Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1860-02-11
ELIZA LEE FOLLEN.

| The Abotionists Of Massachusetts who assem-
bled themselves together, according to their nnnu
al usage, the last week, had their meeting agair
baptized in sorrow. Last May they had to mourn
over the instant loss of the earnest and generou,
lovey, as the year before they had had their gath
ering darkened by the funeral of the long
tried and beloved Loring. Ths pang which
this newe grief struck to many hearts was the
keener for it's suddeness. The last illness of Mrs.
Follen was short, and was known to most of that
Ant-Slavery assembly first by the announcement
of its fatal ending. The tidings could scarce be
believed. 1t was hard to think that Death could
still the plNy of those beaming features, and
quench forever the light of those lustrous eyes,
None could believe that more than three-score and
ten years had passed one whose heart still
glOwed with more than the enthusiasm of youth,
and whose face radiant with better than
youthful beauty. What had Death to do with
Such an one she?
And yet it was not an unmeet time for her de-
parture from the earth. A life that had given the
flower OF its prime of wOmanhood and the ripe
ruiton Of its age free-will Offering to the SER
vice of the American Slave was not unitly ended
at season especially appointed for his helping.
In life, she would not have failed to lend the light
of her countenance, the sympathy of her heart,
the wisdom Of her counsel, to that congenial Ami
yersary In death, she hallowed it, and made it
epochal in the memories Of many hearts. Mrs
Follen has been SO long an integral part Of the
Anti-Slavery movement that it is hard to UNDER
stand how it can exist without her. Very few in
deed, none but the very earliest of it's founders
MI Lola adar ne har in, lie.
As soon as its banner was unfolded, she and her
admirable husband-her fitting nate and man
whose character it is no vulgar abuse of terms to
call iustrious-were among the very first that
rallied to H. in the days Of its very smallest things
So small were they that the fury of the storm it
vas soon to excite was looked FOR by none But
when il came, they faced it together, and stood
unshaken when it was at its fiercest. The danger
in which social position, ancient friendships, pro
fessional standing, the chances of useful labor
even, were being swept away never dauDted those
serene and faithful souls. Nor did metaphysical
refnings, however recommended by warm personal
friendship, and urged by the highest intellectual
skill, ever lure them to descend to a lower plane
of principles or of action than the one on which
they had first planted themselves. The fidelity of
0oth was unsWeVerlpB unto ueath. Neither OF
them knew selfShness or fear.
For more than half of her anti-slavery life, Mrs
Foen has been Immediately connected with the
conducting of the Movement, as a member of the
Committees Of the American and the Massachu-
setts Anti Slavery Societies TO this service she
brought her natural gift of organization hieh
was to be seen in the daily beauty of her domestic
life and the details of her refined and happy homo.
No one was clearer of vision as to what should be
done and as to the method of doing it. Nothing
was great or too little for her activity Of mind
aud Of hand
Few persons have ever had moro direct power
over all that came within the reach of her influ-
ence, or such gift to set the mind thinking and
the body busy in whatever work she had in hand
10 her long experience in the cause she added an
intuition into it's nature and its needs, at each
successive crisis Of its fate, and an enthusiasm of
feeling and of manner in developing it. which
made Ler the wisest. the discreetest the Lest and