The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-09-17
VaIedictOry.

taleOlctOry.
In the service of my seven years SEN
tence. many questions have been asked me;
but the ones oftenest propounded-with the
former especially toward the latter part of
my term-were: 'Did it seem long?" and,
"What seemed the toughest moment to
you? When you come through the gates.
or when?" Owing to limited space, will
cOnfine myself to answering but the above
two questions, and l sincerely trust that my
answers will prove both entertaining and
acceptable. l we'll knew the covert and
eager trepidation with which especially the
former question was invariably launched:
and to give the grain of comfort | knew the
Questioner so anXiOusly to crave. | usually
prevaricated slightly, and replied: "J.ong?
Why, no. 1t just seemed to fly around!"
For, as | calmly review the prOtracted term
of servitude, | can most sincerely say that
it seemed all the other way. The anxious
husband waiting at the train for his beloved
wife, heedS not the mass of faces passing
him on either side. They are as DO part or
parcel of him, and he gaZes past them all,
and on, until happy smile lights up his
face, and the wife stands at his side. So,
too, is it with the convict in the service of
sentence. He begins it with the landmark
of his "leaving day" in mind, and all the
other incidental marks along the road of
Time cut but little figure to him. None of
them is the all-mportant fixture he has in
and on his mind. Hence. he ignores them
pear to glide more swiftly by. But | will
reiterate. that it is my sincere belief that a
cOnvict's time. no matter how favorable
may be the conditions of his servitude, does
not fly around. pray pardon the little
sally: In my opinion. it is the convict him
self that does all the flying around.) When
l came here. Capt j. A. Reed was warden;
and the Revs. DR.. Carroll and Father Muir
ply the chaplains. Ten months later, the
wardenship was conferred upon the Hon.
II. G. StordOck; and to give the reader
little insight into the average cOnvict's in
dvidual idea as to the flight of his time, 1
will recite little dialogue or two, which it
chanced my fortune to hear on one of Mr..
StOrdOck's first audience days.; publishing
only such of the converse, as bears any rele-
vancy to the case in hand:
Warden: Well. Boggs. what can 1 do for you3
BOggs l wan. to subscribe for the Pioneer
Press
Warden: How long have you been here?
Boggs: Oh. have been here long time!
Warden: How long?
Boggs Eight months and half!
Warden: Well, Oliver?
oliver: ID like to have 'nudder job.
Warden: What's wrong with the job you have?
Oliver: Too hard
Warden: You've been here how long?
oliver: An age. warden.
Warden: How long is that?
Oliver: Ffour.tteen months.
Warden: Well, jerks. what can 1 do for you?
jerks: want to get pardon, warden.
Warden: How long have you been here?
jerks: Oh, terrible long.
Warden: So?
jerks: Yes, going on two years.
Warden: McDuff!
McDuff: Yes. wanter get toot brush.
Warden: How long have you been here?
McDuff Quite a stretch, warn.
Warden: How long?
McDuff: Thirteen months.
Warden: What can do for you. Roscoe?
Roscoe: Oh, nothing. l just thought l would
come down and have talk with you, warden.
Warden: That's right. Let's see. Roscoe, you
have been here quite while have mt you?
Roscoe: Yes, sir. Going on eight years.
Thus it will be seen. that the convict's
time is long from almost any standpoint;
which. after all. is but quite natural, and
here. again, the convict resembles somewhat
the traveller waiting for a train. The every
moment seems an age to him; yet when at
last the train heaves in sight, the bitter
agony of the separate moments is forgotten,
and in glancing back a mitigating leniency
takes possession of his heart, and he reckOns
in the bulk. and Sights the individual mo-
ments.
The Rev. DR.. Carroll, whose memory, I
trust, is still alive in the hearts of all of our
''old timers" was called to his eternal rest
few months after my arrival; and Father
Murphy-though officiating as Catholic
chaplain to within very few months ago
now, too. has succumbed to the dictum of
Time. and has cast his lot in other fields.
Succeeding Warden Stordock and Deputy
Westby, there came the Randall admins
tration-which covered a period of about
two years-and then. on Feb. of the pres.