Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1864-01-13
MISCELLANEOUS,
Women under Difficulties

w omen unQer UlIncuttleS
The first sentiment that gains expression
when ieulaie convict ia Is herself 10 the
reception rnom of the penitentiary is that
Of regard for her personal appearance, 1t
happens thus; by the rules OF the prison
the hair OF the inmates is cut to the regu.
latIon length, and this operation 6 hs forth
from the uniOi tunate woman curses and
prayers, tears aud wheeding entreaties,
sometimes even the iescest rcsisranc She
may have plotted murder. may have Iois.
oued her own child or committed any 9TH
er crime, without the quIyer Of NJ eyelid,
but she cannot submit to the lndignitY of
having her lucks reduced hy the shears of
the peniteutlaFy Less painful aui often
amusing instances Of vanity are seen later
in the women s prison life; aud the mat
ron, who accompanies us, SSHreS Us thattt
is one of the most serious duties of her
class to cheek the luvc OF display which
shows itself even here. Oac wounu, APP
peared one day with brilliantly painted
cheeks the whole ward was It rucc rest
less with envy aud cartosity toe en- r-
Ii ,iIment was d decided sGe eeess. ami tie
Secret irrtated the feminine mud an.o t
beyond endurance. The prison authorities
were ut fault also there was ~ cai0ring
matter in the wumans cell, ur about The
building at any stint 10 which, she .ssf a.
cess. At last, after the closest watcEl2,.g
the secret OF the AZ was t&Si open The
woman was at work. III c. mnlun With the
other convlcts, upon the blue coaon shirts
through which red stripe ran she was
accustomed to pail out, here and there,
thread of this last mentioae1 color, aud
when sufficient quantity had accutnulated
she would soak them In water, and thus
obtain the substitute for rouge. Other
women scrape the whiting from the walls,
and grind 1t iue e-nug h to use as powder
tor the face
The windows of certain cells had wire
netting before Them from these Bail
would abstract stiffners to serve as substi-
tutes for bones. The wires being with
drawn with discretion, here aud there,
their absence was not discovered. One
Sunday, however, the ingenious woman
f4inted away i'll church, victim of tight
laciug so the trick was detected
The same woman was the inventor of
casional candle, or from the grease Of her
dinners, aud with the aid of this she would
turn out in the morning with her hair
rolled in the highest style of fash art.
Her prison bonnet would be fashioned in
the darkness OF uight into shapes totally
unlike their original form and she was the
leader OF the ton IN the matter OF the caps
furnished part of the regular custom.
All the women, indeed. show a high de-
gree OF ingenuity in making the ugly arti-
cles last mentioned into presentabIe affairs.
The matron tells us that there is quite a
series OF fashions during the year with
them. One woman will start new bor
der, or new tucks aud pialts behind, or in
troiuce piece Of wire TO give the tn nga
semhlancc Of cOmelncss If the new idea
meets the approval of the other women it
becomes the style, aud is at once adopted
with more or less success.
No savage couid value piece Of glass
more highly than does the average female
convict She will break her window
the cells OF Miilbank have glazed aper-
lures for hght-lameut over The accident :
with we'll acted grief, aud NEST cnnuingly
secret bit OF z ass where The closest
search tails TO discover it; then smoking
one sldc over her lamp, or maxim, il IA back
of black cloth she will exult IN secret over
the miserable apology for mirror, aud, as
the natron says, will behave with propric-
ty Tor weeks, ouy because she has the we'll
spring oil JOY in her ccil.-Harper's My
azine