and a connected point, I could not comprehend. In the
course of months, all became clear. The fly leaves of the library books,
and some of the other leaves, were gone, which told the story.

Had it been the season previous, I should have detected the matter
sooner and stopped it, but now I could not. Then, when the general
repairs were made to the library, I found that many of the books had
been lost, to avoid which, in the future, I adopted a new method here,
of charging every book let out and crediting its return. But this
required no little increase of labor, in consideration of which, the
former warden furnished me an assistant in the book charging and book
inspection. On two Saturdays after the new warden came in, I asked for
the usual assistance, but, from what passed, I found it best to ask no
more for aid, and decided to do the work myself as best I could,
continuing the account keeping, however, though with no possibility of
the former inspection.

I supposed the warden desired me to curtail the book changing, for,
passing the table one day, loaded with books ready for the hall, he
said, "Why, chaplain, the men don't need all those books." My reply was,
"They called for them all." "Well," said he, "they can not read them;"
meaning, as I took it, that I should not furnish so many. But I was
particular to give out all called for, a more generous supply, it is
true, than formerly, for the purpose of keeping the men engaged and
quiet under his peculiar management.

17. _Defective beds and bedding._ Those iron cross bars to the bedsteads
cut the straw, hence the former warden made it a point to refill the
beds once a quarter, but the latter filled them perhaps once in six
months. Indeed, some would be neglected till nothing could be found in
the bed-tick but a mass of chaff-like substance to which the straw had
been reduced, thus leaving the occupant with little besides the bare
slats on which to sleep. Men would at times complain that, from that
cause, they could obtain but little rest at night, and were in the
morning so sore and stiff that, for a time, it would be difficult for
them to move.

During the fall they did not attend to the needed general mending and
refitting of the old comfortables and bedspreads, though some were
ragged and filthy, or worn so thin as to be but little better than so
many strainers. The cells on the lower floor were exceptions. But few of
these were used. All the beds were