The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1877-08-04
English Jail Birds.

Except in romance it has never been
satisfactorily demonstrated that there is
honor among thieves; but unquestion-
ably there Is greater amount of kinds
ly feeling and good fellow ship, especial
ly among the younger sort-boys and
youths of from II to IS, So far as may
be judged, the captive himself does not
more anXiously count the few remain
ing days and hours that as yet stand
bteween himself and emancipation
than do his staunch "paIs" of the out
er world So sure as the heavy door
turns on its hinges to deliver him to the
tender meTcies of the world, does Ire see
advancing toward him, with hand ex-
tended and glad countenances, his boon
companions, who are generally glad to
have him among them again, and are
anxious to spend their present stock of
ready money-realized possibly from
the sale of stolen goods an hour or SO
before-in standing beer and something
handsome for dinner in celebration of
the joyous event. But the difference
between the newly released young Jail
bird and his friends who have enjoyed
the doubtful advantage of an unusually
long spell of freedom The former,
whose term of Incarceration has been
perhaps six months, though unmistak>
ably of the same breed as his cOmpau-
ions, is as different in appearance as
brass in the dross and brass when it
leaves the hands of the finisher.
Clean and fresh cOmplexioned is the
young Jail bird whose wings have been
so recently clipped; his eyes are bright
and clear, his skin glows with the hue
Uf health, his hair, by nature scarcely
less stubborn than his Obdurate heart,
has been temporarily tanned, and lies
sleek and dOci.e. But how is it with
his young friends? The result of as
sociation with everything that is bad
bad food, bad lodging, bad drink, bad
company - is as plainly marked on
every face as though scored there with
pencil. They are dirty, ragged beg
gars, and for all their make believe of
jOllity, anxious and hungry looking.
Their friend has been punished the ut
most severity of the law has Overtaken
him and he has felt the full weight of
its Christening hand; and the result is
that his health is as much benefited as,
perhaps even more than, if he had been
sent to Brighton of Scarborough for Il
season.
Ii is more than probable that these
young Jail birds, who have been so for
tunate as to escape the fowler, would
be averse to such an arrangement; but
there can be no doubt that the very
best thing that could happen to them
would be for the next policeman they
met to take them into custody oa sus-
plcion, so that they might be delivered
over to Jail authorities for course OF
treatment similar to that which theil
friend has undergone. have very
vivid recollection Of being on one Oc-
casiOn on the prison premises when the
van arrived, bringing among others q
horribly dirty and neglected looking
little wretch of about twelve years Al
old thief, as the governor Informed me
but from some cause or other he mus
lately have been terribly out of luck
His clothes were mere rags; his hair a
disgusting to look at as that Of an Aus
tralian bushman; his face pinched will
cold and care and hunger, He nigh
have been a younger brother of Jo 0
"Bleak House" celebrity, but withou
the picturesqueDess which distinguished
that young fellows poverty, and with
out the industry which made 10 tn
owner of crossing sweeping broom
1t must not be imagined, however tina
the thief leaves jail with the hCpe ant
even the expectation of making hi
"holiday" merry, though possibly
short one. There is an erroneous sup
position among innocent folks that th
"makings" OF a London thief are some
thing considerable enabling the rascal
while he is able to enjoy liberty, to liy