college preparing for the struggles that awaited me. I earned every
dollar of the money which paid my expenses while securing my education.
I carried the hod to assist in building the college in which I afterward
graduated. Few men can truthfully make this statement of themselves.
While working my way through the institution where I received my
education, I learned one useful lesson--self reliance. I learned to
depend upon my own efforts for success. Every one must learn this useful
lesson before he can become anything in life. After I had met with
misfortune and found myself in a prison cell, I was glad that I had
learned to rely upon my own efforts.

The question: "What shall I do in the future?" now came to me. That
afternoon I laid my plans which I would carry out out in the years to
come. I was financially ruined in the great battle I carried on with
the Atchison ring. I was aware of the fact that, when I got out of the
penitentiary, all the money that I would have with which to make another
start in life would be five dollars. The United States presents her
prisoners, when discharged, with a suit of citizen's clothes and five
dollars. This was my capital. What could I do with five dollars, in
the way of assisting me in getting another financial foot-hold in life?
After my release it was necessary for me to do something at once to get
money. It never entered my mind to borrow. It will be interesting to
the reader to know what I did, after my prison days were past, to make
a "quick raise." Sixteen months of imprisonment slipped away. I regained
my liberty on Monday. I received my five dollars and immediately started
for my home, in Atchison. On my arrival, Monday night, I had four
dollars and ten cents. On Tuesday morning I went to the proprietor of
the Opera House, in Atchison, and inquired how much money was necessary
to secure the use of the building for the next evening. "Fifty
dollars," was his reply. I gave him all the money I had, and persuaded
him to trust me for the rest. I informed him that I was going to deliver
a lecture on my prison life. He asked if I thought anybody would come to
hear a convict talk. In answer, I told him that was the most important
question that was agitating my mind at the present moment, and if he
would let me have the use of the Opera House we would soon settle that
question. I further told him that if the receipts of the evening were
not enough to pay him for the use of the house