Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1880-05-31

for time, l wasn't quite sure but what
l had been metamorphosed into walk
ing cathedral; but their effect is won
derful. Why, I've half mind to have
myself appointed chief physician to the
body polite, and make my name immor-
tai by prescribing Liver Pad for every
dis-gruntled politician in these United
States. am sure, with their livers
properly toned down, they would be able
to sit together in peace and harmony.
And would dearly like to try their
effect on the consciences of some of the
Kentucky legislators-those men who
higgle and haggle over a paltry sum
with which to build new penitentiary,
every day of their delay shortening the
lives of the convicts who are condemned
to pass their time in the death-dealing
pen now on use. Kentucky must think
she has wonderful recuperative powers, or
she would never sink herself so low as
she is doing in the estimation of the
world with any hopes of ever being con-
sidered upright or humane again.
Come to think of it, do not wonder
George D. Prentiss' marble face looks
grave and sad-there is sufficient occa-
sion for it to do so, when human
beings are permitted to die like cattle;
to be treated like vilest brutes; when
cold blooded murderers are "let off, by
the courts, and the man who steals
loaf of bread for his child is sent to the
penitentiary which is so foul that no
man leaves it with any health if he
manages to escape with his life.
Poor old Kentucky! Boast no more
of your proud chivalry until you have
put thousand years between you and
your shameful record of the the treat
ment women receive in your prison pens;
do not claim to be brave until the poor
est man in your midst can have justice ;
do not expect the world to believe you
hospitable while that world knows that
you permit such an outrage to exist as
your penitentiary. A hospitable man
thinks of those beyond his own house
hold; and one who is so imbued with
this kindlines of spirit as to permit it
to be boasted of, should carry his phil
anthropy out into the byways and the
highways and gather himself strength
sufficient to compel change. A correct
public opinion would soon cause that
open cancerous sore to be cauterizid +;
but selfish carelessness heeds 1t not.
Every citizen is in a measure responsible
and cannot shirk it. Make suitable
persons lawmakers and then see that
they attend to their business. Because
you are in a muss don't say there is no
way out of it. Brave men, honest men,
men with soul as big as midget,
would find way to remedy this terrible
evil, and until Kentuckians do, let them
hang up their horns through which they
are forever footing their own praise.
was glad when the steamer started
down stream from Louisville just at night
for l had looked at the luxurious houses
and contrasted them in my mind with
the horrible place in which prisoners
were dying, until l was. to say the least.
"riled in spirit" and needed some time
to think myself calm. 1t was a tedious
job, and, whether you believe it or not,
when | came to say my prayers I never
once thought to ask the good Father to
"Guide US safely through the night.
l just wanted to thank him for not
making me date my letters from Ken
lucky.
On and on we came, down the river,
never out of sight of land, always with
something interesting to see sometimes
it is only fine team on the broad high
way which follows the river bank !;
sometimes it is pretty grove of trees,
like the soak openings" of old Virginia,
only now the trees are all so bare and
cold they have shaken off every one of
the dear leaves which made them so
beautiful only few months ago, and
now they reach out their naked arms as
if begging some one to cover them.
How they do remind me of people [
have known who are always shaking off
their old friends and reaching out for
new ones
Our boat made the landing of every
town on the river, and the dusky roust-
abouts slowed away corn, and corn, and
corn, until I began to think we must
be wandering Egyptians getting ready
for famine.
At Evansville, Indiana, we stayed
long enough to let me run up town, but
l did not get very far, for chose the
street which led me to the new custom
house, and there my bump of admlra-
ton called halt. Some way Evans
Vile has way of building with an eye
to beauty as well as as use. To be
sure the custom house is government
property, but I'll wager my best hat
that it was designed by an Evansville
architect. That little town has some of