Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-02-21
"woRKHouSE NAN"
The Link That Held Woman to a Hst
 ter World.


 ter World.
 She was serving her third or fourth sen tence for being drunk and disorierly when I took an official position in the prison, and the sObriquCt uf workhOuse Nan" had already been givvn her. When out of prison, she lived n" one knew where nor cared She was a DVgEsar, drunkard and a brawlcr Wtrn arrested, she had no friends While a prisoner nothing good could bc said alsflit her. She gave the off cials moro troutlt than any hundred wom. en sent up for like uiT;n>Cs and at the DO lice court It was a relief to know that she was of the street and behind the bars again
 They tell you that prison official be comes sO hard hearted that he has no pity or sympathy for those under his ChaTEv That may hS true of some, but it Is not ot all. Many and many time We discussed old Mans case and wished we had 1t in our power Ia turn her from her evil ways You had but to look at her when shc was not in revolt t0 feel your sympathicS gO out toward her She was an old woman, and in spite of her vicious career there still remained traces of that mothCrly look which can he found in wife and mother until their vCry souls arc burned out hy the flames of vice Every ono said she must have been beautiful as girl and a bride and as wife and mother n woman to bc proud Cf by any husband in the land When sLe had been in prison for fort night or So, each term there would come a wonderful change All the evil would go out of her face and be replaced by mild cOmplaCcucy Su hettting her gray hair that every visitor would stop in wonder that she should ln' q prisoner there. For a week she would la the most humble of prison CTS, and then, use her as kindly as We would thcrr would come n revolt, and the inevitable Insult was the dark cell aS a punishment
 Sometimes when old Nan was in her peaceful moods I would sit and talk with her. She would be respectful, but never | communicative. Not one word could ever get from hvs regarding her past life That was q sealed book into which she herself did not dare tO look. II she had 1 relatives living, they had disowncd her. CT she was in hiding from them. No one | pleaded for her when arrested No ono asked for h,r at the prison. She had hu' one favor 10 ask of police or prison off l oials- She carried in her bosom small l parcel wrapped in oiled silk. When search cd. as all Vri~u.rrs arc, she begged tu l'y allowed 10 retain this parcel, and hvii,v ing it to be sumc mcmontO of other dHN =
  we found out at the prison how to man | age her When she became obstinate, We | threatened To take away the parcel. and | tho eifvct Was wonderful No other thr,aI l could move her. but that qulCtcd her fem l per as soon aS uttered
 The iud2" who srnt old Nan tO pr!-an must have also fvlt to pity her, as he al 1 ways gave her kind words even as hc >yuG her hack to lis Two or th-,r times |" offered to let her go frvc if she would leave the city or if friends would come forward | and promise 10 take care of her. she would not EO away, and she had no friends and SD il came about that w!;Ein q week after serving out a sentence Sic would bc sent back tO begin on another EaCh time l that she Canlv hack we noticed the TaV ages of dissipation more plainly, ard jl | took her l0rG..r to rtCOyCr the lutE which | we were v5.,r to >.,s II was a IvCrlhiu thing tu watch A human !i., ,:,Iu. down into the depths and Ia death that WLy. particularly W.Mau lie, l'It We C.liu do u"thin2 One astrtnuUu when old \A@ had sevH C,riIu: and going Gur two year l stopped I.,r n tiss' corridor l,r a W, nI e. two huI ra~~.J | n after a ,uh wi,A,.'l. ! speaking >h, hu longer looked I:hv : woman, hardly like a human Icing II, : face Was >0rliru and LlotcI,d lrr ,lt- rcd and hlctrH L!d il Was TiIiu that -3-t | could mot E,y I..Sh lower >I, hs,i ,I -' com" back jn u~ that day. H1u a> | !,t, her l knew that II WAS her last >culyvc, and slIuGd,TCd a. l r'aliECd how she " oald look wEyu death claimed L,r Only tL, next muraiuC tAo lDatUon sent fer nsC a0l led tho wIE 10 !d Nan : cell l lul.ovt z, after thinking she was i'll. but wacn stood m ihc ".e,n door knew tl.a; >!.' was dead I,l:A had come hours b, x, | hU7 lf.h hrttf o,f F7an nm felt the icy couch at her hcaI s--C -~, taken tho parcel and unwraIU>d i;, anl we found c!ulvhcd in her colj ringers fraycd and flIyG and broken photograph l the TiCtUrv ,G .I lay or J years Of a ~ Secured n IL" card was q lock of NrowT hair. dOuhl.,-~ cut from the head ot th' child after t!,lh Old Nan had died hold ing tho rCl!cS If years aronc, In tLc elo2N of the corridor at midnight sLC could F, have seen tho face but Ter fingers hat touched the lock of hair. and her lips LaI kissed the card And then thorC had com, a wonderful change All the wiCkCiny> and Legradation l.aL gone out of her soul and as she wcpt th2 trtEs had purified he face until a sad. sYvC, smile Tt>tCd un hC mouth-until even through the glaze Q death in the half open eyes uEc could rea, that she had VrayCi 10 Cicd, and he ha, answcpd her that she might hoNC fo mercy in the eternal bcyOnd- No one ro moved those rrIics fruIn her dead fingers : She held them aS sEe was placed in he prison Cotlin-hcld them as the dirt wa heapCd above her prison Gravc, And W who had many times wondered fl th years of degradation had eaten out he heart looked down upon her grayO aU, ! whispered
 In hrr last hour the relics gave he l harE Hyh1h Shp had inSr md tbo DDrr,,l will plead her cause in heaven" "