The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-02-19
OHAUTAUQUA
FROM THE NEBRASKA PRISON CIRCLE.

FROM THE NEBRASKA PRISON CIRCLE.
Fellow Chautauquans:-I want to apologize to
you for the negligence of our class in general and
my self in particular for failing to communicate
the progress of the CAautauqua class in this insti
tuition. We in receipt of THE MIRROR each
week for which please accept our hearty thanks.
Now for word about our class. We are
through with "Our English, have begun on From
Oh aucer to Tennyson," have had all the exercises
in Outline History of England" up to chapter
tn irteen. We have had our regular class exercises
ev cry two weeks. We have had various papers
Brazilian Constitution ''Silver Bill 1.-The
Wo rid of To-day" and a talk on Astronomy. by
Profe ssor Barrett of the State University. also
paper on observatories in our own country by one
of our class. 1 am proud to say that we have done
our work well, so far.
We all have taken great pleasure in reading the
articles from IF. J. G. p" and &C. W. K" which
have appeared in the columns of THE MIRROR.
and agree with them in all their advice. Mr..
Leavitt read your letter to the class the 18th of
jan, and we fully agree with you that man can
make himself either good or bad. Now, brother
Chautauquans well as brothers who not
Chautauquans want to ask you to take hold of
this Chautauqua work, and push it along do not
be afraid OF those that give you the laugh, for it
does not harm you while it would harm you to
lose the benefits that you derive from this course
of reading.
want you to know how our class feels about
the Christian part of this work. 1t is.this: If
there is anyone in out of class that is try.
ing to be Christian, we propose to help him. AS
our friend, c. w. r. of Bismarck, says: '.Show
me man that will slur his fellow-prisoner for
trying to be Christian and will show you man
without anything manly about him but his shape;
one who has no respect for his father mother.
SO you need not look for him to respect you or
your feelings. so let him go his way and you 60
yours" Now want to ask you to help out in
this and help those who wish to become better
men to do so.
Place the blame for your downfall where it be-.
longs, to your own lack of courage-I mean moral
courage-to say no to the temptation. You may
think that am to enthusiastic but if you had the
counsel and example of outsiders that we have in
noble Christian ladies and gentlemen who come
to us on the second and fourth Sunday in each
month, rain shine. or blow and the ap-
prevail of your warden and all the other officers
that we have, you could not help but become en-
thusastic and energetic in this work. Now ask
all you in that and other institutions Of the kind
to take hold Of this work and try to make better
men of yourselves and fellow prisoners. l am
well aware that we have to work to great dis
advantage in all these things. but if you can't
give advice you can give a smile instead of a
frown to those that trying to do right, that
alone will encourage them; but you can find many
other ways, if so inclined to encourage and help
them. without breaking the rules. 1 do not urge
people to take an interest in this work for the
benefit of ourselves and dear ones at home only,
but for the benefit Of the public at large do
not ask you to take my word alone. but refer you
to Warden Hopkns's report as to the benefits that
have been derived by the inmates of this prison
from this course of reading.
Lancaster, Nebraska CHAS r.