The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1888-02-08

materials that my Father gave me will
which to build monument to His honor
[ have built the walls high and strong, an(
SO far as can see, have left no loOphoIe O.
escape. l fashioned the mighty steel doo
| with it's wonderful lock. l labOred early
and late for many years on this building
which l called my Vengeance. Ihad made
1t secure enough, and had been pruden
man would have left off, but l had becOm.
infatuated with the work and each da,
found something more to do.
Friends had often come to me and asked
why l persisted in wasting my inheritance
in building prison, and advised me to stoI
spending my riches in such a useless an(
disgraceful work. They pointed out til,
sinfulness and utter folly OF my squander
ing my inheritance in doing work tina
could only end in ruin and disgrace. They
showed me that was losing all the true
joys of life by thus wasting my energies
and that by the selfish waste of my time ant
riches was starving, and breaking th'
hearts of those was in duty bound to low
and cherish.
l admitted the truth of all they said, bu
Informed them that [ had no intention O.
leaving off until the work was completed.
l then told them that when quite yOuns
my Father out of the same material whicl
l was now using to build the structure thel
before them. Being inexperienced when
began the monument. and neglecting the us,
of my Guide Book. and depending too mucl
on my own abilities. made some mistakes
and as there are always those in cOmmuli
ity quick too see and publish the short
cOmingS of others, it was soon whispered
about the neighbOrhOod that was not any
better workman than ought to be. Thi.
talk worried me very much, for know tina
my blunderS were not half so bad as they
were made to appear. / determined to bt
more careful thereafter. All went on very
prosperOusly for a while after that. but OF
going to my work one morning l foun(
everything in confusion. Some malicious
enemies had stolen out in the night an(
thrown down the walls and destroyed thu
results of my labor, and had even carried
away my tools.
| 1t is needless to say | was enraged ant
diSheartened with such treatment. l con
cluded it would be useless to contend agains
my enemies any longer. l felt that tht
whole world was against me. and that al
prospects of succeeding were gone. M!
heart was full of bitterness, and l swOre
would have revenge. Then old Satan came
accepted without conditions. He supplied
me with new set of tools and guides
which, strange to say, was more Zealou
| in using than | had been with those fur
nished by my Father. l then determined
that instead of fair monument l wOul(
build a prison into whose dungeons / hoped
to entrap and punish my enemies. 1 tol(
them that many persons had protested
against my work and had tried by force tt
compel me to STOP and that they had in
terrupted me on several occasions, cOmpell-
ting me to let the work lay idle for time
but while restrained from work [ had en-
ployed the time in devising plans by which
l hoped to strengthen the work and eudt
the interference of my enemies.
! When had finished speaking the friend!
shook their heads sorrowfully, and wen
away.
No doubt but l would still have foun(
something to do had not misfortune over
taken me and put an end to the work
This is how it ended. On going inside tt
work one day, l carelessly left the key ir
the lock on the outside of the door
and old Satan happening 10 pass that way
| espied it. and being the sort of fellow tha
delights in playing scurvy tricks, saw his
opportunity and turned the key.
When my days work was finished
started to go out. but when | felt for my
key to unlock the door it was gone. | the,
tried the door and found it locked Now,
| had been in the habit of locking the doo
after me when | went in. for did not wisl
| to be interrupted while at work. After
thinking awhile l remembered having lef