With a heavy heart I saw my poor women locked up. I turned the key upon them with my own hand.
O this continual turning of keys! The bunch in my hand all day, under my pillow at night.
Click, click, when I go out of the room; click, click, when I come in. Will my ears ever harden to the sound so that I shall not notice it!
It is a constant drill, drill to labor under the ever impending punishment, which hangs over the prisoner, suspended by a breath of complaint by an officer. Is one kind of punishment the only cure for disobedience? Should it not be mitigated by mercy, or changed in character according to the circumstances, or the peculiar disposition of the offender? How does the Great Lawgiver treat His convicts? Does He punish all offenders with the same unmitigated rigor? His sun shines alike on the evil and the good. He reproves often, and teaches, and suffers long, and is kind, and adapts His punishment to the character of the crime committed.
Some crime is committed in willful disobedience of known law; but much more of it in ignorance of the way to control bad tempers--in ignorance of the way to resist temptation.
Teaching is what these poor creatures want, and the time in which to learn.
Many a time I went to the key-holes of those black cells to listen that day. Many a time I called,--
"I cannot. You did wrong and must be punished."
"I'll never do it again, I am so tired. Please will you get the Deputy to let me out."
That night I went to him, and begged to have my women let out.
"You know McMullins has fits, and to lie there on the cold stones all night might bring them on."
"You may put her in her own room to sleep."
"Thank you! It is a favor done to me as well as her. I don't think I could sleep at all if she were left lying there. You will let O'Brien go to hers--it would be hardly right to let one sleep in her bed, and not the other."
"O'Brien has been here before. I know more about her than you do."
O'Brien was obliged to make the cold stones her couch that night, and little sleep did I get thinking of her. Many a time did I say to myself in its silent hours, I will have her out in the morning if it is in the power of persuasion to effect it.
After the women were locked up, Annie called to me. Her quick ears had learned, or some other prisoner had told her, that McMullins was in her own cell.