Page:Salem - a tale of the seventeenth century (IA taleseventeenth00derbrich).pdf/178

 against their affectionate pleadings. Life was pleasant to her, indeed—home and its loving endearments had never seemed so sweet; but more precious still was the immortal soul, which put its faith in God, and knew its own integrity. What to her were her few remaining days of the life on earth, that she should barter for them the blessed hopes of the life eternal?—and she stood firm.

The other beautiful and mitigating circumstance is the deep love and unwavering trust of her husband and children. They never doubted or forsook her. Day after day, early and late, braving the scoffs of the jeering and reviling crowd, they were at the prison, cheering her by the assurance of their unshaken love and trust, and supporting her by their tender ministrations. They left no means unessayed for her vindication: they put in new evidence; they got up petitions, testimonials, and remonstrances; they walked beside her to the place of execution, cheering and sustaining her to the last by the assurances of their unabated and devoted love; and when all was over, at the risk of