Mr. Littlewood reminded Peace that the day of his execution would be Shrove Tuesday, and the day following that Ash Wednesday, the first day in Lent. He pointed out the peculiar appropriateness of various passages in the Prayer Book, particularly the well-known words of the Communion Service commencing “Let us therefore return unto Him who is the merciful receiver of all true penitent sinners, assuring ourselves that He is ready to receive us, and most willing to pardon us, if we come unto Him with faithful repentance, if we submit ourselves unto Him,” &c.
He also directed his attention to the introductory sentences of morning and evening prayer, the Confession and the Absolution, as well as the seven Penitential Psalms, the beautiful words of which might almost have been written to meet the case of a great sinner like the condemned criminal crouching behind his prison bars.
The convict seemed pleased at Mr. Littlewood’s attention, and glad to have anything to occupy his mind. He asked the reverend gentleman to turn the leaves down at these passages that he might ponder over them in his cell.
As Mr. Littlewood was preparing to leave, Peace, with tears in his eyes, said, “I suppose, sir, we shall never meet again in this world. I pray God to bless you, and all your family, and I pray we may meet again in heaven.”
Then taking the left hand of the warder, who, at the same time, took Mr. Littlewood’s right hand, the two parted, the visitor leaving the cell deeply affected by the interview, while the miserable being he had left was lifted wearily back into his bed, where he turned his face to the wall and wept.
CHAPTER CLXVIII.
AFFECTING FAREWELL LETTERS &C., FROM PEACE TO HIS WIFE AND FAMILY.
Peace, for a criminal, was a voluminous letter-writer, and after he had been sentenced to death no restriction whatever was placed upon his writing proclivities, and he indulged them to the full. When weary of writing himself, he enlisted the assistance of one of his warders, who penned at his dictation.
More than a week previous to his execution, Peace conceived the notion of writing a farewell letter to his wife, to each of his children and relatives, and to some of his friends, and of handing them to the chaplain when he was on the scaffold that he might post them for him.
He employed his time in writing or dictating these letters, and in a few days he had sixteen completed. He then handed them to the chaplain, who posted them as requested.