"Yes, we do, that's the truth," said Annie O'Brien. "But's of no use. Nobody will ever think anything of us again, after we have been in here, and its no use to try to do any better; and we just do as bad as we can."
"But the All-seeing Eye is watching you, and, if you try to do right, will help you along. And in the life to come, where all hearts are known, you will get your recompense. Then, if you are really trying to do right you will be thought of and loved."
"It is a great while to wait for that, and it is hard."
"I know it is hard; but it cannot be long. It may be that we go at any moment; and then, it is forever and forever."
"If we could only keep that in our minds--but we forget it."
"You cannot of yourself. But if you ask the Father of your spirit to take your thoughts under his control, He will, and help you to think."
Poor things! They were ignorant of the way to control themselves. They had few to teach them in it, and none to help them in their personal efforts to overcome the evil dispositions so long indulged in.
That night, when I went into the hospital, for the closing inspection, the nurse was grumbling about the trouble one of the women had given her.
"Indeed, ma'am, this is the awfullest place a woman can get into!"
I thought I would give her a hint that it was her own misdoings that brought her there.
"What brought you in here, Mary?" I asked.
"I made my fingers too nimble with a man's pocket-book."
"You did! then you don't deserve a very good place, do you?"
"He left some money with me to keep, and I did keep it so as he couldn't get it again. He got drunk, and I thought perhaps he wouldn't remember it again."
"Men don't forget their money so easily."
"You will hardly try that again if you ever have the chance."
"No, ma'am! I could have earned the two hundred and eighty dollars that I took in half the time I have been here, and had my liberty too."
"You knew it was wrong when you took the money and used it?"
"Yes, ma'am; but I wanted the things, and the money was in my hand to buy 'em. The things would be of use; and I knew that drunken fellow would waste it if he had it."
Another specimen of specious reasoning; nor is that kind of reasoning confined to convicts.