The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1919-06-13
THOSE IN PRISON BONDS
CONTINUED from First Pagel


heart and soul duly received and very
much appreciated. What | did for
Roy was not done with any expecta-
tion or desire for reward but l have
been most abundantly rewarded
The fact that you and your sisters
are my friends, means more to. me
than wealth. All Of you have been
SO good to me that it really makes
me feel bad because did not do more
foT your brother.
Mrs Smith, when l read you had
put my name on your Iole of friends
my heart thrilled with joy.
| have many friends that were
friends before my trouble, and | nave
made lot more since my incarcera-
ton at the Florida state prison farm
THANKS to our good superintendent
j. S. Bitten, and the golden rule that
he has inaugurated) the best prison
it may be said, in all the world
These friends, loyal ones, that have
stood by me in my darkest days and
years land the new friends, I've made
during my confinement, are people
that any man in any standing can
justly be most proud
| recently wrote some of my friends
and loved ones at home, that | was a
millionaire when it came. to friends,
and Mrs. Smith, | would mucn rather
have them than to be a millionaire,
and not have their friendship
Because Of the earnest prayers of
these dear friends, and because am
not guilty of murder, there has not
been day or night during the four
years / have been shut out from my
dear friends and loved ones, that l
have been unhappy or unable 60 sleep
the sweet sleep Of a babe
Yes, | have sinned, sinned against
man and God, and | have been justly
punished for same, but | have SO
much to be thankful for, that life,
even here, has been and is sweet
Oh yes, yes, / want my freedom. I
want to go out to my loevd ones and
friends. | want to go out in Gods
great and beautiful outdoors, where
can, and will enjoy it as l never did
before. ] have always been an ad-
mirer of nature but | am lover of
everything pertaining to it now, and
the songs of the birds are sweeter,
THOSE IN PRIS-THREE
the flowers more beautiful anu every
growing thing seems to wireless my
heart with the sweetest messages of
the good things that await me in the
not distant future. Then dear friends
/ want to get out and do things.
can and will make great success
in a business way.
! want to be successful because
want to relieve my loved ones Of their
burdens, as far as these things CO.
and se-that | can help the poor unfor-
tunate inmates of prisons. There. is
some good in the worst, and if they,
get a little help and encouragement
they will leave these institutions bet
ter men and women
| wish you could have seen our
prison two years ago, with the old
time method of handling convicts
seen them shackled and under armed
guards. seen them with faces. that
had not known smile for ages, seen
touch a heart of stone, and see us
today with smiles that do not come
off, with love in our hearts for our
fellow inmates, for our neglected low
ed ones out in the cold word (c0ld
because their son, their husband,
their father, their brother, sweet
heart, lover or wife, is in PRISON.
love for our superintendent (the big
gest- hearted man in all the United
States), love for our enemies and
love for our God, you would not think
us the same people. We are not.
Kindness and love showered upon US,