Evening star., 1900-11-24

bore two little lines, running from the cor
ners of the eyes to the corners of the
mouth. Yet the face was that of woman
below thirty. She had the eyes. thought
the governor, of the nihilist Orloff.
He DOTTED his cap of Office as he said to
her: Il have your card, madame; and you
doubtless. have your passport?'
'Ah, you are so strict, monsieur lie gou-
verneur." and the wan face was lighted by
the sweetest smile. Il did not know that j
should need it. but l brought it."
The princess drew from an inner pocket
and handed to the governor a long blue en-
velOpe. Capt. Strobe, through his gold
| spectacles, SKINNED the inclosure.
And this gentleman, madame, is your
| brother, Capt Poniatieff, who is mentioned
! in the letter." 1t was the customary mis-
sve in the fine round hand of the home Of
| flee. signed with the spreading quill of the
| secretary of II. M. commissioners
My brother, monsieur. said the Prin.
| cess Trubetskoi. You make me feel as if
| 1 were in st. Petersburg
| "A compliment, madame! l think, how
| ever, that we are now quite in order"
| He handed the official letter to his chief
| warder. who passed it to the gate warder
| who gave it to the warder at the door OF
| the reception room on the right, who doubt.
| less did the proper thing by it. The chief
warder opened the light iron gate just be-
/ yCnd the big outer door of the prison, and
! the governor and his visitors passed
| through. At once the princess became al
animated being. Not often before had the
| governor or Sir JOhn howard prison beer
! so famouSly catechised.
This is the model prison of London
monsieur, is it not?" She paused on the
gravel path. her eyes everywhere.
1T is the newest. madame, and the bes
| that we have been able to build so far"
who built it?"
Every stone was set up by convict
labor
'.,vrament! But how did you secure your
prisoners before the wall was raised?'
1--WE had a little wooden boarding incos-
| ing the ground, madame, and a wise gov
| ernor."
And nobody escaped?"
Nobody attempted
You have notions of discipline" said the
| princess.
I'VE have been trying for fifty years tc
| better them, madame, returned the gov
| ernor.
! newed her questions. Captain Poniatief
| who had scarcely any English, said little
| but observed keeniy, and required his sister
| to translate most of the governors replies
| The military bearing of the warders seemed
| greatly to impress him, and he made his
| sister ask whether. in the event of as
! So ult, they relied solely upon their batons
| The governor assured him they had ne
| other weapon. In the great airy kitcher
| the white-capped and white-aproned wardel
| cook presented them with pannikns of the
| soup that was being served for dinner
| Yer fine soup," said Captain Ponatief
| his first complete sentence in English. The
| comparative cheerfulness of the cells Qntt
| each of which. the governor observed, the
| sun penetrated at some hour of the day
| pleased the princess. Captain ,Noliatief
| thought them not quite solid enough.
| Yet we have no escapes, sir" said Cap
| tain Strobe.
| Point d'evasions, mon cher" interpreted
| the princess, and her brother :miled po
| ntely.
| The princess asked whether there wer,
| no worse cells in the prison than tn,
| ones they had inspected. She was aware
| that the English government Longer
| tolerated dungeons, but she had heard O
| punishment cells called black holes"
| punishment cell was promptly locked
| I. was bare except for plank bed, ant
| very dim. but the torture OF darkness wa.
not felt there. The cell CHANGED to be ten
| anted by a midde-aged Malay, who wa
| twirling his thumbs
The patience of the governor endured Il
| questions and all criticisms, for the furthe
he led his visitors the more was he con
| WINGED that the triumph of John Howard
| prison was great. The princess, indeed
| made no scruDle to say that she had no
seen its like. The workshops, where trade
were in progress or in course of beinj
taught, were inspected; and. last of ali
a few volumes in French and a Spanisl
grammar attracted notice.
| The princess was curious to know whethe
books ir foreign languages were oftel
asked for.
Our educated prisoners, answered tn
governor, read everything they can ge
| hold Of: here is a French history which. a
you may see, has passed through man,
hands. The librarian. our chaplain, i