had little bedding of our own), and
the confinement to the narrow limits of the yard, and the tiresome
sameness of the life. Meal hours, of course, played the most important
part, while the others had to be filled up as best we could. The weather
was fine most of the time and that helped much. Everything was an event,
the arrival of fresh passengers a great one which happened every day;
the day when the women were allowed to wash clothes by the well was a
holiday, and the few favorite girls who were allowed to help in the
kitchen were envied. On dull, rainy days, the man coming to light the
lamps at night was an object of pleasure, and every one made the best of
everybody else. So when a young man arrived who had been to America once
before, he was looked up to by every person there as a superior, his
stories of our future home listened to with delight, and his manners
imitated by all, as a sort of fit preparation. He was wanted everywhere,
and he made the best of his greatness by taking liberties and putting
on great airs and, I afterwards found, imposing on our ignorance very
much. But anything "The American" did passed for good, except his going
away a few days too soon.

Then a girl came who was rather wanting a little brightness. So all
joined in imposing upon her by telling her a certain young man was a
great professor whom all owed respect and homage to, and she would do
anything in the world to express hers, while he used her to his best
advantage, like the willing slave she was. Nobody seemed to think this
unkind at all, and it really was excusable that the poor prisoners,
hungry for some entertainment, should try to make a little fun when the
chance came. Besides, the girl had opened the temptation by asking, "Who
was the handsome man in the glasses? A professor surely;" showing that
she took glasses for a sure sign of a professor, and professor for the
highest possible title of honor. Doesn't this excuse us?

The greatest event was the arrival of some ship to take some of the
waiting passengers. When the gates were opened and the lucky ones said
good bye, those left behind felt hopeless of ever seeing the gates open
for them. It was both pleasant and painful, for the strangers grew to be
fast friends in a day and really rejoiced in each other's fortune, but
the regretful envy could not be helped either.

Amid such events as these a day was like a month at least. Eight of
these we had spent in quarantine wh