The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1893-04-27
Why Not.

Why Not.
Our Superintendent reports an interview which
must have pleased him very much. AS he pass
ed through car to find seat. another paSSen-
ger having recognized him, followed and claimed
seat with him. He was an eX- prisoner. Liquor
was formerly his destruction. He went out from
here, however with purpose to do we'll. He
showed himself, while here, to be very capable
man. His natural gifts and his education were
sufficient to qualify him for special work. He
had friends who assisted him, and he soon found
apOsition with very large firm. He was married,
established home of his own, and made up his
mind that if he had any hope for the future, he
must stay much within the safety of that sacred
enclosure
THEN. WHY NOT!
This eX-prisOner whom we will call G.. has now
concluded after all these years that he can lead
sober life. 1t requires the utmost care on his
part to do so. He does not dare to look to the
right or, the left in some of his jOurneyngs
through the city, but keeps straight on. When
he comes home from his business, weary and
possibly with some moving still of the old appe-
tite for the Stimulant which he fears to have even
his imagination present to him, his good wife
knowing his weakness has cup of warm drink
ready for him, perhaps bowl of beef tea and
variety of the little diversions of home and so he
gets over his temptation. AS for his old COM
panions, he knows what it means to be much in
their company. And having tried all these pre-
cautions and friendly aids for a few years, he
concludes that it is possible for him to live
sober life
OH, WHY NOT!
c. has been so fortunate as to come into the
employ of kindhearted men. If he were to in
dulge in one single drunken spree perhaps they
would discard him for life. Their concerns are
too vast to suffer any trifiing. He knows that
but he does not mean to do any trifling. In the
meantime he is taking advantage of the kind
ness of the firm He is qualifying himself steadily
to assist them still more. He has the natural
capacity to occupy very important place. One
difficulty which firms experience who are doing
very large business, requiring immense attention
to varied details, is to find men who are capable
of handling all that business which they can only
do by organizing it, rather than by executing it.
c. has made up his mind that he can be that kind
of helper in this business, and he has set his
heart upon doing it. Strong ambition has taken
possession of him, and this young man who few
years ago had very narrow quarters in our east
wing, and who only little before that had been
good-fOr nothing drunkard, actually had the
what shall we call it-vanity? cOnceit? brass?
No. we will call it by no such names; he had the
good sense, the high purpose, the God-given bold
ness to say to his friend, our Superintendent, in
the sacred confidence of this interview as they
sat together on the car seat: 81 do not see why
1 may not by and by get very near the head of
this great cOncern!
SURELY, WHY NOT!
c. is viewing life just now in a somewhat rosy
way; few years ago he heard men say, 1.-THE
prison stain never can be got of, ''"O once GRIM
inal always a criminal" "Once get down and all
the world treads on you, so that you never can
get up again." But all that nonsense he has now
gotten by. His home is as happy as another
MANS His little baby prattles just like any 9TH
er. The sun shines brightly into his windows
and the world opens its doors. To be sure mis-
fortunes may come to him yet, the same as to any
other man, but, "as thy day so shall thy strength
be- In the meantime this ex-prisoner is meet
ing life with brave heart. and saying sc. has
chance in the world if he has mind to use it,
just the same as any one else.''
WHY MOTT! WHY MOTH
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