m. He wishes that he
was dead. I can never forget my first day in a felon's cell. Of all my
eventful life, into which many dark days have crowded themselves, my
first day in prison was the darkest. After the "soaking season" is over,
an officer advances to the dungeon, throws back the bolts, pulls open
the door, and, in a harsh manner, commands the broken-hearted culprit to
follow. He is conducted to an apartment, takes a bath, and dons the suit
of stripes. Ye angels! did you ever behold such a sight? Is it not a
travesty on every thing that is good to dress a human being in such
a suit of clothes. A striped coat, striped pataloons, striped shirt,
striped cap, in fine everything he wears is striped. There is nothing
in this world so humiliates a person as being compelled to wear these
stripes. No language can describe the feelings of horror that took
hold upon me the first time I saw myself arrayed in these emblems of
disgrace. I passed through all the fiery ordeal of trial, sentence,
reception cell, undaunted, but when I made my first toilet in the
penitentiary, I must admit, I was "knocked out." Then I felt keenly the
sting of disgrace. The prisoner is next introduced to a convict barber,
who shaves him and "clips" his hair. By the time the barber gets through
with his part of the programme, the prisoner has but little hair either
on his face or head. The prison physician examines him and it is decided
where he is to work. He is next shown the cell he is to occupy, and
later on his place of work. Over his cell is placed his name and number.
He now enters upon that indescribable, desolate, and dreary life of a
convict.

THE TREATMENT OF THE PRISONERS

The inmates of the Missouri penitentiary are well clothed. In this
respect, this prison has no rival. All the prisoners presented the
appearance of being cleanly, so far as their clothing is concerned. All
are dressed in stripes. None are exempt. Here are nearly two thousand
men on an equality. None of them can look down upon others, and say,
I am more nicely dressed than you. I never saw a convict dude in the
entire lot. The prisoners are well fed. For breakfast, the bill of fare
consists of bread, coffee, without milk or sugar, and hash. There is
no change of this bill of fare. If the prisoner has been there for ten
years, if not in the hospital, he has feasted upon hash every morning.
Boiled meat, corn bread, potatoes and water make up the dinner, and
for supper th