The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1892-02-18
s. Stilwater Mimi, Thursday, Feb. IS, 1892.

of industry and culture,v and her first step
was to reach the prisoner i'm his prison by
giving him to read good books that would
lift him above his wretched surroundings
and inspire him with desire for a better
life when his term of Imprisonment should
be over. To do this she sought to place
libraries in every Jail and prison in the
country. Care for the prisoners family
was also included in her plan, and the
securing of respectable employment for him
on his release from prison. Up to this time,
working almost entirely alone and relying
we'll nigh altogether upon her own re-
sources. she has placed more than so. 900
volumes in various prisons and restored
hundreds. even thousands. of criminals to
be respected and useful members of society.
On one occasion as she was passing along
Broadway she was accOsted by young
man whose face she did not at first remem
her. She passed him. but she noticed that
he turned about and followed her. She
paused and asked his name, when she re
called him as an eX convict whom she had
once known in prison. He told her that
since his release he had tried to do honest
work. but as none would employ him when
they learned of his former life he had been
obliged to resort to his old criminal ways
| for livelihood. He had, he said, Just
had brought back his desire for an honest
life. and he wished to restore his plunder
/ She went to the man who had been
robbed with his property. which was of the
value of $500. He was glad to get it, but
at first was Obdurate in insisting that the
| criminal should be punished. At last, how
ever. he yielded to her questions. if he
would not think it hard should one of his
own sons be thus treated when coming back
to right ways like the returning prodgal;
and he not only fOrgave the convict. but
added $50 to like amount of Miss Gilbert's
own funds with which she proposed to set
the pentent thief in small cigar business.
He has been prosperous. and now. with
wife and two interesting children. he is re-
spected and trusted by all who know him.
Another interesting case is that of
manly young fellow for whom she secured
work after he had served term i'm prison
for burglary. She sent him to farmer in
Illinois. whose daughter became devOtedly
attached to him. Her parents were willing
he should marry the young woman but be
fore he asked her to do so he wrote to Miss
Gilbert. asking if he should not disclose his
history. She told him to do so, and they
were married with the full approval of the
young girls parents. He was prosperous,
and is now prominent member of Bap
tist church in the neghborhOOd.
Her chief instrument in dealing with the
criminal is kindness. With the most hard
ened she never uses harsh word, and so
potent has been her method of treatment
that she approaches the worst cases with
absolute fearleSSneSS. An instance of her
power and her self possession was given in
1882, when her house in New York was
entered by burglar. At dead of night she
was awakened by noise in her chamber,
and raising herself upon her elbow she saw
stalwart man ransacking her bureau
drawer. He was in the act of apprOprating
valuable gold watch. when. rising from
her bed and approaching him noiselessly,
she laid her hand upon his shoulder, say
ing: do you know that you are robbing
your best friend? am Linda Gilbert
The man crOuched upon the floor speech
less. while she struck light. and. pointing
to chair. told him to be seated. Then she
drew from him his story. He was he said
not an habitual criminal but an honest
labOrer out of work and he had resOrtOd to
crime to feed a starving wife and children.
Not questioning his statement she led him
nOiselessly down to the kitchen-fsr her
father and another gentleman were asleep
in the hOuse-and there she filled for him
basket of provisions. and adding to it five
dollar greenback told him to come to her
again if he should fail to soon secure work.
Thus she dismissed him to better life.-
New York Advertiser.