Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-06-02
IMPRISONED SOULS.
Sill GOSSstt Says he Don't Want to Be
Convict.
ENTHUSIASTIC Young FATHERS
Very Communicative About Their
first Little DarlingS--Some People
Are Never satiSaed-womcn Folk
as "Newspapcr-Men"n and Bicyclists

record as asserting most positively that
don't want to be n convict, even though
could set my picture in the papers
have columns written about me. and wear
striped pants. / say this because l have
been TO the penitcutiary and know what
] am talking about The melancholy pat
fer OF the rain and the drcary, dismal
weather OF the past few weeks have been
in sympathy with several sorrowful
I scenes that have recently witnessed,
one Of them being the aforesaid visit 10
the big prison.
Though / have breathed the free air
Of Libby Hin and drank the Chimboraza
liIhia water FOR many years, It never &C.
Cured 10 me that visit 10 the peni-
teniiay would be pleasant or even in
teftst,ng. but wnen a relative came TO
town few days ago l was induced TO
honor the big white soup estab-
lishment with my presence. had
pretty good phone acquaintance
with Colonel Kemper, who always
appeared 10 my oraculsr vision as
a mighty good-natnred sort Of g fellow.
and / often wondered how ne could be
90 Jolly amid such sorrOwful and pitiful
surroundings. SIN / had my dread Of the
place, and didn't want 10 80, and now
4 Wish hadn't. Things are not always
what they seem, however for many
time 1 have smiled when L felt Ike weep
ing and vice versa. and. possibly. the
gay Colonel is like me in this respect.
1t was a strangely pitiful and pathetic
sight that met our gaze az we passed
through the big iron-barred gate and
sound ourselves In the enclosure with men
and women said 90 be guilty OF all sorts
OF crime. Upon the faces OF some
were depicted sadness and sorrow,
while others appeared as careless and
indifferent as the stone walls about them.
Poor creatures, they toll. yet they reap
not. they spin the sewing-machines, but
they get mighty little benefit therefrom.
Again say / wouldn't like TO be con-
Wet. even II could have pretty clothes
and free lodgin'.
A very little 10Y and a great deal OF
Sadness and the poor convicts life Is
summed up. There may be a few bright
days when Joy dwells above them ike
the Bonded Heaven; when sorrow takes
wings and flies away and gladness nils
these imprisoned souls; but there are
great many days when hope looks only
20 the cities Of the dead and despair
and crime-twin children Of vice-play
upon the thoroughfareg and revel I'm
the midst of humanity each day we live.
and finally wind up with a season Of
reflection In a felons cell. Day by day
sins course IS marked and one by one
the victims OF fits alluring acquaintance
ship find their manacted way TO the
great reformatory Of life, where they
stand pOstured in striped suits and re-
faf g.. Each
upon the record OF time and the penl-
Tertiary books some human being stands
committed. and the poor souls mourn and
Rrleve, mayhaps, while they are subjected
20 the gaze Of the free and the curious.
Sometimes, no doubt, the tenderest ties
of human life are snapped by these ar
rivals. the hottest emotions OF many
heart is silenced, and the pleasures ana
doys OF hitherto happy homes are for
ever banished. as another good man gone
wrong finds his way behind the iron bars.
colonel Kemper Is a nice fellow. love
him very much, but when we meet again
81 won't be at his official home. / haven't
.fclt like doing anything but weep since
j paid him the visit. and my friends are
ali asking me II some one has taken
any playthings.
I am frequently amused at the effer-
s,cscent enthusiasm and the gigantic COM
snunicativcness OF young fathers over the
recent arrival in their families OF pros
spectlve heir. In saying young fathers, /
snean when there IS only one little one TO
buy shoes for and 10 walk the floor at
might with. However, when II comes 10
shoeing a dozen or more little feet and
Rramplng the cold. midnight mating with
q dear darling In each arm, ana not hair
enough arms to accommodate the wee
Rets, the,ovcrflowing. passionate zeal and
The volumlnous supply Of eulOgistic wind
,over babies gives way TO WEAKNESS ana
thoughts unfit FOR publication. ! recent
Az heard Of a young paternal predecessor
Whose display OF oratory about one poor
Sttc baby was equal TO that Of q Cary
street auctiOneer over a cargo Of straw
berries The gentleman is a salesman in
\, Broad-street shoe-housc, and. It is said.
he mixed baby-talk with patent-leather
araises until several customers didn't
know whether they were in DR. Parkers
enfantile Home or an up-to-date foot
kyear establishment. The fellows boss
anade reasonable excuses for his late ar
rival at work and the length of time he
took for dinner. but II is understood the
hetghboring storekeepers have gotten up
a petition 10 the effect that they hear
enough baby-talk from their own en-
alOyees, and asking the shoe-merchant to
keep his salesman at home until he gets
over the attack of infantile-mania. Some
people haven't got much patience with
these poor devils. possibly because they
have never undergone a similar expert
ence; but, for my own part 1 don't mind
~ at all. In fact / really love TO hear
shem give expression TO their enthusiasm.
Sor It isn't everybody that enjoys such
u privilege.
Some folk are never contented. and the
tonger / live the more thoroughly con-
WINGED / become that there are mighty
Few people in this world who are satisfied
with the weather IL it's hot they want
u cold, and vice versa. and II It's wet
they roll up their pants and kick because
'tisn't dry. L really don't wonder that
She little hair on Old Man Harrington's
head is gray. The surprising part is that
he has any capillary substance 20 be
gray. During the past two months a
Thousand people have asked me daily IL
the weather wasn't horrible. / am al
ways glad 10 give advice or information,
even n l don't know what | am talking
about: but the person Is an idiot who
doesn't know that the weather hash [
been good. and whore IS the sense In
piercing every one you meet with the In
ierrogation. "Ain't II awfll%' old Man
Summer arrived a few days ago. and he
came down the hOme-stretch at a Nancy
HANKS cup lie hasn't been gOod thlil
sh the race with Winter ana Spring, but
he demonstrated his racing qualities. and
also his ability 10 make things hot when
the home-stretch was reached. He Wa,
an cay winner In 90 degrees. Since then
the people who short while ago were
kicking about tho cold are saying Amen
40 the late Lord Jefferys facetious re-.
mark; i would like 10 take of my Skin
and sit in my bones" Ii has simmared
rizzled, steamed, collars have tainted, men
and women have not felt like work. and
oral extracts from profanc history have
Deen waited upon the heated breezes.
KNOW IT'S hot, and the first person who
fsks me this question 1 shall have locke
up on the charge OF being q chump.
IL seems % be n popular fad now foi
newspapers TO turn over 20 the gentloi
eek The publication Of certain issue OF
The paper. ! dread the day when oul
periodical falls INCLINE. and would fain CRY
out oh, my masters, don't do itw We
nave "a hard enough time al best but
Nnnk OF the terrible torture we would
nave 10 endure II We had 70 get out q
paper with the women. Imagine a re
porter with I'VE or six female writers
taklng them over the city in search o.
news on! where would he be when the,
visited the court Of John, and the faii
bniipDies began 10 ask Questions2 Ant
WfSrc would he be the paxt aov ,Vhe,