Page:Prison-Life Thoughts.djvu/24

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16
PRISON-LIFE THOUGHTS.

tors would not be harmed by anything I might say, but these cut-throats might be wheedled by giving them assimilable matter interspersed with holy truths., When I rose to speak, three of my men's heads had already bobbed down unto the backs of the seats in front of them, apparently stupefied by the rum in their heads, or asleep. In a clear and jovial manner I began: "Gentlemen, the hour has arrived for the commencement of the lecture, but before entering upon my theme, let me tell you a somewhat vulgar story." No sooner had I repeated the sentence, "vulgar story," until each of their heads was high up, and their eyes glistened, fully awake to catch every word of smut which was in anticipation. I finished my vulgar story, which was reluctantly given, but it had its good effect, and my men listened to sound logic, which I followed hard-up for some time; however, in about ten minutes I saw a vacillation, ar wandering of their thoughts, when I immediately related another vulgar and laughable story, and again