The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1900-11-13

roomy corridor. where they were per
united to lounge in the daytime, ana
because the prisoners cooked 1lelf
own food. The raw materials Tor the
meals were passed into the Jail
through a little window in an IRON
door. and the men took turns IN COOS
ing. The cells were placed above the
corridor. and at night the sheriff came
and locked us in till morning. We
numbered. all told, nineteen men and
BOYS, fifteen of whom were court
prisoners. who had stood their trials
and were waiting for their sentences.
The remaining three. including hud-
erick Mcklowd and myself, had had
punishment melted out to them by TIE
Wisdom of a local magistrate. and
were serving it out then and there.
Ruderick and | had been unfortu-
nate enough to fall asleep in a BOX
car in the local railway yards. and the
MAGISTRATE before whom we were
brought had been inspired to make an
example of us. Il want o men to
learn to sleep where civilized people
sleep" he explained: " it IS possible
that YOU need a little training to get
into the habit again. and | snail Send
YOU over to the sheriff for a month.
If YOU behave yourselves YOU will tlnd
him an agreeable host. We behaved
ourselves. and found the sheriff an
agreeable host. but he took the mos
interest in what he called the tran
SCENTS" the men whom Justice had
weighed in her balance and found
wanting-to a degree which she hah
not taken off her bandage accurately
to- ascertain. They presented a sub
iect of speculation and mystery
x,I.ol wa liI ,,nt and in rptlTn for
the interest they gave him he offered
them eruff little courtesies which he
hoped would help somewhat to keep
their minds off their coming ordeal.
Some of them were culpritS OF long
standing, men who had taken their
"stretchers," as they called their terms
in prison, regularly and without finch
ing. but none of them knew what
their next stretcher was to be. Some
of them were lads. sure to 90 to- the
reform school: and all Of them. men
and lads. were to retire from the
world for a certain time-but how
long? The limit thai each of them
could get was we'll known. but no one
believed that he deserved d. would
get the limit.
Prisoners the world over feel that
the fact hat they have been caught
do all - ct DtllllSIIIiI1I dthNi tHiiii>
them in expecting a compromise with
the Judge who is to sentence them.
If detection itself is a punishment.
any further discipline ought to be
measured according to the disappoint-
ment and chagrin which the detection
has ca Sed. This is irrational. but
all men are irrational according TO
their opportunities. 1t was the I'M
certainty as to how far justice, in the
person of "the old man. would be
willing to compromise on this basis
that kept the men on a strain. Morn
ing. noon and night the constant word
was, what will "the old man do?' The
first thing we heard. even before the
sheriff had let us out for the day.
was the call from cell to cell of the
men sentenced that they were twelve
hours nearer the appointed time,
Even during the night mutterings
reached Ruderick and me from the
men who had been waiting longest.
One night we heard an old man OF
seventy, who might nave been the
grandfather Of all of us. cry out III
his sleep, Make it a year. Judge: just
an even YEAR" and he threw into the
words all the pleading and pathos that
he could nave commanded had he been
awake.
At last the morning came When Jus
tice was to take off the bandage and
the sheriff told his wards that they
must hold themselves ready to go &c
the court room at any moment He
was not sure himself of the exact time
when his honor would call for them
but he cautioned them to be quick IL
responding to the call when it came
Every one rushed to his cell to get his
clothes in order. want the old mar
to see me in my best" one said, ano
the others followed him up to the eel
gallery and began to overhaul THEN
scant supply of "togs." They dis
cussed the merits of a patched waist
coat or frayed necktie as women dc
the most delicate finerv. How dc
you think tn old man II like this?'
d man called "Bony' said, holding uT
Il coat.
Get it sterilized, Bony: it's full o
gray-backs: tn old man II give YOU
the limit if they get to paradin2
around the court ROOM" another re
marked untruthfully.
How do you'se think this white rag
II take him." aueried still another
dubbed ",Jet Eyes, exhibiting A.;
boiled shirt which he had kept I'm
der his pillow for four weeks, for feal
it would be 'swiped."
keep it to swing in. Sammy" ad
vised his cell-mate. Its too good jus
to get two Years in. Put it in a safet,
vault till croakin' time comes.'
In an hour they had all put on thei1
best. and a dress rehearsal in the cor
ridor was in order. One of the oldes.
prisoners was appointed judge. ane
the men lined up in front Of him
This was play, and in a measure com
edy, but not wholly so; the culprit!
expected to catch from the mock judg.
and h mock sentence some omen O
what their fate would be. The jndo,
carried off his part with impresSiv,
dignity and severe eyebrow: he hat
borrowed a clean collar and a Sky
blue necktie for the occasion. He haf
absolutely refused to off. cx-cp
In costume. The men Dracticrd at;i
tudes and gestures which they expect
ed to use with effect later in The dav
"Hungry," he said in ii Voice whicl
was proper to the majesty OF the law
to the man at the head OF the line
"you was caught in de act. wnsn'
you?- Now, that means bunclin'
BlOkes what knows their busipcS