The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1889-06-20
A Pertinent Question.

A Pertinent Question.
1t was on the occasion of my first holt
day here. the gong had sounded which pro-
claimed that we were for few brief hours
at liberty to disport ourselves as our individ-
ual fancy might dictate. The bolts and
bars had been withdrawn. and as 1 made
my exit from the narrow confines of my
residence. my ears were greeted with
shout which reminded me very forcbly of
the war cry of the "Johnnies'' during the
days of the late unpleasantness l stood
for moment considering in which direc-
ton should turn in order to exc out the
most enjoyment in the limited time at my
disposal, and while revolving the matter in
my mind. 1 was approached from behind
by a neighbor. who, slapping me on the
shoulder III rather familiar manner, in
Quired jestngly: Nov, aint you sorry you
done it," replied to the question in the
same vein in which it had been put. and
Immediately after mingled with the
thrOng OF merry e; pleasure seekers.
During that day. and frequently since, |
have heard the same question banded about.
standing local bywOrd. If any of our COM
rade's cOuntenanceS assume a lugubriOus
or wOful expression, another seeks the OBJ
pOrtunty OF springing upon him the we'll
worn chestnut of ''Aint you sorry you done
it?"
Now, I've been thinking that this ques-
ton. is one that we should take home, and
wrestle with in the privacy of our cells,
where we might probably should we grapple
it in the proper spirit. be able to extract
some good from it. l don't wish to be ac-
cused of all endeavOr to SermOnize. for be-
sides being totally incompetent for such an
undertaking, it is not my forte; if it was,
should be tempted to choose as a text
what doth it profit man. if he gain the
whole world. and lose his own soul"
But let us look at the matter from a purely
worldly standpoint, and ask ourselves
what we have gained by pursuing the line
OF action which has resulted i'm placing us
in our present unfortunate and Improbable
position. COgtate upon the question as
much as we may. we can find no answer in
which there is the least particle of cOnSoIa-
ton. Have we bettered ourselves finan-
cially? How many of our number who
are charged with crime against property,
can. after their discharge from here, live
life of inglOriOus ease. or mastery inactiv-
gotten gains? l venture to the assertion
that there is not one. Scan our ranks cir
cumSpectly as we may, and we find that the
''bOOdler" is conspicuous only by his alb
Sence.
Take the case of those charged with crime
against person; can they derive from their
solitary meditatiOns anything more COM
fOrting than that obtained by their brethren
of crooked tendencies? | think not Is
not great deal OF their leisure time spent
regretting having given free rein to their
passions? l don't think any of this class
will pretend to deny this. except it be, in
spirit OF feigned bravadO. = 1t is only by an
experience such as we are at present under
going, that we can realize in its full force
the truth of the old adage that 1.-The way of
the transgreSsOr is hard"
Now, having considered the question of
what we have gained by our egregiOuS folly
with such al unsatisfactory result. let US
briefly pass in review. some of the things
we have forgotten. In the first place. we
have been deprived of our liberty and our
every movement is made under restrictions;
we have suffered, it may be- an irretrievabie
loss of reputation. With many of us the
best years of our lives have been frttered
away in all ignOminiOuS bondage from
which we have derived no benefit No
need to recapitulate the many unpleasant
details that are incidental to life behind the
bars the mOnotOnOuS routine of prison life,
etc. Suffice it to say, that the man. who.
after mature consideration Of all the facts
in the case. still has the harGihOOd. or I'M
bushing etfrOntery to affirm that he ..Aint
sorry he done it," deserves to be pitied as
One who never possessed anything. the
loss of which might cause him anxiety.
TAMMANY.