The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1889-07-11


poor leaving in rags for the same purpose? Who
does not remember Washington and his soldiers,
and their brave deeds in the of the for
ests? Of the women making cartridges and cut
ting up their garments to make wadding for the
old fnt-locks? Seven years of desolating war
followed in which these men, made in the image
of their God, fought for the liberty of wOrshipng
Him according to the dictates of their own
conscience.
In l776 the independence of the United States
of America was declared. How great this
American people when after the surrender OF
CORVALLIS. they lifted up their voices in unison
crying, 1--WE are free!' How grand it is to leek
back on the field of struggle to this triumph.
The earlier history of our country may be com
pared to the story of the two boys who went into
partnership to buy cigar. One OF them put in
three and the other two cents, it being understood
they should smoke in the same ratio as they-in-
vested. One of them smoked away with sang
frod paying attention to his partner. when the
latter said, Look here, Jim. amt you going to
let me smoker Nav. won't" replied Jim.
"ain't the capitalist? l do the smoking. and you
do the splitting" England d the smoking and
we the splitting. Now, we do the smoking and
England does the splitting. Such is the change
in nations and individuals. Some go up and some
down like the boys on see-saw. Some go down
| to the lowest depths of Experimentation per-
haps in the loss of character or money. None are
| the same some constantly going up and
| others down.
Some years after the Constitution was formed
the question of slavery became Il matter of strife
among the states. AT one time all the northern
states tolerated slavery but the agitation that be-
gan in Virginia had its good effect. and in 1890 all
|
declared forever after free by the terms of the
| Missouri Compromise.
| The great debate between Lincoln and Douglass
was the death-kneIl of slavery. 1t was a battle
of brains, carried without personalities or
defamation of character. Is slavery right or
wrong? was the question. and upon that issue fol-
lowed one of the grandest arguments recordedin
history. No man did more than Douglass to set
tie this question. and had he lived he would have
been commander of the American forces
! The Major in continuing his address brought the
| history of country down to the present day,
and gave tabulated statement of the wonderful
progress made in two hundred years, and closed
with a fitting eulogy of the men who we're fore
most in making this country the greatest nation
on the earth.
| When the Major had finished Claude and Eva
Jackson favored us with several songs Mr.. Plim
T. Bennett then gave rs all good laugh by his
| inimitable delivery of the Harp of Thousand
Strings"
The exercises over. the gavel fell and
| and marched to the cells, receiving bountiful
dinner on the way.
At 80 the doors again unlocked and when
the gong sounded bars up" the hitherto silent
corridors rang with the glad shouts of four hun
dred and fifty II. soners suddenly made cOmpar-
atively free. For time there such a hum of
voices and hurrying hther and thither in search Of
some friend that all confusion. Hand shak-
ing the order of the day and officers and pris
oners were on equal footing for the time SO far
civilities were concerned.
Soon the twanging and squeaking of banjO and
fiddle arose above the chatter calling the boys
into groups to hear songs and see the
lightfooted display their agility in breakdown
and jig. Some delighted most in quiet
ton others in song, and still others in wandering
from place to place mere spectators If any were
at enmity they refrained from showing it, for dur
ing the whole day not uncivil word heard
to pass between men. After time smoke began to
ascend from the vicinity of the cell head
quarters. a visit to that locality revealed the
Deputy Warden and his assistants issuing cigars.
All about il should be friend had
found friend and enjoyment depicted upon
every face the few who enjoy nothing
much the attention their mserabeness
attracts.
Not the least pleasing feature of the day WAS
the Little children skipping from place to place OBJ
serving all that went on. Those children will
have and wonderful stories to relate that
will cause the eyes of their playmates to open in
astonshment A number of ladies and gentle
men from the outside present lending
air of gentility to the occasion, and their pres
ence caused the more bosterousy-inclined to re-
strain their too exuberant spirits.
At clock sharp, the gong sounded the knelI