Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-11-29
TEXAS MAN AWAkES
FROM A LONG SLEEP
A VERlTABLE RIP VAN Wrinkle
IN STATE PENITENT!ARY
FOR SEVEN YEARS.
WORLD APPEARS NEW
Unique Story of How It Feels to B.
Released From Prison After a
Long Absence From the
Touch Of Real Life.

{ The strange experiences Of man
| Who has spent seven years In state
prison are told of in an interesting
Kramer by Arthur McCarty in the
Houston (Texas) Chronicle. Mr.. NC
Carly has just recently been liberated
| from the Texas state penitentlary
where he was confined for seven years
Oh a charge Of forgery. The rapid pace
that the world is travelling is roucheu
. for by Mr.. McCarty when he states that
he was almost entirely lost in Houston
when he ventured out alone for the
first time after coming out OF the
prison. He saw for the first time the
automatic phone and pay-as-you-en-
ter street car. and had some rare ex-
periences with the same. The appear
ance Of the city Of Houston had so
changed that he was virtual stranger
In the Texas metropolis. McCartys
complete story follows:
For seven years 1 have been Rip
Van Winkling. l dropped off in Hous-
ten the other day, after an enforced
sleep" I am an lex" 1t Is just as Wen
that I begin at the beginning. My
''sleep" was very troubled. 1t was in
Huntsville. l was sent up" for seven
wears as the result Of a foolish, boyish
spree.
In a moment Of unbalance, while, as
gentlemen would say, lin cups L COM
mitted the grievous error of passing
bad check. | am sorry, l have been very
sorry, and l shall not do 1t again.
have been seven years sorry. was par
doned the other day, just before COM
pleting my term. but. with the time
spent in Jail added to the years in
Huntsville, it has been almost seven
years.
didn't kill a man. Had I done so
might have escaped. There are compar-
atively few killers" in the big prison
Eut there is no self -defense In forging
a check. But it is not to gain sympathy
that I am writing this. 1t Is to get q
few dollars-to start again Alright.
Brea thing the air of freedom again,
stepped into new world when l came
out" Many things l must learn all over
again. Many things l must learn for the
first time. In Houston l saw my first
automatic telephone: my first pay-as-
you- enter street car. The city mas
weirdly changed.
But the most marvellous change OF all
ia in the women A new race of woman
kind is walking abroad. At first the
women of Houston did not appear real
to me- The thought came to me that
they were automatons. For seven years
the, woman Of my memory has been
different creature.
had thought of them as fluffy crea-
lures in flowing, full dresses. They
were not too gaudy. They had honey
CHARM I had never dreamed IN my
Van Winklish sleep, that they could
change as they have done. AnC when
l saw the new race l was almost
alarmed. 1t had never occurred to me
that fashions would change.
Though 1 have been walking abroad
several days, have not quite recovered
my composure. I have not dared to
speak to any Of these strange, new hui
mans Of he tight fitting clothes, the
re markable lonesome pine hats, too
tinted cheeks. too-businessike atmos-
phere. Some day may get used to all
these wonderful changes, but so far
am a-feared.
When l reached Houston one friend
awaited me. He was at the station to
greet me. There was brotherhood be-
tween us: our bonds were formed In
bondage He too. is an Eek He mas
served his time. He is prosperous now.
He helped to fit me out as man. lie
took away the clothes they gave me
when I left--value about SO. He added
20 the SO had left of the IS the state
gave me for my years Of work-and
life.
Most men have some kind Of ambi
day they will have accomplished the
tasks that will be the means OF their
success For several years past l have
been anticipating the day that l
thought would make me supremely
happy. 1t Came-the day, ] mean, not
the happiness.
Strange to relate, left the happiness
behind me- Yes, l have been happy in
prison; more contented. carefree and
mentally appreciative of the worth
while things than I ever expect to be in
the land Of the free--and specters.
dent mean to infer that | liked the
place so we'll that I was continually
patting myself on the back and bub-
bling over with joy.
But now and then you could crawl
into corner and entertain yourself
with the alter ego playing the dummy
hand. You could tell youself what fine
chap you We're going to make out OF
yourself, and make yourself believe 1t.
Can't do it now, though.
Some imp away down in the cellar
of my mind. where the subconscious-
ness is supposed to dwell, informs me
in a very inelegant manner to quit
kidding" Have l been kidding myself
al! these years? The future. and the
immediate future, will tell, won't 1t?
For four solid hours l have been try
ing to write this article. Always bless