leave one leg dangling loose, as only one
could touch the floor at a time. In the course of my struggles with the
bed, the whole miserable contrivance came off the hooks and fell down with
a metallic rattle and bang that could be heard all over the corridor. Then
came snickers from various distances, and my frantic effort to straighten
things out only made more noise than ever. Bursts of smothered laughter
came through the bars; and I laughed, myself, until I was almost in
hysterics. Finally I got the bed hitched on to the back hooks, folded it
up against the wall and started all over again. I began by putting the
chair on its back as far away from the bed as possible, which wasn't very
far, and this time I just managed to get the legs of the bed to the floor.
After that it was short work to get ready for the night.

I have not yet described my bed covering. I have one double and one single
blanket and a thin blanket sheet--no cotton or linen of any sort. I do not
need, in this weather, more than one of the three blankets; but if I were
to be here long I know I should like some cotton bedclothes and pillow
cases. These can be secured, apparently, only by buying them, and many
prisoners have not the money to buy them. It seems as if the State should
furnish them to all prisoners; certainly the present arrangement leaves
much to be desired from a sanitary point of view.

Having thus at last got into bed, I found myself not so sleepy as when I
started; moreover, now that I was in bed, that black grating began again
to have its nervous effect upon me. If I thought it would be any better I
should turn, facing the other way; but that would bring my head so close
to the grating that anyone from outside could poke me with his fingers.
Moreover, it wouldn't help matters, for as long as I know that grating is
there I might as well look at it; I should certainly feel it even worse if
I turned my back.

I heard the nine-fifty train drawing into the station. I wondered who, if
any, of my friends were boarding the train for New York. How often have I
done so without ever thinking of the poor fellows over here, lying
restless in their cells and marking the time by the arrival and departure
of trains. After a suitable interval I heard the train draw away. Then I
knew that in a few moments my neighbor from the Warden's rooms would be
down.

Soon I heard the opening and closing of a distant door, then stealthy
footfalls along the cor