him, and, becoming a pitiless wreck, pass on
down the current of crime until he drifts over Time's last precipice
and drops into the arms of Death? To the average ex-convict there is but
little hope for success in this life.

The painful history of a majority of them is, after they have fallen
into the meshes of a criminal life, they never have the moral power
to extricate themselves. My musings are now at an end, for I have just
reached the entrance to the penitentiary--"A Missouri Hell." A prison
official on duty at the entrance conducted me into the presence of the
warden, Hon. John L. Morrison. This genial gentleman is a resident of
Howard County, where he was born and spent the greater portion of his
life. He is sixty years of age, and by occupation a farmer. For four
years he was sheriff of his county. He received his appointment as
warden less than one year ago. He is without any prison experience. The
reason, no doubt, for his being appointed warden of so great a penal
institution is, that outside from his being a man of unimpeachable
integrity, he exerts no little political influence in that portion
of the State where he resides. We have no cause for criticising the
governor's selection. Perhaps he is one of the very best men that could
have been procured for the place. At any rate, he is credited with
starting out well. But it is not every honest, upright man that makes a
good warden. It requires a man with a special fitness to be a success
in handling prisoners and making a penal institution beneficial to all
interested. After Warden Morrison has been given a fair trial, and
it becomes evident that he is a successful prison man, he should be
retained many years in that responsible position. For the longer he is
kept at the head of the institution the more valuable will his services
be to the State. I remained several days, and through the kindness
of the warden and other prison officials, saw everything about the
institution that was noteworthy.

The Missouri penitentiary is located in the southern suburbs of
Jefferson City. Its entrance is from the north. It covers an area of
seventeen acres. This tract of ground is surrounded by a stone
wall twenty feet high and four feet thick. The prison enclosure
is rectangular in form. At each of the four corners, and at stated
intervals, towers arise eight feet, which are occupied by officers
on duty. Occupying this elevated position, these officers can readily
obse