ce sent for the Doctor who
came and stopped the hemorrhage, and then sent me to the hospital where
I remained two weeks.

After I came out of the hospitals the Warden talked to me about my
situation and feelings. He advised me to go into the blacksmith shop,
of course not dreaming that I knew anything of the work; but he said I
would have more liberty there; that the men moved about freely and could
talk to each other; that the work mainly was sharpening picks and tools,
and that I could at least blow and strike. So I went into the blacksmith
shop, and remained their six weeks. But, debilitated as I was, the work
was too hard for me, and so the warden put me in the yard to do what I
could. I also swept the halls and assisted in the cook-room. One day
when the warden spoke to me, I told him that I knew something about
taking care of the sick, and after some conversation, he transferred me
to the hospital as a nurse.

Here, if there is such a things as contentment in prison, I was
comparatively happy. I nursed the sick and administered medicines under
direction of the doctor. I had too, with all easy position, more liberty
than any other prisoner. I could go anywhere about the halls and yard,
and in a few weeks I was frequently sent on an errand into the town.
Everyone seemed to have the fullest confidence in me. The Warden talked
to me whenever he saw me, and always had some kind word for me. One day
I ventured to speak to him about his horse, of which he was very proud,
and indeed the horse was a very fine one.

Mr. Warden, said I "that's a noble horse of yours; but he interferes
badly, and that is only because he is badly shod. If you will trust me,
I can shoe him so as to prevent all that."

"Can you?" exclaimed the Warden in great surprise; "Well, if you can,
I'll give you a good piece of bread and butter, or, anything else you
want."

"I don't want your bread and butter," said I "but I will shoe your horse
as he has never been shod before."

"Well take the horse to the shop and see what you can do."

Of course, I knew that by "bread and butter" the warden meant that if I
could shoe his favorite horse so as to prevent him from interfering, he
would gladly favor me as far as he could; and I knew, too, that I could
make as good a shoe as any horse need wear. I gladly led the horse to
the shop where I had so signally failed in pick and tool sharpening, and
was received with jeers by my old comrades who wanted to