Telegram-herald., 1891-08-11
A NOBLE WORK.
A Lady whose Delight A. 10 Minister 90
fi.s uafoftaaats-

fi.s uafortaaats-
There 10 at least one person IN tae
city of Grand Rapids who does world
OF good. and so persistent and untring
is the iab0r when results ia this good
performed, that . remarkable excep-
ton 70 the general ruie Is presented.
Tie one referred 20 Is Miss Mary stuart,
or 81 Mt. NeFnoa-sI. About three years
ago, tnis young lady. with the object
IN view Of doing whatever she could Tor
the poor, unfortunate. Allen creatures,
commenced the establishments of
library at the county jail She sought
no aid from the outside, tut with 4
resolate determination began The woTk
alone. Al first she had few looks
Every Sunday afternoon, promptly at
o'clock. for three years, Alss stuart
has not Jailed 10 ne present 81 the jail.
She passes the books around 10 the
prisoners, and then, with u sweet smile
and kind word for each, talks 10
them, shows them the folly OF their
ways and endeayors 10 direct their
thoughts 10 higher plane OF life. Her
little library now numbers about 200
books. Each contains sonethlng, the
c4lClt VI WulVu 10 W C0QtstC VIC QC-
based mind, go that an appreciation of
something better is possible. The fact
that this little piece of charitable wor k
Is being carried out has been made
known before, but so modest is Mtss
Stuart that she never would consent to
have her name mentioned In connec-
ton with it. The liberty is taken TO
give her name to the public this time
agsirst her wish, as II IL thought that
the people should be aware OF the fact
that there IS lady IN the city VINO
deserves 30 much commentator upon
her merits.
She has received unsolicited help in
q small way several times, but the gen
erous glvers never know TO whom they
were rendering their contributions.
The books which she now possesses have
been preserved with scrupulous care,
but have been read and reread many
times. Miss Stuart works SIX days I
the week as . clerk for Nelson, Matter
4 Co., but however tired she m'y be, or
what the attractions and temptations
are 10 remain away she sacrifices them
all to visit the Jail each Sunday. The
| prisoners expect her and watch for her
coming as eagerly as they wait for
their sentences to expire. They are
cneered by her visits and none of those
ever confined in the jail have been so
r,ldo, though they represent the lowest
class Of humanity, as to offer her an
insult of the slightest nature. More
than once has the hardened criminal
shed tears of Illumination, regret and
sorrow under the softening influence OF
her encouraging words. Those who
| hayereformed and owe their improved
| condition to Miss Stuart are counted by
tens, and occasionally she receives
letter thanking and lauidng her for what
she has done. So sensitive is Miss
Stuart to praise, and so void Of Ostenta-
ton is her benevolent work accom-
/ plished that until now few have known
| that she has been and Is doing anything
at ali. Miss Stuart thinks it would be
nice to ha-c large collection Of books
but waits ur.:l she can afford to buy
them herself. If ever there was an
angel on earth Miss Mary Stuart is one,
and the highest praise ls due her for
her charitable and Jealous exertions in
| the interest of humanity.