The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-04-05
A PRISON ROMANCE.
Celia Perryn's Attachment to Hill
dreth, the Boy Train Wrecker.

dreth, the Boy Train Wrecker.
Once every month since John Watson
Hlldreth has been confined in the state
prison at Auburn he has received a
visit from Celia Perryn, of Rome
Henceforth her visits will not be so
frequent by half. A recent order of
warden Mead, the new head of the
prison, has curtailed the visits to a
single hour once in two months.
Hildreth is the young scoundrel who
conceived and, with the assistance of
three other misunderstanding young
sters, carried out the plan to wreck
the fast mail on the New York Central
railway, near Rome, a year ago, for
purposes of robbery. He was sentenced
10 Auburn prison for life.
Before the commission Of the crime
Hlldreth had formed the acquaintance
or Celia Perryn. He had run away
from his home in New York city. and,
after a series of adventures had land
ed in Rome. He was bright, and made
many friends in Rome Among them
was the girl, who was about his own
age, and warm attachment sprang
up between them. When he was ar
rested upon charge of murder, after
the Wrecking of the train, she did
not desert him, but visited him fire.
quently while he was in Jail, sat near
him during the trial, and, after he was
taken to Auburn, began to visit him
as soon and as frequently as the rules
of the institution would permit
Regularly as the month rolled around
she appeared at the prison. On the day
OF the visit she left her home at 5
O'Clock IN the morning and arrived in
Auburn at 1925. She at once crossed
the street frOme the railway station,
passed through the ponoerous gate Of
the prison, and in a few moments was
pouring out effusive greetings to Hill
dreth After the greetings the pair
would sit down in a corner Of Wis
itors' room and remain Oblivious to
every one and everything until it was
time for the young convict to go to
the mess hall for his dinner. Then Miss
Perryn would leaVe1the prison, and, re-
pairing to a nearby restaurant, would
eat luncheon, after which she would
return to the prison, always being on
hand promptly at L o'clock, which was
the earliest hour at which she could be.
admitted to see Hildreth in the after
noon. Another visit of two hours
would follow, and then Miss Perryn
would bid Hildreth an affectionate
goodbye, hurry to the station and
board the 2:50 train for home.
Some little token was always brought
by her on these occasions. On one oc-
casion she brought a bottle of pickles.
a pot of strawberry JAM On almost her
first visit she brought Hildreth her
picture in prettily embroidered frame,
the work of her own hands. Usually
the offering is candy, chocolate bon
bons having a decided preference.
After this had gone on for some
months 1t dawned upon the prison Off
Gals that these visits were having an
injurious effect upon Hildreth. For
Ia af oT.d ha no oil ~
and depressed When Warden Mead
assumed control OF affairs at the prison,
he was made aware of the facts, and
after satisfying himself that there was
really ground for alarm, he determined
to restrict Miss Perryn's privileges. She
didn't take at all kindly to the new ar
rangement and she didn't hesitate to
express her feelings to the warden.
Warden Mead is a. kindly man, and he
bore her outbreak with patience. When
at last she had exhausted her pleading5
and had sought refuge in tears, the
warden gave the girl some wholesome.
fatherly advice.
This boy can never be anything to
yOu,'' said Mr.. Mead He is dead to
the world-a prisoner for life. You
should have some ambition beyond a
| convict 1t is better for you to break
with him now than later. 1t will be
easier for you BOTH
mo, no. interrupted the girl
"Some day, 1t is to be hoped, you
will marry some honest man. and then
you will look back with shame and
horror at your sprisOn associations, =
continued the warden. you are young,
and what now seems to you to be a
grand passion will in after years bring
a blush to your3cheek. Now, 1 do not
wish to be unkind, but your. visits are
doing harm to the one you are trying
to assist. You are not a relative of
Hildreth, and you have not under the
prison rules any right to visit him at
all I am not going to say that you
shall be entirely separated, but you
must curtail your visits
Miss Perryn sobbed and protested,
but the warden was infleXible, and she
! finally left the prison. AS for Hildreth,
he took the announcement of the new
restriction in grim silence. If he felt
any pangs of grief, they were hidden.
He accepted thesorder as he has every
thing else in the prison-as a matter
| of course.