illiantly illuminated, as likewise the
houses of nearly all the Protestants in Turin. Moreover, the news of this
happy event soon spread itself over the valleys. At nightfall some
hundreds of bonfires were kindled on the hills, and even upon the tops, yet
crowned with snow, and thus the joyous demonstrations of the Protestants of
the capital were united in by their brethren on the hill sides.

But two days after this there was a yet greater demonstration of gladness.
Deputations from all parts of the kingdom met in Turin to express their
united thanks to their monarch for the constitution bestowed upon his
people. The Vaudois assembled in large numbers, and, with the Protestants
inhabiting the city, formed a column of more than six hundred persons,
headed by ten pastors, and bearing aloft a magnificent banner of the
colours of Savoy, on which was written, embroidered in large silver
letters, these simple but expressive words--

"A RE CARLO ALBERTO I., VALDESI RICONOSCENTI."

(The grateful Waldenses to Charles Albert.)[G] While the large procession
was waiting to start, a deputation was sent to the Vaudois, begging that
they would take the place of honour. "Vaudois," they said, "until now you
have been the last; to-day justice must be done you, and you shall walk at
our head!" And so it was. The Vaudois column, preceded by its banner, and
surrounded by twelve children, dressed in the Italian costume of the
sixteenth century, opened the march; and then a spectacle unknown in the
annals of Piedmont was displayed in the capital, and by it to the kingdom.
In every street wherever the procession traversed, wherever appeared the
flag of the persecuted Church, hands clapped, handkerchiefs waved, hats
(even that of a priest) rose in the air, "Evviva ai Valdesi! Evviva
l'emancipazione!" burst from thousands of mouths, and many of the
spectators, leaving the ranks, came and hung upon the neck of some member
of the column, accompanying the act (sufficiently expressive in itself) by
words of a most affecting and brotherly character. The enthusiasm was
indescribable. What a contrast between the acclamations of that day and the
cries of "Death to the heretic!" which in other times these same streets so
often heard at the passing of some confessor of the gospel to a cruel
death![H]

What these festive proceedings foreshadowed as to the extension and
deepening of the piety and power of the church of the valleys must be
reserved f