led on toward
Buffalo, I talked with the man in the seat behind me. He had an empty
pipe. I filled it for him with my precious tobacco--enough in a single
filling to make a dozen cigarettes. Nay, the more we talked the surer
I was that he was my meat, and I divided all my tobacco with him.

Now it happens that I am a fluid sort of an organism, with sufficient
kinship with life to fit myself in 'most anywhere. I laid myself out
to fit in with that man, though little did I dream to what
extraordinary good purpose I was succeeding. He had never been in the
particular penitentiary to which we were going, but he had done
"one-," "two-," and "five-spots" in various other penitentiaries (a
"spot" is a year), and he was filled with wisdom. We became pretty
chummy, and my heart bounded when he cautioned me to follow his lead.
He called me "Jack," and I called him "Jack."

The train stopped at a station about five miles from Buffalo, and we,
the chain-gang, got off. I do not remember the name of this station,
but I am confident that it is some one of the following: Rocklyn,
Rockwood, Black Rock, Rockcastle, or Newcastle. But whatever the name
of the place, we were walked a short distance and then put on a
street-car. It was an old-fashioned car, with a seat, running the full
length, on each side. All the passengers who sat on one side were
asked to move over to the other side, and we, with a great clanking of
chain, took their places. We sat facing them, I remember, and I
remember, too, the awed expression on the faces of the women, who took
us, undoubtedly, for convicted murderers and bank-robbers. I tried to
look my fiercest, but that cuff-mate of mine, the too happy negro,
insisted on rolling his eyes, laughing, and reiterating, "O Lawdy!
Lawdy!"

We left the car, walked some more, and were led into the office of the
Erie County Penitentiary. Here we were to register, and on that
register one or the other of my names will be found. Also, we were
informed that we must leave in the office all our valuables: money,
tobacco, matches, pocketknives, and so forth.

My new pal shook his head at me.

"If you do not leave your things here, they will be confiscated
inside," warned the official.

Still my pal shook his head. He was busy with his hands, hiding his
movements behind the other fellows. (Our handcuffs had been removed.)
I watched him, and followed suit, wrapping up in a bundle in my
handkerchief all the things I wanted