The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1867-03-06

The Baby in the Prison,
From Records Of Five cars, By Grace Greenwood.
4 few years ago I visited n grand model
prison, conducted on lie solitary system.
sjowI7 VIC passed down the long melancholy
corridors, ay~ and then entering ona Of the
ceil1, to exchange . word Of human cheer with
its lonely inmase,-ut1.~l Nv lonely but for the
mute companio. shin Of lis 5cr, that primal
penalty Of sin, Transformed INTO consolation
and o blessing. 0oca~lun4liy we paused at a
cell, but did not @nttT, beng invited by the
warden to look IN upon the prisoner through q
minute loop-hole in the heavy iron door.
Thus l gazed upon some of the most hard
cned and hopeless criminals in the pententiary,
as they bent over lap-stone or loom, or stood
at the carpenters bench, all unconscious that
human eye was dwelling on them, watching
The dull gloomy face, the mechanical move
ments, with sorrowful awe sombre curios
ity, a shuddcring yet yearning pity. The
women looked thinner, palcr, more haggard
and Responding than the men, though some
seemed making desperate effort at defiance
It is hard to defy solitude, silence and that
dismal annihiaton of identity, where ones
very name is merged in the number Of a
prison-ccI.
Evidently these things told more upon their
spirits than Oh those Of the male prisoners,
and lie more quiet and monotonous nature Of
their occupations seemed to weary and wear
upon them. Their eyes met ours with dim
and stony expression, or retreated with shy,
eyasiye glanccs Yet the most sad or sullen
among them followed US to the cell door, with
a look of longing ana mournful envy more
touching than the widest appeal for freedom
and human companonsbip.
On the floor Of one of these cells we found
a little child, a baby-gir, somewhat less than
a year old. The sight surprised me, as the
appearance Of LA poycra pacciola," the poor
little flower, sprlnging up from between the
fagsLones of lis prison. yard surprised the
sad captive Of Fenestraa A pale and sckIy
blossom this seemed, though not without a
certain pIaintive beauty in her wan and wist
full little face. She was very fair, too fair.
There seemed no sunshine in her veins, 10
stir Of life in the pale golden hair which hung
dejectedjy about her waxen forehead
The eyes were blue, but of the dull unccr
tain hue Of ,ioIcts that have grown in the deep
shaio. | fancied they might have caught all
they licked Of light and color from the CLEAN
Of running waters, OF the itch depth of sum-
mr kes. They had, too a strange blank
I9yh-~froui striking ever against dull prison
waIs [ thought. They certainly had not the
eager. distant reaches of expression, flashing
OAK l-pm the eyes Of happier children. Was
the ATLANTIS sight dwarted to suit the dimen
S. .us If its mothers cell?
How strange and sad it seemed The earth
la" 4lmost made its mighty revolution around
t.i2 ,un, passing through all the wonderful
changes OF the seasons, through the countless
plcn mena Of nature, since this baby was
bora N the prison; and she knew nothing yet
q ! rings fair bloom, Of summers glory, Of
auHlnn's ripeness, Of winters splendor; no
LIuc Of winds, OF waves, or woods, OF birds,
q ,&Ies, or stars, or rain, or snow | fear her
".tH tect hal never been set in the grass, her
.@;.." arms never been thrown round pet or
play elloW. fear she had never looked into
tie cart of a rose or the face of little child.
Surely the sight of either would have kindlcd
I@Ht momentary flush in her paid checks.
/. was cloudy, showery day, and double
gloom pervadcd the prison. Suddenly the
an hone out, and sent glad beam through
the high, narrow, grated window, to fall on the
prison floor, beside the child. For the first
uiGv saw the little creature smile as she bent
forward and clutched eagerly at the dancing
rtE 1t was pretty, yet pitcous sight, that
Instructive, hungry grasp at her small ration Of
Coils free sunshine-her crumb fallen from
tho Masters table-while the whole outside
w4'I were fcasting half unconscious, and all
tr3 unthankluI, on the rich, life giving bounty
In another instant, a pitIess cloud swept
YER the sun, and the radiant stranger was
gone. Then the bercavcd baby cried, in a 81
.cf.,. old way, which showed one that tears
wee more native to her than SMILES The
mo her took her up and stroye to comfort her
sikh a few feeble love words and languid
e.ress. Then | regarded the mother. She
WIS little more than a child herself, "a going
oo sighteen," she said and looked a weak,
n 1ensive creature, with no muscle or fibre,
i the law to wrcak itself against.
The babe ceased weeping presently, but
began again, as We drew nearer, hiding her face
against her child mothers breast "Don't
mind hcr, ladies'" said the mother; "she is a
puny, scary thing. She amt used to strangers,
and don't seem to take kindly to prison life, |
for all she was born toit. do hope she will
be better when we get out, but I don't
know. You see, she did not have a fair chance
at the start, | fretted so much fore she was
uOlA, anu Il SOOu uIL dlltl. one QON KNOW !
what it is to be lively and CHEEKY, like other
children. [ think little of tie fresh, open
air would do her good, and she ought to see
more folks, especially young folks. 1 doubt
not am a poor hand at frightening her up,
feel SO odd, and it's so dismal here
could not some friend take the child away
and care for it till your term is out 90 | asked :
Il haven't got any friends that know am
here but one, and he's in too," she replied, .
with faint flush. Some of the Prison Wis
lto.s have offered to take care Of her, but
can't live without her should fret myself
to death in a little while, and | amt fit to
die. | expect TO have hard time to live,
when get out buff l don't 60 wong again,
it will be because of baby. Pears TO me
God has got a hold Of ME thcre.'
Let US trust that He has-a sure, eternal
hold ! Let hope that this sorrowful picciola,
this little dropping flower, springing from
sinful love, believed with tears of shame, nur-
tured in prison gloom, may yet instruct the
mothers simple heartin the divine lesson Of
virtue, and breathe into it the balm of Gods
peace.
This young mother, was afterwards told,