The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-12-31

While waiting for his train he passes away
the time i'm looking around and ''gawking"
until. like Dickens little Joe. he is told to
''mOve On.' He looks hurridly around
and meets the stern gaze of a ''miniOn OF
the law" who is 'ontO him" and again EN-
phaszes his order. He moves. At the de-
pot he is Observant of the silent sneers and
winks passed to and fro among the en-
ployes At length his train comes in, and,
thank Heaven, he is nearing home. The
conductor collects his fare and eyes him sus-
piciously while doing so. When he (the
conductor) has collected and entered up his
trip he takes vacant seat near some pas
senger, and the eX convict, if he happens
to look up. will find two pairs of eyes
rested upon him. He is almost home and
his troubles will soon be over. He has
hardly alighted from the train when his
friend Jones halls him with Hello. old fel
low, got home again, eh?" Every person
whom he ever knew and who knew about
his trial, conviction and sentence seem. that
day of all others, to be on the streets
through which he has to pass. and their
greetings of well, how did you stand it?,
When did you leave - (meaning the
town which is Synonymous of prison life)?"
and similar expressions. CRATES harshly on
his sensitive ears.
When he at last reaches home and true
friends, his mind is in that peculiar. high
strung, nervous condition that he does not
want to leave the only shelter that seems
ready to protect him from his friends. He
is new curiosity in town and everyone
wants to see him-a real. live ex convict.
After few days rest he musters up cour-
age to agan venture on the streets prOba.
bly, on some domestic errand. mayhap to
seek employment. Whether on business.
or in search of work he becomes the OBJ
served of observers. and his applications
for means of earning livelihood are met
with fimsy excuses or pointbiank- noes.
Whether to the layman he applies for work,
or to the clergyman for counsel in this his
hour of need. there seems no helping. SYM
pathetic hand reached out to help or raise
the fallen brother. Probably, and no
doubt. these men are strongly in sympa
| thy ION paper) with the poor prisoner behind
| the bars, they would not give one iOta
or spare one hour from official duties to
bring back to manhood the poor Outcast.
The poor fellow gets discouraged by these
repeated rebuffs and disappontments and
while wandering about is looked upon by
the authorities with suspicion, and the fact
of his having ''dones time" places him be
yOnd the pale of respectable society and he
easily falls into the hungry nav awaiting
| W lCCClVO ulIu 0C 10 III ONCly SCuSC VI CuO
word an outcast of society and his poor in
nocent family suffer to appease the dictates
of morbid and unreasonable prejudice.
With no friends at hand to assist, no pros
pect of work at home and probably with no
means to enable him to get away. his cOndi.
ton is deplOrable in the extreme. He
wanders off to some other point where he is
unknown. and obtains employment, but in
an evil hour some former acquaintance
stumbles across his path and with natural
fondness for gossip imparts to the neghbor'
hood the story of the unfortunate and
life again becomes burden.
l knew of one young man who had
served a short term of 8 months in prison
and upon his release decided to put a long
distance between himself and the penitent-
Omaha and enlisted. anticipating that his
regiment would be ordered to some frontier
post. During the annual encampment of
state militia it is customary to send bat
talon, or regiment of regulars to take part
with the state troops in their military
movements. Unfortunately this mans
company formed a part of the detail and
while in camp he was met and recognized
by former acquaintance who addressed
him in manner that excited suspicion
among his comrades. To day the man is a
deserter from the U. S. Army with a re-
ward of $50 pending over him for his ar
rest.
So it is with the ex convict. A man may
be guilty of horrible abuses of his family.
such as wife beating turning his children
out of doors. etc.. ETC.. and will receive a
nominal punishment in Jail which may be
repeated many times during the year. He
may put in two thirds of the year in the
county bastile. but there is no such stigma
attached to his conduct of brutality as there
is to that of the poor devil who. in mo
ment of despair and in order to save a
hungry family, might hold up wealthy
citizen, steal few dollars worth of grocer.