Berry was the white-wash woman. After the other two "sweeps," or prison chambermaids, had swept the cells, and walks, her work was to go around with her white-wash brush, and cover up any soil or stains which had been left upon them.
"Suit yourself. I will do all I can for you."
"Thank you! If I could have one smart, healthy woman in the kitchen, it would help me very much."
"O, a smart woman! we must have the smart women in the shop. We can't spare you a shop hand."
"I have enough that are maimed and halt, and blind, now."
"You know a greenback covers every bundle of contract work that is done in the shop," he said, with a knowing wink.
"And the women must be made to help support the institution. There may be various ways of doing that. Greenbacks may look very nice to you men; but will not the health and reformation of those woman be as much money in the treasury of the state as the greenbacks which cover that contract work?"
"That is the Master's order. He is bound up in that contract work. He knows just how much each woman does. He examines the tickets himself, every morning."
"Would you work the women in that way if you were Master here?"