The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1865-10-27

strangers could not pass through in
safety All this within half a century.
and in the capital of the British nation.
Nothing more need be said of the
need of reformation Into such a
scene it was that Elizabeth Fry, in
1918, accompanied only by sister of
that eminent philanthropist, her
brother-in-law, Sir Thomas Fowcll
Buxton, entered on her holy mission
of love.
Schools were begun in the prison
After the inmates had once heard the
tones of Elizabeth Fry's prayers, af
ter they had seen her, at her first visit,
put all attendants out and stand fear
lessly and confdingly alone among
them, reading in gentle accents the
the parable of the Lord of the vine
yard, and had seen that light Of love
that played always like the signet Of
an angel on her countenance, they
were gladly still, and listened. Glasses
were formed The prisoners became
monitors and teachers to each other.
Everything was done by general con
sent, and by n vote of the whole body.
Affection took the place of fear, and
proved to posse IS a more than equnl
authority Excellent women came in
to assist The sheriff and officers soon
learned to look on with respect, then
with admiration, then to furnish facil-
tiles and cooperate to the full extent
of their power Such is human nature.
that we can hardly say whether the
wonder was greater when the most
ferocious and inhuman within the
walls were converted, or when the con-
spicuous and influential personages
about the parliament house and palace
underwent conversion from their skep-
tlcism, and believed that the scheme
was not impracticable Impracticable
the word with which the false or TIM
id world always cheats Itself, when it
would postpone the blessedness Of do
ing right to some selfish convenience.
As an evidence how incorruptible
her singleness was, see her in two diff
ferent positions, in point of time not
az apart Ono day in 1918, Mrs.
Fry, on a public occasion, happened
to be in the same apartment with
Charlotte, then queen of England.
Prompted by spontaneous impulse,
the queen, having recognized her, in
her plain Friends dress, on one side
OF the platform, turned away from the
cluster Of nobility and splendor, which
thronged and elttered about her, to
offer her cordial respect to the unas-
Stunning philan hropist All eyes wait
on royalty; and the crowd Of specta-
tors watched the meeting. The mo-
ment the queen, covered with dia-
monds and gold, stood before the sim
pie Quakeress with her calmness I'M
disturbed, and her serene face scarcely
flushed by the distinguished notice, a
burst of plaudits rang through the
whole assembly, with shouts of delight
and sounds of reclamation which were
taken up and echoed by the multi
tude without, till they died away in
the distance This was enough for
human ambition, the crown shedding
its lustre on the untitled benefactor of
the poor, and the acknowledgment re-
sponded TO by the enthusiastic answer
of the people. Did it satisfy Elizabeth
Fry? She turned away with her in
vincible modesty unmoyed, and went
on her errands CT mercy as before.
A few days after this, convict-ship
laden with prisoners to be transported
to Botany Bay, and lately from New
gate, lay ready to weigh anchor in the
harbor of Deptford. The poor pas
sengers had been under the tender
ministries of Mrs Fry in the prison,
and they were now to take leave of
her and their country and kindred for
ever AS the scene is described by
eve witnesses: "She stood at the door
of the cabin, attended by few friends
and the captain of the vessel; the wo-
men on the quarterback facing them.
The sailors clambered into the
on the capstan, and mingled
in the outskirts of the group. The ST.
lence was profound Mrs. Fry opened
her Bible, and read from it in clear,
audible voice The crews of other
ships leaned over their rails on either
side. and listened with fixed attention |
She closed the Bible, and after short, /
still pause, knelt down on the deck /
and implored blessing from that
God, who, though one may SOW and
another water, can alone give the in