Sword and shield. (Clinton, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1888-01-07

Cneu luUO the yaTu. lAeu UH luJO IN
chapel where the religious services ar
held. This is a long narrow room wit
dirt floor. The ugliest she'd you ca
possibly imagine. When / entered tn
convicts were in their seats. The whit
men on one side, the black on the Other
What pitiful sight There is nethin
more horrible to gaze upon4han thes
stripes. Black and drab, four inche
broad each, no colors itsi9g in tn
seams as if to make &c black stripe hi
the drakasAslssilH tlie back Of the jack
cts or the legs of the pants Nas an in
territorial punishment to Che wearel
A sort OF penitentiary Aagniappe !
small platform with a rude desk ser
we'd as Speakers stand. The service
were opened by music from the cenyic
choir. At the small organ was seatct
Miss Gordon. This young ladyteache
the convicts to sing, besides having con
troll Of the convict Sunday School
The music was inspir ng, 1t wasa won
derlul sight to see that dear girl at the
organ and to listen to her sweet soprano
mingled with the b.ss, the baritone the
tenor from cOnvicts who like Gagged
birds had not forgotten how to sing,
Looking into the faces of that. ccnyict
audience it seemed to me that / had
never realized before how sad a HUMAN
face could be. There were good aces
there too, faces Of men whom you might
have proudly claimed as friends, had
you met them as citizens not convicts.
Among the conYicts we're quite a nain-
BET af 1shs mefv beys bare
wept n5 eyes out over them. Bo ID
stripesl boys who we're young enou i to
still nfed d mothers daily care. 0the
pity, the pity ofiitl When Mrs. Bar
ney begun her eloquent discQkrse ry
convict seemed flIedWith "hunge pg
and thirsting to hear" The sad es
grew sadder still, the hard, icy "a es
softened and down the cheeks rolled
tear after tear as The dear WQpsAn wept
opwith Gods love story. I lost 3
thought Of the penitentiafy, the hit
business Of the stripes no longer impress
ed me, / only thought of those men
human beings whom Christ had die
to save, as human beings in whom, un
der the sins, dWelt the indestructible|
spirit Of Eternal God. Howev
foolish.it may seem to law, know thal
nOuld 4 have done ii, would have
unlocked the door and have said as
Christ did: "Go. sin no more." That
was a womanly thought you think.
Grant it. I;shall never regret the sympa
thy that prompted it. Prayers followed
the discourse and then more music.
shall never forget that service. In
company with Mrs. Barney and Miss
Gordon Invent from the chapel to the
hospital. This place showed the sane
brutal architecture. No light no air
worth speaking about. When saw its
however, recalled the hor-
ror of the revclati IN that was officially
made concerning the filth and vermiu
ofthe Mississippi penitentiary hospital.
The cots we're robed in clean, sheets
spreads and blankets, the floor was free
from dirt, indeed everywhere showed a
neatness which could not. have been
brushed up for his special occasion
Quite a number of sick convicts were
here. Some of them told me that
uniform care and kindness was bestowed
upon them by attendants. They were
enthusiastic in their expressions love
md gratitude to the Warden, Mr..
Pearcy, they said he always did what he
could to make their lives better and
lobler. Mr.. PearcS and his wife fre
lucntly pray around the bedsideS Of the
iick and in every way do what christian
,ught. There is something wrong with
he larceny laws of Tennessee as there
something wrong with the larceny
avs of Mississippi. Upon cot in
he corner of the hospital we saw an old
nan, over seventy, his white hair, his
vrinkled face did not look in keeping
With his surroundings. This man had
,een sentenced to the penitentiary for
hooting a hog in the woods. How sad
nd lonely did helook lying there in the
lark corner, chair by his bed with
in can Of water upon it. Mrs. Barney
tthe request Of the sick held a short
eryice IN the hospitals, and Miss Cor
lon sang "Rock of Ages" The sick
neu were filled with gratitude to US for
coming and begged us to come again.
Monday following this Sunday, Mr..
oearcy gave me special invi alton to
,ome to the penitentiary at ) p. M, to
lold a Gospel service for the convicts,
Ie said that the visits of the w. G. I.
j. women bad such an effect for good
lc wanted to aV.il himself of every priv
Iege in having them. How different
o the denial given Mrs. NJ. 3. Erwin Of
by the stern officers Of law
yho told her ladies could not see the
lick in jackson pen!tentiaryl Mr.
Dearcy's testimony was that such visits
made the convicts gentler, easier 70 con-
rol and more religious. At six Mr..
Daorcv came for NE in his carriage in |