their meals, and attending
to much of their work, to pass over two, and sometimes three, flights
of stairs. All understanding minds know that this must prey most sadly
on female health, and that apartments for this class should be as near
the ground as can be.

The other mistake was in the stairs. In the old arrangement the females
had their private stairway, where they could pass unobserved by any
except their attendants. But in the change, that private way was laid
aside and the women required to use the public stairs, subjecting them
to great inconvenience. I called the attention of the agent to this
matter, but to no effect.

Another thing of trifling expense should have been attended to. The
female wash-room should be arranged so that those laboring there, in
turning out the waste water, should not be required to lift their tubs
as high as, and, in some cases, higher than their heads; and, while
washing, they should not be obliged to stand on ice so much. Blinds,
also, should have been put to those large hospital windows to prevent
almost broiling the sick in hot weather.

18. _Profanity attacked._ Profanity appeared to be a common evil in the
institution, not only among the convicts, but also with many of those
who were over them. A prisoner said to me one day, with no little
emotion, "Chaplain, I am in a hard case. Swearing is my besetting sin.
If I become vexed with my work, or anything else, that is my resort at
once. In the meetings, I hear preaching, prayer and singing, under the
influence of which, I feel a strong impulse to leave my sinful ways, and
seek to become good and live an upright life. Almost resolved on this, I
go to my work and am there forced to hear more or less profanity. They
will swear at me, and I fall to swearing, too. Thus I am in a hard
case." The deputy said, "There is swearing enough here daily to sink the
whole concern clear down out of sight."

Thus assured, it seemed important that a move specifically against that
sin be made. True, we might not reach those who most indulged in it, as
they never attended our gatherings, but we could work for the prisoners.
Hence, one evening, after speaking of the folly and sinfulness of the
habit, an appeal was made direct to the men, soliciting all who would
wholly abandon the practice to rise in their seats, to which some forty
responded. At the next meeting, on requesting those who had succeeded in
keeping their pledge to rise, the la