New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-02-04
A QUEER SATURDAY NIGHT"

BosToN. Jan. 30-Two years ago, Mr.. TheO-
dorc Ti,on came Boston, and set our national miqu
ties before us in Iycoum lecture Among other things
he drew picture as pathetic mistaken, of prison
disepline not knowing that have changed all that
here IN Massachuaots, and made Of the State Prison
home more comfortable than OF its inmates have
ever before, perhaps are likely too again.
For the last three Winters OF lectures have been
given there which 1t well worth while 10 hear
The State Prison. ike certain Club noted in Boston,
has It's Saturday Nights" Grace Greenwood has been
over this Winter speak there, and Mrs.. Lvernorc,
and thai solemn clerical dgnitary the Rev. p " Nasty
and half dozen other bcneyoentminded orators Last
Saturday ght the attraction the celebrated clo
cutionist Miss Fanny Edmunds as the advertisements
had lt.
II G. p r. Jamess ghost just then revistng the
glmpsOs of the moon he must have reioced at the Sug
gCson OF new idea wheTevith 10 open ghostly TO
NANCE bchoding three Notwithstanding women
making their way through the solemn streets Of Charles
town by easlight We omitted the horScmen from our
programme altogether; should find men enough where
We were Coing-an audience which always comes 10
time, and stays away account Of weather. As
we ncared the Prison, however, met man. (Which
gate 90 We asked "The further one IL You going TO
the lecture" We did not tell him that we were the
lecture wo-but meekly Obeyed his instructions Pres
emily found ourselves In the great hall or guardroom
round which the cells ranged, story above story In
the center OF this hall hangs an immense chandelier
which looks as If IT might have been the departing be
deer round stand for growing plants on an equally
gigantic scale I do not know whether some man who
killed his greataunt tends these dainty musings, and
keeps their leaves bright and their roots warm AT any
rate they flourish in the midst OF the great stone guard
room If they were NJ home
We were received and cOurteOusy entertained by
Warden Hanes and conducted into his little Office on
the LETT warm bright and Offering for entertain
meut somewhat singular cabinet Of curioSities Not
coins minerals pinlhearted shells are behind these
glass doors hut instead, the knife with which Warden
Tenney (ir Hsncss predecessor was killed by prs
oncr piece OF the rope with which Mrs. surratt was
hanged horrible slung shOts-which, having taken in
our hands deyoutly prayed mercful Providence to
avert heads all sorts Of weapons, with all sorts
Of ghay stories attached to them; and not least curl
Gus relies Of the Oldme prison discipline as the
rings which the prisoners used 70 be chained when
whipped, and the horrible Cat'onine-tas with which
the ases were laid on The only punishment now found
necessary solitary confinement, The men are treated
as men st with future Of hope before item yet;
and all this change has been brought about by the reso
Lutte conscientious humanity of the 1.-THE, slender dark
eyed man beside us-Warden Gideon Haines
AZ last we warmed and comfortable. /" The cele-
hratcd clocutonist" had taken off her wraps, and
emerged n graceful woman I'm brown and blue, with
crmps and furbelows, and Jewels IL she were deter
mined that her strange audience should not be defrauded
of one Of the small pretnesses which go TO make up
modern idea of womanhOod Then climbed dizziy up
one long strong slender iron stairway after another as
f,vpN wen
we reached the chapel which roofs the building, as
heaven always arches over the earth. We seated
on raised platform facing the benches, in which pres
entity filed eco men, escorted by their guards. The eo-
cuonst turned her papers. She had read to
cultured city audiences and Obacwoodsmen on Western
prairies; hut she had encountered quite such
spectacle as these hungry expectant faces What shall
read ?" she whispered at last TO the Warden Just
what you would outside, should think - and she
thrown back upon her instincts. will read you"
she began little story of the and of girl who
watched and waited boat which came" Then
followed AdriChs Face Against the Pane and while she
read the rest OF looked down into the upturned faces
OF these desperate in gray. My first impression was
that they would fairly with such gangs ofabors
a. meets in squads going home through the twilight
from the work which the city keeps them busy in the
short Winter days But looking agan,I saw few faces
such as it would be horror TO meet in ones dreams.
Fagin was there and Bill Sykes, and the who shot
Sandy MCGEE One old man, with sueh a look in his
hard cruel eyes it chis my blood to remember,
there for lfe-for killing his father learned after
ward Six or seven rows from the front sat handsome
dark-eyed, Notwithstanding fellow, who might have
stepped OF the Guy Livingstone novels; and who re-
garded all around him with air of lofty contempt
leaning head against the back Of his seat aud
stirreda naughty captive, grazing against his
will the triumph Of Justice. In the front row sat
cericallOOking parsonage the only in the crowd
with white neckte, procured heavenlknOws whence.
with his high white forehead his wel-cut nose, his
thin flexible, Expressive lips, and his keen eyes,
i fanced him to belong in the quiet library,
piled high with books Of lsOme peaceful rectOry There
other intelligent cOuntenances there-aces Lavaer
would have trusted and heads that Fowler would rejoice
ill., But the majority neither the desperateOoing
sinners whose very presence in the universe hOr
ror nor yet the intelligent who appeared out of
place that you were sure they have been convicted
on false testimony :ByI far the largest number had
such weak faces that you felt that right or wrong with
them wac accident and that they dred at the will
of without moral accountabiityfaces wide
at cheekbOnes and at the retreating fore
heads-sone full low cunning, others of animal
tent It was matter of curious interest to what
sort OF literature would "te such audience They
listened very quietly TO the tender little ballad with
which the entertainment began and some Of the
intelligent faces swept a shade of hOpeessness
hopeless still than their habua gloom, the last
four lines filed the old stone chapelwth their pahoS
God pitt wives and sveetbearts
Who wait and wait in vaini
Withher face against the pane"
Then they chcered You do not know what applause is
till YOU have heard III from State Prison audience.
When il subfid ed Miss Edmunds said: 81 will now read
YOU something with which many of you doubtless
familiar in your school days-the Battle Scene from
Marnlon" This alluson TO their school days appeared
TO strike some Of them as gigantic joke,
but the more intelligent doubtless received it
as compliment and again they all listened.
The applause at the close, however. seemed
10 me TO have different expression than before II was
noisy TO be sure Ibut less heartily enthusiastic Evil
IDENTIFY they were willing Lord Marmon should die and
did not much care whether Glare injured Constance
bsthed his head" II was time for some fun, and the
next selection was "Ike Partington's Composition, on
the American Eagle. This piece Of waggish drollery
reused them to unprecedented demonstration They in
rerruped the reader twice with their applause
- a. t,o olose they fairly made the old stone walls