Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-11-10

When Miss Pocket, moving with he1
usual smart step. head in the air. round anu
round the exercise yard suddenly left her
rank. and stopped with a courtesy before
the wardress on duty. the other ladies' in
the prison garb wondered what would fol-
low.
IF you please. miss said Miss Pocket
with her best smile, Il should Ike to nurse
the baby
Had she asked permission to scale the
wall, the other ladies, her companions in
durance, would have shown less surprise.
1t was. indeed. the very first time that
Miss Pocket had requested this high favor.
There only one baby in wing. but
it bigger and fatter and handsomer
than any of the seven babies in c wing;
and the absence of wedding ring from the
finger of the comely young woman who
owned it lent an extra spice of interest to
the mystery in which its origin in
volyed
This plump and chirpy mite of baby
was what is called vital factor in the
maintenance of discipline in Il wing. When
a lady showed an inclination to break
out. or took on broodlng mt, a ut of
the sulks. a wardress was sent flying to the
cell at the end of the wing to beg a ten
minutes loan of the baby.
Inc eject in most cases was ma gical.
The baby had been known to queil in
asleep in the arms of the matron, at the
door of each cell in succession. At morning
exercise good-conduct prisoners (the mother
oonsentEgJ were allowed TO carry it three
tinleS round the asphalt paths, or sit with it
Tor a few minutes on the grass bank under
the wall Sometimes the eyes of these
women We're wet when they gave the baDy
back, and occasionally one of them would
he seen in a fun flood of tears all the
while she held the baby, mewlns or bah
bling III her arms That was very subtle
infant.
But Miss Pocket had never weakened in
any way over this dimpling instrument of
prison rule. Alone among the ladies' of b
wing. she had never Carcssed the baby by
word or touch. had never asked to dand.e
IT, Her rare concessions to the softer pas
Sions We're when she pulled the prison cat
by the tail.
She repeated her request to the astonish-
ed WardreSs: ITO nurse the baby"
We'll. / don't mind said the wardress
IF the mother lets you
The mother was not unwilling seemed
on tie contrary, rather pleased at Miss
rockets ta"iy patronage; and the trans
fe% was ma e. Miss Pocket, followed by
Ihs curinu, eyes of the whole circ.e On the
tramp, was allowed to retire to the bank
where she sat down and observed the baby
She did not cry over it nor give out any
token of sentiment but it was patent to
the critics in the ring (who were if posi-
Bile, cutter than the officers in sporting a
fabe'D that Miss Pocket had all at once
found in the baby live and human thing
Her dark little eyes cleaned over it. She
lad the air of connecting new plot which
was to hurt nobdy.
Some of the ladies looked skeptical but
Susan Tolmer the baby's mother, did not
She's all right with him." whispered Miss
Tolmer. fore and aft. Il knew she'd have
him presently" But the others were not
convinced. and Miss Pocket was considered
to be planning a new dance"
When she had had her turn with the
baby the hours exercise for B wing was
N 2rfY nhnI ABB 30,
work.
Miss Pocket had been promoted from
solitary labor in her cell to Associated"
employment in the sewing room. 1t was a
favored and fayorite department; the work
was light and the general rule of silence
Uhe sorest rule to be borne in PRISON. was
not too callously insisted on. The wardress
In the chair of president had one ear stuffed
with wool; gossip in subtones was not re-
ported.
Miss Pocket shared her confidence in the
sewing room with two particular intimates
Miss Rodwell. tall, fair and slender. the
most expert shoplifter in birmingham. and
old Mrs. Pringle, who had displayed an
almost medieval skill In the Illegal employ
rnent of useful drugs The pair began at
once to whisper to Miss Pocket, but Miss
Pocket was mute Whispers on the subject
OF the baby troubled all the sewing room,
but Miss Pocket stitched and was deaf
1t Saturday, and the next day was
Sunday. In the middle of the sermon Miss
Pocket burst into tears. The matron
glanced across at her from her seat under
the pulpit
Such scenes We're not uncommon in that
sad place of worship. Sometimes a chord
in the voluntary, sometimes verse Of the
hymn. sometimes a text read by the chap
lain or homely word in his sermon. chang