Julian Hawthorne

“ A human soul can hardly believe that any punishment can really be life-long. Only a firm heart or a cruel one could disturb this fool's paradise, and even prison guards have been known to foster the delusion.
On the wall of Phil's cell was a cabinet photograph of a young woman in festal attire: her face and figure were very beautiful, but the photograph seemed old and battered. Prisoners are not usually indulged with such privileges; but lifers are sometimes excepted.
From time to time, in intimate moods, Passavant heard the story of this photograph ”

“ But Phil had assured her as well as others of his innocence, and she had never questioned it.
The Indian nature, dealing with elemental passions, has a likeness to that of the ancient peoples of the Old World. The mutual attraction between these two persons was prompt and explicit, and was not affected by the fact that their letters must be censored by the prison authorities.
Her name was Jocasta Cenci. The Beatrice of history was her ancestor. Her letters told of her Roman birth; she had the title of Contessa, and an independent fortune, but art had called her from society to the stage. ”

“ Passavant was admitted to see him next morning. A long skeleton lay on the white cot, a sheet over him to the neck. Dark, wrinkled skin covered the head; the closed eyes were sunk deep in the sockets. His wrists were bandaged.
“The flesh is off 'em to the bone,” explained the nurse, a red-headed little fellow, in the white suit of his office.
Passavant looked at him; it was Dan Lyons!
“They had to give me the job,” he said. “If they hadn't, I'd 'ave croaked Turpin, God rot his soul! Phil an' me was only havin' our bit of fun, an' that tub o' grease must block my way slidin' to first base! ”

“ Our souls will meet and be happy. Things important in this world—that a man kills his enemy—that a woman lives to be eighty years old—these are nothing to the soul! God was good to us, and kept us apart. ”

“ If troublesome, the man is clubbed or otherwise assaulted; the guards are given carte blanche as to that. Three days in the dark hole is regarded as severe punishment; anything more than a month is often fatal. The arms and legs become paralyzed, the body is covered with sores and greatly emaciated; frequently the “patient” goes insane.
One hundred days for Phil! ”

“ I wanted her to be happy thinking I was all right. But mind this!” He was silent a long time, and when he again spoke it was with an emphasis which seemed to burn up the last of life in him. “You—tell her—the truth! I won't be pitied. She'll mind less if she knows!”
“I'll tell her, Phil,” said Passavant.
The guard came up and motioned him to leave. “This ain't no confessional!” he observed.
Passavant went out, and Phil was buried in the prison cemetery next morning.
IV
Passavant finished his term six months later ”

“ JOCASTA'S ROMANCE
By Julian Hawthorne
PHILIP was a half-breed Indian, his mother the daughter of a famous chief, his father a French-Canadian; he was serving the second year of a life sentence for murder in a Federal penitentiary.
He was now twenty-six; more than six feet, broad shouldered, light-footed, two hundred pounds of solid manhood; black hair, brilliant, commanding eyes, a winning smile.
His cell-mate was a bank clerk named Passavant, a man of forty, quiet and kindly. The two liked each other, and Philip told Passavant this story:
“I was fond of a girl on the reservation ”