the twin hells(两个地狱)-第3章
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wing work in the shops located above ground； and within the prison
enclosure。
The officer in charge conducted me to cell number one。 Click went the
lock。 The door was pulled open； and in his usual style； he said； 〃Get in。〃 I
stepped in。 Slam went the door。 Click went the lock； and I was in a felon's
cell！ These rooms are about four feet wide； seven feet long； and seven feet
high。 In many of the cells two men are confined。 These rooms are entirely
too small for the accommodation of two prisoners。 A new cell house is
being built； which； when completed； will afford sufficient additional room
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so that each prisoner can have a cell。 In these small rooms there are two
bunks or beds when two convicts occupy the same cell。 The bed…rack is
made of iron or wood slats； and the bed…tick is filled with corn…husks； the
pillow is also filled with the latter material； and when packed down
becomes as hard as a board。 When the beds are not in use they are fastened
to the side of the wall with a small chain。 When down and in use they take
up nearly the entire space of the cell； so that it is impossible for the two
occupants to pass each other in walking to and fro。 The other furniture
consists of a small tin bucket； holding about two quarts of water； and a
wash…basin。 A short…handled broom is also found in one corner of the cell；
with which the convict brushes it out every morning。 The walls are of
stone； decorated with a small looking…glass and a towel。 Each cell contains
one chair and a Holy Bible。 There is no rich Brussels carpet on the floor；
although prisoners are allowed one if they furnish it themselves。 No costly
upholstered furniture adorns these safe retreats！ Nothing in that line is to
be discovered except one cane…bottomed chair for the accommodation of
two prisoners； so that when one sits on the chair the other stands； or
occupies a seat on the stone floor。 There is not room for two chairs； or the
State would furnish another chair。 These rooms are built of stone。 The door
is of one…half inch iron bars； crossing each other at right angles； leaving
small spaces about two by six inches； through these spaces come the air ；
light and heat for the health and comfort of the inmates。 When I entered
my cell on that eventful morning I found it occupied by a prisoner。 He was
also a new arrival； he had preceded me about an hour。 When I entered he
arose and gave me his chair； taking a seat on the floor in the opposite
corner。 After I had been locked in； before going away the officer said；
〃Now I don't want you fellows to get to talking； for that is not permitted in
this institution。 〃We sat in silence； surveying each other； in a few moments
my companion； seeing something in my personal appearance that caused
him to lose his self control； laughed。 That he might give full vent to his
laughing propensities； and not make too much noise； he drew from his
pocket his quarter section of a flour bag and put it into his mouth。 He soon
became as red in the face as a lobster。 I was curious； of course； to know
what it was that pleased him so much。 Rising from my chair； going to the
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door and looking through the openings I could see no officer near； so I
asked my companion； in a whisper； what it was that pleased him so。 It was
with difficulty and after several trials before he could succeed in telling
me what it was that caused him to be so convulsed。 I told him to take his
time； cool off gradually； as I had eighteen months； and could wait patiently。
At last； being able to control his feelings sufficiently to tell me； in the
midst of his outbursts of laughter； he said； 〃You look just like one of them
zebras in Barnum's Circus！〃 When my attention was called to the matter；
sure enough； I did look rather striped； and I； amused at his suggestion；
laughed also。 Soon an officer came gliding around in front of the cell；
when our laughing ceased。 My companion was a young fellow from
Doniphan County。 He got drunk and tried to rob an associate； still drunker；
of a twenty dollar gold piece。 He was arrested； tried and convicted of
robbery； receiving a sentence of one year。 Directly an officer came； took
him out of my cell and conducted him to another department。 All alone； I
sat in my little parlor for nearly an hour； thinking over the past。 My reverie
was at length broken by the turning of my door lock。 A fresh arrival was
told to 〃git in。〃 This prisoner had the appearance of just having been
lassoed on the wild western prairies。 He resembled a cow…boy。 His
whiskers were long and sandy。 His hair； of the same color； fell upon his
shoulders。 As soon as the officer had gone away and everything had
become quiet； I asked this fellow his name。 〃Horserider；〃 was his reply；
from which I inferred that he was a horse…thief。 〃How long a term have
you？〃 was my next question。 〃Seven years；〃 was his reply。 I comforted
him by saying it would be some time before he rode another horse。
The next part of the programme consisted in a little darkey coming in
front of our cell with a rudely constructed barber's chair。 The cell door
opened； and an officer said to me； as if he would hit me with a club the
next moment； 〃Git out of there。〃 I went out。 Pointing to the barber's chair；
he said； 〃Squat yourself in that chair。〃 I sat down。 〃Throw back your
head。〃 I laid it back。 It was not long before my raven mustache was off；
and my hair cut rather uncomfortably short for fly time。 After this
tonsorial artist had finished his work then came the command once more；
〃Git in。〃 I got in。 It now came Mr。 Horserider's turn to bid a long farewell
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to his auburn locks。 He took his place in the chair； and the little darkey；
possibly for his own amusement； cut off the hair on one side of the head
and left the other untouched。 He then shaved one side of his face without
disturbing the other。 At this moment the bell for dinner rang； and the little
colored fellow broke away and ran to his division； to fall in ranks； so that
he would not miss his noon meal。 Once more Mr。 Horserider entered his
cell and we were locked in。 A more comical object I never beheld； he did
not even possess the beauty of a baboon； he might certainly have passed
for the eighth wonder of the world。 When he came in I handed him the
small looking…glass and asked him how he liked his hair…cut。 Remember；
one side of his head and face was shaved close； and the other covered with
long sandy hair and beard。 Looking into the glass； he exclaimed： 〃Holy
Moses！ and who am I； anyway？〃 I answered his question by stating that he
favored Mr。 What…Is…It。 He was very uneasy for a time； thinking that he
was going to be left in that condition。 He wanted to know of me if all
horse…thieves of the penitentiary wore their hair and whiskers in this style。
I comforted him all I could by imparting the information that they did。 He
was much relieved when the darkey returned after dinner and finished the
shaving。
I was next taken out of my cell to pass a medical examination。 Dr。
Mooney； the gentlemanly officer in charge of the hospital； put in an
appearance with a large book under his arm and sat down by a table。 I was
ushered into his presence。 He began asking me questions； and wrote down
my answers in his book； which proved to be the physician's register。
〃Have you any decayed teeth？〃 was his first question；
〃No； sir；〃 was my reply。
〃Have you ever lost any teeth？〃
〃No； sir。〃
〃Have you ever had the measles？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Have you ever had the mumps？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Have you ever had the chicken…pox？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
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〃Have you ever had the thresh？〃
Well； I didn't know what was meant by the thresh。 I knew that I had
been 〃thrashed〃 a great many times； and inferred from that fact that I must
have had the disease at some time or other in my youth； so I answered；
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Have you ever had the itch？〃
〃What kind？〃 said I。 〃The old fashioned seven year kind？ Y…e…s； sir； I
have had it。〃
He then continued asking me questions； and wanted to know if I ever
had a great many diseases； the names of which I had never heard before。
Since I catch almost everything that comes along； I supposed； of course；
that at some period during my childhood； youth or early manhood I had
suffered from all those physical ills； so I always answered；
〃Yes； sir。〃 He wound up by inquiring if I ever had a stroke of the horse
glanders。 I knew what was meant by that disease； and replied in the
negative。
He then looked at me over the top of his spectacles； and； in a rather
doubting manner； said； 〃and you really have had all these diseases？ By the
way；〃 he continued； 〃are you alive at the present moment after all that you
have suffered？〃 Mr。 Mooney is an Irishman。 He was having a little cold…
blooded sport at my expense。 Whenever you meet an Irishman you will
always strike a budget of fun。
His next question was； 〃Are you a sound man？〃
My reply was to the effect that I was； physically； mentally and morally。
So he wrote down in his book opposite my name 〃physically and mentally
a sound man。〃 He said he would take my word for being sound morally；
but that he would not put that down on the books for the present； for fear
there might be a mistake somewhere。 Before discharging me； he calmly
stated that I would make a good coal miner。 All the prisoners undergo this
medical cross…examination。
After I had run the doctor's gauntlet； I was conducted from th
