Delaware State journal and statesman., 1862-12-23

"Not If can help it," was the response ene
mean to stick here as long as 1 can, my nne
ieowsl" And when she came away, ~ "'
wit the frame Of the window in her hanuS'
"Cruelty to animals is, however, not con,-
mon feature even with the worst OF Wo"ya ~
Mice and sparrows are eagerly lureu N..os nv
cells, to be made much of, and these eiiect ooi-
siderable good with their hosts so excellent 20
the exercise of kindness. Nor is even 'enusa .,.a
poetic feeling banshed from the breasts Oh me-
unhappy women in all cases. our mauon - ~
once looking, in the course Of her duty tnrousd
the "inspection" hole of CELL aud percel..es
the inmate with her elbows on the table, gaslpB
on common daisy, which she had piueKeu lton, ~
the patch Of grass during her rounds-oue u
those rude, repulsive, yet not wholly pau pr
sOners, from whom no display OF senumeus W.. W.
anticipated. Yet the wistful look OF that Wonlau
ut her stolen prize was CLEAN oi an
sentiment 10 ever breathed in poets hnes, a
plinter might have made much OF her Posi.lon'
and philosopher might have moranseu oon,
cerning it, for the woman wept at last aroPpsu
her head down on the table between her nnugs' l'
and shed her bitter tears silently ana noise,esoy
The prison daisy must have spoken oil .ne oao
innocent times-of the fields she crossed 9e onee
with old friends-perhaps OF DAISIES hke uuss .s.
that before her, which were growing on her
mothers grave. Six months afterwards, saw
that flower pressed between the leaves oil hes
| Bible-a little treasure l should not nave nau
the heart to take away, had there been any laWs
of con6scation concerning daisies IN '"'
books.'
The desire for companionship is to some slight
extent gratifed among these poor creatures w
the adoption of prison "pal, ," but they can nase
no Communication with her without getting INTO
trouble. and the smuggling OF folded scraWt
into her hand as they pass her in the passage, VI
the execution OF q concerted piece with tne.l
| fingers on the walls Of their respective cells, 10
af ttatr lIsr
prison infrmary, however, besides better ule'
and laxer discipline, there is society to DC go,,
as well as that blessed thing we call 'a change'
and therefore to get placed on the sick list is .e
Mill-bank heaven. The schemes for attaining
this end are uueeasng, and the women care not
at what sacrifice 1t is gained. Self-mutna'ion,
and wanton destruction Of health, are consluereu
as nothing in the struggle to reach the inhmary
ward. GA woman will ooolly pound piece OIL
glass to powder, and bring on internal hemorrh-
age, nay, often bring herself to the dark TIRES
hold of deaths door, for the mere sake Oh the
change. Bad hands. and arms, and feet Will DC
studiously contriVeh by means OF SCISSORS
thimble, or a half-penny fastened to wound
madness will be feigned, aud stay-laces be twis,
ted round the neck till respiration almost ceases
They perform this feat with piece Of list, OF
string or rope from their beds-there IS no
keeping every implement of self-destructou from
woman-and standing on their pail, put their
heads into a running nooze fastened to iron WORK
} of ventator in the door, and then they give
kick to the pail, which sends the water streaming
underneath the door, and alarms the matron-
now and then not quite in time. With the ices
} determined, trying a stay-lace round the neck,
till the eyes nearly drop out of the head, and
} then waiting patiently for the arrival ofthe next
, conner, is quite a fashionable amusement. Prick
| ing the gums with q needle to feign the splitting
OF blood, and soap pills to give foaminP at the
Q mouth, occur, Of course, to the meanest capacl-
tes but some will grow so stark and stiff as to
counterfeit death itself, and others will self in
8 fate themselves like the Nassau balloon. These
e last, when taken to the sick ward, will recover
], slowly, sit up for day two, and theu take to
y their beds once more, and begin gradually 70
a expani
q In the infrmary, of course, all sufferers,
: whether themselves the cause of their ailments
9 not, meet with every kindness. 1t is right to
], state, too, that the government exhibits 10 other
respects, consideration and tenderness for these
% prison women that may we'll be called paternal.
On the day of liberty, women who live in the
L country are conducted to the railway station,
d seen into the carriage by prison matron, and
8, their fare paid by government 10 the station
d nearest home; II they are residents in London
l. a matror accou panies them home, and with a
few parting words leaves them with their friends
D, Alas, aud what friends these often are An entire
l chapter Of these interesting volumes is devoted
d to describing the various kinds Of prisoners
" lflenuss lnebe descriptions are hunlrhuiy Btaph-
'h ic, but we have only room for one short speci-
le men, which is unhappily the most ordinary type.
70 The interviews take place ia the presence Of a
n matron, who sits within q wire screen that runs
es between the visitor and the vistee. Let hus-
" band and wife be meeting for the first time:
e. Husband Well you've made a mess OF it this
= time, Sue, by Georgel
in Wife So it seems.
le Husband All your own fault you know
Wife. Don't stand there telling lies Joe. II
le it hadn't been for your hlackguard goings on,
ld should never have come to this.
ri Husband. You did il all yOurself-you know
en- you did, What, do you want to make this lady
W (loith jerk Of his thumb 10 the matron on duty,
e. believe all your cussed stories for &c
N. There are, indeed, heart-broken mothers for
all giving fathers, and otbgr really loving visitors
ln- whose interviews are touching indeed; but TIT
re above is an example of the most common sort o
tin friends that pay their visits to Millbank ont
nd Brixtononce in three months. Government is
to far more true and tender friend than these.
dt, devises methods by which good conduct has it
ith reward not merely in remission of sentence, bu
in treatment within the prison walls; and whe
that good conduct has extended over certain
NJ time at Milbank, the prisoner is removed to th
less severe discipline of Brixton and from thl
A., again to the comparative comfort Of Fulhar
.es Refuge Now and then, too, on medical groundt
ns sufferer receives pardon for her past offences
u.s. and is allowed to go free, that she may die i
a. the arms of the friends or the parents from whoI
~ ~ she has fled in early days.