the twin hells(两个地狱)-第9节
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interesting sight。 The dinner had been brought down from the top about an
hour before on coal cars。 Three of the prisoners are now detailed to act as
waiters。 One passes down between the two rows of convicts； carrying in
his hand a wooden pail filled with knives and forks。 These culinary
instruments have iron handles。 Were they made of wood or horn； the
convicts would soon break off the handles and make trinkets out of them。
This waiter； passing along； drops a knife and fork on each table。 He is
followed by another who drops down a piece of corn bread； then another
with a piece of meat for each man； which he places on the pine board。
There is no 〃Please pass the meat；〃 or 〃Hand over the bread。〃 Not a word
is spoken。 After the knives and forks have been passed around this waiter
returns and gives each man a quart of water。 THIS IS DINNER。 The bill of
fare is regular； and consists of cold water； corn bread and meat。
Occasionally we have dessert of cold cabbage； or turnips or cracked corn。
When we have these luxuries they are given to us in rotation； and a day
always intervenes between cabbage and turnips。 In the coal mines the
prisoner never washes himself before eating。 Although he gets his hands
and face as black as the coal he has been digging； yet he does not take
time to wash himself before eating。 Reader； how would you like to dine in
this condition？ The old saying is； we must all eat our 〃peck of dirt。〃 I think
I have consumed at least two bushels and a half！ I can never forget my
first meal in the mines。 I was hungry； it was true； but I couldn't manage to
eat under the circumstances。 I sat there on the ground； and in silence
watched the other prisoners eat。 I thought； 〃 You hogs！ I can never get so
hungry as to eat as you are now eating。〃 In this I was mistaken。 Before ten
days had gone by I could eat along with any of them。 The first day I
thought I would do without my dinner； and when supper time came go to
the top and enjoy a fine meal。 I imagined that after digging coal all day
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they would surely give us a good meal in the evening。 My mouth
〃watered〃 for some quail on toast； or a nice piece of tenderloin； with a cup
of tea。 Think of my surprise； when hoisted to the top at the close of day；
after marching into the dining…room and taking our places at the table；
when I saw all that was put before the prisoners was a piece of bread； a
cup of tea without sugar or milk； and two tablespoonfuls of sorghum
molasses。 It did not require a long time for me to dispose of the molasses；
as I was very hungry； and handed up my cup for an additional supply； this
was refused。 It is considered in the penitentiary an excess of two
tablespoonfuls of sorghum is unhealthy！ There is danger of its burning out
the stomach！ So at each supper after that I had to get along with two
spoonfuls。 As far as the tea was concerned； it was made of some unknown
material whose aroma was unfamiliar to my olfactory； the taste was
likewise unfamiliar； and in consequence of these peculiarities of the prison
tea I never imbibed of it but the one time； that being amply sufficient to
last through the entire period of my confinement。 From that day on I took
cold water； which； after all； is God's best beverage for the human race。 The
penitentiary； so far as I know； is the only place in the State of Kansas
where prohibition actually works prohibition as contemplated by the laws
of the State！ There are no 〃joints〃 in the Pen。 No assistant attorney
generals are necessary to enforce prohibition there。 I never saw a drunken
man in the prison。 The Striped Temperance Society of Kansas is a success。
For breakfast in the prison we have hash； bread； and a tin cup of coffee；
without sugar or milk； no butter； no meat。 The hash is made of the pieces
of bread and meat left over from the preceding day。 We had it every day in
the year for breakfast。 During my entire time in the prison I had nothing
for breakfast but hash。 One day I was talking to an old murderer who had
been there for eighteen years； and he told me he had eaten hash for his
breakfast during his entire termsix thousand five hundred and seventy
days。 I looked at the old man and wondered to myself whether he was a
human being or a pile of hash； half concluding that he was the latter！
In conversation with the chaplain of the prison I received the following
anecdote； which I will relate for the benefit of my readers。 It is customary
in the prison； after the Sunday exercises； for such as desire to remain and
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hold a sort of class meeting； or； as some call it； experience meeting。 In one
of these； an old colored man arose； and said： 〃Breddren； ebber since Ize
been in dis prison Ize been tryin' to git de blessin'； Ize prayed God night
and day。 Ize rascelled wid de Almighty 'till my hips was sore； but Ize
nebber got it。 Some sez its la'k ob faith。 Some its la'k of strength； but I
b'l'eves de reason am on 'count ob de quality ob dis hash we hab ebbery
day！〃
Accidents are occurring almost daily。 Scarcely a day passes but what
some man receives injuries。 Often very severe accidents happen； and
occasionally those which prove fatal。 Many men are killed outright。 These
accidents are caused by the roof of the little room in which the miner
works falling in upon him； and the unexpected drop of coal。 Of course
there are many things that contribute to accidents； such as bad machinery；
shafts； dirt rolling down； landslides； etc。
One day there was a fellow…prisoner working in the room adjoining me；
he complained to the mining boss that he did not want to go into that room
to work because he thought it was dangerous。 The officer in charge
thought differently； and told him to go in there and go to work or he would
report him。 The prisoner hadn't been in the place more than a half hour
before the roof fell and buried him。 It took some little time to get him out。
When the dirt was removed； to all appearances he was dead。 He was
carried to the hospital on a stretcher； and the prison physician； Doctor
Neeally； examined him； and found that both arms were broken in two
places； his legs both broken； and his ribs crushed。 The doctor； who is a
very eminent and successful surgeon； resuscitated him； set his broken
bones； and in a few weeks what was thought to be a dead man； was able to
move about the prison enclosure； although one of his limbs was shorter
than the other； and he was rendered a cripple for life。
On another occasion a convict was standing at the base of the shaft。
The plumb…bob； a piece of lead about the size of a goose egg； accidentally
fell from the top of the shaft； a distance of eight hundred feet； and； striking
this colored man on the head； it mashed his skull； and bespattered the
walls with his brains。
I had three narrow escapes from death。 One day I lay in my little room
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resting； and after spending some time stretched out upon the ground； I
started off to another part of my room to go to work； when all of a sudden
the roof fell in； and dropped down just where I had been lying。 Had I
remained a minute longer in that place； I would have been killed。 As it
happened； the falling debris just struck my shoe as I was crawling out
from the place where the material fell。
At another time I had my room mined out and was preparing to take
down the coal。 I set my wedges in a certain place above the vein of coal
and began to strike with my sledge hammer； when I received a
presentiment to remove my wedges from that place to another。 Now
