kept well filled; having good
spreads, sheets and pillow cases. They made a few comfortables for these
unused beds, and indeed all these cells were kept in good order, nicely
dusted, &c., and the doors were set open by day for visitors to admire.
Hence, I would hear them crying out, "How nice you keep things here!
What comfortable beds! How neat!" I would think within,--not aloud, for
that would not do,--"O that you could look into those higher up. You
might cry out, 'Pig's nests!'" These new comfortables were made only
two-thirds the usual width, answering well for an unused bed. Still I
did occasionally see one on a bed in use.

As I was informed, a gentleman from outside had a view of those upper
cells, the warden saying, in excuse for their condition, that he put the
more slovenly in them, those who would not keep their cells in order.
But the real truth of that matter is, some of the neatest men occupied
those higher cells intermingled with those not so neat, the men being
located as to their cells according to their position at work in the
shop.

The sheets were so scarce as not to afford a full change for washing,
requiring some to use dirty sheets, for a time, from another's bed,
though less dirty than their own.

The former warden had been aiming to have, so far as could be, two suits
to a man, a common, every day suit, and one better for Sabbaths, &c., it
being thought that this would tend to refine and elevate the prisoners.
Hence, he left them with a generous supply, well fitted up. But it would
need more or less renewing and refitting in the fall, which it did not
receive, but was made to answer by patching. Hence, patched and ragged
clothes would be of no uncommon occurrence, as all became thin from long
wear, the under-clothing, especially, much needing repairs and renewing.

The main seamstress left the next April, and told me that after this
warden came in, up to that time, they had made one new suit and one
other jacket, the new suit for the Newmarket murderer, who was too large
for any they had on hand.

18. _Cracked wheat dinner._ In the fall, there was much complaint among
the prisoners that their Monday dinner, which they formerly prized as
the best in the week, had been changed to a dish that few liked and many
could not eat. It was boiled cracked wheat with a little meat chopped
in, no sauce or other relish upon it. I mentioned the case to the
doctor, who said, "They purchased a quanti