E.W. Farnum, aided by Mrs.
Johnson, Miss Bruce, and other ladies, who all united sisterly
sympathy with energetic firmness. Margaret thus describes her
impressions:--
'We arrived on Saturday evening, in such resplendent
moonlight, that we might have mistaken the prison for a
palace, had we not known but too well what those massive walls
contained.
'Sunday morning we attended service in the chapel of the male
convicts. They listened with earnest attention, and many were
moved to tears. I never felt such sympathy with an audience
as when, at the words "Men and brethren," that sea of faces,
marked with the scars of every ill, were upturned, and the
shell of brutality burst apart at the touch of love. I
knew that at least heavenly truth would not be kept out by
self-complacence and dependence on good appearances.
'After twelve at noon, all are confined in their cells, that
the keepers may have rest from their weekly fatigue. But I was
allowed to have some of the women out to talk with, and the
interview was very pleasant. They showed the natural aptitude
of the sex for refinement.
Pages:
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202