The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-05-26


Hou touchingy sad those letters of theirs
-r.re ike his own to them, in their vigilant
..,-.ssion of all sadness How much more
.laa any speech their silence told Five years
Eve wears before he or any one could comfort
4.nl It was fortunate for him, though he felt
:. hard. that in common gratitude he was
f-,ad to restrain and compose himself, in order
% max the attentions due to his visiter.
Rroad.tone was admirably considerable, how
oyer He had been employing his leisure,
zbde Herman read, apparently in investigating
the deficiencies of his apartment. He exacted
only time enough to tell him that he had re-
e.red the first quarterly remittance of his in
e,me. which, by previous arrangement of
Edwards suggestion, was to be sent him regu
lary to supply Herman's needs so far as might
h. and that he should insist on providing him
., once with sheets and blankets to begin with.
He then drew paper, a portable inkstand, and
3 Den, from his pocket, babe Herman write his
answers as fast as he pleased, and promised to
cusrd the door, and give seaSonable warning
Of the approach of any intruder.
This was a rare privilege. Herman was al
lowed to write by the post four times year !;
but every manuscript in his cell was at all times
liable TO the inspection of any Of the officers
who could read; and he could not bear to have
the dear, sacred, household names of Constance
and Clara in mouths like theirs, or his pure and
reverent affection their jest Therefore he had
told Edward to ask them to let him copy all
their letters in his Enthusiastically masculine
hand. and to set to them only the manly sigma
lures Of Glare and Aspenwall, respectively; and
Herman, himself, had written to them as if they
we're men, the only time that he had yet been
allowed TO write. He poured out his full heart,
now. in few unconstrained, unstudied pages,
oyerfowing with love, gratitude and anxiety
for them. and of resignation and trust for him
self so far as he spoke of himself.
In the first year of his Imprisonment, how
ever. he seldom did speak to them of himself
except to say that he was well-and for the
most part, when he did SO, it was indirectly and
briefly, in brief sentences, which, having the
ar OF abstract quotations, would give out their
meaning to those readers only for whom it was
intended and pass unnoticed by those who had
no right TO 1t.
Better souls than mine," he would then
say, have looked through iron bars before me.
and seen the better for it. Clear and open
windows are the best for getting views of this
world through -g grated and darkened ones
often, for getting clear views of the other. The
unjust reproaches of men--if we can learn by
them 10 attune our hearts so that the echo
which thev awaken within us is forgiveness, and
not resentment-may be but the prelude to the
congratulations of angels. The Imprisonment
Of the body may be the enfranchisement of the
soul
Sometimes, too. his meditatons accumulated
IN the form of verses, which he sent to his be-
trothed and sister. These spoke on the surface
only Of hope, courage, and trust but it was
easy to see that it could be only a very deer
and heavy sorrow in him, which could draw
him so near to the source of consolation.
In the mean while, through all, and in all-hs
knew not how-his life became by slow degrees
subimed into a prayer-one long intensity o
answered prayer. He soon began to prove
again, as he had done before, by his own expe
Renee, the solemn and inexplicable mystery
that il is by the hands of the greatest earthly
sorrows that the highest heavenly blessings are
Sent down to man. He entered gradually
sIowl V, surely, into the awful bessedness OF thu
thon-crowned Son of Man and God. Thus
day by day, and night by night, in Loneliness
that vet was the highest companioyshlp, IN fast
ings that fed and vigils that refreshed has soul
and in proftess and sordid toll, that helped
to furnish royalty his heavenly mansion-thf
highest ioy and deepest grief fought within hin
for the mastery, and wore invisibly within, upor
the clay sheath of MS unresting spirit.
Broadstone hpdceforth came to see him every
few weeks DE brought him not only letters
but books. from Mr.. Halifax's excellent little
library. and clothing. OF the latter, he stood
IN great need The penitentiary had beer
sod-so at last it was generally understood
byuS inmates-for ten years, profits, prisoners
and all, To the highest bidders. 1t was con
Quoted on an economical plan. The care o
providing clothing for the convicts devolveG
chiefly uyon the gentle ladies of the wardens-
Mrs Rqdrick, and her step-mother. Mrs. Log
who ID not love one another tenderly, or, il
short (" not to put too fine a point upon il,
hates each other as hard as they could.
according to the judicious system of division
ofiabor which prevailed among these TIVE
khgs and queens of Brentford, the royal house
a Rodrick were TO provide shoes and panta
looms for their subjects, and the house of Log
caps and shirts; so much was agreed bu
which was to provide jackets, and which stock
lags Tor winter, was a long-mooted question
pending the settlement of which, many of the
PRISONERS went without both, in some Of the
coolest weather which ever visited the 6re-fec
state OF Bondage, until some of them managed
oy hook or by crook, words which admirably
picture forth the appearance of their knitting
needles before they had done with them, to
Knit some loopholy and hooflike or banana
'oOied socks for themselves, at odd minutes.
herman did not give away quite all his stock
l1gs; 6u as to his blankets, he was incorrigible
Inc region was one of fever and ague. Man,
men were sent ont to work In a costume NOR,
picturesque than saiubrious. The rogues soor
round out what physician it was best to senC
.or al night, when they were shnddering in thei
snakes; and DR.. Arden would roll his pa
ueh'S up snugly with his own good bed-clothe
1louha them, in their dank, chilly cells, anC
IT'er nave the heart to ask them back again
4lI inend almost always found him minus
.Ol1ed, but re supplied him; and Broad
:eIne bundle of bedding" became a standing
y.Ae IN The prison. The wardens kindly winkeC
an innovation which, as they Justly OBJ
LED did nobody any harm. They found
bo lnan profitable; and even Captain Rodricl
soss an 70 treat him accordingly, when he was
Og T winch not infrequently happened.
~ Ne treated him still more accordingly, after
S .e enc OF the first year. Rodrick's chief re
lining I'm point was his love of his little girl
s Imu L., May, from hereditary predisposition
rSv ,aoored under the baptismal name of Ma
bsan but in her case the judgment had
lsn merclfully commuted in common par
r. 'g 81 little May was always fiuttering to and
dns,r iiAe a stray butterfly, through the close
pr;s:n workshops or shadowy passages of the
Sn t1Tl' In spite Of her pale cheeks and Ian.
spoii eyes, she was pretty, and, in spite of much
nonno.sii gentle and loving. Her parents pro.
tbsra Feu her not long for this world - and
work C nn, as II IN order to make their prophecy