The following incident occurred on
our visit to Libbey Prison as related in Chap.
12th While being shown over the prison
by the officer in charge, we saw several
soldiers who were under guard for some
offence or breach of discipline. Some of
these had a heavy iron ball attached to
their ancles by a stout chain a few feet in
length, so when they moved about they
were obliged to lift the ball and carry it
in the hand. Miss Gardner asked the
officer what they had done to deserve such
a punishment. He told her they had
attempted to desert. "And they must
be punished like this just because they
wanted to be free?" said she in horrified
tones. "Why Madam" was the reply. "I
think desertion is the greatest crime a
soldier can commit!"
These were the different points of
view of a Quaker woman and a
military man.
