Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-02-28
BOYLE O'REILLY'S PRISON LIFE.
A Curious Study From the Pen Of the Late
Poet and Patrios.

Poet and Patrios.
The forthcoming Life, Poems and Speeches
Of John Boyle O'Reilly will contain the sub
Joined, which was found among his manu-
scripts:
One meets strange characters in prison, char
acters which are at once recognized as being
natural to the place, Us are bats or owls to q
cave. Prison characters, like all others, are
seen by different men in different lights. For
instance, visitor passing along corridor, and
glancing through the iron gates or observation
holes of the cells. sees only the quiet, and, to
him, sullen-looking convict, with all the crime
suggesting bumps largely developed on his
shaver head. The same man will be looked
upon by the officer who has charge Of him as
one of the best, most obedent and industrious
of the prisoners. which conclusion he comes to
by closer acquaintance than that of the visi-
tor, although his observations are still only Of
extcriors No man sees the true nature OF the
convict but his fellow convict. He looks at him
with a level glance and sees him in common
atmosphere. However convicts deceive their
| prison officers and chapiains which they do in
the majority of cases, they never deceive their
| fellows.
| I was a convict in an English prison four
years ago, and. before the impressions then re-
| ceived are weakened or rubbed out by time, it
may be OF interest to recall few "reminiscences.
First. let me remove all fears Of those who are
thinking that where they least expect it they
have fallen among thieves. / was not, in the
true sense OF the word, . criminal, although
ciassed with them and treated precisely the
| same as they were. My ofense against the law
was political. i had been soldier in a cavalry
| regiment and had been convicted OF being re-
publican and trying to make other men the
| same, and SO, in the winter Of 1867, it came
| about that / occupied cell 80, in pentagon s.
| Miiibank prison, London. on the iron barred
door of which cell hung a small white card
bearing this inscription: John Boyle O'Reilly,
| twenty years"
Some people would think It strange that
should still regard that cell-in which spent
nearly year OF solitary confnement-witha az
| lection, but 1t Is true. Man il domestic ami
nal, and to prisoner with twenty years. on
his door the cell ia home. i look back with
fond regard TO great many cells and great
| many prisons in England and Australia which
are associated to my mind in q way not to be
wholly understood by any one but m self. And
| II ever should go back to England (which il
doubtful. for l escaped from prison in Aus
tralia III 1869, and so permanently ended the
| twenty years.. the first place i would visit
would be one OF the old prisons. Remember
my name and many passing thought nrc
scratched and written on many q small p,ac Q
within those cells, which perfectly well recol-
lect, and 1t would be great treat to go back
some day and read them. And then, during
the time was IN prison, got acquainted witn
thousands OF professional Grim mails old and
young, who will be the occupants of the En-
glish jails Tor the next twenty years; and con-
! fess 1t would be of great interest to me to 90
back and walk the corridor with al the brifn-
ming responsibility of visitor and stop when
saw face l knew Of old, and observe how
time and vilhany had dealt with it,