the twin hells(两个地狱)-第6节
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THE TWIN HELLS
my cell during the evening； until the prison bell rang for retiring。 Strange
to say； after going to bed； I soon fell asleep； and did not awake until the
prison bell rang on the following morning。 When I did awake； it was to
find myself； not in my own pleasant little home in the city of Atchison；
Kansas； but in a felon's cell。 I arose and dressed； and then waited and
wondered what would be the next thing on the programme。
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THE TWIN HELLS
CHAPTER II
THE COAL MINES
I was next taken to the coal mines。 These mines are located just
outside of the prison enclosure； and are surrounded by high stone walls
and stone buildings； which； by their location； take the place of walls。 The
coal yards are separated from the prison campus by a partition wall； which
constitutes the south wall of the coal department and the north wall of the
prison。
Passing from one of these departments to the other； through a large
gateway； the gate being kept by a convict； an old man who murdered his
son； and who has a life sentence。 Reader； how would you like to spend
your entire life； day after day； week after week； month after month； year
after year； in the monotonous employment of opening and closing a large
gate？ When my escort and myself reached the mines； I was placed in
charge of Mr。 Dodds； the official in control of the mines at the surface。 Mr。
Dodds is a very competent officer； and has been on duty at that place more
than twenty years。 From this officer I received a mining cap。 This piece of
head…wear was turban…shaped； striped； of course； with a leather frontlet； on
which was fastened the mining lamp。 This lamp； in shape； resembled an
ordinary tea…pot； only it was much smaller。 In place of the handle was a
hook； which fastened to the leather frontlet。 The bowl of the lamp
contained the oil； a wick passes up through the spout； at the end of which
is the light。 The miner carrying his lamp in this position has it out of his
way。 With the cap on my head and lamp lighted； I stood on the verge of a
ten by twelve hole in the earth； that was almost eight hundred feet deep。
We think that a well one hundred feet deep is quite a distance down into
the ground； but here was a hole eight times deeper。 In the mining
vernacular this hole is termed a shaftthe term that will be employed in
speaking of it hereafter。 There are two of these shafts； about one hundred
yards apart。 Each shaft is divided by a wooden partition which descends
from the top to the bottom。 Two elevators； or cages； as they are called；
ascend and descend along the shaft。 While one cage is coming up the other
is going down。 They derive their motor power from two large engines； one
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THE TWIN HELLS
for each shaft。 The officer in charge inquired； before making my descent
into the mines； if I ever fainted。 〃Never；〃 was my reply。 Persons
sometimes faint in going down this shaft。 〃Step into the cage；〃 was the
order given。 I obeyed； and； reaching up； took hold of some iron bars that
went across the top。 The signal was given； down I started。 After I had
descended a few feet a current of air coming up from below put out my
light； which left me in the darkness of an Egyptian night。 Down； down；
down I went。 There are a great many things in life that I have forgotten。
There are a great many more that I expect to forget； but that first ride
down the coal shaft I never can forget。 Thug！ I had struck bottom。 It is said
that when one starts down hill in this world he keeps on going until he
strikes bottom。 My readers will certainly agree with me that reaching a
resting place eight hundred feet under the surface I had found the lowest
round of the ladder。 Whatever I may be in the future； to whatever heights I
may ascend； I shall not forget that my starting point was nearly a thousand
feet under the Kansas penitentiary。 Water seeks its level。 You may force
one below the surface； and to whatever depth you please； to the extent of
your power； but if he does not belong there； you cannot keep him down： in
the course of time he will rise。
It was six long； dreary months before I was able to reach the first
round in the ladder。 Through that period I lay in the penitentiary mines； or
at the bottom of 〃The Kansas Hell。〃 It is said the old fashioned Hell has
fire and brimstone； while the 〃Kansas Hell〃 has no fire； one thing is
certain； it has plenty of material out of which to make it； and an abundant
supply of sulphur。
At the end of my descent I found an officer there on duty。 He told me
to step off and occupy a seat on a small bench near by。 He desired to
impart some information。 He advised me that while I was there； a convict；
it would not be proper to assume the warden's privileges or endeavor to
discharge his duties。 In other words； the best thing to do was to keep my
place； revolve about in my own orbit； carefully regarding all laws； both
centripetal and centrifugal； otherwise； I might burst by the natural pressure
of too highly confined interior forces！ I confess that； though not subject to
such infliction； I very nearly fainted over these ponderous polysyllables！
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He also informed me that the beautifully paved highway to popularity in
the coal mines was to excavate large quantities of the carboniferous
substance contained in the subterranean passages of the mine； the more
coal I got out the more popular would I be！
After his lecture was over the officer gave a low whistle； and out from
a dark recess there emerged a convict in his stripes。 His face and hands
were covered with coal dust。 He came out grinning； showing his white
teeth。 As I caught sight of him I thought； surely； this is a fiend from the
lower regions。 Take one of those prisoners with his striped clothes； a light
burning on his head； his face black and shining like ebony； behold him in
the weird darkness of the mines； and if he does not call to your mind the
picture of one of the imps of Eternal Night there is nothing in this world
that will。 This prisoner was the runner or messenger for this officer at the
foot of the shaft。 Each officer in the penitentiary who has charge of a
division of men has a messenger to run errands for him。 When this
messenger came up to the officer he made his obeisance。 Convicts are
taught to observe good manners in the presence of the officials。 He was
told to take me to another officer in a distant part of the mines； a Mr。 Johns；
who would give me work。 From the foot of the shaft there go out in almost
all directions； roadways or 〃entries。〃 These underground roadways are
about six feet in width and height。 I could walk erect in most of them。
Along these entries was a car track； over which the small coal cars pass to
and from the rooms where the coal is taken out； to the shaft； and hoisted to
the top with their load of coal。 Some of these entries extend more than a
mile out into the earth from the base of the shaft。 As my fellow…prisoner
and I were passing along one of these roadways to the place where I was
to work； he asked me my name and the nature of my offense。 At this place
let me inform； the reader that the prisoners are given permission to
converse with each other in the mines。 Their instructions are to the effect
that they are not to talk about anything but their work； but in the
penitentiary the same rule holds good as on the outside： 〃Give a man an
inch and he will take a yard。〃 So； when permission is given to the convict
to talk about his work； he talks about everything else。 In answer to my
escort's question as to the length of my sentence； I informed him that I had
