South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1836-07-09

light penetraies the CRATES, and renders
; "the gloom wi,hin more gloomy stiIl''
We were next conducted to the wor.
king apartments. The convicts are
divided into companies of shirty.ihree,
! who pursue their different mechanical
| operations in their respective apart
ments. Over each company there is
a Waterman, whose eyes and ears are
perpetually on the alert. The system
of discipline being founded on the
principle Of silence, not a word is ut
tered, not look is exchanged, their
detected eyes are fixed upon the work
of their hands, and nothing is heard,
but the noise of their implements Of
labor, which they industriously ply to
hurry on to their close, the slow revolt
wing hours Of their Imprisonment and
degradetion. The unfortunate crea-
lures, although IN the company oftheir
fellow prisoners, ARE isolated in moral
respect, being Denied the pleasure of
conversation, both night and day
This must be torture, indeed like that
Of Tan,alus with the tempting viands
constantly before him, and constantly
receding from the approach Of his fam
ished lips.
We were permitted to see them only
through small chincks that we're made
In the walls. AS | peeped through
these despicabe cracks (despicabls |
mean 10 the conyicts, | observed the
youth offs there ssan execration, an
astonishment, curse, reproach. p
The man of years was there, spending
the evening of his day in secluded dis
grace, an aged monument of degreda
ion and shame. Some had exchanged
'',he purple and fine linen" of wealth
for the degrading dress, Of a prison
house, and some had come from the
novels Of obseurity and poverty.
The ne xt part, tina. We visited, of this
| community of criminals, was the eating
apartment. Fortunately for the graft
fcation of my curiosity, it was at the
time when preparations were making
for dinner, and had an opportunity
of seeing all the convis,s together
When | entered the room, two men,
| (convicts suppose} we're in the act OF
bringing in a large tub, filed with
something tina, appeared TO be slop OF
cruel, which they poured into wooden
cans tha, were arranged In order on
long high benches, that answered the
purposes cftables. This slqp OF grusl,
together with square piece OF corn
bread, a piscs Of beef, boiled very dry,
and cup OF cold water constituted
their repas.. The ringing of bell
was signal that dinner was ready, g.
the doors of the working apartments
were opened the different companies,
marching out, formed themselves into
right lines upon the square. They
marched what is called the lock step.
Being jammed close up agains. each
other, they lifted up and put down ths
same foot a. the same time. Pat, pat,
went their feet upon the pavement, as
they moved slowly to the dining room,
turning away their faces in shame and
looking dejectedly upon the earth.
When all the companies had come in,
and were standing behind their seats, a
little bell was rung and they were i'm
mediately seated. Ths signal being
repeated, their red top caps were in
staatly snatched from their heads, and
then commenced their voracious ope-
rations. They number abou. 275.
As stood at one extremity oflhe room,
| looking at them as they greedily swal
loved their morsels, and INDUCING in
such reflections as the spectacle was
calculated to prompt observed among
those nearest to me, fine looking
young man, whose person, although
clad in the pariicuIarised dress Of
prison.houss, exhibited taste and
dignity that rendered him entirely diff
feren,, 10 his appearance, from those
! around him. AT that moment he was
eating his portion ofgruel, and his lady
like hand was placed upon his wooden
| can, turning ii to one side to secure
| what remained in this cup of sorrow.
There was sudden, resistless gush OF
sympathy came over my heart and |
turusd away to hide the coming tear.
afterwards learned his name, which |
forbear TO mention, and as | expected,
| was told tina, he was a young man
Of responsibility and respectable con-
nections, of some Wealth. and many per-
sonal accomplishments. Many are the
reflections, which visit to this recep-
taele Of the guilty, is calculated 10
prompt. /! is humiliaiing to believe
that they are our felow-beings, and ii
is impossible to repiess the rising feel
j "a LII. AaL.lE