The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1889-07-25
Five Gents


out in life. One starts out full of self con-
ceit and altogether too confident. He tries
one tlade and then another, with poor sue
cess. Why? Want of application. He
becomes a careless and Indifferent trades
man, cannot command the same wages as
All expert, becomes disguised, packs up and
pulls out to look for better work and more
money. He discovers. after he has trav-
eled around, that it is no easy matter to
find what he wants. and in course of time
necessity cOmpels him to 90 to work at any
thing that he can get He possibly has to
settle down in some large city: and having,
perhaps. been raised in some rural town, is
ignorant of the prevailing wickedness and
snares that exist in the cities. He finally
becomes acquainted with circle of young
men whose characters will not bear the
strictest scrutiny and ere long is launched
in the same boat with them. and hurried
along the roaring river of intemperance: is
Swamped and may possibly fetch up in the
pententiary for repairs. While he is enact
ing this part of his life, let us look back to
the young man who started out with him.
and what do we find? He selected a trade
and determined to master it; he has. by
plodding industry and economy, secured
home for himself and is a respected men,
Der Of society; enjoys daily intercourse with
friends and relatives: has comfortable sur
rOundngs and is at peace with himself and
with all those with whom he comes in con-
tact. While his discontented partner. who
launched with him. if not in the peniten-
tiary, is among strangers; in very question
able society: has no communication with
his relatives or old friends: is an Outcast
and q useless member of the community in
which he lives.
The same lesson is applicable to us here.
No doubt many OF US have gone through the
bitter experience, and are now homeless.
friendless and forgotten. On being liber-
ated. we WILL in a sense. commence life
anew. Let us then take warning from our
past mistakes and endeavOr to make rep
aratiOn, not only for ourselves but for those
we love. Perhaps some of us, since leav-
ing hOme have lost our parents, but the
old homestead may still be there in the
hands of sisters or brothers. | am certain
love of home and schoo-boy associations
can never be obliterated in life. Let each
one OF u.s. on going out into the world
again. endeavOr to settle down to some hon
est mode of earning livelihood, and by eX-
ercising all our energies living sober and
economical lives, we can still build up a
resting place for our declining years. What
horrible prospect to contemplate. is a
burial in the pOtter's field the very thought
should make one Shudder TO be endowed
with all our faculties, in good health, roam
ing around with no object or goal in view,
and latterly. when nature gives out. the re-
mains of an ill-spent life to be buried by
charity-there is surely not one of us but
would feel dsgraced were it possible to
know that his body would fill a pauper's
grave. The only way to avert such a dis
grace in the future is to live life of indus
trV Go at it with the determination to Sc
cure competency for old age and success
will crown our endeavOrS.
l do not wish it to be thought that | am
sermoniZing. 1t is quite necessary that |
should follow the course suggested, and |
am also under the impression that there are
quite a number within these walls who,
if they were to write an article giving their
experience, would find that their case was
very similar to that of the man who did not
learn to play the fiddle. AMERICUs.