New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-12-27
Unity IS HE'D TO DOWN.

TIE GREATEST TRIAL OF FEMALE PRISONERS
ADORNMENT UNDER Diff CULTBs.
An ex-heeper Of n pententinry being asked the
other day TO describe Of the characteristics OF
tie female prisoners in the wards said that one OF the
things that struck her most forcibly was the way In
which the personal vanity OF women prisoners re-
NAMED strong within most of them to tho last. no
matter what other traits prison life crushed ont. When
bustes fashionable many prisoners would sacrifice
the warmth of their pettcoats, in mid winter Ia
order TO roll them up under their skirts. to give them
a fashionable hump behind No man but the chaplain
and the warden saw them. and then only occasionally :;
and what satisfaction 1t gave them that would Offset
their shiverlng 1t IS hard to see.
Tho wearing OF prison uniform is great blow to
them Few OF them when they enter seem TO expect
that 1t never occurred to them that they would have
20 take of all their ornaments and wear the ugly con
Wet earb and they plead for ribbon or ring more
pitifuy than they would for food. But when 1t comes
10 cropping their hair close, that is the finishing
touch you'd think their hearts wonld break They
nav have remained stOld and stocal all through
their trial received their sentence even in silence
but when ii to cropping OIL their treasured locks
their pleadngs and prayers and tears and cries would
move a heart of stone"
81 remember the case OF one woman In particular,
said the speaker who managed TO excite ana sustain
the envy Of nearly all her companions In misfortune
by Keeping her short black hair shining with Oil How
she did IL, Where she got lDe OIL "de mystery "'
set myself 10 find out II took me a long time to
do IT, Int finally was rewarded. She used to Let her
soup get perfectly cold. Then she would carefully
skim off the grease that had risen TO the top, ana use
II on her hair. Then she drank her soup. Try TO
drink cold soup yourself and you VIII be able 10
nnurec,ate the sacrifice she made for vanity's SAKE
y Another woman managed 10 rouge her cheeks; on
which the prison life settling Its inevitable paiIor
This caused even stir than the oiled hair did, ana
wien cOnXing failed 10 draw her secret from her. tne
other prisoners made charges OF favoritiSm against
me intimatng that let the rosy checked woman
haI,a nrivieges / denied 10 others. ] watched tbs
prisoner also for some time before found that she
fonld make her gums bleed easily by scratching them
with her nails this blood she applied TO her checks
with gratifying success" ,,, -
Y" !. re- do This She had TO have looking glass, some
thing prohibited by the rules; And yet she had one
a niece OF ordinary glass with d black rag beIlnd u
CO., a. ouleEsilver When / found 1t on her bed, l
remebered that weeks before she had subjected her
se@ 70 extra punishment by breaking pane OF glass
Nth n piece of the broken pane she had constructed
III primitive mirror, In which she got distorted view
20 5ar features that doubt gave her great comfort
boush why should not rather depTess her spirits 10
loon nj herself In such clOthes anu WIN ciVPPca i
never could understand