The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1890-03-13
Five Gents,

one of these old chronics pick out the big
gest hardest, toughest wall of public Opin-
ion there is to be found and then taking
long running jump. whack his old cocOanut
against it till the little shriveled up brain
OF him rattleS in his skull like peas in a
bladder. We've got men right down town
here who wear bunOnS the year round from
kicking against the inevitable. don't pro-
pose to rob myself of the pleasure of seeing
any unusually hard kicking, for the harder
| they kick the more fun it is to see the re-
| bound. but if l were you boys l wouldn't
kick unless there was something to be ac-
complished by it, You might just as well
lombard Gibralter with Boston baked beans.
Some of you are going out every few
days. What are you going to do when you
get out? Live on the square. or 60 crooked
again? Which pays the best? AS one who
has tried both. would advise you to try
go at a straight life. Try honest work
once; society may not regard it as being
quite so respectable, but really there are
arguments in favor of work. You will
never know how good you will feel till you
earn an honest dollar for yourself by hon
est toll. l was surprised when L first tried
it year or two ago, and it gave me so much
real pleasure that have repeated the ex-
pertinent once or twice since. Of course,
this plan has its drawbacks, but on the
whole [ am inclined to favor it and just as
soon as the present political campaign is
over am gong to try it again.
Owing partly to the fortunate circum-
stances that have prevented us from getting
caught at it, and partly to the leniency of
the men who stand in judgment over us,
there are a number of us yet Oh the other
side of these artistic walls, and we take a
good deal of interest in you who have not
been so fortunate. We realize that there
are a good many of you. who, much as you
would like to be at liberty, will not do the
baby act By that mean you wouldn't
snivel around, and say, Il am the victim OF
unfortunate surroundings, injudiciOuS train
ing, etc." Don't do it. Come up to the
rack like man. Say Il stole it," or Il
killed him." or whatever 1t is and take your
medicine like man. In Jail or out, you
will get more credit for being independent
and honorable. There is great difference
between being honest and being honorable.
l know men who are too honest to steal
who are such cringing hypOcrtes, such
whining sycOphants. such creeping. crawl
ing. human insects that many rough and
ready fellow would kick to accept them as
cellmates in a county Jail. Some OF you
are religious and some of you are not.
Those of you who are have a stimulant and
motive to induce you to live on the square.
Those of you who are not may have. l
tell you boys, it pays better-that is unless
you strike it bigger than l ever did. In
these days of electrical perfection it is almost
impossible for man to do anything with
out being caught at it. and if these electrical
apparatuses get into general use some of us
have got to suspend business.
l presume that great many men have
started on careers of crOOkedDess by some
little chance occurrence that at the time
| %riv hi,,l1 hofV min
have been the consequences had George
Washington's father given him the
sprouting which one of our fathers would
have been likely to have given us under the
same circumstances. Instead of having his
picture hanging up in all the Y. NJ Z. A.
reading rooms and being looked up to as
the father of his country, his picture would
probably now be used as an advertisement
for corn cure and he would be spoken of
as Wash" That little hatchet story de-
void as it may be of any corrobOrative evil
dence, serves good purpose Ill illustrating
the mOmentOus results of thrilling act
George Washington's father forgave his
boy for the use he made of his hatchet. See
the result. A president. l also had
hatchet when was bOy-l did not cut
down valuable cherry tree-l cut Oft the
toe of little niger; and alas my father
didn't forgive me, even though L confessed
the deed-after it was proven on me-and
even offered to ask pardon of the mutilated
young African. 1t wouldn't go. You see
the difference. However, there may have
been other things which have prevented me
from becoming president. l don't know.
1 have thought a good deal about the
things that prisoners suffer. Often when l
was lying on voluptuOus bed of ease.
quietly reposing on the bosom OF mother
earth with a sIat gate for blanket.
gopher hill for pillow. and the whole ter
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