The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-10-26
Prison Life.
(coaiMUNIcATE&

( Every one, no matter what his con
ldition, can scatter q sunbeam OF JOY
and pleasure, in the sphere in which
he lives. whether IL Ia in the house oil
the prince or in the lowly cottage OF
tho peasant, the same opportunities
occur In which to turn the sunny side
A ray of hope is even thrown acros
his track of life. when behind the bar
: lin his prison cell. The lonely prlsone
receives kind word and cheerful lool
froU those who may visit the prisoi
and pass his cell. and Tor a momen
talk with him, and for moment hil
CLOUD OF sorrow rolls away. and h
thinks perhaps some one thinks o.
him.
There is no one treads the path Of
life but can contribute to its sunny
| side to some extent. Little drops oil
water make mighty ocean," and
every drop would gllsten like dla
mond, II IL were where 1t could catch
the sunbeam.
Though but u drop OF water, 1t hasits
Sunny side. 1t Is the little acts of
kindness that contributes most to the
enjoyments and pleasures of life. and
lin many cases rolls away the cloud Of
doubt or sorrow and let's the kind.
genial side OF our nature come to our
rescue. and we feel better because we
have met some one with little sun.
shine in his soul.
IL is the sunshine that raises the
dropping flower whose head is bowed
down with the heavy dews OF night. II
sends its cheerful rays of light to kiss
away the dewdrops, while the Hover
raises its head in gladness to greet the
coming day.
So it is with the lonely prisoner be-
hind the bars. Shut out from tho
world and society, friendless and for
eaken, brooding over the unhappy cir
cumstances which surround him. his
mind and thoughts wandering per.
haps" Lack TO the days of his freedom
and perchance to the days OF his
youth and happiness. with no hope OF
their return. .-.
His cloud has no silver lining. no ray
of light to awaken the sunny side OF
his nature.
What sad picture to hang outi And
many a cold hearted person on the
Outside world will say he deserves his
fate; '.let him CO." 10 such we will
sey. Judge not, that ye be not
Judged" 10 cir Ia human. to forgive
ldiyine, but mans inbumnnity to man
has made countless thousands mourn.
| No where in the Bible does its truth
shine more resplendently than in
that jem of purest ray, the Prodigal
Son. What would have become of the
returned wanderer when he came bach
Ito his home, had his father have treated
him with the unfurgivlng spirit, as did
his elder brother Sad indeed would
have been the wanderers fate and end
had his father turned him back with
lout forgiyness and mercy.
/ AS we stand between that scowline
hot ta 10
of seliishness bursting TO the surface
and his enyious epiriL, and that sin
SCARED and penitent younger brother
l"drlven home by famine and want" 1
lie hard to say that tho elder is superior
to tao younger. For my part l hav'
more respect for the younger. Ant
POSSIBLY when the elder Bro. knocked
at the golden gate for admission to tilt
l starry nebula, st, Peter, who was stand
Hing guard, and knowing his treatmen
of his younger brother. rang the bel
! and had him escorted down below. tt
mix with the 'imps," while the young
'er brother was allowed to enter tn
Itiowery kingdom and given q from
seat near the throne. And thus tn
Scripture is fulfilled. THAT the frs
shall be last, and the last shall b
Ifirst.n
The picture OF common jail witt
its Unfortunate inmates lie sad on
Ito look upon. The reform work o
prison IL study and deep one. il
,tlhas engaged the minds Of some OF
: our greatest men. Even ex-Prosiden
! Hayes was a member OF the United
/ States Prison Reform Committee dur
, ling his lite. Prison reform is pro
gressing day by day all over this ant
other countries. the best method o
reformation In all cases Is indeed
: deep study. for there are all kinds an
s classes to deal with. What will re
: form and bring one wanderer bac
to the fold, will not benefit another
THE writer was at one time acting q
deputy Sheriff in one of the extreme
Western States, and was thrown Il
contact with prisons and prisoner
Ito a great extent and had a GOO
chnnce to observe the different dispo
Isitions of criminals and the treatmen
best adapted to their reformation.
He 10 now a transient guest at this
hotel. awaiting action OF the grand
Jury. not yet having registered as
regular boarder. Perhaps som
short sighted persons will say that
nm out OF place in pennlng this artl
Gle. To such will say. that althoug
placed here under trying circumstan
ces / am not by any degree lost to a
sense OF proper manhood, and II !
any way can help to tighten the loac
and lift the dark cloud that hover
over my fellow man. am truly happ
Ito do SO. / do not write this In M
lown interest in the least degree.
How frequently In the course OF GU
lives the evil which in itself we see
most to shun, and which VIXEN we ar
fallen into. Is the N ost dreadful to us
lis often times the very means o
door to our deliveraiIee by whicl
alone we can be raised again from tht
laflliction we are fallen into.
The reformation OF prisoners In al
leases is difficult one to settle. Their,
lare all kinds aud classes to deal with
from the case-hardened criminal. who
is educated to crime from youth up t.
1.-The misguided youth who has wauder
ed FROM the fold and fallen amongs
evil companions, We think prisoner
should be graded aud classed. Tn
Treatment that the prisoner receive
= during the confinement in prison ha
Everything to do with his future lif'
after his liberation from prison.
Many reformation uf prisoners ba
been made during their confinement
in prison, by the kind aud human
treatment the prisoner has receives
from the prison officials during nj
, prison life. The management OF prlt
ons has everything to do with IN
general conduct and behavior OF tn
prisoners. The article spoken OF abov
I'm the Journal OF 18th is true In man
: respects. but 1t certainly does TIL
management OF the Now Castle pTiso
an injustice. although We know
was not intended. or the other pris
ons in Delaware and their manag'
ment know nothing. But In regar
TO the New Castle jail. ] speak froI
in. personal observation and actual e,
j. peiience. To read tho article spoke
II Of, the outside world would think tn.
or the New Castle prison was n horribl
SO place. almost o he'll upon earth, an
~ TINT misery surrounds 1t.
Is Now, such is not the case, and 10,
,hlt am Only doing q Justice to d.