The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1901-05-28

was taken into one of the little courts
In which were four cells, each with room
for ten persons. The sleeping berths
were for ten persons, but the space be-
tween these berths and the wall was so
narrow as to make it difficult for all the
ten to walk at once. Several Of them
generally sit or lie on the berths. All the
cells were open, and the prisoners were
in the court. Some were mending their
ragged clothing, some knitting stockings,
some merely lying or sitting in the sun.
/, Most of them, however, were employed
in destroying parasites in their hair or
clothing.
Several persons surrounded me and
asked who I was, how long l was to
stay and where l was going. No one
inquired why / was in prison That
question is considered impolite in prison
society. After having satisfied the Curl
osity of the questioners, most Of whom
were In chains and were to be trans
ported to Siberia, l was taken into a
cell, where a vacant place was shown
me on sleeping berth an ell wide, with
dirty pillow stuffed with straw and no
mattress or blanket, for both Of which
the prisoners cloak serves.
The prisoner who showed me my place
was the "elder of the ward" (starosta).
He was very amiable to me and recon-
mended one berth, remarking: There's
plenty of room here. There are only ten
of us. In all the other cells there are 10.
That's why ] put you here" The fact
is that the elder was building hopes on
me. He had noticed that | wore spec
tacles and had therefore concluded that
l must be gentleman" and of course
must know how to write, and he was just
then very anxious to write a petition.
1 of course consented and asked him to
explain to me his business. He began an
account, from which my attention was
distracted by sudden sensation Of burn
ing all over. "Oh! Is it they 2" he asked,
breaking off. ''They?" / repeated, won
dering He nodded. My experience was
familiar to him. Never mind" he said
consolingly, ''they only bite so furiously
lust at first. You won't feel them after a
bit"
tore off my cloak. My shirt was lit
orally covered with vermin. They were
in such swarms that l stood horror strick-
en-. 1t seemed to me that must die from
them. My new friend, still trying to con-
sole me, helped me off with my shirt, and
we went out into the court. Laying down
the cloak in the hot sunshine to get warm,
we employed ourselves in clearing the
shirt of vermin. Before laying the cloak
on the ground the elder held it up for me
to look at, and it seemed to me to be al
most free from insects. But after few
minutes he called my attention to it
again.
The vermin hidden in the coarse canvas
texture had come out to the heat 1t was
only then that understood in what con-
dition the clothing was that had been CIV
en- me. / drew back with the bitter con-
viction that it was useless to struggle
against such endless legions. But my in
structor assured me that there was no
need to despair, that l must have pa
thence and that by working at it IL hours
a day one could get rid of great many
in two days. There was nothing for it but
to follow his advice; not that had any
hope of success, but rather from sheer
desperation. But we had not long to sit
in the court. AT p. m. our names were
called over, and we were locked up in the
cell. We lighted some tiny lamps, filed
with grease, and went on with our work.
Some had contrived to get hold of
pdCA VI CdIUS anu bpGHt Lie lIluc Ill pay
ing, though with frequent Interruptions,
as at any moment the sentinel might look
In and catch the gamblers in the act,
which would have resulted in a search
and the confscation of the cards. One Of
the prisoners, therefore, stood admiring
the beauties of the darkness, acting mean
while as scout, and gave notice with
movement of his foot every time the SEN
s,.I,11 s~.-4 Ill he,
gamblers would put on the most innocent
air and occupy themselves in some other
way. At a. m. we were let out. | had
not slept at all nor obtained one moments
relief from the torment of the vermin.
The prisoners crowded round the well
and drank Some took off their clothing
and washed it, remaining naked while
they did SO. The morning chilliness was
still in the air. | and my new friend re-
sumed our toll of the day before. He
was evidently well accustomed to the
work and looked compassionately upon
my ignorance and clumsiness. you
dou't a bit know how to manage. You
look half afraid of them. You shouldn't
go at it so gingerly. ] know whose
cloak that isl he went on. "a fortnight
ago there was fellow here-Jack FooP
we used to call him. Quite natural one,
you know.
'He was always soft in his head, and
then he was i'll, too-just all over wounds
and sores from head to foot. Well, there
he'd lie, and of course he got all over
these creatures. He never tried to get
rid of them OF course decent fellow
wouldn't let his cloak get into that state,
but the fool didn't care-not he. He
didn't seem to have any feeling some
how"
On learning the biography of my cloak
| appealed to him in horror to know
whether could not possibly get it chang
I'd for another. He at first maintained
that it was quite needless, that he could
get rid of the yermin, that one could not
catch diseases from clothes, etc., but he
failed to convince me. "Of course" he
remarked at last, zone can get it chang
ed. It'll cost lot, but it can be done.
Here, sir, anything can be got for mon
ey. Why, not only clean things, you can
have spirits. playing cards, paper, pens
and ink-anything you like"
My cloak was changed that day. Pris-
oners are not allowed to have money in
their possession. but prisoner who has
money to his account in the Office can
buy things in the prison shop by order.
The dealer, like banker, cashes your
order, though in goods instead of money,
and takes 20 per cent himself for trouble
and risk.
That evening felt far less miserable
in consequence Of clean cloak.-Free
Russia.