The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1869-06-03
POETRY.
From the Banner of Light.
Justice Slow, but Sure. il

=. - Justice Slow. but Sure.
9tsHEsTER VAUGHN IS OUT OF PRIsoNl" 81
report the daily papers. Thanks, TO the grea
Spirit World for their efforts in her behalf
That the public may become familiar witt
the sad story, we publish Miss Lizzie Doten'l
great poem upon the subject, which appeared
in the Banner March 20th:a yL0HUTEE .
4. ra HESTER VAUGHN. 1851 baaI
) Hester Vaughn was tried for the crime O.
infanticide. She was convicted, and sentence
of death passed upon her. Subsequently, BY
the efforts of benevolent individuals, and the
pressure of public opinion, hersentence was
committed to imprisonment for life. Susan
A. Smith, N. D.. of Philadelphia, who visited
her In prison, and was chiefly instrumental in
obtaining her reprieve, gives the following
statement in relation to the circumstances at
tend ant upon her alleged crime. "She was de-
serted by her husband, who knew she had not q
relative in America. She rented third-storY
room in this city, philadelphia from a Ger
man family, who understood very little Eng
lish, She furnished this room, found herself
in food and, fuel for three months on twenty
dollars. She was taken sick in this room at
on the 9th OF February, and 1inger-
ed until Saturday morning the 9Th, when her
child was born. She told me she was nearly
frozen, and tainted, or went tosleepfor q long
time. Through all this period OF. agony she
was alone without noUristnaent or fire, with her
door unfastened. It has been asserted that
she confessed her guilt. I can sosemnly say in
the presence of Almighty God that she never
confessed guilt to me, and stoutly affirms
that no such word ever passed her lips"
Now by the common veal and woe,
Uniting each with all
And BY the.snares we may not know,
Until we blindly fall
4, Letevery heart by sorrow tried tsI
Let every aoomaan born, 9ib ss4
Feel that her cause stands side by side
With that of Hester Vaughn. q 81 /
4 woman, famished for the.love aa7g
9y All hearts so deeply crave, 5s
p Whose only hope was Heaven above,
ilonn To succor and to save; a. s'sa'
With only want, and woe, and care. 4
To greet her child unborn; Eoa ,,yor8
A weary burden, hard to bear, "a 7rsrq
Was life to Hester Vaughn. exp ar
No friend, no food, no fire, no light,
And face to face with death,
6he struggled through the weary night,
With anguish In each breath;
Till that frs / life which shared her own.
Had perAshed ere the morn, arf,
And LETT her to the hearts of stone. I'D
TLnt judged poor Hester Vaughn.
Who was it, that refused to draw
4 lesson from the time, ,.,s. I'D
And in the name of human law,
$685. Pronounced her grief CRIME son
Was her accuser, cold and stern,
Anan Of tOoman born, io 57afaa
oa Whose debt to woman could not earn
Some grace for Hester Vaughn ?,rra
The word of judgment is not sure,
To wealth and station high,
But that she was alone and poor,
Was she condemned to die.
Oh God OF Justice | for whose grace
The servile worldlings fawn,
Has not thy love hiding place,
For such as Hester Vaughn?
Como to the bar of Judgment, come, Il.
Ye favored ones of earth, u4.i baA
And let your naughty lips be dumb,
So boastful of your worth.
What virtues, or what noble deeds.
YoWT faithless lives adorn,
That thus bylaws, or lifeless creeds,
You sentence Hester Vaughn2
What countless crimes-what guilt untold
What depths of sin and shame,
Are giided by your lying gold,
Or hidden by name a
1e pave ysur social bells with skulls
OF Infants yet unborn; esfla
Then virtuous wrath suspicion lulls,
And brushes Hester Vaughn.
Ys who your secret sins confess.
Before the Eternal Throne
Adultersr and Adulteressi ~
What mercy have ye shown?
For place and power, for gems and gold,
Ye give your souls in pawn,
But Heavens fair gates will first unfold.
To such as Hester Vaughn.
The mills of God that grind so slow,''
viii "grind exceeding small :"
And time, atlength viii clearly show
The want or worth OF all.
Distinctions will not always be
With such precision drawn,
Between the proud of high degree
And such as Hester Vaughn.
Through Moysmensing's prison bars,
She counts each weary day,
Or meath the cslmly watching stars,
She wakes to weep and pray.
Thank God for her in heaven above.
as'E A brighter day will dawn, 5'lJ
And those.Who judge all hearts in love,
Will welcome Hester Vaughn.
l00rg EfAa From the New York World,
Women's Rights.
K es-s --------@- Q IS