The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-01-01

A Prison Convict COurted and Won by
Reauffful Young Lady.
7 Tor oil

A Prison Convict COurted ana Won ny
Reauftful Young Lady.
ISt. Louis Times-Journal.l
Perhaps the last place in the world for
young lady to select IN search of a husband
! would be the Missouri Penitentiary, and
mothers o | the ordinary type are not in the
habit of encouraging their daughters to look
in that direction for life partner. New
fashioned mothers treat OF the matrimonial
| subject as the spirit OF the age dictates, and
the markets in the larger cities are glutted
with stock of every description, fat stock and
| lean stock, good to medium, and medium to
| select breed, fine and superfne, in fact,
| good bad and indifferent, in every form and
design to suit the purchaser, for there is only
! one condition OF sale now a-days. The
highest bidder carries the article, and he
sometimes pays very high price for a
very poor material. There are some
pleasant old-fashioned notion that
MATCHES ARE MADE IN HEAVEN,
and there are still left few young girls who
believe that inn licit obedience to be the
| promptings of the heart will in the end
win happiness. As rule it may be admit
| ted that no woman in her senses should lend
any encouragement to- an acquaintance
springing from the inside walls of a peni-
| Tertiary, but then there are exceptions to
every rule, and there are not few parents
who sigh heavily as they reflect upon the
sad condition of their married daughters
whose selections were made from the snob-
bish circles OF modern society, and who
the exception had been substituted for the
rule in the history OF their family life.
AN EXCEPTIONAL INSTANCE
reaches the Times-Journal from jefferson
City, and it comes upon good authority. The
particulars will be given without any attempt
at sensational display or romantic word
painting. The recital refers to q fact and
| not fiction.
An officer of the United States marshars
department in this city took up to Jefferson
/ City, few days since, several federal con-
| victs, counterfeiters and others, sentenced
by Judge Treat before he left for Philadel-
phia. :.
The morning that he passed with his pris-
oners within the gates of the state peniten
tiary a convict passed out who had served
| long term of years for endorsement. He
was met by young and beautiful girl, who
rained kisses upon his cheeks and other
| wise
EXHIBITED HER JOY
at his release. Such scenes are not uncom
mon at the penitentiary gates, for mothers
and sisters sometimes gather there to greet
with natural affection q long restrained
relative, and the penalty paid TO state and
society, the offense is condoned by the
family, whether of high or low degree.
This young lady, however, was neither
mother nor sister, out sweetheart She had
| travelled several hundred miles to meet her
lover, and he stood there once again at
| liberty.
Two years since he was an utter stranger
to her, and it happened that she visited the
penitentiary with her friends to see a con-
| vict who had occupied good petition IN
life, but had fallen with several others in
| conspiracy to rob bank.
Her eyes at that time fell upon the convict
who was released few days since. He, too,
was of good family, well educated man,
and OF attractive personal appearance.
HIS HISTORY
was related by the warden, showing the visi-
tors around the prison, and remarked incl
dentally that the family OF the convict had
discarded him entirely; that he received
neither visits nor letters like other prison
ers under penitentioary regulations; that he
WAS a well conducted prisoner; gave no
trouble; did his work well and spent his
| leisure sn reading.
All these particulars fell with interest
upon sympathetic ear. and it seemed that
his condition touched delicate chord In a
certain warm hearted little girl, who care
fully treasured up all the uttersnces of the
prison officers, and, as a favor, begged that
she might be permitted to speak to the pris-
oner, provided he was willing.
The request was cheerfully granted, and
| she spoke 10 him.
Epressing her sorrow at his condition, and
| her especial regret that he had no letters
from his friends, she vsntured to ask wheth-
| er 1t would afford him any pleasure to hear
from her occasionally.
TIE TENDER APPEAL
from such pretty lips and beautiful eyes
| would have softened any man, and it had a
remarkable effect upon the sensitive convict
OF delicate mind. He joyfully appreciated
| such warm interest from a stranger of the
gentle sex. and her offer was accepted with
every look and expression OF gratitude and
| silver lining of love tinged the clouds of
his prison life for the future.
i The young lady was true to her promise;
she wrote to him as often as the rules of the
prison allowed, and he correspondent in re-
turn.
In those letters be told her of his hopes
and plans for the future; in hers she
breathed gentle confidence in his profess
| sions of amending after his release.
She frankly told her mother of the extra
ordinary correspondence going forward, and
that lady, with every degree of faith in her
| daughters sincerity told her of the danger
| attending such associations, but declined to
interfere.
THE CORRESPONDENCE
ripened into a confession of love, and the
young people looked forward eagerly to the
day when the striped jacket would be ex-
changed for the broad cloth frock wedding
garment.
1t mattered little, perhaps, that the youn z
girl had some property in her own right; at
any rate, such knowledge was concealed
from the penitent within the bars by express
desire of the young lady's mamma. who
naturally had some misgivings that merce-
nary motives might actuate the convict
lover.
Arrangements had quietly been made for
the couple to be married at Jefferson City,
after which a trip was to be taken to New
York for the purpose of settling in that state,
and in order that the husband might be
severed from all his western connections
The most cruel part of this story from life
remains to be told. After the fond meeting
at tine gate, related above, the young
couple moved towards carriage in waiting
to convey them to q hotel. and as the young
girl stepped into 1t an officer from another
state tapped the young man on the shoulder,
:. informing him that he was wanted to ans.