by giving to each moment its appropriate occti-
patton is almost incredible. That she had able
and wise co-operators in her more extensive
plans. is true but she was the originator, the
moving spirit of them all In her house, her
Inequalities were extended and she made it
pleasant resort for the numerous yisiters at
tracted by her loneliness and worth. She con-
tinued her daily diary and was accurate in the
keeping of her accounts.
During all these years, but few clouds had
marred the sunshine of her horizon Her hus-
bands uninterrupted prosperity in business,
and the consequent snfhciency of means for her
| manifold charities the continued health of her
children and her pleasant recreations of tray
cling, with an occasional visit to the Hall at
Earlham, appeared like combination of cir
cumstances remarkably conducting, not only
to her happiness, but to her almost unexam-
pied success She had. it is true. experienced
| frequent and prostrating illnesses, she had
known trials and sorrows, but the deepest bap-
tisms of affection had been spared her. The
lessons taught by adversely were yet to come.
Submission was hard indeed, when blow
iCti upoh hCt uutNCiibS Htdit iOi WIZ
almost paralyzing it. This was the death of
her darling child, the little Elizabeth. She
possessed, with the soft blue eyes and faxen
hair of her mother, much of her nature and
disposition selfwiled, but always amenable
to gentleness and love; her clinging arms
would often embrace her after some mild re-
proof and with her head nestled in the mater
nal bosom, she would beg to be forgiven, with
such winning tenderness, that an overhowing
JOY would fill the heart of the devoted mother,
and in her deep gratitude for the possession of
such household treasures, n song of thanks
giving would gush from her lips
The child was i'll but few days and appre-
hension for the result was only beginning to be
felt ere the white winged Angel of Death bore
her to heaven in his arms. During the short
period of her illness, with an inexpressible
animation beaming upon her flushed counte-
| nance, she would sing the hymns, or recite the
stories her mother had told her, and often laugh
gaily rs she repeated droll anecdote. But
| her thoughts dwelt most on Heaven, and Gal
| mighty" as she always called the Saviour.
Oh dear mamma, said she, after awaking
| from quiet sleep, show sweet it is. that the
| little children stand before Him when they
die! love mamma, but love Almighty bet
ter and when ! am gone to Him, and have
! beautiful wings will come. as an angel home,
sometimes few hours of Inconsistencies,
and the still ending came. The mothers heart
was indeed shrouded in sable, but dimly through
her falling tears she recognised the hand that
had smitten, and murmured not
Soon after this event. unavoidable business
arrangements called her husband for consid-
cradle time again to London She decided upon
accompanying him but, considering it inexpe-
dent to remove her large family thither
placed the elder girls with one of their aunts
sent the boys to school, and, taking the two
youngest children, was once more in the
metropolis. Even this temporary separation
brought a pang to her heart: but it was una
voidable, and with true Christian philosophy
she endured cheerfully what it was not in her
| power to control.
| For the first time perhaps, since her mar
ried life, she had leisure hours but to one of
her unfaling and energetic activity, this was
no indulgence to be idly enjoyed She regard
ed the gift of time as an invaluable blessing,
and always keeping in mind the preciousness
of each moment felt that its proper occupa-
ton was a matter of Importance. A new era
was dawning in her existence We have seen
her hitherto assduous in ameliorating the evils
directly surrounding her; but a larger scope
for her remarkable talents in mnistering to
the necessities of the degraded was now af
forded her, and in prayerful love and pity foi
these, she entered upon her calling. Could
she then have foreseen the results of her la.
bors how would her grateful heart have bowed
in thankfulness for having been made the will
ing instrument of Him who pardoned tho re.
pentant Magdalen, and said to the thief on
the cross, "This night thou shalt be with me
Tin Paradise
The poor she aided in vigorous efforts to help
| themselves, encouraging them to industry and
| frugality but it was for the sinful and outcast
that the deepest sympathies of her nature were
| awakened -
| This winter in London was eventful in many
respects. Her first visits to its dark and dreary
prisons impressed her deeply Her mind dwelt
on the revolving scenes she witnessed day and
night. The damp, filthy cells, the noisome
effiuvia of the terrible dungeons, and the I'M
restricted association Of the poor vile creatures,
some only imprisoned for petty thcfts, while
others deeply dyed in crime were their every
day companions. She appealed to magistrates,
she interested clergy, she sought the aid of her
own sex, she laid written statements of facts
before the Government praying for legislative
action for the removal of these evis--her har-
monious voice, her sweet demeanor, her wo-
manly dignity, ever conspicuous throughout
the whole of her proceedings
But her labors carried on long after her re-
turn to Plashet House, where the family were
reunited, were interrupted by the crushing
blow of the failure of the house of business in
which her husband was partner, involving
them in train of sorrows and perplexities
peculiarly distressing The necessity for giving
up the sweet home endeared by the fondest
recollectiOns was unavoidable and of the cup,
so oft Of late replenished, as it were, from the
waters Of Marab, she now seemed destined to
drink the dregs.
Never more conspicuously shone forth the
true-hearted woman, the sympathlziDg wife,
the self.sacr6cing mother, and, above all, the
mcekly enduring Christian. She wept bitter
tears in her overwhelming grief, yet witnessed
| by her actions that her faith and love were as
strong when clouds rolled heavily above her,
| as they had been in the sunlight Of prosperity.
The Sabbath following the occurrence was
| long remembered by the congregation gathered
in the little meeting house near Plashet. Eliz-
abeth took her usual seat, calm, but sorrowing.
| A pause of the deepest silence ensued, when
the silyery tones of her voice were heard, clear,
distinct. and mpressiye-"T Though He slay me,
vet will trust in Him. Tears fell from eyes
unused to weep and the unbroken silence,
continuing throughout her brief discourse, tes-
tilted TO the heartfelt sympathy of her au-
dience
It was poignant grief TO the whole house
hold TO leave Plashet House. Here had the
children been born, reared, and educated, and
| IL was the scene of their purest pleasures
Parting also with the old servants, the poor,
and their fourishing schools gave them an
acute sense of sorrow. foundations abound
ed but the tide Of sympathy flowed in alike
from the great and lowly, attestlng by how
many and how much they were beloved
Once more settled in London, Elzabeth's