Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-07-21
Isolation.
tor.s.nnl.I

i'' hNctiuS WIS 10 npflf oil efforts
Being made In the cause of prison ru-
form. Among those who were to speak
WAS Julia kennard, lady who had
been convicted of killing her uncle
with n hntchet and had served twelve
years In prison. When the speakers
came on to the platform, | picked her
ont at once by e. lines of suffering on
her face. watched her closely, ques-
ioning myself NJ to her bearing II
guilty III Innocent, she gave no clew.
She did not assume brazen look or
wear either lty or pcnitent one
She changed her position otter, as
though 1t were an effort for her to
face so many upturncd faces. Could
she do so at all. especially on num-
her Of occasions. If she were muir
deress? | did not believe she could
When she rose to speak. she looked
out upon her audience much rs any
other woman would who hud spoken
before from the rostrum. Few women
md comparatively few men can make
mn address. especially an extenporanc-
Gus one. Miss Kcnnard spoke slowly.
distinctly, every word expressing that
which II was intended to express, and
what she said was of interest Her
voice WAS feminine, mclodious and did
not Impress me unplcasantly, rs the
voices of women public speakers usual
~ do. On the contrary, 1t won me.
She was evidently worker in the
cause Of prison reform and gave re-
suits of her labors lntcrsperscd with
I few brief experiences OF her own prls-
on career. She did not refer to her
guilt or innocence or blame any one
for what she had suffered. When she
came to the close OF her address, she
snid that she could not have faced us
had she not felt that we were her
friends. She had already won my
sympathy. This last statement appeal
cd to my reason. a guilty woman
could not have spoken those words MS
she spoke them.
went home and to bed, but not to
sleep. That sad face was before me
heard the sympathetic voice. a pris-
on hns always been IL horror to me, and
my mind was filled with pictures of
this delicate woman stripped of the
hnblImcnts Of refinement and clothed
in prison garb. her wealth OF hair cut
and, thus degraded. thrust mercIlessly
Into n cell.
My resolution was taken. must see
Miss kennnrd, must speak with her.
A..
ing her acquaintance. She knew n
number of people prominent in the
work of prison reform, and l wns In
troducN to her by one of these. 1
made IN effort to establish between her
and me such friendship, intimacy
call 1t love, If you will-that might
have existed had II not been for her
conviction OF crime. her Imprisonment.
signally failed. She was thing
apart. All OF an ordinary life for her
had been lived before she had been
held M to the world as accused of n
criminal net. But one interest had
any hold upon hcr-the nmciorntion of
the condition of prisoners. She never
spoke of her own case except In rcla-
tlon To this object / waited To hear
her mention some incident that tended
to show her innocence, but no refer
ence to the Justice or injustice OF her
conviction ever came from her lips.
One day said TO her:
Let me hear from your own lips
that great mistake was made In your
case; that you were Innocent Of the
charge Of which you were convicted"
She looked Mt me with singular ex-
preston, an expression OF nesation
There wns no sorrow In 1t more than
tho habitunl sorrow that always chung
to her. And she suid:
would you know any more than you
know now?"
Not by reason; by confidence"
"a confidence dead rs soon IA born.
No; were 1t possible for you to have
TINT confidence you would never hnve
asked me to speak the words. If |
could inspire you with confidence to-
day, tomorrow you would he consider
ing the pros and cons in my case,
whether this or that net of mine de.
noted guilt or innocence. There is but
one secret cannot impart to an indl-
vidual or to the world-thc secret you
have dsked of me"
left her with. 1t seemed. an ley
hAnd gripping Mt my heart. l burned
to convince myself. the world. that she
was wronged woman. II l could
not. 1t seemed that would so mad
Then | would sny. why. even could
do this could not remove the stain.
the notoricty the brand of felony"
Then l made up my mind that |
must choose n path That should not
again cross hers. 4 lover tlebarrcd his
love may tell 1t and the reason why he
must resign the object of 1t. What
was there for me to tcll7 Love? How