Page:Elizabeth Fry (Pitman 1884).djvu/69

Rh comes every week to my house, and pays two shillings, as honestly and as punctually as we can desire. We give part, and lend part, to accustom them to habits of punctuality and honesty.

"Is that woman still in Newgate, whose husband was executed, and she herself condemned to death, having eight children?

"She is. "Has not her character been very materially changed since she has been under your care?

"I heard her state to a gentleman going through, the other day, that it had been a very great blessing to her at Newgate, and I think there has been a very great change in her. Her case is now before Lord Sidmouth, but we could hardly ask for her immediate liberation.

"What reward, or hope of reward, do you hold out?

"Rewards form one part of our plan. They not only have the earnings of their work, but we endeavour to stimulate them by a system of marks. We divide our women into classes, with a monitor over every class, and our matron at the head. It is the duty of every monitor to take up to the matron every night an account of the conduct of her class, which is set down; and if they have a certain number of what we call good marks at the end of any fixed period, they have for rewards such prizes as we think proper to give them—generally small articles of clothing, or Bibles and Testaments.

"Be so good as to state, as nearly as you can, what proportion of the women, without your assistance, would be in a state of extreme want?

"It is difficult to say; but I think we average the