The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1889-05-09

fore you, and exercise your mind actively
in so doing. The fact that your mind has
been the negative upon which great num-
Der of good books and thoughts have been
phOtOgl aphed. is Of no account unless the
negative is fixed" The blackboard in
schOOlrOOm is the recipient OF a vast amount
of useful knowledge. but at the end of
years of service it is but a blackboard still,
and is constantly wearing away and becOm-
ing less valuable. SO it is with minds that
read or think carelesSly. They retain nothing
of value and are slowly. but surely. losing
the ability to retain. | am convinced that
one of the chief defects in the characters of
the men here is the lack of earnest thought
and reflection; the earnest seeking after the
truth in all that passes through the mind,
and the allowing of nothing but true, reli-
able facts and principles to become part of
the mental reflector.
How many men here have given an hours
thought. honest concentrated thought. upon
their present condition and future prospects.
You say you think of hing else. Ia most
cases, | beg to differ. your blackboard at
present. is covered with pictures of felons
in stripes. with guards, stone walls and
iron bars; but ere long, the day of relief
comes. the sponge is drawn over these un-
pleasant pictures, and once again the black
board. considerably the worse for wear is
ready again to be the passive, inert recp
lent of coming events and transient impress
siOns. Is this not SO? Have you spent
your time here in polishing your reflector?
In earnest mental discipline? Can you give
true, clear reflection of one book that you
have read? Have you been idly picking the
quicksilver from the back of your mirror
wasting your mental energies as we'll as
your time? You justly complain because
you are locked in day after day without
work; but you are doing yourself more
irreparable injury than the state can pOssi-
BILE inflct-yOu are keeping your brain
stagnant. locking it up week after week.
The mental faculties thus lose their vigOr,
and eventually, life.
No one can think for you. The brain
must receive it's stimuli from inward
sources. But the power of concentrating
the mind once acquired and how grand the
result! Every obstacle is overcome, the
mines of knowlege yield their richest treas
ures. good fortune becomes your slave, and
even happiness your handmaiden; for if you
are happy, you are content, and should un-
happiness approach, you have the power to
abstract your thoughts from self.
Exercise your thoughts then. The man
who will think calmly and earnestly upon
himself. the grave problem of life. upon
mans relation to man. and his relation to
the Creator is in but little danger of re-en-
tering career of crime
Think as you read; read nothing but
what will polish that reflector of yours, and
read nothing that will mar it. If you read
good book. that is step in the right di
rectiOn. Now take the same book and
study it, analyze every thought in it. and
study to acquire the points that you con-
slider worthy to retain. One good book
thus read will be a source of pleasure and
profit throughout your entire life, and will
be valuable aid to your endeavOr to train
your mental faculties
Think of yourself as we'll as for yourself.
The habit of thoughtful introspection will
reveal many blemisheS in your reflector and
you can wisely employ your time here in
getting it in good order. Work patiently.
remembering that the higher the polish on
an article of genuine merit, the greater its
value. AJAX.
TWenty.nine Years i'm Prison.