davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1897-09-16

committing things to memory, as the
old fashioned idea was. Such mOdus
operandi only enslaves and degrades
the memory. Seek something of ab-
sorbing interest and the memory will
preserve you an accurate copy of it.
If we have once an adequate foun-
tain of entertainment within, we are
not dependent upon reading ever, but
can construct the true, the beautiful
and the good from within. We should
be wasting our time here if we did not
make out good plans for our after life,
and build ourselves in strength and
wisdom to carry out those plans when
we go again into wider spheres of oper-
alton When we learn the art and
acquire the capacity of self entertain
ment, we shall then have solved the
riddle as to the source of happiness.
Even the ancient philosophers sug-
gested that the true source of happi-
ness must be in the individual and not
in external objects. J. c. II.
The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1897-09-16
Written for The Prison Mirror.
THE LONESOME HOUR.

TO be able to Danish or while away
the lonesome hour is fine art for any,
body to possess, but especially for the
prisoner with whom evenings and Sum
day afternoons are liable to drag wear
lily. Humanity in the aggregate has
many sources of entertainment, but
with the individual there is only one
which is independent of fortunate cir
cumstances, and that is to have within
himself an inexhaustible fountain of
entertainment.
A good story is told of a prominent
ecclesiastic, now an episcopal in one of
the chief protestant denominations of
the country; but at the time the story
originated he was a star preacher in
one of the leading pulpits of Washing
ton, ID. c. Whether the story was
started by his friends or by jealous
members of neighboring congrega-
tion is not material. BY somebody he
was represented as saying in one of
his fine flights of Sunday eloquence:
SIN my march down the ages, 1 have
socked with Socrates rippedawith Eu-
ripides and confused with Confucius." ,"
The man who can do that has
reached the climax of seIf-entertain-
ment and may bid defiance to the walls
of dungeon.
The memory and the Imagination
are the two great factors of mindscon-
tributing to our entertainment and
both should be we'll cultivated. The
memory takes complete intellectual
photograph of whatever interests us
enough to absorb our attention. If
any reader is inclined to ask for plan
of cultivating the memory, the first
thing is to find out something to re-.
member. Judicious reading of the
best works of fiction is good exercise
for both memory and imagination.
Perhaps the best all around tictions
for the average reader in the prison
library are the works of Edward
.Eggleston. Of the more powerful nov-
els are "Alton Locke" by Charles
Kingsley, and "Adam Bede," "Felix
Holt and 'Silas Mariner" by George
Eliot.
If the writer should offer advice
about memory culture he would say,
never try to improve the memory by
The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1897-09-16

cum of authority until, the number
increasing, the balance of ideas is re-
versed, and the masses become per-
meated with the ideas of self-rule,
when they take the authority the con-
ditions make necessary and unitedly
administer it.
The early tribal relation of man is
shown to us quite clearly in the present
tribal conditions of our American In
dians. Chaldea, Babylon, Assyria,
Egypt, every nation almost of early
historic periods, are monarchies based
on the tribal principle. Tyre and ST.
don of Phpnecia, and its colony at
Carthage, furnish us with the early
oIigarchic idea of government; and
Greece the early democratic. History
at frequent intervals points out excep-
tions in form, but not in principle, to
the preceding general ideas. Some
one may, by his great military ability,
acquire such an ascendancy over the
soldier element as to be placed by them
in position to exercise full despotic
authority. Such were the conditions
that raised Cyrus from the shepherds
hut to the Babylonian palace. And
Alexander, son of Philip, though he
was, had within him that military ge-
MUS that procIaims the leader; that
strategic ability as general without
which he would never have been that
famous King of Macedonia. So, too,
Caesars ability as a general won for
him the position of cZar, without
which not even his high patrician
lineage, his great legal ability, and
powerful political influence would
have won for him the robe of purple.
Such also was the influence that raised
the ''little corporal" from Toulon to
the Tulleries. So also we find that
about each of these master minds
were centered many lesser forces, each
of which it was necessary to cOnciliate
in order that strength be impaired to
the ruling despot. Some may point to
Carl XIII; to Gustavus Adolphus; to
Frederick the Great; to Charlemagne,
as examples of absolute monarchism.
But not so, for each of them had
around his throne hedge of aristo-
cratic spears borne by host of feudal
dukes, earls, barons, etc., ready at any
time to curtail the kingly authority.
Absolutism is in its decadence as a
governing idea. Russia, the most
powerful European representative of
the idea, is now permeated with the
doctrine of social democracy. And, in
century, who can tell what social
ideas may have penetrated the era
NUNS of future Ii Hung Changs and
kindred "heathen Chinese?
LEONARD.
The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1897-09-16
AN ADMIRABLE SYSTEM.

The story told recently in the Globe
by Capt. A. H. Cole, farmer living
near Fergus Falls, who employs only
convicts upon parole on his farm, is
full of interest and encouragement. it
goes far to prove the excellence of the
parole system, that was grated upon
our penal code some years ago and has
been the subject of doubt and attack.
1t appears, from the relation of his ex-
perience, that the practice of releasing
prisoners upon parole, putting them on
their good behavior, and thus prepar-
ing them for return to full freedom
and to the rights of citizenship that
they have forfeited, needs only hearty
and conscientious cooperation on
the part of the public to be a great
success.
Capt. Cole has had no trouble with
his employees. He treats them like men
and finds them responsive. He has
sense enough to understand that the
frailties of human nature, responsible
for the original straying of offenders
from the path of right, must be met
with a judicious combination of kind
ness and firmness. Such men must be
guarded against the influences respon-
sible for their downfall, and especially
against the appetite for drink, to
which most of them can attribute their
The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1897-09-16
TERMS. Shopper year. in advance
Six Months so cents.

crimes and misfOrtunes. He under
stands, also, that at bottom they are
far from wholly bad; and that, with
proper guidance and steady employ
ment under reasonable conditions, they
may be turned into honest, independent
and useful citizens.
The great chasm that penology has
never successfully bridged stretches
between the prison life and the return
to society. Over that great gulf a
means of passage must be found
There is too little comprehension of
the difficulty which this presents, as
much to the convicu as to the public at
large. One who gives thought to the
comprehensiveness of prison discipline,
to the freedom from temptation which
permits better influences to work and
better ideas to form in the convict's
mind, will understand in a moment
how these frail barriers, erected in a
time of seclusion, are subject to enor-
nous pressure when the prisoner is
turned back again to his old walks of
life. 1t is not because these men are
all of them radically bad; it is not be.
cause their temporary reformation was
not real, that SO many of them fail to
realize the promises they made. The
world is too strong for them. Weak in
all good works as they are, with the
taint of the penitentiary upon them
and with all the world looking at them
askance, they find it easier to slip back
into the old familiar and vicious
courses than to tread steadily along
the upward path.
Nothing can do more to help and
strengthen them than just such en-
ployment as this. When these men are
released on parole, subject still to the
supervision of the state, knowing that
their release is only temporary and
that misconduct will cause their re-
turn, they require wholesome labor and
freedom alike from the allurement of
vice and contempt that fastens itself
so easily upon the discharged convict.
The place for them is on the farm.
Given hard, but wholesome labor there,
with a firm yet kindly discipline, they
grow naturally toward that new man
hood of which they have obtained some
faint glimmerings while undergoing
the punishment assigned by law. 1t
seems to us that employers like Capt.
Cole play quite as important part in
the reformatory system as do any of
our laws of penal institutions. 1t
would be great thing for the pris-
oner and for the state if there were
more of them.-St. Paul Globe.
The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1897-09-16
THE YOUNG MAN WHO is NOT
WANTED.

The one who gives more time to
ornamenting the outside of his head,
than to improve the inside.
The one who is ''waiting for some
thing to turn up"
The one who knows more about base
ball than he does about business.
The one whose dancing is better
than his penmanship.
The one who smokes ten cent cigars
while he wears clothes that are not
paid for.
The one who eats unearned bread at
the table of hard working father and
mother.
The one who is polite to all ladies
except his mother and sisters.
The two dollar man with twenty dol
lar tastes.
The one VINO ekes out his expenses
by borrowing money from his friends.
The one who makes it point to be
cup in the latest slang.
The one who can play billiards better
than he can spell.
The one who-knows-it-all and refuses
to be instructed and is ashamed of
honest work.
The fellow who gets into his empty
head the fool notion that the world
owes him living.
These are a few of the chaps who are
not wanted.
There are others.-GustavuS AdOl
phus Journal.
The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1897-09-16
Written for The Prison Mirror.
THE BASIC IDEAS OF SOCIAL
LIFE

Humanity in its progress towards
the higher inter-social existence that
ever lies within the domain of ideality,
has advanced along several clearly de-
fined lines of thought; thoughts which
by their presentation, adoption and
influence through the few, have led,
directed or forced the many to accept
and extend their influence.
Since the unit of social life is the in
dividual, and the individual is influ-
enced and guided by the ideas gener-
ated within or adopted by'his mind, so
the aggregation of individuals will be
guided or influenced by those ideas
which it may conceive of, or acquire.
An idea generated by, and infiuenc-
ing the individual mind, may consume
its energy in moment, or last for a
life time; so in the broader life, the i'm
preston made by new idea may sway
the social life Of race for centuries or
die, consumed by the very energy that
gave it birth. Society having become
permeated with the spirit of an idea, is
very tenacious of it, as rule, though
it sometimes grasps new idea with
such avidity as to upset all precon-
ceived ideas of social life. 1t is these
erratic impulses and their rapid assim-
ilatiOn that causes those sudden and
puzzling waves of thought. which trans
forms people for better or worse;
sends them rapidly forward in their
development, or holds them relentlessly
in the bonds Of conservatism.
AS the ideas held by an individual
and acted upon by him determine his
strength or weakness, define his char
acter; SO the ideas Of a social life, by
the grasp 1t has on that life as whole,
Again in the individual we find in
some the legal, the ruling or govern
ing faculty more susceptible of culture
than others. In others the religious
idea predominates; some are adapted
for art, for literature, commerce etc.:
just so is it with society and national
life. Today we turn back the pages of
history to admire the executive ability
of the Romans; their stern sense of
Justice; their steadfast virtue; their
valor and fortitude; their legal enact
ments; their vast, firmly united and
strongly centralized body polite, raised
upon foundations grounded in human
nature, and so true in principle as to
be, even now, copied by governments
of similar characteristics. Were not
the Ph9nicians the commercial instinct
of ancient life? Who, if not they,
would have navigated the unknown
seas," circumnavigated Africa for
Neco: builded the canals; traversed the
roads through India and Asia; and, by
barter and trade made known to the
one race, the wants or requirements of
the other? By so doing they engen-
dered in the widely differing conditions
of social life, the idea of commercial
life, its possibilities and means toward
The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1897-09-16
Vol. XI.-No. s.
<>sPoEFRfcw
Zayz>@sGSGgs~ f.
SOMETHING EACH DAY.

Something each day-a smile,
1t is not much to give,
And the little gifts of life
Make sweet the days we live,
The world has weary hearts
That we can bless and cheer,
And smile for every day
Makes sunshine all the year.
Something each day-a word,
We cannot know its power,
1t grows in fruitfulness
AS grows the gentle flower.
What comfort it may bring
Where all is dark and drear
For kind word each day
Makes pleasant all the year.
Something each day-a thought,
UnSelfish, good and true,
That aids another's need
While we our way pursue;
That seek to tighten hearts,
That leads to pathways clear;
For a helpful thought each day
Makes happy all the year,
Something each day-a deed,
Of kindness and of good,
To link in closer bonds
All human brotherhood.
Oh, thus the heavenly will
We all may do while here;
For a good deed every day
Makes blessed all the year.
George COOpe
Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-04-22
The Conditions OF Longevity.

Professor +. w. Warner recently
delivered Il lecture before the
Academy of Science Mt Rochester,
on the subject of biometry, or the
science Of measuring life, and of
calculating the probable duration
from the appearance of the individ-
ual. The principal natural indica-
cations of long life are:
|. TO be descended, at least on
one side, from long-lived parents.
2. To be Of calm, cOntented and
cheerful disposition.
3. To have symmetrical form
that is, full chest, we'll formed
joints and limbs, with a head and
neck large rather than small in pro-
portion 10 the size of the body.
4. To be long and sound sleeper.
The capacity for living inherited
from healthful parents he calls po.
tential longevity, and under favora-
BILE condition each individual should
live his life out as uniformly IA do
the lower animals. Says Professor
Warner
"The primary conditions of lon
digestive organs, as well as the brain,
should be large. The trunk will be
long, and the limbs comparatively
short. The hand will have long
somewhat heavy palm and short fin.
gers. The brain will be deeply
seated. This is indicated by the ori.
flee of the ear being low. The blue
hazel or brown hazel eye, as show.
ing an intermissIon of tempera.
ment, is a favorable sign. The nos
trils being large, open and free, indi
cate large lungs a pinched and half;
closed nostril indicates weak lungs
Women are longer lived than men
and married people longer than sin
gle. Hot climates are prejudicial t
longevity, for there children matur,
earlier. Cold climates, on the othe
hand, are unfavorable to genera
health.
Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-04-22
He Wanted His Breakfast.

n Vermont man, now i'm Wash.
ingtOn, tells the Post of that city an
incident of Representative III. II.
/ Powers career as schoolmaster
in TinmOuth, town of Rutland, i'm
days when pedagogues boarded
, round" Powers was little slow
IN rising, and acquired q reputation
Tor this among those thrifty people.
In the course of his round of board
ing-houses of the town, he was des.
tined to reach the house of Elihu
Cramton, father of Hon. John w.
Cramt0n, famous landlord of the
BardwelI House. Cramton was
known far and wide as an early
riser. His regular hour in summer
was 3.3O O'Clock, and in winter five
O'Clock. lie ate his breakfast shortly
after the rising hour and every mem.
Der of the household had to be on
hand. Mr.. Cramton learned that
the sch0olmaster's morning habits
were too easy-going for that commu-
nifty, and he let it be understood
that there would be change in the
young mans hour of rising shortly
after he reached the Cramton house
hold.
IhlS threat was not long in reach
ing the young SchOolmaster's ears.
He formed his plans and bided his
time. In the course of events his
belongings were transferred to the
CramtOn house, and he followed
them. HIS room was assigned to
him, and he took good care to pro-
vide himself with an interesting
novel for the first night. When he
came in rather late i'm the evening
he went to his room, bundled him
self up-that was not the day of
steam-heated bedrooms-fixed him
self comfortably in big chair, and
began his book.
The night was long, and the cold
chills played hide and seek up and
down the schOOlmaSter's back, but
his candle and book held out. By
and by it came two O'Clock, the book |
was closed, and SchOolmaster Powers
left his room, candle in hand. In a
moment he was pounding at the
door of Mr.. Cramton's room, impa-
tiently and emphatically. After his
rat-tat-tat had echoed through the
house for some time, the old man
woke up and yelled out to know
what was wanted.
/ want my breakfast" said Pow
crs.
What time is it?" yelled the
landlord.
It's two O'Clock. This Is nv
regular hour for breakfast, and I |
want it. Can't you get up and let |
me have it ?n
The old man soon got himself |
wide enough awake to appreciate the |
joke, and, after slight but very
thoughtful pause, shouted back,
" Young man, you go right back to
bed and sleep as long as you want to-"
Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-04-22

AN UNHEALTHY PLACE." ST.
las" said Mrs. Acres, laying aside
daily paper which their son Caleb
had sent them from the city, "Silas,
do ye hear me? l wish that boy of
ourn were safe to hum" WHY,
Sarah? Amt gettin' foolish about
him, air ye?" Not Exactly. but
you know, Silas, Caleb never were
strong, am the city amt no place
for him. Law, here Pve been read
ing in this paper that thirty-eight
people died in New York Yesterday /!
We amt had death down here
since old man Caleb died o. rheuma-
tism. They're droppln' OF in New
York mighty fast, an feel Caleb'll
be took, sure.D
Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-04-22
fEAEEN ZINC Tho

PEACEMAKING. - The Murray
(ky.) Ledger resurrects a good ante
bellum story. An old magistrate
in Marshal county by the name of
Jones went out to his election
precinct 'befo' de wah' and found
the boys in general scrap. He had
taken bundle of ak handles out to
his voting place to sell. When he
had commanded the peace several
times and found that the belligerants
paid no heed to him, he seized an ak
handle and began to knock the COM
batants right and left. At this juno
ture of the game his neighbor.
Squire Brown, came upon the scene
and, seeing the condition of affairs,
yelled in stentorian tones, Il COM
mand the peace Peace. HI and
damnation,' responded Squire Jones,
git an ak handle and go to fighting,
and let us make peace And they
did,
Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-04-22

The CAPTAINS GUNS. =" Black
Jack" Percival, who was a naval
captain before the war, once brought
cargo of Spanish jacks home in a
man-of-war. He was i'm Spanish
waters when the jacks were given to
the United States by Spain, and was
ordered to bring them out in his
ship. 1t made him very angry, but
he got the beasts aboard and sailed
Tor New York. When he came
through the Narrows the guns had
been rolled back, and out of every
port there stuck jacks head. Thus
decked out and without a salute, he
came to his anchorage. The admi-
raj commanding sent post haste to
demand why Captain Percival had
not saluted.
" l didn't salute" was the doughty
captains answer, because | could
not. l had two men twisting every
jacks tail, but not id one of
them would Bray"
Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-04-22
POETRY.
EVERY YEAR.

Inc spring has less of brightness
Every year,
And the snow a phastlier wbit,ro
Every year.
Nor do summer flowers quicken
Nor autumn fruitage thicken
As they once did, for they sicken
Every year.
IL is growing darker, colder.
Every year,
AS the heart and soul grow older
Every year.
| care not now for dancing
Nor for eyes with passion pIancinp.
Love is less and less entrancinp
Every year.
AID, how sad to look before us
Every year.
"hlie the cloud grows darker DER us
nv, Every year;
When we see the blossoms faded
!hat to bloom we might have aided
An immortal garlands braided
Every year.
To the past go more dead faces
AS the loved leave vacant places
Every year.
everywhere the sad eyes meet us
IN the evenings dusk they greet us.
ANA to come to them entreat us
Every year.
on are growing Old" they tell us
Every year,
on are mole alone, they tell us.
Every year.
on can win no new affection.
on have only recollection.
Deep sorrow and detection,
Every year.
Yes, the shores Of life are shifting
Every year,
AND we are seaward drifting
Every year.
Oid places, changing, fret us,
The living more forget us,
There are fewer to regret us
Every year.
But the truer life draws higher
Every year,
And its morning star climbs higher
Every year.
Earth S hold on us grows slighter,
And the heavy burdens lighter,
And the dawn immortal brighter
Every year.
Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-04-22

AN English journal tells an anus
ing ancedote concerning a wealthy
Irish lady whose summer house is
situated near garrison town in Ire
land. a few days ago she sent an
invitation to Captain A. to take tea
with her, saying that "the pleasure
Of Captain AIS company is respect
fully requested" etc. To her aston
ishment, she received by an orderly
the following note: 4" Enlisted men
John and Smith have been detailed
to do guard duty, but the remainder
of Captain AIS company accept
with pleasure Mrs. MS polite invi-
tation."
Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-04-22

PROOF THAT WAS UNAssAILA-
BILE" But" said Mrs. Hawkins,
who was helping to organize the
Neverpeep Whist Club, "do you
think this Mrs. Newton is all right ?
Does her social position warrant her
In aspiring to become member of
our set?" "Oh, there can be no
doubt Of that" replied Mrs. Old
ham. Why, she wears one dia.
mOnd that is worth over a thousand
dollars ~