Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-06-09


| ters.
From the laundry we went to the bath
room, though anything more unlike
| bathroom could scarcely be imagined. 1t
is long and narrow, and all of brick. On
one side are small partitions, more ike
stalls than anything else, each with
| shower bath arrangement. The first thing
done with a prisoner is to give him
] BATH then a shave, face and head, and a
suit of clothes. His citizen suit is either
sent to his people or burned. When his
term expires he is given new suit,
railroad ticket and IS, with Godspeed and
the hope that he may be better rather
than worse for his imprisonment. am
quoting the guard again, so don't think l
said that all by myself, confessed Mrs.
L. r. B.
81 recognized his tone" SAID the Listen
er with a smile.
/ His tone? You'll never appreciate his
tone until you hear him say, Just follow
me- ladies and gentlemen.
Leaving the basement by elevator we
! came to the chapel, from the chapel TO
the hospital floor Out of 239 men, only
were sick We caught a glimpse of the
clean. white cots as the door opened and
closed for an attendant. On this same
floor is the tailor shop, and here twenty
men or more were cutting and sewing ana
pressing. The irons, as our guide said In
MS most Nasal WHY dAO Nv ~
ty.' One of the pressers was an indian
| and another Indian sat by an open win
| dow stitching by hand. Here all the of1-
| GERS uniforms are made, as well as the
prisoners clothes, and the work is well
done.
This. with a passing glance at the
| chaplain's office and the room where the
prisoners are measured by the Bertillon
method for Identification, ended our tour
of inspection.
"At the entrance we thanked the guard
| for his kind and efficient ciceronage and
| We're saying goodbye when the clear
notes of a bugle sounded the assembly.
| This was the call TO supper. Guaros'
quick, military-looking fellows, came
| from all directions, the doors leading to
! the cell blocks were opened and there was
| a loud, whirring sound. like that OF
| steel crane and ll.e cell doors were opened
| and the prisoners stepped out to answer
| TO roll call 10? Here. 80? Here. 80!
Here. And so on. Then. tramp. tramp.
: A guard comes first then the prisoners
/ by twos, some with the blue suits or good
behavior. others with the convict stripes.
| White men and negroes march together.
| There is no longer Mr.. John Smith, law
yer, or Uncle Ned. laborer; 1t is 50 and "a,
| ard what need of distinction between
numbers? From the right came the Grip
| ne brigade among them an old white
1 n0lTEu HESIp anu a maj WIZ 100
leg. but he got TO the peaitentiary. From
| tie left block the men flied RAPIDLY most
| of the faces blank hopeless or sullen,
| but with a few who look with honest
! eyes and whose countenances are III SUIT
ca to their prison garb.
Among the last to come was a young
! man. almost boy whose offense, was
| sure must have been a first and mild
one. until the guard told me he was in
! for life. the murderer OF two men. shall
never trust my perspicuity in reading
| character finished Mrs L. r. B., with
a doIeful shake Of the head.
Il have never had very high opinion
o. womans capabilities in that line,' said
| the Listener.
| well. their intuitions answer for capa-
| hi tiles. and l will never believe that boy
was a wilful murderer. There are thirty
! two life prisoners. sixteen of them ne
groes and three Indians.
! my only disappointment was in not
| seeing the arn1ory and l said so TO the
| captain of the night guard and he
+! thought that an unusual desire IN q
woman, but you know" and Mrs. L. r.
b.. arched her brows at the Listener and
tried to look most martial Il have
weakness for firearms"
Most women have said the Listener
dryly
should have said my strong point is fire
arms"
i've seen women whose strong point
was firearms. They shoot at targets with
the pistol held tight in two hands; they
shut both eyes. put on pain-in-the'
stomach expression and pull the trigger
with a death-liRe grasp"
Mrs. L. r. B. looked more than offend
ed-she was indignant she was wrathful
81 don't do any of those absurd things
L know the difference between Smith
e. Wesson and Ivor Johnson and car
recognize a winchester at a glance
Besides / have killed ducks with rife
and certainly couldn't have done thai
with both eyes shut.
Accidents will happen" said the Lis
tener sententiously.
An expression of determination came
on Mrs. l.. r. BIS face. THE captain
of the night guard invited me to targe
practice and thought 1 would let yot
go with me. but"
Forgive me. please forgive met I'll b'
good forever and forever" pleaded the
Listener. humbly, but Mrs. l.. r. B
laughed and shook her head.
mo, 1 think I'll take l.. r. B."
Leave him out there suggested thu
Listener, but Mrs. l.. r. j.. still laughed
and shook her head again.
MABEL DRAKE.