Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1855-12-07
SUNDAY READING.
Howard. the PhiIanthropls,

| In the town of Cardngton in England, once lived
a very good man named John Howard. He had a
large house and fine farm and hired many servants
His wife was kind and gentle lady, and made all
around her happy. But suddenly the good Mrs
Howard died. and her husband was left sad and
lonely. for his only child was still very small boy
not old enough to comfort his sorrowing father.
Mr. HoWard's home had lost its brightness and he
now resolved to follow the example of our Savior
who, while on earth, went about doing good Hay.
ing placed his under the care of good woman.
ne began to visit all the prisons in the neighborhood
NO one thought much about the condition of those
whose crimes had brought them to punishment, and
MI Howard was surprised and grieved by the dread
tul situation in which he found many fellow beings
For seventeen years he wandered about visiting
almost every jail and hospital in Great Britain and
Europe. He often published accounts of what he
had seen and thus drew the attention of great men
OF different countries to this subject on which thew
had before thought very little. 1t would be imposs-
BILE TO describe the miserable state in which he found
many of the prisons.
Men who had grown old in crime, and BOYS who
had been taken in their first open sin, women and
young girls were crowded together in one room bv
day, and at night slept In damp cells without cover
lng and often without even straw between them and
the cold stone floor Sometimes the wafer would
stand two or three inches deep on the floor. Their
food was scanty, coarse. and badly prepared. Only
t9w rays OF light came to cheer the dreary hours
for the prisons of Europe little better than dun
geons, dug down ten or fifteen feet IN the earth The
prisoners often SICK and then their suferings
were very great.
Though the generous efforts of MIR. Howard,
great change has been wrought in many places
lhe life and health of the prisoners are properlv
cared for; they are carefully tended in sickness:
chapels are provided and the gospel is preached to
them. To produce these results, Mr.. Howard gave
up the pleasure he might have enioyed at home and
wandering from country to country relieved. bv kind
acts and words, the sorrows of the suffering and er
ring.
heavy grief fell upon the last days of this noble
man His only son had grown to be Young man,
but instead OF being comfort to his worn and
weary father, he became his bitterest trial While
Mr. Howard was attending upon several sick sailors
IN the port OF Venice he received a letter from a
friend at home, bringing sad news his son was de-
ranged. 1t was terrible disappointment to his
hopes but he said " Shall receive good at the hand
of the Lord and shall not receive evil q" He has
tened hose as soon possible but the account was
too true, and he forced to place his son in q Iu
natlc asylum. Again he turned to the continent.-
For the seventh and last time he bade goodby to old
England He had stood for the last time by the
grave of his beloved wife; he had looked for the
last time on the grave of his son.
Ihe winter OF 1870 was very cold and stormy-
Mr. Howard spent several weeks in visiting the sick
soldiers who were stationed at Cherson in the south
ern part Of Russia
One day he was hastily requested to visit young
lady who was dangerously i'll at first he refused to
go, saying be was only physician to the poor who
couid not OBTAIN any one else but her friends urg
ed him SO much, that he at last consented Having
administered what medicines he thought best, he
lett, directing them to send for him if she grew bet
ter, adding, that if she grew worse which he feared
would be the case, it would be ofno use. The young
lady grew better, and her friends wrote to Mr. How
ard to come as iquickly as possible. By some mis-
take the letter was delayed eight days When MIR.
Howard saw how long it had been DELAYED on its
way, he feared it too late. No carriage was TO
be procured, so he mounted an old horse and rode
twenty four miles in cold, drenchiDg rain To his
great greet he found his patient very feeble, and on
the next day she died The cold, wet ride, and the
sorrow he felt on the ladys DEATH together with his
recent attction proved too much for his strength
After short sickness he died, far from kindred
and country, yet not without friends for his good
ness had made him beloved by all. He was buried
IN the place he had chosen, and the inscription he
had himself written was placed on the plain marble
slab over his grave:
JOHN HOWARD,
Died at Cherson in Russian Tarary,
Jan. 81, 1870, aged 64
Chrict 10 hox