holesale butchery. Seems her husband got a divorce, and was on the eve
of marrying again. She posted herself about the second wedding, and
managed to make her way into the parlor, where she hid behind the
window curtains. Just as the couple stood up to be married, she cut her
little boy's throat with a razor, dragged the body in front of the
bride, and before any one could move, drew a revolver, blew the top of
her husband's head off, and then shot herself. The ball passed through
her shoulder and broke her arm, but as you see, she was spared, as many
another wildcat has been. Her friends and counsel tried to prove
insanity, but the plea was too thin; so she landed here for a term of
twenty years, and it will take every day of it to cut her claws. She is
as hard as flint, and her heart is as black as a wolf's mouth."

"Medea's wrongs generally end in Medea's crimes," answered the visitor;
watching the defiant poise of the small shapely head, covered with
crisp, raven locks. Having less acquaintance with the classics than
with the details of prison discipline, the under-warden stared.

After a moment he pointed to a diminutive figure standing at the end of
the long table, and engaged in folding some white garments.

"See that pretty little thing, with the yellow head? Shouldn't you say
she looks like an angel, and ought to be put on the altar to hear the
prayers of sinners? Would you believe she is a mother? Arson is her
hobby. She is a regular 'fire-bug'. She was adopted by a German couple,
and one night, when the old farmer had come home with the money paid
him for his sheep and hogs, she stole the last cent he had, pocketed
all the oold frau's silver spoons, poured kerosene around the floor,
set fire to the house in several places, locked the door and ran for
her life. A peddler happened to seek quarters for the night, and
finding the place on fire, managed to break through the windows and
save the old folks from being roasted alive. When the case came to
trial it was proved that she had set fire to two other buildings, but
on account of her youth had escaped prosecution. They could not hang
her, though she deserved the gallows, and her child was born three
months after she came here. Looks innocent as a wax doll doesn't she?
Eve Werneth she calls herself; and she is well named after the original
mother of all sin. She is Satan's own imp, and we chain her every
night, for she boasts that when things grow tiresome to