The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1882-01-12

Yes, only those who have been
fastened inside prison walls can know
the pang, the dead, yet living pain, OF
being a convict, cast out from the
world and its beauties; crowded with
with disgrace and dlshonor, and
doomed to drift on the current time,
not man, but creature. The def
milton of no photographer can tell it /;
no silver tipped pen can write it; no
eloquence can speak lit must be
felt to be known.
1t seems SO strange that / should
write to you, and were it not that l
promised, should shrink from the
task, fearing it might offend, for it
seema that the world in which I am
now living is so far removed from
the one in which you live, that none,
except my own family, would even
care to read my written words. Per-
haps I will eventually Prune away
this timi6ity, and graft in its stead
some of my old pride to speak and TO
please. I was quite unwell when l
came, and on account of health, did
but little work the first two weeks.
The kind of work at which they first
put me Handling brick was too la
borious, and the third day | complete
ly broke down. I suffered severely
with my lungs, but the physician was
very kind and indulgent, and | am
now about we'll. l have. been re-
moved to the timber yard, where the
hardest work is handling light wagon
material. The prison discipline is
somewhat rigid, but sufficiently lib
eral, and prisoners are allowed all the
privileges they need. The cells are
comfortable, and the occupant can have
in it everything he needs or wants.
He can keep his OWE razor and shave
when he likes, or every Sunday, 60 70
the barber and get his hair cut any
style he wants, aad shavedfor nickel, |
or he need not shave at all. He can
talk as much as he chooses when at |
work or III his cell, except at meals, or
after eight o'clock at night, when all
lous talking must be hushed. Much
of prison life is easy or hard, just as
the prisoner makes it. Ii lie is obedi-
ent, and proves by his every day acts
that he wants to do his duty, his path
way is smoother paved than. his who
shirks and displays a rebelious dispo-
sItion. I have governed and con-
troled others so long, it comes easy for
me to obey. Just as the man WELL
bred and used to,good living, eats the
dish set before him without grumbling
and finding fault with the fare. Here
one meets a motely crew-a strange
mingling of humanity, Here one
sees the boy with beardless face, and
the man whose white beard sweeps his
breast. Here are men with the dull,
sluggish eye CT ignorance, and men
with eyes bright, sparkling and inteli-
gent. Here are faces-brutal faces
where the tread of feeling was never
fixed, and men with faces as tender
in expression as the most devoted IA
Their or brether at the iirs-side at home.
Here are men SO perfectly contented
with their lot that 'twould seem q
shame to free them, and men SO eager
to escape that they count the days of
their confinement as they count tFe
meals they eat. Here are men con
victed upon every charge known co
the calendar of crime; some for a
short term, and some for the remain
der of their natural lives. Some are
here for the first time, and some are
serving out their fourth and fifth term.
Some are civil, courteous and refined,
others just as rough, reckless and UNI
civil as the prison rules viii permit.
Some are married, some are single
SO ne love to talk of home and home
ones; others love tolaugh at the feel
ing they display.
1 am writing a book on Prison
Scenes and Prison People" This
work will enable me to pass my unOc-
cupied hours pleasantly in some de-
gree to myself, and probably to my
family sometime. There is no lack
of incident here, all itrequires is dress
ing in suitable language, clothing it
to be presentable to any readers eyes.
I've got self-confdence enough to
think i can do that. I have been
shamefully imposed upon, and am
here an innocent man, but being here,
| will try not to let it crush my spirit.
My pen is charged with the crime that
placed me inside these walls, and if
heaven grants me health and strength,
nay pen shall rebuild the reputation |
have lost, and make a name for the
bahy-bny I love dearer than life it
self. You know something of that
love, but not like l know it, and may
God spare you from ever passing
through that heart-reRding ordeal.
You have been fortunate in your
MARRIAGE favv mon hava p,ada vnob