The Neshoba Democrat., 1910-05-05

white-washed corridor, see the iron.
celled doors ajar. Now let us send
ringing down the bare walls and past
those dreary cells the message of free
dom and hope, for behind them there
are eager listeners, and If we cannot
see their faces we can, at least, reach
their hearts that await the touch OF
love. Nine times we must enter just
such corridors, speaking each time to
an unseen audience, If we would reach
them all this Sunday morning If we
could look behind those bars, or into
those little cells, we should see on
many prison uniform the little but
ton which is the badge Of the Volun-
teer Prison league, and hanging on the
wall their name emblazoned on a GER
tificate of membership, that proves
that they are bound together in a
league of self-help and earnest living.
even though so wholly separated by
prison barriers.
Once more let me take you through
the heavy iron doors of prison This
time we are in Richmond, Va. Pre-.
pare for a surprise. AS the doors clang
behind you. look in front of you and
around you. Fifteen hundred men are
gathered in the prison-yard and in the
galleries that surround it on all sides
A vast throng of striped humanity!
Above us is the clear blue sky, and a
Sleam Of sunlight shines down upon the
upturned faces. 1t is the opening Of
the Volunteer prison work in this
old prison-a prison planned by JEFF
ferson himself and standing to-day as
1t stood in the old days when Aaron
Burr was confined in one of it's cells.
But time presses. we must travel
far and fast on this last journey, and
find ourselves at length in beautiful
Louisiana. The sun shines down warm.
ly upon us. Friendly. inquisitive
mocking birds watch us from the
bushes. Grey trailing moss wreathes
the fine live oak trees. We have TAX.
en- the road that runs from Baton
! Rouge to the river bank Arrived at
last at our destination we leave the
carriage and climb to the top of the
steep levee. What a new strange
sight meets our gaze! Is it a giant
anthill with battalions Of those active
little workers to whom the sluggard
was advised by wise King Solomon
to go for an example? No! this is a
Levee Camp of Louisiana prisoners
working on that important construc.
tional work that keeps the great Mis-.
! sissippi within bounds. Here are the
mighty earth-works being built, and
from base to summit, long number.
less plank walks supported by scaf.
| folding-like structure. Along these
| planiS move, with the precision and
order of drilled army corps, sew
eral hundred men dressed in striped
clothing. wheeling full and empty
whoelbarrows. 1t is an active scene,
mand, it is halted and changed.
| Wheelbarrows and other implements
are abandoned. The men quickly con-
gregate, and as they perch themselves
on the trestles and planks, we take
our position below them and look up
at wall of beaming faces. We re-
ceive a right royal welcome from the
| league at the Levee Camp, and it ap-
! pears that almost every man is wear
| ing the little button of membership.
| Songs and prayers and a heart to
| heart talk in the good free air by the
| banks of the great river that CLEANS
silver in the sunshine, form pleasing
contrast to the meetings within the
| shadow of prison walls.
tCCpyright. 1910. by Joseph b. Bowles3