"
I pursued this monotonous occupation for two months, when I told the
keeper I did not like that business, and wanted to try something
that had a little more variety in it. Whereupon he put me at the
cane chair bottoming business, which gave me another room and
another chum, and I remained at this work while I was in the prison.
In three weeks I could bottom one chair, while my mate was bottoming
nine or ten as his day's work; but I told the keeper I did not mean
to work hard, or work at all, if I could help it. He was a very nice
fellow and he only laughed and let me do as I pleased. Indeed, I
could not complain of my treatment in any respect; I had a good
clean room, good bed, and the fare was wholesome and abundant. But
then, there was that terrible, terrible sentence of ten long years
of this kind of life, if I should live through it.
After I had been in prison nearly seven months, one day a merchant
tailor whom I well knew in Newark, and who made my clothes,
including my wedding suit when I married the Widow Roberts, came to
see me. The legislature was in session and he was a member of the
Senate. He knew all the circumstances of my case, and was present at
my trial. After the first salutation, he laughingly said:
"Well, Doctor, those are not quite as nice clothes as I used to
furnish you with."
"No," I replied, "but perhaps they are more durable."
After some other chaff and chat, he made me tell him all about my
first marriage and subsequent separation, and after talking awhile
he went away, promising to see me soon.
Pages:
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75