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U/>e Mirror Thursday, D crmber 17,1808- PRISON OFFICIALS. BOARD OF CONTROL. S. W. LEAVBTT - - - Litchfield L. A. ROSING Cannon Falls P. M. RINGDAL J. D. Mills, Secretary REBIDENT OFFIOIALB. HENRY WOI.FBR, - - - Warden M. C. COLLIGAN, Deputy Warden J.BACKLAND, Asst. Deputy Warden H. W. DAVIS, Clerk and Acct. Officer ROBERT M. COLES, - - Steward B. MERRILL, - - - Physician MISS MARY McKINNEY, - Matron CHAS. CORCORAN, Oath. Chaplain C. E. BENSON, Protestant Chaplain PRIBON AGENT. J. Z. BARNCARD, - - - St. Paul TO INMATBB. For the information of new arrivals and all others desiring to send The Mirror to friends we wish to say that the privilege will be granted by complying with the following rules: Write your own name and register number and send to this office with name and address of person to whom paper is to be sent. Each paper must be kept clean and folded in the same manner as it is when you receive it and placed in your door ever Friday night. AU inmates are requested to comply with this order whether sending out a copy or not. CHKJRCH NOTICE. Service in the Prison Chapel at nine o’clock every Sunday morning. Pro testant and Catholic service every alternate Sunday. Rev. C. E. Benson, and Rev. Fr. Corcoran chaplains. >•4 LOCAL NEWS. Fr. Corcoran held mass in the prison chapel last Sunday morn ing. Several ontside visitors were present at the prison night school last Friday evening. Foreman Henderson and a party of friends were sight seeing about the prison last Saturday. Night Engineer Fuller will have charge of the engineroora at the site for the new prison and will as sume his new duties in the near future. The occupant of 348 would ap preciate the kindness if some in mate would send him the Evening Wisconsin or some other Milwau kee paper. One hundred and thirty-three prisoners had interviews with the Warden Monday afternoon. This is the largest number to be called up at one time for many months. One of the carpenters in the re pair shop tried to slop a buzz-saw with his thumb Tuesday morning, and he is now short the greater part of the thumb on bis left hand. Two big oattiron radiators were received at the prison one day last, week. One of them will be placed in the library and the other one in the cellhouse where it is needed the most. The shafting for the new ma chines are being put in place in the repair shop. When this is completed it is likely that work on next year’s supply of binders and mowers will begin. Some of the boys here already have their latch string hanging out in case Santa Claus slips in thru one of the ventilators and pays them a visit. There is noth ing like being just a trifle ahead of time. The plumbers tackled the big gest job they struck for some time when called upon to take one of the new, castiron radiators up the stairway and into the library. They were all day Saturday at the job, and they did some of the loudest puffing and grunting we have heard for some time. When they finally ceased grunting the radiator almost followed them up the stairs. Two guard stands and lockers, also several tables, were made in .the repair shop the past week for the new prisoD. The heads of the various depart ments are now preparing their quarterly estimates for the months of Feb., March, and April. Professor Burchard, musical di rector at the prison, has been on the sick list for the past few days. The boys, however, did fairly well notwithstanding the absence of their leader. The two men in the crank de partment who were recently ad judged insane were taken to Fer gus Falls last Saturday. The men were in charge of Dr. Stebbens and Guard Whelan. The occupant of 864 would like to exchange the Blue Book, Pop ular, Red Book, and Young’s mag azines for the Smart Set, Scrap Book, and Railroad magazines. Also the Saturday Eve. Post for the Denver Post. Assistant Deputy Warden Back land returned to duty last Satur day morning, he having entirely recovered from the mishap at his borne. He says that when he re builds the stairway leading to the cellar it will be made of the soft est wood he can find. Supt. Downing narrowly escap ed serious injury Tuesday by step ping on the loose end of a plank as he was crossing the scaffold used in pulling up the hangers. He landed*on his feet after mak ing a ten foot jump none the worse for his accident. Warden Henry Wolfer of the stale prison attended a meeting at the new Congregational church at Merriam Park and read a paper on the subject, “The road that leads to a life of crime.” The paper treated of prison adminis tration and reform—Stillwater Gazette. Tobacco was recently issued to the federal prisoners at Fort Leav enworth for the first time. There are 740 men confined at that place and 700 of them drew smoking to bacco. It is stated that some of the men who are life prisoners had not tasted tobacco for twenty years. The men can thank Ward en McClaughry for the privilege. One of the waiters in the upper dining rooms thinks that the in stitution baker is not quite up-to date in liis business. “Why,” said the blond waiter, “we have seedless oranges, horseless car riages, smokeless powder, etc., and don’t you think it is time we had a crustless loaf of bread?” Perhaps the local baker will try and make good, even if he has to go to Ire land for a few ideas. The local Chautauqua Circle will hold its first quarterly meet ing next Sunday. An excellent program has been prepared for the occasion, and the president of the organization assures us that he has done aIT that he possibly could to make the meeting a suc cess. There will be music by the orchestra, a vocal solo, and a song; also, the following papers will be read: “An Egyptian Pantheon,” “What is Wagner?” “Stray Sto ries,” and “An Essay on John Greenleaf Whittier.” These pa pers are being prepared by some of the best members of the circle, and will be well worth listening to. In fact the papers read at quarterly meetings are generally far above the usual standard, and will compare favorably with out side organizations of n similar na ture. Programs have been printed for the occasion and it is expected that a few visitors will be present. The plumbers are at work put ting in new steam piping at the Deputy Warden’s residence. Foieman Newman was granted a short leave of absence during the week to visit North Dakota where he is interested in some property. Something new in the way of ao oil filler was made in the tinner’s department the past week, and it will be used in the enginerootn of the new prison. The following transfers were made during the past week: 15 to 416; 340 to 570: 416 to 340; 503 to 524; 228 to 615, 388 to hosp.; 76 to 570; 418 to 15; 503 to 32; 442 to 267. Chief Engineer Schatz is spend ing quite a bit of his time down at the site for the new prison. He is superintending the heating and other work connected with the en gine room. Everybody seems to want to know what the program is going to be on Christmas. As we are not a mind reader and our wireless be ing out of order, we will have to give it up. Mr. Carl Munson, who works in the front office, went over to the Twin Cities last Saturday and purchased a handsome gold watch. Carl is very much pleased with his new time piece, and can be seen almost any moment feeling his pocket to see if it is still there. Culled from the Catalogue. There’s the works of Poe, “The Worst Foe,” Written by Grace Strong. And “Loss and Gain,” ’tis very plain. From the pen of Margaret Long. “The Lion’s Share” and "Vanity Fair,” And one by Louis Vance. "As Seen by Me,” and Haggard’s “She” And histories of France. "The Wandering Jew” by Eugene Sue, And Lover’s “Handy Andy.” The works of Roe, and Harriet Stowe, And Alice Rice’s "Sandy.” There’s “Happy-Go-Lucky” "Aunt Jane of Kentucky,” And Green’s "Forsaken Inn,” While on a shelf, all by itself. Is one by Eleanor Glyn. “The Man of the Hour,” “Battlement and Tower,” And histories of Peru. "Songs of the West,” and one of the rest. Is “The Taming of a Schrew.” “The Sign of Four” and then some more Of Shakespeare’s immortal plays. "Toilers of the Sea,” and “Ninety-Three” And some of Thackeray’s. Then there’s “Mark Twain’s” and “Golden Grains,” "The Tale of a Meek-Eyed Mule,” Then F. F. Meade, and Myrtle Reed, The story of “The Rich Man’s Fool,” “The Lion and the Mouse,” "The Old Home House,” And "The Jungle” is on the list. Then there’s Voltaire, and May Sinclair, And Dickens’ "Oliver Twist.” And "The Life of Penn,” and other great men, The story of "The Lamplighter.” "The House of Mirth,” "The Story of the Earth,” And Steavenson’s "Dynamiter.” "A Monk and Fife,” and Reid’s "Wild Life,” Also his "Lost Lenore.” "And All He Knew,” "What Can She Do?” And several thousand more. Acrobatus. Cbapel Service. The following is the program of the service held in the chapel, Sun day, Dec. 13th, Father Corcoran officiating: March —"Waldmere” Orchestra Waltzes —“Helmet of Navarre” .Orchestra Hymn—“ Come, Thou Almighty King”. Congregation Scripture Father Corcoran Quartet —“Welcome, Wanderer Welcome” Members of Choir Prayer Father Corcoran and Congregation Gospel Reading Father Corcoran Sermon Father Corcoran Hymn—" Nearer, My God to Thee” • • Congregatio n March —“Our Lieutenant” Orchestra mov. of population. Total number of inmates 690 Received during week 6 Discharged during week 5 Number in First Grade 510 Number in Second Grade.... 172 Number in Third Grade 8 Paroled 7 Last serial number 2577 Passing thoughts on Constitutions. We are told that China is to have a new constitution. Ido not know what rights the people are going to gain by it, but I have no doubt that they, like the people in this country, wilL have the right kind of judges and senators set over them to interpret the consti tution in reference to law, or any other act passed by the legislature which may not conform to the views of the emperor and his man darins. One is surprised at the number of laws passed by the leg islatures of this oountry that come to grief at the hands of the higher courts on the ground that they are unconstitutional. I think a les son can be learned from England in this matter. There the consti tution is dearly defined by the Houses of Parliament. We never hear of an act that has been pass ed being challenged as unconstitu tional. It would be a reflection on the intelligence of the members of the House of Commons if it were so. Greater tact in dealing with a constitution has Dever been shown in the history of nations than that shown by the late Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone in dealing with the Church of England in Ireland. Like Lincoln he believed that the will of the people was greater than the constitution. The higher courts are not called upon to give an opinion as to whether a law is un constitutional or not, but to deal with the law as passed by the leg islature. Of course there is a di versity of opinion among them as to what the law means, but they cannot say it is unconstitutional. To say what the law ought to be is the function of the legislature and not the supreme court. To admit that a legislature passes laws which are unconstitutional is to admit that the legislature is composed of incompetent men. It is high time the practice was brought to a close in this country where the people do rule. The constitution ought to be amended at once. The people will have to face the problem sooner or later and many others besides. It will then dawn upon them that the constitution is far more monarchi al than Republican. J. G. men of Courage More men of courage. Sorely that is what the world needs to make it better. Not the courage to fight and die on the field of battle, but to live in one’s daily work when there is much to depress; to keep on in the struggle when failure attends the footsteps; to stand at the post of duty when it is an obscure one and no voice of kind appreciation is here. We need men with courage to tell the truth at the counter, even if a sale be missed; to rebuke him who utters a profane word in a public place; to speak on the un popular side of a question; and to vote, from deep conviction, with a small majority. We need men with courage to refuse to sign a petition of an unworthy applicant for office, and courage to do any thing which makes a majority to exclaim, “He is very eccentric.” Some men will face the bayonet sooner than a laugh, and care less for a blow than a word of con tempt. It is sad to think how mauy have been led into intem perate and profligate habits by the fear of their comrades laughing at their conscientious scrupled. Oh, for the courage to say “No,” when sinners entice, and to say “Yes,” when saints exhort. —Ex. DIVERSE REFLECTIONS j - - - ERID - - - Ii9IU I » I « I ®l®|® | ® I U ,1, i I 18 l i j f I $ I “The Rig Stick” may be substi tuted by the phrase, “Taft's Smile.” Men may obtain a monopoly on a commodity but no one can corner the sun. Few men heie below obtain a golden crown—but many of them have shining pates. The Government's 'not, seem ingly to some, against the prison er when he is violating laws; only when his time is his own—to do. The man in prison who is pro vided with food, raiment, and shelter, assuredly has little cause to tell friends the “hour of need” has overtaken him. The laws of man are changeable so as to meet the social varying conditions; the laws of nature are immutable, fixed, to meet the same conditions. Thus one may adduce that as civilization, supposedly, progresses society needs more stringent laws. The liquor question has been definitely decided by the pro moters of the “Enlightened As sociation”—l being the public announcer! In small towns no saloons are to be permitted. The government is to maintain, con duct, one general retail establish ment. No person is to be allowed to imbibe within thirty yards of this retail place. Any two per sons caught imbibing from the same bottle, or bucket, (especially at the same time) will be compelled to have their lips sterilized and pay a fine—not to exceed SIOO. In cities of 10,000 and upwards every saloon is to be operated as follows: A hallway is to extend the length of the building. Nar row stalls are to be erected across the room, from hallway to bar. Only one person at a time is to enter a stall. After being served to his requests the patron must leave the saloon. These arrange ments the association opines will enable all persons to satisfy their wants, do away with loung ing places, and evil associations, protect society, and, in a few words, promote the social better ment of all olasses. Agents not wanted. mantel The transport ship, carrying the American soldiers homeward from the tropical battle-field, was far from the Southern Isles when our hero, brave Jim, appeared on the deck. The scene that he witnessed was sufficiently thrilling to cause a less tasteful person to faint. Every man on deck was apparently spell bound and their eyes were riveted on the moving objects in the deep, blue ocean. Moving objects, large and spouting streams of salt water high into the air. “Whales!” ex claimed our hero. “Yes,” shouted the captain, “and the ship will be lost!” But our hero smilingly commanded several soldiers to pre pare a small life-boat to be low ered into the water. While they obeyed his orders he hastened be low. Soon he returned with two others who carried kegs of dyna mite. These our hero placed in the boat, attached fuses, and then the life-boat was lowered into the briny waves. The whales circled the life-boat, the transport plowed onward, the men aboard the ship stood gazing backward —suddenly there was a terrific explosion; the whales were killed; our hero had * saved his comrades and the ship. A few weeks later he was honor ably discharged from the U. S. Army—then—?