The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-02
LITERARY TASTES or CONFLICTS.
Some Judgments Passed Upon well-Known
Authors In u Prison.

| Authors In u Prison.
When it was determined to establish a prison
| library the sources OF supply. like tho supply
| itself were somewhat indiscrimnate The
| Catholic priest furnished number OF books.
consisting OF lives OF the saints, various con
troversial works. many copies OF Cardinal
| Gibbons's Faith OF Our Fathers" and as
| many of Fabiola." a tale of ancient Rome
Benevolent persons sent odd -lots. garnet
accumulations mainly. In which Patent
| ONCE reports were not infrequent. The
| Prison Association contributed a hundred
volumes Then the Board OF Supervisors set
! apart one-half OF the fund derived from tho %
cent fees paid by visitors. When this sum
reached $50 or SO a committee Of the board
would buy books at some department store
| with an eye to quantity rather than quality
Thus these consisted principally OF cheap
English reprints
Such as 1t was. the library became very pop
ular. 1t was the librarian s duty to pass along
the tiers evenings with q basket OF books
collecting and exchanging. There was some
thing pathetic in tho way his first appearance
was greeted AS he stopped before cell a
grab would be made through the bars What
ever 1t was he had to give out. the inmate
wanted it. One would have no difficulty-n
getting rid OF a basket OF shavings in like
fashion. The average convict is so bereft that
IL,
Men unable to read were Just as anxious for
book as their more educated fellows
1t followed that the choice lay largely with
the librarian. though at first he had to contend
with the inevitable convict suspicion. "Iwant
thai green book" one would say; that one
eene that one else Wes going to the be
W"r Es the g"ner1y
prison conception Of this term is probably
story where the action is rapid. Vanity Fair
was returned with disgust, the complaint
novel," The convict desire. it must be borne
in mind. is for that which is easy. On account
by no means popular. The authors name. BY
the way. was invariably, called Dickson"
twist on account Of Bill siKes and u% hi. i doc
a ai Tor 9l a. Curiosity p Shon" on account Of
never read ERt m Inpsr
Instance Fob Sawyer's Party" and wherever
Mr. Alfred Jingle appeared.
Bride o. Lammermoor;" the misfortune Of the
hero being doubtless the main attraction Tho
hsIo's fate with his OWN; he is sonti9suaiiy
cre%msianc"s The hook mo us Sought t' ner
S2 Rd to f hHS and
ing, reforms and Is rchabilitated. The average
convict symppnthlzsd with the downfall,
pride IN his own endurance. and regarded
the rehabilitation as the highest form
personal element must also be attributed The
T Iis WITH which even old men read lIoratIo
bows on the streets perhaps in their dreams ans
they seemed o", to rise to fame and fortune.
hsTd stories to 1esd kHa they
ii $s%S f"
Handy Andy" by lover We're aI: o' popn Il'r
RRGnietiess snGh pot as that q The little
and generous natures. would appeal to the
convict heart but not one in IN" case OF this
ter There was an ABSOLUTE S ac e OF f pnt fn
hoo reading ding; which made all poetry closed
Bqe es Gt PS Srso SSR hs b and
about IN magic rover 9t "TIlGrm,sS f Pr"s!
but it seemed t" fail in prison The rs
rom where Cnrisi"n and Faith Hii0b bSsn ' To
talk they remained unsoiled,.
ca works Histories. written in popular
snn wSTH IN some tn history Of Ire
cal. were read with avidity, hut a sea arht
be no the S@Ws@T SEoTy Their csGn t.
70 the conyc nd " tMey wGT E5Ih
natural and inevitable i'ride in America was was
9Tly m n ,S Rr By GSopsmpf for orsgnsS
even Columbus was class"das dago Literary
sSGcG .n wore mcrcilessly, condemned
luton was landed hack to the librara an.
dcc nGt EE9M Is NO Go2hh nS ES4t even write
There wns something pathetic, too IN the
frequent requests for i" Il book with pictures in
it, There should he food in such preferences
for reflection for those who reason regarding
tn" average convict from their own moral and
mental standards. As well might ole apply
IKE tcstS 10 q chllu. Tho average convict
when removed from the fields which his Gun
ming has made familiar has but n blurred sight
Printed letters fatigue him: he has no appre-
hcnsion for subte Of expression he can an md
more pleasure In an actna representation Of
the idea. however rude.
In fine then the rcndinp OF the ayerors con-
Wet must be simple, easy and able to hold tho
attention. To this there was onS exception
The books provided by the Catholic priest were
in regular demand by the Catholic convicts
however much or little thcy NAV have been in
wardly diGCsted, This accentuates religious
difference between convicts apparent to all
who have been assocated with them