have no doubt that some of these fellows opposite will be able to put
you on the right scent."

This was one of the men who bring odium on the whole class of
prisoners, and prejudice society against them. He was a thorough-bred
professional thief, and, in addition, he was one of the very worst
prison characters. His temper was very violent, and at times apparently
uncontrollable. The lash had been tried on him, and, as in every case I
met with, in vain. If he lives to complete the term of his imprisonment
he will, as a matter of course, return to his old practices,--the only
method he knows of making his living. The officials were afraid he
would stab or otherwise injure some of them; and he was petted and
indulged a good deal at first. His diet was changed every other day,
until they got tired of humouring him; and then he got into trouble. At
last, after he had been about eighteen months in the prison, and had
insulted and threatened to strike the governor, he was suddenly removed
to another prison, where he would no doubt repeat the same game. In all
probability he will be in the grave before he is due for liberation.
Yet with all this, he could have been _led_ like a child; but to
attempt to drive him was out of the question. I confess I was very glad
when he was removed from the bed next to mine to one further away.

My neighbour on the other side was a very different character. He was a
self-taught artist, and was gifted with considerable natural genius.
His failing had been intemperance, and his crime a "got up" case of
rape. He was quite a philosopher in his way, always happy, always
contented; nothing came amiss to him. Imprisonment was of no account
with him; he was above it altogether. He had no inclination to break
the law, and was most unlikely to enter a prison a second time. Yet
this prisoner never could manage to get such good treatment as the
other, simply because he was easily pleased. He looked upon the prison
as a place of passage to be made the best of, not as a home. He could
be liberated to-morrow with perfect safety to the public, whilst the
other prisoner, who had precisely the same sentence, will go into the
society of thieves, and the pockets of other people, the moment he is
permitted the opportunity. The artist, although a cripple, could have
earned far more in prison than would have supported himself if he had
been allowed to do so. The thief could not have supported himself
honestly anyw