The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1877-04-19

mony" which they desire to do by
active participation in prayer and
speaking. AS rule all who desire
have tickets of attendance upon these
meetings, but violation of prison
rule works loss of the card. Soon
after the close of this service, several
hundred assemble for Sunday School.
The numbers upon this occasion of
necessity is limited by the voluntary
attendance of teachers from the city,
We regret to be obliged to make the
record that in this town of churches,
most of whom are hedged about by
their "orthodox," there is a great lack
of teachers in the States prison Sum
day School. We would suggest that
some of the center table bibles have
one text neatly arrayed in illuminated
letters, "I was in prison, ye visited
me not" while the gold clasped prayer
book ought to be beautiiied with the
golden letters and more than golden
thought "Love thy neighbor as thy
self"
AT eleven O'Clock, a M, all who are
well, and not detained by work in the
kitchen, attend the chapel services,
conduced by the chaplain and choir
Other preachers are invited to take
the place of the chaplain often. The
congregation is always attentive and
as quiet as possible, with three thou
sand feet on n bare floor, which are
elected" to do little shniiling, while
an equal number of lungs will find
some occasion to cough little. A
new preacher is greeted with the same
sort of curiosity or.interest as before
other congregations. To the sensitive
speaker there is at once q conscious
ness of standing in the presence of
mind, with its power of thought, con-
science with its mandates, and hope
with its future. Logic is appreciated,
appeals are responded to with the
moistened eye and heaying bosom,
and thought made busy with the inner
life as promptly here as in the more
cultivated audiences. The only inter-
lude in the eating arrangement on
Sunday, is that they take lunch in
their hands frsm the dinner.table to
their cells, and are not taken cut to
supper. ...
They are permitted to write once in
four months, and in addition some
times at the Holidays. They may re-
ceive letters as often as their friends
see fit to write. AS rule. when
friends visit, the company sit in the
guard-room, near the guard. while the
convict sits outside, or rather inside,
the bars, but we have noticed in our
repeated visits there loves language.
the kiss, will find q most hearty ex-
preston between the bars, while the
old gate-keeper looks kindly on, or
pretends to be busy in deciphering
samething on the opposite wall. Or
course they are not allowed to speak
to each other, but they soon fall back
upon natures instructive or intuitive
resources. the "'sign language" If a
convict be pardoned out, it is general
ly known ali through the prison with
in all hour or two. The period of
sentence, when the day of freedom
come, for which the penalty is infiict-
ed, past history and future plans are
generally well known by shopmates.
Apparently sometimes strong friend
ships are fostercd, and strong vows OF
fidelity 10 each others memorypledged
when the day of parting comes. To
some even, there is a home feeling in
relation to the prison. Oae, a life
convict, after ten years. sojoarn, re-
marked to the writer, 81 would like to
be free, but am aware that for a time
| should be homesick." In all the ten
years of this mans prison-life, not a
reprimand has been spoken to him,
nor a mark made against him. His
crime, murder, was committed under,
to him, great provocaiion, but his life
hSi . "i!oW" ''i''' i'S - uo@ a i'isti w ih
trained wicl,edness. He onght to be
free.
But. kind readers, we have allowed
our pen to run on with the affairs OF
this ";hird house." until no space is
left for record of the doing of Ohio
statesmen. We will Try and pay our
respects to them next week. Y.
A stomantic InciNeut.
The Cincinnati Enquirer relates the
following romantic incident connect
ed with the late ST. Louis fire:
The hero, this time, was gambler.