Woman in Prison. Caroline H. Woods

table.

      "She slapped me in the face; and, by——, I will have her heart's blood!"

      My heart sickened at the disgusting scene; but my duty was before me.

      "Stop her, and take the knife away!" I shouted to the women at the other end of the room.

      In a moment the knife was taken from her, and both of her hands were confined by four of the women.

      "Annie O'Brien, come here!" I called.

      She looked at me, but did not stir.

      I called again, "Annie O'Brien, come here!"

      She said to the women that held her, "Let me go! I will go to her," and she started towards me.

      I laid my hand on her pale, cold cheek.

      "O'Brien, are you not ashamed to get so angry with that poor, foolish, half-crazed McMullins?"

      "Wouldn't it make your blood boil to have any one slap you in the face?"

      "Undoubtedly it would rouse my temper for the moment. It is a very mean and wrong thing to strike; but you have behaved no better."

      "I was a fool; but I could not help it."

      "Yes, you could. Will you behave yourself now?"

      "I will do nothing more," and she heaved a deep sigh.

      "If you have really come to your senses, go about your work!"

      She returned to her work; but in a moment she called to me,—

      "You must report me!"

      "Yes, in my own time."

      "You must report me now; I must be punished. They will blame you if you put it off."

      "Would you care if they blamed me, Annie?"

      "Yes, ma'am, I should. It is bad enough for me to behave so without making you any more trouble."

      "I wish to see you entirely over your frenzy, perfectly quiet, before I call the Deputy."

      "I am perfectly quiet," and she went about making her mush.

      "Annie, if you will promise me to try to control your temper in future, I will try to get your punishment made as light as possible."

      "I will try to do anything you want me to; but they will put it on to me hard, I've been punished so many times before."

      I saw that I had possession of her so far as she had control of herself.

      "Keep about your work as though nothing had happened!"

      "Yes, ma'am."

      I went to the door, blew my whistle, and sent for the Deputy. I waited in the entry for him, and stated the case before he went in to punish the women.

      "McMullins gave the first blow; you know she is a poor, foolish thing; she has fits. You won't punish her this time, will you? She slapped O'Brien in the face, and she struck back. Won't you let them off this time?"

      "I can't. It won't do."

      "Wouldn't it make you angry, and wouldn't you strike back if any one struck you in the face?"

      "Probably I should."

      "You won't punish her for doing what you would do yourself?"

      "I must."

      "If one is punished both must be. The trouble began in Annie's not having her own things to use. I will see that each has her own things in future, and avoid cause of contention in that way as much as possible. If McMullins should have a fit in her cell, we should both feel bad. Can't you let them off with a reproof this time?"

      "I can't. McMullins must not count on the fool's pardon when she fights. If I let her go now she might fly in any woman's face at any time. They never would be safe from her slappings. Don't you think they ought to be punished?"

      "Yes, sir; with some kind of punishment."

      "If I were to let them off, it would be known all through the prison in two hours, and there would be rebellion in all quarters."

      "Subordination must be maintained. I wish there were a different way. I am so sorry to have the poor things locked up."

      "I am sorry; but I have no other way."

      When he went into the kitchen, Annie O'Brien took off her apron, and delivered herself up to him without a word; but McMullins cried, and begged him not to lock her in a black cell.

      He made no reply, but pointed them to the prison. As he went, he asked me to bring the No. 1 key.

      The black cells are of the same size, and made like the others. The only difference between them is, that the doors of the black cells are closed from the entrance of all light by a black board placed against the bars.

      They have no beds in them, not a blanket to lie upon. Nothing but the cold stones to sit, to stand upon, or to lean against. The only article of furniture allowed in them is the night bucket, which may be converted into a seat. The rations, when in that "durance vile," is one quart of water, and one thin slice of bread during the twenty-four hours.

      With a heavy heart I saw my poor women locked up. I turned the key upon them with my own hand.

      O this continual turning of keys! The bunch in my hand all day, under my pillow at night.

      Click, click, when I go out of the room; click, click, when I come in. Will my ears ever harden to the sound so that I shall not notice it!

      It is a constant drill, drill to labor under the ever impending punishment, which hangs over the prisoner, suspended by a breath of complaint by an officer. Is one kind of punishment the only cure for disobedience? Should it not be mitigated by mercy, or changed in character according to the circumstances, or the peculiar disposition of the offender? How does the Great Lawgiver treat His convicts? Does He punish all offenders with the same unmitigated rigor? His sun shines alike on the evil and the good. He reproves often, and teaches, and suffers long, and is kind, and adapts His punishment to the character of the crime committed.

      Some crime is committed in willful disobedience of known law; but much more of it in ignorance of the way to control bad tempers—in ignorance of the way to resist temptation.

      Teaching is what these poor creatures want, and the time in which to learn.

      Many a time I went to the key-holes of those black cells to listen that day. Many a time I called—

      "McMullins, are you well?"

      She invariably begged me to let her out.

      "I cannot. You did wrong and must be punished."

      "She threw the dish-cloth at me."

      "You struck her."

      "I'll never do it again, I am so tired. Please will you get the Deputy to let me out."

      "Just as soon as I can."

      That night I went to him, and begged to have my women let out.

      "You know McMullins has fits, and to lie there on the cold stones all night might bring them on."

      "You may put her in her own room to sleep."

      "Thank you! It is a favor done to me as well as her. I don't think I could sleep at all if she were left lying there. You will let O'Brien go to hers—it would be hardly right to let one sleep in her bed, and not the other."

      He shook his head.

      "O'Brien has been here before. I know more about her than you do."

      "Let me try her my way, Mr. Deputy?"

      "Not to-night."

      "In the morning?"

      "I will see."

      O'Brien