Part 13 (1/2)

”What fools they must be; what do we care what we wear in prison, as long as it isn't thin rags that won't keep out the cold. Oh, have you read that article in one of the periodicals about the Andaman Islands?”

”No.”

”Well, the bloke who writes it proposes to send convicts out there, and keep them for life and compel them to marry prost.i.tutes or female convicts, and then when the 'kids' are grown to take them away from them! The fool! why, all convicts haven't life sentences, and does he think that they would remain out there and do as he liked after their time was up? It isn't likely.”

”Why, that would be worse than the slave trade,” said Ned, ”and wouldn't there be a nice crop of murders there? Why, they would require to get a factory specially for making hemp ropes to hang the culprits.”

”Who is it that writes the article?” asked Pat.

”A government commissioner, but he does not give his name.”

”Troth, and I should be ashamed to give it if I was he; I propose he should be taken and compelled to marry a 'tail,'[22] and sent out to try it himself first; why such men are not fit to live, and these are Christians! those are the men who do unto others as they wish to be done by, G.o.d help us!”

[22] Prost.i.tute.

”Have you heard what the director did when he was down on Sat.u.r.day?”

enquired Ned.

”A precious sight of good he does to be sure,” replied d.i.c.k, ”why he has given orders that no prisoner is to be allowed to see him about the food and the marks, and you must tell the chief warder what you want to see the director about before you can be allowed to go before him.

Isn't that a pretty thing? What a nice easy way of earning a thousand a year the director has?”

”What has caused this fresh order?”

”There were two causes--three of the convalescent invalids went to the director to ask to be able-bodied in order to get the able-bodied diet.

They are doing as much work now, except that they are not quite so long at it, but they are willing to work for the diet the same as the others. The director refused to allow them to work more, and of course they can't get the grub, and he gave orders that no more of such cases should be allowed to come before him. Another case was this--two fellows saved their cheese on the sly for several weeks, and in this way managed to have each about four cheeses beside them. Well, one of them told the officials what he was going to do, and the other kept his intentions secret. The first one went before the director and asked him if he would be kind enough to look at the cheese he had been supplied with for some weeks, and see whether it was the quality it ought to have been. The governor chimed in at once, and said that this was the only complaint he had heard about the cheese, and that all the other prisoners were satisfied. The prisoner was then bounced out of the room, and threatened with a 'report' if he complained again. Well the next man was called, and this happened to be the other 'bloke' with the four cheeses. Before going in he took them out of his pocket, and what do you think they did? Why, he wasn't allowed to go before the director at all; they squared him and coaxed him, and at last persuaded him not to insist on seeing the director at all, by threatening to send him to the refractory cells for having four cheeses on his person, which was quite contrary to the prison rules! Isn't it a ---- shame the way the head blokes go on? How can they expect a fellow to reform when they rob us of our food and show us a bad example?”

”What o'clock is it, Pat; d'ye see the clock there?”

”It wants a quarter to three; I say, d.i.c.k, will you give me a mutton for a pudding, that beastly stuff lays heavy on my stomach, and I know you are fond of it.”

”I don't mind, but how are you to get it sent to me?”

”I'll send it by some fellow in our ward who works in your gang.”

”I am hard up for snout,” said Ned, ”can you give us a bit, Pat? Upon my word I've just had one old pipe head for the last three days and it wasn't up to much, it had been too much used.”

”Well, I'll lend you an inch or two, but I hope you will soon pay me back; why there is none to be had now under a bob an ounce; but I say, Ned, if you should get another legging I would advise you to declare yourself a Jew. You look something like a sheeney at any rate. Why look at that old 'Chickarlico;' he goes twice a week to school and has two Sundays every week, besides ever so many feast days.”

”Oh, I can do another 'bit,' no matter whether I am Jew, Turk, or Christian; but if I get an easy job I mean to go on the square, upon my word I do.”

”Who'll employ you, do you think?”

”Why, I shall go to the society.”

”The society be ----! they will not do you any good.”

”I believe it is under new management now, and they don't cheat a fellow out of his gratuity as they used to do; but I think it's a wrong name to give it--The Prisoners' Aid Society! the very cases requiring most aid they won't a.s.sist at all, and unless a fellow is stout and hearty and has got some gratuity they won't have anything to do with him. If I had only a few s.h.i.+llings coming due to me they would not aid me, but as I have five or six pounds they will, now that looks suspicious. Then, if I had lost a leg, like that bloke over there, they wouldn't aid me. But if I don't go to the society I will, perhaps, go to Ireland and give them a turn there.”