The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1883-09-08
\. PRISON PETS.


ord of persons in .sdurance vile'' max
ing pets of the most unlikely of animals,
nay, even reptiles and flowers. The
instances considered noteworthy have
been generally those of persons of rank.
In reality, the passion is not more to be
wondered at in the Count Picciola of
school-book notoriety, who gained over
the good-feeling of his keeper to re-
spect the pet flower which had sprung
up between the stones of the prison
yard, than is similar feeling exhibited
by the deepest-dyed criminal of the
common Jail. In fact, it has been no.
ticed that the feeling, if anything. is
stronger in the man of few resources.
The present humanitarian system of
conducting prisons provides the edu-
Gated prisoner with many means of
killing, If not improving, his time,
which a bygone system ignored Com
partnership is found in books of the very
best kind. In the case of the unedu-
Gated prisoncr, it is very different. For
many hours of the day he is
shut off from everything but in
tercourse with his own thoughts,
and these being, as a rule, not very
companionable, he casts about for
something to engage his attention other
than the four bare walls of his CELL
Suddenly he hears the chirp of some
impudent sparrow, enticed by few
stray bread-crumbs which the poor
wretch has spared from his allowance
and pushed through the grating of his
window. Here is something which GER
tainly bears him no ill-will; something
which, to one given to suspect, is above
suspicion. There is not the slightest
doubt about this visitor. But the I'M
suspicious feeling is not reciprocal. The
crumbs are all very well so long as they
can be reached from without the bars
The dark within is an unexplored
region. But there comes spell of
sharp frost, may be, which whets the
appetite of the feathered visitor, or
there is something in the manner of the
would-be host which treasures him, and
the inquisitive little head is cautiously
pushed inside the bars, in order to fol-
low up trail of crumbs judiciously
laid by the tempter. No harm follows;
and familiarity breeds boldness. The
little fellow is surprised to find himself
quite within, tail and all, and. as
though astonished at his own audacitv,
beats hasty retreat. The next visit
finds him less modest. He advances
across the floor; then, with sidelong
Chances, makes backward movement,
then forward one, till he feels quite
positive that the statue-like figure in
the corner has no bellicose intentions.
As q sortof feeler, the figure moves
foot or, hand. This is too much for
Mr.. Sparrow. A fiuttering retreat
to the bars, out, and away, leaves
the lonely inmate still more lonely.
The thought of the crumbs, how-
ever, steels the little feathered breast,
and by-and-by he makes another
essay. At last he loses all fear, and
hops up quite close to the immured one
to snatch some crumbs sprinkled
from the hand in sight of the bird.
From this it is not far, as confidence is
gained, to hop on to the knee and
shoulder. What sort of bird-logic has
been going on in the breast of this little
sparrow ? In week or two he learns
to come at call, and to eat his meals
from the hand of a man who, very pos
sibly, is suffering imprisonment for
kicking his wife very nearly to death,
or for some kindred crime : but who
would take infinite pains to attach this
little soulless bird to himself, and resent,
with blows if necessary. any interfsr-
ence with his pet.
What is the philosophy Of the mat
ter Is it the waking up of dormaft
feelingsp the softer, better memories of
happier days, when The love Of wife and
children had not become estranged
Every man, even the lowest type of
criminal, loves something. orsomebody.
1t may be selfish, base love !; but it is
above, nevertheless. Who can fully
understand the anomaly presented by
the wife kicking ..Black Country pud-
dler, who feasts his favorite bull dog
while his poor children go about uncared
for ? Most likely the prisoner who has
been so tender with the sparrow when
shut off from the world, rarely noticed
such an obscure creature in his days Of
freedom. There existed, however, some
obiecto or objects upon which he lavished