tention was somewhat
distracted by the grand company present; but Mrs. Fry, with her
accustomed common-sense, reminded them that a greater than the King of
Prussia was present, even "the King of Kings and Lord of Lords." After
this admonition she read the 12th chapter of the Epistle to the Romans,
and expounded and conducted a short devotional service. Then, she says,
"the King again gave me his arm, and we walked down together. There were
difficulties raised about his going to Upton, but he chose to persevere.
I went with the Lady Mayoress and the Sheriffs, the King with his own
people. We arrived first; I had to hasten to take off my cloak, and then
went down to meet him at his carriage-door, with my husband and seven of
our sons and sons-in-law. I then walked with him into the drawing-room,
where all was in beautiful order--neat, and adorned with flowers. I
presented to the King our eight daughters and daughters-in-law, our
seven sons and eldest grandson, my brother and sister Buxton, Sir Henry
and Lady Pelley, and my sister-in-law Elizabeth Fry--my brother and
sister Gurney he had known before--and afterwards presented twenty-five
of our grandchildren. We had a solemn silence before our meal, which was
handsome and fit for a king, yet not extravagant, everything most
complete and nice. I sat by the King, who appeared to enjoy his dinner,
perfectly at his ease and very happy with us. We went into the
drawing-room after another silence and a few words which I uttered in
prayer for the King and Queen. We found a deputation of Friends with an
address to read to him; this was done; the King appeared to feel it
much. We then had to part. The King expressed his desire that blessings
might continue to rest on our house."

Solomon says: "Seest thou a man diligent in his business he shall stand
before kings; he shall not stand before mean men." Elizabeth Fry's life
was a living proof of the honors that a persistent, steady, self-denying
course of doing good invariably wins in the long run.

CHAPTER XV.

CLOSING DAYS OF LIFE.

Indefatigable workers wear out, while drones rust out. As the years are
counted, of so many days, months, and weeks, many workers of this class
die prematurely; but a wiser philosophy teaches that "He liveth long who
liveth well." Into her years of life, long, eventful, and busy,
Elizabeth Fry had crowded the work of many ordinary women; it was little
wonder, therefore, that at a time when mo