The herald., 1896-12-20

| his greatest happiness in his new free
/ dom would be to turn over ana 60 to
| sleep again when he was called in the
/ morning. That was the single ambition
I of a man who had once had $40, ,000, 600 to
i Go with as he pleased.
A VERY EARLY DINNER
| To give the convicts their Christmas
| pleasure early in the day the great din
! ner is served for breakfast at 7:30 a. m.
! The lonk lines of each division are
| formed. each man with his hands on the
| sides of the man in front, and at the word
| from the guard the lock-step march be-
| gins. The big, dark mess room, with its
great rows of tables, each eighty feet
long and with 1900 tin mugs and 1900
plates in place, is not inviting to the av-
erage eye or stomach, but on Christmas
6ay it has wonderful attractions to the
! convicts.
From hash bread and coffee, always
without milk and sugar, for 1854 days in
the year, to roast chicken, boiled onions.
mashed potatoes, bread. butter and tea,
with milk and sugar, is a terrific leap in
an epicurean way And the 1900 can eat
as much of it as they please. Every time
a man wants a second helping in Sing
Sing he raises his hand, school-boy fash
ion and the nearest guard sees that mis-
wants are attended to. The number OF
hands which go up at this Christmas
banquet is uncountable. They shoot up
from the same place with lightning-like
| rapidty Each man of the 1900 tries to
eat enough chicken to last him a year.
and he gorges himself with the tea
graced with milk and sugar, for that is
another annual rarity.
And when at last the signal has been
given to rise, they march out to the
yard there to receive two cigars. an
other treat of gigantic proportions. They
can loaf about the yard until o'clock,
when Christmas services are held IN the
two chapels, one for the Catholic con-
victs and the other for the Protestants OF
all denominations. AT II o'clock they
are returned to their cells, and on the
way each man gets great hunk OF
mince pie, a chunk of ginger bread. two
apples and an orange. A bowl of tea with
sugar and milk is sent to each cell at II
o'clock and the convict can eat these
dainties at his pleasure
TWO HOURS FOR TALK
At 2 o'clock the guards march the men
to the yard, and then comes the great
event of the year. From 2 to o'clock the
1900 convicts can talk to one another
just as other people do. No need of look
ing hurredly around to see if the guard
is watching no sub Ginning" no tap
ping out of messag geS, but good, straight.
out words. loud or soft, at the pleasure
of the talker. Some of the men do not
recognize their own voices. The vocal
cords are rusty and to talk is an effort.
Two hours go by like a flash, and half Of
the messages which had been saved up
for the year are left unsaid when the
silence signal is given.
But there is another treat in store for
the more fortunate prisoners with
friends or relatives to send them Christ
mas boxes. These are carefully search
ed by the prison authorities before they
are handed to the owners. There is more
feasting for all hands, for the prisoner
who receives a box has enough Of the
milk of human kindness still in him
to divide with his less fortunate brother.
On the whole Santa Claus does good
work in Sing Sing on Christmas day, and
more than one convict will lie down on
his cot next Friday night thankful and
mellow with the Christmas spirit:
| Peace on earth, good will to men,"
GRANTLAND GRIEVE