The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-08-30

When the heavy door OF the Paris prison
closed upon Lillian Trent she felt as though
all youth all hope. and all happiness were
left irretrievably behind.
She found herself I'm the porters lodge,
confronted by the FORTRESS. a tall and mus
cular woman. whose great strength was
scarcely dfssimuIated by the voluminous
folds of her nuns dress. She looked Lillian
ever with a stern yet Indifferent glance.
Follow me-" she said curtly, and uD-
hitched bunch of keys from the wall.
Lillian followed through stone passages
lighted by small windows set high in the
walls up stone steps. and into a square
room, fitted like an office. where two other
nuns. silent and austere, sat with great
folios spread open before them.
These were registry books OF the prison
in which particulars concerning each pris-
ouer were inscribed on her admittance-
Here, too. her Christian and surname were
pronounced for the last time during her
detention: here she was given a number.
and here she first became known by that
number. which was henceforth to be her
only appellation amongst her fellows.
books concerning Lillian Trent were as fol-
lows: Nationality. English; born in Devon
shire. July q, 1851; age, twenty-one; pro-
fe.sion. goyerness; accused before the Tri-
bunai of the Seine of shoplifting under
aggravated circumstances; convicted and
sentenced to three years detention with
hard labor in the female penitentiary of st.
Genevieve.
rxyffh
her blue eyes were filled with tears the
above details were read over, and she was
on the point OF again protesting her inno-
cence, as she had protested In vain to the
xendarmes who had arrested her, to the
MAGISTRATE who had judged her, to the en-
tire court, when the words were frozen
on her lips by the hostile, skeptical, and
antipathetic expression OF the nun who
now rose to take her in charge She felt
intuitively that 1t would be worse than
useless to utter a word.
So. with a heavy heart. she followed her
new guide again upstairs, and along corri-
doris, to a large room In which young
nun with more agreeable but somewhat
feeble countenance stood busy counting
over and arranging bundles OF clothes. one
of the prisoners was helping her, wrin-
Killed.. dark-DroWed woman, Bafpeo III INC
repuisive prison dress.
This consisted of a short gown Of coarse
wooden material, the color of mustard, a
shapeiess jacket reaching below the hips or
a blue and white checked ticking. and
large apron of unbleached calico, the
strings of which, passing round the waist,
confined the bed-jacket In bulky folds to
the figure. The headgear was a little close
fitting cap Of black stuff, covering the ears,
and tied under the chin. Venus must have
locked unattractive in such costume,
and the knowledge that the smallest femi-
nine charm, was vigorously denied them in
creased the punishment of the female pris-
iners OF st. Geneieve thousandfold.
Round the walls of the apartment In
which Lillian found herself ran wide wooden
shelves. divided horizontally into roomy
pigeon-holes, and in each compartment lay
a bundle of clothing from which dangled a
label. These bundles consisted or the
clothes the prisoners were wearing on the
day of their entrance into the prison, and
written legibly or the labels were the
names ano the dates
'TJndress" said the nun who stood by
Lillian, in curt tones; and in spite of her
shame and reluctance the girl had to obey.
The dainty little blue frock which she had
been wearing at the moment Of her arrest,
the many-frilled silk petticoat. the open
work stockings and pretty shoes, were all
rolled up together, ticketed, and thrust
away upon the shelf. while she was given
In exchange stockings of harsh worsted.
list slippers, a chemise OF coarse yellow
calico, and the frishtful m Istard-colored
gown, the bed-jacket and apron constitute
ing the uniform
Next she was told to sit down, a sheet
was put over her clothes, and her curly
auburn hair was unpinned.
"Oh. please do not cut of my har,' she
pleaded, futilely. only receiving cold re-
commentator TO keep silence or she would
get q bad mark against her number, and
then the nun, welding with swift, exper-
fenced fingers a large pair of scissors. snip
ped the sunny hair close to the roots, lath-
cred II over, and shaved 1t as skilfully as
any barber could have done. Next. Lii
fans head was sponged, dried the little
black stun cap was tied on. and the trans
formation was complete.
None but the painter accustomed to the
study OF lines, and able to subtract the de-
nguration due to unshapely clothes, could
ever have guessed that No. 81 was an ex-
eeptionally beautiful girl.
Now came the changing OF bell and
the muffled sound of hundreds Of tramping
feet. The nun conducted Lillian out into
the corridor. where the prisoners were
passing in Indian line from the workrooms
to the chapel They comprised women of
every age and condition, but all looked
sullen. discontinued, and repellently ugly.
thanks mainly TO the dress.
Lillian was told to take her place amongst
these women, and as she did so the prisoner
who had been in the wardrobe room with
her whispered to a comrade Lilian's name.
But one Of the nun-goalers had caught
the whisper and to break the silence at any
time was heinous offense against the
rules.
Number -. twelve hours in the punish
ment cells" came the sentence, and nun