Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1869-11-11

months.
care you in earnest2' | ex
claimed, 10 amazsment-for, much
as / condemned the system of sol
itary confinement, ] was not aware
that il vas carried to this extent ia
America.
Certainly, SIR" replied the con-
yict, evidently pleased at my sur
| prise, which he doubtless construed
into sympathy for his condition
"You will perceive, by the peculiar
construction Of that door, that / can.
not even see the face of my jailor
when be brings me food. Even in
the chapel, ,on the Sabbath, our seats
are so arranged that We neither see
each other nor the face OF the chap
lain who breaches to us. We used
to have some relief by being able
to speak to each other through the
water pipes hers," he added, point
ing to the apparatus just below the
narrow grating, "but they found it
out, and now even that avenue is
obstructed. Alb, cir; they have
got US solitary enough 'aoaci"
"What is tie term Of your SEN
touOe 7" ! inquired.
IA lifetime
"And your crime :"
"Murder."
There was something terrible in
bis calm, even tones, and l instinc-
lively shrank back at the dreadful
word. PereciyiDg, however, that
the gesture panied him, ] continued
the cOllOquy by asking:
"Prsy, how many times have
you been in prison, Mr.. Dalton 2"
"Call me Jack, said the prisoner
for-life, laughing, but evidently graf
fled at my civility. 81 have been
in prison-the same Phiiadelphia
prfson--five times. When they
'copped me this last go, however,
they had a pretty sure thing Of it..
I'm 'liier now"
81 suppose, il you were released
tomorrow" said !, 1T would not
be long bef6re you would be back
again 2"
81 think you are about right, be
replied, nodding bis head medita-
! lively. Then perceiving the min
gled curiosity aud credulity iu my
countenanoe, be continued, bis face
and eyes lighting up as be spoke I;
'If you care to hear it, | don't
mind giving you fen particulars
Of my history. The last man | saw
about eight months ago, vas a sort
Of tract distributor, who asked me
a great many silly questions about
religious mstters of which be him
self was as ignorant IS that spider
on the wall there, and with just as
little conscience, I'll be bound. He
was one of your d-d canting
hypocrites, With neither brains or
decency, and, much as painted for
human society, / felt relieved when
be left. Bot think you are of a
different grit, and / feel as though |
SOuld like you to know just how !
came here"
was only too glad to bear his
statement and toId him so. lie
vent on as follows:
Il pever knew my mother, and
my father was professional thief
at least be was when / frst recog-
nized him as my father. He kept
kept fence at first; and, at one
time had a great deal Of influence
with those Of his order, His po.iti-
c,l inAuence--you smile, sir, but
hezhat no littla ef it-irequently
| saved many Of them from punish
ment, even in the face of direct ey-
idence. He conces1ed his vocation
from me for long time, and gave
NE fair education, in order to make
a forger out Of me. ! became very
expert eenman, and was able 20
make fac simile Of almost any
ones autograph; but my very first
attempt ct practical forgery was a
deplOrabIe lsiIure---all Of the cir
cumstancss being adverse to sue
cess -and almost brought ruin to