The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-10-06
NEW sERIES-NO. tI9

1EW SERIES-NO. bI9
The Happss-t MAN in New York.
A reporter, who recently paid a visit to
Jenkins, says jenkins, In bis cell. is cheer
full, sociable and happy The celf ;a j;Oht
roomy and well ventilated - -
eff / went to one Of anr srat.c,eae
hotels, " said jenkins, az corldn, cet o.
good accommodations only y takine Mia
Of the grating through which he fslkad
and smifed), cas- somebody saws. stha
iron enters my SOUL"
He had his coat of, wore black pants.
and white vest. "My friends, who are
very kind to me-" said he, "furnish ma
with all the reading matter ! want, and
I have my choice, from the latest senss-
ton novels to OarlyleB Essays- s.
From grave to gay, from lively to severe.'s -
He took up one Of Miss Braddonh
novels in bis hand, and threw it on the.
table again. a t,ll -,
"But," he continued, 81 don't relish.
light reading in here as ! used to do. Z
never could read Carlyle until now. y
had no time to bother myself with Aiseess
ouliarities Of style tor the sake Of gstting
at his thought. But now, my leisure Is
more oppressive than otherwise; hA4S
time to read, mark and inwardly digess.
I have time to think-to mediate upoa
what have been reading. tell you, "Ia,
said, with keen enjoyment of the pleasant
train of his thoughts, resting himself with
one foot in an interstice of the cross-bars,
and his hands clasping two of the perpen-
dicular bars, It is true, - has BEEN said,
that it is not the annoant man seads, but
what he appreciates, which enriches his
mind. One mans mind will be filled W.
great thoughts by q single pregnant
tenoe, while anot6ers wal be empty :. =.
a day 3 reading. It's the same as sa1h
eating; it's what you digest that does you
good-that becomes, as il were, part of
your very beingsn
"True," said our friend. "Some peo-
pie read all then kvss, and never have an
original thought"
"Oh; yes, )" he said, I can plead guilty
to having read scores on scores of books
with very little profit. A man in business
does not have time to read. Now feel
the full effect Of every passage; some
passages seem to 60 right through me, I
know the truth of them 90 well in my own
experience. For instance, was reading
this morning in Carlyle Catching up the
large volume and turning the leaves with
nervous rapidity this way and that, until
he found the page he wished), and came
upon this"
!. He read sentence in the Paper upon
Mrabeau, where it is said, in substance,
the greatness Of some men is shown by
their failings, and that men with great
virtues and capacities, as well as great
faults and weaknesses, sometimes, after
exposure, failure or crime, develop latent
strength and nobleness.
Our friend remarked that it was a fine
passage.
II am better and happier man TO-
day, he said, his eyes kindling, than
have been for three years-perhaps than
have ever been. feel relief from old
burdens and freedom for new effort that
is almost exhilerating."
For the last three years have lived
in the suspense of certain exposure.
tell you it was terrible-terrih}e. knew
it must come, but I dreaded ia. I could
not leave the bank 1T held mel would
not nave staid in the bank day (he said
it haughtily) if bad dared to leave it. I
could have made fortune any time these
three years; and knew how to do it if I
could have got away from the bank
Here was q touch Of the old fever.
"I knew then, and know bow TO 9 +
now! II could have been left by NY.
self after this, or could have five years
now, could have paid up all this thing
by my own hand. have got over the
suspense and the exposure, and am new
man. The exposure was the worst. FL
could stand that, I could stand anything.
The man that was with me Garl) could
not stand it, and he committed suicide.
But when got through with that, it was
the end OF my punishment They cannot
hurt me now. Ny punishment is over.
:" You knew, " he said, relapsing with en-
joyment of his thought again into meta
physics, "the law of compensation in the
human mind, as everywhere, is such that
man cannot suffer beyond q certain
Lief. A disease can only go beyond GER
tain point; then the patient dies or be-
comes convalescent."
81 am convalescent. have passed
over the limit of mental suffering. They
may put me in cells /; they may con6ne me
for years; but shall be happy wherever
/ am. l don't expect anything; have
no right to expect anything only hope
for leniency. Of course ] want to get off
as easy as lean; think have some fu-
ture before me- yet. lam forty-nine years
old, and have twenty good years yet.
For the sake of my friends, hope my
penalty will be light, and I want to do
something more in the world. / cannot
suffer any more for this fault-that is
through with: Ishall be happy wherever
lam. think am now the happieet man