Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-09-23
FreDch JournaIists in Prison.

lowing cheerful sketch of the prison life
of French journalists:
But perhaps it may be your fate to
become State prisoner for some press
offence, in which case there is no deny
ing that the forms of dealing with you
will be much pleasanter. Who that
knows Paris and the Parisans has not
been in some newspaper office at time
when one of the courteous ushers from
the Palace of Justice has entered with
cication, and claimed six francs fifty
centimes as the cost of it2 There is no
arrest in these cases, and if any one
should marvel why journalist who can
turn thousands of heads the wrong way
should be treated with more leniency
than humble committeeman whose
voice is often as a mere tinkling brass,
one can only say that there are mys-
teries in government which it is not for
the vulgar to fathom. The journalist
sees no gendarmes. His summons bids
him call on the judge d'instruction at
certain hour, and he calls; the judge
chats paternally, makes him confess his
sins, and hands him over to the correc-
tional police, and here he appears on an
appointed day, surrounded by his kins-
| folk and acquaintances, to hear himself
condemned to fine of G20 or so, and
to three months seclusion at Ste.
Pelaigie. But here once more there is
nothing Of disagreeable nature, no ap'
prehension by the coat in open court, no
handouts, no police van. The journal
ist, having heard his sentence, bows with
all occurrences to the tribunal which has
analyzed the explosive properties OF his
prose. draws on his gloves, it he has any,
and sails away to dine with his counsel,
and TO receive the congratulations OF his
brother quillmen, who generally envy
his good luak in having thus become In
one afternoon renowned man. AS to
the imprisonment it is dismissed from
memory for good month, soRetineg for
more-until some evening, on coming
home from the play the condemned man
finds a stamped letter from the public
prosecutor begging him to surrender on
or before p M, on certain day Ii
the journalist objects to that particular
date, the prosecutor is often accommo
dating, and will grant respite, so that
condemned writer's who are bound to one
another by ties OF love can arrange to
undergo their term at the same time and
in company. They find pleasant quar-
ters. There is especially one room at
Ste. Pelagie number y which has been
the delight of its numerous tenants and
the scene of more testive banquets than
pen can chronicle. The governor OF the
prison does not take the char al these
banquets, but he is graceful function
ary, who has long held office, and has
formed himself handsome library out
of the presentation volumes offered him
by his former prisoners, pensionnaires,
as he euphemistieallV terms them.
He has orders from the anthorl-
ties not 10 interfere with al
reasonable flow OF soul on the part OF
his literary captives, for no one has any
interest in seeing writers leave prison
more ferocious than when they entered,
and the Governor understands this so
well that be has made out OF his prison
something like very eligible boarding
houss. The journalists get their food
from restaurants outside, and are not
stinted as to wine, they have prisoners
of a baser sort to wait oH tAep; they
may walk about their big yard ana
smoke what hour they please, and the
bolts are only drawn upon them at ten
pm, after which hour, however, they
are free to burn their oil for so long as it
suits them. Many writer has been in
debted to his two or three months at Sic.
Pelagie for having been able to lndlte
some cheerful comedy or novel which he
would never have found time to compose
amid the turmoil of Partisan life, and
editors have noticed, with pathetic won
der, that newsPspeF articles dated from
Ste. Pelsgie have mors tone, more
spring and backbone than those' penped
amid the distractions of boulevard eX-
istence. Let it be added that the prin-
ter's devil is familiar apparation at
Ste. FelaEie, being allowed to call there
for COPY at ail hours between nine and
six; but on the other hand, one is con-
cerned to own that no rope ladders have
ever been seen there, so that, after all, it
contrasts unfavorably with that sweet
leland of St. Margaret.