Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-08-26
Warden, Keep a Place for Nc.
AN INCIDENT OF PRISON LIFE IN TIE pENI
TENTIAIY,

Discharged again! Yes, am free,
But, warden, keep place for me
For freedom means that I must 20
Out in tho wind and rain and snow,
To fight with hunger shame and cold &.
A woman gray and worn and old;
To clothe myself in rags again,
And seek sumo wretched, narrow den.
And after that what must be done?
Stoal3 Bes2 Hard limos for any ono.
To work IL easier. would try,
But there's no work for such as !.
A fine thing, truly, to be FREQ
But, warden, keep place for mo;
For I'll come back. It's feven years
Since first entored hero In tears.
"Drunk and disorderIy l came,
And felt the burden and the shame,
Tho prison faint, tie outlaws dread
When FIRST behind his hopeless tread
The gates csng to with Ore adiul sound
And the dark prison walls close round.
But when went away said:
"If can earn my daily bread
I'll work my fingers of before
I'll wear convict's dress once moro"
Twas easy said--I meant it too
Work2 IL there work enough to do
For thoss who spend their weary lives
Like toiing bees in busy hiver,
And starve at Iast2 When willing hands
That never broke the laws commands
Arc idle by the thou sands, how
Can jailbirjs keep vir,ul us vow?
No work, but all tho same found
The time for meals would come around;
M work, but time enough to think,
And that's the easy road to drink.
Who cared, who caros, that was then
"Drunk and disorderiy "again7
Who cares that ever with the best
was woman like the restY
Who cares that one day in my lifo
was happy, joyous wife9
None caro-, and care less than thoy,
And curse the man and curse the day.
How did know that he would be
A drunken scoundrel, dragging me
Down in the mire9 Alas, the life
He led me! Oh, the bitter strife
'Twixt love and hate! He went away
Ard left me with my little May
My little child Ny little pearl!
My pretty brown eyed baby girl!
Bah-that was only childhood's grace
She grew up with hor fathers face,
Her fathers selfish wicked heart;
Grew up to take an evil part;
Grew up to soil her mothers name
And cover it with double shame.
But Two little baby dress
The one soft vein of tenderness
That's ran through all these hateful years
I've wet it manga time with tears,
And many time at dead Of night
I've clasped it to my bosom tight.
What for? Because it means for me
A simple, snless memory;
Because it means there WAS time
When i, now gray with want and crime,
Old jailbird AZ am to-day,
Knew how to love and dared to pray.
What did do2 How oould know
That things would go against me sof
How could help it Did plan
The fate that bound me to that MANI
The hard, blind fate that dragged me down
Among the wretches OF the town.
That snatched away all hope, all chance,
And twisted every circumstance
Against me, till at last stood
Stripped Of my very womanhood
could not dare to stop and think
Was it my fault took to drnk?
No, I'm not fit for liberty;
It amt wholesome thing for me;
The Jail takes cara Of me too well.
Better to be locked up in coll,
Where all is elean and sleep is sweet.
Than roam the misery haunted street;
Better the work they give US here
Than what awaits me when I'm clear;
Better the silence We must keep
Than drunken cries and ourses deep;
Better the dull days FREQ from pain
Than shattered nerves and throbbing brain 4;
Better the quiet, sober life
Than yonder city's desperate strife;
Better the prisons homely fare,
Better the prisons watchful care,
'stter for mo than liberty
10, warden, keep place for me.
-Peleg Ark,oright in Graphic.