be fitted up for evening school, so that all prisoners who might
desire to improve themselves could attend this place of instruction
after the work of the day was over. Nothing could be done that would be
more advantageous to the convict. The teachers for the prison school
are selected from among the prisoners, some of them being very fine
scholars.

After school is over the Sunday dinner is served. The prisoners once
more march into the dining-room and take their places at the table. The
Sunday dinner is the "crack" meal of the institution. At this meal the
prisoners have as a luxury, beans, a small piece of cheese and some beet
pickles, in addition to their regular diet. This meal is served at 2:30.

The prisoners are then returned to their cells, where they remain until
the following morning. They spend their time in the cells which is not
taken up by sleeping, in reading. The prison has a fine library of
five thousand volumes. The State Legislature annually appropriates five
hundred dollars to be expended in purchasing books. This collection
consists of histories, scientific works and books of fiction. The
greater part of the criminals prefer the works of fiction. Were it not
for this privilege of reading, the Sunday afternoons and winter evenings
would seem very long and dreary.

Several officers are on duty during the time the men are locked in their
cells on Sunday, and the cell houses are very quiet and orderly, there
is no talking, as officers are constantly walking backward and forward
in front of the cells.

This is the manner and style of spending the Sabbath in prison. The
convicts who do the cooking for the officers and convicts, are compelled
to work on Sundays as any other day of the week. It would be nothing
more than right to give these men credit for this extra work, and in
this manner reduce their sentences. The law does not contemplate that
criminals in the penitentiary should work seven days in the week and
fifteen hours each day. There are more than fifty men who are forced to
put in this extra time in hard labor.

CHAPTER VI. SCENES IN THE HOSPITAL

When a prisoner gets sick he reports to the prison physician in the
morning, before working hours. As the men march out of their cells to go
to their breakfast, those who are sick and desire to see the doctor fall
out of the ranks and occupy seats in the cell house. Soon the prison
physician, Dr. Nealley, calls and examines them. Many try to