PERSONAL APPEARANCE OF MRS. FRY. 301
turned away with a mixture of shame, others express ing only stupid indifference. Oh, children ! had ye no mothers to warn you of this ?
I am told that, in some cases, their mistresses, for the theft of a slight article of dress, have given them up to such ignominy. It was painful to look upon the sin and sorrow thus exhibited by my own sex. " Who maketh thee to differ ? " was never before so forcibly impressed, or with such a humbling consciousness of innate infirmity.
The brief pause was broken by the entrance of a lady of commanding height, and of plain garb and countenance. Every eye was fixed on her, and the dignity of her calm benevolence seemed to be felt by all. There was about her the quietude of a soul con versant with high duties, and not to be satisfied with so poor an aliment as the applause of man.
This was Mrs. Fry. With a peculiar melody of voice, and that slow intonation which usually distin guishes the sect to which she belongs, she read from the Bible, and after a few simple remarks and touching admonitions, knelt in prayer. But neither in her com ments, nor in the solemn exercise of devotion was there a single allusion which could harrow up the feelings of the unfortunate beings who surrounded her. Over the past a veil was drawn. It was to the future that she urged them to look, with " newness of life." She came with all gentleness of speech, as to the " lost sheep of the house of Israel." She spoke of the infinite compassion of the Redeemer, of the joy that there
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