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In the preparation of the verses that fill these pages I have been helped by some of the prisoners of this institution. The donors have been somewhat few, for which I return thanks; but each and every verse is a fair representation of the many phases that the mind of a prisoner passes through, and of his true sentiment. Those that have been donated by my fellow prisoners are accredited to them by either their name or serial number. Some of the verses have been published in our prison "News," but inasmuch as they have reached only an inconsiderable few outside the prison walls, I prepare this little volume and hand it to the wide, wide world. My motto, in so doing, is:

May you who enjoy the blessings of liberty and worldly freedom, partake with us of our solitary musings, and enjoy our noblest thoughts and resolutions, as well as for us to enjoy yours; and that you may know that we are not devoid of true, manly, noble principle simply because we are cast—some justly, others unjustly—into prison.

May we exchange greetings with you all—shake—and if by chance I have been fortunate enough to interest you, I am well compensated; but if I have been more fortunate, and given you—even one of you—a line of noble, good thoughts and advice—I say, "May the seed fall on good ground and bring forth good fruit; may it not be wasted upon barren rock." In my work on "Crime and Criminals" many of these verses will appear in the "Appendix."

Very truly yours,

H. P. McKNIGHT,

A. D. 1896.

O. P., Columbus, O., U. S. A.