The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1892-02-18
Princes and Beggars.

Some good people wish to know what
causes crime. Well. therein lies tale.
Many. many centuries ago the Fates. in
the forms of beautiful women, were select
ing the spirits for mOrtals before sending
them to earth to be born men and women.
While they were engaged on the last lot.
which comprised the spirits of princes and
beggars. company of angels swept by
draped in raiment Outrivaling the rainbow
in beauty. The fair Fates, with one excep-
tion. turned and went short distance to
where better view could be obtained of
the procession. But the one that remained
-ah. there is where mOrtals' misery began
never to end until they return to the spirit
world to be put in their proper places.
This malignant Fate changed the many
spirits in their casketS of pearl-wherever
prince lay she put beggar, and wherever
beggar lay she put prince. When the
other Fates returned it was too late to rem.
edy the great wrong. And so to day, ages
after, we find princely spirits in poor mems
surroundings; and as a natural consequence
we have beggars and criminals because
princeIy perqusites are not Obtainable to
them in the guise of peasants. 1t is these
princely spirits which malicious Fate
misplaced that have caused many wOLder-
full events to occur in this old world of to-
day. These spirits have OverthrOWn en-
pireS and laid waste fair cities to obtain the
homage and adulatiOn demanded as their
royal right. Look through history and see
the many beggars that have risen above
their fellows and taken their stand as
princes and even kings Of the world. Look
at Napoleon. a peasant Of the little island
of Corsica, his spirit urged him on. NapO-
Icons unsuitable desire made many homes
desOlate that he might pose before the
world as a second Alexander the Great.
Let us come down the scale and consider
other princes in the same family of spirits.
We will take the mercenary prince, who
gradually mounts to the heights of influence
and wealth on the bowed shoulders of suf-
fering humanity. This prince starts from
the ranks of his comrades and for a while
has fellow feeling with them. but as he
tastes the sweets of homage and fattery, he
loses all sense of morality and justice. and
crestS his neck higher and higher until he
only hears the grOanS and sighs of his over
tasked employees as faint murmur from
the restless ocean. Next in consideration
is the princely criminal. We first meet him
i'm the ranks of the various vOcatiOns in the
busy world; he drifts on with the crowd un-
til the princely spirit urges him to rise
above. or else seek more cOnsiderate com.
pany that will appreciate his princely bear
ing, and render unto Caesar the things
which are Caesars. AS a natural result he
enters the company of fools. where pleasure
is considered the consummatiOn of life and
dishonesty the acme of philosophy. Here
our prince finds his subjects (while his
money lasts): and receives right royal hOm-
age from these human vampires whose
dominion is the dives and slums. and whose
subsistence is obtained through catering to
the vanities of our would be princes. They
soon lose their sense of morality in the mad
desire for homage and pleasure, and it is
then the temptation comes. They Overstep
the bounds of justice. and. if unfortunate,
land in the state asylum for criminals; or,
if they are lucky enough to escape detec-
ton. they may eventually open up dive
i'm some place. when the knowledge is
gained. by observation and experience, that
it does not pay to act the prince unless one
has large share of gold to back the title.
PETORA.