The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1882-06-29

1 H 1Ou u2toWoN cNSiy SiOh hihu w
drink from your cup you were liable
to bring upon yourself tho terrible
infection OF soirvy in the mouth,
which was as much to be dreaded
as death. Even qualification Of your
keenest human sympathies thus be-
o .me the potent cause OF self-dos-
truction aud suffering to him who
INDUCED in 90 groat luxury.
The terrible truth was, that in
prison one could not attempt to re-
lieve tho misery Of others more mis-
cradle than yourself, without placing
himself in greater peril.
Was it not wonderful that the
cries of dying, furnished men were
unheedea by those who wero bat.
tliug with fate to preserve their own
lives.
II there were some who turned
ears of deafness TO distressed tones
of entreaty, who forgot the example
Of the good Samaritan" in their own
distress, the fault and sin OF sin or
fault there was under such torture
and condition) were surely not upon
their own heads, but upon the heads
of those who had crowded into our
daily existence SO much o, misery as
to leave no room for the qualification
Of kindly sympathies, aud had
drowned out tue finer sensibilitios in
the struggles with dispair aud death
for self preser vation.
subjects ofpity rather than OF blame,
they we're not allowed tho luxury of
pity and sympathetic action, yet
many there were, surrounded by
and suffering n cutest torture, who
moved like angels Of mercy among
suffering companions strickon by
famine aud disease.
1t is terrible thing to feel one s
self starving to brace every nervo
aglinst tho approach of doath, and
summon to the aid Of the body oil
it's selfshness = yet mon, in spite OF
the necessity OF 80 doing in order
to preserve life, assisted and soothod
ono ano ther ip hours OF sickness, dis
,ross, and melancholy aud such had
IL reward in tho consciousness OF
duty performed, OF uuselhsh deyo-
ton, surrounded by famine and
deuth--tho bitter cup Of misery
pressed TO their s rn lips, yet having
still care for others, under circuin-
stances Of tlial when the thoughts OF
most men were turned upon them
selves, aud oblivious TO others woes
amid their own misery.
Most prisoners. being only sold
iers temporarily, have at variance
two distinct elenents OF feeling. one
springing from their habitual aud
the other from their temporary mode
of life one springing from peaceful
associations, with the seclusions of
home, or the luxury of tho business
activity of city life tue other from
the more recent influence Of the
camp and battlefield.
These incongruous elements are
In constant autagonism. One mo-
ment it is the soldier, improvident
and careless of the future, reckless
of the present, laughing ut discom-
forts and privations. aud merry in
the midst of intense suffering. Then
it is the quiet citizen, complaining Of
misfortune, sighing for home and its
dear ones, dreaming of seclusion and
peace, yielding to dependency aud
sorrow. And this is perhaps for
tunate, for at least there is less dan
ger that the prisoner shall become
improyidept with the one element,
or q miser dead to every feeling on
the other.
Most prisoners, In such misfor~
tunes, are apt to indulge 10 kind Of
post-mortem sexanination Of their
previous Iifo, TO disuect that portion
Of their past history, which is sol
dom antagonizod without arriving at
the conclusion that present misfor-
times arc nearly In all cases due to
sorps radical error y their own lives.
Siisfortunos render some men reck-
less; othors, on the contrary, be-
coma cautious through failure and
misfortune. And such. rotraoiug in
their leisure hours their paths Of lie,
question the sorrowful spectres OF
porished hopes which haunt the
crowded graveyards of the pact.
They draw from the past nought but
cold realities they catinto the body
OF their bliahted lifa and honas.. and