Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1912-02-19
life CONVICT SINGS
HIMSELF OUT Of
PENITENTIARY
Poems Of an Iowa Life Con-
vict to Win Him Parole /;
Has Learned a Very Useful
Trade.


Trade.
Des Molnes. Ia, Feb is.--James
stcll. life convict al the Iowa ponI-
tentlary al Fort Madison, is to be lib
Grated the coming spring by the state
board OF parole and 10 may be truth
fully said this young man has sung
himself out OF prison.
stel Is "a poet. one whose verse has
attracted the attention OF music lovers
throughout the state, and the board
mas been lmportuned from many sides
To- open the cage door for the young
singer.
Has Learned n Trade.
But stcu will not 60 forth merely
as dreamer. Besides being equip
ped with a trade ne has been taught
TO play the cornet by Warden San
dors. who is a musician Of ability. and
Stell Is now a cornetist OF no mean
ability
Sent TO prison under a life sentence
Stell did not surrender 10 remorse and
become sullon. He felt the pathos Of
II and cried:
know the awful chill of stone, tho
convict's tears;
How bloOd-ycg. iifc-may not atone
for sins OF years.
Full well l know. and would forget,
the price o9 sin
And on, how sweet 70 know the debt
Is nearly In.
But hold--the debt Is never paid. the
record stands.
The sins OF life can never fade as
mankind plaps
The hate the tears. the walls and
blood--cnn Time efface?
Can Hope and Love again rebuild
where thrived disgrace?
A Child Inspired Hope.
But even the first impression Of his
disgrace sung in poetry was over
como and chcered by his own songs.
He later reveals his reawakening OF
hope in poetry that has touched tho
hearts Of board members. He writes.
The new morn's sun, across the way,
Had turned nights tears 20 gold
Had blazed a path for blushing day
Across the dew wet mold,
When ], with prison bars between
nv earth. heaven and hell
Gazed out upon the rise OF green
That lies beyond my cell.
4 fair-halred boy OF tender years
Romped Ger the velvet sod.
And ~ gazed. forbidden tears
Wolled In my eyes-and Godl
The morn, the child. the slope OF
green,
The sunllght's mellow glow,
Recalled 70 me a memoried scene
The Joys I used 10 know.
The momoriod scene was OF my youth
My childhood and my play.
When all my paths were paved With
truth,
When life was ever gay;
When I. a child. unspoiled unstrained.
Dreamed life was hut a song
But now-ah, now--by sin profaned.
know the price or wrong.
/ stocled my heart Cthe night came
Within the prison Rate)
To pay my debt with volceloss shame.
To stifle love with hate,
To stu my sobs. my hopes and fears,
But when / saw this child
welcomed back love, hopes and
tears.
mourued, and mourning, smiled.
To q IaithIess Love.
And IN between his hopes and tears
stoll has writtcn a volume of poetry
that uncovers the emotions OF a sen
sltive heart. Philosophicaily he rec
celved the nEal breaking Of love ties
without the prison and did not deign
10 grievc FOR the lost hut to the
faithless woman sent response:
Your love is vain and dead? An WELL
Co dear along your way,
Furgetful of the woven spell
which was--for but a day.
/ VIII not ne and say / weep
For love of yours She dead.
May silence close around SIS sleep,
Deserted be It's bed.
The quickened sense that droops and
dies.
BE II OF love or hate,
But proves n was a worthless prize
Why should ! mourn It's fate?
For love or hate with death a-wing,
or dead for days or years,
Was. living hut q tortured thing;
And dead. not worth my tears.
And now he Is approaching the
time when he can sing a song OF free
dom for Il Is understood he Is 10 be
turned again free into the world
where an hts love Is dead-froo 20
welcome back love, hopes and tears. ="