The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1889-02-14
Letter from the Massechusetts
Prison..
M. j. h..

EDITOR MIRROR: A few months ago.
one of my fellow prisoners loaned me the
first copy of THE MIRROR that l had ever
seen: and to say that l Immediately fell in
love with it, when had read its contents
is putting it in the miIdest terms | can use
My name is now on your books. and you
can count me as regular subscriber as
long as l can raise dollar to pay for it.
In consequence of what l presume to
have been some delay in the mails, it hap
pened that the numbers for two successive
weeks reached me on the same morning.
Whether the result was too much of good
thing" at once. or not. ain unable to say,
but was irresistibly impelled to write you
word of cheer-nOt that l desire to see nv
self in print. although you are at liberty to
make whatever use of this you see fit-but
because think that you deserve it, and in
greater measure than l can bestOw.
You are doing glorious work, all of you
who lend either pen or hand in making up
your bright little paper. You have a world
of unjust and wicked prejudice to contend
VAeAs Ouo yOu HIuOL UC CAClIllIS d e0lllllR III
fluence in dispelling it. 1t is cheerful to
see the advancement that has been made:
and still more gratifying to have the as
surance that the ball is only just set in
better and grander things to come; from
each step still deducing good; from the
better thence again, and still BETTER in in
finite progression" until old time methods,
which have only made and confirmed crimi-
nails. shall be numbered with the mistakes
OF the Uao.. None of us who are in prison
to-day. have any occasion to despair. Our
condition has awakened an interest that is
almost national in extent, and behold. the
morning coneth," seeming slow, but SURE
Ii people will only 90 to the New Tesla
ment and enquire of the Great Reformer,
for the best means of uplifting and saving
the down-fallen, they will no longer beat
about the bush for what will only prove to
be impracticable methOdS-like ''indeterni.
nate sentences and perpetual imprison-
mentS'-for they will soon learn that there
are few ncOrrigibles that more humane
methods will not reach, with less liability
OF inflctng injustice in many cases. 1t
seems to he that some of our friends, in the
methods which they urge to promote prison
do not duly revOve the subject but catch
at seemingly fair aspect of the matter
and beco'.,H wholly controlled by that. but
certainly we should be willing to be sub
jected to experiments, if, when each proves
a failure. it may be promptly discarded, and
IN the light of experience gained, better
one adopted; by that means, the best meth
ods may ultimately be reached, and be of
some benefit to after generations, if not to
us Of the present
am under life sentence; but | am
filled with hope at what is being done. not
only as regards myself, but all of my fallen
brothers. May the time speedily come.
when such means shall be in operation, and
the pubic sentiment so modified, that we
may all behold it in our own power to rise
agaln-Whether once, twice, thrice or
''seventy-and-seven times fallen, and not,
despairingly, to feel compelled, against our
own better impulses, to remain down be-
cause we are down.
1t occurred to me that ought to specify
some of the features of THE MIRROR that
! regard as particularly good. but can only
DO it justice by saying that it is all good,
and would like to grasp its editor and a
few of it's contributors by the hand.
Editor "Solitaire's" letter to Gov. Hill was
a little too ultra" but it only teaches that
temperance is good in all things.
With the assurance that many of nv
fellOw-prlSOners here. who have read THE
MIRROR would unite with me in wishing
it unbounded success.
Very Respectfully. SKA.
State Prison. CharestOwn, Mass.