as i was taken through the iron doors i heard a slam after me. the guard also heard the same noise. turning, he called to me to halt, saying: “what was that?”
“i’m sure, i do not know, sir,” i replied; “i only heard a noise.”
“i am not sure whether i did or not. i thought i saw a lady, as i turned my head.”
“could it be a ghost?” i thought, and, if so, why was it following me?
“guard, what is the complaint against this man?” inquired the superintendent.
“he will not work, sir.”
“not work? oh! well, you have had a taste of the dungeon, have you not? if that will not do, we shall have to try some other means to get you to work, and that will be to tie your hands above your head until you are willing to work. how do you think you would like that?”
“i am willing to work if i had lighter work,”[26] i said; “i have never had to do such heavy work, and i am unable to do it.”
“take him out,” commanded the superintendent, “and put him on the rack, and when you feel you can do the work, we will be glad to take you to your work.”
i did not know what “the rack” meant and was very willing to follow. to my horror, it was a place where my hands were tied above my head. i stood facing the wall. imagine the punishment of one fellow-man upon another! i begged for mercy. all my pleadings were ignored. when the guard had finished tying my hands, i was told that he would be around inside of twenty-four hours, to see if i had changed my mind.
i knew that i could not stand the punishment long. i began to pray. i prayed for dear old mother to come to her helpless and innocent son. i began to feel the rack quiver. i was startled. i ceased praying for a moment. i thought i could feel the clasps move on my wrists. i was shaken with fear. was i going mad, or did i feel the clasps move? to my great surprise, i was lowered so i could stand on the bottoms of my feet; before i could touch only the floor with my toes. i felt a terrible[27] feeling come over me and all was dark. when i came to myself, i was released. could the guard have knocked me senseless? how was i loosened? i did not see him near me. i did not feel hurt from any blow. what could have happened to me! i remained there in a wonderment of thought as to what could have happened. about five hours had passed when i heard footsteps and the guard entered. he was astonished when he saw that i was loosed.
“what does this mean?” he exclaimed.
“i am not able to say, sir. did you not free my hands?”
“i? no, sir; you know that i did not, and who did?”
“i do not know. i was praying to my dear old mother, who died many years ago, to come to me and help me, as i was innocent of the crime for which i am being punished, and while i was praying i felt a dizziness come over me, and my hands were loosened and i was thrown to the floor, and when i came to my senses, i was free.”
“so you think that story will go here, do you? well, come along. we shall see if we can tie you so your prayers will not untie you.”
“my god! do not punish me any more seriously.[28] i am not deserving of this. i say to you that i am innocent.”
“we would have no use for the building if all of you fellows could prove to the world that you were innocent. if you are not guilty, why have you been brought here? surely you had some justice done you.”
“sir, i was convicted on circumstantial evidence. i was not proved guilty, for i am not guilty. the guilty one is at large, and the innocent one is here for ten years.”
“you are having your own way about this argument. i only know you are here for murder, and it is my duty to see that you are working for the next ten years. come along with me.”
i was taken to “the carpet” and the look of the officer and higher official was like daggers. i trembled from head to foot.
“you here again? what is the trouble, guard?”
“i found this man standing with hands untied when i entered the rack.”
“what does this mean? who untied you?”
i saluted the superintendent, and replied: “i do not know.”
“well, we will see if we can find out. take[29] him back and double-tie his hands. strap his feet also, and tip-toe him, and perhaps he will be willing to work by and by.”
i began to beg. how could anyone punish his brother man so? i said:
“i am human and have feeling. i do not deserve such hard treatment. i would work willingly if you would give me work that i can do. i can not do hard labor—i never did.”
“you will do what we see fit to give you to do, and if you are not willing, you go back to the rack.”
i could not stand the ordeal. on bended knees i begged for mercy, and the mercy shown me was a clubbing, and i was marched back to the rack.
“now, sir, i will strap you, as i was ordered to do, and i will be around, perhaps, to see the other fellow untie you.”
as before, i was strapped with uplifted hands, and drawn from the floor to the tips of my toes. i was exhausted with fear, and as i was being tied, both feet together, i cried out: “god, have pity! give me help and strength to stand this, for thou, o heavenly father, dost know that i am innocent.”
i heard the heavy iron door close behind me,[30] as i thought, for the last time. i could not see how i could ever withstand this punishment.
suddenly i began to experience the peculiar feeling of dizziness that had come over me before. i felt my hands being loosened, then i knew nothing more. i lay i do not know how long. the first i remembered was when i again heard the door slam and over me stood the guard and the superintendent. i was told to get up. i obeyed, and the look on the faces of those men i shall never forget.
after i was questioned as to how i felt, the dizziness began again to come upon me. i was again taken back to “the carpet,” but this time with more of the feeling of sympathy than before.
“i am at a loss, sir, to know what to do with you,” said the superintendent. “i think that i shall have an investigation of your case and see if we can find why and what power you have, if any. i was an eye-witness to your being untied this time, and no one assisted. invisible power is the only explanation i can make.”
[31]
“the first i remember was when i again heard the door slam, and over me stood the guard and the superintendent.”
[32]
again i was taken back, but not to the rack—to my cell, where i was given some coffee, and kind words with it. i was wondering[33] what this meant when i heard footsteps, then voices saying:
“let them tie you as often as they will. i shall free you. you are innocent, and shall not be punished.”
i looked for the one whose voice i heard, and, to my surprise, could not see anyone. i shuddered. i did not understand this.
i had drunk my coffee, and was feeling somewhat better from its effect and that of the kind words, when the superintendent entered with others.
as i arose to greet them i was drawn back by some invisible power. remaining seated, i was told to arise. i could not do so, and replied that i could not.
one of the gentlemen seized my arm and told me to stand up. i tried to do so, and could not. i was taken hold of by another and told to stand, but again i could not. then they tried to lift me up, and they could not move me.
i became alarmed. i did not feel ill—only slightly dizzy.
they debated as to what they should do about my case. i could not understand such a mystery. i only knew that i was freed, by whom i could not tell.
[34]
the mystery was growing in my mind. as i was sent for by the doctor, whom they called in to diagnose my case, i arose without effort, to the surprise of the guard, and walked unassisted to the office. there i confronted the doctor, apparently a well man, on my feet, and feeling well anyway.
i was thoroughly examined, and pronounced physically well. once more i was taken back to “the carpet,” and was told that i would be given lighter work, and to try not to be subject to any such treatment hereafter, as disobedient prisoners have to be compelled to work.
i was taken to the library, and told to book out all literature, as called for. i became very much interested in the work and was trying to make the best of it. i thought: “i am going to see if i can find some literature in here which will comfort me and help me to pass this long time which i must spend inside of these prison walls.”
i had an order for a book called “the ghost of a woman.” ghost of a woman! i wondered if the prisoner who ordered it had seen the ghost of this woman talked of in this place and hoped to find a book telling what her mission[35] is here, i thought: “i too should like to know.”
as i was tracing along the line of literature i was confronted with a book entitled “the wisdom.” what could that be? we all needed some of that, i especially. if i had had more, i would not be here. “as it is, i am here,” i thought, “and i am willing to find wisdom.”
i laid the book aside to take along with me to my cell to read when i should have the opportunity. i then continued the search for “the ghost of a woman.”
as the guard entered he said: “well, you are not making much headway getting out those orders.”
“i have an order here for a book entitled ‘the ghost of a woman.’”
“here, we have a real live ghost, in here, of a woman, and that is enough ghost. let me see who has left that crazy order. what! the superintendent wants this book. well, look it up. i guess he has not had enough, but i have. i do not have to read of her, for i see her times enough.”
i was left to continue the search for the ghost book. at last i found a similar title and[36] laid the book aside. i would perhaps find the desired book in my search for other literature.
all orders filled, i began to deliver to each prisoner’s cell. we were allowed light to read by, two hours each night. i passed these two hours much more pleasantly with my book of wisdom than i could have done otherwise. did i find wisdom? do we all find it when we need it most? some of us do not. it was so in my case. i got my wisdom after i could do no good with it, only to look forward ten years.
