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

'S''NO
ting it to be such. let us unravel or submit
to scrutiny the causes which brought about
that unsatisfactory result No doubt there
are those among us who have seen prosper
ity with all of its attending Injuries. but
being built up in their own eonceit have
fallen prey to existing evils. Others,
again. through neglected training in youth.
have had to jog along through the world in
comparatively poor circumstances. and to
use common saying. had a hard row to
hoe. " and in consequence of lack of moral
training, were easily led into temptation.
Those who say we have ourselves to
blame for our present circumstances. stretch
the point to a considerable degree. The
communities i'm which some of us may have
spent our boyhood, We're not productive of
good morals and from which model men
could be expected to spring.
Too lax discipline at school and at home,
has sent many young man on the down.
ward path. Extraordinary severity in the
family circle has made many wanderer,
who naturally shrank from a treatment
which favored more of cruelty than pa
rental affection. and was compelled for his.
own comfort to seek pastures new
where the cold world could not treat him
any worse. if not better. In the majority
OF cases. those who are forced to fOrsake
the parental roof through OverZealOus treat
ment, are not in the best of circumstances
to battle with the world, and haven of
rest of any description is acceptable The
world contains avenues OF vice and immor-
alIty. which. am sorry to say, are allowed
to exist. and it often happens that the fugi-
tive will take to one of them. their dazzling
and glarng alurements of refectOrs. gauze,
tinsel and music, with the ever attending
intoxicant, are the bats laid out to tempt
the unsuspecting youth. AS natural re-
suit, he is enchanted with such an outward
display Of fnery and amusement. and sails
in as one OF the many who are hurrying on
to the gaping chaSm of despair, which is
located at the terminus of this beatific (?)
journey. He never thinks of looking be-
hind the scenes for all enemy. but accepts
with entire confidence the advice of the
devils emissaries, and does not discover be-
fore he reaches an institution of this de-
scription that he has been fooled.
After getting behind the bars there is no
lack of time for undiSturbed reflection. He
has uninterrupted quietness and can review
on earth where the word 'if'' is Oftener
used, than in prison, and the great trouble
is, there is no calling back of the long list
of mistakes and miSSpent Years, which
storms and cyclones can never Obliterate
from our memory.
The only way | can see out of the di-
lemma, so as to produce future happiness
and comfort. is on our liberation to try the
other side of the question: endeavOr to de-
rive benefit from our experience, and d.
miDish in the eyes of society at least, the
size of that indssolube structure-a mis-
spent life. There is only one way that
can be done. and that is by taking differ
ent course in the future.
Let us make bold and indefatigable eff
fort to raise ourselves out of the mire make
determined stand against anything we
know is injurious to our welfare. and to
those who are always ready to ask us. with
that sycOphantc plausibility to join in the
revelries Of our old haumtS. learn to say an
emphatic NO. The majority of us are COM
paratively young men. and. i'll the natural
course OF events if we are allowed all OPP
pOrtunity tn take part in the every day life
of the outside world. there is nothing to
hinder any one of us from using our energy
to some purpose. 1t is to be admitted that
our presence here. will mar our chances of
success immediately after our liberation, but
by taking hold Of something, which, by
careful attention and indonitabie perse-
verance. will eventually bring us satisfac-
tory remuneration and the chances are, we
will overcome all the attending Gistrust and
want of confidence that surrounds the ex-
convict. [ have no hesitation in saying. if
we possibly could learn the particulars of
nearly every case, where man comes back
to the penitentiary for the second or third
time, it would be found. that he deliber-
ately walked from the prison gates to his
old haunts possibly imagining he was i'm
perviOus to the solicitations to conviviality
that his old cronies might make, but alas!
for the frailty OF human nature, he fell