The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-10-27
Prison Life.
IcoarMuNICATED]


The prison has o small library which
ie great benefit to the prisoners and
helpa to while away the weary houre
and divert the mind from morbid
thoughts. and awake them from the
lethargy which will overtake them.
As all the prisoners serving sentences
are Idle and entirely without employ
ment the library is great help. But
IL Is small and j suppose some Of the
prisoners who have q long time to
serve have read every book over and
over again.
It is we'll said that idleness produces
vice, and when applied to prison life.
1t not only produces vice but 1t is q de-
stroyer Of the mind and body.
In The reports OF the u. +. prison re-
form Congress-. the statistics show
that where the inmates OF prisons are
employed In different kinds OF labor
when compared with prisons where no
labor IL done. and the prisoners are
Idle. that the percentage in favor Of
the labor Institutions, in regard to
reformation and health" is 80 per cent
Common sense would tell us that II
must be true.
Let us draw the two pictures os they
appear. A man Is sentenced TO prison
for term of years; he is sent TO {
|
Ia performed. He has Learned nc
trade before he enters the prison.
He has chance to learn trade Will,
In prison. His mind and body are em
ployed and kept in healthy condition
by the work he does.
He has regular task to perform
daily, and II he does any extra Uorl
more than his regular task, he receiver
pay for the same. This Is an incentive
for industry. His extra earnings are
saved up FOR him, and at the end oil
his term OF Imprisonment he has
quite sum of money to his credit.
When he goes out into the world
aRnin 70 com mence new lie ne is.
first OF all. healthy in body and mind.
He las good clothes and good sum
oil money Ia Keep him from want un-
til be can find employ for he has
now learned trade by which he can
work and help himself.
He finds work. becomes respectful BILE
| member OF society. mud is saved. The
other picture is q gloomy ono TO gaze
nt.
1he prisoner is sent to prison for
term OF years. where no labor is per
formed: he passes bis term Of imprIs.
onment in absolute idleness. Perhaps
he cannot read or write, (for We find
muny such cases, he cannot cultivate
Ills mind by reading. His mind be.
comes diseased by morbid thoughts.
his health is impaired by idlenees.
Acontinual dropping will wear away
stone, and so the continual strain on
the mind totally units him for any
labor when hie term OF Imprisonment
| expires. He il discharged from prison
| poorly clad, with no money. no home.
no frlends, to face the cold world who
know him not now" but despise him.
No one will employ him and he goes
on his weary tramp disheartened ana
discouraged.
When night overtakes him. foot.
sore and weary, lie has no shelter from
the wind ami storm--perhap rs it is
wintc.. He seeks the wayside and
makes his bed on the cold ground.
with the blue sky for a cover-iid and
his hand for pillow. He awnkes half
starved and continues on his lonely
( journey. Hunger knows no friend, no
relation, no right. and therefore is re-
morelesR and capable OF no compas.
sion.
Tho wanderer trudges along the sea
OF life without rudder or compass. un.
til his frail bark lands him upon rough.
ragged rocks, and shipwrecl and dis
astur oyertake him. and he finds him,
self again the inmate of some prison
cell and he is lost" Employment
Keeps tho inmates of prison healthy
and stlong, und is u powerful factor
/ for reformation. A PRISONER.