, 1873-06-29

dressed in blue and were seen indistuctly through
the lofty gratugs. From above and below, and
al around her, there came the metallic Swapping
OF bolts and the rattle Of moving bars; and so
significant was everything OF savage repression
and violence, that Miss Eunice WAS compelled to
cay family to horself, ~ an afraid it will take
little time to get used to all this"
/ She rested upon one OF the seats in the rotun-
da while tho chapel services were being conduct
cd, and she thus had an opportunity to regain q
portion OF her lost heart. She felt wonderfully
dwarfed aud belttled, and her plan Of
recovering souls bad, IL -: some way OF
her bright flowers revived her little, as did also
surprising, long-drawn roar from over her
head, to the tune Of America" The prisoners
| were singing.
work, for there we're several other ladies', also
| with supplies OF fiowers, who with her awaited
until the prisoners should descend into the yard
and be let loose before presenting them with
what they had brought. Their common purpose
made them acquainted. and BY the aid Of chat
and sympathy they fortified each other.
Half m hour later the 500 men descended from
the chapel to the yard, rushing out upon it's
bare broad surface as you have seen burst Of
| water suddenly irrigate road-bcd. A hoarse
! and tremendous shout at once filled tho air, and
echoed against the walls like the threat OF q vol
| cano. Some Of the wretches waltzed and spun
| around like dervishes, some threw somersaulte,
| some folded their arms gravely and marched up
| AOu QCHQ, GuUl8 lIAbtIulEGu, EuI16 WhlkeQ away
pondering, some took OF their tall caps aud sat
| down in the shade, some looked towards the
| totunda with expectation, and there we're those
who looked towards it with contempt.
t There led from the rotunda to the yard fight
| OF stops. Miss Eunice descended these steps
| with quaking heart, and a turnkey shouted to
| the prisoners over her head that abe and others
| had flowers for them.
No sooner had the words left bis lips than the
men rushed up poll-melL
| q a;o1
There thronged upon Miss Eunico an army Of
| men who were being punished for all the crimes
| in the calendar. Each individual here had been
Gagged because he wns either highwayman, OF q
murderer. The nnclean and fightful tide boze
| down upon our terrified missionary, shricking
and whooping. Every prisoner thrust out his
| hand over the head OF the one in front Of him,
and tho foremost plucked ut her dress.
She had need Of couraga. 4 senBe OF danger
| and contamination impeled her to fly, but d
| CLEAN OF reason in the midst Of her distraction
| enabled her to stand her ground. She forced
| herself to smile. though she kne" her face had
grown pale.
She placed bunch Of flowers into an immense
! hand which projected from coaEse blue sleeve
| in front OF her; the owner Of the hand was
! pushed away so quickly by those who came after
him that Miss Eunice failed to see his face.
! Her tortured ear caught a rough ''Thank =,
| miss!" The spirit Of Miss Crofutt revived in
| fash, and her disciple thereafter possessed no
! lack OF nerve.
She Piled the crowd with flowers as long as
| they lasted, and iaunty self-possesHion en-
abled her finally to gaze without ainching at the
she vas surrounded. Iustead Of retaining her
position upon the steps, she gradually descended
into the yard, as did several other visitors. She
began to feel at home; she found her tongue,
pride in noticing With what care md respect tho
prisoners treated her gifts; they carried them
shout with great tenderness, and some compared
them with those OF their friends.
Presently she began to recall her plans. It
occurred to her to select her two or three vii
laius. For one, sho immediately pitched upon
1ean-faced wretch in front Of her. He seemed
to be old, for his back was bent and he leaned
upon q cane. His festures were large, and they
bore Al expression Of profound gloom. His
head Was sunk upon his breast, his lofty conical
! esp Was pulled over his ears, and his shapeless
| uniform seemed to Weigh him down, 30 infrm
was he.
Miss Eunice spoke to him. He did not h.ar
she spoke again. He glanced ut hes like flash,
but without moving this was Ut once followed
by sczutinizing look. He raised his head, md
then turned towards her graye1y.
The eo1emnity OF his demeanor nearly threw
Miss Eunice off her balance, but aha mastered
herself by beginning to talk rapidly. The pris-
oner leaned over little to hear better. Another
came up, and two or three turned around tolook.
She bothought herself of incident related in
Hiss Crofutt'e book, and she essaTed its recital.
It concerned lawyer who was once
q man whoso crime had been committed under
the influence of dira want. In Lis plea he
described the OF another whom he knew
who Ind been punished with a just but ehort i'm
Judge had been at liberty to impose. but from
which he humanoly refrained- Miss Eunice
happily remembered tho worde at the lawyer:
''That man suffered like the wrong-doer that he
was. He knew his punishment Was just. @There-
pulse towards hotter life which was not sup
pressed and stiied by the five years he passed
within the walls Of the jail. He came forth and
began to labor He toiled hard. He struggled
against ayortea Faces and cold words; and he
nothing, and mover stumbled. He succeed
ed; men took OF their hats to him once
moro; he became wealthy, honorable,
tbs5 GsaeaEng seaat'msRp sRs am auotsa tet 3s
last declaration, Miss Eunice erected herself
with burning eyes, and touched herseH proudly |
upon the breast A flush crept into her cheeks,
and her nostri1s dilatod, and she grew tall
She came back to earth again, and found her
self surrounded with the prisoners. She Was q
little startled.
'Ah, that was good!" calculated tho old man
upon whom she had fixed her eyes. Miss Eunice |
felt ID inexprossible sense Of delight.
Murmurs Of appreciation came from all of her |
especially 4EQlA Ouo o4 LICK 1!EUt nduA.
She looked around st him pleasantly.
But the smile faded from her lips on behold
ing him. He Wss extremely tall and very power /
ugly, and forbidding; his gray hair aud beard !
we're cropped close, his eyebrows met at the |
bridge Of his nose and overhung his large eyes |
like ! screen. TIis'lips we're very wide, and, be- |
ing turned downwa1ds at the corners, they gave
him . dolorous expression. His lover jaw Was
square md protruding, and pair Of prodigious |
white ears projected from beneath his sugar-1oaf
cap. He seemed to take his cue from the old |
m1n, for he repeated his sentiment
"fes," said he, with voice which broke IL
ternatsly into q roar and Whisper "that was
good story"
"Y-5es,," faltered Miss Eunice, 'snd it has
the merit OF being t-true."
He replied with nod, and looked absently /
over her head while he rubbed the nap upon his
chin with his hand. Miss Eunice discovered
that his knee touched the skirt Of her dres5 and
she Was about 10 move in order to destroy this
contsct when she remembered that Miss Gro t
futt would probably have cherished the accident
ss promoter OF valuable personal influence,
30 she allowed it to remain. Tho lean~faced
I