mself as good a citizen on the
outside, as he was on the inside, of prison walls.

WILLIE HILDRUM

This youthful convict is but sixteen years of age. He is the youngest
prisoner in the penitentiary. He was formerly a boot-black on the
streets of St. Louis. Getting into a fight one day with one of his
boot-black companions over a nickel that they had jointly earned
"shining up" a patron's boots, young Hildrum drew an old knife from his
pocket, which he had found a few days before, and sent the rusty blade
into the heart of the street Arab. The youthful murderer was tried and
convicted of manslaughter, and on account of his youth was given but two
years in the penitentiary.

S. D. HENSON

This convict was at one time county judge of Stoddard County, and highly
respected. He is one of the finest appearing men I ever saw. His finely
shaped head bespeaks intelligence. It is sad to see such grand looking
specimens dressed in the garb of disgrace. Judge Henson became involved
in a quarrel with one of his neighbors over some trivial matter, and
killed him. His sentence is for twenty years, which for him at this
advanced age means death in the prison. Great efforts are being put
forth for his pardon, but it is a question left entirely with the
governor, and no one can tell how he may act.

Judge Henson is not at heart a criminal. On that open countenance
there is no mark of Cain. Thinking of his sad case, more than ever am
I convinced that we are creatures of circumstances. How many of
my readers, had they in the past, been surrounded by the same
circumstances, subject to the same temptations, would not have acted in
the same manner, and like judge Henson found a home in a convict's cell.

FORTY-EIGHT YEARS A PRISONER

John Hicks is the veteran penitentiary convict of the United States.
Under an alias he served one term in the Missouri penitentiary. Most of
his time has been spent in prisons further east. He is now eighty-four
years of age, and quite recently was released from the Michigan City
penitentiary. Prison authorities have compared notes and find that he
has actually served forty-eight years of prison life. He is the oldest
living criminal in this country. He has served ten terms, the greater
portion of them being in Indiana. His first crime was committed in 1839.
In some way he learned that a man named Bearder had $360 in his house.
While the family were at church Hicks rifled the house and stole their
m