The Planters' banner. [volume] (Franklin, Attakapas Co., Lou.) 1849-1872, 1852-02-14

everything shop in the yard, the cook
would dress it; or, if I did not choose
10 be at the trouble of providing my
self, might breakfast, dine, and sup
al his, the stewards table, "for con-
sideration," as Mr.. Trapbois has it.
acceded TO the latter proposition, receiv-
inc the intelligence that turkey and
Oyster-sauce were to be ready at two
precisely, with melancholy indiffer-
ence. Turkey had no charms for me
I sauntered forth into the yard, and
passed fifty or sixty fellow unfortunates,
sauntering as listlessly as myself
StrolIing about, | came TO large graz
ting. somewhat similar to Mr.. Blow.
mans bird-cage. in which was heavy
gate called the 'slock," and which COM
municated with the corridors leading
to the exterior of the prison. Here sat,
calmly surveying his Gagged birds With
in. a turnkey-not repulsive, gruft-
voiced monster, with red neckerchief
and top boots, and bunch of keys, as
turnkeys are popularity supposed TO be
but pleasant, jovial man enough,
in sleek black. He had little lodge
behind, where bright fire burned and
and where Mrs. Turnkey and the little
Turnkeys lived. Il found direfal re-
semblance between the name of his
office, and that of the Christmas bird.l
His Christmas dinner hung TO the iron
bars above him. in the shape of mag
nticent piece of beef. Happy turnkey,
to be able to eat it on the outer side OF
that dreadful grating! In another part
of the yard hung large black board,
inscribed in half-effaeed characters,
with the enumerations of divers dona-
tions, made in former times by chant
able persons. for the benefit In perpe-
tuily of poor prisoners. To-day so much
beef and so much strong beer were al
lotted to each prisoner.
But what were beef and beer, what
was unlimited tobacco, or even the
plum-pudding, when made from prison
pIums, boiled in prison copper: and
eaten in prison dining-room What
though surreptitious gin was carried
in. in bIadders, beneath the under gar
ments of the fairer portion of creation
what though brandy were smuggled
into the wards, disguised as black
draughts. or extract of sarsaparila2 A
pretty Christmas market had brought
my pigs to!
| Chapel was over Il had come down
too late frnnn the "ReceptiOn TO at-
tend il) and the congregation Ia lament-
| ably small one) dispersed in the yard
| and wards. Ientered my own ward. to
change Gf anything could changel the
dreary scene.
Smoking and cooking appeared to be-
the chief employments and recreatIons
of the prisoners An insolvent clergy
man. in rusty black, was graveiy roll
ing out puff. paste OIL pie board and
a man in his shirt-sleeves, covering a
veal outlet with egg and hread-crum,
was an officer of dragons!
found no lack of persons willing to
enter into conversation with me.
talked full twenty minutes with Q
seedy captive, with a white head and
coat buttoned and pinned up to the
chin.
Whitecross street, he told me Tor
Burdon.s Hotel, as in the prison slang
he call it) was the only place where
any life /" was 10 be seen. The Fleet
was pulled down; the Marshalsea had
gone the way of all brick-and-mortar;;
the Queens Prison, the old Bench
was managed on strict system OF
classification and general discipline;
I and Horsemonger Lane wasAhui rarely
tenanted BY debtors; but in favored
Whitecross street. the good old features
of imprisonment for debt yet ffourlsh-
ed. Good dinners were still occasion
alIv owen - sfivesn and football were
vet playei and from time to time, OBJ
noxiouS attorneys. or imporiunate pro-
cess servers. rats" as they were
caIled-were pumped upon, Toured,
and bonneted Yet. even Whltecross
street. he said with sigh, was falling
off. The Small Debts Act and those
revolutionary County Courts would 5e
too many for it soon.
That tall, robust, bushy-whiskered
man, (he sai1 in the magnihcently
fowered dressiug-gown. the crimson
Turkish smoking cap, the velvet slip
pers. and the osientatlonsly displayed
t gold gnard-chain. was mace-man :"
an individual who lived on his wits,
and on the want of wit in others. He
: had had many names. varying from
, PIanta genet and De COurcy, to : Ed
monston and Co.," OF plain Smith. He
was a real gentleman once upon a
Etime-a very loug time ago. Since
, then. he had done little OH the turf,
1 and much in French hazard. roulette,
: and rouge ct noir. He had cheated
bill .discounters. and had discounted
} bills himself He had been a picture
, dealer and wine-merchant. and one
, of those mysterious individuals called
:: commission agent" He had done
a little on the stock exchange and a
$ little billiard-markiug and little skli-
r tle-sharping. and little thimbIe-rig-
/ eiug. He was not particular. Bills,
!, however, were his passion. He was
: under a clond just now, OF some bill
J, dealing transaction, which the Conn.,
i missioner of insolvency had broadly
4 hinted 10 be like bill.stealing one
!. However, he had wonderful elasticity,
q and il vas TO be hoped would snon get