Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-07-07

the average of intelligence In this place is
| very nigh. A number of the prisoners
arr f s,udyihg languages and making eX-
ee rn,n, ,, n ne They work at their
| $50, ., ana then submit questlons.
wnen they are puzzled. to some of the
, peter educated men, when they meet in
| , yara on Saturdays. One man who
translator for publishing house We
| nave Ine scriptures in all languages. The
Rev. Charles NJ. Sheldon's books are very
popuiar mere, continued the chaplain,
taking down IA paper covered copy OF "In
| His Steps"
There was time when the members
OF the committee on prisons thought the
but the scriptures" said the warden,
but the chaplain doesn't believe in
that.
indeed; ! do not remarked the chap
lain. The scriptures are excellent in
their way but l have some doubt of the
| ACCESSIBILITY Of supplying them as d reg
ular mental diet. ! recall one case where
a mans life was changed by reading the
Bible, however. He was "a very rough
fellow, very profane and didn't fear God
man or the devil. He happened to pick
up Bible one day, and opened il at The
9TH chapter Of Deuteronomy, where all
the curses are recordcd-thc man who
shall have lands and they shall he taken
from him; and whose wife shall he stolen
from MIN; and whose children he shall
not enjoy.
Why. this man is writing about me-
he said to. his comrade. How did he
know all this. | had two farms, and /
lost them both. My wife left me, and
children have also left me. and will not
rccoGnizc me. lie thought the book was
written qbout him alone, and it gave him
a new idea of superior mind when il
was explained to him. Since then he has
been different man
"WhitticrS poems, remarked the
chaplain. drawing from its place copy
OF the works OF the celebrated New
England bard. This is what | use to kill
off my poets he added. laughngly
Then you have aspiring poets in your
flock"
''Oh. lots of them
Nv no want your opinion on their pro-
ductionS?'
Yes, and want me to get them pub
lished for them too. When get a batch
OF these. ! send them back 10 the writer
with his copy of Whittier, and tell him
to read the book and when he thinks hr
has produced verse that will read Il.
smoothly as Whittier's TO let me have
them. That usually ends the matter"
The mon are allowed 10 take the IL
hrIry books to their cells?''
''Ncs-or. rather. We send them We
make TWO distributions Il week. ana each
prisoner is allowed 70 have four books
1T a time. On the day for distribution
he leaves on the char IN his room the
book ~ wishes ID return. ana places IN
it his card, containing about - numbers.
The first ui ihcSc numbers that We find
WI ~ FlA-t.tN'0 W tAtl II ~ MIN " men
a book Is sent 10 a prisoner. "a charge. tn
that effect Is made on tn. books. ana
when I'll is returned he IL credited with
it, Thc men are very careful with the
book, because by abusing their privilege
in ANN WHY they would lose ii for six
months Ana IL j. privilege too highly
prizrd e. bc lightly sacrificed "r ienpir-
died.
DO amy ~ the men MAKE any attempt
at literary work.
Little that could be called a SERIOUS
atcmpt The men who attend the pray
cr-mcc JinES get out a little paper called
the Weekly Messenger. II consists Of
contributions written Oh sheets ~ paper
foolsCdp size. and bound together. This
single copy is distributed among the
members Of the praycr-mecting class for
pcruSal There are d large number Of
contributors, and all contributions are
sent 70 an editor, who selects what IL
plcasos. The topics are moral, educa-
tiundl or religious. boston Herald