Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1875-08-25
LADY FRANKLIN.

Franklin (who died In London July 10,
1879 for which her virtues have not
furnished occasion. We should have
marvelcd ut such life as hors, had we
learned of il from the pages Of some
excelling novel, as something too beau
tiful and too heroic to be realized by
actual womanhood; knowing how real
il was up TO the moment Of its ending,
we can but point II out as precious
example, to be embalmed forever in
the human heart and followed out in
human action. The dates and the
facts which form the fabric OF her story
arc easily recalled. Lady Jane mar
red Sir John in the spring Of 1928
He had just returned from his second
Arctic expedition, famous man his
first wifc-a woman, as we read, of
rare devotion and sympathy for her
husband, for upon her death-bed she
refused to allow him to detain the ex-
pcdition for her sake-had died the day
following that upon which he left Eng
land and we may believe that his
heart sorely needed the comfort which
it found in its new companionship.--
He was still in his early manhood she
just blossoming from girlhood into wo-
manhood. Their married life was
marked on his side by stoutness Of
courage and infexibility Of purpose
on hers by unbroken faith and cling.
ing devotion. 1t was q union Of vir-
tues. When Sir John assumed the
governorship of Van Dieman's Land
in 1886 she accompanied him thither,
supplementing the wisdom of his rule
by many kindncsses, for which she
was ever held in grateful remembrance
Together they returned to England in
1843, where two years were spent in
busy preparation for the fatal expedi.
ton in search Of the Northwest pass
age. Sir John sailed away May 19
1S45. A year rolled by, and then an.
other, and the doubts concerning the
fate of the explorer and his gallant
comrades took definite shape in Lady
Franklin's offers of rewards for news.
But no news came, and expedition af
ter rexpedition returned home voiceless.
She spared neither friends, money nor
time in tho labor to which she had de-
voted her life She spoke to America
across the sea, begging her aid, and
the equipment of the two Grinnell ex.
peditions was her answer. When these,
like the rest, proved fruitless, the fate
of Sir John seemed too sure TO be Ion
ger sought after. But for the brave
lady, whose love was for all time, there
could be no such thing as despair
She, almost alone Of all her friends,
still believed her husband living, and
refused to abandon the search. She
counted no expenditure too costly, no
solicitation thrown away, that went to
solve the doubt. For fifteen years
years that must have been full Of
anguish, though her courage never
failed her-she followed out her noble
purpose, and when her triumph came
celebrated itlwith tears. For when Nc
Clintock had returned from his three
years search, it was known that Sir
John had died June II, 1847, on his
way home after discovering the North
west passage and that of the one hun
dred and FIVE comrades who survived
him not one escaped the winters perils.
A few meagre documents, discovered
in a cairn upon the shores of King
Williams Land, told the sad story
Lady Franklin, growing gray with age
and widowed now even from hope, no
longer doubted Sir Johns fate. bnt 70
solyad a.. Inucn as might De lett
Of life 10 her should still be her hus-
bands. How faithfully she has ad-
bered TO that resolve there are few
who do not know. There has not been
a single expedition fitted out since then
that her prayers have not followed,
and the ocean was powerless to sepa-
rate her from our lamented Hall when
she knew that he could tell her of the
northern seas. Almost her last thoughts
were of Arctic exploration, for when
the Pandora sailed away, generously
already lying in and knew that she
would never live to SEQ the ship come
home.
This was Lady Franklin's life. This
was the the love OF a wife for her hus-
band, living or dead. 1t was a life, a
love, that had nothing paroxysmal in
1T nothing, so far as we know, Of that
passionate emotion which some are
pleased to take as type. Those of
us who have come TO believe that mar
riage is simply social institution that
we can modify or annul, according as
our affection lasts, may even be inclined
10 mention as foolish that interpreta-
tion, of duty which constituted her per-
petual happiness. But there will be
others to point to the scandals with
which our society is continually occu-
pied, and contrast the faithlessness of
the moment with the singlcness of de-
votion that Lady Franklin held through
fifty years. The state of widowhood
is ennoblcd by her life, as all woman
hood is blessed, in that the memory to
which she was welded lived 10 be
constant inspiration to good deeds and
pure purposes. For this let us erect
monument to her in our hearts 10 re-
mind us when we grow skeptical that
this age had one brave and true lady
-Franklin.-Philddelphia Times.